Yugoslav Internet shutdown
Kragen Sitaker
kragen@pobox.com
Fri, 14 May 1999 08:56:10 -0400 (EDT)
Here you go. (What's a "graphite bomb"?)
Date: Thu, 13 May 1999 20:02:18 -0700 (PDT)
From: Phil Agre <pagre@alpha.oac.ucla.edu>
Message-Id: <199905140302.UAA78306@alpha.oac.ucla.edu>
To: "Red Rock Eater News Service" <rre@lists.gseis.ucla.edu>
Subject: [RRE]Kosovo
[I have taken the liberty of reformatting these messages. ITN has video
from Kosovo; see <http://www.itn.co.uk/World/world19990512/051202w.htm>.]
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Date: Tue, 04 May 1999 12:03:46 -0400 (EDT)
From: Ifmagazine@aol.com
To: Consortnew@aol.com
Subject: 'Info-War' & Yugoslavia
At center stage and behind the scenes, the NATO war over Kosovo
is pushing the edges of high-tech "information warfare". A few
incidents are known, including the use of a "soft" bomb to short-out
Yugoslavia's electrical system and deactivate the country's computers.
But the U.S. capacity for penetrating computer systems, altering data
and generally wreaking havoc is the new secret weapon that, sources
say, may be deployed in the Kosovo conflict. The question is how far
will President Clinton go with these new strategies and how effective
will they be.
The "info-war" story is one of a package of investigative articles
about the Kosovo conflict at the consortiumnews.com Internet site.
Other new articles include an examination of NATO's bombing of Serb
TV headquarters, the story-behind-the-story of the assassination of a
Serb editor and a critical look at how a distracted President Clinton
stumbled into war, a case of "Wag the Dog" in reverse.
The stories are located at <<A
HREF="http://www.consortiumnews.com">http://www.consortiumnews.com
</A>>
Consortiumnews.com is a free Web site, but we urge those who wish
to support our investigative journalism to subscribe to iF Magazine,
an investigative bi-monthly, for $25 a year (six issues), with Visa/
Mastercard by calling 1-800-738-1812 or 703-920-1802 or by check to
The Media Consortium, Suite 102-231, 2200 Wilson Blvd., Arlington,
VA 22201.
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Date: Mon, 03 May 1999 17:18:07 -0700
From: Sid Shniad <shniad@sfu.ca>
Subject: INTERNATIONAL APPEAL FOR HUMANITARIAN AID FROM YUGOSLAV RED CROSS
INTERNATIONAL APPEAL FOR HUMANITARIAN AID FROM YUGOSLAV RED CROSS
The aggression of the NATO forces on Yugoslavia which began on 24
March 1999 is continuing.
The NATO strikes the capital city, as well as other major towns
from the airspace brutally and without any respect. In addition to
military objects, apartment buildings, refugee camps, factories,
health facilities, schools, kindergartens, Christian Orthodox sacred
places, cultural monuments, civil airports and even the Headquarters
of the Regional Organization of the Red Cross of Kosovo and Metohija
have been hit. The number of dead and wounded is increasing
constantly. Also, great movements of population from parts of the
country, which suffer the most intense attacks by the NATO forces,
have occurred.
Targeted by guided missiles and cluster bombs and other
prohibited military devices by the NATO forces, including those
which can produce an environmental disaster, 11 million inhabitants
of Yugoslavia and 750 thousand refugees are exposed to unprecedented
genocide at the end of the 20th century.
The stocks of food and medicines at Yugoslav Red Cross are
insufficient, and since almost all international humanitarian
organizations, except the International Red Cross, have left the
country, the humanitarian situation is now becoming more difficult.
We appeal to all our people in the country and abroad, to
humanitarian organizations and all persons of good will in the world,
who have supported us since the very beginning of the aggression, to
provide us with vital goods and help us at this most difficult time.
