Edward Snowden statement

[Crayo]

http://wikileaks.org/Statement-from-Edward-Snowden-in.html

One week ago I left Hong Kong after it became clear that my freedom and safety were under threat for revealing the truth. My continued liberty has been owed to the efforts of friends new and old, family, and others who I have never met and probably never will. I trusted them with my life and they returned that trust with a faith in me for which I will always be thankful.


On Thursday, President Obama declared before the world that he would not permit any diplomatic "wheeling and dealing" over my case. Yet now it is being reported that after promising not to do so, the President ordered his Vice President to pressure the leaders of nations from which I have requested protection to deny my asylum petitions.

This kind of deception from a world leader is not justice, and neither is the extralegal penalty of exile. These are the old, bad tools of political aggression. Their purpose is to frighten, not me, but those who would come after me.

For decades the United States of America have been one of the strongest defenders of the human right to seek asylum. Sadly, this right, laid out and voted for by the U.S. in Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, is now being rejected by the current government of my country. The Obama administration has now adopted the strategy of using citizenship as a weapon. Although I am convicted of nothing, it has unilaterally revoked my passport, leaving me a stateless person. Without any judicial order, the administration now seeks to stop me exercising a basic right. A right that belongs to everybody. The right to seek asylum.

In the end the Obama administration is not afraid of whistleblowers like me, Bradley Manning or Thomas Drake. We are stateless, imprisoned, or powerless. No, the Obama administration is afraid of you. It is afraid of an informed, angry public demanding the constitutional government it was promised — and it should be.
I am unbowed in my convictions and impressed at the efforts taken by so many.
Edward Joseph Snowden
Monday 1st July 2013

Anyone else following this?

 

[Jonathan]

Just read this, he raises a lot of valid points it has to be said..

 

[Cloud]

This is like the tip of the iceberg. In other words what they are letting us know.

 

[Crayo]

His letter to Ecuador, seeking asylum:

Text of a letter by Edward Snowden to the President of Ecuador, Rafael Correa. Written in Spanish; obtained and translated by the Press Association, London
There are few world leaders who would risk standing for the human rights of an individual against the most powerful government on earth, and the bravery of Ecuador and its people is an example to the world.
I must express my deep respect for your principles and sincere thanks for your government's action in considering my request for political asylum.
The government of the United States of America has built the world's largest system of surveillance. This global system affects every human life touched by technology; recording, analysing, and passing secret judgment over each member of the international public.
It is a grave violation of our universal human rights when a political system perpetuates automatic, pervasive and unwarranted spying against innocent people.
In accordance with this belief, I revealed this programme to my country and the world. While the public has cried out support of my shining a light on this secret system of injustice, the government of the United States of America responded with an extrajudicial man-hunt costing me my family, my freedom to travel and my right to live peacefully without fear of illegal aggression.
As I face this persecution, there has been silence from governments afraid of the United States government and their threats. Ecuador however, rose to stand and defend the human right to seek asylum.
The decisive action of your consul in London, Fidel Narvaez, guaranteed my rights would be protected upon departing Hong Kong – I could never have risked travel without that. Now, as a result, and through the continued support of your government, I remain free and able to publish information that serves the public interest.
No matter how many more days my life contains, I remain dedicated to the fight for justice in this unequal world. If any of those days ahead realise a contribution to the common good, the world will have the principles of Ecuador to thank.
Please accept my gratitude on behalf of your government and the people of the Republic of Ecuador, as well as my great personal admiration of your commitment to doing what is right rather than what is rewarding.
Edward Joseph Snowden.

 

[Aids Johnson]

Really hoping this all works out for him. I cannot stand the issues with people in our country just throwing away the rights to know. "We've known about this for years" i hear over and over, as if it isnt some issue. I think what is crazy is how quickly people can move from "criminal" to "terrorist," and that really worries me.

What he did made him capable of being fired from his company, he breached certain rules with this work, and i understand that. The international manhunt? :gtfo: of here.

 

[Crayo]

Couldn't agree more. He exposed America breaking international law and policy, so America chase him for... breaking the law... How can this be okay? I'm just baffled at how many people either don't care, or refuse to admit that the media coverage they are receiving is somewhat censored and doesn't say the real story. I'd agree with them if Edward Snowden ran to China with his USB stick filled with classified information and showed them, as all nations need military secrets and such, but that's not the case.

 

[Dolph'sZiggler]

What manhunt has been going on exactly? They've asked China and Russia to extradite him is about it.

 

[Crayo]

What manhunt has been going on exactly? They've asked China and Russia to extradite him is about it.

They've revoked his passport, forcing Snowden to be a stateless person. They are pressuring nations like Ecuador not to grant him asylum. You don't think this is a manhunt? They are doing everything POSSIBLE to get him. Unfortunately for them, flying and getting him themselves isn't an option.

 

[Dolph'sZiggler]

They've revoked his passport, forcing Snowden to be a stateless person. They are pressuring nations like Ecuador not to grant him asylum. You don't think this is a manhunt? They are doing everything POSSIBLE to get him. Unfortunately for them, flying and getting him themselves isn't an option.

It is an option lol.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humberto_Álvarez_Machaín

don't underestimate the US

 

[Crayo]

Lol completely different and you know it. Times have changed, foreign policy has changed. This is on every news station around the world. This involves a lot of other powerful countries as well.

 

[Dolph'sZiggler]

Lol completely different and you know it. Times have changed, foreign policy has changed. This is on every news station around the world. This involves a lot of other powerful countries as well.

Just saying there is precedence of the US breaking extradition laws. They know he isn't going anywhere so they have no reason to do that at this point in time. They will just continue to use political threats against countries he reaches out to for asylum.

I just sit back and view our government like entertainment. What crazy shit will they do next.

 

[Crayo]

They can't do shit if he gets asylum. Assange is proof of that. Assange done more damage than Snowden.

Isn't Assange running for senate in Australia whilst stuck in Ecuadorian asylum in the UK? Not sure if he is currently, but he did or is planning to.

 

[Snowman]

Thought Ecuador was going to help him out, praising him as a "human right activist". Perfect terminology

 

[Dolph'sZiggler]

It only takes one country to give him asylum but as pissed as we are about this shit and as hard as we are pressuring countries about it I can't see it happening.

 

[Dolph'sZiggler]

Thought Ecuador was going to help him out, praising him as a "human right activist". Perfect terminology

Doesn't seem like it

http://dailycaller.com/2013/07/02/ecuador-president-helping-snowden-was-a-mistake/

Biden has sunk his hooks in. It would be incredibly ballsy of Ecuador to stand up and say Fuck you USA!