digital knowledge. digital culture. digital memory.

27.5.07

Fijian rep falls to Finnish rep in Iwamoto round two


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After making a strategic error in the opening followed by solid play from Reino Kartunen (3 kyu) of Finland, I was forced to throw in the towel. That brings my record to 1 win and 1 loss. Looking forward to round three.

The Iwamoto tournament is an online go/weiqi/baduk tournament involving over 600 amateur go players. All games are played on the KGS go server.

Related posts: Round 1

23.5.07

Fiji off to a strong start in online go tournament


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Update (25/5/2007): My round two opponent has just been announced - Reino Karttunen (3 kyu) of Finland who defeated Darryl Mallick (4 kyu) of the USA in round one. The game is still to be scheduled.
Fiji's sole representative scores an upset in round one

I love to play the game go. What is go, you ask? Go is the Japanese name for an ancient Chinese board game which is more popular than chess in China, where it is called weiqi, in Korea, where it is called baduk, and in Japan. Go has a growing following in the rest of the world. It is a compelling game involving both full board strategy and local tactical battles which has captivated players for centuries. The rules are simple, but mastery of the game requires a life time. From an IT perspective, go is notable for baffling computer scientists, who have not yet been able to write software that can defeat decent amateur players

Since I came to Fiji, I have not been able to find any other players. As a result, I play online against opponents from around the world. Recently, I entered an online tournament called the Iwamoto Tournament, which is sponsored by the Chilean Go Association, the Argentinian Go Association, the American Go Honor Society, and KGS Plus. The tournament boasts over 600 entrants ranging from beginners to world class amateur players and is played on the KGS go server. I am proud to be the sole participant playing under the Fijian flag.

Round one, the first of eight rounds, is rapping up today. I managed to pull off a difficult upset against a New Zealand opponent, Brian Kwok (3 kyu), who is rated two ranks higher than me - I am ranked 5 kyu. The final board position can be seen below. Kwok held black and I held white.

The final board position
After white's (Hammond-Thrasher) dragon in the centre survived and
black's (Kwok) group on the bottom left died,
black had no choice but to resign

The pairings for round two will be announced some time tomorrow. I am looking forward to playing under the Fijian flag once again and continuing to pursue my personal goal of achieving the rank of shodan (1 dan).

If anyone out there knows a go player in Fiji, please let me know at thrashor (AT) gmail (DOT) com.

19.5.07

Anonymous when you do not want to be


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Today's Fiji Times has an interesting feature story on blogs. In this story there are some comments from a certain unnamed "former information security consultant". It will come as no surprise to anyone who has read my recent post advising against blog censorship, that the "consultant who refused to be identified for fear of victimisation" is me. My part of the story reads as follows,

A former information security consultant working in Fiji said recently the reputation of bloggers had been tarnished.

"I am one of many apolitical bloggers in Fiji, and use the web for professional communication, sharing thoughtful writing, or just plain fun.

"I have no political agenda and do not want to be painted with the same brush as Fiji's anonymous political bloggers," he said.

The consultant who refused to be identified for fear of victimisation said FINTEL had the expertise and equipment to block any web address with very little cost or effort.

"The movement of the resistfrankscoup blogspot site to the Wordpress blog site illustrates that blocking websites is not effective.

"If their blogs are blocked, anonymous political bloggers and their readers will simply shift their activities to other available internet resources, such as:

A new blog on blogspot.com (unless they just block the entire blogspot domain);

Any other free blog site such as Wordpress, Livejournal, or countless others;

Any social networking site such as Hi5, Facebook, MySpace, or others;

Any free website provider such as Google Pages, Geocities, or others;

Any instant messaging service from the venerable IRC to jabber, yim, gtalk, or others;

Any group discussion technology from the venerable USENET to Google Groups, Yahoo Groups, or others;

Any p2p technology to circulate files or to chat such as Skype or FWD;

Or users could do any of the above, including reading any blocked blogs, by using open proxy servers, an anonymising service, or The Onion Router.

The consultant said the perception of the interim Government tampering in FINTEL, Fiji's pivotal Internet Service Provider through which all internet traffic flowed, would dampen high-tech investment in Fiji. "Off-shore service centres rely on the perception of data communications security in order to assure their customers that the confidentiality of their data will not be compromised.

"The other cost is through potential issues with EU and other international stakeholders where the interim Government could be perceived to be interfering with the fundamental human right of free speech," he said.

