The death of the Romanian Academic Network?

[Marius Hancu]

Hello, everyone:

This is a time for action.

As one who spent 3 years on trying to help with others (by founding
and coordinating Free Unix for Romania) the development of the Internet
in Romania, it is with utmost consternation that I learn about the
latest decision of the Romanian government to practically sign
the death act of the Romanian Academic Network, by cutting the
funding which is necessary in order to pay the internal traffic
to RomTelecom. The internal RomTelecom lines (digital lines, 2M)
were cut due to unpaid bills.

Please read this article by Prof. Irina Athanasiu
http://www.agora.ro/agora/main/roedunet.html

and check the status of the network, showing no current
connectivity to the country side:
http://www.roedu.net/Statistics/

This is an act which parallels in its potential effects on the
Romanian scientific development and universities, the de facto
closing of the Mathematics Institute of the Romanian Academy
under the Ceausescu dictatorship, but will be much more spread
and felt.

We also see this as a closing of the Romanian universities (especially
those in the countryside), of the young Romanian minds, to the
benefits of the Internet. It is as if a new Wall will be built
around Romania by those which should show vision but are
blind instead ... An Open Society cannot be built with the
curtains shut ...

This will also make sure that the efforts of literally hundreds of
Romanian experts who have contributed to building this network
(many of them without being paid for their efforts) will
be annihilated and their knowledge spent in the wind, their
tight teams disbanded.

Act NOW.

Make your voice heard loudly in all Romanian forums, in order to
make the Romanian government change its dark intentions. Write to
the Romanian press, contact the members of the Romanian Parliament
or Senate, contact the Embassies and Consulates, use
any means you can in order to achieve the cancellation
of these blind measures.

--
Regards,
Marius Hancu
President, Varelius Systems Corp.
Montreal, Canada