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    <p><font face="Verdana">Dear List, dear Andreas,</font></p>
    <p><font face="Verdana">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. <br>
      </font></p>
    <p><font face="Verdana">Many commited QGIS users share these values
        with the rest of the world, and therefore show deep solidarity
        with the Ukraine.</font></p>
    <p><font face="Verdana">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.</font></p>
    <p><font face="Verdana">What do you think?<br>
      </font></p>
    <p><font face="Verdana">Best regards,</font></p>
    <p><font face="Verdana">Markus<br>
      </font></p>
    <br>
    <div class="moz-cite-prefix">Am 25.02.2022 um 11:48 schrieb Andreas
      Neumann:<br>
    </div>
    <blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid:CAB2Z92DxCnwkBrB0fEaGwyZXoEqrZEP7dH2HixzJ6_uFi+c4WQ@mail.gmail.com">
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        <div>Hi all,</div>
        <div><br>
        </div>
        <div>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.<br>
        </div>
        <div><br>
        </div>
        <div>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.</div>
        <div><br>
        </div>
        <div>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.<br>
        </div>
        <div><br>
        </div>
        <div>Wish you all the best,</div>
        <div>Andreas<br>
        </div>
      </div>
      <br>
      <div class="gmail_quote">
        <div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Fri, 25 Feb 2022 at 10:50,
          <a href="mailto:landconsult@freenet.de" moz-do-not-send="true"
            class="moz-txt-link-freetext">landconsult@freenet.de</a>
          <<a href="mailto:landconsult@freenet.de"
            moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext">landconsult@freenet.de</a>>
          wrote:<br>
        </div>
        <blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px
          0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
          <div>
            <p><font face="Verdana">Dear Andreas, dear list,</font></p>
            <p><font face="Verdana">Andreas, you wrote "</font><font
                face="Verdana"><i>If we start excluding countries and
                  organizations on such assumptions</i>" 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. <br>
              </font></p>
            <p><font face="Verdana">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).</font></p>
            <p><font face="Verdana">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.</font></p>
            <p><font face="Verdana">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.</font></p>
            <p><font face="Verdana">And, Andreas, when you are asking
                where to draw a "<i>red line</i>", you are not seriously
                comparing the bombing of Kiev with the "oil exploration"
                ???? This is cynical.</font></p>
            <p><font face="Verdana">We must not be passive and hoping "</font><font
                face="Verdana"><i>that this situation can soon be
                  deescalated</i>" is not enough. The time is now to
                make it absolutely clear that military force against
                democratic countries will have consequences for the
                agressors.</font></p>
            <p><font face="Verdana">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. <br>
                Please help us to stop this war and make your
                contribution to secure freedom and peace in Europe and
                wordlwide!</font></p>
            <p><font face="Verdana">Best regards,</font></p>
            <p><font face="Verdana">Markus    </font></p>
            <br>
            <div>Am 24.02.2022 um 13:29 schrieb Andreas Neumann:<br>
            </div>
            <blockquote type="cite">
              <div dir="ltr">
                <div>Dear Markus,</div>
                <div><br>
                </div>
                <div>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?<br>
                </div>
                <div><br>
                </div>
                <div>As the current <a href="http://QGIS.ORG"
                    target="_blank" moz-do-not-send="true">QGIS.ORG</a>
                  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.<br>
                </div>
                <div><br>
                </div>
                <div>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.</div>
                <div><br>
                </div>
                <div>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.<br>
                </div>
                <div><br>
                </div>
                <div>Greetings,</div>
                <div>Andreas<br>
                </div>
              </div>
              <br>
              <div class="gmail_quote">
                <div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Thu, 24 Feb 2022 at
                  10:09, <a href="mailto:landconsult@freenet.de"
                    target="_blank" moz-do-not-send="true"
                    class="moz-txt-link-freetext">landconsult@freenet.de</a>
                  <<a href="mailto:landconsult@freenet.de"
                    target="_blank" moz-do-not-send="true"
                    class="moz-txt-link-freetext">landconsult@freenet.de</a>>
                  wrote:<br>
                </div>
                <blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px
                  0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid
                  rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
                  <div>
                    <p><font face="Verdana">Dear List,</font></p>
                    <p><font face="Verdana">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.</font></p>
                    <p><font face="Verdana">- So, what can each
                        individual do to defend this freedom? <br>
                        - What can the QGIS community do?<br>
                        - How can we be sure, that the know-how we
                        develop will not be used for Russian military
                        purposes against the Ukraine?</font></p>
                    <p
id="gmail-m_-8981385428085980910gmail-m_-1625811684074762361tw-target-text"
                      style="text-align:left" dir="ltr"><font
                        face="Verdana">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 <span lang="en">military
                          force against an independent, free and
                          democratic European country goes against all
                          the values ​​we stand for in the open source
                          community.</span></font></p>
                    <p style="text-align:left" dir="ltr"><font
                        face="Verdana"><span lang="en">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.   <br>
                        </span></font></p>
                    <p style="text-align:left" dir="ltr"><font
                        face="Verdana"><span lang="en">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. <br>
                        </span></font></p>
                    <p style="text-align:left" dir="ltr"><font
                        face="Verdana"><span lang="en">I think, the
                          values of freedom we stand for, is the highest
                          good we must defend!</span></font></p>
                    <p style="text-align:left" dir="ltr"><font
                        face="Verdana"><span lang="en">How do you think
                          about it?</span></font></p>
                    <p style="text-align:left" dir="ltr"><font
                        face="Verdana"><span lang="en">Very concerned
                          greeting.</span></font></p>
                    <p style="text-align:left" dir="ltr"><font
                        face="Verdana"><span lang="en">Markus Weidenbach<br>
                          landConsult.de<br>
                          Bühl/Germany</span></font></p>
                  </div>
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                </blockquote>
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              <br>
              -- <br>
              <div dir="ltr">
                <div dir="ltr">
                  <div><br>
                    --<br>
                    Andreas Neumann<br>
                  </div>
                  <a href="http://QGIS.ORG" target="_blank"
                    moz-do-not-send="true">QGIS.ORG</a> board member
                  (treasurer)<br>
                </div>
              </div>
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      <br>
      -- <br>
      <div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature">
        <div dir="ltr">
          <div><br>
            --<br>
            Andreas Neumann<br>
          </div>
          <a href="http://QGIS.ORG" target="_blank"
            moz-do-not-send="true">QGIS.ORG</a> board member (treasurer)<br>
        </div>
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