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<p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><font color="#222222"
face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">Dear
Members of the ISOC Cambodia Chapter,</font></font></p>
<p> </p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><font color="#222222"
face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">and per
copy for information, shared with</font></font></p>
<p> </p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><font color="#222222"
face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">- Chapter
Representatives,</font></font></p>
<p> </p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><font color="#222222"
face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">- ISOC
central and Asia-Pacific leaders and staff,</font></font></p>
<p> </p>
<p><font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><br>
</font> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><font color="#222222" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><font
size="3">With this mail I would like to start a follow-up to
the mail sent to you in September by Be Chantra, our
Secretary. I do the follow-up at present because he and some
colleagues were invited to attend a number of Mozilla
meetings in the USA – and it is time to consider reactions
and responses received since.</font></font></p>
<p> </p>
<p><font color="#222222" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><font
size="3">First of all we were impressed by the many mails
from other Chapters, understanding our situation, deploring
that there have often been inconclusive discussions between
Chapters and the ISOC Staff, but at the same time we
received so many mail urging that ISOC Staff and leadership
might find ways to work towards a solution of the problems
we had raised in relation to the following:</font></font></p>
<p> </p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><font face="Helvetica, Arial,
sans-serif">1. Structural Constraints<br>
2. Experiences<br>
3. Impressions </font></p>
<p> </p>
<p><font color="#222222" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><font
size="3">We are happy to see that the questions we had
raised led to a deep discussion about problems of the
Internet Society as a world wide structure, especially
related to the question of the nature of the Chapters in
their relation to general ISOC regulations and staff, where
several Chapter leaders expressed much sympathy with our
difficulties. - We will send later a collection of such
messages.</font></font></p>
<p> </p>
<p><font color="#222222" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><font
size="3">But secondly, we have also to say that we did not
receive much response from ISOC staff and leadership. To be
more specific, we would like to share the following.</font></font></p>
<p> </p>
<p><font color="#222222" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><font
size="3">One Chapter leader said: “</font></font><font
face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif">Cutting through the entire
mass of text, it seems the only real grouse is on funding” -
really wrong! Or is it acceptable that a regional staff member
comes to the country and refuses to discuss what the Chapter
officers and the members of the Advisory Board what they think
to be important? Had this Chapter leader carefully read what
our Secretary had written, he might not have said so. I will
quote only this one section from our original letter:</font></p>
<p> </p>
<p><font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif">= = =</font></p>
<p> </p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.49in"><font face="Helvetica, Arial,
sans-serif">“<strong> Dear Thip,<br>
<br>
After having received your mail, rejecting our request
to serious discuss the crisis for our Chapter, created as a
result of the general situation and legal requirements in
Cambodia in the meeting, and the refusal to ISOC staff to
positively pay attention to our situation, we do not think
it would be appropriate to cooperate, as a Chapter, with
organizing a meeting for your 1 - 2.5 hours event, for which
you would like to invite the Members of the Cambodia Chapter
and other non-Chapter members. To discuss fundamental
problems within ISOC, affecting the whole membership, only
among officers, as you suggest (which has been tried in vain
by email so far) would not be in line with our history to
promote and practice open communication – high values
regularly lifted up among the goals of the Internet Society
world wide and in its slogan: the Internet is for everyone.<br>
<br>
The situation and this response has been shared and
discussed with the Members of the Advisory Board of our
Chapter and is unanimously supported.<br>
<br>
Norbert Klein<br>
President, ISOC-KH</strong><br>
</font> <font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><br>
</font> <font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><br>
The five members of our Advisory Board at that time were
(reflecting the stipulation of our Bylaws “The Advisory Board
of five members, from
<br>
important sections of the ISOC Cambodia Chapter
membership”):<br>
</font> <font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><br>
the Head of the IT in Education Section in the
Ministry of Education<br>
the Editor in Chief of a leading Cambodian daily
newspaper, who is at the same time President of the Club of
Cambodian Journalists<br>
the President and CEO of a major broadband providing
ISP<br>
a senior staff member in the office of the Council of
Ministers of the Government of Cambodia, and<br>
one student.<br>
= = =<br>
</font> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif">It is also surprising
that there was no word from some “higher up” staff commenting
on this; we assume there must be some monitoring of staff
activities going on in ISOC, though we are not aware in which
way regional staff is selected (without involvement of the
Chapters of the regions). - We hope that others will better
understand what kind of damage has been done by this treatment
of our Advisory Board members, distinguished persons in
Cambodian society. </font></p>
<p> </p>
<p><font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif">Also other Chapter
leaders have used strong language, related to outside
financial support: </font></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.49in"><font face="Helvetica, Arial,
sans-serif"><small> I’m following with great attention this
