Guantanamo prisoners attempted mass suicide

[sabra]

<<SNIP>>
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6862228/

Guantanamo prisoners attempted mass suicide

Military, rights activists debate reason for 'coordinated effort'

The Associated Press
Updated: 2:10 p.m. ET Jan. 24, 2005

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - Twenty-three terror suspects tried to hang or strangle themselves at the U.S. military base in Guantanamo Bay during a mass protest in 2003, the military confirmed Monday.

The incidents came during the same year the camp suffered a rash of suicide attempts after Maj. Gen. Geoffrey Miller took command of the prison with a mandate to get more information from prisoners accused of links to al-Qaida or the ousted Afghan Taliban regime that sheltered it.

Between Aug. 18 and Aug. 26, the 23 detainees tried to hang or strangle themselves with pieces of clothing and other items in their cells, demonstrating “self-injurious behavior,” the U.S. Southern Command in Miami said in a statement. Ten detainees made a mass attempt on Aug. 22 alone.

....

Sixteen remain at Guantanamo Bay, while seven were transferred to other countries, the statement said without giving details. Some transferred detainees have been released while others continue to be detained in their native or other countries.
<</SNIP>>

[aden_nak]

1. And for all this, have we gotten one single piece of info from them?

You know, one credible slice of information that was helpful to us? Can they even justify it using their sicko "defending Freedom by destroying it" rationale?

I mean, other than the tip that led to the speedy capture of Osama bi. . . oh, wait, nevermind.

[geniph]

6. Hell, have most of them even been accused

of actually knowing anything? Has any formal claim been made against most of them, or are we talking about people picked up in general round-ups?

*shaking head*

This used to be the kind of shit we heard about as kids - that the Soviets did. We were proud not to be that kind of nation. It's what made us different from the Commies.

"we have met the enemy, and he is us"

[Just Me]

18. Gitmo is a psy-op torture area intended to "create" intelligence.

At least, that is my belief.

Mass suicide is their only perceived means of escape.

It's shameful that WE are the ones running such a barbaric camp!

:mad: Fascist neoCONimperialists!

[TexasLawyer]

33. You're right

especially when you learn about how Gitmo "rewards" those who tell the Americans exactly the info they want to hear. I bet the U.S. can get these poor guys to tell them ANYTHING!

http://talkleft.com/new_archives/001938.html

The detainees are held in one-person cells inside three maximum-security blocks -- known as Camps I, II and III -- which replaced the open-air holding pens, known as Camp X-Ray, that were used when detainees arrived on the island. An undetermined number of detainees who have cooperated with interrogators will be transferred sometime this month to a fourth prison building, a new minimum-security facility capable of holding as many as 200 inmates. It has large, communal housing bays and common rooms where detainees can gather to play games or socialize, according to Army Lt. Col. Bill Costello, a spokesman for the joint military task force that runs the prison.

[Oversea Visitor]

2. Mass suicide

It must be real bad for them to try this.

[politicaholic]

3. This is horrible and obviously too damning to be news.

When was the last time you heard of this type of behaviour?

It's an act of desperation it sounds like. New warden, new torture, no prospect of leaving, no longer an identity, no reason for living.

[sabra]

4. And this happened in 2003, but only getting confirmed today?

[Tinoire]

5. All I can think is not in my name. Please. Not in my name.

This is so horrible.

[anarchy1999]

7. Okay, this one seems to be pushing us all over an edge. We knew this

was happening. Everyone here, take some really deep breaths. I know I am. I started to just say, okay, that's it, no more for today and sign off.

Then you posted Tin, and I feel just like you do. Okay, how do we end this madness? If it is "not in our name" (we know it is not), then how do we get really effective stopping it now? Not just right now, but yesterday. How do we all get really effective?

[Desertrose]

11. I agree with you both....what can we do?

How do we stop this madman???

[anarchy1999]

12. Thanks for stepping in DR. I don't have the answers, I don't think any

one of us do. We are all trying hard to get connected and to reach out and then we get overwhelmed, we drop out for weeks, we come back. It is so much to me a "divide and conquer" mentality at work when we could all be united on so many fronts. Glad to see you and hope you have some ideas, I'm all out, as I think many of us are.

[Just Me]

21. I can only suggest we "package the facts" and send written notice.

Gather all links pertaining to the abuses in Gitmo (including the SCOTUS "slap" at the neoCONimperialists' excesses) and prepare a letter which serves as an official notice that members of Congress have been informed and will be held responsible for their failure to uphold their oathes.

At least, in so doing, there will be too many of us who have "a record" for any member to excuse themselves from personal responsibility.

:shrug:

Tinoire is superb in packaging material. So is seemslikeadream and many others on this board.

[BeFree]

25. How? Here's an idea

We make a list of all the abuses US soldiers have endured:
What the Japs did
Korean abuses
Vietnam POWs, etc.

The we show how Gitmo is as bad, or even worse than those cruelties.

One of the right's main question about Gitmo has been this: "Will our soldiers be treated the same way the next time one is captured?"

I'd get into this but there are about a dozen other things going on in my activism, but it sure would be nice to see Justice done in Gitmo. I feel awful bad for those 'presumed guilty' individuals.

[no_to_war_economy]

8. it takes awhile for the filter to filter these things

to the masses

[Stand and Fight]

9. Good fucking grief...

How long are we going to let this crap go on? Bush and his cronies are the single largest threat to freedom, and the biggest gang of thugs and terrorists in the world today. Face it... Something has to be done because we are fast approaching the point of no return. We must stand and fight now or be reduced to an even worse nadir as a collective soul.

[leftofcool]

10. Until we take to the street..............

in revolt, this will continue for the next 4 years. It will rake millions in the streets for this to stop.

