Snowden to Eurofora(1): who Helps Whistle-Blowers is not Ennemy, but Friend of the Country concerned
*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- Choosing to Reply to the First of 2 "Eurofora"s Questions (See also : ...), at a CoE's Video-Conference, about Whistle-Blowers' Freedom, World Famous pro-Human Rights/Democracy Dissident Edward Snowden, stressed that who Helps a Whistle-Blower, instead of Harassing him/her, is, in fact, "Not an Enemy, But a Friend" of the Country concerned.
- In fact, by Leaving Abroad, "I Wanted to Ask the whole World : Where someone like me should Go ? Where am I Safe to Speak ?", he explained in his Reply to "Eurofora"s relevant Question (See Infra).
- In that rare event, organized Today by the New CoE's Rapporteur on WhistleBlowers, vice-President of the French National Assembly, MEP Sylvain Waserman from Strasbourg, (Comp. also Waserman's relevant Statements to "EF", Yesterday, at : ...., etc), Snowden chose to adress mainly the 1st of 2 Questions that "Eurofora" had raised:
Our 1st Question concerned, particularly, "WistleBlowers' Ability to continue to Speak on Fundamental Issues" (Individually and/or Collectively), and how to address, through a Socio-Political Struggle, the Fact that, in general, most WhistleBlowers are Threatened to become ..."Carbonized", by Harassment, Pressure and Attacks, shortly after they "come out" in Public at the Medias, Paying personaly a too Heavy price, with Hard Sacrifices for the sake of the General Interest Issue that they revealed,
as a specialized and experienced NGO Representative had Earlier denounced, (preferring the Protective Secrecy of Anonymous Press "Sources", as far as she was concerned).
----------------------------------
- Snowden Replied that he Found "in there, an Interesting Question", "I think, about the WhistleBlowers' Ability to Speak", (choosing to Start Replying First by "Eurofora"s initial Query, among 3 Differend Participants in a row, who raised Various Issues).
- "Interesting Question : How to Protect them ? What can we do ?", he Wondered.
- "We certainly Can't, in the Current context (since 2013), in the USA, be able to Speak Freely to (Press) Reporters, (not) even about the most Serious Crimes, without being driven into either Prison, or Exile. And I think, that's a Tragic thing", he Denounced.
- "I would like to say <<that's not the case in Europe>>. But, unfortunately, I have very Little Evidence, to believe it's Different. Especially (judging by) the National Security Context", he bitterly noted.
- "Quite famously, People Forget that I didn't choose to be in Russia", he reminded.
- In fact, "I was on route from Hong Kong to Latin America, when the Secretary of State, then John Kerry, cancelled my Passport !"
- This was done "as soon as they heard that I left, which Trapped me in Russia".
- "Now, I could have simply appealed to Russia for Asylum Directly, but I did Not".
- Simply "Because I Wanted to Ask the whole World !", he significantly stressed, (concerning also the Global aspect of Internet Mass Surveillance that he Denounced).
- Indeed: -"Where can someone like me, go ?", Snowden wondered.
- "Where am I Safe to Speak ?"
- "We Revealed something like the Uniform Violation of the Rights of Every Man, Woman or Child, whose Communications pass through the Networks of the USA and its Allies", he reminded, as far as it concerns what is at stake.
- So, "I Applied to over +20 Differend Countries, for Protection, including France and Germany".
- "And, unfortunately, in Every case, they found a reason Not to accept the query", he denounced :
- "In Many cases, because of <<US Pressure>>, they said : <<Oh, you know, we won't accept at all !>>. In other cases, it was : <<Oh, you have to Get to our Country First>>, which, of course, they knew it wasn't possible, because my Passport had been Cancelled", Snowden described bitterly.
- "Even though they could, of course, have offered a Travel Document, (in order) to travel there, and, then, apply for Asylum, they were Not willing to do so".
- "Now, I think we all Undestand the Political Dynamics that Lead to that Common Decision : What Country wants to ask for a Problem ?", he realistically noted.
------------------------
- "But, sometimes, if we don't take these problems, if we don't Willingly Accept these problems", (then),
=> "what we are allowing to happen, is that the Meaning of our Rights, the Protection afforded by our Commitment to the Ideal of Human Rights, is beginning to Shrink !", Snowden Warned.
- "I think we all know, that, if I had (f.ex.) Belarussian, or Chinese, or North Korean Citizenship, and I had gone to the USA, (then) France and Germany would have Admitted me, they would have thrown me a Parade !", he joked critically..
- "Now, I understand that, and I am Not Angry about what happened. What happens to me is a very little problem of importance", he said modestly.
>> - "But the (Wider) Dynamic, I think, Matters !
