ASSANGE: CORREA'S GUEST... OR HIS HOSTAGE?

July 29, 2012. Julian Assange's mother Christine will be pleading with authorities in Ecuador tomorrow to grant her son asylum in their country (refer to Globecatcher article on Ecuador Page). Mr Assange has been receiving sanctuary in the Ecuadorian embassy in London since July 19, 2012. Initial statements by embassy staff were very encouraging, but these were watered down by Ecuadorian president Rafael Correa who has still to pronounce Mr Assange's judgement. This has taken far too long now and any decision against allowing Mr Assange asylum in Ecuador will be seen as though the WikiLeaks founder was just being used as leverage with the US government. Ecuador already has problems because of its record on freedom of speech. Does it really want to throw this man who is a hero to so many and certainly a champion of free speech to his foes for a ransom? If he does he will have a lot more to lose than to gain. Not everyone may like a spy, but everyone hates a traitor.

"I know not whether Laws be right,
Or whether Laws be wrong;
All that we know who lie in goal
Is that the wall is strong;
And that each day is like a year,
A year whose days are long."