The campaign to subvert Africa's internet registry(capeindependent.com)
capeindependent.com
The campaign to subvert Africa's internet registry
https://www.capeindependent.com/article/the-campaign-to-subvert-africas-internet-registry
11 comments
A horrid state of affairs. African countries have a right to develop their own Internet infrastructure without foreign meddling.
IP profiteers deserve the same hell as domain squatters and bad* landlords
* s/bad//g if you're feeling spicy
* s/bad//g if you're feeling spicy
Why does Africa only have 5% IPv6 adoption? With more, newer networks I expected it to be higher.
Afrinic still has quite a lot of IPv4 addresses available. Networks in other places generally haven't really pushed IPv6 until IPv4 addresses get hard to find.
Simple answer - Huawei. I know that may sounds controversial, but Huawei employees allocated to manage African networks have zero knowledge of IPv6. One would think they are trained in China and should know IPv6, but in practice that's not the case.
I worked for a registry for a while, and we'd have people who didn't really understand how any of this works making huge offers for huge chunks of IPv4. It happened more than once that I explained that IPv6 also exists, also can identify your computers on the internet, and is essentially free and unlimited, but you'll need your engineers to learn it.
[deleted]
Sadly, the original link now returns a 404:
https://archive.is/bcSDY
This sort of thing is happening to a huge number of organizations all around the world in all fields of expertise. Once power games replace the concept of competence, the collapse of a civilization is inevitable - and that has already happened.
It is often possible to simply ignore the power games. No need to depose them if they're rulers of nothing.
This is a good plan when switching away is trivial. When they're in charge of something like a supermarket and they have sufficient competition. If the supermarket manager's an asshole, shop across the street and let it fail.
It doesn't work when they're singular entities. If the president is a massive asshole your options are to flee the country, lick his asshole, get permanently imprisoned, or treat it like a guerilla civil war and live in hiding. (As a consequence we invented democracy, which is supposed to prevent those people becoming president. But the 0days in democracy are not being patched.)
It doesn't work when they're singular entities. If the president is a massive asshole your options are to flee the country, lick his asshole, get permanently imprisoned, or treat it like a guerilla civil war and live in hiding. (As a consequence we invented democracy, which is supposed to prevent those people becoming president. But the 0days in democracy are not being patched.)
The reason for democracy’s failure is the concentration of power that comes from wealth inequality. This lets a minority use their money to disproportionately influence the democratic process in their favor.
Honestly, this warrants some complaint to the CPC.
The Communist Party of China? Why would they punish someone for bringing more wealth to China?
Because the resources and wealth are not going to China. He's reselling them to SE Asia and North America with the vast majority being routed from the US or Hong Kong. Especially right now, I'd imagine the CPC would be very interested in knowing about any Chinese citizens conspiring illegally to enrich companies in the US.
That fact alone pretty much guarantees this guy gets F'ed over if the CPC starts to hear too much about what he's up to.
Now I think about it, that's probably the reason he's so desperate to suppress any media coverage of the entire scam. He knows if the dictators back in China get wind of it, the gig is up.
Probably also some less than savory people out of Hong Kong that would be anxious to, um, "cut out any loose ends" so to speak. Anyone, like the guy in this article for instance, that might inform their government as to the identity of his co-conspirators.
That fact alone pretty much guarantees this guy gets F'ed over if the CPC starts to hear too much about what he's up to.
Now I think about it, that's probably the reason he's so desperate to suppress any media coverage of the entire scam. He knows if the dictators back in China get wind of it, the gig is up.
Probably also some less than savory people out of Hong Kong that would be anxious to, um, "cut out any loose ends" so to speak. Anyone, like the guy in this article for instance, that might inform their government as to the identity of his co-conspirators.
Because he acts like a thief??
Hot take, but that's why I'm fed up with "anti-colonial" activists who act like it's time to just drop our responsibilities on the former colonies and now "third world" countries.
It has been shown many times before, with this shitshow being the latest example, that most "third world" countries simply do not have a legal system in place that can cope with rich Western or new-rich Asian exploiteers. In turn, that means that yes, Western countries need to step in on all levels until these countries have robust enough systems to stand up for their interests (and not those of rich "businessmen" and scammers) on their own!
It has been shown many times before, with this shitshow being the latest example, that most "third world" countries simply do not have a legal system in place that can cope with rich Western or new-rich Asian exploiteers. In turn, that means that yes, Western countries need to step in on all levels until these countries have robust enough systems to stand up for their interests (and not those of rich "businessmen" and scammers) on their own!
