Menkominfo YouSuck!

Another proof that we need a change in 2009: The government, through the Communications and Information Minister (Menkominfo) ordered ISPs to block websites containing the controversial Fitna by Geert Wilders. As I said in the previous post, the act of blocking the movie itself will do more harm than good. Instead of maintaining public order or safety, it will just say to the whole world "Hey, we're muslims and we're easily provocated. We can't take the slightest criticism from anyone. Live (or die) with it!"

Further than that, the blocking caused major uproar in the online community. The ministerial instruction forced ISPs to ban the whole websites altogether. The affected websites include YouTube, Multiply, Rapidshare, and LiveLeak. As you may notice, they have become a somewhat integral part of our lives. We got all sorts of information and entertainment from these websites. We've laughed our a**es off on "Ken Lee", we trash talked Cinta Laura for her "bechek" clip, and we gasped over Fitna. We saw Kevin Rudd ate his earwax, we enjoyed amateurish lipsyncing of random people, and we never stop coming to YouTube. Many small entrepreneurs also depend on the net to spread their product.

In this case, there's a striking similarity between Menkominfo and Geert Wilders. Wilders took a small bunch of freaky "muslim" clerics who preach hate and destruction, then he conluded from inadequate data that all muslims are as freaky. Then, he made a movie to spread the lie. Similarly, Menkominfo saw one or two "unagreeable" videos on the net, thus he conluded that the internet is such a wild and dangerous place. To prevent any "unrest", he decided to block sites containing the material. Both persons deny the society's right to transparent information.

By making the instruction, Menkominfo have violated the constitution that grants freedom of expression and freedom for self development. Such actions cannot be tolerated by anyone. He's depriving us of access to information, knowledge, and entertainment. As an Indonesian citizen, we have the right to choose what we want to watch, what we want to listen. The blocking effectively deprives us of choices. Can he compensate this huge loss of Indonesia's development toward the future? Is he willing to take responsibilities if the policy caused other people inconvenience and loss of information?

We are not and should never be China. Indonesia is built as a democratic country, we must not let it fall into such undemocratic level of censorship. Such blocks are obstacles to the development of the society. These controversial events should teach us to be more mature and civilized. Instead of doing so, Menkominfo trapped us in the "safety" of the blockings. If the govt has the craziness to block YouTube, it really has the craziness to block anything else. Who knows what will be the next victim; will it be Yahoo!? Google? MTV?

Menkominfo, please, use what's left of your brain. You are trying to kill a mosquito with nukes. What good will blocking websites do anyway? Do you think people will respect us more for such stupidity?

Give the Freedom Back to the People!!