Burma Begins Internet Blackout
Both the NYT Lede blog and the AP report that public access to the Internet has been shut off in the ongoing effort of Burmese officials to stop anti-government protests. The violence escalated as troops seized many monasteries and fired tear gas into crowds of demonstrators.WAIT BEFORE YOU GO...NYT: Burmese bloggers are now reporting that they are running into significant hurdles to getting the word out on the government’s crackdown.
“Burma is blacked out now!,” one blogger announced from Yangon, the country’s main city. More details from the post:
AP: YANGON, Myanmar – Soldiers clubbed and dragged away activists while firing tear gas and warning shots to break up demonstrations Friday before they could grow, and the government cut Internet access, raising fears that a deadly crackdown was set to intensify.
Troops also occupied Buddhist monasteries in a bid to clear the streets of Myanmar’s revered monks, who have spearheaded the demonstrations.
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