Facebook minister sacked
AP make an interesting point. Two weeks after criticism in Syria and across the world at the Facebook ban - the minister in charge has been sacked.
But was this change of minister was just to get rid of an unpopular figure - or to make a real change in Syria's internet policy. The only answer will come over the next few months, when the state ISP will either unblock these sites - or continue the rotten policy of old.
Sasa,
regardless of the fact that I think of Salem as a self promoted idiot with an obnoxious personality [at least given his articles ever since he started sucking up to the regime in 2005, and then after he was appointed as minister], I doubt it was his say on the bans.
Let's not give him too much credit.
Posted by
Yazan |
4:22 pm
Well, then we agree on something! I don't actually think a minister sits there and says, hmm, we need to ban Facebook. I'm quite sure the order coems from someone much lower down trying to impose what they believe are the expectations of those above. As for the president making that order, it's just laughable.
What really matters is whether anything changes. I hope this wasn't just a symbolic move, because if it was, it has achieved nothing. It probably was though. We'll have to see if there are any substantial changes on the net now.
Posted by
sasa |
4:25 pm
Sasa,
In Syria, Mukhabarat are not lower than cabinet members. A nameless officer in any given security branch can have more power than ministers [including the minister of interior, whom these branches should report to], that is whats fundamentally wrong with the system. Ali Makhlouf, has more power than a million Salem. ;)
What people are really talking about are corruption charges [The Bekta affair], I have also very little confidence of their sudden anti-corruption surges, but if you actually "think" that they laid him off because of facebook, then you might as well consider posting about that theory too... ;)
Posted by
Yazan |
5:56 pm
Yes, that was my point Yazan. Someone much much below ministerial level banned facebook. Someone acting outside the level they should be at. And yes, that is what is wrong with the system. They are out of control. They shouldn't have that kind of power.
Whatever reason he lost his job is a good reason! Whether it was corruption, or facebook, or unpopularity, or too much ass kissing. We will never know the reason. But all of these things compounded to make him an easy target. And thank god for that.
Posted by
sasa |
6:22 pm
I second you on that one.
Btw, you might need to fix you new banner's html link code, it doesn't bring you back to the top page.
Do you have any resources about the Syriatel news?
Posted by
Yazan |
6:35 pm
So far Yazan, it's just on this: http://www.syria-report.com/
Thanks for the tip about the banner - i'll sort that out - i'm not much of a coder!! Wish me luck!
Are you back in Japan?
Posted by
sasa |
6:40 pm