Ethiopia Outlaws internet phone calls - 15 years in Prison

[Eric Lyon]

Last month, UN voting member Ethiopia made it a crime — punishable by 15 years in prison — to make calls over the Internet. The Ethiopian government cited national security concerns, but also made it clear that it wants to protect the revenues of the state-owned telecom monopoly. (those guys really hate it when people use free Internet calling services like Skype and Google Talk)

A 30-second Skype call in Ethiopia could land you in prison for 15 years.

The country's government has passed a new law that makes it a crime to engage in audio or video communications using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services such as Skype, Google Talk and most other video chat platforms, according to Al Jazeera.

Anyone who makes a phone call over the Internet reportedly faces a three to eight year prison sentence and heavy fines thanks to the May 24 legislation.

The punishment for using an official Internet calling service such as Skype is even stronger, with violators facing a potential 15 years in jail, the African Review reports.

Read the full article

 

[Kate]

And Eritrea is even worse...

 

[Eric Lyon]

And Eritrea is even worse...

Kinda makes you wonder if the bottom line in those regions is really to prevent the population from seeing what's going on in other parts of the world. The way its worded sounds as if even text chat platforms would be against their laws due to the live interaction. :/

 

[Kate]

All that thanks to Western technology. Tested in the Third World first, then to be deployed in the West to protect you from terrorist and paedophiles etc.

 

[GILSAN]

Dictators (and there are plenty of them in that area) don't like their populations to know the truth, so they ban or censor social networks and other internet services, as well as news media. An ignorant population is easy to manipulate.

 

[south]

An ignorant population is easy to manipulate.

That pretty much covers it.

 

[PSS_Lena]

Banning anyone to hear from the world is just pointless!

 

[DU]

Dictators (and there are plenty of them in that area) don't like their populations to know the truth, so they ban or censor social networks and other internet services, as well as news media. An ignorant population is easy to manipulate.

It's not that straightforward. It's easier to manipulate the population with social networks and internet services if you are smart about it

People MASSIVELY overate social networking's ability to institute change. It's almost comical.

 

[eyedomainous]

Yes, "an ignorant population is easy to manipulate". The dictators learned this from the colonial dictators who conquered "that area" before they did.

Colonial rulers, like Portugal, also kept the people ignorant & enslaved, and most 'social networking' customs and tools, like talking drums, were also banned or censored.

I'm just saying... its easy to point the finger and look down on much of Africa... which is ridding itself of post-colonial dictators whenever it can. But it aint easy, especially when most dictators are propped-up by former colonial power, and/or multi-national, business interests.

BTW, the post implies Ethiopia is a dictatorship. It is not. Though its hard to tell the difference... as its run by a ruling party / corporation protecting its (communications) profits.

By comparison to Ethiopia's obscene VOIP law, California passed a bill earlier this month making State VOIP regulations illegal.:kickass:

Also, while the major Telcos were initially afraid of VOIP... they have since realized they own the pipe and are now embracing VOIP business models. I expect Ethiopia Telecom will soon see the VOIP profit light as well.

Dictators (and there are plenty of them in that area) don't like their populations to know the truth, so they ban or censor social networks and other internet services, as well as news media. An ignorant population is easy to manipulate.

 

[GILSAN]

Yes, "an ignorant population is easy to manipulate". The dictators learned this from the colonial dictators who conquered "that area" before they did.

Colonial rulers, like Portugal, also kept the people ignorant & enslaved, and most 'social networking' customs and tools, like talking drums, were also banned or censored.

I'm just saying... its easy to point the finger and look down on much of Africa... which is ridding itself of post-colonial dictators whenever it can. But it aint easy, especially when most dictators are propped-up by former colonial power, and/or multi-national, business interests.

BTW, the post implies Ethiopia is a dictatorship. It is not. Though its hard to tell the difference... as its run by a ruling party / corporation protecting its (communications) profits.

By comparison to Ethiopia's obscene VOIP law, California passed a bill earlier this month making State VOIP regulations illegal.:kickass:

Also, while the major Telcos were initially afraid of VOIP... they have since realized they own the pipe and are now embracing VOIP business models. I expect Ethiopia Telecom will soon see the VOIP profit light as well.

Most of Africa was de-colonized 40-50 years ago, as was Asia (India, Sri Lanka, Malasia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau etc) That's quite a long time ago. They've had enough time to advance their societies. If Africa is lagging so far behind it's mostly because of their dictators, who don't give two hoots about their own people.

The former Asian colonies however are a stark contrast to former African Colonies. The colonizers were the same ones; England and Portugal in the case of Macau (which has surpassed Las Vegas in Casino revenues a few years ago). The main reason they progressed so much since their Colonial days is because of their culture and their leaders.

The new Big Colonizer in Africa nowadays is called China. They are the ones that are propping up all the dictators by offering them Palaces and lots of money in exchange for the mineral wealth of their respective countries.

Ethiopia probably learned from China, who as we all know very well is very good at banning and censoring the internet.

 

[Kate]

Ethio-Telecom is more or less a subsidiary of France Telecom, which is a shame since another French company (Amesys, now Bull) has been exposed for its role in the Libyan repression: they had supplied equipment that allowed the dictatorship to monitor the whole national Internet and telecom. Big business and ethics don't mix.

