Ethiopia: Banking, businesses stalled due to Internet cut-off

Photograph: Alamy

ESAT News (June 2, 2017)

Internet shutdown entered its fourth day Friday in Ethiopia with banks and businesses unable to function, negatively impacting the already struggling economy, an economy the regime and its allies like to call a miracle.

Even the propaganda machines of the regime are not immune from the Internet cut-off. The online versions of all the major media outlets of the regime have been muted for the fourth day.

The shutdown was reportedly done to prevent the leaking of high school national examinations but regime officials and the state owned and sole telecommunications provider, Ethio Telecom, declined to give reasons for the internet closures.

Last year, the national exam was leaked over social media by activists forcing authorities to reschedule the tests and temporarily shutdown social media platforms.

Ethiopian regime cut off the internet and social media platforms during the anti-government protests a year ago.

Ethiopia has one of the lowest internet penetrations in the world with a 4.2% penetration, according to Internet Live Stats.