8 Control and Resistance
Attacks on Burmese Opposition Media
Nart Villeneuve and Masashi Crete-Nishihata
Burma is consistently identifi ed by human rights organizations as one of the world ’ s
most repressive regimes. Human rights violations occur with regularity, especially in
connection with the country ’ s long-standing armed confl ict. The ruling military junta,
the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), is best known for its political prisoners and its systematic denial of universal human rights such as freedom of expression.
1 The government ’ s efforts to silence dissent pervade cyberspace and its system
of Internet control is one of the most restrictive in Asia.
Despite the heavy hand that the regime wields over cyberspace, information communication technologies (ICTs) have provided Burmese opposition groups with the
means to broadcast their message to the world and challenge the government. The
ongoing battle between these two sides makes Burma a stark example of contested
Asian cyberspace. The role of ICTs in this struggle can be framed by contrasting theories that view them either as “ liberation technologies ” that can empower grassroots
political movements
2 or as tools that authoritarian governments can use to suppress
these very same mobilizations.
3
This contestation is dramatically illustrated by the series of protests that erupted
across the country in 2007 — in a movement popularly known as the “ Saffron Revolution. ” During these protests, Burmese activists managed to bring the uprising to the
world ’ s attention by making images and videos of the demonstrations and subsequent
government crackdown available on the Internet. Realizing the potential political
impact of these images, the government severed Internet connectivity in the country
for nearly two weeks.
4 This drastic action demonstrated that the regime had learned
a signifi cant lesson: although Burma ’ s technical fi ltering system was successful in
censoring access to information coming into the country from opposition media Web
sites, it was unable to prevent information from fl owing out of the country to these
sites for global consumption.
As the one-year anniversary of the protests neared, the Web sites of the three main
Burmese independent media organizations were attacked and effectively silenced. The
Democratic Voice of Burma
5 and The Irrawaddy
6 were rendered inaccessible following
Attacks on Burmese Opposition Media
Nart Villeneuve and Masashi Crete-Nishihata
Burma is consistently identifi ed by human rights organizations as one of the world ’ s
most repressive regimes. Human rights violations occur with regularity, especially in
connection with the country ’ s long-standing armed confl ict. The ruling military junta,
the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), is best known for its political prisoners and its systematic denial of universal human rights such as freedom of expression.
1 The government ’ s efforts to silence dissent pervade cyberspace and its system
of Internet control is one of the most restrictive in Asia.
Despite the heavy hand that the regime wields over cyberspace, information communication technologies (ICTs) have provided Burmese opposition groups with the
means to broadcast their message to the world and challenge the government. The
ongoing battle between these two sides makes Burma a stark example of contested
Asian cyberspace. The role of ICTs in this struggle can be framed by contrasting theories that view them either as “ liberation technologies ” that can empower grassroots
political movements
2 or as tools that authoritarian governments can use to suppress
these very same mobilizations.
3
This contestation is dramatically illustrated by the series of protests that erupted
across the country in 2007 — in a movement popularly known as the “ Saffron Revolution. ” During these protests, Burmese activists managed to bring the uprising to the
world ’ s attention by making images and videos of the demonstrations and subsequent
government crackdown available on the Internet. Realizing the potential political
impact of these images, the government severed Internet connectivity in the country
for nearly two weeks.
4 This drastic action demonstrated that the regime had learned
a signifi cant lesson: although Burma ’ s technical fi ltering system was successful in
censoring access to information coming into the country from opposition media Web
sites, it was unable to prevent information from fl owing out of the country to these
sites for global consumption.
As the one-year anniversary of the protests neared, the Web sites of the three main
Burmese independent media organizations were attacked and effectively silenced. The
Democratic Voice of Burma
5 and The Irrawaddy
6 were rendered inaccessible following