Thursday, October 4, 2007

YOU CANNOT READ THIS IF YOU'RE IN BURMA !

Yet another example of the fear dictators and repressive regimes have of free exchange of information is so-called Myanmar's government shutting down the Internet in Burma: too much information was getting into and out of the country that some of the starving population were nudging towards change.


The New York Times
Monks Are Silenced, and for Now, Internet Is, Too
By SETH MYDANS
Published: October 4, 2007
BANGKOK, Oct. 3 — It was about as simple and uncomplicated as shooting demonstrators in the streets. Embarrassed by smuggled video and photographs that showed their people rising up against them, the generals who run Myanmar simply switched off the Internet.
Such examples bear recalling whenever anyone in our western democracies calls for more control over information, access to it, and exchange of it. Governments have no right to control what the inhabitants of the countries they serve read, watch, say, hear, write, or otherwise express or perceive.
UPDATE: Use this link to sign the petition in support of the Burmese people. (And thanks to Jennifer for providing the link.)

2 comments:

  1. thought you might be interested in signing this petition:

    http://www.avaaz.org/en/stand_with_burma/w.php?cl=27496281

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes, thanks, Jennifer. I know the organization and they've got my signature on this one, too !

    ReplyDelete