 

[DU]

Ethio-Telecom is more or less a subsidiary of France Telecom, which is a shame since another French company (Amesys, now Bull) has been exposed for its role in the Libyan repression: they had supplied equipment that allowed the dictatorship to monitor the whole national Internet and telecom. Big business and ethics don't mix.

How did that make Libya different from the US Holland Germany ... etc etc.

 

[eyedomainous]

The De-colonization of Africa was, and is, mostly face-saving political posturing. One can't really un-rape a continent.

Politically they were colonies, legally there was slavery, genetically it was polygamy. You can't de-colonize the genome, imposed language, religion, culture, or the economics of exploitation... and return things to the way they were.

Truth is, while the immediate impact of colonization is often a bad collision, its a natural evolutionary process -that one day may be celebrated... as colonizing all temperate zones evolved man from black to white, then to 'close the loop' and re-colonize the continent of origin... is an evolutionary milestone for any species, anywhere.

Of course colonization impacts vary, and the number of colonists goes well beyond "England an Portugal" to include Belgian, France, Germany, Italy and Spain. Africa also was destabilized by a thousand years of the Arab-Islamic slave trade before Europeans entered 'the market'.

Who are you to say Africa has "had enough time to advance their societies", while at the same time omit the progress made?

You mention how much economic progress former colonies in "India, Sri Lanka, Malasia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau etc" have made, and state this is in "stark contrast to former African Colonies".

--India has made, and continues to make great progress, but it also has the highest poverty rate in the world, at 41%.

--Nigeria has a greater GDP (31st Globally), than Hong Kong = 37, Singapore = 40, Malaysia is just ahead of it at 29th. (South Africa is at 25th).

--Also, if you want to talk about India and Asia why not include the former African slave colony of Portugal (your country). Brazil has the 7th largest GDP in the world, which is one ahead of Great Britain.

--Then, of course, The U.S. is a former English colony for African slaves as well, much progress has been made by African-Americans since their civil rights were won in the '60's.

Is that really a "stark contrast", or is it more a sign of the need to advance beyond a colonial mindset?

Most of Africa was de-colonized 40-50 years ago, as was Asia (India, Sri Lanka, Malasia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau etc) That's quite a long time ago. They've had enough time to advance their societies. If Africa is lagging so far behind it's mostly because of their dictators, who don't give two hoots about their own people.

The former Asian colonies however are a stark contrast to former African Colonies. The colonizers were the same ones; England and Portugal in the case of Macau (which has surpassed Las Vegas in Casino revenues a few years ago). The main reason they progressed so much since their Colonial days is because of their culture and their leaders.

The new Big Colonizer in Africa nowadays is called China. They are the ones that are propping up all the dictators by offering them Palaces and lots of money in exchange for the mineral wealth of their respective countries.

Ethiopia probably learned from China, who as we all know very well is very good at banning and censoring the internet.

 

[GILSAN]

The De-colonization of Africa was, and is, mostly face-saving political posturing. One can't really un-rape a continent.

Politically they were colonies, legally there was slavery, genetically it was polygamy. You can't de-colonize the genome, imposed language, religion, culture, or the economics of exploitation... and return things to the way they were.

Truth is, while the immediate impact of colonization is often a bad collision, its a natural evolutionary process -that one day may be celebrated... as colonizing all temperate zones evolved man from black to white, then to 'close the loop' and re-colonize the continent of origin... is an evolutionary milestone for any species, anywhere.

Sorry, but I have no idea what you're talking about

Of course colonization impacts vary, and the number of colonists goes well beyond "England an Portugal" to include Belgian, France, Germany, Italy and Spain. Africa also was destabilized by a thousand years of the Arab-Islamic slave trade before Europeans entered 'the market'.

Who are you to say Africa has "had enough time to advance their societies", while at the same time omit the progress made?

You mention how much economic progress former colonies in "India, Sri Lanka, Malasia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau etc" have made, and state this is in "stark contrast to former African Colonies".

--India has made, and continues to make great progress, but it also has the highest poverty rate in the world, at 41%.

--Nigeria has a greater GDP (31st Globally), than Hong Kong = 37, Singapore = 40, Malaysia is just ahead of it at 29th. (South Africa is at 25th).

--Also, if you want to talk about India and Asia why not include the former African slave colony of Portugal (your country). Brazil has the 7th largest GDP in the world, which is one ahead of Great Britain.

--Then, of course, The U.S. is a former English colony for African slaves as well, much progress has been made by African-Americans since their civil rights were won in the '60's.

Is that really a "stark contrast", or is it more a sign of the need to advance beyond a colonial mindset?

"why not include the former African slave colony of Portugal (your country). Brazil"
"The U.S. is a former English colony for African slaves as well"
"advance beyond a colonial mindset?"

Tell me something, whats the point you're trying to get at when you talk about Slavery?

Wasn't that abolished almost 200 years ago in Europe and America, but is still very much alive in some parts of Africa?

Is that what you want to talk about? Hey, most races throughout history, were victims of Slavery, some more than others. So why are you singling out African Slavery?

 

[weblaunch]

Don't they have other priorities to take care of?