discussion initiated by the Cambodian Chapter intention to
leave the Internet society Great family which lead to the
old debate about ISOC’s direct financial support to
Chapters.</small></font></p>
<p> </p>
<p><font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><small> </small></font></p>
<p> </p>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.98in"><font face="Helvetica, Arial,
sans-serif"><small> Before I continue, I would like to clearly
express my opposition to that.</small><br>
</font> </p>
<p> </p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.98in"><font face="Helvetica, Arial,
sans-serif">The direct financial support to Chapters for their
administrative and running costs will make the Chapters
useless, dependent and non-sustainable. If we put in place the
systematic direct financial support from ISOC HQ to Chapters,
we will see many useless Chapters flourish around the world
only to benefit to that direct financial support.”</font></p>
<p> </p>
<p><font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif">This is an
interesting concept of “family” - others think that in a
family, the resources available to the family are shared and
made available to those who need them.</font></p>
<p> </p>
<p><font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif">There were also
different models discussed on the Chapters list, how ISOC
could help the Chapters – for example by taking over some
administrative or reporting tasks (including to the
government) – but it is hardly probable that the 90 or so ISOC
staff and advisers have the capability to handle things in the
Cambodia language (some of our members cooperated to translate
the Bylaws for the initial contacts with the Ministry of
Interior); most such proposals try to avoid financial payments
to the operation of the Chapter, as this – as one voice said –
would result in a bloated staff in the Chapters.</font></p>
<p> </p>
<p><font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif">Many of our members
are actively involved in a variety of local information
technology and communication activities: Linux and Android
groups, a Hackerspace center, regular Barcamps since some
years with hundreds of participants each time etc. – all that
works well. - In other fields, related to the sharing of
information which others do not like, where people have spoken
up related to injustice and corruption: Some were beaten,
others had to face the court (I had this experience also) or
were sent to prison, some lost their lives – but the
organizations actively helping towards a more just society are
internationally funded. Are they useless? Who thinks local
fund-raising in these crucial fields, related to the free
sharing of information and opinion, is so easy? </font></p>
<p> </p>
<p><font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif">We did not say that
we just intend to leave the “Internet Society Great family” -
but we said that we do not see any other way under the present
Bylaw – drafted and formulated under the guidance of ISOC
staff (using material currently on the ISOC website as
mandatory text). To our surprise a number of Chapter reps said
they do not have some of these clauses in their Bylaws, and we
should do without them. Can we do that without being censored,
as long there is no authoritative statement from ISOC staff
and leadership?</font></p>
<p> </p>
<p><font color="#222222" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><font
size="3">One Chapter leader wrote: “</font></font><font
face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif">Would be good to see ISOC
APAC team reply on this list on efforts to keep the Cambodia
Chapter alive.” - That is also what we had expected.<b> But we
did not have any mail in response from the two ISOC ASIA
PACIFIC staff in the office in Singapore </b><b>(except
from occasional circulars sent to all)</b><b>.<br>
</b></font></p>
<p><font color="#000000" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><font
style="font-size: 11pt" size="2">A Board Member of one
Chapter <font size="2">had written</font>: </font><font
style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"><big><font
style="font-size: 10pt" size="2"><big>"So let's draw in
Lynn</big></font><font style="font-size: 10pt"
size="2"><big>, Walda</big></font><font
style="font-size: 10pt" size="2"><big> </big></font><font
style="font-size: 10pt" size="2"><big>or whomever else
actually has the power to make things happen and
prevent a deep organizational problem." </big></font></big><b>But
this also went without a response visible to us.</b></font></font></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><font color="#000000" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><font
style="font-size: 11pt" size="2">We had mail from the more
recently appointed “Chapter Development Manager,
Asia-Pacific” Mr. Naveed Haq who had been wrongly informed
that “ISOC staff has reached out several times to try to
find a solution for the situation” and who called the
chapter officers and members of our advisory board to a
telephone conference, suggesting also to find “non-monetary
ways to address the issues” - which, as we had described in
detail related to the specific Cambodian legal framework and
regulations, with a serious monetary aspect.</font></font></p>
<p> </p>
<p><font color="#000000" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><font
style="font-size: 11pt" size="2">Our Secretary responded on
25 September 2013 to the ISOC Chapter Development Manager,
Asia-Pacific, saying that such a telephone conference is not
feasible with the Chapter officers and Advisory Board
members engaged in their professional obligations in
different places and times. And our secretary added in his
response: </font></font> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><font color="#000000" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif">“<font
style="font-size: 11pt" size="2">We suggest that you first
carefully re-read our mail, and then respond to what we
wrote there, and not to some hearsay that 'ISOC staff has
reached out several times to try to find a solution'” which
is not true. <b>There was no response from him to this
request.</b></font></font></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><font color="#000000">Mr.
Ted Mooney, </font><font color="#000000">ISOC </font>Senior
Director, Membership & Services, wrote to our Secretary
saying: “If the Cambodian Chapter wishes to rescind its ISOC
chapter status, a letter so stating to the APAC Chapter
Development manager is sufficient.”
