Save Sudanese Rights to Use FACEBOOK (the American Scanction on Sudan Con's again)

Anwar Dafa-Alla ( anwarking@gmail.com)

Well, the American Scanction again!

6 Years ago in August 2002, we in Sudan Developers Association have started a campgain to let Sudanese people and non-Sudanese aware of the consequences of the American Embargo on Sudan here: 

http://sudadev.net/embargo/index.html 

And we wrote in our homepage back then:

US Embargo : is it a new Faschism ?

While we are welcoming the new millennium, thinking that it will be an era for human rights within a universal and huminatarian world in which all people are equal without any racial or religious or cultural or national discrimination, we are deeply chocked when we came to know that , we , as Sudanese, are not allowed to make use of the technology that is a human heritage, and that the technology will be confined to certain priviledged nations in the world. We are punished for a guilt which we didn't contribute in it. We are doing our best to be a part of the global culture through acquiring technology and scientific knowledge, but now, we are isolated from going on in the world. Really, it is shameful to punish young ambitious people according to their governments policies and not to treat them according to their personal merits. We strongly condemn any kind of discrimination and we think that we have vested rights in reaching information and knowledge, and this is stated in the human rights declaration, which all the countries in the UN signed and adopted. This will be a double standard when USA and Europe call for the respect of human rights in other countries, while they -themselves- violate our rights. Since the Clinton era, Sudan has been suffering the severe consequences of US sanctions imposed on the IT sector. The sanctions prohibit all companies that are subject to the U.S. Export Administration Laws and Regulations from exporting software and hardware to Sudan. These restrictions apply to most of the major software and hardware producers such as Adobe, Apple, Corel, IBM, Intel, Macromedia, Microsoft, Oracle and SUN Microsystems. By these regulations, Sudanese citizens are barred from purchasing, downloading, and importing essential computer software in use in offices all around the world, such as all Microsoft office products (Word, Excel, Access, etc), Acrobat Reader, Photoshop, Freehand, Corel Draw, Oracle database software, and many many more. The sanctions extend to companies and learning centers offering IT courses and certificate programs. Learning centers such as New Horizons or Prometric are not allowed to include Sudanese citizens in any of their training programs, which include most of the familiar certificates like all the Microsoft certifications (MCP, MCSA, MCSE, MCSD, MCDBA, MOUS), Oracle Certified Professional (OCP) or Certified Lotus Professional (CLP). By these two types of restrictions, Sudanese citizens and with them the country of the Sudan as a whole are hindered from technological progress. These sanctions supposed to be directed to Sudan government seems to be hurting the people of Sudan, and never the government.

It's important to shed some lights on the historical background of this issue and how in "Politics" things contradicts each other everyday and then!

In 1996 the UN security council has declared Sudan as Terror sponsoring country, that's one year after the failed killing trail of the Egypting president Mohamed Husny Mubarak. The Egyptian Government has the Lion share on pushing the "International Community" toward punishing "Sudanese Government", which in fact a direct punishment for ordinary Sudanese people, since the Sudanese Government is living in another class of life!

Some day in late 1997, USA Bill Clinton's Administration , in a trial to put more pressure on "Sudan Government" as well, embargoed Sudan, and Sudan became on five "Evil" nations in addition to IRAN, CUBA, SYRIA, NORTH KOREA.

Later in 1998, the same American Government of Bill Clinton has bombed a drug factory in Northern Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, because"someone told them that the factory produces Chemical weapons -The guy happened to be Sudanese from Al-mahdi's family in Sudan and couple of years later he joined the Sudanese government in a very high rank, his name is Mubarak Elfadil!!! ", and the final result is also destroying a DRUG FACTORY that help Sudanese ordinary People!

All of above is just small piece of the unjust world that we live in...punishing the people through "trying to punish their governments" which happened to be unelected in Our Case!

That remind me of kicking someone's head, because noise came from neighborhood!

In the announced Facebook Bill of Rights and Responsibilities 

Clause 4.3 in that bill states:

" You will not use Facebook if you are located in a country embargoed by the U.S., or are on the U.S. Treasury Department’s list of Specially Designated Nationals."

Sudan is of course one of the US embargoed countries !

That simply means, if you are using facebook from the geographical location called Sudan, you'll not be allowed to use it anymore after passing this bill.

It's really sad to see even the Computer programmers "Like Facebook inventor" and other people in that company blindly following what they think it's suiting "THEIR" country's regulations! Well, Internet is not your country, while US is yours. Internet must be neutral.

Some observations about 4.3 clause came as comments on the threat that discusses 4.3 (all represents the original poster's opinion)*:

1- Clause 4.3 contradicts Clause 10 of the Facebook Principles: 
"4.3 You will not use Facebook if you are located in a country embargoed by the U.S., or are on the U.S. Treasury Department’s list of Specially Designated Nationals." 
"10. One World. The Facebook Service should transcend geographic and national boundaries and be available to everyone in the world."

2-  4.3. is a damned outrage. Racist censorship. 

3- Of course- the thought that the US is embargoing any nation is stupid.

4- Does this mean that because their governments are run by dictators, Cuban, Iranian, and Burmese students are no longer able to use Facebook? That sucks.

