Friday, July 05, 2013

Snowden will not get citizenship in Iceland :(

I have been waiting for some time to get an official request from Edward Snowden in regard for application for Icelandic citizenship. Yesterday the request came, and me and members of 4 parties in the Icelandic parliament put forward a bill urging the parliament to process his request.

It is important to put current political situation in Iceland into perspective. We had election April 27th this year. After elections we always have summer parliament session. The newly elected government is very different from the last government that was elected in the wake of the financial collapse. This new government intentions is to bring us back to the same form of governing as we had before and lead us to the 3rd largest financial collapse in the history of the world. Non of the wisdom nor the attempts for democratic reform and more open society we gained just after the collapse will stick under the reign of this new governing.

Yesterday was the last day of summer parliament and thus utterly critical that we would be allowed to speak for the Snowden citizenship bill in order to move it to the General committee in order to be able to start fact gathering on behalf of the parliament so we could move this bill forward despite the parliament not being in session. The new speaker of the house denied our request to put the bill on the agenda yesterday. I put forward a motion for the parliament to vote for it to be spoken for. The entire majority said NO to this process, except for 5 who said neither yes or no. The entire minority supported the motion but that was not enough.

So it is with great grief I have to announce that Snowden will not be getting any form of shelter in Iceland because the current government doesnt even have enough spine for the parliament to discuss Snowden´s request. The parliament wont be coming together again until the 10th of September.


I hope we have set an example for other parliaments that remain is session this summer or gather sooner then ours to give Snowden citizenship for he has been made stateless by his own government for blowing the whistle on grave human rights violations by his and other governments against all of humanity. I am thankful towards the minority parties in Iceland for supporting the Pirate Party and of course Snowden in this attempt to help him. I and many others regard him as a hero and have deep respect for him for he has taken great personal risk in order to inform the rest of us about how those in power have lost control of their powerlust and violated their own constitutions against their own citizens. 

Mr Snowden your courage has been noted and there are millions of people from all backgrounds who honor the risks you have taken for us and we will stand tall with you. 

42 comments:

mvario said...

Thank you for trying!

Anonymous said...

Birgitta,why do you think Snowden hasn't asked for asylum in Sweden, a country which hasn't extradited anyone for spying or whistleblowing for 50 years?

Anonymous said...

Thank you!

Unknown said...

so, ummm.... What is parlament doing then, exactly?

Irien said...

Can you propose the citizenship bill again in September? (In case that Snowden is still in the same situation at this moment...)


Thanks for trying, however

kevin said...

Disappointing..

Thank you, Birgitta.

Anonymous said...

Well you cant say you didnt see that coming.
learn a new language online

Anonymous said...

And we do not welcome you in the US. Fortunately the the Icelandic government see you for the clueless idiot that you are.

Anonymous said...

I have just cancelled my stay at the Hotel Borg and have rebooked at The Thief in Oslo. My family has no use for anti-americanism for its own sake.

I leave your country to its radical politics.

Anonymous said...

You should be shot.

Anonymous said...

From the United States - I think you for your courage. This country was founded on the basis of people standing up for the difference between right and wrong. I am embarrassed by the bullying of the United States Government. This country needs to join hands with the rest of the world and respect differences among people and their values. Thank you again for your great courage.

Anonymous said...

Thank you. *Real* Americans appreciate your efforts!

Ronald Biggs said...

I suspect the current global economic climate has rattled the nerves of European and close by countries to cower in petrified weakness at the thought of the mighty USA Empire delivering some punishment in the form of no more international landing rights for IcelandAir in Boston and a full cut in US student visas for your students right Brigiita?

You Brigitta are brave but your politicians have no knees worthy of holding them upright in my eyes

Grouchymom said...

Thank you for your efforts on behalf of Mr. Snowden and the many american citizens who appreciate the great sacrifice he has made for us.

Anonymous said...

Please ignore the negative comments here. Many Americans including myself really do appreciate your effort, as well as Snowden's. Thank you for your hard work.

Anonymous said...

thank you for your efforts. USA no longer represents the majority of people here and has been infiltrated by corporate and banking interests. -from US

Anonymous said...

You are an idiot.

Heba Sigurðardóttir said...

Takk fyrir að reyna.

Anonymous said...

Snowden is a complete coward. He leaks classified info because he apparently feels US citizens have a right to know what's going on. Then flees to a country that violates their citizens civil and human rights every single day. He's a fame whore. Wake up. THIS is typical American behavior. But you wouldn't know this because you don't live here.

Anonymous said...

He should have gone to a non extradition country and revealed the facts about our government spying on US citizens, that's it. Telling our "secrets" about spying on other nations damages us, and in the end much like your family, my main loyalties are to my country which I believe to be the lesser of the evils out there.

Ed said...

Birgitta,
For great, positive effect, show people these compelling histories, which are kept out of sight.
http://www.showrealhist.com/yTRIAL.html

Anonymous said...

From the U.S.
I thank you for your efforts. Edward Snowden is a whistleblower, not a spy. He revealed to the whole world the extent of the lawless collection of electronic data by the U.S. government. Now we learn that unfortunately the U.S. is not alone. The U.K. and France do the same things. Democracies require that their peoples be informed of what their governments do in their names. I am grateful to Snowden and to you Birgitta and other Icelanders as well as people all over the world who are willing to stand up for freedom.

Unknown said...

That's too bad.

Anonymous said...

hurray for parliament!!!

Anonymous said...

Thank you from an American for your efforts. This is not just about USA and some national "security, but about the ethics of democracy in the global community. Tyranny is never far away and we must always be vigilant.

Anonymous said...

Snowden's a scumbag

Anonymous said...

I love you for your efforts! The NSA/US + puppets are caught with the pants down by the ankles, poop dripping... The sad thing is that most countries do the same. The good thing is US has created one billion more enemies that can help fight governments of the world that take part in the construction of the global panopticon.

Jake Maverick said...

People like you and him give the rest of us hope.

But at the end of the day you can't win without sinking to their level. It's called RealPolitik or soemthing i think ;-)

Anonymous said...

Hey Snowden, thanks for making sure the terrorists know what our Homeland Security forces are up to, you've been a big help.

Anonymous said...

As an American, it isn't what he did but the way he did it that was wrong.

For example, he could have done the civil disobediance route: "Hi my name is Snowden, I work for the intelligence community. I wish to protest against the practices of the intelligence community to spy on Americans. I will testify before congress, etc. I will describe what I did and what others did in general terms....."

He didn't do that. He built a stage of rebellion and self sacrifice for himself and then got up on it and basked in his glory. He is 10% standing for a better world and 90% hurting America.

If you don't think so, jsut imagine what he cuold have done if he stayed in the US, described the program without leaking information or methods, etc. He would have had a much greater impact on the issue he cared about and possibly done some good. Instead he is reviled (rightly, in my opinion) for being immature, self centered and Anti-American.

I don't care if he comes back to the US. I hope he stays in Cuba or whereever and lives his life of 'martyrdom' as he choses.

Anonymous said...

Please ignore the positive comments here. MOST Americans including myself view Mr. Snowden as a simple criminal. After brazenly choosing to disregard the laws of the land to push his radical, leftist agenda, he now lacks the intestinal fortitude to be accountable for his actions. Instead, he has successfully conned the likes of lawmakers such as you to believe that he is someone worthy of trust and adoration. I'm glad that your colleagues were instead able to see through his cloak of disguise and dishonor to reject your proposal.

The Critical Mom said...

I hope Snowden gets not just asylum but safe passage somewhere. He's a hero, and I wonder what Howard Zinn would say about his plight.
http://www.thecriticalmom.com

Anonymous said...

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Motherdrone said...

A hero abandoned by the politicians in EU. A disgrace and peculiar since many people around me, agrees with you.. You do a terrific work. Thanks a lot.

Iris said...

Fantastic!

Unknown said...

It not serves scream and go outside.
We must act democratically with the strength of the signatures

This petition explains it very clear
Notes:
http://www.change.org/es/peticiones/rescate-a-las-personas-paro-cero-4-por-imperativo-constitucional

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

It not serves scream and go outside.
We must act democratically with the strength of the signatures

This petition explains it very clear
Notes:

PARO CERO

Anonymous said...

"Hey Snowden, thanks for making sure the terrorists know what our Homeland Security forces are up to, you've been a big help."

Many terrorists already know what Homeland Security forces are up to, since they are different branches of the same government. Terrorists who don't work for the US government were at a bit of a disadvantage.

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