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<p class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:27.2pt;margin-bottom:
10.0pt;margin-left:0cm;text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><font
face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:major-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:major-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB">Dear
Colleagues, <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:27.2pt;margin-bottom:
10.0pt;margin-left:0cm;text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><font
face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:major-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:major-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB">As
you may be aware,
the African Union Commission endorsed application for the
new gTLD (dot Africa)
has been the subject of a series of applications for review
by another applicant
including the IRP initiated in October 2013.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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</font>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"><font
face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:
major-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:major-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:
"Times
New
Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB">Article
4
Section 3 of the Bylaws, which state (amongst others) that:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<ul style="margin-top:0cm" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-top:.1pt;margin-bottom:.1pt;mso-para-margin-top:
.01gd;mso-para-margin-bottom:.01gd;mso-list:l1 level1
lfo6;tab-stops:list 36.0pt"><font face="Times New Roman,
Times, serif"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-ascii-font-family:
Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:major-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:major-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times
New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB">“The
IRP Panel should strive to issue its written declaration
no later than six months after the filing of the request
for independent review.<o:p></o:p></span></font></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-top:.1pt;margin-bottom:.1pt;mso-para-margin-top:
.01gd;mso-para-margin-bottom:.01gd;mso-list:l1 level1
lfo6;tab-stops:list 36.0pt"><font face="Times New Roman,
Times, serif"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-ascii-font-family:
Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:major-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:major-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times
New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB">In
order to keep the costs and burdens of independent review
as low as possible, the IRP Panel should conduct its
proceedings by email and otherwise via the Internet to the
maximum extent feasible. Where necessary, the IRP Panel
may hold meetings by telephone. In the unlikely event that
a telephonic or in-person hearing is convened, the hearing
shall be limited to argument only<o:p></o:p></span></font></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-top:.1pt;margin-bottom:.1pt;mso-para-margin-top:
.01gd;mso-para-margin-bottom:.01gd;mso-list:l1 level1
lfo6;tab-stops:list 36.0pt"><font face="Times New Roman,
Times, serif"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-ascii-font-family:
Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:major-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:major-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times
New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB"><o:p> <br>
</o:p></span></font></li>
</ul>
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<p class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:27.2pt;margin-bottom:
10.0pt;margin-left:0cm;text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><font
face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:major-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:major-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB"><br>
The IR Panel has so
far<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoListParagraph"
style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:27.25pt;
margin-bottom:10.0pt;margin-left:18.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l2
level1 lfo1"><!--[if !supportLists]--><font face="Times New
Roman, Times, serif"><span style="font-size: 11pt;
line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">o<span
style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal;
font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height:
normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;
-moz-font-feature-settings: normal;
-moz-font-language-override: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;
line-height: 115%;">Applied interim
protections stopping ICANN from progressing any application
for dot Africa
until the Panel has concluded its work;<o:p></o:p></span></font><!--[endif]--></p>
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</font>
<p class="MsoListParagraph"
style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:27.25pt;
margin-bottom:10.0pt;margin-left:18.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l2
level1 lfo1"><!--[if !supportLists]--><font face="Times New
Roman, Times, serif"><span style="font-size: 11pt;
line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">o<span
style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal;
font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height:
normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;
-moz-font-feature-settings: normal;
-moz-font-language-override: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;
line-height: 115%;">Determined that a
formal hearing, including calling of witnesses, should
occur;<o:p></o:p></span></font><!--[endif]--></p>
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</font>
<p class="MsoListParagraph"
style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:27.25pt;
margin-bottom:10.0pt;margin-left:18.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l2
level1 lfo1"><!--[if !supportLists]--><font face="Times New
Roman, Times, serif"><span style="font-size: 11pt;
line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">o<span
style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal;
font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height:
normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;
-moz-font-feature-settings: normal;
-moz-font-language-override: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;
line-height: 115%;">Decided to convene an
in person hearing including cross-examination of witnesses,
which has not taken
place yet due to the withdrawal of a panel member.<o:p></o:p></span></font><!--[endif]--></p>
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</font>
<p class="MsoListParagraph"
style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:27.25pt;
margin-bottom:10.0pt;margin-left:18.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l2
level1 lfo1"><!--[if !supportLists]--><font face="Times New
Roman, Times, serif"><span style="font-size: 11pt;
line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">o<span
style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal;
font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height:
normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;
-moz-font-feature-settings: normal;