At this moment, we need:
MEDICAL MATERIAL
First Aid material:
* calico bandages, plaster bandages, cotton wool (hydrophilic and
paper), compress gauze, stanicide and vaseline gauze, First Aid
bandages, elastic net and tubular bandages;
* disposable napkins for children and adults
* disposable hospital material:
* surgical gloves,caps,masks,galoshes,white coats
* small surgical instruments: scalpels,pincers
* disposable surgical material:
* sutures, stitches, needles (all sizes), IV needles, syringes, tubules
(all sizes), infusion sets for adults and babies, anaesthetic sets,
probes, drainage tubes, IV needles (finer sort), drains with bags for
multiple use (cleanable), stoma bags with discs, catheters
* Disinfectants and water purification means
* Test strips for blood and urine
* Blood bags and transfusion sets
* Blood tests
* Machines and sets for dialysis
* RTG films and chemicals
* Portable ECG with defibrillator, EEG MEDICATION
* 02 medicines for infectious diseases: penicillin, cephalospirins,
amino-clicozides, antibiotics similar to macrollides, chynolones,
sulphonamides;
* 04 medicines for endocrine diseases: for disorders of the thyroid
gland, pituitary gland, glycocorticoides, medicines for regulating
blood sugar level;
* 05 medicines for treating metabolic disorders;
* 06 medicines for treating blood diseases: parenteral anti-
coagulants;
* 08 medication for the nervous system: neuroleptics, anxiolitics,
anaesthetics, anti-epileptics, sedative (opiate) analgetics;
* 10 medicines for treating diseases of the cardiovascular system:
* anti-arrhythmics, diuretics, vasoconstrictors, vasodilatants;
* 12 medicines for treating diseases of the digestive system:
* H2 receptor blockers, gastrokynetics;
* 11 medicines for treating diseases of the respiratory system:
* bronchodilatants;
* 16 medicines for treating diseases of the bone and muscular
system:
* non-steroid anti-rheumatics;
* 19 diagnostics and contrast substances;
As well as:
* baby milk cheese (long-lasting)
* baby food cooking oil
* biscuits (sweet and salty) sugar
* spreads (sweet and salty) salt
* disposable diapers rice
* canned meat and fish beans
* pre-prepared meals pasta
* milk powder preserved vegetables
* dry yeast flour
The following items are also necessary:
* detergents tents
* soaps beds
* toothpaste and brushes sleeping bags
* hair shampoo bed linen
* blankets
* towels
* jerry cans
* oil lamps
* candles
We are deeply convinced that all friends and people of good will
around the world will demonstrate their humane solidarity with the
victims of the brutal and unjustified aggression on the people of
Yugoslavia.
For all details concerning relief, please contact round the clock
phone numbers: ++38111 623-564 and ++38111 624-189; You may send your
messages on fax numbers: ++38111 622-965 and ++38111 624-144 E-mail:
jckbgd@EUnet.yu.
Financial resources in foreign currency could be sent from abroad
in the following way:
Intermediary:
UBS SA /Geneva/ Switzerland
Case postale 2770
1211 Geneva 2
Yugoslav Red Cross account: CO- 142,798.0 CHF 142,798.1 USD
142,798.2 DEM
or through intermediary: Commerzbank AG Frankfurt am Main, FR
Germany Swift : COBADEFF
Account with Institution: /400887119600 US$, EUR/
/400887119601 DEM/
WEXIM BANK MOSCOW, RUSSIAN FEDERATION Swift:
WJSCRUMM
Beneficiary customer: /3011284-025/ 7024690 Identification number
of final beneficiary Yugoslav Red Cross supports entirely the peaceful
efforts of its country within its humanitarian mandate. It will act
in accordance with the interests of people and all human beings who
are the victims of the NATO aggression. In this way, Yugoslav Red
Cross will continue to be devoted to the Fundamental Principles of the
Movement.
Belgrade. The Executive Committee of the Yugoslav Red Cross
April 9th, 1999
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[The rest of these messages all concern reports from Yugoslavia that
the US is cutting off Internet connections to the country.]
From: aca@beonet.yu (A. Krstanovic)
Subject: US shuts down Yugoslav Internet - For immediate release
Dear sirs,
We have reliable information that the US Government ordered Loral
Orion company to shut down its satellite feeds for Internet customers
in Yugoslavia.
This action might be taken as soon as later tonight or tomorrow (May
12 or 13, 1999).
This is a flagrant violation of commercial contracts with Yugoslav
ISPs, as well as an attack on freedom of the Internet.
A Web site in protest of these actions should be up shortly. We will
supply you with the URL. In the meantime, please be so kind to inform
as many people as possible about this tragic event for the Internet
community in Yugoslavia and Europe.
Kind regards,
BeoNET
Belgrade, Yugoslavia
http://www.beonet.yu
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Date: Thu, 13 May 1999 08:15:44 -0400
From: Drazen Pantic <drazen@opennet.org>
Subject: <nettime> US shuts down Yugoslav Internet - confirmed!
