Despite the recnt public outcry against the hosting of the last phase of the World Summit on Information Society in Tunisia (WSIS Tunisia 2005) because it's government is percieved to be repressive when it comes to the media and public speech, I have come across some interesting information about that country that is worth considering.
I run into Mike Lawrie, one of the pioneers of Internet in Africa and he said that Tunisia was the first if not one of the first countries in Africa to pass IP traffic and then i read this piece from Russell Southwood's weekly update - Balancing Act
TUNISIAN RAILWAY COMPANY OFFERS INTERNET ACCESS ON LONG DISTANCE
TRAINS
The Tunisian national railway company (SNCFT) is providing
internet access on board its long distance trains, it was announced in Tunis.
Passengers can now surf the web at a low cost from the comfort of their train
cars. This new service was made possible through a new venture financed of the
National Solidarity Bank, a microcredit institution which provides
young university graduates with low interest rate loans of up to 33, 000
dinars to help them set up their own business ventures.
The second story connotes entrepreneurial uptake from two national institutions to promote the Intenret - a private sector domnated area. Also the subject of collaboration to deliver this service chances the growth of local SMEs.
These two stories are interesting and present a case for the mileage that the
Internet is getting in Tunisia but the question the bothers my mind is with such
pervasiveness of the Internet why wont that be the vehicle for "public speech"
in a "public space"?