Digitalizing Myanmar: Connectivity Developments in Political Transitions – Andrea Calderaro expression and digital rights, nor consistent evidence of a commitment to human rights. In fact, Ooredoo has in the past accepted the Qatari government’s internet censorship requests by blocking VoIP Skype services in the country and by using SmartFilter, an internet filter used also in autocratic regimes including Iran, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Sudan, and Tunisia, 11 to block websites deemed inappropriate for “national morality and customs.” Ooredoo faces additional problems, as its perception as a “Muslim” company has been negatively received by Myanmar’s Buddhist leaders. 12 As internal religious tensions between the country’s 90% Buddhist population and 4-8% Muslim minority have caused an increasing number of violent episodes and conflicts, Ooredoo faces a serious challenge in easing this potential conflict.13 In contrast to Ooredoo, Telenor has an advanced, publicly-available policy for the protection of human rights. 14 Telenor is member of the Telecommunication Industry Dialogues,15 a consortium of telecom companies,16 which, in March 2013, released a joint document on “Guiding Principles on Freedom of Expression and Privacy.” 17 The company also released a policy document in which it publicly commits to protecting its subscribers’ freedom of expression and privacy, and avoiding shutting down its services. Telenor, however, does disclose that shutting down services may occur in “extraordinary events” due to national security threats, 11 Deibert, R.J. et al., 2008. Access Denied: The Practice and Policy of Global Internet Filtering, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press 12 “Responding to Buddhist nationalists, Myanmar looks to restrict inter-faith marriage.” Human Right Watch, 3 July 2014. Available at: http://www.hrw.org/news/2014/07/03/responding-buddhistnationalists-myanmar-looks-restrict-inter-faith-marriage ; 13 The Dark Side of Transition: Violence Against Muslims in Myanmar, International Crisis Group, 1 October 2013. Available at: http://www.crisisgroup.org/~/media/Files/asia/south-east-asia/burmamyanmar/251-the-dark-side-of-transition-violence-against-muslims-in-myanmar.pdf 14 Telenor Group. “Human Rights.” http://www.telenor.com/sustainability/human-rights/ 15 Telecommunications Industry Dialogue. “About.” http://www.telecomindustrydiaologue.org 16 Including: Alcatel-Lucent, AT&T, Millicom, NSN, Orange, Telesoniera, Telefonica, Telenor, Vodafone 17 Telecommunications Industry Dialogue, 2013. Guiding Principles on Freedom of Expression and Privacy. Available at: http://www.telenor.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Telecoms-Industry-Dialogue-%20Principles-Version1.pdf 9