-moz-font-language-override: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;
line-height: 115%;">Not set a time for
completion, despite the By Laws requiring a Panel to strive
to issue its
written declaration no later than six months after the
filing of a Request
(Article IV, s.3)<o:p></o:p></span></font><!--[endif]--></p>
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</font>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:major-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:
Cambria;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:major-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times
New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">
</font>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:major-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:
Cambria;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:major-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times
New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB">Our
observation is that
this important accountability <span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>(IRP) process in its current form is
dysfunctional and does
not seem to benefit any of the affected parties. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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</font>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:27.25pt"><font
face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:
major-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:major-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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</font>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:27.25pt"><font
face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:
major-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:major-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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</font>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:27.25pt"><font
face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:
major-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:major-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-GB">While we focus on strengthening
review and redress
mechanisms for example by making them more accessible
(through lower costs and
easier “standing” to make a complaint) and applicable to a
wider range of Board
decisions, etc, we would also like to provisions put in
place to ensure that</span><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:major-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:
major-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:Courier;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB"> there
is
redress against the dispute resolution provider in the event
that the process
goes off-track. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">
</font>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:27.25pt"><font
face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:
major-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:major-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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</font>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"><span
style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">There are
several possible inputs to the enhancing
ICANN accountability process that draw on the dot Africa
experience to date. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">
</font>
<p class="MsoBodyText"
style="margin-left:18.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:
l0 level1 lfo2"><!--[if !supportLists]--><font face="Times New
Roman, Times, serif"><span style="font-size: 11pt;
line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">o<span
style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal;
font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height:
normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;
-moz-font-feature-settings: normal;
-moz-font-language-override: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;
line-height: 115%;">Community Empowerment (WP1) <o:p></o:p></span></font><!--[endif]--></p>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">
</font>
<p class="MsoBodyText"
style="margin-left:54.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:
l5 level2 lfo3"><!--[if !supportLists]--><font face="Times New
Roman, Times, serif"><span style="font-size: 11pt;
line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">§<span
style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal;
font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height:
normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;
-moz-font-feature-settings: normal;
-moz-font-language-override: normal;"> </span></span></span><span
style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">Community
empowerment with regard to ICANN functions needs to be
exercised responsibly:
If there are checks and balances on ICANN, what checks and
balances apply to
different sections of the ICANN community?<o:p></o:p></span></font><!--[endif]--></p>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">
</font>
<p class="MsoBodyText"
style="margin-left:54.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:
l5 level2 lfo3"><!--[if !supportLists]--><font face="Times New
Roman, Times, serif"><span style="font-size: 11pt;
line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">§<span
style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal;
font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height:
normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;
-moz-font-feature-settings: normal;
-moz-font-language-override: normal;"> </span></span></span><span
style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">Process
issues need to be considered from the viewpoint of those who
are simply trying
to conduct legitimate business with ICANN.<o:p></o:p></span></font><!--[endif]--></p>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">
</font>
<p class="MsoBodyText"
style="margin-left:54.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:
l5 level2 lfo3"><!--[if !supportLists]--><font face="Times New
Roman, Times, serif"><span style="font-size: 11pt;
line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">§<span
style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal;
font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height:
normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;
-moz-font-feature-settings: normal;
-moz-font-language-override: normal;"> </span></span></span><span
style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">There is
a need to avoid legitimate public policy, commercial and
technical objectives,
for example from new gTLD applicants in underserved regions,
being frustrated
by lengthy procedural delays through no fault of those
trying to achieve them<o:p></o:p></span></font><!--[endif]--></p>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">
</font>
<p class="MsoBodyText"
style="margin-left:18.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:
l0 level1 lfo2"><!--[if !supportLists]--><font face="Times New
Roman, Times, serif"><span style="font-size: 11pt;
line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">o<span
style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal;
font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height:
normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;
-moz-font-feature-settings: normal;
