[open-government] [CrisisMappers] Benghazi

Thu Mar 17 08:09:00 UTC 2011

Sara... that's an interesting idea, and I'd been meaning to email you about this anyway J

My personal opinion is that UNDP (specifically BCPR) should look into how it can support the use of gov 2.0 as part of its governance programs in post-crisis / recovery settings. The work we've been doing with CRMA in Sudan is all about supporting the government to use (desktop, not online) information management tools in support of evidence-based planning in a post-conflict / recovery context. A key corner stone of our work is to make use of these tools as a way to facilitate dialogue between communities and the government (hence participatory mapping workshops). To me, the gov 2.0 approach is the next step for this kind of work (internet permitting) - a more direct link between the government and community. I think in the same way that OCHA and the SBTF collaborated to on the Libya crisis map; UNDP and the VTC could collaborate in the recovery phase on implementing the use of a tool like this, with the support of local governance structures.

Just initial thoughts...

Helena Puig Larrauri

Analysis & Programming Support Coordinator

Crisis and Recovery Mapping & Analysis (CRMA)

Crisis Prevention and Recovery Unit, UNDP Sudan

Mobile: +249 (0)912313178

Twitter: @undpcrma

From: crisismappers at googlegroups.com [mailto:crisismappers at googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Sara Farmer
Sent: Thursday, March 17, 2011 10:53 AM
To: crisismappers at googlegroups.com; team at kajoo.org; open-government at lists.okfn.org
Subject: Re: [CrisisMappers] Benghazi

Might have an idea for that...  have been working on gov2.0 tools for developing countries (some of you may have noticed Kajoo recently - huge thanks to everyone who sent in examples of what bothered them about their cities) and how to migrate the 2-way conversations that start with crisismapping into gov2.0-style technology-supported community discussions.

The ink is still wet on this one, but the basic idea is this: there is likely a need for technology-assisted community reporting and discussion after the crisismappers have left. That sounds awfully like gov2.0 to me. Similar types of setup, community and handover are needed for both crisismapping and gov2.0 in new states, and the technology-community dynamics are similar too.  And I've been wondering (as I do) whether it's possible and sensible, and in that case how, to use a similar volunteer structure to the SBTF's UN Volunteer community to help with transition between them.

Note that this is not about putting in alternative government systems, but more about giving people a way to continue to report and be heard by each other after the crisismapping teams have left.

So. Thoughts?

Sara.

On 03/17/2011 01:40 AM, Matt McNabb wrote:

Might I suggest that we revisit the discourse on how we define crisis, to include the slow burn beyond the immediate need? That is to say, difficulties in Libya will be real and vast beyond the present flash in violence. What can we do as technically capable people, as humanitarians, to help 2 months from now, 6 months from now? How do we prepare for it, get it right, and enable the Libyan people to recover, stabilize, and rebuild anew? What are the big issues that will be there, and how can we be sure to we have the capacity, patience, and bandwidth to help?

That is, at least, my focus now. And I would be very keen to engage with others onboard with addressing those challenges. We have the specialists in stabilization and the appropriate policy connectivity, but would value considerably a new and focused discourse across the technical community.

Cheers
Matt

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

  _____

From: jerri husch <jerrihusch at gmail.com><mailto:jerrihusch at gmail.com>

Sender: crisismappers at googlegroups.com<mailto:crisismappers at googlegroups.com>

Date: Wed, 16 Mar 2011 20:28:57 -0400

To: <crisismappers at googlegroups.com><mailto:crisismappers at googlegroups.com>

ReplyTo: crisismappers at googlegroups.com<mailto:crisismappers at googlegroups.com>

Subject: Re: [CrisisMappers] Benghazi

I think all Crisismappers can do now is to keep sending as much data and evidence of imminent violence to the press---to blogs, to the public at large, etc----as possible.  Overload them with the data.  Ask them to keep making the data visible to show that people know what is happening.

It is clear from the international response that there will be no "intervention"----atleast not at the level of international governance organizations.  The UN apprears to be completely ineffectual, with weak chastisements.  It appears that there are far too many intricate politics at play----and this can continue to be debated as a "sovereign state" issue as it is internal conflict.

It is a very, very tragic state of affairs-----and perhaps rather than fighting the "individual" national battles that we see along the various Arab States, perhaps there needs to be some kind of unifying message for people to respond to....so that the sense of isolation that this is a "different' issue in each country is not promoted.  This is about a new generation of people want to get out from the oppression of their (mostly) grandfathers, whose interests are focussed on maintaining their power and control---not about the wellbeing of their (ever growing, unemployed and mostly young and frustrated) populations....

best, Jer

On Wed, Mar 16, 2011 at 7:06 PM, Jen Ziemke <jen at crisismappers.net<mailto:jen at crisismappers.net>> wrote:

I'm really worried about Benghazi, folks. Early reports are coming out now that make something pretty awful look rather imminent. If anyone has any ears to bend that might lead to shifts in governmental policy toward actively protecting people on the ground, now would be the time. Anything we can do?

--

Jen Ziemke, Ph.D.

Co-Founder & Co-Director
http://www.CrisisMappers.net<http://www.crisismappers.net/>

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