> It has been shown many times before, with this shitshow being the latest example, that most "third world" countries simply do not have a legal system in place that can cope with rich Western or new-rich Asian exploiteers
It's almost as if the colonisers designed it that way. Sowing division, encouraging corruption and infighting while the actual administration was done from abroad, and just enough of it to keep the resources flowing out without regard for any long-term societal improvement for the natives. The same old colonial resource-extraction companies are still exploiting the countries that are allegedly "independent", but whose leaders are thoroughly bribed and have bank accounts and "investments" in Luxembourg, France, Dubai, the UK and the US that the former-colonisers are aware off. You want them to return and do achieve which goals, exactly? Cock-block China? No one is naive enough to think recolonisation can have benevolent intentions or executed benevolently.
If the west has an appetite for another round of sustained guerilla warfare and terror-tactics, then direct political control is the way to go, if not, then they should consider maintaining the status quo of monetary and service imperialism enabled by corruption, the WTO, the World Bank, the petro-dollar and the USD as the global reserve currency.
It's almost as if the colonisers designed it that way. Sowing division, encouraging corruption and infighting while the actual administration was done from abroad, and just enough of it to keep the resources flowing out without regard for any long-term societal improvement for the natives. The same old colonial resource-extraction companies are still exploiting the countries that are allegedly "independent", but whose leaders are thoroughly bribed and have bank accounts and "investments" in Luxembourg, France, Dubai, the UK and the US that the former-colonisers are aware off. You want them to return and do achieve which goals, exactly? Cock-block China? No one is naive enough to think recolonisation can have benevolent intentions or executed benevolently.
If the west has an appetite for another round of sustained guerilla warfare and terror-tactics, then direct political control is the way to go, if not, then they should consider maintaining the status quo of monetary and service imperialism enabled by corruption, the WTO, the World Bank, the petro-dollar and the USD as the global reserve currency.
Anti-colonial people will typically ask for reparations to solve exactly this problem. Coming in, ruining a country, and then bailing is exactly what they take issue with.
> Coming in, ruining a country, and then bailing is exactly what they take issue with.
I proposed doing exactly the counter: coming in and staying until the situation is tenable.
> Anti-colonial people will typically ask for reparations to solve exactly this problem.
Money isn't everything. When the judiciary is compromised and/or incompetent, no amount of money can prevent a situation like the one described here.
I proposed doing exactly the counter: coming in and staying until the situation is tenable.
> Anti-colonial people will typically ask for reparations to solve exactly this problem.
Money isn't everything. When the judiciary is compromised and/or incompetent, no amount of money can prevent a situation like the one described here.
Yes, my point is that they would agree with you
> drop our responsibilities on the former colonies
The West wasn't responsible, but rapacious. The colonialists are the "rich Western or new-rich Asian exploiteers", and always have been. That's who the anti-colonialists have pushed back against.
> now "third world" countries
Nobody in that field has used that word in a long time. Africa - an enormous place that can't be described in one way, has many countries doing very well.
> Western countries need to step in
That should be up to the people in those countries, not you or me or some powerful Westerner. Usually it doesn't work out well for their interests - the colonial powers use the countries for their interests.
The West wasn't responsible, but rapacious. The colonialists are the "rich Western or new-rich Asian exploiteers", and always have been. That's who the anti-colonialists have pushed back against.
> now "third world" countries
Nobody in that field has used that word in a long time. Africa - an enormous place that can't be described in one way, has many countries doing very well.
> Western countries need to step in
That should be up to the people in those countries, not you or me or some powerful Westerner. Usually it doesn't work out well for their interests - the colonial powers use the countries for their interests.
> Africa - an enormous place that can't be described in one way, has many countries doing very well.
And a shitload of countries in the hold of some warlord or other despot, or like Libya or Sudan on the verge of collapse. Something needs to be done about these countries and their resources - they deserve to be utilized in a way benefitting all citizens, not just the junta in power.
> That should be up to the people in those countries, not you or me or some powerful Westerner.
That assumes a democratic structure and the ability of the people in those countries to have a voice in said democracy. Both are far from given. Unfortunately, democracy doesn't come on its own, particularly not if the elites are the ones holding all the guns, so there needs to be a system in place to support actual democracy and getting rid of kleptocrats, autocrats and similar powers.
