Self-governing domain name for Indigenous Peoples

UCTP Taino News - A dynamic campaign, Dot Indigi, is underway to secure a new internet domain-name that would assist Indigenous Peoples around the world by creating an online space that is self-governing, representative and restrictive of Intellectual Property abuses. About 1.5 billion internet users are accustomed to being affiliated to domain-names such as “.com, .org, .edu, .gov” etc. The “Dot Indigi” campaign would produce a new domain or gTLD like a “.com” but it would be recognized as “.indigi”.

The Dot Indigi partnership is formed between the International Indigenous ICT Task Force (IITF) and the New Zealand Maori Internet Society (NZMIS) with the conditional support of World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The IITF will act as the advisory board to the organization while Māori ICT advocate Karaitiana Taiuru, the recently appointed leader of the Dot Indigi group, will manage the daily affairs of .indigi while growing the organization.

The campaign organizers assert that .indigi will cater to the plethora of Indigenous Peoples who do not have the resources to apply for their own gTLD. The use of .indigi would also remove existing Indigenous representation issues of the predominantly English Internet naming system. The ability to include non English characters will be a priority at the 2nd and subsequent levels.

The .indigi domain will offer registration at the 2nd Level Domain to indigenous organizations who would then govern their own domain name space and resell/distribute 3rd Level Domain names or retain a general project type name at the 2nd Level via the official .indigi registrars.

“Caribbean Indigenous Peoples such as the Taino would be able to apply for taino.indigi for example and create a new set of domain names to accommodate their specific needs” stated Roberto Borrero, a member of the IITF who represents the United Confederation of Taino People.

The Dot Indigi organization also plans to make available several other 2nd Level Domains, which would be made public to cater to indigenous individuals or smaller groups who may not be able to justify the expense and set up of their own 2nd Level Domain. The organization is now promoting the campaign via social networking sites such as Facebook and Bebo as well as on Twitter and Google Groups.

The application for the new .indigi domain name will be presented to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). A multi-stakeholder organization dedicated to coordinating the Internet's addressing system, ICANN is now seeking to expand the domain-name system.

ICANN’s rationale for the expansion is that new domains will allow for more innovation, choice and change to the Internet's addressing system, which now constrained by only 21 generic top-level domain names.

Photo: Asia Pacific Internet leader and pioneer of Māori Internet and Software technologies, Karaitiana Taiuru is the head of the Dot Indigi organization.

UCTPTN 02.09.2008

International Indigenous Portal Launches Logo Competition

UCTP Taino News – The International Indigenous ICT Task Force (IITF) launched their logo competition at the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues on April 22, 2008. The logo will form the basis of the visual identity of the “Indigenous Portal” at http://www.indigenousportal.com/, the IITF’s premier project. The winning logo design will be published on the web site of the Indigenous Portal and will be used on publications and public information materials. The winning designer will receive an 80 GB iPod Classic, iPod microphone, and equipment warranty.

An international indigenous owned and operated initiative coming out of the World Summit on the Information Society, the Indigenous Portal is a way to share indigenous voices, traditions, perspectives on the internet in a way that supports the work of the global Indigenous community.

The competition is open to participation from Indigenous Peoples from around the world and entries can be electronic or made on paper [canvas A4 size] Artists can use ink, pencil, charcoal, crayon, water colour, marker, or any material that are available in their respective environments. The IITF is requesting that each design submitted should be accompanied by a brief description of the meaning on the back of the entry along with personal information name, age, gender, indigenous people to which the individual belongs, full address, country, phone number, fax, e-mail and other alternative contact information.

The Indigenous Portal Board will make the final selection of the entries assisted by the Regional Editors of the Portal, which now include the Pacific, the Caribbean, Russia, Asia, and the Arctic. Selection will be based on artistic expression, usefulness as a logo design, and how well the design captures the goals and objectives of Portal.

Design entries must be received before July 1st 2008. For further information on submissions visit the Indigenous Portal or email indigenousportal@gmail.com.


UCTPTN 05.07.2008

INDIGENOUS FORUM DISCUSSION FOCUSES ON PACIFIC REGION

23 April 2008
Economic and Social Council
HR/4947

Department of Public Information - News and Media Division - New York
Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
Seventh Session
5th Meeting (PM)

INDIGENOUS FORUM DISCUSSION FOCUSES ON PACIFIC REGION
Continuing its seventh annual session with a half-day discussion on the Pacific, delegates to the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues called for the Forum to take a more robust role in inducing other parts of the United Nations system to carry out mandates for securing the rights of the indigenous peoples in the region.

TEANAU TUIONO, Indigenous ICT Task Force, said improving “connectivity” among indigenous peoples was an urgent issue. At the same time, he warned against a tendency to label the exercise of legitimate political dissent by indigenous peoples as a form of terrorism. Recently, the Government of New Zealand had seized the server hosting the website of the Indigenous ICT Task Force. The homes of writers were raided under the pretext of anti-terrorism. Others were arrested at gunpoint, including one who was incarcerated for as long as a month. Household members were pinned to the ground with guns to their heads, including a 12 year-old girl. He said he himself had been separated from his partner and children and was detained, and his laptop confiscated.

He said the website was currently being hosted on a server run by indigenous people. Information and communication technology (ICT) was a powerful medium to support the work of indigenous peoples, and to facilitate the exchange of information. He recommended that the Forum speak out against Governments that used fear of terrorism as an excuse to prevent dissent over the Internet. In addition, the Forum should support indigenous ICT initiatives by allowing its logo to be used on his website. Indeed, ICT networks were a “necessity” for healthy societies.

Excerpt Source:

http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2008/hr4947.dochtm

SHARE YOUR STORY AT INDIGENOUSPORTAL.COM

The Indigenous ICT Task Force presents:

SHARE YOUR STORY AT INDIGENOUSPORTAL.COM

TUES, APRIL 22, 2008 • 1:15PM - 2:45PM DC2- 13th Floor Conference Room at Two United Nations Plaza (44th Street between 1st and 2nd Ave.)

Speakers: Mr. Roberto Borrero, Mr. Kenneth Deer, Ms. Malia Nobrega, Mr. Teanau Tuiono

*Logo Competition --- Win an iPod 80GB --- Deadline July 1, 2008