Africa: IFJ Condemns United States Desperate And Dangerous; Backlash Over Wikileaks

International Federation of Journalists (Brussels)
2 December 2010

press release

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today condemned the political backlash being mounted against the whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks and accused the United States of attacking free speech after it put pressure on the website's host server to shut down the site yesterday.
The website's host Amazon.com blocked access to WikiLeaks after United States officials condemned the torrent of revelations about political, business and diplomatic affairs that has given people around the world unprecedented access to detailed information from United States sources, much of it embarrassing to leading public figures.

"It is unacceptable to try to deny people the right to know," said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. "These revelations may be embarrassing in their detail, but they also expose corruption and double-dealing in public life that is worthy of public scrutiny. The response of the United States is desperate and dangerous because it goes against fundamental principles of free speech and democracy."

Rwanda: Reflections on Wikileaks

Government Supporting Daily
W Stuart Symington
2 December 2010

Opinion:  President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton have made it a priority to reinvigorate America's relationships around the world.

They have been working hard to strengthen our existing partnerships and build new ones to meet shared challenges, from climate change to ending the threat of nuclear weapons to fighting disease and poverty. As the United States Ambassador to Rwanda, I'm proud to be part of this effort.