WikiLeaks is at it again, publishing secret political documents of largest-ever economic treaty. A controversial chapter of the Trans-pacific partnership negotiations between twelve countries: United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei, Singapore, Chile and Peru.
Nobody is sure of who “leaked” it to undermine the secrecy of this draft, but six hundred corporate advisors have had access to the draft. The public has been deprived from the public because of the agreements nature, and considering its negotiations have been going on since 2008. The information contained could effect American corporations and those in other country’s economies.
Now that WikiLeaks has published the copy of the agreement, its possible countries involved may have repercussions, including Australians possibly paying more for drugs and medicines, media: (movies, computer games and software), and be placed under surveillance as part of a crackdown, led by US, on internet piracy.
The leaked chapter of the trade agreement reveals Australia’s position on copyright, patents and other property issues, with a heavy focus on enforcement for, or lack of, internet piracy. It contains information to aid the multinational movie and music industries, to maintain and increase prices, which are both large American exports, and similarly the same information that may hinder software giants and pharmaceutical manufactures.
All negotiations have been behind closed doors, and even parts of the document American congress hasn’t even read. The parts Congress has had available to read, they were under supervision.
“The US administration is aggressively pushing the TPP through the US legislative process on the sly,” says Julian Assange, the founder and editor-in-chief of WikiLeaks.
“If instituted,” Assange continues, “the TPP’s intellectual property regime would trample over individual rights and free expression… If you read, write, publish, think, listen, dance, sing or invent; if you farm or consume food; if you’re ill now or might one day be ill, the TPP has you in its crosshairs.”
Feel free to read the the 95-page, 30,000-word chapter, on WikiLeaks.
Image (via) WikiLeaks.