Wikleaks? More like Wikileech!

Here's an interesting video-- a debate between journalists on the nature of investigative journalism, as well as whether Julian Assange is in fact committing a crime.

"Publishing classified information is what journalists do" -- one of the quotes in this video. While it is true that what journalists around the world (mostly) aim to do is to report and disseminate the truth, "classified information" takes "truth" to a whole new level. Besides breaching government secrecy acts, it severely harms diplomacy in international relations.

Some may argue that the truth behind government conspiracy theories should be made known to the public (in the name of democracy and freedom of speech/access to information which honestly I feel is far too overrated), there has to be a certain amount of control and consideration on Assange's part, in which his actions may have huge rippling effects on international diplomacy. Even Singapore hasn't been spared.

As a (very self-censoring) writer, I feel that even though the Wikileaks documents provide massive amounts of information that is simply screaming to be written about, journalists have to practice discernment over what should be revealed versus what should be kept as a government secret (although it really is no longer is a secret now that Wikileaks has revealed virtually everything).

Perhaps I only feel this way because I have been brought up in Singapore, where even though I do value being told the truth, the wider picture of the "greater good" to maintain diplomacy and peace in society and with our ASEAN neighbours is still more important to me. And obviously also because whatever we write without discernment will have serious ramifications. But consider this -- while Wikileaks acts as the watchdog of the government, is there anyone to watch them? Instead of being 'Wikileaks', are they really, rather, "Wikileech", where Assange is leeching off this new found Robin Hood fame to profit from a book he is set to publish? Like a leech that is both a boon and bane, Wikileaks shines light on the truth, but is ultimately a pest that the government has to get rid of.

Gaia

I have taken up a keen interest in the environment recently.. and no, it isn't just a phase where I decide to carve a niche for myself as a hippie, mother-nature-loving environmentalist but rather something that has been going on for about half a year now. Attempts to decrease my own carbon footprint have been rather successful-- no cravings for meat, although I do (unwillingly) eat pork or beef about once a month because someone dear to me tells me it is 'good for my mental health'. And of course I would love to end up anaemic, wouldn't I? My future spouse will also be most elated to know that I have made the decision (albeit a really tough one) to stop purchasing leather goods (yes go on, reel from shock for a few seconds).

As most will come to realize, however, environmentalism alone is not enough to save the world. As much as we would like to believe that every person can play a part in 'saving the earth', households contribute approximately only 9 per cent of carbon emissions. While of course industrial pollution amasses a total of over 50 per cent, with transport at about 20 per cent. There is really little or nothing individuals can do as opposed to what large corporations can achieve if they cut down on their carbon footprint.

But there are other larger forces at work, political and economic. Governments that are the only ones who can really shape the future of the earth. What good is environmentalism; re-using paper bags or double-sided printing, if governments are uninterested in fighting global warming?

I am heartened to know that there are governments around the world who have invested heavily in research and development for alternative forms of energy. However, carbon emissions have remained the same in 2010 as compared to 2009, with Asian countries being the biggest contributors of carbon emissions. This not only includes China as the largest carbon emitter in the world but also India, another developing country and even South Korea. In fact, scientists believe that emissions are likely to resume their upward track and scale a new peak in 2010.

Thankfully, there have been changes. South Korea has recently invested US$8.3 billion in an offshore wind farm and China has its own Tianjin eco-district, a joint project with Singapore, no less.

But China and India's carbon emissions still stand high. Although signatories of the Kyoto Protocol, the two countries are not yet obliged to abide by the carbon cap as they are STILL a developing nation... and will continue to be for at least another 5 years. But there is a loophole. The West is no longer seen as the main culprit for its greenhouse gas emissions for the very fact that they have outsourced their production to countries like China and India the 'developing nations' that can afford not to abide by the carbon cap. The United States has countless outsourced productions in China. So although it seems like the ever-revered West is making advancements in sustainable technology and that they are the 'leaders in fighting against global warming', some have really exploited the loophole in the Kyoto Protocol. Is there, then, really a way we can keep to the targets of the carbon caps?

Geo-engineering is a potential solution. It seems dangerous, and pretty elusive, but with the right amount of research and investment it could spell an end to global warming. Carbon sequestration can serve as one of the ways countries like China can cut down on their emissions. As one of the richest countries in the world, I'm sure the Chinese will be able (and are daring enough) to partake in geo-engineering effort and investment. They were, after all, the first to create a storm when they decided on cloud seeding.

But of course, adequate knowledge is necessary before attempting to alter the environment. Geo-engineering has been banned in several countries and has been widely criticised as being an 'international manipulation of the environment'. Hypocritical, I would say, considering that man-made changes are needed to counter pollution that is man-made in the first place.

