Now the government want me to hand this domain over

Hi

I own the domain name alofi.nu

I posted about this in a thread earlier on, It looks like the government want this domain back now, What can i do in this intance, Do they have a right to the domain,

Here is the quote in the email from them

Dear Gracie,



Firstly, thank you for informing Niue that you hold the alofi.nu name and informing Niue if we are interested in having the alofi.nu name.



The Minister for Telecommunication and ICT, who is the chair of the Niue ICT Development Council (NiDC) has expressed interest of getting this name returned to Niue and this _expression is unanimously supported by the NiDC.



The NiDC is to communicate this to you. If we have not done so, (based on this latest e-mail from you), then please consider this e-mail as our _expression of interest of attaining the alofi.nu name.



I look forward to hearing from you.



Best Regards,





Richard Hipa

Deputy Chair

NiDC.




Anyone know where i stand?

Thanks

Kerr

 

you sure its not a fake email?

 

No, these are the email addressess it has been forwarded around and it is off the official site

'Richard Hipa'" <md.telecom@mail.gov.nu>,
CC: "'Hon. Bill V Motufoou'" <bv@niue.nu>, "'Dawn Vilila'" <ssb.manager@mail.gov.nu>, "'Scan B Mitiepo'" <support.iso@mail.gov.nu>, "'frank.sioneholo'" <frank.sioneholo@investniue.com>, "'Wennie Salatielu'" <sipe@niue.nu>

 

It sounds to me that they are willing to pay for it and are not "demanding" it.

 

If the government need your domain,and then you got no way to keep it.But i can give you a suggestion that you can sell your domain to other people in the USA or UK,etc.through ebay.then the domain will not belong to you any more,it is other's property,for example,if you sell your domain to a chinese,then the law of China can keep the domain from being robed by your govenment.I think that might be a method.it is only my own opinion.

 

You do realise that all you've said is basically "passing the buck" and any issues to the next buyer?
Officially:

However, in this case, the government is expressing an interest in getting the domain. This basically would be handing the domain name to the government for reasonable compensation. I use the word resonable here as this particular country is not a rich one.

The guy who sent the email is mentioned in this article (good read actually): On a tiny island, catchy Web name sparks a battle

 

There is no way that they can make you give up the domain, they would have to purchase it from you if they really want it. I would ask them how much they are looking to pay to accuire this name. Get them to be the 1st one to make an offer. The 1st person that names a price loses.

 

This is a ccTLD domain name. Guess who's making the rules.

I just noticed this is also posted on legal and the legal section of another free
forum.

 

this sounds like you've asked them if they want the name and they've said (it seems in a fairly polite manner compared to some similar emails posted on this forum by american companies) that yes they are interested.
I can't see any language here where they are demanding the name. They are not a wealthy nation though, if your idea of using the name was to make a site about that place then maybe you could sell them an idea for a website and make it for them?

 

Like f3ze says, it looks like you've informed them that you hold this domain. Trying to see how much they were willing to pay you for it?

 

My first impression while reading it was: It's a fake email.

My second impression as I continued reading it: You apparently have been making some sort of contact with them for them to say the part I marked in red in your post I quoted below. And they are responding to you saying they are interested. By the looks of what was said in that email and how it was worded, you contacted them to see if they want the domain. So, finish what you started and see what they want for it. After all, why did you contact them to begin with? So stop playing around and act like this is some "scary" matter and see what they want for it. They've made it quite clear that they are interested in attaining the domain. No demands just a simple and kind interest based on your latest email sent to them (whatever that was - since you didn't post it here for everyone to see).

Third impression attempting to look at this at several angles: 1.) They found out that you owned the name via whois search or whatever and contacted you to verify that you indeed did own the name, 2.) you emailed them back confirming that you do own the domain name along with asking them why and if they are interested in having it, 3.) they emailed you back thanking you for informing them that you do in fact own the domain and that they are interested. 4)... so you've posted this thread asking, "Anyone know where I stand?" Geez... I don't know! Since they are not demanding it rather they are just merely saying they are interested in attaining it after you asking them if they were, then the ball's in your court so reply asking them what they want for it or tell them you aren't interested in giving it away for free or sale --- duh! Why wouldn't you do that first to begin with before posting a thread here, is strange!

Back to my first impression: To give you the benefit of the doubt and just say it's a fake ----- Now if you in fact did not email them at any time as they claim you have, then it very well could be a fake email. Check the full headers. Email addresses aren't enough as email forgery can be done to make something appear to be from a real company but turn out to be originated from a place not really from who you think it's from. And if the headers prove it originally originated from the government and you hadn't emailed them like they claim you had, then don't do business with them and tell them you aren't interested. After all who wants to do business with or freely give away something to someone who just outright lied (if you never emailed them as they claim you did).

Use common sense!

 

Ripping off a tiny developing nation-island is not cool. If you are looking to make a nice profit on this domain, that seems questionable; so do your actions.

 

how much r u earning with this domain.

 

At first when I read this post it looked like "The Man" was coming in and taking your domain name, being a small country makes things a lil different.

 

do sacrifice it for your country... and they are even paying u..

we Indians are ready to give our life for our motherland

 

And the government will spare you?
after reading the email you sell the domain, the governmant will trace you and the punishment will be worst headline (i bet it'll be the top story for digg for some days )
better confirm the mail is fake or true, politely ask them the domain was registered for personal use and is there any other way to it

Since i am Indian, if i would have got such an email, i will use my simple trick to fool the government guys

 

I am currenlty talking to them at the moment, will keep you all posted as to the outcome

 

even i will wait to see what the matter really is

 

Updated email from them again saying the same thing

how much are you going to sell it for? when did you registered this domain name? why you intent to sell it?

 

Do you really want to own the domain name?
humbug01
add me on yahoo messanger, i will tell you a simple trick that may be useful for you