Is this ethical?

[nigel99 151]

In Zimbabwe the government is still refusing to release the results of the elections.

Someone has started a campaign where Zimbabweans outside of the country are continously calling a number of government ministers day and night demanding results be released.

People have published and are circulating ministers mobile numbers, home numbers and office numbers so there is literally no break in the barage.

I think it is a brilliant form of protest for a country where local people can't voice their feelings.

Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

[Erroll 49]

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In Zimbabwe the government is still refusing to release the results of the elections.

Mad Bob Mugabe lost the meaning of the word 'ethical' a long time ago. Remember Matabeleland?

[nigel99 151]

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Mad Bob Mugabe lost the meaning of the word 'ethical' a long time ago. Remember Matabeleland?

It is not Bob that is doing it. There has been alot of debate about whether it is right or not. Some people see it as cyber warfare - I think it is a brilliant form of "passive resistance". The person who started the telephone war - has advised people to be polite, not to be abusive, not to make prank calls (silent treatment) but purely to ask for the results to be released and the will of the people to be obeyed. In light of this I think it is perfectly legitimate (at first this was not clear). It is also bound to wear people out having their phones ringing non-stop 24 hours a day - so far people from the US, UK, Australia and New Zealand are calling in.

Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

[Erroll 49]

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Mad Bob Mugabe lost the meaning of the word 'ethical' a long time ago. Remember Matabeleland?

It is not Bob that is doing it. There has been alot of debate about whether it is right or not. Some people see it as cyber warfare - I think it is a brilliant form of "passive resistance". The person who started the telephone war - has advised people to be polite, not to be abusive, not to make prank calls (silent treatment) but purely to ask for the results to be released and the will of the people to be obeyed. In light of this I think it is perfectly legitimate (at first this was not clear). It is also bound to wear people out having their phones ringing non-stop 24 hours a day - so far people from the US, UK, Australia and New Zealand are calling in.

My apologies - I understood the 'ethics' question to refer to the delay in making the results known.

I am all for 'civil disobedience' in Zim's present situation.

[nerdgirl 0]

I had not heard of that. Do you have any links to reports? Is there an NGO (domestic or international) driving the effort? I have lots of questions: what’s the infrastructure in Zimbabwe? Capacity? Infiltration of cell phones and internet? Any leads would be much appreciated. Thanks.

It would not qualify as "cyber-warfare" as based on what you've written the actions are being organized and executed by citizens (or 'non-state actors').

If it becomes too annoying and disrupting the government (i.e., the actions are effective in the political goals you described), I could imagine *Mugabe claiming* it was ICT-enabled terrorism.

From what you describe, it sounds as if citizens are demanding accountability by their government using technology ... in a situation when normal, governmental process has failed.

VR/Marg

Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters.
Tibetan Buddhist saying

[Andy9o8 0]

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Is this ethical?

I would argue that not doing it isn't ethical. As the saying goes, evil triumphs when good people remain silent.