FC: Internet poses dilemma for Syria and other Middle East governments

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

*********

> From: register () washingtonpost com
> Date: Thu, 27 Apr 2000 15:22:27 -0400 (EDT)
> Subject: A washingtonpost.com article from robert.rakowitz () jup com
>
> You have been sent this message from robert.rakowitz () jup com as a courtesy 
> of the Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com).
>
> Declan -
>
> Thought I would throw this one out to you for the group, as it does touch 
> upon a region where politics is the key - to just about everything.
>
> Interesting points brought up are the generational shift and what it means 
> to the Arab Middle East and Internet access.  I have been watching this 
> field for over four years, and while this new generation seems as if they 
> are embracing Information technology and the like, paradigms of media 
> control and state ownership of telecommunications infrastructures (let 
> alone traditional industry) have yet to change despite the introduction of 
> reform programs since the 1970's (the infitah).  These programs of 
> political economic liberalization (implemented by most Arab governments in 
> varying dimensions after their introduction in Egypt by Sadat), that also 
> have a democratizing overtone, have failed and have been continually 
> readjusted to preserve the strong state manipulation of the tools of 
> political manipulation.
>
> Most Arab states limit Internet access and content - economic barriers 
> notwithstanding.  Most Arab states establish proxy servers, which treat 
> access by three groups: government, education, and the consumer 
> market.  Filtering software on the proxy server, and monitoring cookies 
> and server logs by state intelligence agencies (most notably the 
> Mukhabarat in Syria)make this regions access the "Walled Hanging Gardens 
> of Babylon," so to speak.
>
> Despite the overtones and jockying of Arab politicians into the era of the 
> Web, political legitimacy seems to be on the forefront - they can't afford 
> to ignore the Web, nor can they afford not to control it, for it's 
> political consequences.
>
> Robert Nissim Rakowitz
> Jupiter Communications
>
> To view the entire article, go to 
> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A21443-2000Apr26.html
>
> Syria Advances Cautiously Into The Online Age
>
> In a liberalization effort that is remarkable by Syria's cautious 
> standards, President Hafez Assad's government has begun embracing the 
> information age, moving to modernize the economy and expand incentives for 
> foreign investment.

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