-moz-font-language-override: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;
line-height: 115%;">Review and Redress (WP2)<o:p></o:p></span></font><!--[endif]--></p>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">
</font>
<p class="MsoBodyText"
style="margin-left:54.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:
l3 level1 lfo4"><!--[if !supportLists]--><font face="Times New
Roman, Times, serif"><span style="font-size: 11pt;
line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">§<span
style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal;
font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height:
normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;
-moz-font-feature-settings: normal;
-moz-font-language-override: normal;"> </span></span></span><span
style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">Grounds
for review, especially at the IRP stage, should be clearly
specified.<o:p></o:p></span></font><!--[endif]--></p>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">
</font>
<p class="MsoBodyText"
style="margin-left:54.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:
l3 level1 lfo4"><!--[if !supportLists]--><font face="Times New
Roman, Times, serif"><span style="font-size: 11pt;
line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">§<span
style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal;
font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height:
normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;
-moz-font-feature-settings: normal;
-moz-font-language-override: normal;"> </span></span></span><span
style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">All
review processes should have some form of time limit for
each stage, but
allowing for some flexibility in specified circumstances.<o:p></o:p></span></font><!--[endif]--></p>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">
</font>
<p class="MsoBodyText"
style="margin-left:54.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:
l3 level1 lfo4"><!--[if !supportLists]--><font face="Times New
Roman, Times, serif"><span style="font-size: 11pt;
line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">§<span
style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal;
font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height:
normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;
-moz-font-feature-settings: normal;
-moz-font-language-override: normal;"> </span></span></span><span
style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">Any
proposal for ICANN to be bound by an arbitration process
needs to be considered
carefully and subject to rigorous appraisal.<o:p></o:p></span></font><!--[endif]--></p>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">
</font>
<p class="MsoListParagraph"
style="margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:
.1pt;margin-left:54.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l3 level1
lfo4;tab-stops:
45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt
412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt"><!--[if !supportLists]--><font
face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"><span style="font-size:
11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">§<span
style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal;
font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height:
normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;
-moz-font-feature-settings: normal;
-moz-font-language-override: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;
line-height: 115%;">Redress against the dispute resolution
provider in the event that the
process goes off-track.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></font><!--[endif]--></p>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">
</font>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left:54.0pt"><font
face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"><span style="font-size:
11pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">
</font>
<p class="MsoBodyText"
style="margin-left:18.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:
l0 level1 lfo2"><!--[if !supportLists]--><font face="Times New
Roman, Times, serif"><span style="font-size: 11pt;
line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">o<span
style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal;
font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height:
normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;
-moz-font-feature-settings: normal;
-moz-font-language-override: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;
line-height: 115%;">Stress Testing (or Contingencies) <o:p></o:p></span></font><!--[endif]--></p>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">
</font>
<p class="MsoBodyText"
style="margin-left:54.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:
l4 level1 lfo5"><!--[if !supportLists]--><font face="Times New
Roman, Times, serif"><span style="font-size: 11pt;
line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">§<span
style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal;
font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height:
normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;
-moz-font-feature-settings: normal;
-moz-font-language-override: normal;"> </span></span></span><span
style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">These
should include the risk of gridlocking ICANN decision-making
through use of
cascading review mechanisms.<o:p></o:p></span></font><!--[endif]--></p>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">
</font>
<p class="MsoListParagraph"
style="margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:
.1pt;margin-left:54.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l4 level1
lfo5;tab-stops:
45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt
412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt"><!--[if !supportLists]--><font
face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"><span style="font-size:
11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">§<span
style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal;
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normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;
-moz-font-feature-settings: normal;
-moz-font-language-override: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;
line-height: 115%;">Any of the parties exploited ICANN’s
hands-off approach to the detriment
of other stakeholders and affected parties. Any
accountability process should
in turn have its own accountability fail-safes. <o:p></o:p></span></font><!--[endif]--></p>
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<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left:36.0pt"><font
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Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:major-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB"><o:p><font
face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"> Best regards<br>
Alice Munyua<br>
African Union Commission (AUC)</font><br>
</o:p></span></p>
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<![endif]--><!--StartFragment--><!--EndFragment--><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
On 06/03/2015 02:34, Kieren McCarthy wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote
cite="mid:CAA4fB=0347Xm+ysi2_EkRzDZ=6K2mOh7BC9sFyXH8vxd0WKT_w@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">It's also worth noting that almost the same issue
exists with the dot-gay community ruling.
