<html xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
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--></style></head><body lang=EN-IN link=blue vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>I am not aware of the India Kolkata chapter engaging with Tṛinamul Congress on the issue of suspension of Internet services in Darjeeling. I am looping in Anupam, Chapter President, for comment.</p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Sent from mobile device; please excuse brevity</p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal style='border:none;padding:0cm'><b>From: </b><a href="mailto:walid@al-saqaf.se">Walid AL-SAQAF</a><br><b>Sent: </b>20 August 2017 04:52<br><b>To: </b><a href="mailto:niel@cal.indiax.com">Niel Hirjee</a><br><b>Cc: </b><a href="mailto:chapter-delegates@elists.isoc.org">chapter-delegates@elists.isoc.org</a>; <a href="mailto:rhill@hill-a.ch">Richard Hill</a><br><b>Subject: </b>Re: [Chapter-delegates] Internet Shutdowns in India</p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Thank you Richard and Niel for informing us about this alarming ingoing shutdown of Internet access in <span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Darjeeling.</span></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Have there been any coordinated activities by the local ISOC Chapters and with communication with ISOC on this matter?</p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Sincerely,</p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Walid Al-Saqaf</p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> </p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>On Aug 20, 2017 00:11, "Niel Hirjee" <<a href="mailto:niel@cal.indiax.com">niel@cal.indiax.com</a>> wrote:</p><blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 6.0pt;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-right:0cm'><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>I live in Kolkata, the metropolis nearest to Darjeeling. I am alarmed and saddened by the withdrawal of internet access to citizens there due to an issue between two political parties, one of which is ‘in power’ in the region – Trinamul Congress. Their website is: <a href="http://aitcofficial.org/" target="_blank">http://aitcofficial.org/</a></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> </p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>If you wish to do so, please contact them to record your protest against the internet shutdown in the Darjeeling area.</p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> </p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>Sent from mobile device; please excuse brevity</p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> </p><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b>From: </b><a href="mailto:rhill@hill-a.ch" target="_blank">Richard Hill</a><br><b>Sent: </b>19 August 2017 16:19<br><b>To: </b><a href="mailto:chapter-delegates@elists.isoc.org" target="_blank">'ISOC Chapter Delegates'</a><br><b>Subject: </b>[Chapter-delegates] Internet Shutdowns in India</p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> </p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>The following information is courtesy of Mishi Choudhary, Software Freedom Law Center.</p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> </p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>18 August marks the completion of two months of continuous Internet shutdown in Darjeeling, West Bengal, India. Two months back, on 19th June, 2017, mobile Internet services were blocked in the town following deaths of party supporters in violent clashes between the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and security forces after the former called for a complete strike in its agitation for a separate Gorkhaland. Here is our report on what the citizens are facing.</p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> </p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><a href="https://internetshutdowns.in" target="_blank">https://internetshutdowns.in</a> </p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> </p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><a href="http://sflc.in/darjeeling-internet-ban-completes-two-months/?utm_content=buffer7bbd4&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer" target="_blank">http://sflc.in/darjeeling-internet-ban-completes-two-months/?utm_content=buffer7bbd4&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer</a></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> </p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>Best,</p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>Richard</p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> </p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> </p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>_______________________________________________</p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>As an Internet Society Chapter Officer you are automatically subscribed</p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>to this list, which is regularly synchronized with the Internet Society</p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>Chapter Portal (AMS): <a href="https://portal.isoc.org" target="_blank">https://portal.isoc.org</a></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> </p></div></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><br>_______________________________________________<br>As an Internet Society Chapter Officer you are automatically subscribed<br>to this list, which is regularly synchronized with the Internet Society<br>Chapter Portal (AMS): <a href="https://portal.isoc.org" target="_blank">https://portal.isoc.org</a></p></blockquote></div></div></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>