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A new report published today exposes the significant collaboration between the illegal Myanmar military junta and Geedge Networks in implementing a commercial version of China’s "Great Firewall", giving the junta unprecedented capabilities to track down, arrest, torture and kill civilians.
Geedge Networks is a Chinese company with links to the Chinese government.
Justice For Myanmar’s report, Silk Road of Surveillance: The role of China's Geedge Networks and Myanmar telecommunications operators in the junta's digital terror campaign also exposes 13 telecommunications companies in Myanmar that are integral to the continued functioning of Geedge’s sophisticated surveillance and censorship technology on behalf of the junta.
These are ATOM (formerly Telenor Myanmar), Mytel, Myanma Post and Telecommunications (MPT), Ooredoo Myanmar, Frontiir, StreamNet, Golden TMH Telecom, Internet Maekhong Network (IM-Net), Myanmar Broadband Telecom (MBT), Myanmar Telecommunication Network (MTN), Campana, Global Technology Group and China Unicom.
Geedge’s transfer of a commercialised version of China’s “Great Firewall” gives the junta unrestricted access to the online activities of 33.4 million internet users in Myanmar.
Notably, Geedge systems enable the tracking of network traffic at the individual level and can identify the geographic location of mobile subscribers in real time by linking their activity to specific cell identifiers.
By providing hardware, software, training and support to the illegal military junta, Geedge may be aiding and abetting in the commission of crimes against humanity, including the acts of torture and killing, carried out by the junta.
The report is based on a leaked dataset that casts light on Geedge’s business around the world, including Myanmar, and has been reviewed by a coalition of media and non-governmental/civil society organisations through the Great Firewall Export project, made up of Amnesty International, InterSecLab, the Globe and Mail, Paper Trail Media, Tor Project, DER STANDARD, and Follow The Money.
Justice For Myanmar demands sanctions against Geedge Networks and its leadership, and an international criminal investigation of individuals in directive and leadership positions of Geedge for aiding and abetting international crimes.
These revelations come as the Chinese government itself deepens its aiding and abetting of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Myanmar through the continued transfer of arms, while also awarding false legitimacy to the junta and offering support to its sham election.
Justice For Myanmar demands the Chinese government immediately cease the transfer of arms, equipment, technology and associated training and support to the military junta, including software, hardware and technical assistance provided by Geedge Networks, to halt political and financial support for the junta and all entities under its control, including in relation to its planned sham election, and to recognise and support the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC) as the highest consultative body, the National Unity Government (NUG) as the legitimate government of Myanmar, and Ethnic Resistance Organisations and federal units as key stakeholders in forming a federal union.
Justice For Myanmar spokesperson Yadanar Maung says: "Surveillance supplied and installed by Geedge Networks and implemented in collaboration with internet service providers in Myanmar poses grave risks to anyone in Myanmar who dares to criticise the junta, speak truth to power and access independent sources of information.
"Geedge is helping the illegal junta refine its capacity to track down, torture and kill activists and may thereby be aiding and abetting those crimes.
"The Geedge leak confirms that multiple internet service providers, internet gateways and fibre optic operators, including those currently operated by foreign companies, are now directly involved in the junta’s weaponisation of the internet in Myanmar.
"The illegal junta’s import of a commercial version of China’s 'Great Firewall' is part of a pattern of China’s aiding and abetting of international crimes in Myanmar. This must end now and there must be accountability."
More information:
Read Silk Road of Surveillance: The role of China's Geedge Networks and Myanmar telecommunications operators in the junta's digital terror campaign here
