Starting September, the government of Gabon made internet access at night impossible, a move which has been described as unprecedented. The curfew last for about 12 hours, from early evening to the early hours of the morning, according to Doug Madory, the director of web analytics firm, Dyn.
The curfew, which began on Sept. 5, started with a 104-hour continuous internet blackout, after the controversial results of the presidential election were announced on Aug. 31. This was considered the longest countrywide blackout since Libya went offline during the uprising against Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
Many believe this is indicative of the brewing tensions in Gabon, which became politically unstable since incumbent president Ali Bongo was declared the winner of the election. His running mate, the diplomat Jean Ping, dismissed the results and demanded a recount.
A judgment is to be issued next week, September 23, 2016, on whether to do a recount of the vote or declare Bongo the official winner. This dispute has led to protests, the burning of the country’s assembly, and death of six people.
The internet in the country functions normally in the day, an attempt by the government, analysts say, to show that life is back to normal. About 91% of the country’s IP addresses are routed through the government-controlled Gabon Telecom. However many have noted that social media outlets were blocked even when internet access was available.
“The government is most likely allowing internet access during the day to minimize disruptions for businesses while blocking it in the evenings to hinder opposition supporters from plotting against Bongo,”
Says Maja Bovcon, senior Africa analyst at risk consultancy Verisk Maplecroft. The shutdown, she said, reinforces the belief that the elections were rigged.
Source: qz.com
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