By now, most Mauritian bloggers and Internet users must be aware of "The Facebook Affair", to which the Mauritian Blogosphere reacted quasi-immediately, with criticism popping out from everywhere. It was considered to be a drastic measure and a step towards curtailing of the basic Freedom of Information of Mauritians.

Now, another event came on to the foreground, and acts as a real confirmation that our freedom, our rights and our ethics are really being messed with. What is that event? Read on!

If you have read Le Defi Plus of Saturday, you'd have seen the main article. Our Minister of I.T and Communications imported a certain device that allows people to listen-into conversations of people. Yes people, Mr. Etienne Sinatambou imported a spy gadget. The worst thing is, it was to be installed at his workplace, the Ministry of IT and Comms.

Now, if that is not invasion of privacy, I don't know how to term it. What did he want to do with that gadget? To spy of fellow colleagues? To know what they are saying about him? In one word: To spy.

Utilisé par les militaires, selon l’Icta

Cet appareil devait être installé au ministère des Technologies de l’Infor­mation et de la Com­m­­unication au bâtiment Paille-en-Queue. Il pouvait intercepter les conversations dans un rayon de 400 mètres

According to the article, the range of this gadget is around 400m. Now imagine that being installed in Paille en Queue building in Port Louis. Imagine the coverage! Everything from around KFC, to Rogers and to SBM would be covered. Now this is nasty.

I leave you to your conclusion, but according to me, we are in for some troubles. I don't know how this Government thinks, but I don't think it considers our rights and freedoms.

Here are two very interesting articles I found. One on the Facebook Affair, and the other on the Spy Gadget thing of Etienne Sinatambou. Beware folks, we'd be having Men In Black in Mauritius now, using ear-pieces and having tranquilizer guns and all. :)