What exactly is going on?

I seem to be having a hard time accessing my blog. I keep on getting a message from Google saying that either my computer or network is sending out automated messages. I'm not sure what that means but it seems that other blogs in Greece are suffering the same difficulties. Also using Twitter is proving problematic, sometimes I can tweet but after a couple of posts it refuses to let me write any more.

It's interesting to note that so many sites have experienced problems in such a short period of time. Facebook, Twitter, Blogger and Indymedia have all had difficulties over the last 48 hours. If nothing else it shows how vulnerable our supposedly open internet networks are to the possibility of interference.

As far as Indymedia is concerned the issue of the domain name seems not to have been simply a matter of human error according to Carpathia.dereferenced.org.

"If you are reading this page, then you probably know that Indymedia is down due to the primary nameservers being changed from NS2.RISEUP.NET and NS.LACKOF.ORG to NS1.BADWHOISSHUTDOWN.COM and NS2.BADWHOISSHUTDOWN.COM. People are presently investigating this change, however it is probably related to an ICANN whois data "inaccuracy" report (which, unfortunately, is a known tool that trolls have successfully used in the past to get sites they don't like taken down)."

Indymedia Athens and Indymedia Patras as still not accessible.

I'm not paranoid but......

It's enough to bring out the conspiracy theorist in you, I tell you. Yesterday the controversial Greek language blog, Troktiko.blogspot.com was taken offline since it had, according to Blogger violated its terms of service (TOS) agreement. This immediately provoked a furious response from the Greek language blogosphere who accused the company of censorship. On the same day Twitter, Facebook and Blogspot were subject to DOS (denial of service) attack which brought the sites down.

Today the Indymedia Athens and Indymedia Patras sites have gone down, though apparently they can be accessed from outside Greece according to some bloggers. In addition I can't put anything on Twitter, I can read what others write but the site will not let me tweet. Anyone else have this problem?

PS I have just tried other Indymedia sites from around the world but can't access them either. One exception being Indymedia London.

Still, this could all be a coincidence and I'm just being paranoid. Cue X-Files music..........

UPDATE

Just did some research on the internet and it seems that my conspiracy theories were misplaced, at least as far as Greece is concerned. The DOS attacks on Twitter, Facebook and Blogger yesterday seems to have been directed at a pro - Georgian blogger, at least according to executives at Facebook. In addition Indymedia is down across the globe though, according to the Entropic Memes blog this appears to be the result of an oversight by Indymedia.org concerning domain names rather than a devious plot to silence dissent and opposition. Also the Trotiko blog is once again back on the internet.

For more details on the Indymedia story check out the article I wrote for NowPublic.com.

A call for help for 43 Kurdish refugees facing illegal deportation from Greece - Καλειται καθε ειδους υποστηριξης για τους 43 κουρδους μεταναστες

"Καλειται καθε ειδους υποστηριξης για τους 43 κουρδους μεταναστες, οπου μολις αιτηθηκαν για πολιτικο ασυλο ακολουθησε αμεση εντολη της αστυνομιας των Χανιων για απελαση, και ετσι μεταφερθηκαν απο τα Χανια, Κρητης, στο νομο Ροδοπης,,,, Επειτα απο εξωφρενικη καταπατηση των δικαιωματων τους απο την αστυνομια .. αυτη τη στιγμη βρισκονται υπο κρατηση στο νομο Ροδοπης...

2 καραβιες με 43 κουρδους μεταναστες, εκ των οποιων δυο ειναι γυναικες , η μια εγκυος 4,5 μηνων και 4 ανηλικα παιδια μαζι τους, που εφτασαν κοντα στη παλιοχωρα χανιων, στις 18.7.2009, και μεταφερθηκαν σε ξενοδοχειο-φυλακη στη Γεωργιουπολη χανιων .

οι 43 κουρδοι μεταναστες , βρισκονται πλεον μοιρασμενοι οι γυναικες στο τμημα Ιασμου , νομο Ροδοπης στη Κομοτηνη και οι υπολοιποι,σε κεντρο κρατησης στη Βεννα στο νομο Ροδοπης,την γενικη επιβλεψη της κρατησης τους την εχει το τμημα Σαπων.

καθε βοηθεια απο πολιτες μπορει να σταλθει εκει

Indymedia

"We're are calling upon you for any kind of help for 43 Kurdish immigrants who having applied for political asylum were immediately given a deportation order by the Greek police in Hania, Crete and so taken from Hania to the Rodopi region of northern Greece.