And a shitload of countries in the hold of some warlord or other despot, or like Libya or Sudan on the verge of collapse. Something needs to be done about these countries and their resources - they deserve to be utilized in a way benefitting all citizens, not just the junta in power.
> That should be up to the people in those countries, not you or me or some powerful Westerner.
That assumes a democratic structure and the ability of the people in those countries to have a voice in said democracy. Both are far from given. Unfortunately, democracy doesn't come on its own, particularly not if the elites are the ones holding all the guns, so there needs to be a system in place to support actual democracy and getting rid of kleptocrats, autocrats and similar powers.
> shitload of countries in the hold of some warlord or other despot, or like Libya or Sudan on the verge of collapse
How many? Imposing some Western country's will on them is just another despot, but one who doesn't live there and doesn't know the place.
> Unfortunately, democracy doesn't come on its own
It depends on what you mean by 'on its own', but the track record of imposing it is poor.
Your plan also has a very poor track record, complete with massacres that have exceeded 1 million people. The idea that the rich countries will be beneficient when their own interests are in plan is not realistic and not supported by evidence.
I agree democracy should be supported. Foreign control is the opposite of democracy. It turns out that the only thing that works is local control and local input. Even aid agencies, government and otherwise, tend to make a mess rather than help.
Here's an example: An NGO with the mission of fighting AIDS setup clinics in poor countries. With their funding, they hired a large proportion of available local doctors and nurses. More people died of simpler health issues, including childbirth, because healthcare professionals weren't available.
How many? Imposing some Western country's will on them is just another despot, but one who doesn't live there and doesn't know the place.
> Unfortunately, democracy doesn't come on its own
It depends on what you mean by 'on its own', but the track record of imposing it is poor.
Your plan also has a very poor track record, complete with massacres that have exceeded 1 million people. The idea that the rich countries will be beneficient when their own interests are in plan is not realistic and not supported by evidence.
I agree democracy should be supported. Foreign control is the opposite of democracy. It turns out that the only thing that works is local control and local input. Even aid agencies, government and otherwise, tend to make a mess rather than help.
Here's an example: An NGO with the mission of fighting AIDS setup clinics in poor countries. With their funding, they hired a large proportion of available local doctors and nurses. More people died of simpler health issues, including childbirth, because healthcare professionals weren't available.
> And a shitload of countries in the hold of some warlord or other despot, or like Libya
Ironic for you to being up Libya as its collapse was instigated by the same former colonisers that couldn't stand Qaddafi - France nad friends. The results were deplorable, unimaginable levels slavery and waves of immigration to Europe via Libya due to it's now-porous borders have in turn destabilised Europe. Combined with other "interventions" by western counties in the middle east - Afghanistan, Syria. The argument that imperialism results in stability is false on it's face given recent history starting from the moment the first missiles were fired to kick off the war on terror.
Ironic for you to being up Libya as its collapse was instigated by the same former colonisers that couldn't stand Qaddafi - France nad friends. The results were deplorable, unimaginable levels slavery and waves of immigration to Europe via Libya due to it's now-porous borders have in turn destabilised Europe. Combined with other "interventions" by western counties in the middle east - Afghanistan, Syria. The argument that imperialism results in stability is false on it's face given recent history starting from the moment the first missiles were fired to kick off the war on terror.
> Something needs to be done about these countries and their resources - they deserve to be utilized in a way benefitting all citizens, not just the junta in power.
This utilitarian way of thinking mixed with a lot of racism is what led to colonists performing asinine acts of barbaric cruelty like slavery, massacres, etc. If I were to look up terms related to this type of thinking I would look up: Neo-colonialism, savior complex, and paternalism.
> Unfortunately, democracy doesn't come on its own
Who started the first democracies on Earth, aliens?
This utilitarian way of thinking mixed with a lot of racism is what led to colonists performing asinine acts of barbaric cruelty like slavery, massacres, etc. If I were to look up terms related to this type of thinking I would look up: Neo-colonialism, savior complex, and paternalism.
> Unfortunately, democracy doesn't come on its own
Who started the first democracies on Earth, aliens?
> Who started the first democracies on Earth, aliens?
The people - but at least back then, the rulers only had knives, swords, horses and maybe early versions of guns at their disposal.
Today's rulers? They enjoy grenades, insane explosives, machine guns, sniper rifles, tear gas, tanks and the most capable surveillance gear that money can buy. It has gone exponentially harder to depose dictators, and outright impossible without serious amounts of external help.
