(Updated 2011/02/13)
(Image over the headline changed 2023/08/31)
ICT literacy of Egypt’s young people, an ICT-literacy favoured by the same government that now has tried to cut ICT communications, has made social media tools like Twitter and Facebook play an effective role in the run up to the protests against Mubarak’s stay at the head of the country.
The Internet is no longer a niche service, but rather an integrated and essential element of every aspect of daily life, says Nizar Zakka, IJMA3’s Secretary General, who asserts that cutting off service, in the way that Egypt has done, is no longer an option in a civilized society.
According to Zakka, “Internet connectivity is no longer a luxury; it is a lifeblood of a society’s successful functioning. Cutting off the Internet makes as much sense as cutting off a city’s water supply”.
IJMA3 is an international non-governmental non-profit organization headquartered in Beirut, Lebanon and with offices in Baghdad and Washington DC -USA-, consisting of a consortium of more than 16 national ICT association members from countries across the MENA region.
This week, in an unparalleled attack on the country’s communication apparatus, the Egyptian Government completely severed all Internet connectivity as peaceful protests got underway. Four of the nation’s five ISPs went down over a week ago, on the first day of the uprising.
Noor.net, a minor player on Cairo’s Internet sector, remained active as it provided service to the city’s stock exchange. After this exchange tumbled, and consequently closed, this ISP also ceased to operate. SMS service was also suspended for the entire week; even cellular networks were cut off for part of the time.
“The experience in Iran taught us that the Internet and social media tools can play an essential role in driving and shaping effective political discourse,” he said. “Egypt has now taught us that this clock cannot be turned back. Progress is a one way street. Denying citizens ICT tools is no longer an option. As Egypt has painfully discovered, severing ICT services represents a breach of trust that cannot be made right.”
According to Zakka, those governments thinking of trying a similar approach, should let the lessons of Egypt be engrained. Connectivity, like water and air, must no longer be denied.
As far as Eastwind is informed, at least in Siria and Morocco, young people have already convened through Facebook some demonstrations against the autoritarism of their respective goverments, to be held in next days.
Image over the headline.- Mubarak shuts down Internet! Egypt will shut down Mubarak!. Cartoon by Carlos Latuff published by the author himself under the public domain on Wikimedia Commons. To watch the original image and read the terms of use, click here
Related Eastwind links:
Arab Spring.- Why is it expanding this social protests wave through several Arab countries?