Now after an outrageous violation of their rights police by the they are in Redopi. Of the 43 Kurdish immigrants, two are women, one, four and half months pregnant and four are minors.

Now they are in the Iasmou police department, Komotini, Rodopi and the detention centre in Renna, Rodopi. Any help from citizens should be sent there."

This is happening NOW!!!!

Greek police turn blind eye when far right attacks anti - racist demo in Athens

Picture from Indymedia

During the course of yesterday's anti - racism march in Athens members of far right groups posing as "concerned citizens" were filmed and photographed carrying clubs and attempting to throw Molotov cocktails at demonstrators. All this while the riot police (MAT) walked alongside them and made no attempt to intervene.

Picture from the Eleutherotypia newspaper.

"Η ειρηνική πορεία, που είχε ξεκινήσει από την Ομόνοια, δέχτηκε τα... πυρά των διμοιριών των ΜΑΤ, που μαζί με «αγανακτισμένους πολίτες» από την περιοχή του Αγίου Παντελεήμονα είχαν κάνει φράγμα με τα σώματά τους, προκειμένου να απαγορεύσουν σε αναρχικούς-αντιεξουσιαστές, αλληλέγγυους στους μετανάστες να φτάσουν στον τελικό τους προορισμό. "

Ελευθεροτυπία

Greek government attempts to shut down internet news sites

The Greek government has made move to shut down Indymedia sites in the capital, Athens and neighbouring Patras according to local news sources. Following questions in parliament by member of the far right LAOS party, Kyriakos Velopoulos, junior minister for Education and Religious Affairs, Spyros Taliadouros demanded that the National Technical University of Athens (Greece's equivalent of MIT) immediately locate and shut down the site which is hosted on the university's server.

The site still remains in operation, however, Konstantinos Moutzouris dean of the university has said that while Indymedia sites make use of the universities facilities thay have not been given permission to do so. In addition according to national daily, Kathimerini the university is currently making attempts to find and shut down the site.

In addition an article in this Sunday's Paron newspaper claimed that the newly appointed minister for Justice, Nikos Dendias is aiming to inroduce legislation that would end Greek bloggers right to anonymity. The publication immediately provoked uproar across the Greek language blogosphere prompting the minister to make an official statment denying that any such legislation was being considered.

However, despite the announcement there is a widespread belief amongst Greek bloggers that the current ruling New Democracy party is attempting to reign in critics on the internet in view of the possibility of forthcoming elections.

With a slender one seat majority in parliament and its standing in the polls dropping badly the Kostas Karamanlis's government is seen as likely to fall. Growing resentment over the handling of last year's corruption scandals, mounting economic problems and an ongoing series of crisis in education, law and order and health care mean that elections seem likely.

Athens sees still more violent clashes

Athens marchers attacked by police - Indymedia Athens-Photo-01

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Pictures from Indymedia Athens

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On Saturday protest marches were held in Athens in solidarity with those arrested by police during the series of clashes which spread across Greece in December following the shooting by police of a 15 year old teenager in the capital's Exarchia district.

Protests turned violent as some demonstrators clashed with riot police near the Propylia area of downtown Athens. However, eyewitness accounts published in Greek language blogs say that the police used excessive force, throwing stun grenades into the crowds and indiscriminately beating marchers. Attacks were also reported upon riot police in Thessaloniki, Greece's second city last night in which Molotov cocktails were thrown at police vans.

Despite hopes that last year's violent confrontations have died down, the marches demonstrate that popular anger has yet to be extinguished. On Thursday (see here for video) about 1000 people marched in protest against the attack on Labour activist, Konstandina Kouneva, the victim of an acid attack in December. The 44 year - old Bulgarian trade unionist is still in intensive care after having acid thrown in her face and being forced to drink the liquid.

Lawyers representing her say the attack was prompted by her work in exposing an alleged scam by cleaning companies with contracts with the state run organisations which meant that the mainly foreign born work force received slave wages.

The duration of the confrontations has seen the rapid development of a mini "arms race" on Greek streets with the appearance of more and more protesters wearing gas masks in order to counter-act the authorities extensive use of tear gas. According to the BBC the government has responded by ordering water cannons which will be ready for action within the next two weeks.

The ruling New Democracy party also faces protests by farmers who have used tractors to block road junctions across the country in demonstration over low prices and lack of government support for the nation's agricultural sector. Attempts to placate farmers with a 500 million euro aid package have still not seen an end to the roadblocks.

NowPublic

Tags: Greece | protests | farmers | World | Riots | athens | roadblocks | Thessaloniki | kouneva