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Wikileaks redefines access to info narrative
December 02, 2011
Wikileaks website was created by an Australian editor, writer Julian Assange. This site was first published as Wiki Site. Wikileaks is also an international non-profit organization and its database includes up to 1.2 million documents. It was created on the basis of transparency and freedom of sharing of information which is based on the article 19 of Universal Declaration of Human rights.
In 2006 Chinese dissidents and journalists from other countries worked on the wiki leaks. Wiki leaks includes secret information and diplomatic cables that are exchanged between different countries. Information regarding the war crimes and prisoner abuse by American soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan were published specifically in Iraq War Log and Afganistan Diary.
During the year 2007, Wikileaks published that America has kept some prisoners in Guantanamo Bay area, whereas, Americans have repeatedly denied these reports. Wikileaks also published documents about several countries and certain hidden information about leaders, certain facts and diplomatic cables. Pakistan due to its involvement in war against terrorism was also one of the countries where secret information between leaders was leaked.
Some of these wiki leaks have a great impact on the public opinion despite being condemned across the world. Pakistan was also one of the countries on whom wiki leaks surprised all with secret information. Some of the examples are as following: it leaked that PM Gillani feared riots over load-shedding. These wiki leaks were leaked on the condition of load-shedding in Pakistan during which PPP had to face a lot of internal pressure as a number of schools, institutions, and factories were closing down. Therefore, fear was of political insecurity and instability as it could be a factor of losing government.
In another wiki leak, a secret cable between W. Anne Peterson and Washington revealed that President Zardari thanked USA for winning elections saying: ‘we are here because of you’.
In another wiki leak, high Pakistani officials were said to be spying for the US. And they were providing all sorts of information to the US.
These wikileaks, which some times, bring out very classified issues to public, can affect a lot of things in the political world like relations between countries. Wikileaks is said to be a transparency organization which exposes truths about oppressive governments. On the other end, wikileaks is condemned as it leaks classified information which can bring a lot of change. There is debate regarding wikileaks as it is based upon the idea of freedom of expression and of sharing of information.
However, if sharing of information leads to any harm to an individual or a number of people, then it will be considered as a burden. Similarly if the wikileaks help in bringing out positive change through the information they share which often remains hidden for years, then it is a great service to people around the world. But whether the change will be positive or negative depends upon the nature of information as well and the choices that are made later on regarding those information, and, of course, the opinions held by people who are in important positions is also vital.
Therefore, these wikileaks have leaked certain classified and secret documents over the time regarding different countries. Pakistan and USA due to their collaboration in the war against Terror are also amongst them.
Wiki leaks have brought a new change in the media world by choosing another way of sharing information with public which has remained secret. Due to these leaks, several countries are facing problems as many articles and cables have been given to the wikileaks. Wikileaks has a huge impact on the people as several debates have opened up.
Different countries around the world and leaders are facing pressure internally and externally because of the secret information that has been leaked. Due to the secret information revealed, Julian Assange was arrested in Dec 2010 in UK. Many countries have tried to close down the site but have not been successful till now.
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