[You can't keep a blog blocked Fiji Times, May 19, 2007]

The trouble is, I did not ask the Fiji Times for anonymity. I will admit that I hesitated to respond to the reporter's queries as speaking on government activities during a state of emergency is not something to do lightly in any country, but in the end I felt it was important to share my views - especially as my views are non-partisan. I also wanted to take the opportunity to state publicly that there are numerous bloggers in Fiji, most of whom have been blogging since long before the coup, who are not interested in pushing a political agenda and who often make no attempt to conceal their identities. To see only some of these, look at my September 12, 2006 post - possibly the first ever blog post about Fiji blogs! If someone is currently maintaining an up to date list of Fiji blogs, please let me know.

I will close with a quote from my updated Blogger profile,
Recently, bloggers have been getting a bad name in Fiji. I am one of many apolitical bloggers in Fiji, all of whom blog for professional communication, for sharing thoughtful writing, and for just plain fun. I have no political agenda and do not want to be painted with the same brush as Fiji’s anonymous political bloggers.
My name is Chris Hammond-Thrasher and I blog in Fiji!

Photo by: mr oji

18.5.07

Never cry wolf - renegade Fiji bloggers fool the press


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A stunt faking the censoring of a notorious anti-military blog in Fiji has fooled the international and Fijian press. Sometime on May 16, 2007, the no-holds-barred blog opposing Fiji's interim government, resistfrankscoup, went blank. This prompted a flurry of activity in newsrooms and anti-government blogs as most observers assumed that the interim government, likely in collusion with FINTEL, Fiji's pivotal Internet service provider, had blocked the site.

A short while later, the site reappeared but several recent posts were missing and some functionality was broken prompting further speculation of ongoing government tampering. A simple comparison of the site viewed from a FINTEL connection with the site as viewed from an American provider reveals that absolutely no tampering is being performed.

However, at 4:10 am (Fiji Time) on May 17, 2007, a new incarnation of the blog in question sprang up on the Wordpress blog service claiming responsibility for the site's interruption saying they wanted to see how people would react:

We know many were disappointed when your RFC blogsite suddenly disappeared from your screen. We also know the junta was elated by the sudden black-out but guess what, we closed it down ourselves to gauge how the junta, our loyal bloggers, our opposition and others would react.
[This is us! Why Fiji Cries, May 17, 2007]
Despite this announcement, over a dozen news outlets in at least four countries have run a story describing this event as an act of military censorship. See below for some examples culled from Google News.

The question remains, when Fiji's Freedom Bloggers have something real to report will the international press believe them?

Examples:

Fiji muzzles critical blogs
The Age, Australia - 4 hours ago
Fiji's military government appears to have successfully blocked access to a number of critical blogs that have embarrassed the administration. ...

Fiji blocks access to weblogs in crackdown
Stuff.co.nz, New Zealand - 7 hours ago
AUCKLAND: Fiji's military government appears to have successfully blocked access to a number of critical weblogs that have embarrassed the administration. ...

Access to some Fiji weblogs blocked
Sydney Morning Herald, Australia - 8 hours ago
Fiji's military government appears to have successfully blocked access to a number of critical weblogs that have embarrassed the administration. ...

Fiji blocks access to blogs
Melbourne Herald Sun, Australia - 8 hours ago
FIJI'S military government appears to have successfully blocked access to a number of critical weblogs that have embarrassed the administration. ...

Fiji military closes blogs critical of government and army
Broadcast Newsroom, CA - 59 minutes ago
By AP. Fiji's military has blocked access to several Web sites that contained damaging allegations against the army and members of the interim government, ...

Fiji military closes blogs critical of government and army By The ...
Creative Mac, CA - 1 hour ago
Fiji's military has blocked access to several Web sites that contained damaging allegations against the army and members of the interim government, ...

Fiji blocks access to blogs
Daily Telegraph, Australia - 8 hours ago
FIJI'S military government appears to have successfully blocked access to a number of critical weblogs that have embarrassed the administration. ...

Fiji blocks access to blogs
Advertiser Adelaide, Australia - 8 hours ago
FIJI'S military government appears to have successfully blocked access to a number of critical weblogs that have embarrassed the administration. ...

Fiji blocks access to blogs
Courier Mail, Australia - 8 hours ago
FIJI'S military government appears to have successfully blocked access to a number of critical weblogs that have embarrassed the administration. ...

Access to some Fiji weblogs blocked
The West Australian, Australia - 8 hours ago
Fiji's military government appears to have successfully blocked access to a number of critical weblogs that have embarrassed the administration. ...

Access to some Fiji weblogs blocked
Brisbane Times, Australia - 8 hours ago
Fiji's military government appears to have successfully blocked access to a number of critical weblogs that have embarrassed the administration. ...

