<div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">To the ISOC Cameroon Chapter</span><br><div><p style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify" dir="ltr"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Dear Colleagues</span></p><br><p style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify" dir="ltr"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">The Civil Society Internet Governance Caucus (IGC,</span><a style="text-decoration:none" href="http://igcaucus.org/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline"> </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline">http://igcaucus.org</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">
 ) is a global network of civil society actors who originally came 
together in the context of the World Summit on the Information Society 
(WSIS) to promote global public interest objectives in Internet 
governance policy making.</span></p><br><p style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify" dir="ltr"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">We
 are firmly convinced that Internet shutdowns are not acceptable in 
regard to any region and not justifiable in any way, and that such 
shutdowns must be opposed vigorously.</span></p><br><p style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify" dir="ltr"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">We
 would have expected everyone who associates themselves with ISOC to be 
committed to ISOC's principle stating that “The Internet is for 
Everyone”.</span></p><br><p style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify" dir="ltr"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">For further elaboration of the important principle of </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Internet access and affordability</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline"> along with related rights and freedoms, we refer to the African Declaration on Internet Rights and Freedoms, </span><a style="text-decoration:none" href="http://africaninternetrights.org/articles/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline">http://africaninternetrights.o<wbr>rg/articles/</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline"> .</span></p><br><p style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify" dir="ltr"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">In
 light of these principles and rights, we would like to respectfully 
urge the ISOC Cameroon Chapter to adopt a corresponding strong stance in
 regard to Internet shutdowns in some regions of the country, and to 
denounce and oppose such dreadful measures with all earnestness.</span></p><br><p style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify" dir="ltr"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">The
 reason why we write to you in this matter is a posting to our mailing 
list on January 26, 2017, which was signed “ISOC Cameroon, President” 
and which expressed views that were not at all consistent with the 
above.</span></p><br><p style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify" dir="ltr"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Best regards,</span></p><p style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify" dir="ltr"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Internet Governance Caucus (IGC)</span></p><br></div>---Statement ends---<br clear="all"><div><div>------------------------<br>*<b>Arsène Tungali</b>*<br></div>Co-Founder & Executive Director, <span><i><a href="http://www.rudiinternational.org" target="_blank">Rudi international</a></i>,</span><br>CEO,<i> <a href="http://www.smart-serv.info" target="_blank">Smart Services Sarl</a></i>, <i><a href="http://www.mabingwa-forum.com" target="_blank">Mabingwa Forum</a></i> <br>Tel: <a href="tel:+243%20993%20810%20967" value="+243993810967" target="_blank">+243 993810967</a><i><br></i></div><div>GPG: 523644A0<i><br></i></div><u>Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo</u><i><br></i></div>