[LINK] Fwd: Re: Nepal: Shutdown Showdown

[Jan Whitaker]

Linkers may be interested in this development:

>Something very interesting is happening in the 
>Himalayan country of Nepal. The Nepalese 
>government is stepping up its attack on Internet 
>Service Providers (ISPs), forcing them to block 
>sites, cut off access to certain customers, and 
>monitor other users' activities online.
>
>But the Nepalese ISPs are fed up with the 
>government's internet attacks and are putting 
>their foot down. Last Sunday, they took the 
>symbolic step of shutting down the internet for 
>an entire hour in protest! That's right, last 
>Sunday saw Nepal's internet go dark -- a strike 
>by the ISPs in support of internet independence.
>
>With the Nepalese government finally listening, 
>our Nepalese friends tell us a massive global 
>petition could help stop the government's cyber 
>bullying. And it will send a very strong message 
>to governments all over the world, that if they 
>insist on playing rough with our internet, that 
>the people, this time in partnership with the 
>private sector, will re-assert control to keep 
>the internet open and secure for all citizens. 
>Let's help tip the balance in favor of internet 
>independence by signing this urgent petition 
>calling on the government to back off:
><https://www.accessnow.org/page/m/3717cd8e/13a4f41d/729360f4/1de4076e/2014643627/VEsH/>
><https://www.accessnow.org/page/m/3717cd8e/13a4f41d/729360f4/1de4076e/2014643627/VEsH/>https://www.accessnow.org/nepal-shutdown-showdown
>
>Nepal's ISPs are calling for a safe and 
>apolitical operating environment. Instead ISP 
>employees and directors are being arrested and 
>even imprisoned for simply providing internet 
>connections to those who have “misused the 
>service.” The Nepalese police are essentially 
>holding ISPs liable for the actions of their 
>users and have issued instructions to apprehend 
>the directors and employees of two prominent ISPs.
>
>The government is also issuing lists of websites 
>which ISPs are required to censor, and the 
>Nepalese police are actively monitoring the 
>online activity of users with data links of over 
>1 MBps. This sort of government interference on 
>the net has got to stop. Lets stand in support 
>of these users in Nepal who are monitored, 
>blocked, and harassed. One digital activist told 
>us last night: "We need your help... the best 
>way to influence the government is to let them 
>know they are being watched by the international 
>community." It’s up to us now:
>
><https://www.accessnow.org/page/m/3717cd8e/13a4f41d/729360f4/1de4076e/2014643627/VEsE/>https://www.accessnow.org/nepal-shutdown-showdown
>
>ISPs must be free from fear in order to provide 
>the internet connectivity services, which they 
>are licensed by the government to supply. Yet, 
>intimidating ISPs in order to keep control over 
>the internet is a worryingly increasing trend 
>all over the world. Now, as users, we must work 
>with our new allies, the ISPs, and say no more 
>interference in our right to access the 
>internet. Sign the petition and we’ll work 
>with civil society organizations and ISPs in 
>Nepal to deliver our views, and ensure the 
>fragile Nepalese government responds to the 
>calls of our global online watchdog movement:
><https://www.accessnow.org/page/m/3717cd8e/13a4f41d/729360f4/1de4076e/2014643627/VEsF/>
><https://www.accessnow.org/page/m/3717cd8e/13a4f41d/729360f4/1de4076e/2014643627/VEsF/>https://www.accessnow.org/nepal-shutdown-showdown
>
>With hope,
>The Access Team
>
>P.S. Your petition to release Ai Weiwei, with 
>signatories from over 100 countries, has been 
>hand delivered to the Chinese Mission at the 
>United Nations. We also followed it up with a 
>letter to the office of the Secretary of State 
>Hilary Clinton today, and we’ll keep you up to date with developments.


Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
jwhit at janwhitaker.com
blog: http://janwhitaker.com/jansblog/
business: http://www.janwhitaker.com

Our truest response to the irrationality of the 
world is to paint or sing or write, for only in such response do we find truth.
~Madeline L'Engle, writer

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