Amnesty Film Shows Agony of US Detention Techniques

[babylonsister]

Amnesty Film Shows Agony of US Detention Techniques
by Terri Judd

Forced on to the balls of his feet, bent double with his hands handcuffed behind his back, the near-naked man shook violently. From beneath the hood, muted moans were audible. It seemed obscene to stare at this apparently frail, vulnerable man, caught in a stress position reminiscent of the images of Iraqi prisoners being interrogated by US soldiers at Baghdad’s Abu Ghraib prison. Yet this was not torture. It was art.

In an attempt to draw attention to human rights abuses, Amnesty International has filmed a dancer in the positions captives have been forced to adopt by US troops. The resulting film makes shocking viewing. During a break in filming, Jiva Parthipan, a Sri Lankan performance artist, appeared relieved as he rubbed his limbs, which were aching after just a couple of minutes in a position that suspects in President George Bush’s “war on terror” are expected to endure for hours.

The star of the Amnesty International film, which is being released online next month to highlight the agony of such interrogation techniques, said he found the experience painful, both physically and psychologically. In secret jails across the world, Amnesty insists, captives in the fight against terrorism are expected to maintain these poses. They are not considered torture, simply “enhanced interrogation techniques”. Alfred McCoy, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, argued recently that the photographs from Abu Ghraib reflected standard CIA torture techniques of ” stress positions, sensory deprivation, and sexual humiliation”.

In August, President Bush issued an order decreeing that Article 3 of the Third Geneva Convention - which prohibits the humiliating or degrading treatment of prisoners of war - should apply to the CIA’s detention and interrogation programme. But Amnesty believes the order does not go far enough in specifying what constitutes degrading treatment.

It is calling for an end to all secret detentions, as well as for detainees to be given access to lawyers, medical care and monitors. It wants all allegations of enforced disappearance, torture and ill treatment levelled at the CIA to be investigated independently.

more...

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/09/10/3743/

[Solly Mack]

1. K/R.....will read later (watching the illusion show on CSPAN)

Hope you had a wonderful vacation!!!

[babylonsister]

2. 'the illusion show' - that's about right.

Who is the man speaking, w/o a coat on? Is that Reyes? MSNBC in their utter efficiency :rofl: has his name covered up with a banner. Must be hot in there, though you'd think Petraeus and Crocker would/should be sweating. Or is he the guy from American Samoa and doesn't have to wear a coat? I'm so confused!

And my vacation was grand, though it's good to be home. DH had to go back to work today so he was none too thrilled, though it's nice to miss his presence, if you catch my drift.

How are you feeling? Did you hear anything yet?

[Solly Mack]

3. I know exactly what you mean! :) (your drift)

No word yet. I'm healing OK (the incisions) and I feel OK. They'll call with the results next week (or so they said)

The right side pain - which was a constant in my life - is GONE!!! So that's a truly wonderful thing!!!

[babylonsister]

4. Excellent! Nice to hear good news, especially for you!

:toast: :pals: