How Transparency Can Save Lives
Posted on June 27, 2010 | by Jeremy Person
“Consider the mosquito borne disease malaria. This year, malaria will kill over one million people, over 80% of which will be children. Great Britain used to have malaria. In North America, malaria was epidemic and there are still a handful of infections each year. In Africa, malaria kills over 100 people per hour. In Russia, amidst the corruption of the 1990s, malaria re-established itself. What is the difference between these cases?
We know how to prevent malaria. The science is universal. The difference is good governance.”
Put another way, unresponsive or corrupt government, through malaria alone, causes a children’s “9/11” every day.
The Mission of Transparency
It is only when the people know the true plans and behavior of their governments that they can meaningfully choose to support them. Historically, the most resilient forms of open government are those where publication and revelation are protected. Where that protection does not exist, it is our mission to provide it.
Case Study: Kenya
In Kenya, malaria was estimated to cause 20% of all deaths in children under five. Before the Dec 2007 national elections, WikiLeaks exposed $3,000,000,000 of Kenyan corruption and swung the vote by 10%. This led to enormous changes in the constitution and the establishment of a more open government — one of many hundreds of reforms catalyzed by WikiLeaks.
The Numbers Behind the Crisis
1,000,000+
People killed by malaria annually
80%
Victims are children
100+
Deaths per hour in Africa
The Power of Good Governance
Where Governance Failed
- Russia in the 1990s — corruption allowed malaria to return
- Africa — inadequate healthcare infrastructure and corruption
- Kenya — 20% of under-five deaths from a preventable disease
Where Governance Succeeded
- Great Britain — complete eradication of malaria
- North America — from epidemic to only occasional cases
- Post-2007 Kenya — reforms catalyzed by transparency
We believe WikiLeaks is the strongest way we have of generating the true democracy and good governance on which all mankind’s dreams depend.
rob says:
The truth always hurts..Now the world really see what they think about us peasants. Democracy my butt. Wikileaks forever!