Link: http://www.amnesty.org/en/campaigns/counter-terror-with-justice/action...In its so-called "war on terror", the US government has used practices that are prohibited under international law. These include secretly transferring terror suspects to locations where they have faced torture and other ill-treatment, enforced disappearances and indefinite detention without charge.
The US detention centre at Guantánamo is a symbol of this illegality. Despite international condemnation and the US government’s own stated wish to close Guantánamo, six years after detentions began at the base, many detainees languish there in cruel, inhuman and degrading conditions.
This link came from my friend David (Drafair). Thank you.
 | This is probably the single-most-disgraceful act of the Bush regime (and they have a long, long line of disgraceful acts for which to account). |
 | Yes, its our very own gulag archipelligo. |
 | one of our friends was picked up & detained nearly a year within the USA - (i think he was lucky for that...not being taken outside of the USA) - he lived in excellent conditions (not normally the case) & had unlimited phone calls to his wife & children - but never charged with anything - never saw a court room or a judge - never told what he could have done wrong. Not horribly treated like those in Cuba, but still, a year of his life is gone for nothing |
 | Signed. I'm so glad to see the international community getting behind this thing. Many of those "prisoners" had done nothing worse than own a cell phone, or be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Its just disgusting that this has happened. |
|  one of our friends was picked up & detained nearly a year within the USA  It has happened to New Zealanders too Sunset, being detained inside USA for a very long time without charge. An Australian was held at Guantánamo for a long time too and it was very hard for him. |
| Thanks to those who are signing and taking this link to their own pages. |
 | There is strong feeling in my country about every step of all this, from the bombing of Iraq onwards. What really hurts me is the remembeance of women i worked with during WW2 whose husbands were Prisoners of War and THEY did not have so long a separation..........Guantanamo seems an obscenity in itself and the current admissions regarding the water torture and breaking of our air-space regulations have such an air of unreality in our so-called Civilisation that I keep expecting Britain to shout across the Ocean just one word ENOUGH! That is what we would have done ONCE. We are a tolerant Nation, but always in the past there has come a time when we could no longer tolerate... In my view it is now that time. We pride ourselves on our LAWS . We should not be linked with those who flout the Law of Justice as and when it suits THEM. |
 | signed this back in January. The US Govt should be charged with war crimes for illegal kidnappings and detentions in my opinion. |
 | A lot of people who live in other countries many not realize this, but many of the American people, myself included, are outraged over whats been happening. This is not how our country is supposed to behave and it's not a reflection of who we really are as Americans.
We voted in a new congress to press for change, but they have done next to nothing to challenge the current administration until recently.
Hopefully, this November, we vote in the right person to lead this country back in the rigt direction.
|
 | I signed!:   Who are the real terrorist if you don’t respect international Law? Why are the suspects of 9-11 taken to Military court? Do they have to hide something for the public? I will link this item. |
 | Thanks for the great info. A lot goes on in this country, and I am sure in others, that we don't know about. Like the old saying, we only know what they want us to know. |
| We (the US) have slid dangerously close to the edge, if we don't step back over the line after the November elections it will be a long, long time before we resemble the nation that we are supposed to be. |
| A lot of people who live in other countries many not realize this, but many of the American people, myself included, are outraged over whats been happening. This is not how our country is supposed to behave and it's not a reflection of who we really are as Americans. Kia ora Meg.
I think most of us do know that there are plenty of nice decent American people. Certainly for me, my disgust is directed at the US Govt which I don't believe is representing the American people properly as they should be in a country that insists it is a democracy.
If there is anything else that gets me mad it is people who bitch about their government but didn't get off their ass to vote. Everybody is entitled to vote whichever way they want but when huge sections of eligible voters do not even get out and vote then what you have is government by apathy and default.
|
| I will link this item. Kia ora Flavour and thank you. |
| Kia ora and thanks to everyone of you who read, signed and linked. |
| Thanks for all the reponses, some interesting views. I do understand that Many Many US citizens must be horrified at what their government is doing in their name. Hopefully petitions like this will have an effect. Thanks especially to iriani for linking the petition on her site. My twin daughters are still at present US citizens, but have decided to renounce their citizenship in favour of UK citizenship. Mainly for family reasons but also because they feel that they don't want to be associated with the actions of the US government. Even if these 'detainees' are responsible for the things they are being accused of they should be given a fair open trial and subject to the same rules and human rights as anyone else. We had so many 'frame ups ' and forced confessions in the UK during the NI troubles, and many innocent people were imprisoned for long periods. This of course was not only devastating for individuals, their famlies, the UK justice system but also mean't that people responsible for terrible events were allowed to remain free to continue their activities. The fact the US armed personel and security forces are unlikely to face any consequences for the torture of these prisoners will only create disgust and mistrust of the US in any future actions and policies. It seems the UK and other countries may have provided airspace to allow the US to transport 'detainees' in secret although the facts about this are not clear. |
 | Americans government officials who perpetuate torture, do not represent the America I believe in. I still believe in hanging any convicted war criminals of any nationality. I have hope in the upcoming Obama presidency. The thing that really bugs me though is my own mother will vote for John McCain, who will effectively be a third George W. Bush term. I can't get through to her. Must be a generational thing. |
| The thing that really bugs me though is my own mother will vote for John McCain, who will effectively be a third George W. Bush term. Well of course in a democracy people are entitled to vote the way they believe is right no matter what you or I or anyone else might think of it, just as people are also entitled to freedom from torture and have the right to a fair trial. I don't believe in the death penalty and we don't have a death penalty in New Zealand of course. At least your mother cares enough to vote and makes the effort to do so. |
| Even if these 'detainees' are responsible for the things they are being accused of they should be given a fair open trial and subject to the same rules and human rights as anyone else And thats the important bit. |
 | signed and linked! Lets hope they're listening |
 | dnoakes wrote on Mar 10, edited on Mar 10 In the America I grew up in, political torture was something that might have happened in isolation (among racists in the South, et al, in collusion with dictatorial governments abroad, et al ) but never condoned by an American President.
It is hard for me to believe that we have an elected President here who condones waterboarding and God knows what else and actually vetoed a bill recently by Congress to stop this business.. |
| I have been saying this for so long now Doug (I can hear a collective sigh form my other readers even), that I am completely against the idea that in a democracy where the government is supposed to represent the will of the PEOPLE, that one person should have the power to veto their wishes. That kind of thing belongs in a dictatorship or a monarchy from centuries ago. The power of veto should be taken away from the president.
Torture is a terrible thing. |
| And then you see McCain (Republican presidential hopeful) who voted against torture (presumably to look good to voters) but then apparently called for Bush to veto.
He has shown his true colours. |
| "Republican presidential candidate John McCain said President Bush should veto a measure that would bar the CIA from using waterboarding and other harsh interrogation methods on terror suspects. McCain voted against the bill, which would restrict the CIA to using only the 19 interrogation techniques listed in the Army field manual. His vote was controversial because the manual prohibits waterboarding — a simulated drowning technique that McCain also opposes — yet McCain doesn't want the CIA bound by the manual and its prohibitions." http://maryfaliha.multiply.com/journal/item/127/Political_Ties_That_Bind_and_Gag. |
| |
