Matthew Weaver
Tuesday October 9, 2007
Guardian Unlimited
The military regime in Burma has relaxed its information blackout in a move that has allowed anti-government bloggers to post for the first time since the height of pro-democracy protests last month. The security forces have been seizing satellite phones and computers smuggled in by exiled groups as part of their suppression of news about the protests, but last night the authorities temporarily lifted the restriction on internet access. The move is being seen as a sign of confidence by the regime that it can control the protests.
The Dehli-based Burmese news service Mizzima reported that most users in Rangoon said the internet was only accessible during the curfew hours: 10pm to 4am. The Burmese blogger Niknayman, one of the few to dodge the censors through the use of a chatroom, claimed the internet was accessible for two and half hours last night. A Rangoon blogger who attracted the attention of the western media with first-hand accounts of the protests and the perils of blogging in Burma, had been silenced by the blackout. But today she posted comments for the first time since September 27, the second day of a bloody crack down on the demonstrations.
She pointed out that it is "ironic" that pro-government protesters have been allowed to carry out their demonstrations. She also reveals that people inside Burma are getting news of the crisis from external media.
During her silence, hundreds of people posted messages on her site expressing concern for her welfare. Today, she thanked them for their comments, saying she had only just had the chance to read them because of the closure of internet. She wrote: "Now internet access is back, though I'm not sure if it's for real, or it just opened up by mistake. I heard that you were able to use internet at night, but I don't have internet at home, so it was no use for me."
Most internet shops in Rangoon are still closed, according to Mizzima. Meanwhile, a hugely popular protest group set up on the social network site Facebook reports that some of its administrators have been sent intimidating emails. The group, which has attracted almost 400,000 members, has been used to spread news about the protests in Burma.
Johnny Chatterton, its UK administrator, said: "Some of the administrators have been getting threatening messages, seemingly from pro-junta people." One administrator who is passing on news from the group to Burma was warned "consider me the little voice in the back of your head," Mr Chatterton said.
The human rights organisation Amnesty today launched a campaign called Unsubscribe, aimed harnessing the power of bloggers and social networking to highlight abuse around the world.
The military regime in Burma has relaxed its information blackout in a move that has allowed anti-government bloggers to post for the first time since the height of pro-democracy protests last month. The security forces have been seizing satellite phones and computers smuggled in by exiled groups as part of their suppression of news about the protests, but last night the authorities temporarily lifted the restriction on internet access. The move is being seen as a sign of confidence by the regime that it can control the protests.
The Dehli-based Burmese news service Mizzima reported that most users in Rangoon said the internet was only accessible during the curfew hours: 10pm to 4am. The Burmese blogger Niknayman, one of the few to dodge the censors through the use of a chatroom, claimed the internet was accessible for two and half hours last night. A Rangoon blogger who attracted the attention of the western media with first-hand accounts of the protests and the perils of blogging in Burma, had been silenced by the blackout. But today she posted comments for the first time since September 27, the second day of a bloody crack down on the demonstrations.
She pointed out that it is "ironic" that pro-government protesters have been allowed to carry out their demonstrations. She also reveals that people inside Burma are getting news of the crisis from external media.
During her silence, hundreds of people posted messages on her site expressing concern for her welfare. Today, she thanked them for their comments, saying she had only just had the chance to read them because of the closure of internet. She wrote: "Now internet access is back, though I'm not sure if it's for real, or it just opened up by mistake. I heard that you were able to use internet at night, but I don't have internet at home, so it was no use for me."
Most internet shops in Rangoon are still closed, according to Mizzima. Meanwhile, a hugely popular protest group set up on the social network site Facebook reports that some of its administrators have been sent intimidating emails. The group, which has attracted almost 400,000 members, has been used to spread news about the protests in Burma.
Johnny Chatterton, its UK administrator, said: "Some of the administrators have been getting threatening messages, seemingly from pro-junta people." One administrator who is passing on news from the group to Burma was warned "consider me the little voice in the back of your head," Mr Chatterton said.
The human rights organisation Amnesty today launched a campaign called Unsubscribe, aimed harnessing the power of bloggers and social networking to highlight abuse around the world.
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