Julian Assange

The Sydney Support Assange and WikiLeaks Coalition (SAWC) interviewed former Australian attorney-general, Kep Enderby QC, about Julian Assange and WikiLeaks.

Enderby first contacted SAWC to offer his support for our campaign last year. In July, he wrote a statement read out at a rally for Assange and WikiLeaks in Sydney.

Enderby became involved in civil liberties and human rights activism while working as a lawyer in London in the 1950s. He championed the cause of African-American singer and radical, Paul Robeson, who was being denied his passport by the US government. 

In the week that US citizen Bradley Manning admitted in court that he leaked military secrets to reveal to the public the “the true costs of war”, I attended the first screening in Sydney of the documentary On The Bridge.

The screening was part of the inaugural Big Picture Festival, a social justice film festival.

Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Bob Carr, US Ambassador to Australia Jeffrey Bleich, and writer and activist Eva Cox took part in the ABC’s Q&A on February 25. More than 15 minutes of the program was spent discussing WikiLeaks journalist Julian Assange.

The final Green Left Report for 2012 features Christine Assange, mother of Julian Assange, on why the Australian government fears WikiLeaks, the problems of the corporate press, and the WikiLeaks releases that impacted the most on her.

The episode has heaps of activist news including anti-uranium actions, protesting Lynas' toxic plant, standing up for equal marriage, and rallying for refugee rights.

WikiLeaks editor Julian Assangen delivered his speech from the balcony of the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where he's been holed-up for six months., Despite being granted political asylum by the South American nation, British authorities insist he will arrested if he sets a fo outside the embassy.

The full transcript is below, as copied from the WikiLeaks website:

* * *

Christine Assange discusses WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, her time in Ecuador, the nature of the United States, the Australian government's lack of support for the rights of her son, the mainstream media, the need for alternatives and more.

Christine Assange was in discussion with Green Left Weekly's Simon Butler, in front of 300 people at the November 10 solidarity dinner for GLW.

Film by Green Left TV - watch it, share it, film it, support it.

Messages of support for Julian Assange from some of the 300 people at Green Left Weekly's 'defend WikiLeaks' dinner in November 10. Special guest was passionate advocate Christine Assange, the mother of the WikiLeaks founder, who gives a warm message to her son.

New episode with refugee panel featuring Hadi Hosseini (Hazara refugee and former detainee); Dianne Hiles (Chilout); Jay Fletcher (refugee reported for GLW and RAC activist), an interview with Malaysian socialist Choo Chon Kai plus activist news on Coles strikers, WikiLeaks, gas leaks and more.

Green Left Report #5 has a focus on WikiLeaks, Ecuador and Julian Assange. It features interviews with Christine Assange, Latin American activist Federico Fuentes, plus features parts of the speeches from Julian Assange and Tariq Ali.

There is also activist news on the battle to save TAFE, the fight against university cuts, the Fullerton Cove blockade against coal seam gas, and around refugee rights.

This show has a special focus on Islamophobia, including interviews with Mohamad Tabbaa who researches anti-Muslim discrimination, and Muslim community activist Rebecca Kaye.

Also with Jess Moore from Stop CSG Illawarra, plus activist news on WikiLeaks, the Aboriginal Passport Ceremony, Ilan Pappe, and protesting Lynas.

Finally Carlo Sands discusses the civilised world and 'savages', Iran and female ninja assassins.