Burma in mid-2011: A Contradictory Landscape

Description: 

"...Earlier this month, the government unblocked several foreign news websites, including Reuters, the Guardian, CNN, and the Bangkok Post. Some of the newly accessible sites - Voice of America, Radio Free Asia, and the BBC - have Burmese language sections. The websites of exiled Burmese news organisations such as the Democratic Voice of Burma and Irrawaddy can now be accessed, as well as social networking and streaming sites Hotmail, Blogger, and Youtube. This step toward liberalisation, however welcome, is inconsistent with the government?s overall monitoring policy. Not only do a large number of websites remain off-limits, but internet usage is still restricted to the country?s public internet caf?s. Since November 2010, internet cafes in in Rangoon were required by the government to install closed-circuit cameras, screen-capture and keystroke-logging software so that online activities could be recorded and traced back to individuals. Flash drives have also been banned since May of this year..."

Creator/author: 

Anna Saunders

Source/publisher: 

SEAPA Network

Date of Publication: 

2011-09-30

Date of entry: 

2011-10-06

Grouping: 

  • Individual Documents

Category: 

Language: 

English

Local URL: 

Format: 

pdf

Size: 

73.89 KB

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