Laft of Cool

[toymachines]

17. this is very true, and it must start soon

it has to

[anarchy1999]

14. Kinda like the "global warning" thread posted, right? Past the point of

no return........

[Bragi]

13. From the Guardian...

The Guardian had a terrific commentary piece today about how bizarre it is that Bush calls for freedom in Cuba, but he's not talking about the most unfree part of Cuba, which is Gitmo Bay.

<<Comment

A fantasy of freedom

If Bush wanted to tackle tyranny, he could start with regimes under US control. But liberty clearly has limits, says Gary Younge.

Monday January 24, 2005
The Guardian

There is one tiny corner of Cuba that will forever America be. It is a place where innocent people are held without charge for years, beyond international law, human decency and the mythical glow of Lady Liberty's torch. It is a place where torture is common, beating is ritual and humiliation is routine. They call it Guantánamo Bay.>>

http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1396962,00.html

- B

[Judi Lynn]

19. Excellent article. So glad to read it . Thanks.

Hope to see this kind of writing in "coalition of the willing" countries increase. People need to think about things, even if they are not personally affected.

What a damned shame more people can't be moved to care, yet.

Welcome to D.U. :hi:

[DulceDecorum]

15. Even the Nazis never achieved that.

Gitmo is WORSE than Auschwitz.
The Grim Reaper is more merciful than an American "interrogator."

[saigon68]

16. Maj. Gen. Geoffrey Miller

Is a "WAR CRIMINAL"

[rucky]

23. Our very own Mengele n/t

[Judi Lynn]

20. Someone posted an article here last year about suicides at Guantanamo

He or she said that he/she had been trying to find out more about them, and that _Bush's administration had kept releasing the number of suicides as 32, month after month, even when people heard there had been another one. The number stayed right at 32.

I see in this article they admit now there have been 34 actual suicides. It's safe to believe there have been far more than this. After all, how many people have really been there all this time, who are they, how many have just "disappeared?" No one would know. How many have been there who were never officially "there?"

_Bush is a monster. People who support what he has done to his fellow human beings are monsters, as well.

[NVMojo]

22. karma ...when the U.S. gets theirs ...I hope it is not one of my own ...

I hope it is one of the rat bastards who did this ...Rummy ...cheney ...bushy ... ricey ...

[proudbluestater]

24. The Center for Constitutional Rights has been working on the issue

for quite some time. They brought the original case which was heard before the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court ruled the people could NOT be kept at Guantanamo indefinitely, without representation, without charge. I don't know what we can do about this continuing outrage, since the ruling was handed down LAST SUMMER. Here's a link to the site, if anybody else is interested in keeping up with the latest news. This group works hard for human rights. They and the ACLU seem to be the biggest protectors of civil/human rights.


http://www.ccr-ny.org/v2/home.asp

[Straight Shooter]

26. Aren't there laws about driving people to commit suicide?

Oh. Wait. Nevermind. Forgot which country this was, for a moment. We need to start calling this America II, because the original America,
I'm sorry to say, she's dead.

:nuke:

[Judi Lynn]

27. Kick!

[sophie996]

28. kick!

:kick:

[Disturbed]

29. Fighting Terror with Terror!

Which "Democrocatic" countries have unkown detainees been sent to?

Amerika is now a Fascist country and should be placed on the Terrorist States list.

[TexasLawyer]

30. Post Stories Like These

I've been making copies of stories like these and posting them all OVER the place. I highlight what I think people can read in a few seconds, and I write something in the margins that will make people think (hopefully).

I just made several copies of this article, noting "My God, what are we doing?" in the margin. I have these all ready to tape up on blank walls outside grocery and drug stores, on shop doors, INSIDE stores (like on a door in front of the ice cream), at the post-office, on magazine shelves, etc...

The copies get taken down eventually, but not before 20-30 people see them, sometimes many more if the store workers have too many other things to do (Hint-- WalMart). The sneakier you are about it the better. I am VERY sneaky, needless to say. I look like I am from Republican Party central casting, so this may be easier for me than others.

Stories and pictures of our troops that have been killed and injured in this illegal and immoral war are also good to get people to think about what is happening. Our mass media is all about sanitizing the news. If we're the media, we have to bring home what is happening in our name.

Join me, please.

[Just Me]

32. I stick flyers in between newspapers stacked in local markets.

It's pretty cool to meet another "covert" operator.

:hi:

[TexasLawyer]

34. Likewise!

I also write up news stories and editorials about these issues, but it's hard to get them into mainstream papers. If I want yuppies to know about what's going on, I'm reduced to guerrilla marketing.

[schrodingers_cat]

31. What does 'Rumsfeld' mean in German?

"
Rumsfeld has informed the German government via the US embassy that he will not take part in the Munich Security Conference in February, conference head Horst Teltschik told dpa on Thursday.

The New York-based Centre for Constitutional Rights filed a
complaint in December with the Federal German Prosecutor's Office against Rumsfeld accusing him of war crimes and torture in connection with detainee abuses at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison.

Rumsfeld made it known immediately after the complaint was filed that he would not attend the Munich conference unless Germany quashed the legal action."



http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/8EBCFED0-6677-4F9F-B0D0-6995460FCEFA.htm


Looks like those who'd like to see someone held accountable for such attrocious human rights violations aren't just foriegn countries - some homies just petitioned the German government to arrest that damn jackass if he sets foot on their soil! Unlike the US , the Geneva Conventions still apply elsewhere
Hey France,et al, jump on the bandwagon!

[TexasLawyer]

35. Suicide ATTEMPTS

The story is just about suicide attempts and not actual suicides. I'll be there have been plenty of the latter that we're not hearing about. Also, I but we're not hearing about all the attempts, either. Just the ones the military will admit to.

Does anyone have info on suicides at Gitmo that went beyond just an attempt?