By Dinouk Colombage
Several WikiLeaks defectors including Julian Assange’s right hand man Daniel Domscheit-Berg have created a separate website.
The new site, called ‘OpenLeaks,’ has been described by its founder Daniel Domscheit-Berg as being a ‘more democratic organisation.’ The new site plans to work with other organisations including the media when publishing documents, as opposed to the WikiLeaks model of exclusivity in publishing.
The split between Julian Assange and Daniel Domscheit-Berg was revealed when chat logs between the two were made public. Domscheit-Berg accused Assange of being ‘autocratic, behaving like some sort of emperor or slave trader.’
Early this week, the website Cryptome, leaked the designs of the website, forcing its creators to announce the website. However organisers stated that they would begin leaking documents only after the second half of this year.
Daniel Domscheit-Berg accused Assange of being ‘a control freak’ following reports of Assange threatening to sue The Guardian Editor Alan Rusbridger in the UK if he released any of the diplomatic cables before receiving approval from him (Assange). OpenLeaks organisers have stated that the website will not accept or publish documents on its own platform. Instead they will act as a ‘digital drop box’ for its members. In contrast to WikiLeaks, OpenLeaks believes that it will partner with other organisations such as the media who promote transparency.
Organisers of OpenLeaks believe the new website will allow users to interact rather than be the one telling the story. In a further twist, OpenLeaks has stated that it would not have released 250,000 State department cables. Members of the website explained that due to their intentions they do not envisage as much political pressure as WikiLeaks is currently experiencing.
