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Libya Blocks Internet Access As Citizens Protest

Posted by timothy on from the welcome-to-libya dept.

An anonymous reader writes "As protests rage across the Middle East, in particular gaining strength in Libya, Djibouti, Iraq, Bahrain, and Yemen over the past two days, Libya has taken the lead role in blocking internet access to its citizens. Residents of Tripoli, Libya are reporting wide-spread internet blockage for most sites, and access to circumvention tools like OperaTor and VPN is also being blocked."

1 of 93 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Great idea! Quite original! by Anachragnome · · Score: 4, Informative

    "Libya is a wealthier if not economically more equal country than either."

    Not entirely accurate. The GOVERNMENT of Libya is wealthy. US diplomatic cables paint an entirely different picture then that you describe.

    The locals...
    http://213.251.145.96/cable/2008/07/08TRIPOLI530.html
    http://213.251.145.96/cable/2008/11/08TRIPOLI889.html
    http://213.251.145.96/cable/2009/01/09TRIPOLI22.html

    The shit the locals have to put up with...
    http://213.251.145.96/cable/2008/08/08TRIPOLI635.html

    The leaders the locals have to put up with (not to be confused with the shit)...
    http://213.251.145.96/cable/2010/02/10TRIPOLI95.html
    http://213.251.145.96/cable/2008/07/08TRIPOLI592.html

    With only more of the same shit to look forward to...
    http://213.251.145.96/cable/2008/12/08TRIPOLI936.html

    All it really takes to get Libyan panties in a bunch...
    http://213.251.145.96/cable/2009/12/09TRIPOLI961.html

    So, in reality, things aren't really any different there then they are in other countries we see in full-swing upheaval--we just haven't heard about it in the media...yet.