Our earth is the only element that remains immutable. Everything else has remained relatively transient, even the most powerful men in the world will not live forever. Earth has witnessed the changes over the centuries--wars, death, disaster, military and industrial activity that has destroyed the earth's surface. And we know all we are doing is but contributing to the planet's demise. The ice cap has melted 4% over the last at a rate of 230 gigatonnes (230,000 billion kilograms) a year. We need collective action and the work of politics to fight against global warming, this is what our era needs to see, this is the war we are fighting against, not a war of religion or for oil, but one to sustain life and the world we live in.

As if we were God's spies

“...and we’ll talk with them too—
Who loses and who wins, who’s in, who’s out—
And take upon ’s the mystery of things
As if we were God’s spies. And we’ll wear out
In a walled prison packs and sects of great ones
That ebb and flow by the moon.”

- King Lear; William Shakespeare

In today’s world; who’s winning and who’s losing—who’s in, who’s out? What is the mystery of our universe? In light of recent developments in the Korean peninsula, I can’t help but realise the differences between how Asia and Europe handle historic legacies and events. Many say Asia is the new Europe, boasting a collective continent as a whole that is rich in culture as well as a rapidly growing economy. But there are more differences between the two continents than we know.

Europe; for one, has a largely homogeneous Western race. Sure there are the different Palaeolithic and Mediterranean types; but they are largely just... white.

Asia, on the other hand; has a myriad of different races that can easily be identified. We have the Oriental East Asian races (China, Japan, North and South Korea), South Asians (Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Nepalese—who are a different colour all together, similar to the Mongolians) and an even wider array in Southeast Asia—Malay, Indonesian (yes they are different, and even in Indonesia itself there are countless numbers of different indigenous and racial populous), Burmese, Vietnamese, Eurasians... the list goes on.

The heterogeneity of the different races in Asia thus constitutes many different cultures. Despite many sociologists stereotyping Asian culture into a particular mould where we are said (and written) to be collectivistic and hierarchical (I can’t deny it though, Asian society prides itself on the basis of values like filial piety and respect; these are not only so for East Asian types but also in South Asia—the caste system is undeniably hierarchical); different religions as well as Western influences coupled with cultural flows internally largely shape the multitude of different cultures in Asia today.

This probably then affects the way Asians do business. Asia has been one of the largest business hubs in history; where in the 1820s we accounted for 3/5 of the world’s total GDP. Chinese businessmen, Indian merchants and Southeast Asian artisans ruled the seas. Albeit eventually falling behind due to Western industrialisation; Asia today is gradually and rapidly taking back its share and cementing its global presence with China and India—two of Asia’s giants; and Japan, who although suffered badly in the 1980’s bubble burst is still one of the largest players in the global economic scene with undisputedly advanced technology well beyond any other country in the world. Our diverse economic strategies that combine capitalism with our culture and ideology have made us different from laissez-faire Europe. It is easy to describe the EU’s economy in one sentence but not Asia’s.

Going back to the issue of historic legacies, it is most intriguing how differently Asians handle memory of war. As I quote Brahma Chellaney, author of Asian Juggernauts; these are “shadows of history” that Europe has “done a better job in coming to terms with”. While in Europe there is a regional consciousness of condemnation of war crimes like the Holocaust (even in Germany where they commemorate Auschwitz, the then-Nazi concentration camp established for Jews); Asia on the other hand commemorates its “war heroes” (contentious point; but shan’t elaborate; refer to blog post “It is written”, haha) – Japan built Yasukuni shrine to remember the kamikaze pilots who died in WWII. It’s therefore about using history as a tool for nationalism versus using it as a reminder to prevent racism, exclusion, and oppression.

What has this got to do with recent developments between the Korean conflict, you ask. Well much of what is happening in Korea today is a result of how we as Asians handle what has happened in history. While the Berlin wall has fallen, representative of the decomposition of European differences between Capitalism and Communism; the Korean War is still unfortunately still ongoing, with even further escalations in conflict today. It saddens the world to see how a country can be so divided based on mistakes made in history that have uncontrolled ramifications today. There are still two Vietnams, two Chinas and two Koreas because we can’t seem to let go of ideals that were in fact propagated by Westerners.

That being said, all these are a result of Western imperialism and colonialism. Enforcement of Western decisions on Asian countries has very much divided us. It was American administrators who separated Korea at the 38th parallel; a result of Western political division by who else but the Soviets and Americans. With the North ruled by the bear and the South by the eagle; the country still remains divided today as a result of differences in Western ideology that is now deeply entrenched in Asian minds. Borders in Asia were drawn up by Western colonialists, who drew the lines between Thailand and Malaysia resulting in the minority Thai-Muslim population in Southern Thailand deeply isolated by predominantly Buddhist Thailand.

The events in history are so connected its scary. Everything we do has endless ramifications. As they say, the flutter of a butterfly’s wing may cause a tornado on the other side of the world. Such is the mystery of our universe.