Military junta cuts Internet access in Burma

Another day, more bad news from the Burmese Junta:Michelle Malkin » Reports: Military junta cuts Internet access in Burma; Sniper reportedly killed Japanese journalist Kenji Nagai

(…) Burmese bloggers have been crucial whistleblowers and eyewitnesses to history–supplying the world with round-the-clock coverage and photos of their oppressive regime’s crackdown. Now, just as the Western press is lauding their role, the military junta has reportedly cut off Internet access:

Myanmar’s government appeared to have cut public Internet access and troops occupied key Buddhist monasteries on Friday, witnesses and diplomats said, in an effort to end demonstrations against the ruling junta.

The moves raised concerns that the military government may be preparing to intensify a crackdown on civilians that has killed at least 10 people in the past two days. The Internet in particular has played a crucial role in getting news and images of the pro-democracy protests to the outside world.

According to AFP, government officials are blaming a “damaged underwater cable.”

After two days of unrest in Yangon’s streets, Myanmar’s main link to the Internet has stopped working, according to a telecom official who blamed the problem on a damaged cable.

“The Internet is not working because the underwater cable is damaged,” an official with Myanmar Post and Telecoms told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Myanmar’s Internet service is tightly controlled and only sporadically available even in the best of times, but the military has tightened its controls amid anti-government protests.

In Bangkok, an official at a Thai telecom that provides satellite services to Myanmar also said some Internet service inside the country had been cut.

One western source inside Myanmar said she had not been able to access emails or Internet since late morning.

Yes, question the timing

The yell of a monk yesterday as he stands up, with broken glasses thanks to a shot from the Burmese soldiers and surrounded by a tear gas’ cloud:

Who is going to come to help us? Do they know in your country what’s happening here? Why nobody is helping us?

has a more chilling sound after reading the link Schwan (hello ) left me yesterday in the comments:

The professor Desmond Ball, from the Center of Strategic Studies and Defense from the University of Universidad de Canberra –who has published a book about the Burmese spies–, underlined that “the intelligence services and the security forces have tapped all the telecommunications’ systems of the country”.

In Burma, having a non-declared radio-phone means detention and whoever is surprised with a satellite phone is charged with “high treason” and condemned to a minimum punishment of 20 years in prison. Moreover, to use a PC, you must have an special license from the Communications and Mail Ministry. Infringing that law means a punishment between seven to fifteen years in prison. In this country, there are only a dozen cybercafes with limited access to Internet.

In every hotel of Rangoon and in other cities, the phone calls are intercepted without even considering that can be known by the speaker and, if the stablishment’s internet service is used, it will record it to their archives. The ordinary Burmese say that the military regime has “eyes and ears” everywhere. They know that the powerful Intelligence Service pays not only military men, but also beggars, street sellers, hotel receptionists, office workers, monks, taxi drivers and students, among others.

_______________

Si estás cerca de Madrid y puedes venir, mañana hay una manifestación a las 12:00 en la Puerta del Sol hay una protesta contra la dictadura birmana. Gracias a todos.