Friday, April 11, 2008

UNFORTUNATE UUITE, oh dear.

After 5 deliberating years on Parliament, finally Indonesia's Cyber Law (known as Undang Undang Informasi dan Transaksi Elektronik - UUITE) was made available and came into effect on MArch 25, 2008. Unfortunately, on that week short film "Fitna" by one of Holland Parliament's member was also on highest hit that shocked the world and moslem community. Thus, this situation made the authority and even President SBY to ban that film in the archipelago. However, underpressured circumstances, panics, amatirarian has led the authority to ban of some unneccessary portals, blogs, and myspace. OVerreacting attitudes then, followed by operator and ISP, including the biggest operator PT. Telkom with its broadband service Speedy that I additionally use for faster connection in the office.

I am one of the victims, my personal blog eddysatriya.blogspot.com turned out to be out of my reach on Friday noon. Meanwhile, last weekend I was suffered after having banned at home, from First Media.

Now in my office. ......What a pity.

Having such a ban, I cannot timely posting the report of Our Today's Meeting in the Office of Depkominfo (COmmunication and Information Department) on the issues of Economic Coordination, including the issues on ICT such as Internet, Infrastructure and dispute for Shared TOwer on Telecommunication that are closed to foreign investment.

One more time, what a pity.
SO can you have the anwer to the following question: Is Indonesia ready to welcome new economy? Pls tell me!!

Eddy.





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Banning websites deemed 'extreme'


National News - April 10, 2008


Desy Nurhayati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta


The government's move to block access to YouTube, MySpace and other websites showing the Dutch film Fitna, deemed anti-Islamic, sparked protests on Wednesday.
Agus Sudibyo of the Science, Esthetics and Technology Foundation said because European communities had condemned the film themselves, it was unnecessary for the government to ban the websites.
"There's no need to act in that way. Blocking access may strengthen the `stereotype' that the Indonesian and Islamic community here have always overreacted when faced with these kinds of issues," Agus told The Jakarta Post.
He feared the bans reflected the state's intention to seize control of information, which is against democratic principles.
Internet service providers blocked the websites upon request of the Communication and Information Minister, Muhammad Nuh, saying the 17-minute film was a "disturbance to religious and civil harmony at a global level".
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono announced a ban on the film and asked all Internet service providers to block the film recently. He said the government would also ban the filmmaker, Dutch parliament member Geert Wilders, from visiting Indonesia.
Agus challenges the justification of the government's policy.
"So where's the proof the film disturbs religious harmony? Are there any other Islamic countries across the world that concur with Indonesia? I don't think so. This is too much," said Agus.
He said the government had often bothered itself by taking on issues it could not cope with.
The blocking of YouTube and MySpace has also upset independent musicians and filmmakers, who find the websites have provided great opportunities for them to distribute their work to the global community.
Many short filmmakers have received invitations from international festival curators and film critics after posting their work on the two websites.
"YouTube and MySpace have connected us to the global community. Several songs composed by Indonesian bands have been used as soundtracks for independent American films through MySpace," rock band vocalist Anto Arief said.
"Why should the government completely block access to the websites? Why not just ban the URL to the film? It's too extreme."
Short-film maker Paul Agusta said "The continued blocking of these two websites will do irreparable harm to the independent music and film scenes in Indonesia. This is mass censorship against the creative."
By blocking these particular sites, he said, the government is gagging the creative voices of artists throughout the country.
However, bloggers can still find leeway to access the websites through proxy sites www.vtunnel.com and www.youhide.com.
"The government has always lagged behind. We can always find more sophisticated ways to resist its control," Anto said.
In February, YouTube was inaccessible globally for several hours after the government of Pakistan blocked it, citing what it said were clips in which Wilders made denigrating remarks about Islam.
Wilders' film intersperses scenes of recent terror attacks with verses from the Koran and speeches from Islamic extremists calling for attacks on non-Muslims. It has been condemned as racist and misleading by governments around the world.

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