[governance] Your support is needed: Internet in Yemen is under assault

Salanieta Tamanikaiwaimaro salanieta.tamanikaiwaimaro at gmail.com
Sat Mar 28 19:09:22 EDT 2015 

Thanks Deirdre,

For a bit of context, Cyclone Pam which is a category 5 cyclone wreaked much devastation in three countries, namely Kiribati, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

In Vanuatu, telecommunications networks was severely affected, that is which disrupted communications. In the Pacific, Tonga is the only country that has ratified the Tampere Convention. Whilst emergency equipment was dispatched from abroad, stakeholders like ITU which had prepared relief well before the cyclone was delayed for about a week. 

The University of the South Pacific being a regional University was able to offer its network (USPNet) which was co-opted by the Vanuatu Government that enabled communications in rural Vanuatu in some areas such as Malekula as well as on the main island. USPNet was also used to effectively land planes which enabled relief to occur seamlessly. 

In terms of access issues during times of civil conflict, that is something that is slightly different. But access is still important. In political circumstances such as what is happening in Yemen, I can only wonder at the disruption in comms.

With every best wish,
Sala

Sent from my iPad

> On Mar 28, 2015, at 7:21 AM, Deirdre Williams <williams.deirdre at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Dear Walid,
> After Cyclone Pam in the Pacific hit Vanuatu it sounds as if the cell phone towers were knocked down, and the internet knocked out. Different cause but the same result.
> There was talk about satellite connections then. And of course some of the more remote Pacific communities are dependent on satellite connections anyway.
> Would it be worth contacting Sala in Fiji or Maureen in the Cook Islands to ask if they or any of their contacts have helpful information?
> Write back to me off-list if you need introductions/addresses.
> Best wishes
> Deirdre
> 
>> On 27 March 2015 at 14:57, Walid Al-Saqaf <admin at alkasir.com> wrote:
>> Dear Yassin,
>> 
>> It looks like it is a wise thing to keep the satellite Internet option available in case the whole Internet goes down intentionally or not.
>> 
>> I am in Sweden now but travel to Yemen part of the year. When I was there last year, I noticed that satellite Internet was available but extremely expensive. Yet in times of war, it is access to the world  that counts the most. I'll proceed to ask around for the best satellite Internet deals.
>> 
>> If there's a service provider that can provide discounted or better free service to ISOC-Yemen or other civil society entities for emergency use, that would be great.
>> 
>> So far we don't need it, but as was the case with other countries in the past a total Internet shutdown should not come as a surprise.
>> 
>> Best.
>> 
>> Walid Al-Saqaf
>> 
>>> On Mar 27, 2015 4:36 PM, "ymshana2003" <ymshana2003 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Yaa Walid,
>>> Thank you for this update as to what a political conflict has touched everything in your country. 
>>> 
>>> We are following news through the common media houses about the actions taken by friends of Yemeni to stabilise the situation ..soon.
>>> 
>>> As it is during  wars, infrastructure is the first target and its seizure saves double-purpose. These days,communication infrastructure suffers first hence the capturing of major ISPs and other service providers. I am not a technical person but my thought is to use the expensive satellite link perioducally in order to access the Internet.?
>>> That is my feable and maybe useless suggestion. Do you have anything like Imarsat equipment somewhere?
>>> 
>>> A common wish is for your health and safety while the defence and security are doing their best to solve the situation.
>>> Kind regards
>>> Yassin
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Sent from Samsung Mobile
>>> 
>>> 
>>> -------- Original message --------
>>> From: Walid Al-Saqaf 
>>> Date:27/03/2015 13:06 (GMT+02:00) 
>>> To: governance 
>>> Subject: [governance] Your support is needed: Internet in Yemen is under assault 
>>> 
>>> /*** Apologies for cross-posting ***/
>>> 
>>> Dear friends and colleagues,
>>> 
>>> Those of you who followed the news lately may have heard about the intensifying conflict in Yemen, which has led to the blocking of of many news and dissident websites. 
>>> 
>>> Here's a story reflecting some of what happened:
>>> http://www.albawaba.com/news/anti-houthi-websites-blocked-yemen-674404
>>> 
>>> This is unprecedented and unacceptable. It obliged us as ISOC-Yemen to formally launch a campaign starting with the below statement (both in English and Arabic), which is to be widely circulated and published on our Facebook page here:
>>> https://www.facebook.com/isoc.ye/photos/a.366179743512967.1073741827.183351058462504/641852185945720/
>>> 
>>> I'd appreciate your support by sharing, liking, commenting or take any other actions you can to help our campaign. You can also re-publish the text freely on your platforms.
>>> 
>>> Our intention is to stress that Internet access should not tampered with by those involved in the conflict because it severely affects the confidence of end-users in the Internet as a whole and their ability to use it effectively.
>>> 
>>> Thanks in advance for your support during those very difficult times in Yemen.
>>> 
>>> Sincerely,
>>> 
>>> Walid Al-Saqaf
>>> Chair, ISOC-Yemen
>>> 
>> 
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> 
> 
> -- 
> “The fundamental cure for poverty is not money but knowledge" Sir William Arthur Lewis, Nobel Prize Economics, 1979
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