Re: Request for community guidance on issue concerning a future meeting of the IETF

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Excerpts from Marshall Eubanks on Fri, Sep 18, 2009 11:42:00AM -0400:
> Greetings;
> 
> We have received numerous suggestions and requests for an IETF meeting
> in China and the IAOC has been working on a potential China meeting for
> several years. We are now close to making a decision on a potential
> upcoming  meeting in China. However, the following issue has arisen
> and we would appreciate your feedback.
> 
> The Chinese government has imposed a rule on all conferences held
> since 2008 regarding political speech. A fundamental law in China
> requires that one not criticize the government. Practically, this
> has reference to public political statements or protest marches, which
> are not the IETF's custom. The government, which is a party to the
> issue,
> requires that people who attend conferences in China (the IETF being
> but one example) not engage in political speech during their tour
> in China. We consider this to be acceptable, on the basis that the
> IETF intends to abide by the laws of whatever nations it visits and
> we don't believe that this impacts our ability to do technical work.
> 
> The rule is implemented in the Hotel agreement and reads (note that
> the "Client" would be the Host, and the "Group" would be the IETF) :
> 
>    "Should the contents of the Group's activities, visual or audio
>    presentations at the conference,or printed materials used at the
>    conference (which are within the control of the Client) contain
>    any defamation against the Government of the People's Republic
>    of China, or show any disrespect to the Chinese culture, or
>    violates any laws of the People's Republic of China or feature
>    any topics regarding human rights or religion without prior
>    approval from the Government of the People's Republic of China,
>    the Hotel reserves the right to terminate the event on the spot
>    and/or ask the person(s) who initiates or participates in any or
>    all of the above action to leave the hotel premises immediately.
> 
>    The Client will support and assist the Hotel with the necessary
>    actions to handle such situations. Should there be any financial
>    loss incurred to the Hotel or damage caused to the Hotel's
>    reputation as a result of any or all of the above acts, the Hotel
>    will claim compensation from the Client."
> 
> What does this condition mean ? The hotel staff would have, in theory,
> the legal right to shut down the meeting and ask the offending
> participants to leave the property immediately. While we do not
> foresee a situation where such action would take place, we feel that
> it is proper to disclose these conditions to the community.

I don't see that.  Is this what they told you?  What I see is:

- the _conference_ materials shouldn't contain political speech.
  "which are within control of the client"

- if an _individual_ does so, that individual may be asked to leave.

I don't see "if anyone says anything they could shut the conference
down".

Scott
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