5- Why should someone be excluded from using Facebook just because their government doesn't bow to the US.

6- The facebook principles blabber about making the world a more transparent place. if facebook legally bound to keep people from embargoed countries from using the service? this should DEFINITELY be clarified. seems to be at odds with a lot of facebook's "principles"

7- This is discrimination. Why should you void the right of communication and self-expression over the free and open medium of the Internet through facebook for people located in countries for which the US government thought it will be OK to forbid trading with the rest of the world?

8- That is surely illegal? To alienate an entire nation of people from a supposedly 'open' social networking site (who, I might add, promote people to join the site with "Anyone can sign up") because the United States Government doesn't agree with their Politics. That is essentially racism, it is certainly a form of persecution.

9- This is completely contradictory of Facebook Principle 10 which states “The Facebook Service should transcend geographic and national boundaries and be available to everyone in the world.” Therefore, as the principles have been presented as the foundation of these so-called “Rights and Responsibilities” it is clear that 4.3 needs to be amended.

10- If FB has to abide by US law due to location of servers etc. I'd have to make a personal decision based on my political opinions as to whether to continue using FB once the T&C have been implemented. 

11- 4.3 Why can't we use Facebook if we're located in the Balkans, Belarus, Myanmar (formerly Burma), Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Liberia, North Korea, the Palestinian Authority, Syria, Sudan and Zimbabwe???

12-  In 4.3, Facebook is taking a specifically political stance on an issue that should not concern them. Furthermore, the facebook Principles say that Facebook should be GLOBAL, and 4.3 is in direct contravention of this principle.

Saying one thing should be done while continuing to do the opposite is the sincirest and most depressing form of hypocrisy.

13- Does this rule violate the spirit of the "One World" provision in the Proposed Facebook Principles? I do not see why citizens of countries embargoed by the United States should be denied access to Facebook, particularly given its goal of creating more communication and transparency. About a year ago, Cuban students made bold to challenge their government's restrictions on internet access in a public forum - their ability to connect with other students around the world should not be limited from this end.

14- [4.3] is clearly unacceptable: it infringes people rights and freedom

15- That doesn't make any sense and is pretty nationalistic.

16- 4.3 suggests that it is primarily a US community, and discriminates against certain countries.

17- Facebook Servers must be moved out of USA if it will block people according to the US regulations

18-  I can understand sex offenders and kids under 13 years of age, but nations embargoed by the U.S.? That is just ridiculous. Politics have no role in controlling the internet because the internet is governed by us the users, not corporations, not companies, and certainly not by government.

19- I'm researching about protecting/preserving Individual's privacy in the Database and Data Mining ... Why should I help humanity in protecting their privacy, while my Humanity is not protected!

20- There are already profiles on this site whether they are real or not (and if not I refer to point 4.3) of prolific sex offenders from the UK and I would suggest these are removed!

21- 4.3 contradicts the one world principle, although I suppose it's probably required to adhere to US law. Shame.

22- [4.3] Doesn't affect me, but it seems to clash with [Principle 10].

23- For making the world more open and transparent [4.3] must be removed.

24- Either 4.3 should be removed entirely or, what is probably more likely, is that facebook's claim to be "globally unified" needs to change to something more like:

"Facebook wishes to transcend national and geographic boundaries as long as you are not an enemy of the US." 
Section 4.3 goes against everything that these new terms and principles seem to be aiming at. 

25- 4.3- Not sure. So facebook is only available to people in U.S. friendly countries? If that is the case, I highly disagree. Does this apply to users under different law, say in France?

26- [4.3] This conflicts rather obviously with Facebook Principle #10: One World

The Facebook Service should transcend geographic and national boundaries and be available to everyone in the world.
I suppose it's too much for me to ask that Facebook ignore US law, but some thoughtful peaceful protest might be in order here. Would it be appropriate to ask Facebook to take a political position here (i.e. Facebook will comply with the embargo, but doesn't like it)?

27-  It's inconsistent to the principle of equal treatment.

28- Why should Facebook be an agent for implementing US foreign policy? Would Facebook be breaking any US regulations by providing their free service to people of a country under embargo?

29- Section 4.3 is contradictory to Facebook's stated intent to provide means for global interaction. How awful to deny convenient means to organize and share information to those who may need it most. Is Facebook legally not able to allow an account to residents of countries embargoed by the U.S. ? If so, what an ignorant and outdated restriction.

30- [4.3] This section needs to be removed! It directly conflicts with the proposed principle #10.

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1~30 is available it their original form here:

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=67758697570&topic=7568#topic_top

*

Here is the cause calling for saving Sudanese ordinary people rights in Using facebook and other technological products of US, the country of all nations "As President Barak Obama repeatedly says".

Save Sudanese Rights to Use FACEBOOK

http://apps.facebook.com/causes/232142?m=96aaaf39

We have opened a new group to ,again, let the Sudanese people and non Sudanese be aware of such unjust regulations

Here is the Group:

Against the American Sanction on Sudan

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=54470668338&ref=ts

“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends"

Dr. Martin Luther Kink Jr.