ASYLUM FOR JULIAN ASSANGE

 Julian Assange certainly knows where to seek an asylum.  Two months back when he sought protection and immunity from arrest  at the Ecuador Embassy many had thought why he went there of all countries in the world. Now Ecuador has granted him asylum. Though it is still not sure how he can be got out of the Embassy to Ecuador when a contingent of  British Police is waiting outside the Ecuador Embassy to arrest him the moment he crosses the ‘Laxman Rekha’ of diplomatic immunity. Any way Ecuador is taking a big responsibility and risk in the matter and not many countries would be ready to do that.  Behind that quite and impassive face of Assange there is a razor sharp mind and he knew where he would get asylum.

 There is no criminal offense charged against Assange in U.K. Assange is under court order to get extradited to Sweden on that Government’s request and Britain is obliged to execute the court orders. He is wanted in Sweden for a trial relating to an assault case.  If Assange had only the criminal charges in Sweden to answer to, all these would not have taken place.

 Julian Assange devised a new journalism and stretched freedom of the Press to its breaking point by leaking vital and mostly embarrassing details of U.S.and other big nations round the globe to the press. The U.S. is the most injured nation by the Wikileaks and although it is not in the picture it will emerge once Assange is extradited. Since the issue can be projected to endangering National security, it is unpredictable where Assange would wind up after long trial in the U.S.

 A majority of people who have read and enjoyed his electrifying leaks must be sympathetic to Assange for his plight as a result of his efforts to reveal the double standards of Heads of nations and the shallowness of foreign relations. The Press at that time gave much prominence to his news while the Presidents and Prime Ministers sat sweated in their seats.

Ecuador is being noticed now for slighting such big nations like U.K and Sweden with whom Ecuador has trade relations and no outstanding issues between them until the Assange case came up.
 Ecuador’s foreign Minister Ricardo Patino announced the news at the Ecudor capital Quito yesterday.  He read from a prepared communiqué. “ The government of Ecuador, faithful to its tradition of protecting those who seek refuge in its territory or in its diplomatic missions, has decided to grant diplomatic asylum to Julian Assange” He hoped that Britain would permit Assange to leave for Ecuador. On narrating the ground on which to grant asylum for Assange he said that there were indications to presume that there could be political persecution and that Assange would not get a fair trial in the U.S.and could face the death penalty there.

Actually ever since Assange arrived in the Ecudor Embassy tension was building up between Ecuador and Britain and countless meetings were held to resolve the issue. Mr.Patino said that British authorities finally had threatened to force entry in to the Embassy. “We are not a British colony” said MR. Patino.The Sweden, on their part, summoned the Ecuadorian Ambassador and conveyed the nation’s protest.

The U.S. is nowhere in the picture now. But once the trial in Sweden is over the U.S would demand extradition for questioning about wiki leaks revelations on Iraq war, Afghanistan war and other thousands of sensitive papers.

 Julian Assange sought asylum in the Embassy on June 19th and since then Assange is living inside a small room not venturing out like in solitary confinement, no friends, no sunshine or long walks. He is leading a tough life with very uncertain future.

1.  If he could somehow reach Ecuador and demands for his extradition slowly died down it is a second life for him. 

Images from Google