Digital Digital DemocracyDemocracy

DD 22

Mission: Empower civic engagement Mission: Empower civic engagement

through digital technologies.through digital technologies.

Emphasis: Education, Communication, Emphasis: Education, Communication,

Collaboration.Collaboration.

Emily Jacobi - Emily Jacobi - EJacobi@dtwo.org - #347-328-3110 - #347-328-3110

www.dtwo.orgwww.dtwo.org

EmEmily Jacobi - ejacobi ejacobi

One of the most repressive One of the most repressive regimes of the 21st regimes of the 21st CenturyCentury

Human rights abuses:Human rights abuses:Forced laborForced laborForced relocationForced relocationRape as a tool of warRape as a tool of war

Over 3,000 villages destroyed over Over 3,000 villages destroyed over past 10 years - twice as many as past 10 years - twice as many as DarfurDarfur

Why Burma?Why Burma?

KHRG

In Exile: more than 3 In Exile: more than 3 millionmillion

Sophisticated network Sophisticated network of community based of community based organizationsorganizations

KHRG

Around BurmaAround Burma

Our ResearchOur Research

Youth Perspectives from the Thai-Burma BorderYouth Perspectives from the Thai-Burma Border

www.newwordsmedia.com

Key findingKey finding

www.newwordsmedia.com

Young Burmese with access to the internet were more likely to identify themselves as activists

Saffron RevolutionSaffron RevolutionMobile phones were used by monks and other citizen Mobile phones were used by monks and other citizen journalists to send information to the outside world.journalists to send information to the outside world.

www.uscampaignforburma.org

Saffron RevolutionSaffron RevolutionWill governments learn that silencing mobiles and the internet are a necessary step in any crackdown?

OpenNet Initiative, Pulling the Plug: A Technical Review of the Internet Shutdown in Burma, at OpenNet Initiative, Pulling the Plug: A Technical Review of the Internet Shutdown in Burma, at http://opennet.net/research/bulletins/013..

"In Burma, the military controls all

communications technology. But

technology is very important to

change. The Burmese military is

trying to hide human rights abuses

inside (the country). To show

human rights abuses we need

technology. People who are doing

bad deeds need to be afraid."

--U Pyinya ZawtaU Pyinya Zawta

All Burma Monks AllianceAll Burma Monks Alliance

Solutions//ProgrammingSolutions//Programming

1. Education 2. Inter-ethnic 1. Education 2. Inter-ethnic dialogue 3. Communication dialogue 3. Communication

technologytechnology

Handheld Handheld Human Rights Human Rights

What? What? Making human Making human rights data accessible rights data accessible & actionable & actionable

How?How? Mapping text Mapping text messages for human messages for human rights workers to rights workers to coordinate a responsecoordinate a response

Where?Where? Piloting with Piloting with human rights human rights organizations operating in organizations operating in and around Burmaand around Burma

All Burma IT Student All Burma IT Student UnionUnionABITSU stands against the Burmese Military ABITSU stands against the Burmese Military

Regime and work to remove the Military Regime and work to remove the Military

Dictatorship, to generate more IT skilled Dictatorship, to generate more IT skilled

personnel and build the infrastructure for a future personnel and build the infrastructure for a future

democratic government of Burma.democratic government of Burma.

Stanley - Stanley - info@abitsu.org

www.abitsu.orgwww.abitsu.org

Project EinsteinProject Einstein

Digital Pen Pals - Photography-based participatory education program linking American students with refugee youth overseas. 

““Because Einstein was a refugee but could still do great things”Because Einstein was a refugee but could still do great things”

““Concepts such as truth, justice and compassion cannot Concepts such as truth, justice and compassion cannot be dismissed as trite when these are often the only be dismissed as trite when these are often the only bulwarks which stand against ruthless power.”bulwarks which stand against ruthless power.”

--Aung San Suu KyiAung San Suu Kyi

Nobel Peace Prize Nobel Peace Prize

19911991

Qui ckTime and aﾪT IF F (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see th is picture.

Qui ckTime and aﾪTIF F (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.