August 26, 2001

3:31 AM

Internet banned in Afghanistan."The ministry of communication is duty-bound to make the use of the Internet impossible."

And a good thing too. Damned heretics.
posted by aflakete (20 comments total)

That is hardly surprising. Flying kites and having a beard over a certain length are also banned.

The Internet is hardly consistent with their Islamic views and barring software doesn't work.
posted by Atom Heart Mother at 3:53 AM on August 26, 2001

Personally I would be more bothered by the ban on most television, cinema and music. Maybe the ministry could develop some kind of net nanny, to select sites that they approve of.
posted by kathrynhunter at 4:04 AM on August 26, 2001

I remember something about an earlier article saying how they didn't really have telephone wires anymore, the only way to access the internet was through the wires of a neighbouring country.
posted by Jongo at 5:10 AM on August 26, 2001

Thank God. Now they can't see all the comments I've posted about their restrictive laws any more. No more fear of mailbombs for me!
posted by Xkot at 5:59 AM on August 26, 2001

This is good news. It will ensure and hasten their utter destruction and disappearance as a society.
posted by rushmc at 9:34 AM on August 26, 2001

Once upon a time, I thought the 'net was going to undermine governments, weaken national borders, enable revolutions, and bring about the collapse of repressive states.

What bliss was that youth.

-Mars
posted by Mars Saxman at 9:56 AM on August 26, 2001

Flying kites and having a beard over a certain length are also banned.


Wait, someone can write a protocol thats carried by kite and beard.. Oh.
posted by skallas at 10:49 AM on August 26, 2001

Such a sad, sad story.
posted by jaynesbit at 11:04 AM on August 26, 2001

Follow-up: Taleban site hacked.

The original story struck me because it's the opposite end of the spectrum from the AOL/MSN approach of branding corrals and the consolidation of the media networks. The dance of power and commerce in a new and much more de-centralized and transparent arena.
posted by aflakete at 12:39 PM on August 26, 2001

[Insert "faith-based Internet" joke here.]
posted by Dirjy at 2:16 PM on August 26, 2001

Good! It will cut down on the all the Afghanistan span I keep getting in my mail box:

ARE YOU TIRED OF HAVING BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS UNDER A SANE GOVERNMENT? CLICK HERE!!!!
posted by fuq at 4:15 PM on August 26, 2001

Anyone want to start a MeFi pool on when the Afgani people will have enough of their shitty government and rise up against them?
posted by Brilliantcrank at 4:18 PM on August 26, 2001

Interestingly enough, they did make a special allowance in their television ban for "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?". They just love their Regis...
posted by johnmunsch at 5:45 PM on August 26, 2001

Just saw this stuff on CNN tonight.


Beneath the Veil
posted by szg8 at 8:45 PM on August 26, 2001

Can I have the ".af" domain, then?
posted by tpoh.org at 8:50 PM on August 26, 2001

Hey, I just noticed something.

Click on the Beneath the Veil link (mentioned above), and mouse over the face of the woman (if your browser brings up the text of the ALT tag for the image when you do so).
posted by tpoh.org at 8:55 PM on August 26, 2001

AkulaIX: "Anyone want to start a MeFi pool on when the Afgani people will have enough of their shitty government and rise up against them?"

The religious oppression of Taliban is way safer than law lessness of the Soviets or the Mujahedeens. Since the Taliban have taken over, rapes of women have gone down to virtually zero (according to Amnesty International), and the safety of property is up. The Taliban even executed one of their own for raping a woman in the early days of Taliban regime. Unlike the Mujahedeens, they impose their own laws against their own as well. I don't think there is a viable option against the Taliban anytime soon. Give it a few years, and just like Iran, things will stabilize and the more moderates will take over. Did you know that Baywatch is the highest rated satellite TV show in Iran? And they have a something of the equivalent of a Federal Dating Service (The Mutaa Dept.), where people can go and find one-night stands?

The poor in the Afghani mountains only care about the safety of their self and the little property that they have. They are not overly concerned about such over rated concepts as makeup, television or internet. Not being raped or stuff stolen is a good day. Inability to read MeFi is not a big priority for someone living in a war zone.

tpoh.org: "mouse over the face of the woman (if your browser brings up the text of the ALT tag for the image when you do so)."

That was really weird. Why would they ALT tag it to be "Wasted"? Weird indeed. The interview of Sairi Shah and Taliban Special Report are pretty interesting reads too. Am I the only one who got all 4 questions right on the Taliban Quiz?
posted by tamim at 9:54 PM on August 26, 2001

Tamim: Any government that does not give them people the basic human rights to freedom of speech and religion is evil and should be abolished. I'm sure thousands of Afgani women would gladly accept a higher crime rate for the freedoms they enjoyed (like the right to go to school or university) before the Taliban took over.
posted by Brilliantcrank at 11:18 AM on August 27, 2001

That was really weird. Why would they ALT tag it to be "Wasted"? Weird indeed.

Not weird. Last week's show was entitled... Wasted! It seems that someone just didn't update that tag.
posted by gluechunk at 12:20 PM on August 27, 2001

... get me to Afghanistan!
posted by lairdj at 6:59 PM on August 27, 2001