'The Americans are breaking international law... it is a society heading t

[mom cat]

'The Americans are breaking international law... it is a society heading towards Animal Farm' - Archbishop Sentamu on Guantanamo

By Ian Herbert and Ben Russell

Published: 18 February 2006

The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, has launched a passionate attack on President George Bush, saying his administration's refusal to close the notorious Guantanamo Bay camp reflected "a society that is heading towards George Orwell's Animal Farm".

Dr Sentamu, the Church of England's second in command, urged the UN Hum-an Rights Commission (UNHRC) to take legal action against the US - through the US courts or the International Court of Justice at The Hague - should it fail to respond to a report, by five UN inspectors, advising that Camp Delta at Guantanamo Bay should be shut immediately because prisoners there are being tortured.

The report was published on Thursday, as a senior High Court judge, Mr Justice Collins, stated that American actions over Guantanamo's Camp Delta do not "appear to coincide with that of most civilised nations". As a result of his ruling, three of eight British inmates held in the camp are to appeal to the Foreign Secretary Jack Straw to intervene with the Bush administration on their behalf.

Archbishop Sentamu's comments will strengthen the increasingly insistent international pressure for Guantanamo to be closed. Archbishop Desmond Tutu called for its closure, after similar appeals by Peter Hain, the Northern Ireland Secretary, and the UN secretary general Kofi Annan.

Dr Sentamu said the UNHRC should seek a writ of habeas corpus, compelling the US to bring those being detained at Guantanamo to court, to establish whether they are imprisoned lawfully and if they should be released.

"The American Government is breaking international law," he told The Independent. "The main building block of a democratic society is that everyone is equal before the law, innocent until proved otherwise, and has the right to legal representation. If the guilt of the prisoners in Guantanamo Bay is beyond doubt, why are the Americans afraid to bring them to trial? Transparency and accountability are the other side of the coin of freedom and responsibility. We are all accountable for our actions in spite of circumstances. The events of 9/11 cannot erase the rule of law and international obligations.

more at:
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article346214.ece

[CBGLuthier]

1. Heading Towards Animal Farm?

We have already been there since, hell just about day one of this country.

America has always been a country (and so have many other countries) where all are created equal but some are more equal than others.

[mom cat]

6. True. Ever since the invasion of Columbus The invaders and their

descendent's (which includes most of us) have carried on a brutal domestic and international policy, frequently stooping to the lows of our predecessors in the inquisition and the Roman Empire (just to name a few).

[MasonJar]

2. I love Episcopalians/ Anglicans. You go, boys. Finally men

with authority in the church are speaking out. Maybe some of the religious fanatics in the US will pay a little attention.

[FatDave]

5. As they say over there...

not bloody likely.

[xchrom]

3. i wish others besides dr sentamu would be so direct.

he is certainly correct.

[Terran1212]

4. Civilization vs American Government, it looks like

[Cha]

7. "Animal Farm"

"TNT's ANIMAL FARM rejuvenates Orwell's Cold War tale for the post-Soviet era. It reminds us that the struggle between truth and propaganda, freedom and slavery is an ongoing one."


http://www.turnerlearning.com/tntlearning/animalfarm/afintro.html

[mom cat]

9. Thanks for that link. It led me to this related link:

http://www.turnerlearning.com/tntlearning/animalfarm/aforbio.html

[Cha]

12. Thank you, that was interesting

as I don't remember anything I had read about George Orwell before..so young when he passed on.

[anitar1]

8. BFEE does not give a damn what anyone thinks of them.

There is not a word in this world that will halt them in their insane drive to total dicktatorship.

[mom cat]

10. They wil never stop giving a damn, that is true. That is why we must not

ever stop giving a damn.

[Rocknrule]

11. Is there any way we can erase them and what they've done

as a shit stain on America's history?