Slashdot Mirror
Bali Plans To Switch Off Internet Services For 24 Hours For New Year 'Quiet Reflection' (theguardian.com)
Internet service providers in Bali will be switching off mobile services this weekend for 24 hours to mark the Indonesian island's annual day of silence. "Nyepi, or New Year according to the ancient Balinese calendar, is a sacred day of reflection on the Hindu-majority island," reports The Guardian. "Even the international airport shuts down." From the report: This year authorities have called on telecommunications companies to unplug -- a request Bali says firms have promised to honor. "It was agreed that internet on mobile phones will be cut. All operators have agreed," Nyoman Sujaya, from the Bali communications ministry, told tirto.id. The plan, based on an appeal put forward by Balinese civil and religious groups, was announced following a meeting at the ministry in Jakarta. This is the first time internet services will be shut down in Bali for Nyepi, after the same request was denied last year. However, wifi connection will still be available at hotels and for strategic services such as security, aviation, hospitals and disaster agencies. Phone and SMS services will be operational, but the Indonesian Internet Service Provider Association is reviewing whether wifi at private residences will be temporarily cut.
...we should all don our costumes and pretend they've returned to The Planet of the Apes.
So what happens when someone who is using VoIP telephone service attempts to contact emergency medical, fire, or police services? Your SOL that day I guess? This is the problem with trying to legislate morality.
The blackout of 2003 was good for people socializing. This will be too.
This is probably a good idea for many places.
People are getting too dependent and addicted and need to step back and reflect.
If we cannot switch off our digital addiction for several days than we have a problem.
like say, a terror attack, no one will know until the day after, because there wouldn't be internet access to report it.
So, you belive the “news” you read on Facebook then?
Note how they point out that emergency services personnel, security, hospitals, etc will still have internet? It's only the plebes, lets hope it's not the beginning.
Why don't they just cut all electricity, plumbing, and all other services so people are sure to reflect on the simple joy of life?
I predict there will be lots of Bali teenagers in quiet reflection in the immediate vicinity of these hotels.
#DeleteChrome
There. Plain and simple. While Nyepi:
Observed from 6 a.m. until 6 a.m. the next morning, Nyepi is a day reserved for self-reflection, and as such, anything that might interfere with that purpose is restricted. The main restrictions are no lighting fires (and lights must be kept low); no working; no entertainment or pleasure; no traveling; and, for some, no talking or eating at all. The effect of these prohibitions is that Bali's usually bustling streets and roads are empty, there is little or no noise from TVs and radios, and few signs of activity are seen even inside homes.
sounds good (we could have more of that, people tend to be noisy & stir things up wherever they go), the line following above quote already spoils it:
The only people to be seen outdoors are the Pecalang, traditional security men who patrol the streets to ensure the prohibitions are being followed.
To avoid confusion: I have no problem with religion in general. At all. But too much trouble in this world starts when [population group A] wants to enforce their world views on [population group B]. Above example seems pretty harmless, but the principle still holds. For that reason I hate it whenever this happens. Practical reasons: fine. When an issue must be decided one way or the other, and a super-majority picks the 'least evil' option with minimized harm to others: okay. But forcing some measure upon others for NO GOOD REASON other than tradition / culture / religion / state repression or whatever: not okay.
While looking harmless enough in this case, it includes denying a basic utility service to (also according to WP) around 16.5% of non-Hindus in Bali. Or in the order of ~800k people. Who may or may not choose to participate in the event. But in case not, see their freedom to fill in their day as desired, trampled upon by the majority.
If you want peace & quiet, go some place where there is peace & quiet, and do nothing to disturb that. If you want that as a group, find a place big enough for that group. If you want that for the rest of your live, go live in a place with no / few people around. Otherwise: stop messing with OTHER PEOPLE's lives. They are not your life, and thus (unless your rights are inflicted upon) not your business to mess with.
I'm sure the government asked a business to shut down service and everybody there was just like "Hey, that's a great idea".
Seriously, does anyone else find this disturbing as hell? If you want to shut off your internet for a day go right ahead. Unplug your router. But having the government force the issue is frightening. Especially with the religious overtones. It doesn't help that I've been reading stories of Hindi nationalists out of India, but to be fair I've got no idea if that sort of nationalism exists in Indonesia.
Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
Why is it extremely important for people not directly affected to immediately know when there has been a terror attack?
Don't know? Back to fifth grade civics for you.
Ahh I remember fifth grade, that was when my public middle school set up a few minutes of prayer every morning lead by the vice vice principals.
“Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
Yes, in the days before the Internet, no one was able to find out what was happening in the world. People in the United States didn't know there had been a second World War until 1971, and they only found out through word of mouth.
I remember the early 1980s when the results of the Super Bowl had to be spread by town criers.
You are welcome on my lawn.
From my Oz city alone [Perth] there are 3-4 flights just today to Bali, full of Ozzies looking to party and get hammered in Bali. [It is only a 4 hour flight].
They will not be happy when they find out they cannot update Facebook, Instagram etc etc with pictures of them drinking bucket-size cocktails and in general being dickheads.
It takes away people's freedom to choose.. By turning off the networks you are forcing people to do without.
If people choose to take a day off then that's their choice to make, but taking away that choice and forcing it on people is dictatorial.
Some of us might need to use the internet for important matters, we might need to work, we might need to be contactable. There are also people with mental disabilities who wouldn't understand why things suddenly stopped working.
I won't be going to bali if they do things like this. I like the idea that my family can contact me in cases of emergency. If i want some quiet time without internet i'll go visit north korea.
http://spamdecoy.net - free throwaway anonymous email - avoid spam!