- "I don't ask Europe, any more to let me in. Although I still, very much, look Forward to the Day that I can Freely Travel to Europe, once again", Snowden acknowledged.
=> -"But, I do, very Strongly, Ask Europe, to Make Sure they are Well Prepared for the Next Case, like mine !", he urged.
- "Because Admitting someone into your Country, and Protecting someone in your Country, who is Trying to Serve the Public Good",
"Even if their Government - which might be a very Close Ally - Objects to it, if it makes them UnConfortable, it creates very Difficult Circumstances for them",
=> Nevertheless, "Admitting and Protecting a Whistle-Blower is Not a Hostile act. Not the act of an Ennemy"
>>> On the Contrary, "It's an Act of a Friend !", Edward Snowden Concluded.
* Since, then, in fact, "You are Upholding a Grieved Country, (f.ex.) USA's Commitment to Protect Human Rights",
"in a Situation where it's very Difficult for them, to do so (by) themselves. Because They are acting Emotionally, they are acting Irrationaly, they are Reacting Angry", he Explained, Realistically but Profoundly.
- "Because We are All Humans, Governments are Comprised of Humans. We are All Embarassed. We may All make Bad Decisions in a Moment"...
--------------
- "But, the Attorney General of the USA, who Charged me, with Crimes, ... by the time that he left the White House, said : - "I think that what Mr. Snowden did, was a Public Service. It was a Public Service !".
He was referring to former US Attorney General Eric Holder, who, despite persisting to criticize Snowden's revelations, nevertheless, acknowledged, since 2016, that he had offered a "Public Service" to the Country, by opening a much needed "Debate", which led to adequate "Reforms".
- "Now, we don't know how this Story is going to end, ... And, Honestly, it doesn't matter" so much, the most Famous WhistleBlower of the World, added modestly.
- "But, if we don't Correct the (US) President, for the Next President. And we don't correct the President, for the Next Person After that, and the Next Person After that", ...
=> Then, "we shall find ourselves withOut WhistleBlowers, when we Need them the most !".
- "Because Noone is going to be willing to Sacrifice themselves, for a Public that doesN't, any longer, represent the Ideals that such an individual is Trying to Protect", he Warned.
--------------------------------------------------------
+ Concluding that exceptional CoE's Video-Debate, the new Rapporteur of the PanEuropean Organisation for Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law, Strasbourg's Centrist MEP Sylvain Waserman, expessed his Wish to "Invite" Snowden here, in the foreseable Future, this time "in Safety".
Such a move might be naturally made by Waserman, (who is also vice-President of France's National Assembly), most probably during the forcthcoming French Presidency of the CoE, i.e. between May and November 2019, when he intends to present his Report for Public Debate and Final Vote for Adoption by CoE's Parliamentary Assembly, as he told "Eurofora", (See : ...).
++ It's Interesting to note, also, in this regard, the fact that vice-President Waserman, almost at the same time, would like to give "an International Framework" to his Future Report, (according also to a Recent EU - CoE cooperation's Trend to use, more and more, Strasbourg's PanEuropean Organisation, and its Old and New, various Legal Conventions, often "Open for Signature and Ratification" also to 3rd Countries, from all over the World, particularly in some Key Areas, such as, f.ex., Protection of Private/Personal Data, Fight against Cyber-Crime, Constitutional Law and Human Rights, BioEthics, Children's protection and Struggle against Human Trafficking, etc), as he told "Eurofora" earlier Today.
+++ In this Context, CoE's Rapporteur also told "Eurofora" that he would like to Meet, inter alia, with some Key Officials from the USA, etc.
(../..)
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(Opinion)
Paris - Bruxelles - Strasbourg, 2 septembre 2008
Le spectaculaire succès du Président français, Nicolas Sarkozy, (en tête de l'UE jusqu'a décembre), à obtenir de suite un cessez le feu inattendu entre la Russie et la Georgie, immédiatement après sa visite aux Présidents Medvedev et Saakashvili, au pire moment de tensions et heurts violents meurtieurs, qui avaient tué plusieurs innocents et provoqué le deplacement forcé de réfugiés par milliers, lui donne incontestablement une stature vraiment européenne :
A ses liens personnels bien connus avec l'Hongrie, la Grece, l'Italie ou l'Espagne, en sus de son amitié avec la chancelière allemande Merkel, son souhait d'essayer d'attirer l'Angleterre au jeu européen, etc, s'y ajoute, maintenant, une réussite, fragile certes, mais importante, au combat pour la Paix dans la "grande" Europe du général De Gaulle, "jusqu'a l'Oural", qui inclut naturellement la Géorgie, l'Arménie et d'autres pays, et ne peut exister qu'avec rapports de confiance et partenartiat stratégique avec la Russie.
