Burma Junta Cuts Off Internet Access

Well, the media made much of the fact that things had changed in Burma since the last bloody crackdown in 1990. Now the internet connected Burma to the world they said. Which just gave the military junta a clue on what to get rid of before the next round of violence. They have cut off the internet saying a cable got damaged. Gee, sorry.

As I noted the other day, Burmese bloggers have been crucial whistleblowers and eyewitnesses to history–supplying the world with round-the-clock coverage and photos of their oppressive regime’s crackdown. Now, just as the Western press is lauding their role, the military junta has reportedly cut off Internet access:

Myanmar’s government appeared to have cut public Internet access and troops occupied key Buddhist monasteries on Friday, witnesses and diplomats said, in an effort to end demonstrations against the ruling junta.

The moves raised concerns that the military government may be preparing to intensify a crackdown on civilians that has killed at least 10 people in the past two days. The Internet in particular has played a crucial role in getting news and images of the pro-democracy protests to the outside world.

According to AFP, government officials are blaming a “damaged underwater cable.”

As noted yesterday, the dictatorships that have fallen to popular pressure have done so by failing to ruthlessly put down protests. I was afraid then that the junta would grasp that lesson. The news today makes me pretty sure they have.