<div><br>
</div>
<div>A third party evaluator made their evaluation. It doesn't
seem right to a lot of people. But ICANN's accountability
processes are only capable of looking at process rather than
correctness of decision.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>I think Bruce's engineer comment is very useful in that it
highlights not only how ICANN has got things wrong in some
areas but also why there is a significant disconnect between
different groups.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>The fact is that new gTLDs go beyond mere technical
considerations: an "i" looking similar to an "l". They are
words, and people associate meaning to them. That is the case
both for users and for applicants.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>ICANN wants to apply technical rules to human issues and
when that doesn't work it calls in legal argument. Legal
argument then immediately creates an adversarial relationship
between ICANN and whoever want to be heard.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>In the human world here is what happens:</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>* Technical rules fail to account for all possibilities</div>
<div>* As a result there is a bad call</div>
<div>* The person at the end of the bad call wants people to
take a look at it</div>
<div>* ICANN refuses to listen</div>
<div>* They get annoyed</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>In the ICANN world, this is what happens:</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>* The rules were created by everyone</div>
<div>* The rules were followed</div>
<div>* Someone didn't like the rules so they are trying to force
a change to them</div>
<div>* We need to protect the rules or the system will break
down</div>
<div>* This person is threatening the organization by
challenging the rules</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>There are two fundamental beliefs that are behind ICANN
corporate's inability to see how it needs to change to deal
with these persistent problems:</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>1. You can't admit fault</div>
<div>2. Process is the answer</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Both are wrong. </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>ICANN can - and should - admit fault. It should be able to
say: we created these rules to the best of our knowledge but
we didn't account for this possibility. In this case the rules
did not provide the right answer. </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>And second, the blind belief in process as a panacea when
it often creates distrust and exacerbates the problem. As we
have seen from this dot-hotels example, the different process
steps kept giving back the same answer because they asked
basically the same question each time. </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>But the right question was never asked. ICANN may have
"won" but we all know that the problem that was there at the
start is still there and still hasn't been tackled: is
"hotels" and "hoteis" really similar in this context? Would
they really cause widespread confusion?</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>As I think George Sadowsky pointed out, the fact is that
most content on a "hoteis" website is likely to be in
Portuguese. That is going to create a much stronger dissonance
than someone mistaking an 'i" for an 'l" in the browser bar.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>George was applying human judgment. But ICANN continues to
undervalue that approach. It's perhaps not surprising given
the organization's technical background and remit. But it is
time to change. </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Legal process needs to be put at the end of the line, when
everything else has failed, not as the first port of call. And
human judgement needs to be inserted at the
post-implementation stage. </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Kieren</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div><br>
<div class="gmail_extra"><br>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, Mar 5, 2015 at 1:20 PM,
Bruce Tonkin <span dir="ltr"><<a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:Bruce.Tonkin@melbourneit.com.au"
target="_blank">Bruce.Tonkin@melbourneit.com.au</a>></span>
wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px
0px
0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex">Hello
Greg,<br>
<span class=""><br>
<br>
>> Where the SSRP went awry was in its
actual results. I'm not prepared to say this was
a design flaw or a process flaw. But the results
flabbergasted many people. Somehow it seemed to
mutate into a "bad eyesight similarity review,"
since the only two "positives" were one where "i"
gets confused with "l" and one where "rn" gets
confused with "m". Meanwhile, singulars were not
similar to plurals. So "hotels" is a similar
string to "hoteis" but not to "hotel".
"Fascinating," as the late Mr. Spock might say.<br>
<br>
>> But -- there's no recourse for results,
unless a process was not followed. So all of this
stands. In a similar vein, it became apparent to
many that all of the Objection processes should
have an appeal mechanism, if only to deal with
inconsistent results (though I tend to think it
should be able to revisit the merits of each case
as well). This is absolutely a design flaw in my
mind. So, I think we can embrace the fact that
these processes resulted from multistakeholder
activities without believing that this makes them
perfect or unassailable.<br>
<br>
</span>Yes – one of the original goals from the new
gTLD policy was:<br>
<br>
“New generic top-level domains (gTLDs) must be
introduced in an orderly, timely and predictable
way.”<br>
<br>
The predictable bit to me – would be that if you
formed another panel of experts with respect to
string similarity – that the results would basically
be the same. I don’t think the current iteration
of the string similarity test meets that requirement
yet. As an engineer - we would say that we want
the results to be deterministic. Ie you get the
same result each time you run the process.<br>
<br>
It is clear that in some cases applicants or
concerned members of the community wanted to get a
"second opinion" and that was not available in the
process. The challenge then is what to do when the
second opinion differs from the first opinion. How
do you ensure the second step has more levels of
expertise, rigour, due diligence, etc to mean that
it should over-ride the first opinion.<br>
<div class="">
<div class="h5"><br>
Regards,<br>
Bruce Tonkin<br>
<br>
<br>
_______________________________________________<br>
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href="https://mm.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/accountability-cross-community"
target="_blank">https://mm.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/accountability-cross-community</a><br>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
<br>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="gmail_extra"><br>
</div>
</div>
<br>
<fieldset class="mimeAttachmentHeader"></fieldset>
<br>
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