Domestic Policy

Guantanomo Detainees Want U.N. To Grant Them Their Rights

February 14, 2006 ⋅  E-Mail Article ⋅  Print Article ⋅ Post a comment

Live by the sword; die by the sword, so goes it when you cast your lot with the U.N. Many times in the past ten years America has referred back to the U.N. so that it can justify its actions as legal and legitimate. However, a recent investigation by five U.N. officials has determined that the current detainee situation at Guantanomo Bay is illegal and improper. America has countered by stating that the judging system used by the U.N. was flawed, it was based on civilian thresholds and American officials have stated, we are at war, which is how these detainees, and their situation, should be judged. They are prisoners of war, not innocently held civilians.

The fact finding mission was began because of complaints by the detainees, they have claimed abuse, and misuse, and they want to be charged or released immediately, they say they have rights and they want them immediately.

In response to this soon to be released report the question now becomes, “ how does America handle this report?” If they dispute the report aggressively they compromise the integrity of the U.N., if they don’t refute the claims then they will face mounting world pressure. This is a catch 22 that seems an almost impossible situation. However, I have faith the Bush Administration will juggle the needed statements so that all will settle well and the war on terror will march on. However, the overtones will grow and America will again soon feel the pressure to charge or release these individuals. We need to step up the pace of the war on terror and we need to see more tangible results.

The report was produced by a U.N. fact finding group has accused the United States of violating the Guantanomo detainees’ rights to a fair trial, and to freedom of religion. The report stated, “The apparent attempts by the U.S. administration to reinterpret certain interrogation techniques as not reaching the threshold of torture in the framework of the struggle against terrorism are of utmost concern.”

The draft report, which follows repeated claims by prisoners at Guantanamo Bay that they have been mistreated or denied their rights, was delivered to the United States on January 16. American officials countered the report by stating that the report judged U.S. treatment of detainees according to peacetime human rights laws and currently we are considered at war with these groups’ organizations. Therefore, the United States contends it is in a state of war and the Guantanomo situation should be judged according to the laws of war.

A State Department Official stated that, “Once you fail to even acknowledge that as the legal basis for what we’re doing, much of the legal analysis that follows just doesn’t hold.”

This brings to issue the question of, “What are we actually doing to win the war on terror, and what are its boundaries?” These are questions being asked more and more by congress.

U.N. Wants Answers on Guantanomo Detainees

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