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Librarians' deep
concern over Cuba's move to restrict Internet
access
IFLA
HQ. The Hague, Netherlands, 16 January 2004.
.
"While the World Summit of the Information
Society was debating how best to improve
access to information using information
technology, the Cuban government was preparing
a law that will further restrict Internet
access for its citizens", says the
Chair of the IFLA/FAIFE Committee Mr Paul
Sturges.
Today, the International Federation of
Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)
and its Committee of Free Access to Information
and Freedom of Expression (IFLA/FAIFE) expressed
their deep concern about the continuing
violations of the basic human right to freedom
of access to information and freedom of
expression in Cuba.
This concern is shared by international
organisations such as Amnesty International and Freedom House, New York.
With the new Internet bill (Resolution
180/2003) that came into effect on 10 January
the Cuban government will gain further control
over Internet use. Before the bill was passed
the government already had taken measures
to block various Internet sites and restrict
general access to the Web. Despite these
restrictions, many Cuban citizens have nevertheless
been able to seek and exchange information
via the Internet using borrowed or purchased
equipment and accounts. For them access
to the Internet will now be even more difficult
and expensive. The new bill will especially
affect those who without authorisation have
accessed the Web from their homes The bill
states that the Internet can be used only
via telephone services charged in U.S. dollars,
which few people can get hold of. Also Cubans
who have an authorisation must now seek
additional approval to use the regular phone
lines. Misuse will be detected as the Cuban
telephone company is now authorised to "detect
and impede access to Internet navigation
services". Resolution 180/2003 states
that the law is needed to "regulate
dial-up access to Internet navigation service,
adopting measures that help protect against
the taking of passwords, malicious acts,
and the fraudulent and authorised use of
this service."
Intellectual freedom is a core value of
the library and information profession worldwide;
we would therefore support the Cuban library
community in safeguarding and implementing
the principles of the IFLA Internet Manifesto.
Once again, IFLA and its worldwide membership
urge the Cuban Government to respect, defend
and promote the basic human rights defined
in Article 19 of the United Nations Universal
Declaration of Human Rights.
We urge the Cuban Government to eliminate
all obstacles to access to the Internet
imposed by its policies.
Sources
Amnesty
International press release of 13 January
2004
Freedom
House, New York press release of 12 January
2004
Wired
News/Associated Press 9 January 2004
BBC
News 11 January 2004
In a press release issued
on 13 January, Amnesty International states:
"The new measures… constitute yet another
attempt to cut off Cubans' access to alternative
views and a space for discussing them,"
"This step, coming on top of last year's
prosecution of 75 activists for peacefully
expressing their views, gives the authorities
another mechanism for repressing dissent
and punishing critics." Amnesty International
"fears that the new measures are intended
to prevent human rights monitoring by restricting
the flow of information out of Cuba".
Also Freedom House, New
York expresses its concern with regards
to Cuba in a press release of 12 January
"Democracy should
be on the Americas Summit agenda":
"Restrictions worsened in Cuba
last week when the government announced
even tighter controls over Internet use.
Private citizens, who were already banned
from legally accessing the Internet at home,
now suffer increased government monitoring
of their telephone lines in an attempt to
crack down on illegal Internet surfing."
IFLA and its worldwide membership
support, defend and promote intellectual
freedom as expressed in the United Nations
Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This
intellectual freedom encompasses the wealth
of human knowledge, opinion, creative thought
and intellectual activity.
Background
IFLA
IFLA is an independent,
international, non-governmental organisation
representing the interest of libraries,
librarians and the users of libraries worldwide.
Founded in 1927, it now has members in over
150 countries, representing hundreds of
thousand of library and information staff.
IFLA is accredited by a number of United
Nations agencies, including UNESCO with
whom it enjoys Formal Associate Relations.
FAIFE - an IFLA
Core Activity
FAIFE is an initiative within
IFLA to defend and promote the basic human
rights defined in Article 19 of the United
Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The FAIFE Committee and
Office further freedom of access to information
and freedom of expression in all aspects,
directly or indirectly, related library
and information services.
FAIFE monitors the state
of intellectual freedom within the library
and information community worldwide, supports
IFLA policy development and cooperation
with other international human rights organisations,
and responds to violations of freedom of
access to information and freedom of expression.
Contacts:
Mr Paul Sturges, Chair of
the IFLA/FAIFE Committee
Professor, Deputy Head of Department of
Information Science Loughborough University
Leicestershire, UK
Tel.: +44 (0) 1509 228069, Fax: +44 (0)
1509 223053
Email: R.P.Sturges@lboro.ac.uk
Ms Susanne Seidelin, Director,
IFLA FAIFE Office
Copenhagen, Denmark
Tel: +45 32 341532 Fax: +45 32 840201
Email: sus@db.dk
More Links:
International
Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX)
View
all Amnesty International documents on Cuba
Copyright ©
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions
www.ifla.org
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