Yemeni Citizens Left in the Dark
Image courtesy of Unsplash
Access to information via the internet has become exceedingly important in most daily routines; the internet has become foundational to society’s communication. Due to modern dependence on the internet, denying access to the web has transformed into a weapon of war. The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has declared purposeful internet shutdowns a violation of human rights, yet there were 187 global instances recorded in 2022. Internet blockages come with an array of hardships, including the inability to use e-cards as a form of payment, especially harmful for those attempting to flee a dangerous situation, and the increased difficulty of calling required emergency services. In 2019, Myanmar experienced the world’s longest internet shutdown, banning citizens, many of whom were displaced, access to information related to survival, including updates on the COVID-19 pandemic. The shutdown lasted until early 2021, and internet access continues to remain unsteady even after the ban was lifted.
Myanmar’s instance of internet blocking is only one example of this method being used to destabilize communities during times of violence and instability. Sudan, which is undergoing a lengthy civil war, experienced all three major network connections go down for multiple days in early February, 2024. Gaza has also undergone multiple internet outages, as the region largely relies on Israeli internet providers, since Israel declared war on the Palestinian militant group Hamas on October 7, 2023. Internet shutdowns have been utilized as a weapon of warfare so often, that an online campaign called #KeepItOn began; the coalition aims to share data about global internet shutdowns to promote awareness and campaign for the end of internet blackouts.
Yemen is currently experiencing a decade-long civil war fought between the Houthi rebels and the government supported Saudi coalition. The Houthi rebels, who are supported by the Iranian government, took control of the nation’s capital and demanded governmental changes, resulting in the prior president, Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi, being in exile in Saudi Arabia. This bloody war largely affects Yemeni citizens, and has made the current situation in Yemen one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises in history. Since the beginning of the conflict in Yemen in 2014, the country has also experienced multiple internet blackouts. In January 2022, Yemen experienced a lack of internet access for four days; a direct result of a Saudi-led attack targeted a telecommunications facility. The attack caused a wide array of injuries and deaths, and the internet blackout made finding assistance for the affected much more difficult. During the summer of 2023, Yemen continuously underwent internet and electricity blackouts due to lack of fuel. In June, residents had access to electricity for approximately two hours a day, and in July and August this access only improved to about four to six hours a day. In November 2023, there was another internet blackout due to “maintenance,” according to anonymous government officials. The outage was not communicated to citizens prior to the event and the internet stayed down for multiple hours.
After the blackouts end, internet access is oftentimes still spotty for hours, leaving communication hindered for longer than the outage itself. Families are unable to share information, emergency assistance moves at a slower pace, and the international community cannot utilize technology to access Yemeni citizens. The frequency of these outages sparked global outrage, primarily because internet connectivity tends to go down immediately after attacks, where communication is the most important.
Presumably, when internet shutdowns are caused by internal political factions, the main motivation behind it is to suppress the potential for political protest, although external forces may have had an impact on previous blackouts. Additionally, the blackouts protect against media coverage and negative publicity after attacks, minimizing humanitarian aid and awareness of human rights violations faced by Yemeni citizens. It is extremely difficult to understand the true experiences of a place struck by violence, and cuts to internet access make it practically impossible to communicate the harsh conditions in Yemen.
Determining whether internet blackout instances are premeditated as a war strategy, or a consequence of poor electricity access can be difficult. However, due to the highly politicized war in Yemen and the seemingly premeditated timing of the internet shortages, it can be hypothesized that at least some blackouts are militarized strategies, which is enough for human rights violations concern. As internet blackouts used as a weapon of war continuously spread, coalitions such as the #KeepItOn movement aims to gain momentum in halting communication blocks. Contrary to the motivation behind internet blackouts, awareness is increasing, especially due to the increasing importance of online media coverage in areas surrounded by war. To counteract the negative effects of internet shutdowns there are global movements recommending to impose a type of “tax” for governments that purposefully provide unstable internet access, and the promotion of preparing for such debilitating violations. Although the use of internet blackouts as a new weapon of war has quickly become a powerful strategy, observers are counteracting, and working towards minimizing instances and the harsh consequences of internet blackouts.