Stop sitting on the ditch Mr. Blair
Considering how successful his lasting outing here on In Fact, Ah was, we're delighted to bring you this second piece from our new guest blogger, Micheál.
Following a recently released UN report condemning the continuing operation of US detention camp Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, Mr. Blair last week professed that Guantanamo Bay is 'an anomaly' that will have to be 'dealt with'. He expands this revealing statement to profess that he has always viewed Guantanamo Bay in this particular light. Definition of anomaly in the Oxford English dictionary defines it is as follows: deviation or departure from the normal or common order, form, or rule. Quite right Mr. Blair insofar as that this particular detention centre is an anomaly in that it deviates from the rules and regulations of international law and holds no qualms in departing from the premise of upholding basic human rights, not to mention prisoner’s rights.
Opened in 2002, the camp, built to detain suspects of the 'War on Terror', still currently holds about 500 prisoners who have never been charged with any crime. Most have been denied any form of legal counsel and their families are not provided with any information as to their physical well-being and mental state. Prisoners are kept in isolation and preferred methods of torture include desecrating the Koran, constantly playing loud music and forcing inmates to remain awake for days at a time. Physical abuse includes blind-folding, handcuffing and standing on the backs of legs as the prisoner kneels on the ground while being interrogated. Conditions are so bad that a lot of the prisoners have attempted suicide at some point or another. Those who attempt to protest or die via hunger strike are force fed through tubes inserted in their nostrils.
America defends its position by maintaining that this camp harbours the most dangerous terrorists in the world, however readily admitting that no key Al Qaeda suspects have ever been held at the base. It dismisses the UN's report as 'largely without merit' and ignores the recommendation that the base should be immediately closed.
As will be highlighted by next month's film on Channel 4 regarding the now famous Tipton Three (The Road to Guantanamo), the English Defence forces were complicit in helping the US round up so called 'suspects' and shipping them to the prison base. One of the Tipton Three was held in prison for two years on the basis that he appeared in a pre Sept 9/11 video with Osama Bin Laden. He had to be eventually released when the UK authorities proved to the US that that particular 'terror suspect' was actually working in Curry’s at the time the video was produced. Had the Tipton Three not been UK citizens they would most likely still be enduring the harsh realities of Guantanamo Bay. But all of the nine British citizens who were detained there have now been released.
While it is internationally accepted that this prison camp is completely illegal and unjustified, the US does not appear under any great pressure to close it. Why? The main reason is a lack of public outcry from the international community at large. While the UN and EU groups have openly condemned the institute, the British government has deferred from condemning it outright. For me, Tony Blair’s inability or unwillingness to condemn Guantanamo constitutes a dangerous shift in the British government's policy to what they deem acceptable and lawful in the war against terror.
Most disturbing of all is the recent report of how four actors featuring in the above film were detained under the Anti-Terrorism bill on returning to England after the film’s premiere in Berlin. The actors were subject to verbal abuse and denied access to a lawyer while questioned by Bedfordshire police. They were eventually released without charge but it is alarming that the UK authorities should feel the need to act so aggressively. It will be interesting to see how long Tony Blair can fend off the inevitable questions regarding Guantanamo – he knows he can’t condone it but how long can he go without condemning it?
Dae
Published by Colm.
Following a recently released UN report condemning the continuing operation of US detention camp Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, Mr. Blair last week professed that Guantanamo Bay is 'an anomaly' that will have to be 'dealt with'. He expands this revealing statement to profess that he has always viewed Guantanamo Bay in this particular light. Definition of anomaly in the Oxford English dictionary defines it is as follows: deviation or departure from the normal or common order, form, or rule. Quite right Mr. Blair insofar as that this particular detention centre is an anomaly in that it deviates from the rules and regulations of international law and holds no qualms in departing from the premise of upholding basic human rights, not to mention prisoner’s rights.
Opened in 2002, the camp, built to detain suspects of the 'War on Terror', still currently holds about 500 prisoners who have never been charged with any crime. Most have been denied any form of legal counsel and their families are not provided with any information as to their physical well-being and mental state. Prisoners are kept in isolation and preferred methods of torture include desecrating the Koran, constantly playing loud music and forcing inmates to remain awake for days at a time. Physical abuse includes blind-folding, handcuffing and standing on the backs of legs as the prisoner kneels on the ground while being interrogated. Conditions are so bad that a lot of the prisoners have attempted suicide at some point or another. Those who attempt to protest or die via hunger strike are force fed through tubes inserted in their nostrils.
America defends its position by maintaining that this camp harbours the most dangerous terrorists in the world, however readily admitting that no key Al Qaeda suspects have ever been held at the base. It dismisses the UN's report as 'largely without merit' and ignores the recommendation that the base should be immediately closed.
As will be highlighted by next month's film on Channel 4 regarding the now famous Tipton Three (The Road to Guantanamo), the English Defence forces were complicit in helping the US round up so called 'suspects' and shipping them to the prison base. One of the Tipton Three was held in prison for two years on the basis that he appeared in a pre Sept 9/11 video with Osama Bin Laden. He had to be eventually released when the UK authorities proved to the US that that particular 'terror suspect' was actually working in Curry’s at the time the video was produced. Had the Tipton Three not been UK citizens they would most likely still be enduring the harsh realities of Guantanamo Bay. But all of the nine British citizens who were detained there have now been released.
While it is internationally accepted that this prison camp is completely illegal and unjustified, the US does not appear under any great pressure to close it. Why? The main reason is a lack of public outcry from the international community at large. While the UN and EU groups have openly condemned the institute, the British government has deferred from condemning it outright. For me, Tony Blair’s inability or unwillingness to condemn Guantanamo constitutes a dangerous shift in the British government's policy to what they deem acceptable and lawful in the war against terror.
Most disturbing of all is the recent report of how four actors featuring in the above film were detained under the Anti-Terrorism bill on returning to England after the film’s premiere in Berlin. The actors were subject to verbal abuse and denied access to a lawyer while questioned by Bedfordshire police. They were eventually released without charge but it is alarming that the UK authorities should feel the need to act so aggressively. It will be interesting to see how long Tony Blair can fend off the inevitable questions regarding Guantanamo – he knows he can’t condone it but how long can he go without condemning it?
Dae
Published by Colm.
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