Asia Techonomics: Entscheidet Elon Musk in Myanmar über Leben und Tod?
Nicht nur im Ukrainekrieg ist Starlink unverzichtbar: In Myanmar warnen Helfer über das Satelliteninternet vor Luftangriffen. Doch immer mehr Nutzer verlieren den Zugang. Es ist Zeit für Wettbewerb.
Elon Musk's aerospace company SpaceX did not decide the pace of Ukrainian drones' flights during a military conflict in October. Instead, the company abruptly introduced a speed limit of 160 kilometers per hour for the country's intercepted drones. The limit was imposed without prior notice, and SpaceX attributed it to Ukraine's offensive drone strikes violating usage conditions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described it as a grave mistake, potentially costing lives.
Only after extensive criticism from Ukraine's supporters did SpaceX lift the restrictions. The immense influence that Musk wields over Starlink in conflict zones is evident in other parts of the world as well. In Myanmar's civil war, activists and human rights organizations warn that Musk's actions could endanger civilians. Since the military coup in February 2021, government forces have been fighting resistance groups in Myanmar, cutting off regular phone and internet services in about 80 of the country's 330 districts.
Starlink's satellite internet terminals have become the primary alternative in these regions, serving more than 13 million inhabitants.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
