I , like many Syrians, despite our belief that the Baathist regime is bankrupt and in dire need of change, accept the necessity for an incremental approach to reform. But how exactly is that to happen in an authoritarian regime, rife with corruption and run like a family fiefdom? One has to assume that the system is capable of change from within, a belief based more on illusion and wishful thinking than reality. It was a belief fostered by Bashar Al-Asad's pronouncements in 2000 and his subsequent appointments of few skillful technocrats to his government instead the same old recycled party bureaucrats. But will such technocrats be able to forge ahead independently and achieve substantive changes or will they be hemmed in and coopted by the system they are attempting to change?
In the case of information minister Amr Salem, it is, unfortunately, the latter. How else could one explain how this former Microsoft executive recruited with much fanfare back to Syria to propel it into the age of modern communication make such an absurd directive? In it, the minister makes it illegal for any website or blog to publish anonymous comments and makes the owners of those site liable for the comments left on their site. Moreover, it requires that all comments left on a site have a verifiable name and email address. In a scathing critique of this directive, Bassam Al Kady, from the نساء سورية (Syrian Women) site argues that not only are the requirements unenforceable, the minister has no legal footing to put out such a directive. Such a directive, if implemented, will have a chilling effect on the use of the Internet as a means of free exchange of ideas and opinions further limiting freedom of expression in Syria. I suspect that it will slow down the number of new Syrian blogs as new users become weary of the liability associated with expressing views online. The quality of site content will also decline as only mundane, non-controversial subjects are discussed.
Now, in truth, we don't really know if this directive was Dr. Salem's idea based on personal conviction or one dictated to him by "higher" authorities. I suspect though that it is his personal conviction as in 1999 he advocated a "cautious" approach to the internet:
"In order for President [Hafez] al-Asad to feel comfortable promoting a particular technology, it must meet the following criteria:
1. It should benefit the majority of the Syrian people. Technology geared toward the elite is not favored because such people have the resources and means to get what they want without government assistance.
2. It should not disrupt the social structure or adversely affect the middle class, and should be within the means of the masses.
3. It should have a direct impact on Syria’s overall social and economic development.
4. It should not jeopardize Syrian independence or security concerns."*
1. It should benefit the majority of the Syrian people. Technology geared toward the elite is not favored because such people have the resources and means to get what they want without government assistance.
2. It should not disrupt the social structure or adversely affect the middle class, and should be within the means of the masses.
3. It should have a direct impact on Syria’s overall social and economic development.
4. It should not jeopardize Syrian independence or security concerns."*
We all recognize what these apparently innocuous and vague statements really mean: The government decides what "adversely affects the middle class" or what constitutes a threat to "Syrian independence". So free access to the internet becomes limited to access to "Baathnet" where no news critical of the government can be seen and all comments are by Syrians performing virtual genuflections to a heroic president (virtual ass-kissing to put it more bluntly).
ANONYMOUS comments are WELCOME.
*Amr Salem, “Syria’s Cautious Embrace,” Middle East Insight, March-April 1999, pp. 49-50.
(Photo: A.K. + photoshop)
4 comments:
Totally agree, and here is my observation.
In my visit last year to Damascus, I have noticed a new market behind Damascus municipality building (called Bahsa), there are tens of shops selling computers and software. You can buy any software which usually cost thousands for single price of 1 dollar. Everything is for 50 SP a CD. I ventured there and found some government reps are there buying software like they are buying bag of potato, not to mention the cheep local language they describe the material. The CDs in the shop are so packed, it looks like they have replaced the hanging shoes which used to be sold in that area. You would think if all these expensive software are so cheep, technology must be spreading like wild fire.
But no, Waiting for Godot to make change on the hands of the young western educated president and the previous MS employee, Mr. Minister of stop-information is a laughable matter believable only by those illiterate children of the army of protectors roaming the main cities of the poor country of Syria. You could read the story way back in 1980s when the son of the dictator (with all the duties, responsibilities and his studies), championed the internet society. Since then, he succeeded in delaying the spreading of this technology, so by now, Syria is behind all other countries in Asia and Africa. His strategy to slow the process and control it was and is evidence along those items: high cost of connection, outdated connection speed, poor services, clowny instructions and fear. As his father before had succeeded in preventing the simple fax phone machine from being used by people so communication can be easier, he could, on larger scale stop much superior technology, the Internet. This is a big crown on his head because history will record how the Bedouin mentality flourishes during the reign of this family rule.
I have faith in the ingenuity of young Syrians to find a way around whatever restrictions the baboons in the regime impose on them.
It is like water, communication will seep through cracks and flow where gravity takes it. People can use coded language and supply any number of valid email addresses that they can get instantly on thousands of advertising-funded websites. I bet Bashar, cunningly, has a few of his own registered under false names like Mr_freedom2000, Mrs_democracy2007 or Miss_transparency2050.
Philip I,
Love the pseudonyms!
I am really glad our regime is not as sophisticated as this one...
http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2007/08/29/chinese-cartoon-cops-patrolling-the-web/
"These cartoon web cops named “JIngjing” and “Chacha” (the word “jing cha” means “police” in Chinese) will apparently be patrolling websites originating in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen. (…) According to the Public Security official interviewed by the Beijing Youth Daily, their real function is to remind internet users that the Chinese police are watching people online no differently than offline. In other words: don’t do anything online that you wouldn’t do in a physical public place in China!"
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