IMHO, it should be the responsibility of all rich, Western democracies to aid any and all democratic movements and to safeguard them against reactionary movements.
The people - but at least back then, the rulers only had knives, swords, horses and maybe early versions of guns at their disposal.
Today's rulers? They enjoy grenades, insane explosives, machine guns, sniper rifles, tear gas, tanks and the most capable surveillance gear that money can buy. It has gone exponentially harder to depose dictators, and outright impossible without serious amounts of external help.
IMHO, it should be the responsibility of all rich, Western democracies to aid any and all democratic movements and to safeguard them against reactionary movements.
> They enjoy grenades, insane explosives, machine guns, sniper rifles, tear gas, tanks and the most capable surveillance gear that money can buy.
Counter argument is it’s incredibly cheap and easy to kill somebody in today’s age. Guns are accesible, Americans will literally sell anyone their guns. Search engines can find you ways to synthesize explosives and other nasty stuff.
> IMHO, it should be the responsibility of all rich, Western democracies to aid any and all democratic movements and to safeguard them against reactionary movements.
Same response to this sentiment as my previous comment. Please respect other countries’ sovereignty.
Counter argument is it’s incredibly cheap and easy to kill somebody in today’s age. Guns are accesible, Americans will literally sell anyone their guns. Search engines can find you ways to synthesize explosives and other nasty stuff.
> IMHO, it should be the responsibility of all rich, Western democracies to aid any and all democratic movements and to safeguard them against reactionary movements.
Same response to this sentiment as my previous comment. Please respect other countries’ sovereignty.
> Counter argument is it’s incredibly cheap and easy to kill somebody in today’s age. Guns are accesible, Americans will literally sell anyone their guns.
At scale, yes. But if you're some deep in the bush village in Africa you probably don't have the money to pay for American guns, and even if you had the money you'd still have to get the guns into the country and that will raise eyebrows. That's why many of the rebel groups in Africa are somewhat Islamist-affiliated, be it AQIM, IS or whatever - they got oil sheiks and their nation states backing their efforts. What remains is funded by Russia via its convenient Wagner proxy, or by looting some sort of natural resource. But there are no relevant actors funded by any Western nation, no movements for democracy ever since the Arab Spring. We're leaving Africa to Russia and Islamists - not a good thing if you ask me!
And South America has it even worse with all the narco cartels. Some of them got more money at their disposal than the legitimate government.
> Search engines can find you ways to synthesize explosives and other nasty stuff.
These need precursor chemicals (which are, I'll admit that, available if you know someone in China or India), but again, getting hold of these in relevant scales to matter will raise eyebrows.
> Please respect other countries’ sovereignty.
I only respect democratically backed governments. Authoritarians of any kind - military juntas, warlords, religion-based dictatorships, ordinary kleptocrats, why should I have any respect for those who enjoy no backing of their populace? Why should anyone have respect for those who loot the natural resources and exploit the labor of those without power?
At scale, yes. But if you're some deep in the bush village in Africa you probably don't have the money to pay for American guns, and even if you had the money you'd still have to get the guns into the country and that will raise eyebrows. That's why many of the rebel groups in Africa are somewhat Islamist-affiliated, be it AQIM, IS or whatever - they got oil sheiks and their nation states backing their efforts. What remains is funded by Russia via its convenient Wagner proxy, or by looting some sort of natural resource. But there are no relevant actors funded by any Western nation, no movements for democracy ever since the Arab Spring. We're leaving Africa to Russia and Islamists - not a good thing if you ask me!
And South America has it even worse with all the narco cartels. Some of them got more money at their disposal than the legitimate government.
> Search engines can find you ways to synthesize explosives and other nasty stuff.
These need precursor chemicals (which are, I'll admit that, available if you know someone in China or India), but again, getting hold of these in relevant scales to matter will raise eyebrows.
> Please respect other countries’ sovereignty.
I only respect democratically backed governments. Authoritarians of any kind - military juntas, warlords, religion-based dictatorships, ordinary kleptocrats, why should I have any respect for those who enjoy no backing of their populace? Why should anyone have respect for those who loot the natural resources and exploit the labor of those without power?
Western countries have routinely undermined democratically elected governments - Iran, Chile, so I don’t think they’re the paragons of values you think they are. Why should non-rich/non-western countries respect anything that the west does except for fear of military intervention?
Democracies have spread faster in since the Cold War than at any time in history.