To: nettime <nettime-l@Desk.nl>
Unfortunately it seams that Loral Orion will have to close down all
satellite connections to Yugoslavia. Mr. Laban who is representative
for Loral Orion communication in Yugoslavia said that Loral Orion
informed him about that action. For now, ISPs which are connected
through LoralOrion are working, but it is just a matter of time.
Strange enough the measure will affect not only ISPs in Serbia but
also Montenegrian ones. Overall effect will be that two closest ISP
to regime (ptt.yu and eunet.yu) that operate through ground lines will
continue operating, but satellite providers - who also close to the
regime, but at least try to maintain some image of independence - will
be closed down.
Drazen
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Date: Thu, 13 May 1999 09:51:51 +0200
From: Slobodan Markovic <twiddle@EUnet.yu>
Organization: www.internodium.org.yu
To: t byfield <tbyfield@panix.com>
Subject: Re[2]: Fwd: Re: US shuts down Yugoslav Internet
> can we get a translation of this? (i get the rough, rough
> sense, but some good translations would help organizing
> efforts.)
>> Trenutni status (izvinjavam se, malo je duza poruka):
It's a short discussion about Yugoslav providers' links...
Some clarifications...
One of the administrators of (ex-)Opennet - Vladislav Bjelic
(he's now in Montenegro) tracerouted all of them:
>> EUnet (vezan na LL):
EUnet (linked through LoraL Orion) is the greatest provider in
Yugoslavia. It has one 4Mb/s sattelite link (via Orion) and a
ground fiber-optic link to Amsterdam.
>>traceroute to www.eunet.yu (194.247.192.57), 30 hops max, 40 byte packets
>>4 LI0010961.loralorion.net (209.239.68.73) 1150.166 ms 1136.495 ms 1128.519 ms
>>5 Belgrade1-S1_3.EUnet.yu (194.247.193.133) 1208.496 ms 1224.562 ms 1158.023 ms
>> InfoSky (vezan na LL):
InfoSky has only this sattelite link.
>>traceroute to www.infosky.net (195.250.98.4), 30 hops max, 40 byte packets
>>4 LI0001881.loralorion.net (209.239.69.59) 1428.501 ms 1386.882 ms 1204.239 ms
>>5 AS.InfoSky.Net (195.250.98.4) 1180.654 ms 1147.361 ms 2151.994 ms
>> BeoTel (vezan za TaideNet, ne LL):
BeoTel is the second largest provider. It has only sattelite
uplink, but not through Orion (TaideNet is is Norway, I think).
>>16 NO-NIT-TN-0.taide.net (193.219.193.93) 710.311 ms 706.327 ms 764.288 ms
>>17 * taide-gw.beotel.yu (193.219.192.146) 3344.579 ms *
>>18 zevs.beotel.net (194.106.162.10) 1394.759 ms 1420.169 ms *
>> BITS (vezan za LL):
BITS already survived one NATO attack (a great deal of their
equipment was destroyed after one building in Belgrade downtown
was hit), but they are still on-line thanks to one ISP in
Montenegro who offered them help. Unfortunately, that Montenegrin
ISP is connected via Loral Orion...
>> traceroute to www.bits.net (193.203.8.80), 30 hops max, 40 byte packets
>> 4 * gw-crnagora.bits.net (193.203.8.100) 134.469 ms 135.796 ms
>> 5 largo.bits.net (193.203.8.80) 651.037 ms * 641.532 ms
>>
>> [putanja je drugacija posto postoji veza BITS <-> InternetCG]
>> Telekom (vezan preko MCI):
Telecom has only a ground link to MCI.
>> traceroute to apolon.telekom.yu (195.178.32.19), 30 hops max, 40 byte packets
>> 8 core.Boston.cw.net (204.70.4.137) 656.775 ms 607.606 ms 588.909 ms
>> 10 public-enterprise-of-serbia.Boston.cw.net (204.189.128.194) 745.638 ms
>> 11 apolon.telekom.yu (195.178.32.19) 801.039 ms 831.162 ms 789.429 ms
>> PTT (vezan preko otenet[gr] i (mozda?) MCI[us]):
Serbian National Telecom (owned by Greek OTE and Italian STET)...
