[Foundation-l] Concern for the safety of Wikimedians at Wikimania in Alexandria.

Brianna Laugher brianna.laugher at gmail.com
Tue Mar 4 06:12:56 UTC 2008


On 04/03/2008, Dan Rosenthal <swatjester at gmail.com> wrote:
>   It's not a hypothetical at all. The conference IS putting those
>  individuals at significant security risk, says the Australian embassy.
>  "We advise you to exercise a high degree of caution in Egypt because
>  of the high threat of terrorist attack." " Political developments in
>  the region may prompt large demonstrations across the region,
>  including in Egypt. These demonstrations could turn violent and should
>  be avoided."
[...]
>  To characterize the above as mere unease is a grave disservice.

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade (DFAT) rates
travel destinations on a scale of 5, where 5 is "Do not travel" and 4
is "Reconsider your need to travel". Egypt is level 3, "High degree of
caution".
Levels 2 and 1 are "Exercise caution" and "Be alert to own security".
So it's not like at any time they are heaping encouragements on anyone
travelling overseas.

Canada's classification on Egypt is also level 2 of 4 (their 4 are
Exercise normal security precautions / Exercise high degree of caution
/ Avoid non-essential travel / Avoid all travel).

If you read the government advisories without interpreting them to
your own sensibilities you would never travel overseas anywhere. And
if you're that concerned then fine; don't travel overseas. But then
you would probably not attend a Wikimania anyway.

To quote government travel advisories verbatim as gospel is also a
disservice. Most travellers will take those classifications into
consideration... but it's not like they instantly mean it's a no-go
zone. Limiting risk vs limiting interesting experiences. same
trade-off as ever.

regards,
Brianna

-- 
They've just been waiting in a mountain for the right moment:
http://modernthings.org/



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