We already knew you don’t want to piss off the hackers at Anonymous and TheEliteSociety, but now the cyber-activists have turned their keyboard toward websites in African nations that criminalize homosexuality. The ongoing campaign has been dubbed “Operation Fuck Africa.”
According to Gay Star News, governmental and corporate websites in Botswana, Somalia, Sudan, and Uganda have been taken down or their databases leaked, with more attacks in the works.
TheEliteSociety founded by hacktivist known as @Dramasett3r is a gray hat hacktivist group, which may technically commit crimes during the course of their technological exploits but without malicious intent or for personal gain. The group also opposes any form of oppression and censorship.
In a statement @Dramasett3r of the EliteSociety said:
“Message to the governments and communications of Africa:
‘Allow myself and #EliteSociety, [to] welcome you to Operation FUCK AFRICA(#OpFuckAfrica).
So, what now? We’ve defaced your Prime Ministers site, leaked all of your National TV networks [databases]. So let me ask you this, what can you afford to lose next?
You want to put people to death, and support the beliefs of the killings of the LGBT people only because they have different likings than you do, how fucking disgusting.
Let me take you back to the 1800?s, when the Americans would infiltrate Africa and take people to work as slaves only because they were black. Your stereo-types are pathetic, and so are you and your security.
This will continue, until you change your ways and beliefs of LGTB. There is no need to put people to death for this, and we will not tolerate it.
Put this to a stop now, or else it all will be leaked worldwide.
We are #EliteSociety
#JusticeWillPrevail.#OpFuckAfrica
@DramaSett3r
Uganda, home of the eternally-pending “Kill the Gays” bill, was hit the hardest, with targets including websites for the Uganda Stock Exchange (hacked), the Uganda Law Society and Uganda National TV and the anti-gay newspaper Redpeper. The website for the country’s parliament was also hacked, with a photo from the recent Uganda Pride parade posted on its home page.
A message was posted on the prime minister’s site reads:
“You have been warned, repeatedly, to expect us. Your violations of the rights of LGBT people have disgusted us. ALL people have the right to live in dignity free from the repression of someone else’s political and religious beliefs.
“You should be PROUD of your LGBT citizens, because they clearly have more balls than you will ever have. Real Ugandan Pride is demonstrated in standing up to oppression despite fearing the abuse, torture and murder inflicted on LGBT [people] at the hands of the corrupt government.”
Dramasett3r claimed myuganda.co.ug and Uganda’s Ministry Of Internal Affairs are the next targets.
But the East African nation isn’t the only one in hacktivists’ crosshairs: The Botswana’s Export Development and Investment Authority’s website was hacked (and its database leaked) as were the sites for the Sudanese stock exchange and the Somalian TV netowrk Gurmad.
We’re not sure about this: We can appreciate a nonviolent but still forceful approach to attacking those who would oppress LGBT people, but in cases like this, its usually the innocents who suffer. Will the government target local gay activists as suspects in these hacking cases? How much sensitive information was posted online—and what is the cost to these already beleaguered nations?
What do you think—is this the wrong way to facilitate change or is it fair play when the lives of LGBT Africans are on the chopping block? Hack into the comments with your opinions.
Photo: Care2.com
tallskin2
Good for them!
Keep up the good work
BlueBird
I think it’s pretty justified. I’m all for non-violent protests and all that jazz, but when the government that you’ve placed so much faith in wants to wipe you out literally, I’d say to hell with it.
We’re not going down without a fight. Going to take some of those bastards down with us!
Mik
change the hearts of minds of people..by ticking them off… brilliant..
Scribe37
My hacking suggestions: Mormon and Catholic church , the RNC and NOM
Tavdy79
If the Ugandan/Botswanan etc. governments retaliate against their own people, there’s nothing really stopping Anonymous and TheEliteSociety from retaliating themselves. So far the site they’re hitting are important but not critical, and that may be intentional. I doubt many African governments have the resources they’d need to repel a major attack – not when the websites of several major corporations were taken out in 2010 using methods far less technically skilled than those available to Anonymous.
Also, Anonymous seem to have selected their targets carefully. The ones listed above mostly fell into two key categories: those used to spread misinformation and hate about LGBT people, and those used for external trade. The governments targetted have to be aware that a second attack is likely to be more severe, so I doubt they’ll be foolish enough to retaliate. They have to know they’re over a barrel on this one.
WAM
To those express discomfort because you think these awful countries will take it out on their own LGBT citizens…
Really? How will they do that? By killing them twice? I think this campaign is brilliant (although I wish they’d hire someone to do their writing, it could be a lot better), and I hope to see a lot more of it.
DB
Great job Anonymous/Anonymiss family! We work together as a unit world-wide and a major group of us do ops that solely pertain to freedom, human rights, abuse, and slavery issues. We get bad press on rogue parts of the group, but the majority of us have worked very hard to assist countries like Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Syria, Palestine, and many other countries. It is great to now be able to assist on issues within my own community.
