Recently I saw an interesting video interview at TED Global 2010. Till that time, WikiLeaks is just a name I knew. I surmised it was leaking out classified documents exposing misdeeds of people in power. Through this video interview, I learnt about Julian Assange, Editor-in-Chief of WikiLeaks. The interview was fascinating. Then I took steps to know more about Assange. Naturally, I went first to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, and read the biography of Assange and learnt some more interesting facts about him. His parents were running a touring theatre company in Australia and hence they were on the move most of the time. As a result, Assange was enrolled in 37 schools and later six universities!
He was a hacker, free software developer. With the help of Whistleblowers, WikiLeaks exposed the extra judicial assassinations in Kenya, "a devastating portrait of the failing war in Afghanistan" (as New York Times called it) and Baghdad civilian killings. ( video depicting the killing of at least eighteen people, including two Reuters journalist, by American soldiers from an helicopter) WikiLeaks archives contain a huge collection of classified documents, which would be of great interest to investigative journalists. Assange stands for transparent and scientific approach to journalism. He is often called as one of the most intriguing people in the world and Internet's freedom fighter.
Assange has been awarded the 2009 Amnesty International Media Award (New Media) for exposing extrajudicial assassinations in Kenya with the investigation, "The Cry of Blood – Extra Judicial Killings and Disappearances", 2008 Economist Index on Censorship Award, Sam Adams Award for his integrity and ethics and various other media awards.
It is said that the 39-year old Assange never stays more than a week at a place and travels most of the time and hence spends more time in airports. A very interesting and courageous guy! God bless him!!
For further reading:
For further reading:
Julian Assange from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_AssangeWikiLeaks from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikileaks
Julian Assange: Why the world needs WikiLeaks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNOnvp5t7Do
Grateful thanks to TED Global, YouTube and Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
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