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08-Dec-2005

American Peace Activists March on Guantanamo Bay

by: Renata Sancken

Santiago: On 7 December, 25 US Christian peace activists set out from Santiago, Cuba, on a 50-mile march to Guantanamo Bay, in protest of the treatment of the detainees being held in the US military prison camp.

The group, members of Witness Against Torture, had hoped to cross the military zone and demand to see the prisoners, although following daylong negotiations with Cuban officials, it now seems unlikely that they will be permitted to do so. Instead, the group plans to hold a fast and prayer vigil when they reach the edge of the base. These negotiations delayed the group’s start, as they had originally hoped to reach the base by 10 December, International Human Rights Day.

An estimated 500 “terror suspects” are being held in Guantanamo Bay without being officially charged or being given prisoner of war status. An investigation earlier this year revealed that interrogators have used cold, heat, loud music and sleep deprivation as methods of getting the detainees to talk, although the Bush administration still denies that it condones torture. Susan Crane, one of the marchers, said “I think it’s important for the world to know that there’s not a consensus in this country that torture is OK.”

Crane and the other activists have been meeting at Jonah House, the Catholic Worker community in West Baltimore, which was co-founded in 1973 by war resisters Philip F Berrigan and Liz McAlister. Many of those visiting Cuba with Witness Against Torture have previously been imprisoned for other protests at US military bases and arms factories.

Although US citizens are not banned from visiting Cuba, they are not permitted to spend any money there without special permission from the government, and can be fined or imprisoned if they are prosecuted. The Cuban government has made no statement about the presence of the protestors.

The group are asking people to write letters in solidarity with their march, and to hold vigils on 10 December. The marchers are also planning on updating their website with blogs from Cuba.

Source: Witness Against Torture