:: Deepquest ::

Zimbabwe’s opposition and civil society groups have expressed anger at a proposed law to monitor communications.
The bill proposes a monitoring centre, apparently with Chinese technology, that would eavesdrop on telephone, internet and other communications.

The government says the bill is similar to anti-terror laws elsewhere to protect people from organised crime.

Parliament began public hearings on the Interception of Communications Bill on Wednesday amid heated exchanges.

“One of the key obligations on internet service providers (ISPs) is to install equipment which would allow them to interface between the ISP and the monitoring service,” Jim Holland, spokesman for the Zimbabwe Internet Service Providers’ Association, told the BBC News website.

Technology

This equipment would have to be installed at the expense of the ISP.

Mr Holland said his organisation would seek clarification on whether the bill applied to all companies that provide internet services to the public.

The advancement in technology today means that no one is safe at all from the source of terrorism
Brig Gen Mike Sango

Have Your Say

Asked whether Zimbabwe had the technological capacity to implement the changes proposed in the bill, Mr Holland said: “I would imagine it is now here. There are obviously now close links with the Chinese, who are specialists in the interception of radio and internet communication.”

Zimbabwean telephone calls are already monitored.

“The Posts and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority said the interface was already there – all that is required is to connect to the monitoring centre,” Mr Holland said.

Monitoring internet communication is nevertheless more complicated than monitoring phone calls, and Zimbabweans using an overseas-based webmail service would be able to avoid bugging by the authorities in Zimbabwe.

The government has defended the proposal in the name of national security.

“The advancement in technology today means that no one is safe at all from the source of terrorism, mercenarism and organised crime,” Brig Gen Mike Sango of the Zimbabwe Defence Force told the hearing.

“A piece of legislation has been long overdue on this particular problem.”

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