ミャンマー２州の「世界最長」ネット遮断、クーデターで終止符

【ヤンゴンＡＦＰ＝時事】インターネットの遮断期間が世界最長となっていたミャンマー西部のラカイン州とチン州で、19か月ぶりにアクセスが復活した。ノルウェー通信大手テレノール・グループが3日、国軍によるクーデター発生を受けてサービスを完全復旧したと発表した。（写真は資料写真）
　民族紛争が続く両州の８郡区では、アウン・サン・スー・チー国家顧問率いる文民政権の「緊急」命令により、２０１９年６月からインターネットが遮断され、１００万人以上の住民が影響を受けていた。
　「テレノール・グループとテレノール・ミャンマーは、これまでサービス復旧へ向けて提言を繰り返し、通信サービスへのアクセスを通じた表現の自由は人道目的として維持されるべきだと強調してきた」と同社は説明した。
　ラカイン州では、仏教徒の少数民族ラカイン人の自治権拡大を求める武装組織「アラカン軍」と国軍が激しく衝突し、これまでに死者・負傷者は数百人に上っている。戦闘は隣接するチン州にも飛び火し、キリスト教徒が多数を占めるチン人は数千人が村を追われて仮設キャンプに避難している。
　また、ラカイン州ではイスラム系少数民族ロヒンギャを政府が武力弾圧し、約７４万人が隣国バングラデシュに避難。国連が「ジェノサイド（集団殺害）」の恐れを指摘している。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2021/02/05-10:59）

The world's longest internet shutdown -- affecting more than a million people for 19 months in one of Myanmar's ethnic conflict zones -- has come to an end, according to a mobile operator based in the region.
The internet in parts of Myanmar's troubled northern states of Rakhine and Chin was suspended in June 2019 following emergency orders issued by the telecoms department under Aung San Suu Kyi's civilian government.
Following Monday's military coup, mobile operator Telenor Group confirmed it had reinstated full services in eight townships in Rakhine and Chin states on Wednesday.
Telenor Group and Telenor Myanmar have been advocating for the restoration of services and emphasised that freedom of expression through access to telecoms services should be maintained for humanitarian purposes, the company said in a statement.
On Wednesday, affected residents celebrated being reconnected to the wider world.
Khin Maung from Mrauk-U township in northern Rakhine said the internet connection was back, but slow.
Now we got the internet back. So we know about the coup as well, said Shouban in Maungdaw, who like many from the Rohingya ethnic group goes by one name.
Human Rights Watch said the internet restrictions had curtailed awareness about coronavirus health risks and information about hygiene measures last year.
The conflict in Rakhine state between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army, a militant group agitating for more autonomy for ethnic Rakhine people, has left hundreds dead or injured.
Fighting spilled over into neighbouring Chin state, forcing thousands of ethnic Chin, who are predominantly Christian, out of their villages and into temporary camps.
The region has also been beset by what the United Nations has said could be genocide, after a brutal military crackdown by the government which sent about 740,000 Rohingya fleeing for neighbouring Bangladesh.
The 600,000 remaining Rohingya live under apartheid-like conditions.