The shutdown of internet access to the English-speaking parts of Cameroon, which gave rise to the hashtag #BringBackOurInternet, has continued into its third week.
Since January 17, the two regions of South-West and North-West, which constitute about 20% of the country's entire population, has been experiencing internet blackout without any expressed reason except for a statement that was issued a day earlier by the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications decrying the misuse of social media.
Since no official reason has been provided for the shutdown, there are suggestions that it could be connected to the series of demonstrations that have been taking place in the two regions since November based on claims of marginalisation.
A part of the message from the ministry says that though social media contributes to the development of digital economy and to economic, social and cultural development in general, "the malicious use of social media with an aim to misinform and distort reality, is likely to create psychosis in the public opinion and to disrupt social cohesion."
Several subscribers say they have received threatening messages from the ministry in the French-speaking government stating they are likely to face up to two years in prison with a fine as much as CFA10 million for publishing any news on the social media without a proof of its authenticity.
As a result of the development, several entrepreneurs in the regions have reportedly moved their business and activities to either Yaounde or Douala where internet access is available.
Telcos operating in the country whose corporate values have been questioned by the situation, have made efforts to respond to some of the questions raised by their aggrieved subscribers.
In a tweet, Orange states to a query that they will not be able to provide "comprehensive answer" to the query while MTN Cameroon tweeted that it does not engage in activities that are against its values as well as its license and concession obligations.
Vodafone told Internet Sans Frontières, a pressure group which deems the interruption as a violation of the human rights of the people and hurtful to their business growth, that they hadn't received any direct order from the government for a shutdown.
Internet Sans Frontiers estimates that the cost of the Internet shutdown for 15 days using a methodology proposed by the Global Network Initiative and Deloitte is about US$723,000. It also joined other civil society organisations from parts of the world to issue an open letter to the Cameroonian authorities in which they requested that Internet access be restored in affected regions as studies have shown that such shutdowns go hand in hand with violence. They also note that shutdowns disrupt the free flow of information.
The group adds: "Worryingly, the Republic of Cameroon would be joining an alarming global trend of government-mandated shutdowns around election issues, a practice that many African Union member governments have recently adopted, including: Burundi, Congo-Brazzaville, Chad, Gabon, Egypt, Sudan, the Central African Republic, Niger, Democratic Republic of Congo."
Source - IT Web