Thanks Abhinav for all of this.
About #3: I indeed reached out to A2K staff and asked about the same questions that you
asked me. I cannot day for them and I’d like to assume good faith, but I myself received
the venue details late. I personally wanted everything to be done publicly, and discussed
widely. But I was a participant rather than an organizer. The way and means of a meeting
are not in my hands.
Secondly, I prefer in an approach of reflecting on the past and focus only on the
learning. For me as a Wikimedian, sharing something useful with the community is
important, and I believe I did that with my home community. Could I have done better? For
sure, yes. I just didn’t have the bandwidth to write a blog post, or create a learning
pattern at that point of time. I had my own disagreements as well. But I think there were
valuable takeaways and I want to congratulate A2K for bringing those people for two days.
I’d personally try (and have tried to do some in the last couple of engagements with the
community) to fill the gaps that I experienced there.
Similarly, the points that I shared earlier were not to blame A2K or Rahul or WMIN, but to
see the possibility of bettering the process. Maybe we all messed up small or big, and
there is a way to better in our future work.
I’m committing to engage more openly and transparently as a long time Wikimedian, and a
representative of the Odia Wikimedians User Group.
Cheers!
Subhashish
On Aug 2, 2018, at 12:06 PM, Amritasya Putra
<iamamritasyaputra(a)gmail.com> wrote:
My opinion: The sermonising-in-public-tone is also unfriendly.
Regards.
> On Thu, 2 Aug 2018 at 11:13 AM, Abhinav srivastava <abhinav619(a)gmail.com>
wrote:
> Hello Satdeep, Bodhisattwa and All,
>
>
>
> I believe the response to the first statement put by Satdeep, on having expected more
discussions, stands firm, Indian community has advanced from the notion of “Constantly
enduring in fights amongst themselves”. The mailing list have largely remained positive
and most importantly friendly in nature for some time now. Indian community needs this
kind of a behaviour.
>
> While Bodhisattwa was absolutely democratic and correct in inquiring, debating or in
fact questioning this issue, his tone could have been better. When the issue requires
clarity of information, putting value judgements along with taking names, I believe this
could have been put in a better manner. Otherwise, we haven’t progressed at all.
>
> As far as Wikimania mailing list is concerned, I too subsequently inquired and I find
response has been provided for the same, two days back. Bodhisattwa has been subsequently
replying. Also, the respective mailing list advises that the issue is a different matter
and not relevant for the mailing list. Satdeep, you did not inform about this information
in your mail.
>
> Bodhisattwa, as a past executive committee member of the Wikimedia India, I would
like to say Wikimedia India always believes in the will of the community being the will of
the executive committee. I can personally say, Chapter having no money, the Executive
committee members have paid from their pockets to provide all the necessary support. You
were also one of its recipients for Internet scholarship until some telecom companies
started providing very pocket friendly price internet services and we requested you to
shift (Reliance Jio). The several executive committee members did not earn still they paid
from their pocket to support you and others. We did it because we always believed in you,
your work has been fantastic even community members used to express their happiness to us
for on having supported Bodhisattwa.
>
> Like the allegation today, even two years back on Wikimania there happened to be an
allegation on an Indian language village pump, concerning you and your travel. The Chapter
paid no heed and remained firm in supporting you. Unnamed and unmentioned, I would say the
editor who questioned then is also a very senior member and having been associated as a
staff in few of the institutions which concerns us. Today, you seem to be in a very
similar position, an experienced community who is questioning with no so proper tone and
taking names. Bodhisattwa, you should lead the community members in promoting friendly
space not doing the opposites.
>
>
>
> Now, coming to responses made by Satdeep and Subhashish on the other thread. This
issue requires much more gravity. A lot of things have been happening without community
being informed anything. This just not concerns one person. Correct me if I am wrong, but
this summer an affiliates conference was organised in Bengaluru, just before the Berlin
Wikimedia Conference. To my understanding, all delegates were supposed to attend the
conference were invited and others who reside in Bengaluru. But then, what was the need to
make this exercise secret in nature. Again, only to my understanding, this was organised
by Centre for Internet and Society. Like Subhashish has mentioned, need for a consensus,
share it on Wiki for transparency or not, participants create Learning Patterns and write
report etc. Such things should happen here too. Also, is there an event page on Meta about
this meeting?
>
>
>
> To my CIS friends, nothing personal here, the argument on transparency has been
happening so I though of voicing my views. I would advise you to keep informing the
community of your activities, I cannot find any monthly work reports which used to be
shared earlier. In fact, the meta page does not even provide a 2018 section for reports.
Please look into this, we are in the 8th month of the year. My piece of advice would be
let someone volunteer and create your reports, if you do not have staff at the moment.
Just like Wikimedia India were reports are created by volunteers.
>
>
>
> At last, Bodhisattwa, my friend, like Satdeep and Subhashish raise your voice but
maintain friendly spirt.
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>> On Thu, Aug 2, 2018 at 12:26 AM Satdeep Gill <satdeepgill(a)gmail.com>
wrote:
>> Hi all,
>>
>> I expected more discussion on this. Although, Subhashish reposted this on
Wikimania mailing list and asked some really good questions.
>>
>> I agree with Subha that if an affiliate decides to send someone to Wikimania then
the whole selection process should be transparent and also some reporting guidelines
should be established similar to Wikimania.
>>
>> All this can help ensure trust of the wider Wikimedia community in our processes
and decisions.
>>
>> I do want to hear why was it deemed necessary for the WMIN President to be
present at that informal meetup during Wikimania.
>>
>> I do know that for some other Chapters whose chairperson's were not attending
Wikimania, some editor Board/EC member attended the meetup on their behalf.
>>
>> I expect to hear more about this.
>>
>> Regards
>> Satdeep Gill
>>
>> Community Outreach Coordinator, Wikimedia Foundation
>> Co-founder, Punjabi Wikimedians
>> Member, Affiliations Committee
>> Member, Language Committee
>>
>>
>>> On Fri, 27 Jul 2018 at 17:30, Bodhisattwa Mandal
<bodhisattwa.rgkmc(a)gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> WMIN chapter president Rahul Deshmukh attended Wikimania 2018 in Cape Town
>>> without being selected for any type of scholarship. My question is why was
>>> he sent to the conference depriving other community members from India who
>>> were in the waiting list.
>>>
>>> He spoke in the informal chairpersons' meetup for few minutes. The
meeting
>>> doesn't require president of the organization's presence, and already
there
>>> were 2 EC member of WMIN present, who could have attended the meeting.
>>>
>>> To me, this is utter misuse of power and abuse of donation money.
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>> Bodhisattwa
>>>