BANGKOK, 12 May: Politically-motivated hackers have defaced the web page containing a statement calling for the immediate withdrawal of US and UK troops from Iraq. Using United States and Israeli flags to obliterate the text and making an automatic link to the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the cyber censors made it impossible for supporters visiting the web site to sign the demands.
The statement, entitled "International demands regarding the invasion, occupation and reconstruction of Iraq", was issued by the non-profit Bangkok-based policy and research centre Focus on the Global South on 7 May. In spite of the hackers' efforts, individuals and organisations are now writing to Focus directly, alerting that the web site has been hacked and asking that their names be added to the statement. So far, almost 400 groups and individuals have supported the demands.
Focus on the Global South immediately advised the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs that their web site was being used by hackers. The Bangkok embassy confirmed that the web site linked to the defaced page is the official site of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and immediately alerted their technical staff in Jerusalem.
The statement also provoked several vitriolic emails from non-supporters.
The full statement can be read at
http://www.focusweb.org/index.php?option=news&task=viewarticle&sid=74
The defaced web page can be viewed at http://www.focusweb.org/demands/demands.html
If you would like to support the statement, write directly to n.bullard at focusweb.org
For more information: Nicola Bullard +66 2 218 7363, +66 1 987 5011
ADVANCE NOTICE
First international post-Iraq war peace conference, Jakarta, 19-21 May, 2003
As part of its ongoing efforts to promote peace building and human security, Focus on the Global South is co-sponsoring a three-day international peace conference in Jakarta on 19-21 May. It is the first international conference of the peace movement since the Iraq war. Leading peace activists from Asia, Europe, Latin America, the USA and Africa will be attending.
For more information: Herbert Docena +63 917 8130877 or Nicola Bullard +66 2 218 7363, +66 1 987 5011
Press contact: Nicola Bullard
Focus on the Global South
Bangkok, Thailand
66 2 218 7363 -- Focus on the Global South (FOCUS) c/o CUSRI, Chulalongkorn University Bangkok 10330 THAILAND Tel: 662 218 7363/7364/7365/7383 Fax: 662 255 9976 Mobile: +6695215702 (in bangkok)
+639178996568 (in manila) Email: marylou at focusweb.org Website: www.focusweb.org