>> 13 amsterdam3.nl.att-unisource.net (195.206.65.45) 691.433 ms 661.030 ms
>> 16 att-unisource-gw.otenet.net (195.206.64.206) 918.734 ms 924.965 ms
>> 17 athe7507-fe100.otenet.net (195.170.0.10) 898.423 ms 891.720 ms
>> 18 athe-telecom-yu-peer.customers.otenet.gr (195.170.5.30) 1141.659 ms
>> 19 IC-NET.telekom.yu (195.178.32.106) 1084.192 ms 1218.188 ms 3715.805 ms
At the time of writing that message (00:57 CET), Vladimir
concluded that all lines are working (apparently). He also said
(in separate message) that he spoke to official representative
of Loral Orion for Yugoslavia and that he confirmed a news about
shutting down sattelite feeds. I also got similar confirmation
from BeoNet.
It seems that, for now, all lines are still working... I just woke
up (its 09:51 am here) and will try to find out what happened in the
past 8 hrs.
Greetings,
Slobodan Markovic | http://solair.eunet.yu/~twiddle
Internodium Project | http://www.internodium.org.yu
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Date: Thu, 13 May 1999 20:36:53 +0200
From: Slobodan Markovic <twiddle@EUnet.yu>
Organization: www.internodium.org.yu
To: internodium <internodium@material.net>
Subject: Tmhwk censorship!
Loral Orion Communications informed yesterday (12th of May 1999)
a director of Yugoslav ISP "Informatika" (infosky.net), Slobodan
Sreckovic, that "they will be forced to shut satellite feed to
Yugoslav Internet providers".
"This decision is a result of Executive Order signed by president
Bill Clinton, which forbids providing of services to Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro)"
IMO, I think that they are referring to section 2, paragraph (c)
of EO 13121, signed on 5th of May 1999, which follows:
"(c) any transaction or dealing by a United States person,
wherever located, in goods, software, technology (including
technical data), OR SERVICES, regardless of country of origin,
for exportation, reexportation, sale, or supply to, or exportation
from or by, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and
Montenegro) or the Government of the Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro), the Government of the Republic
of Serbia, or the Government of the Republic of Montenegro.
This prohibition includes, without limitation, purchase, sale,
transport, swap, or brokerage transactions in such items, and
approving, financing, insuring, facilitating, or guaranteeing any
such transactions."
The information about closing the Internet satellite feed to
Yugoslavia is confirmed also by the official representative of
Loral Orion company in Yugoslavia.
At the moment of writing (19:45 CET, 13th of May 1999) it seems
that all satellite links are still working, but I think it's only
a matter of hour or minute when a break will occur.
I would like to stress that Loral Orion's links are not the only
connections for Yugoslav ISP's, but some of them (like infosky.net
and bits.net in Serbia and cg.yu in Montenegro) are totally
dependant from Loral Orion's satellite feed.
This is also not the first threat to Yugoslav Internet links and
Internet community. I will shortly summarise what happened in the
past two months since this war started:
- Together with Radio B-92, their Internet division (opennet.org)
also went down. All of Opennet's classrooms and New Media Labs
(like cybeRex) are closed. All of their Internet projects (aimed
to education about Internet issues and development of Yugoslav
cyberspace) are put on hold or completely cancelled.
- When NATO destroyed the second bridge in Novi Sad one fiber-optic
cable carrying Internet traffic was broken.
- When NATO hit one building in Belgrade downtown a great deal of
computer equipment, belonging to BITS ISP, was totally destroyed.
- NATO is targeting Post offices in many large cities. Three days
ago more than 18.000 people lost their phone connections in city
of Uzice (similar thing happened in city of Pristina).
- NATO is using graphite bombs to COMPLETELY disable major Serbian
power plants. During five days, more than half of population in
Serbia (approx. 5 million of people) did not have electric power.
This attempt of shutting down Internet satellite feeds to
Yugoslavia is a good reminder that Cyberspace is not situated
in some kind of a vacuum and that our REAL governments CAN and
WILL do anything that suits their interests. Just like corporate
invertebrates, they will do all of that regardless of our
communication customs and ethics we developed over years on the
Net.
I'm calling all the people who still believe in freedom of
expression on the Net, to rise their voice against the policy of
hate, policy of isolation and policy of intolerance.
All the best from Belgrade,
Slobodan Markovic | http://solair.eunet.yu/~twiddle
Internodium Project | http://www.internodium.org.yu
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