Re:.africa gTLD

["Tierno S. Bah" <tsbah@afriq.net>]

Kevin Brown wrote:

> 
> IANA, according to Perry Metzger ( as IANA never replies on its behalf on
> this issue) only issue ISO TLDs to countries, or soveriegn bodies.
> Therefore you must sue the Government of each country to get the domain
> back. IANA have nothing to do with delagations, once they occur.
> 

In this case, it's the Governments of Burundi, Congo, Rwanda, and Zaire,
that 
are, apparently, deprived of their sovereign right over their country
TLD. 
In the case of Rwanda, M. Elkins <mje@mje99.posix.co.za>, 
has already requested that the .rw TLD be returned to the rightful
holder 
(the Government of Rwanda) and (Rwandan) operators and users.
In other words, the IANA delegation may have never occurred.
Particularly if the Governments of these countries were not notified,
educated about ISO TLDs, and ultimately acknowledged it. I'm not
familiar with IANA procedures, but post the list of country TLDs on the
INTERNET is not  enough for delegating authority. What if the Government
has no way of accessing email and was never made aware of this new
asset?


> IANA do not seem to care about ISO TLDs. There is a seperate policy for
> .com etc and ISO TLDs.

If that's the case, it's most unfortunate. Because there is more to the
Internet than .com. The Zaire-Rwanda-Burundi-Congo situation points to
cases where ISO TLDs are captured by private groups or individuals, who,
quite frankly, are not interested in developing Internet connectivity in
those countries, but seek only to make a fast buck. They would not, for
instance, reinvest in training, education, R&D in those countries they
are bilking.

> 
> The IAHC process is tilted towards Western Countries, and people with
> money. Hence the obsessive focus on Trademark issues. Forget the basic need
> for small poor countries to get Internet access.
> 

I, among others, agree. The overall tone of the IAHC proposal emphasis
commercialism, market considerations, etc. There was not even mention of
Internet II, the second generation of the Net, being researched by a
consortium of American Universities. There was no mention either of the
social and cultural implications of digital internetworking. IAHC ought
to correct that. 
As for the "basic needs" of small poor countries, I admit that if the
IANA fails in reaching consensus, then the "Third World" and the
disenfranchized in the West will be left out in the mad rush to
cyberspace.