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: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.
‘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
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.Dramasett3r claimed myuganda.co.ug and Uganda’s Ministry Of Internal Affairs are the next targets.
“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.”
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.