Apres avoir réussi à debloquer la situation au Liban, (pays avec liens culturels historiques en Europe), lors du Sommet pour la Méditerranée à Paris, juillet dernier, (comme atteste maintenant le prémier accord d'echange d'Ambassadeurs avec la Syrie), Sarkozy activa maintenant une présidence française de l'EU bien entreprenante, à l'autre bout de l'Europe, à Moscou, où, contrairement à Napoléon, il a été reçu avec soulagement par le nouveau président russe, ami de l'experimenté Vladimir Poutine.
Cet homme politique rélativement nouveau au plan politique européen, avec une vision souvent critique ou même critiquée, à tort ou a raison, mais ambitieuse et concrete a la fois, qui aime s'adresser aux "Européens", comme il dit, n'est-il pas bien placé pour stimuler le fameux débat sur l' "Identité de l' Europe", qu'il a proposé au Parlement Européen récemment à Strasbourg, moins d'un an avant les Elections européennes de 2009 ?
En 2007, il a réussi à faire monter spectaculairement la participation citoyenne aux élections présidentielles en France, obtenant des récords historiques :
N'est-ce pas, justement ce que l' Europe a bésoin, apres 2 abstentions majoritaires sans précedent aux Elections de 1999 et 2004, et 3 "Non" aux réferenda pour ses institutions en 2005 et 2008, pendant une décennie trouble 1999-2008, (marquée surtout par la demande controversée de la Turquie d'entrer dans l'UE eclipsant les avancées de la Monnaie unique et de la liberté de circulation à l'espace Shengen, avec consequences mal-ressenties par la majorité des citoyens, bien au-délà des clivages du passé), qui a failli stopper l'integration européenne ?
Et cela, au moment même ou une globalisation galopante met l'Europe devant un choix crucial entre saut qualitatif en avant, apte à valoriser une occasion historique exceptionelle à se développer résolument, après les vaines destructions, querelles et tensions des guerres "chaudes" ou "froides" qui lui ont couté son rang dans le Monde, ou réculer définitivement en décadence...
Alors, que certains de nos amis à la Commission en Bruxelles, lui laissent au moins un peu d'espace de mouvement, et qu'ils l'aident à tenter d'insufler de l' oxygène frais et vivifiant aux rapports entre les citoyens et une Europe qui a manifestement bésoin et mérite de retrouver d'urgence un nouveau dynamisme populaire, avec un souci de réalisme mais aussi une vision passionante pour son avenir !
Après tout, les Etats Unis d' Amérique ne se sont pas faits à coups de bureaucratie, nécessaire et utile, mais manifestement insuffisante : Sans l'impulsion d'hommes politiques originaux, d'intellectuels vraiment engagés, et, surtout, sans l'enorme énergie émanant de la conscience d'enjeux à la fois pratiques et grandioses, bien resentis par des millions de citoyens, stimulant leur adhésion active comme pioniers d'un nouveau avenir commun à construire, ils seraient encore une ex-colonie périphérique, affaiblie par stériles divisions, passif et impuissant spectateur des convulsions tragiques d'un Monde à la dérive...
Que les vrais "européens" ré-lisent au moins les fameux discours historiques sur l' Europe d'un Sarkozy bien inspiré à Strasbourg, aussi bien avant qu'après avoir gagné les élections françaises, le 21 février et le 2 juillet 2007, après son 1er sommet des Bruxelles, qui a adopté le nouveau Traité de l'UE en conclusion de la presidence allémande : Bonnes lectures pour cet été 2008, afin de préparer l' avenir qui s'ouvrira (ou fermera) à partir des élections européennes de 2009.
Peut-etre revelera-t-il plus, en ce sens, lors de ses 2 discours-debats prochains avec les eurodeputés, prévus lors des sessions plenières du Parlement Européen a Strasbourg en octobre et décembre 2008...
Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner had already unveiled President Sarkozy's intentions, during a particularly "hot" Press Conference in Paris, where he faced some's insistance for "sanctions", with a call for "a common EU stance". In the meanwhile, he was consulting "all these days" most of his EU, Russia and Georgia counterparts, (as Sarkozy's Spokesman, P-J. Henin confirmed to "EuroFora"). This allowed him to obtained the desired result, as EU Chairman, at a short, exceptional EU Summit in Brussels, afterwards.
But, Sarkozy's No 1 official, Presidential palace's Secretary General Claude Gueant, active at Elysee during the 2008 Ambassadors' Conference, (together with his Top Diplomat, the experienced David Levitte), is well known for having an overall view : A link with 2009 EU Elections at the horizon ?
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