Dear Risker,
first of all I would like to emphasize that I am not sure whether AffCom is
violating WMF Guiding principles or not. I have my strong opinion based on
months of interactions, but I consider that investigation is needed to be
sure. And in order to receive diverse data for a meaningful investigation I
have launched this thread and some data have started to come (thanks Lane!).
Now to the point, what are the possible AffCom's violations of WMF Guiding
principles? Here are some examples (sorry in advance that they are going to
be bit longer that I would like..):
Over the last months I have been in intense communication with AffCom over
several things. While I have expected (and accepted) that some
communication can be rather slow (because of the structure of AffCom), it
showed up that some communication from AffCom is at best very misleading.
E.g. AffCom reactively (on my question) informed WUG Esperanto and Free
Knowledge (EliSo) that AffCom put on hold EliSo's recognition as a hematic
Organisation. As a reason AffCom mentioned "several issues" and that AffCom
is already dealing about them "with the group". It showed up that nor
issues, nor dealing up with the group [EliSo] was true... I have asked
AffCom several times when it put EliSo's recognition on hold but AffCom
never clearly answered that. *That is taking 3 months now!* AffCom despite
my clear question to inform ELiSo about when AffCom put ELiSo's recognition
on hold never answered this question. That would be rather annoying, but
the additional fact is that EliSo asked for ThemOrg recognition on late
november 2020. So according to ThemOrg requirements page [1] , the
projected time for approval is 4–6 months, meaning that ELiSo would be
projected to be recognized in late March - May 2021. So AffCom reactively
(!) informed ELiSo about putting on hold its ThemOrg application after 2
months of the longest projected time for approval... *In summary*: AffCom
have communicated false information, non-proactively and in a secretive
manner. In my personal opinion it is in conflict with the principle of
transparency and accountability.
I am during last 4,5 years involved in helping WUG WMSVK to stop violating
its bylaws and correct its past and current intentional {and possibly
non-intentional) violations of Bylaws, Board agreements and possibly
national laws. AffCom is formally involved since early 2020 and in December
2021 AffCom took full responsibility for WUG WMSVK. During the time of most
engagement, AffCom was (and still is) very secretive and hardly ever and
only after several attempts to communication does provide a clear answer of
meaningful clarification. Under AffCom's full responsibility, WMSVK did
nearly nothing to stop violations and correct the past ones. So AffCom is
fully responsible for these violations, what is in conflict with the WMF
Guiding principle of Shared power, as it is Bylaw which define power
division. Later AffCom pushed for a mediation between me and WMSVK. After
about 2 months of delays, AffCom informed me that the mediation is
canceled. After that, the WMSVK's chair informed me, that AffCom informed
WMSVK, that it was me who canceled the mediation (what is false). I do not
know if AffCom really falsely informed WMSVK that it was me who canceled
the mediation, so I have explicitly asked AffCom that. AffCom after nearly
1 month still haven't responded to this question. It is so much frustrating
that both me and WMSVK have lost our time, effort, energy and nerves but
AffCom haven't even responded such a simple question. It would require 3
words (!) from AffCom but it has never provided them... I and WMSVK are now
in a state of not knowing and it is really damaging the possibility of
success of the Wikimedia movement in Slovakia.
These are some concrete (and (maybe too) long) examples that I feel
exemplifies the issues best. There are a lot of similar situations with
AffCom that I have personally experienced.
Lane Rasberry also provided some evidence about the India chapter. I
haven't dug into that topic yet, so I don't have enough data to draw a
solid conclusion. But a preliminary analysis of the publicly shared
information suggests high similarity with my own experiences, suggesting
that there can be a structural weakness of AffCom which makes it prone to
consistently manifest a behaviour conflicting with the Wikimedia Foundation
Guiding Principles (mostly Transparency and Accountability, and one can
argue that to lesser extend also Stewardship).
I hope that now you have a better understanding, Risker!
[1]
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_thematic_organizations/Requirements
Best regards
KuboF Hromoslav (Michal Matúšov)
po 25. 10. 2021 o 0:28 Risker <[email protected]> napísal(a):
> KuboF, I have read your email, but I am none the wiser. Please explain
> precisely what your concerns are. In what way is AffCom not following the
> WMF guiding principles?
>
> Risker/Anne
>
> On Sun, 24 Oct 2021 at 18:18, Michal Matúšov <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>> Hi wikimedians, especially functionaries of affiliations!
>>
>> If nothing substantial will change, in about 2 weeks I am going to start
>> a formal investigation of possible AffCom's violations of Wikimedia
>> Foundation Guiding Principles [1].
>>
>> During last months and especially weeks I have noticed several issues
>> about AffCom which showed up to hinder work and development of Wikimedia
>> affiliations. While I have originally considered them to be exceptions,
>> they have shown a consistent pattern through time indicating possible
>> structural weakness. I have already asked AffCom non-publicly about some
>> elements of them and AffCom's answers (respectively lack of them) for now
>> show it to be higher probable that the issues are real and structural.
>>
>> In order to make the investigation more efficient and productive I need
>> your help! If you during last year experienced non-trivial issues with
>> AffCom, especially if they hindered your affiliation (holding up your
>> recognition with lack of reasonable communication, non-action to prevent
>> violations of agreements, very slow work, communication of
>> false information etc etc etc), please let me know personally
>> (non-publicly, outside of the list) by email (possibly by sending email
>> using Meta [2]). I much prefer if you are willing to accept that in case of
>> investigation I could identify you and your affiliation. But as I
>> understand that such identification could possibly make AffCom more prone
>> to target its issues towards you and your affiliation, I accept to receive
>> your evidence and make a reasonable effort to anonymize it (paraphrasing
>> your words, getting the essence of the experience without specifics - or to
>> not use it if it would be unreasonable to anonymize it). Please, write
>> "*AffCom
>> investigation*" (without parenthesis) in the title, so I can find it
>> more easily! Many thanks!
>>
>> Last, but urgent related affair:
>> As *AffCom's Staff Liaison Manavpreet Kaur* is currently a candidate for
>> the very responsible role of Movement Charter Drafting Committee member, I
>> have asked her about her involvement in AffCom's issues and the possibility
>> for her to "import" the AffCom-like issues to the Movement Charter Drafting
>> Committee [3] [4]. I am sorry for not starting this conversation publicly
>> sooner! (I have checked the candidates too lately and also needed some time
>> to prepare the message, as it must be very precise) I know that such
>> information would be very interesting for many of you and would help you in
>> your voting decision. (In a similar way I wanted to challenge Rosie
>> Stephenson-Goodknight during her candidacy for community elected Board of
>> Trustees seat several months ago, as she in that time was the AffCom's
>> Chair. Unfortunately, I have too lately considered her possible role in
>> AffCom's issues to be potentially significant. Sorry again!)
>>
>> [1]
>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia_Foundation_Guiding_Principles
>> [2] https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:EmailUser/KuboF_Hromoslav
>> [3]
>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Manavpreet_Kaur#Your_role_in_AffCom's_issues_in_relation_to_your_Movement_Charter_Drafting_Committee_member_candidacy
>> [4] https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:Diff/22235789
>>
>> Best regards!
>> KuboF Hromoslav (Michal Matúšov)
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