[ppml] Policy Proposal 2003-15: IPv4 Allocation Policy for the Africa Portion of the ARIN Region

[mlawrie at zanet.co.za]

I find this attitude quite appalling, and think that Alan Levin put 
it exactly right wrt the "dragging down" analogy.

If there is a need throughout ARIN's main region of control (USA) to 
have a change in policy, then propose it and let it stand or fall on 
the merits of the arguments. But it is a really sick dog-in-the-
manger approach to set about blocking another proposal for another 
region (Southern Africa) that has had, without choice, to fall under 
ARIN's control and therefore has had to comply with some policies 
that are not appropriate for that latter region.

Mike

> Alan,
>  I take some offense to your statement.  I am not opposed to smaller
> IP block allocations.  I am not opposed to economic empowerment in
> Africa. I am not in favor of the apartheid regime or system.
> 
>  I do think that this policy is needed, but, I think it is needed
> globally.  I also think that it is a political reality that if this
> policy is created as an exception for a portion of Africa, that will
> be used as an excuse by large(r) providers in North America to claim
> that it isn't needed in North America.  Given the historical dominance
> of large(r) North American providers in ARIN politics, I do not
> believe this problem will get solved for all of ARIN if an exception
> is granted.
> 
>  This isn't about dragging anyone down.  It's not about racism.
> It's certainly not a desire to victimize Africa.  It's about making a
> policy which is needed throughout the ARIN region available throughout
> the ARIN region instead of for some small sub-region within the ARIN
> region.
> 
> Owen
> 
> 
> --On Thursday, September 25, 2003 8:17 PM +0200 Alan Levin 
> <alan at futureperfect.co.za> wrote:
> 
> > On Thursday, Sep 25, 2003, at 09:50 Africa/Johannesburg, Johann
> > Botha wrote:
> >> Hi Owen
> >> > @2003.09.25_03:53:39_+0200
> >>> However, there are non-African ramifications to ARIN adopting
> >>> 2003-15 which I believe override the desire to provide this
> >>> solution for Africa.  I believe 2003-15 represents a good policy
> >>> with one flaw.  It is Africa specific.  As long as it is Africa
> >>> specific, I will vote against it. If 2003-15 is amended to cover
> >>> all of ARIN, I will vote for it.  I will vote for 2002-3.
> >>
> >> this reminds me of the story of a guy with an open basket full of
> >> crayfish. somebody asked him if he wasn't worried that the crayfish
> >> would escape.. no, he replied, as soon as one makes it to the top,
> >> the others will drag him back down.
> >
> > This story reminds me of how I was indoctrinated to think by the
> > apartheid regime.
> >
> > South Africans are fortunate to be in the position to understand how
> > economic empowerment balances the playing field (as an attempt to
> > bridge the digital divide) in the development of information society
> > and the (hopefully global) knowledge economy.
> >
> > warm regards,
> >
> > Alan
> >
> 
> 
> 


-- 
Mike Lawrie.
Ph +27 12 348 0944 or 072 480 8898
<mlawrie at zanet.co.za>