Revealing our history and present

You would have to have been living under a very large sound proof rock to have missed the debacle around Wikileaks of late. Personally I think the situation developing around Julian Assange is equivalent to a modern day witch hunt but I’ll get to that later.

I first heard about Wikileaks when they released information on Trafigura (sorry the original Wikileaks entry no longer available). This was a case where the law firm Carter-Ruck (oh ye ethical men) had obtained a super-injunction from the British courts to prevent any information about the activities of Trafigura and in particular a question presented during a Commons session at the Houses of Parliament (imagine, enforcing silence in a democratic arena) being reported on by the media. A super injunction means the press cannot report a story, and neither can they report on the fact that the injunction exists i.e. report no evil becomes see no evil. Enter Wikileaks.

The backstory was that a British firm called Trafigura were transporting toxic waste and dumping it on the coasts of West Africa, nearest to Côte d’Ivoire. Was it legal? Well what do you think? It was a huge story in the UK, not least because this new vehicle of super injunction was being used more and more to help cover up cover ups and keep joe public totally in the dark. Even more alarming was that the super injunction was granted regarding commentary within the seat of government and the home of so called democratic activity in the UK.

That was last year. Fast forward to now, we see continued evidence of things people don’t want us to know about. I don’t believe the leaks are putting lives in danger, the people who orchestrate the war mongering, corruption and culture of secrecy do. Their exposure should tell us only that vampires continue to hide from daylight. The only place they can suck your blood is in the shadows ya heard?

They say knowledge is power, well go read Solomon Sydelle’s views on the cables relating to Nigeria and the activities of the late Yar’Adua, his wife and our beloved Shell (never one to miss out on a bad PR party). Latest releases today look to Ghana and the drug smuggling within the seat of government. Quite ironic this information comes up on the day the oil wells started pumping. Oh Ghana, I hope you look east and learn some serious lessons.

Lets just say these cables show us that there is no grey in the realms of those in positions of power and government. There is nasty nasty muck. Pure unadulterated shit and it does not have mine nor any of your best interests at heart. Simples. Remember that next time you go to vote.

Now onto the case against the founder. This is a very dangerous situation. Sweden has gone from having probably the most flexible process for supporting victims of sexual assault and exploitation, to being the scene of potentially the most vindictive piece of revenge by women or a US backed honey trap like no other.

To my knowledge, there is no report of violence. The two women involved “sought advice” (a Swedish mechanism allowing victims to avoid filing a formal report) after they found out about each others encounters with Julian. Also, the question here is about the Swedish legal system’s assertion that sex without a condom is essentially rape. Now that’s one allowance too far for me. You can read up on the full murkiness of it all on from The Guardian.

His arrest in the UK is interesting, as an internationally connected man, one wonders what it is about British law that makes him feel this is the best place to hand himself in? His expectations may have been a bit high. In the same week a man accused of arranging his wife’s brutal murder gets bail, Julian Assange doesn’t for a case which has been filed in another country, by victims who have not formally filed a complaint, on a charge that has not been formally placed. Erm….yeah….this doesn’t sound dodgy at all.

Wish I could be alive in 75 years time when either the CIA or MI5 documents with extreme redactions come out to explain just why it is that this man can in modern times be so hated after the deed is done.

Like a very astute person said on Twitter, if Assange was Chinese and releasing information solely about China, he would be hailed a dissident, be up for a Nobel Peace Prize and be invited to dine with Sam-Cam at a Con-Dem-nation sponsored event. Go figure.

Go here to access Wikileaks and a list of all the mirror sites. Keep them alive.