No discussion necessary? And als<span style="font-weight:
normal">o:</span><span style="font-weight: normal"> </span><big><big><font
color="#222222"><font style="font-size: 9pt" size="2"><big><big><span
style="font-weight: normal">"Please indicate to
me what you really are trying to accomplish" –
to which our Secretary responded also:</span></big></big></font></font><span
style="font-weight: normal"><small> “</small></span><font
color="#222222"><font style="font-size: 9pt" size="2"><big><big><span
style="font-weight: normal">Please read our mail
again, it is stated there.” </span></big></big></font></font></big></big></font><big><big><font
color="#222222" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><font
style="font-size: 9pt" size="2"><big><big><b>There was
no response to him either.</b></big></big></font></font></big></big></p>
<p> </p>
<p><font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><big><big><font
color="#222222"><font style="font-size: 9pt" size="2"><big><big><span
style="font-weight: normal">But </span></big></big></font></font><font
color="#222222"><font style="font-size: 9pt" size="2"><big><big><span
style="font-weight: normal">he </span></big></big></font></font><font
color="#222222"><font style="font-size: 9pt" size="2"><big><big><span
style="font-weight: normal"> wrote also:</span></big></big></font></font><font
color="#222222"><font style="font-size: 9pt" size="2"><big><big><b>
“</b></big></big></font></font></big></big>...the
characterization of the Regional ISOC Staff by the Cambodian
chapter as unresponsive is wholly different than what has been
communicated to me. For the Cambodian Chapter to take this
opportunity in a broad letter to the Board and Chapter
delegates to denigrate specific ISOC staff is unprofessional
and counter productive.” We do not know “what has been
communicated" to the <font color="#000000">ISOC </font>Senior
Director,
Membership & Services in this respect – but the situation
continues: <b>neither the Singapore based ISOC ASIA PACIFIC
staff, nor the </b><font color="#000000"><font
style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"><b>ISOC </b></font></font><font
color="#000000"><font style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"><b>Chapter
Development Manager, Asia-Pacific, </b></font></font><font
color="#000000"><font style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"><b>nor
the </b></font></font><font color="#000000"><font
style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"><b>ISOC </b></font></font><font
color="#000000"><font style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"><b>Senior
Director,
Membership & Services have responded to the </b></font></font><font
color="#000000"><font style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"><b>detailed
content in the</b></font></font><font color="#000000"><font
style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"><b> mail from our
Secretary</b></font></font><font color="#000000"><font
style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"> (unless it happened
during </font></font><font color="#000000"><font
style="font-size: 11pt" size="2">the last couple of days
and I have not yet hear about it</font></font><font
color="#000000"><font style="font-size: 11pt" size="2">).</font></font></font></p>
<p> </p>
<p><font color="#000000" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><font
style="font-size: 11pt" size="2">But i</font></font><font
color="#000000" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><font
style="font-size: 11pt" size="2">f </font></font><font
color="#000000" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><font
style="font-size: 11pt" size="2">such mail</font></font><font
color="#000000" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><font
style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"> was sent and we did not
receive it </font></font><font color="#000000"
face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><font style="font-size:
11pt" size="2">for whatever reasons </font></font><font
color="#000000" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><font
style="font-size: 11pt" size="2">– it would be appropriate
to share it here on the Chapters list.</font></font></p>
<p> </p>
<p><font color="#000000" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><font
style="font-size: 11pt" size="2">Whether the way our
Secretary shared our mail widely was unprofessional, we
leave it to others to evaluate. Obviously many Chapter
leaders seem to have welcomed it, as it started a
fundamental discussion in the ISOC fellowship.<br>
</font></font></p>
<p><font color="#000000" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><font
style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"><font size="2">Finally, I </font></font></font><font
color="#222222" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><font
size="3">am quoting here <font size="3">an</font>
interesting suggestions from a Chapter leader: "</font></font><font
face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif">If the decision to close
the chapter goes forward at least try to keep together board
members and the current membership through an informal group
even if the group is not a legal entity. After all, you were
able to do many things the way you are set up at the moment."<font
color="#222222"><font size="3"> </font></font></font> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><br>
</font></p>
<p> </p>
<p><font color="#000000" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><font
style="font-size: 11pt" size="2">I send this after the
members of the Executive Committee agreed on this text.
Finally, please remember the invitation from our Secretary:</font></font></p>
<p> </p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.49in"><font color="#000000"
face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><font style="font-size:
11pt" size="2"><b>We
would therefore call for such a meeting to discuss the
dissolution of our Chapter, or not to do so in case
practical and timely ways would show up within one months
from sending out this mail. Such a meeting shall be
convened as follows:<br>
<br>
Location: #8, St. 352, BKK1, Phnom Penh (Open
Institute new office)<br>
Date and Time: October 26, 2013 at 2:00PM </b></font></font>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><font color="#000000" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><font
style="font-size: 11pt" size="2">P</font></font><font
color="#000000" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><font
style="font-size: 11pt" size="2">lease inform Chantra -
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:chantra.be@gmail.com">chantra.be@gmail.com</a> - whether you will participate or not;
please send a note in either case.</font></font></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><font color="#000000" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><font
style="font-size: 11pt" size="2">W</font></font><font
color="#000000" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><font
style="font-size: 11pt" size="2">ith my best greetings,</font></font></p>
<p> </p>
<p><font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><br>
</font> <font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><br>
</font> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><font color="#000000" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><font
style="font-size: 11pt" size="2">Norbert Klein<br>
Member of the Executive Committee<br>
ISOC Cambodia Chapter</font></font></p>
<p> </p>
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