Folks it is official, YouTube blocked in Sudan Again.

well it is official, the news has been circulating around the net for a while. it is official. what would you expect from the NTC after the fallowing clip has been shown in YouTube?, this is not the first time they blocked YouTube, they blocked it before in 2008. it is normal in state such as Iran, China, Sudan to control there media heavily and that is what we would always expect from such states. when Iran had its long demonstration revolt last year due to it’s election, it was interesting to see how twitter played a major roll as a communication tool between Iranian people themselves and the outside world. but then Iran blocked the website and stop any one from accessing it in Iran. an interesting cartoon that has been circulated on the net is shown below, it is about the usage of twitter in the post Iranian election demonstration and how technology is now empowering people to speak up.

He’s twittering, (who is reading, The world is reading)

the question i would like to ask is Sudan a step ahead of Iran and want to block all these social media sites before announcing the winner of this election?, that could be possible. but that wouldn't stop this clip or even other clip from spreading on the net, these government should know that blocking these social media sites would not stop people from viewing clip on the net or stop them from voicing the thought about it. the video could be circulated even now throughout the net by email or even in Sudan by Bluetooth enabled devices and much, much more. the fact is technology is changing the way we communicate with each other and on the other hand it is empowering people everywhere to speak up against injustice acts around the world and to voice there opinion loud and clear for the world to hear (read).

the news article stated that this action by the NTC is due to the leaking of a clips showing stuffing of electoral ballots, in what the opposition party say a clear evident of how the current election has been rigged. the clip shows electoral ballots being stuffed with ballots forums in what seems to be a polling site located in the red sea state of eastern Sudan.

here are the sources.

Sudan reportedly blocks YouTube over electoral fraud video

Sudan opposition claims video shows election fraud

STOP Censorship: Sudan Government tries to issue law on journalism

The Sudanese Government started a move last week to issue a law on journalist to require them to register themselves with the government media regulator so that the government would monitor them if they misuse there power as journalist. if this law was to be passed it would grant the government the power to deny licenses and invoke strong regulation as to what journalist can write.this news was broadcasted last week on Sudan national tv after the law was being discussed in the national congress hall in Sudan.

Article on the Law from All Africa

The Sudanese press has been subject to restrictions since the National Islamic Front gained power in 1989, with officials arguing that censorship was necessary for national security.

However, controls were tightened after February 2008, when some journalists accused Khartoum of supporting Chadian rebels that attacked the Chad capital, Ndjamena.

a government that dose not accepts criticism from it own citizen is a government that should not exist.

one of the news commentator on Sudan tv stated that a journalist time shouldn't be commuting from court to court but to write news that interest the people. this gives you a inside view as to what happens to some journalist who step on the red line.

In November, more than 70 Sudanese journalists protested against these curbs imposed by the country’s security service. Police detained 63 protesters, releasing them the same day. In response, 11 Khartoum newspapers suspended publication for 24 hours.

There is still people inside of sudan fighting this new law but they also have limits to what they can do

Parliamentary member Farouk Abu-Issa, head of the National Democratic Alliance,
who calls the bill “unjust, repressive and vague”, says that he and other independent deputies presented a “good democratic draft of [a] press law”, but this was ignored by parliament.

After all this new law should be rethought about and reconsider because of it power to Censorship journalist and there right to state there opinion and thought. this law is coming in a time which Sudan need journalist who speak the truth and state what is right without any strict regulation. Sudan is entering a new phase in the peace process and that phase is the election phase and the need for journalist stating news without restriction is crucial.please feel free to shear you thoughts and correction on this article or this issue. if you have any suggestion as to what we can do to protect there right and our right feel free to comment

STOP Censorship: Iran blocks facebook site.

    

 Iran blocks face book site preparing for election!!!!. facebook official reply by stating

"We are disappointed to learn of reports that users in Iran may not have access to Facebook," the company said in a statement.

     As a person from Sudan i was really outrages at the blocking of YouTube site in Sudan before, and i am really angry at the prospect of them blocking facebook in Sudan.i was outrage when i hear a Sudanese comment on facebook stating to not to put any content or comments against the government of Sudan on facebook because he is afraid that facebook would be blocked by the Sudanese government in Sudan. Government should be afraid of it citizen not the other way around. on this i say one thing when a government block sites that are like YouTube or facebook it send a signal that they are a weak government that is afraid of it people opinion and the prospects that they might have.

     but why am i saying this here where the title is Iran blocking facebook in iran. well the story goes back to over 10 years ago when the current Sudanese government start pointing out at people to wear the hijab even thought the Sudanese national dress would cover a woman who wish to cover herself to the fullest. because of this move lots of Sudanese ladies start to stop wearing Sudan national dress and wear the hijab even thought the Sudanese national dress cover a lady from head to toe and it is beautiful . so BYE BYE Sudanese culture, have you hear of a government that destroy the interest in it people to wear there own national dress.

(Image Source)

please do note that Iran also has the same concepts that is used in Sudan, the way they wore the hijab is similar of that to Sudan, i don't disagree on wearing the hijab, i only wish to point out that the tob is also a mean to cover a woman body and it is our national dress. after all it is part of the culture.the so called current government pointed out Iran way of wearing the hijab as an example, now they might even point out Iran blocking of facebook and fallow the same processes in blocking site and the communities in these sites.even one of my friend told me that she was denied entering her university campus because she wasn't wearing the hijab. i wonder if a Sudanese lady who was wearing the tob (Sudanese national dress would be allowed  to enter her university campus by any chance. The concepts that many of these government have is that when they block a specific site such as youtube or facebook it would not let people inside there state to know about what going on outside in the world, what a preposterous way of looking at things. many of these government think that we still live in an age where they can lie to the public and the public doesn't have any source of information but them and there media stations. with all of this globalization of information,transportation and finance the prospect of blocking everything from outside will not bear fruitful result but even fire back.  in today's world a person who lives in a country such as Sudan could be wearing a shirt from Egypt, using a cell phone from Finland, riding a car from the Japan and wearing a jeans from the state. i wish that these government start to think of the similarities that we have with other countries accept the deference's that we have. the world is one we all live in it.please feel free to shear you thoughts and correction on this article or this issue.