Summary: Microsoft extends digital handcuffs to the east and the west

Boycott Novell has been keeping track of Microsoft's moves in Thailand this year [1, 2]. Microsoft is particularly interested in making schools turn kids into Microsoft customers. The earlier, the better. It is truly a tragedy and some would label it child abuse when people decide for a young child what he or she is supposed to use and under whose rules.

Someone has just informed us of this new Microsoft deal:

Microsoft extended 'Partners in Learning' program to next five years

[...]

The Office of the Basic Education Commission, Ministry of Education and Microsoft Thailand have officially announced their extended collaboration for the successful Partners in Learning program (PiL) over the next five years (2009 กV 2013). In a MOU signing ceremony held today, the two parties both looked to the future and celebrated five years of achievements through the program which was established with a goal of transforming education through the integration of information and technology.

It's an MOU, a programme whose details appear in this leaked document from Microsoft.

Moving on from Thailand, another someone has informed us that the Gates Foundation is investing in Peru. The Gates Foundation is routinely used as a financial vehicle to promote Microsoft's agenda without it actually looking like Microsoft bribes for deals. We wrote about the Canadian government in this context. Bill Gates is giving it billions of dollar and the government then signs multi-billion dollar deals with Microsoft.

Anyway, here is a translation of the report from Peru, courtesy of our reader:

I just wanted to make you aware that the damned monopoly tries hard to consolidate its empire by investing on Peruvian economy.

"(Peru.com: 2009/2/26) (EFE) .- The Bill Gates Foundation is interested in entering the microfinance sector in Peru, reported the head of the Superintendency of Banking, Insurance and Pension Fund Administrators of this country, Philip Tam"

This is the original page in Spanish:

http://www.peru.com/finanzas/idocs2/2009/2/26/DetalleDocumento_541918.asp

This will increase pressure on small && medium size companies by ensuring loans to them only if they get into the proprietary bondage. Digital colonialism at its highest:

""In the national micro finance sector are important players such as the BBVA Microfinance Foundation, other foundations are also very important as that of Bill Gates, who also wants to Peru," Tam said the agency Andina."

Knowing the corrupt authorities in Latin America this will perpetuate Microsoft bondage on emergent economies. This will give more leverage to MS to do what the did in Colombia by bribing them to vote for MSXLM standard ISO approval, and the way they try to derail FLOSS advances in Eastern Europe, South Africa and other countries. This also will give them leverage to press for software patents not only in Peru but all Latin America. Remember they're afraid that everyone's follows Brazil's path to technological independence.

I hope that the Peruvian youth and free entrepreneurs don't bite the lure to perpetual bondage and follow Brazil's path to technological independence that leads to economical independence.

Did Peru learn nothing about foreign occupation before letting Bill Gates in? This is a very foolish decision. It's selfish, it's abusive, and maybe kickbacks (gentle bribes) are involved.

Let's not forget what Microsoft does in Brazil (Globo), in Chile, in Colombia, and other south American countries. It's a direct assault in libre software and GNU/Linux. ⬆