Fiji blocks access to blogs
Sunday Times.au, Australia - 8 hours ago
FIJI'S military government appears to have successfully blocked access to a number of critical weblogs that have embarrassed the administration. ...

Fiji military closes blogs critical of government and army
International Herald Tribune, France - 1 hour ago
AP. SUVA, Fiji: Fiji's military has blocked access to several Web sites that contained damaging allegations against the army and members of the interim ...

Fiji blocks access to blogs
NEWS.com.au, Australia - 8 hours ago
FIJI'S military government appears to have successfully blocked access to a number of critical weblogs that have embarrassed the administration. ...

Blog drops off the web
The Fiji Times - 13 hours ago
FIJI'S military appears to have shut down one of its most vocal critics an internet site that contained damaging allegations against army officers ...

Photo by: Sleekstak66

14.5.07

Blocking anti-military blogs may harm military


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There have been numerous reports in both the Fijian and international press over the past few of days about the interim government working with FINTEL to censor troublesome blogs. I think that this would be a mistake. In fact, blocking these blogs may actually harm the interim government.

Here are four reasons why Fiji's interim government should reconsider asking FINTEL to block access to anonymous anti-military blogs:

1. Clearly, some of the remarks in Fiji's anonymous political blogs regarding members of the interim government are libelous. Fiji's Defamation Act and supporting Common Law allows for an injured party to ask the court to instruct an Internet Service Provider to turn over records relating to a customer who has published defamatory remarks. No additional legislation or special measures are required. However, some anonymous bloggers cover their tracks and will not be caught by this method.

2. The perception of government tampering in FINTEL, Fiji's pivotal Internet Service Provider through which all Internet traffic flows, would dampen high-tech investment in Fiji. Off-shore service centres rely on the perception of data communications security in order to assure their customers that the confidentiality of their data will not be compromised.

3. Information warfare theory shows that censoring blogs may cost the interim government more than it gains. Power is the ability of a combatant to take an action and have it result in a desired effect. In information warfare, where the weapons are ideas and the battlefields are people's minds, cultures, and ways of life, the power of a combatant is limited by the combatant's perceived legitimacy. Every action that can be perceived as taking the interim government one step further from a return to democracy is going harm the government's perceived legitimacy in the eyes of major international stakeholders - the EU comes to mind here - and in the eyes of at least some proportion of the population of Fiji. This reduced perception of legitimacy then constrains the interim government's future efforts to exercise their power. In an information war, which is certainly what Fiji is currently experiencing, combatants must carefully weigh the consequences of any action before executing it as one's own actions can be more damaging than an enemy attack.

Figure 1.
Any action that weakens Fiji's interim government's perceived legitimacy weakens its power to act.
[diagram from K A Taipale, 2006.]


4. Most importantly, blocking blogspot.com or a hand full of offending blogspot sites will not be effective. Anonymous political bloggers and their readers will simply shift their activities to other available Internet resources, such as:
  • A new blog on blogspot.com (unless they just block the whole blogspot domain)
  • Any other free blog site such as Wordpress, Livejournal, or countless others
  • Any social networking site such as Hi5, Facebook, MySpace, or others
  • Any free website provider such as Google Pages, Geocities, or others
  • Any instant messaging service from the venerable IRC to jabber, yim, gtalk, or others
  • Any group discussion technology from the venerable USENET to Google Groups, Yahoo Groups, or others
  • Any p2p technology to circulate files or to chat such as Skype or FWD
  • Or users could do any of the above, including reading any blocked blogs, by using open proxy servers, an anonymizing service, or The Onion Router

In the final analysis, little or nothing would be gained by the interim government by blocking access to Fiji's anonymous political blogs - Fiji's anti-military bloggers and their readers will carry on regardless - but there certainly would be a price.

Photo by: FelipeArte

2.5.07

Fiji's blogs, activism, and old media


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This was NOT the scene in Suva on May Day 2007

May Day has come to pass and there was little or no sign of widespread participation in the Freedom Bloggers' "stay at home" strike campaign. The official government report with respect to public sector staff was as unqualified.
The Permanent Secretary for the Public Service Taina Tagicakibau said the civil service was not affected at all today. She said the Public Service Commission rang all the ministries and departments especially the larger ones that provide essential services but found civil servants at work as usual.
[Civil servants defy anti-coup protest, Fiji Live, May 2, 2007]

Radio Australia was only a little more positive in their assessment.
Reports from Fiji suggest that calls for a day of industrial action in protest against the interim military government to coincide with May Day yesterday have had a mixed response.
[Fiji May Day protest has mixed success, Radio Australia, May 2, 2007]

A media statement issued by a the pseudonymed Freedom Bloggers states their success only in terms of harassing the interim regime.
The 1st of May Protest today rankled the Public Service Commission to a state of hysteria said Freedom bloggers Fijianblack, Discombobulated Bubu and Intelligentsiya.
[The Journey has just begun…, Intelligentsiya, May 2, 2007]

I was very interested to see if this blog driven call for political action would succeed. It is difficult to say if it failed due to a lack of widespread support, fear of retaliation, or simply due to the comparatively small audience that blogs can draw in a nation where Internet access is far from ubiquitous and far from affordable by local standards.

