(o-) Blocking Blogs Blocks Brains

Unless Government has evidence that blogs are actually formenting rebellion (and not just talking about it from time to time), the intermittent and indiscriminate blocking of all blogs, coming as it does on top of the National Spectrum Decree, detracts from the credibility of Government's Roadmap.  PERS should be progressively lifted (as urged many times in this blog) and not tightened with the blocking of blogs.  Prime Minister, don't do this. You are shooting yourself in the foot.

This letter from a Friend  

Dear Croz,

A previous attempt by the government to block websites foundered when it came to those users who have Connect as their ISP, since Connect seemingly refused to adhere to the government’s alleged instruction.  However over the past 2 – 3 days it’s possible that further pressure has been brought to bear since I’m now unable to view several websites without going through proxy servers.  Certain websites seem to have the technological nous to circumvent the ban of their own accord, since Raw Fiji News and Fiji Today don’t seem to be affected.

However it’s ironic that your website should be suffering the same fate as others, and your reference to Buddha’s phrase makes that irony all more pointed.

“...But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and abide by it.…”

In view of the fact that dissent has existed online for the past 3 years, and the military has unquestionably had access to the expertise to block websites since 2006, it appears that  government has now deliberately embarked on a path that is only likely to cause further rumour mongering and division in society.  As you’ve written several times, dialogue is the only way to stop this country becoming more polarised. 

This unmentioned (by government) escalation of the PER doesn’t bode well for the dissemination of the ideas and the goodwill that will be essential in the next few years if the aims of the ‘roadmap’ are to be achieved.

Moce, 

Jay