Not even one percent of the 46 million people in the Union of Burma can read this article online. Unlike neighboring countries India and Thailand, where technology is making inroads, Burma's military dictatorship has actively kept Internet access out of bounds from its citizens.
Prison conditions amounting to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment continue to be reported.
To maintain the status quo, the junta keeps a tight reign on all communication systems in the country. Telephone lines are tapped, and fax machines, modems, computers and satellite dishes have to be registered with the government. The three newspapers, and the two radio and television stations feed off the news agency, and together, act as mouthpieces for the junta. The junta tries to subdue the citizens by keeping them in fear. Given the fact that the junta's stronghold depends upon their control over the flow of information, the advent of the Internet posed a serious and immediate cause for concern.