Xavier
I think that the hacktivists need to do their research. Botswana is not a country that attacks its gays and lesbians. Yes, there are issues in Botswana but nothing on the lines of Somalia, Sudan, or Uganda. While there are anti-gay laws on the books there has been no government enforcement or prosecution for these laws in the last 15 or 20 years. The previous president of Botswana Festus Mogae has come out in support of LGBT Rights and has campaigned for the outdated statues (which I have to remind everyone are not enforced) to be removed. Furthermore, the current president has made it very clear that it is not a priority of his government to enforce this outdated legislation and LGBT folks in Botswana do not live in fear of prosecution from their government, rather the issue is societal and cultural discrimination. Not sure then, why the Botswana government were targeted. From wikipedia “The U.S. Department of State’s 2010 Human Rights Report found that “the police do not target homosexual activity, and there were no reports of violence against persons based on their sexual orientation or gender identity during the year. However, there were reports of societal discrimination and harassment of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons.”
Papi Balenciaga
@Scribe37: LOL, yeah when it starts raining red piss.
Selrah
Lol. “Operation Fuck Africa”
paula hare
RAINBOW FLAG TRANSGENDER VETERANS OF THE U.S.A. TV. SHOW ON CH.16 ON MTN TV IN MINNEAPOLE,MN.–Great job Anonymous GO FOR IT ALL —THANK YOU Anonymous
Ruhlmann
Whatever it takes.
Troy
I hope they hack the Taliban next and maybe if Romney gets elected a really reinstates DADT they will reveal his taxes and off site holdings.
Triple S
Yes, cause vigilantism is very acceptable 🙂
sic!
It’s morally wrong, but on the other hand it’s really nice show for mediaeval punks that few thousand miles away there’s group of smarter people. And that group is watching at their bloody hands and looking after LGBT people in Africa. Moreover, that acts of violence and bullshit speech about good people won’t be tolerated
Andrew
Especially with respect to Uganda, I think that these tactics are totally acceptable. When Nazi Germany was killing Jews, the world didn’t do enough to stop it. Consider this the 21st century version of infrastructure sabotage.
Blah Blah..huh?
@Scribe37: You forgot the FRC. That is if they can frame it well considering current developments. My reading of the above hack says that’s as likely as Queerty’s editors getting it done, but yeah. Good post.
Lisa Talmadge
Did anyone ask “African” GLBT people what they would like help with in activism? There are groups fighting hard and making gains and Anon and their stupid, ill conceived, paternalistic, colonialistic, western superiority based “Op” is offensive as hell. “Fuck Africa” are you kidding me? You really think that phrasing will help anything or anyone living on the CONTINENT of Africa? Western whitey has “fucked” Africa for 100’s of years, we continue to use Central African conflict minerals for the latest cell phone we have to have while people die in the mines. We are drilling and stealing their oil. We are polluting and joining in with US TROOPS in tribal and regional conflicts. We suppost dictators to “keep the region stable” so we can continue to steal and rape the continent. “Fuck Africa?” My friends WE are already “fucking Africa” in every way imaginable. This campaign is just about as thoughtless and arrogant as Kony 2012. We need to start changing our colonialist mindset and stop acting as though “Africans” have no autonomy, brains, ability or technology. Read the statement by SMUG Sexual Minorities Uganda, ask Pepe and Frank what they need and do something that will help our friends in Uganda and Kenya and not further endanger our LGBT activists. For connections to African activists and converstaion on how to effect chenge working WITH activists onthe ground, subscribe to me on FB- Lisa Equality Talmadge or twitter follow @lisatalmadge
Lyceius
Awesome. I really hope they can make a difference for all our brothers and sisters over there who have to live in fear every day. And for all of those that have been killed and or tortured already. Thank you anonymous 🙂
LynnHB
I totally agree with Lisa Talmadge (above) This is an arrogant & self-serving operation that is all about making these hackers feel powerful /look good to their friends/audience. From the name of the Op(FuckAfrica – really?) – to the lack of any kind of actual strategy for making the lives of LGBT folks in these African countries better – this is just thoughtless and arrogant and immature… And yes, dangerous to the real lives of LGBT folks actually living in these countries. Same old story – people thousands of miles away paternalistically think they know what is good for Africans! Ask activists on the ground what support they need, before endangering them.
Grevin
@Lisa Talmadge:
…says the white lady from Vermont.
Troy
Yea well at least they are doing something to try and make a difference while most
of us just sit around on Web sites commenting and not doing.
B
What Anonymous is doing is illegal in the U.S. and other countries, and if caught, they could end up in a lot of trouble. The laws do not distinguish targeted websites run by decent individuals or organizations from those run by slime-balls. You’ll get in as much trouble for breaking into a web site run by the government of Uganda as you would for breaking into one run by the Southern Poverty Law Center.