judges operating from prison courts, including the notorious Insein prison. 14 During
the week of November 10, 2008, alone, more than 80 individuals were convicted,
including 14 democracy activists who were sentenced to 65 years’ imprisonment for
leading protests in the summer of 2007, Buddhist monks, poets, musicians, and student leaders. 15 According to the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human
rights in Myanmar, 16 journalists and bloggers were in prison in March 2009. 16 Not
surprisingly, given the crackdown that followed, the Committee to Protect Journalists
has labeled Burma the worst place in the world to be a blogger. 17
On May 14, 2009, Nobel laureate and democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi was taken
from her home to Insein prison to stand charges of violating the terms of her house
arrest by affording temporary shelter to an American man who had swum across a
lake to her residence. 18 Aung San Suu Kyi, facing five years’ imprisonment under these
charges, had lived under house arrest for 13 of the past 19 years, and she was arrested
only weeks before her current six-year term was set to expire. 19
Internet in Burma
Unlike the rest of Asia, a combination of government restrictions, connection speeds,
and prohibitive costs has kept Internet access rates relatively stagnant in Burma. The
International Telecommunications Union estimates the number of Internet users at a
low 45,000 for 2008, 20 representing a steep drop from recent figures of up to 300,000
users. 21 Burma’s fixed-line, cell phone, and Internet penetration rates remain below
1 percent. 22 Connection speeds are slow, and steep costs significantly limit access. For
example, initial costs for broadband range from USD 900 on Myanmar Teleport (MMT)
to USD 2,300 on Myanmar Post and Telecommunication (MPT), with wireless access
on MMT starting at USD 1,500. 23 As a result, broadband is available only to an estimated 2,000 subscribers, primarily government and businesses and used mostly for
Internet telephony by VoIP. 24 Assuming that there are about ten to 15 users per
subscription, media have calculated that there are more than 300,000 users of MMT
(formerly Bagan Cybertech) and MPT, the two state-owned ISPs. Costs limit access
significantly: even households that can afford a personal computer and long-distance
connection fees outside the capital Rangoon and Mandalay cannot pay USD 20 per
month and upward for a dial-up or broadband account. 25
According to news reports, an entity called Information Technology Central Services
(ITCS) was launched in 2007, to be run by the government-aligned Union Solidarity
and Development Association. 26 Though ITCS is not an ISP, it provides telecommunication services such as voice mail, mail to SMS (short message service, or text message),
and an information portal (www.khitlunge.org.mm).
However, the arrival of a new ISP, predicted to become the largest in Burma, presented the most convincing evidence that the government intended to expand
Burma
433
the week of November 10, 2008, alone, more than 80 individuals were convicted,
including 14 democracy activists who were sentenced to 65 years’ imprisonment for
leading protests in the summer of 2007, Buddhist monks, poets, musicians, and student leaders. 15 According to the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human
rights in Myanmar, 16 journalists and bloggers were in prison in March 2009. 16 Not
surprisingly, given the crackdown that followed, the Committee to Protect Journalists
has labeled Burma the worst place in the world to be a blogger. 17
On May 14, 2009, Nobel laureate and democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi was taken
from her home to Insein prison to stand charges of violating the terms of her house
arrest by affording temporary shelter to an American man who had swum across a
lake to her residence. 18 Aung San Suu Kyi, facing five years’ imprisonment under these
charges, had lived under house arrest for 13 of the past 19 years, and she was arrested
only weeks before her current six-year term was set to expire. 19
Internet in Burma
Unlike the rest of Asia, a combination of government restrictions, connection speeds,
and prohibitive costs has kept Internet access rates relatively stagnant in Burma. The
International Telecommunications Union estimates the number of Internet users at a
low 45,000 for 2008, 20 representing a steep drop from recent figures of up to 300,000
users. 21 Burma’s fixed-line, cell phone, and Internet penetration rates remain below
1 percent. 22 Connection speeds are slow, and steep costs significantly limit access. For
example, initial costs for broadband range from USD 900 on Myanmar Teleport (MMT)
to USD 2,300 on Myanmar Post and Telecommunication (MPT), with wireless access
on MMT starting at USD 1,500. 23 As a result, broadband is available only to an estimated 2,000 subscribers, primarily government and businesses and used mostly for
Internet telephony by VoIP. 24 Assuming that there are about ten to 15 users per
subscription, media have calculated that there are more than 300,000 users of MMT
(formerly Bagan Cybertech) and MPT, the two state-owned ISPs. Costs limit access
significantly: even households that can afford a personal computer and long-distance
connection fees outside the capital Rangoon and Mandalay cannot pay USD 20 per
month and upward for a dial-up or broadband account. 25
According to news reports, an entity called Information Technology Central Services
(ITCS) was launched in 2007, to be run by the government-aligned Union Solidarity
and Development Association. 26 Though ITCS is not an ISP, it provides telecommunication services such as voice mail, mail to SMS (short message service, or text message),
and an information portal (www.khitlunge.org.mm).
However, the arrival of a new ISP, predicted to become the largest in Burma, presented the most convincing evidence that the government intended to expand
Burma
433