I was surprised by the lack of coverage of this call to action by traditional news outlets and especially Fiji's newspapers. The Fiji Times, for one, has been completely silent on this call for action. A failed protest may not deserve the front page, but certainly it is worthy of reporting when the military spokesperson and the chair of the Public Service Commission are both fielding questions on the matter, and stories are appearing in the international press? Is it possible that the Fiji Times is practicing censorship under the guidance or influence of the military regime? It is possible, but I think the explanation lies elsewhere.

Puttin on my librarian hat, I did a search of the last couple years of the Fiji Times. While the Fiji Times does not have a reputation as a hot-bed of technology journalism, I was shocked to find that the words blog and blogger have only occurred four times since October, 2004, which is as far back as the ProQuest database goes. (Note: USP staff and students can search ProQuest off of the USP Library databases page.) Here are the dates and summaries of the four articles:
  • Be wary, Khaiyum advises reporters (March 13, 2007) - JOURNALISTS who deliberately go out of their way to upset the public order act could still be detained, says the attorney general Aiyaz Saiyad Khaiyum. He said he had viewed the Canberra Times, Sydney Morning Herald and New Zealand Herald which had the headline Fourth man dies in military custody which they picked up from a blog. He said no one knows who writes the blog.
  • Bloggers defend online actions (March 12, 2007) - What the military is doing is information warfare and a propaganda campaign focusing on Intelligentsiya as a sort of enemy of the State we re not, said the writers of behind the site called Intelligentsiya. Last week Interim Prime Minister and army commander Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama said he supported media freedom but warned that journalists who ran false and malicious stories would be taken in for questioning.
  • Letter to the editor from Laisa Digitaki (March 7, 2007) - "...Somehow, someone saw it fit to post the statement without my knowledge on websites, blogs and mass e-mail. It is a technological invasion I found very intrusive but one that was beyond my control..."
  • Website creation the way to go (August 6, 2006) - The company is offering three packages: the LITE Starter, LITE Silver and LITE Platinum. The packages come with email addresses, design templates to choose from, domain name and registration, a logo or image of clients' choice, guest book, photo album, flash intro animations, shopping cart, blog/welog tools and graphics rich welcome tool. Mr Jonathan Segal, who moved to Fiji from New York, worked for Connect Fiji for two years before starting Oceanic.
I suggest that the Fiji Times editorial staff is consciously under reporting blog-related news because they see blogs, with their editorial freedom, anonymity (if desired), and up-to-the-minute timeliness as a threat to their business. This is an issue that foreign newspapers have been struggling with for years. The Fiji Times' response is similar to that of Rupert Murdoch's other publications, although perhaps a year or two behind.
The digital native doesn’t send a letter to the editor anymore. She goes online, and starts a blog. We need to be the destination for those bloggers. We need to encourage readers to think of the web as the place to go to engage our reporters and editors in more extended discussions about the way a particular story was reported or researched or presented.
[Rupert Murdoch, Speech by Rupert Murdoch to the American Society of Newspaper Editors, April 13, 2005]
Murdoch, the King among Kings when it comes to the big business of news, wants you to blog, but only if you blog with him.

UPDATE 3/5/2007: The Fiji Times caught up with the Freedom Bloggers' strike episode with a brief story in this morning's issue. Here it is in full:
THE military is looking for person or people behind the bloggers website Fijian Black', which called on members of the public to silently resist the interim Government.
The website called on people to boycott work last Tuesday in protest against the interim administration.
Military spokesman Major Neumi Leweni said he believed people did not respond to the call.
"Everyone was at work," he said.
The content of the Fijian Black' blogspot largely consists of articles critical of the military and the interim regime.
"Yes, we are still looking for Fijian Black but we are not spending too much time on that," Major Leweni said.
The Public Service Commission is investigating how many civil servants stayed away from work in response to the call.
PSC chairman Rishi Ram said those who failed to report to work on Tuesday could have their wages docked.
[Website hunt, Fiji Times, May 3, 2007]
photo by Hugo