Counter Insurgency Strategy over online participation

Abstract presentation

Amara Thiha
M.A. (Roads to Democracy-ies)
Department of History
Uppsala University
Amara.Thiha.2587@student.uu.se
 About me and Introduction

Amara Thiha

• 1988 , March Born in Yangon

• 2005-2007 B.A. (SEAP studies) ,
Yangon University , Myanmar

• 2008-2009 M.Sc. ( electronic Government )

Örebro University , Sweden

• 2009- M.A. ( Roads to democracy-ies) ,

Uppsala University , Sweden

Current Research Fields

eParticipation , eRebellion , eDemocracy , COIN on eRebellion
 Democratic Society and Internet *

• Libertarianism in Nature

• Ultimate form of globalization

• Cyberspace Public Sphere

• eParticipation allowed citizens to

participate in decision making process

*Internet refers to web 2.0 in this presentation

 eRebellion* – Online participation

• Using Internet as medium to mobilize people

• Different Organizations , NGOs , international

media become an important actors

• Problem of representativeness become

crucial in international community

• Self-amplified which can bubbling the

information.

*eRebellion is an author defined termed , still in progress , to describe online participation to against government with external power actor
with the help of internet. From here , I’ll only use online participation which refer to eRebellion.
 Categorizing Online Participation

• Participation organized by extreme groups

without any international support
(e.g. Hungarian Guard and Neo-Nazism)

• Participation organized by separatist with the

help of different NGOs, IGOs and news media
(e.g. Kurdish separation movement)

• Participation organized by networked

insurgents with the help of different
communities or organization
(e.g. Al Qaeda)
 Participation organized by separatist with the help of different
NGOs, IGOs and news media

• Recognized by International community

• Access to International news media
• Supported by different activist groups and NGOs
• Aim for political legitimacy through international
reorganization
• Usually have armed insurgents
• Have strategic campaign plan
• Lobbying as a part of their Campaign

Threat Level : highest

Threats : international pressure, critique on international
media, global campaigns and even arm insurgents
and riots
 Usual Governments’ COIN strategies

• Reactive Strategy
• Banning and Filtering web content

Effectiveness : Low
Reason: Pressure is coming from outside , not domestic.
 Side Effect of Reactive Strategies

International Level
• Can be criticized for restrict law over freedom of
information and press
• Organization used this phenomenon as reasons to attack
in government’s image in international level
• Superiority over International media as lack of
participant from domestic

Domestic Level
• Limited access to web 2.0
• Slow development in ICT , eCommerce
• Lack of participation
• Lost of confidence over government
 Propose COIN Strategy

• Proactive rather than reactive

• Attack on political aim of organization rather than
reacting in domestic
• Access to International news media
• Improving transparency and democracy inside country
• Targeted banning on Organization rather than services
• Wave cyber based media warfare
• Conducting cyber warfare
• Allowed citizens to participate more on internet which
can increase government transparency and can regain
international support
• Citizens can regain representativeness from International
community which is currently hold by organization as
soon as Internet is not being filtered
 Conclusion & Question !

questions over presentation and research

Amara.Thiha.2587@student.uu.se