[Qgis-user] Help Ukraine, Boycott Russia

landconsult at freenet.de landconsult at freenet.de
Fri Feb 25 05:22:22 PST 2022 

Dear List, dear Andreas,

Andreas, before you close this thread, a final general comment: since 7 
years I am teaching my students at the University in Freiburg that Open 
Source is more than an IT project, it is a movement, that will change 
the world, including values like transparency, participation, shared 
information and first of all freedom and peace. And the QGIS project and 
its vital and global community is a lighthouse project representing all 
these values.

Many commited QGIS users share these values with the rest of the world, 
and therefore show deep solidarity with the Ukraine.

So, here is another - more passive - proposal, how we could address the 
raid on Ukraine adequately: let´s name the next QGIS release "Ukraine" 
or "Kiev" to express the solidarity with the people in Ukraine and their 
fight for freedom.

What do you think?

Best regards,

Markus


Am 25.02.2022 um 11:48 schrieb Andreas Neumann:
> Hi all,
>
> May I suggest that we stop this thread here - and try to fight the 
> Russian aggression in different ways / different channels? This is not 
> the right channel to make a meaningful difference in this horrible war.
>
> As an example, we can try to influence / put some pressure on our 
> local governments. Both the German and the Swiss governments are 
> blocking more effective sanctions on Russia. By not buying Russian 
> energy and raw materials and by freezing bank accounts of Russian 
> oligarchs who support this war - this is where we can make a 
> difference. So the pressure needs to be put on our European 
> governments - and not in the QGIS user community.
>
> As an example: in Berne / Switzerland there will be a demonstration 
> tomorrow at noon to put pressure on our Swiss government to freeze 
> Russian bank accounts and to prohibit raw material trading (a lot of 
> Russian raw materials are traded in Switzerland). I believe this is 
> where we can make a difference.
>
> Wish you all the best,
> Andreas
>
> On Fri, 25 Feb 2022 at 10:50, landconsult at freenet.de 
> <landconsult at freenet.de> wrote:
>
>     Dear Andreas, dear list,
>
>     Andreas, you wrote "/If we start excluding countries and
>     organizations on such assumptions/" I wished you could understand
>     that Putin´s aggression is not stopping in Ukraina (starting in
>     Afghanistan, Chechnya, Georgia, Syria, Ukraina, ...whats next).
>     The only non-atomic power that can stop this is the Russian people.
>
>     And yes, I know, Russia is not a democracy, and maybe some
>     Russians are "suffering from Putin´s politics" (if it were the
>     "majority" like you say, I had no need to write this letter and
>     Putin never dared to invade the Ukraine).
>
>     I can also imagine, that many of the Russian QGIS users really
>     appreciate the freedom they feel when they co-operate with the
>     QGIS community. But I am sure the invasion of their army into
>     Ukraine is not a reason for them to start thinking about the
>     legality to kill civilians in independant neighbouring countries.
>
>     It´s not a reason unless we (the free, democratic and peaceful
>     QGIS community) give them such a reason, which is the boycott of
>     Russian members as long as their troops are in the Ukraine.
>
>     And, Andreas, when you are asking where to draw a "/red line/",
>     you are not seriously comparing the bombing of Kiev with the "oil
>     exploration" ???? This is cynical.
>
>     We must not be passive and hoping "/that this situation can soon
>     be deescalated/" is not enough. The time is now to make it
>     absolutely clear that military force against democratic countries
>     will have consequences for the agressors.
>
>     And finally to all Russian QGIS users: I like your country and
>     your culture and really appreciate all Russian colleagues I met in
>     the scope of my professional work, this includes all the great
>     QGIS Plugins and Tools that came from you.
>     Please help us to stop this war and make your contribution to
>     secure freedom and peace in Europe and wordlwide!
>
>     Best regards,
>
>     Markus
>
>
>     Am 24.02.2022 um 13:29 schrieb Andreas Neumann:
>>     Dear Markus,
>>
>>     This is a really difficult topic that you raise here. While I
>>     agree that the aggression from the Putin regime should be
>>     condemned, I am against excluding Russian QGIS contributors and
>>     sustaining members. If we start excluding countries and
>>     organizations on such assumptions - where do we draw the line?
>>     The majority of today's world population unfortunately has to
>>     live in problematic conditions, when it concerns democracy and
>>     dictators. Also - where should be draw the line on what is
>>     ethical use of QGIS and what not? Is oil exploration utilizing
>>     QGIS software allowed, as an example?
>>
>>     As the current QGIS.ORG <http://QGIS.ORG> treasurer I can say
>>     that we had a sustaining member from Russia last year - there is
>>     no indication that this company is collaborating with the Putin
>>     government - though it is of course a bit hard to judge - of
>>     course - for outsiders.
>>
>>     The vast majority of the Russian population is probably suffering
>>     from Putin's politics - my guess is that the majority of the
>>     Russian population would like to live in peace and prosperity and
>>     not be involved in such war and aggression. But do they have a
>>     real choice? Fair elections? I doubt it ... In that sense I am
>>     against excluding Russian QGIS users and contributors based on
>>     these events.
>>
>>     We also have QGIS contributors from Ukraine who are now affected
>>     by this aggression - let's be supportive when there could be
>>     Ukrainian refugees in the coming months - and let's hope that
>>     this situation can soon be deescalated.
>>
>>     Greetings,
>>     Andreas
>>
>>     On Thu, 24 Feb 2022 at 10:09, landconsult at freenet.de
>>     <landconsult at freenet.de> wrote:
>>
>>         Dear List,
>>
>>         like all free people in the world I totally condemn the
>>         Russian invasion in Ukraine this morning. This is an attack
>>         on the free world and especially on Europe and on all values
>>         of freedom which we all represent in a global, peaceful open
>>         source community.
>>
>>         - So, what can each individual do to defend this freedom?
>>         - What can the QGIS community do?
>>         - How can we be sure, that the know-how we develop will not
>>         be used for Russian military purposes against the Ukraine?
>>
>>         The invasion was confirmed by the Duma, the Russian
>>         parliament which is the representative body of the Russian
>>         people. Consequently the Russian population bears
>>         responsibility for the invasion and we should led them know,
>>         that military force against an independent, free and
>>         democratic European country goes against all the values ​​we
>>         stand for in the open source community.
>>
>>         The least we can do is starting to think about a boycott of
>>         Russian products and Russian co-operations to express our
>>         opinion to all Russian companies and partners we know.
>>         Finally its up to the ordinary Russian man to change this
>>         unbearable situation which is becoming a permanent threat to
>>         free Europe.
>>
>>         With this respect the QGIS developer community should also
>>         think about excluding Russian partners and sponsors from all
>>         QGIS activities as long as Russian troops are in the Ukraine.
>>
>>         I think, the values of freedom we stand for, is the highest
>>         good we must defend!
>>
>>         How do you think about it?
>>
>>         Very concerned greeting.
>>
>>         Markus Weidenbach
>>         landConsult.de
>>         Bühl/Germany
>>
>>         _______________________________________________
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>>
>>
>>     -- 
>>
>>     --
>>     Andreas Neumann
>>     QGIS.ORG <http://QGIS.ORG> board member (treasurer)
>
>
>
> -- 
>
> --
> Andreas Neumann
> QGIS.ORG <http://QGIS.ORG> board member (treasurer)
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