Guilty until Proven Innocent
Innocent until proven guilty. It has a nice ring to it. But it’s a hollow ring for those at Guantanamo Bay. For five years, innocent until proven guilty has been a battle cry of human rights defenders against Guantanamo – and an ironic statement for those within its walls.
Last night, in protests around the world, people joined together in calling for the close of Guantanamo. UUSC staff members joined with Amnesty International to hold a vigil in front of Cambridge City Hall in Cambridge, Mass.
Today, more than 400 detainees, none of whom have been tried, are captives of Guantanamo. They are the lost victims of a war with unclear goals and even less clear means.
And, these aren’t ordinary prisoners. Unlike citizens on trial in this country, these prisoners are not innocent until proven guilty. Last year, Congress stripped the right of habeas corpus, or the ability to challenge the legality of detention in a court of law, from those detainees at Guantanamo. What that means is, essentially, those prisoners are guilty until proven innocent.
The legislation went one step further – it eliminated the right to habeas corpus for all non-citizens whom the executive branch declared to be “unlawful enemy combatants.” In the United States alone, that could be any one of the 11 million non-citizens who live on our shores.
Supporters of the bill claim that this is the price we pay to win the “War on Terror.” But at what cost? Stripped of their rights, charged with nothing, forced to exist for five years within the walls of Guantanamo . . . would our administration still be convinced of the merits of this price?
It’s only the price they are willing for others to pay.
The prisoners of Guantanamo have been languishing for over five years. They have missed the births of children and the deaths of loved ones. They have been stripped of their right to recourse, and treated as “The Enemy.” They are the price we are paying.
Some say that winning the “War on Terror” is worth any cost. The cost in this case is lost innocence.
Labels: Iraq, take action
posted by Sarah Peck at 14:00
1 Comments:
Hi,
Just saw Amnesty International have launched another cool campaign. I just joined and it's fun. Give it a try, it's for a good cause and it takes only a couple of minutes. Postin' some of the info from their blog:
"Where can you find bearded ladies, parachuting mermaids and Siamese pirate twins on the web? On the way to Guántanamo!
Amnesty International has launched an animated online petition asking for people to join our flotilla travelling all the way to Guantánamo. We have already got thousands of people on the voyage with us. The travellers are taking part in AI's latest online campaign to draw more people to our campaign against the US government to close Guantánamo. This online petition will run until 26 June, International day for the Protection of Victims of Torture.
Help us pass the message! Please forward the link to as many people as you can http://www.amnesty.org/ and ask them to sign up to the campaign and forward it to their friends and colleagues. People can also link to the flotilla from their website or blog. Find here banners and buttons in several languages. Together we can Close Guantánamo. Let's give it a good try!
Joining only takes a minute and it is a lot of fun. And while you're there, have a look at how your friends and colleagues here have designed their outfits, done their hair and chosen their mode of transport -- its a hoot! Have you always wanted a beard but were afraid to grow one? Now's your chance!
The campaign is gathering momentum and is creating quite a splash. Now we need your help to pass on the message. Can we count on you to keep up the momentum and ensure we get this awful detention site closed for good?
Thanks, everyone!
Amnesty International"
so there you are, ladies, go grow your beard on the way to Guantánamo! :)
(the mermaid with a beard riding a sea dragon, that's me!)
Monday, January 29, 2007
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