Press Release:25 US Christians Reach Guantanamo for Anti-Torture Vigil

[Clara T]

25 U.S. Christians Reach U.S. Naval Base at Guantánamo, Hold Anti-Torture Vigil Outside Gates

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, December 12, 2005
Contact: Mike McGuire, 347.683.4928, [e-mail]

25 U.S. Christians Reach U.S. Naval Base at Guantánamo, Hold Anti-Torture Vigil Outside Gates

While Four Other Christian Peacemakers Face Threat of Execution in Iraq, Group Asks President Bush to Allow Gospel Mandate to Visit Prisoners

PRESS CONFERENCE AT GUANTÁNAMO

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13,
3PM (2PM EST)
At La Glorieta, the first Cuban Military Checkpoint en route to base

Guantánamo, Cuba – A group of 25 U.S. Christians today ended their 50-mile march from Santiago, Cuba to the gates of the controversial American detention center at Guantánamo Bay. The Witness Against Torture marchers are the first American Christians ever to approach the notorious prison, where hundreds of inmates have been subjected to torture and humiliation, while being held outside of international law.

In June of this year, President Bush said to those concerned with the conditions in Guantánamo, “You're welcome to go down yourself... and take a look at the conditions.” Now these US Christians are calling his bluff. They are asking people to call on President Bush to grant permission for them to visit the prisoners.

In the tradition of the Catholic Worker movement and its founder Dorothy Day, the marchers are camping outside the Guantánamo Bay gates and calling on the U.S. Government to allow them access to the prison so that they may perform the Christian work of mercy of visiting the incarcerated, as called for in the Gospel of Matthew 25:36. Members of the group have set up tents outside the Cuban side of the gates, where they will fast and hold prayer vigils while waiting for U.S. permission to visit the prison.

Members of the group will also pray for the release of four Christian Peacemakers who are currently being held hostage in Iraq, where they face the threat of execution. Sister Anne Montgomery, a 79-year old full time member of the Christian Peacemaker Team who has been to Iraq, just completed the 50-mile trek to Guantánamo, “Tom Fox's last communication before he was kidnapped said that love is the only thing that can overcome dehumanization,” Sister Montgomery observed. “We feel that what is happening in Guantánamo represents the dehumanization of the prisoners, the guards and those that make war. We pray at the gates of Guantánamo that love will overcome this dehumanization.” Another CPT member, Danny Burns of Ithaca, NY, is also in at Guantánamo with the Witness Against Torture.



http://www.witnesstorture.org/node/158

[Tsiyu]

1. Betcha the media tries to ignore this

Hope it explodes all over the news because, to me and to most of America, THIS is what REAL Christians do.

They don't demand certain holiday greetings, ignore their suffering fellow Americans in New Orleans or support a president who murders innocents for $$$$$$$

[Clara T]

3. Become the media

Dorothy Day

[Tsiyu]

8. No doubt...and welcome to DU

:hi:

[schmuls]

5. Right on! You said it just right!

[Tsiyu]

7. Thanks and welcome to DU!!!!!

:hi:

[Lydia Leftcoast]

2. Yes, we can't make the administration look bad

:grr:

[tyedyeto]

4. Now that is real activism ...

My thoughts are with them in the hope they will be able to actually visit the grounds and report what is happening there.


I don't recall * ever saying... “You're welcome to go down yourself... and take a look at the conditions.” Any idea exactly where and when he said it?

[neweurope]

6. I think he said it to German journalists when he was over here.

*g* One of the journalists tried to buy a plane ticket there... and was told that - I think - his trip would have to end in Miami unless he got means of transportation from there by the government. He applied and never heard of it again :)


Also see this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5578084

---------------

Remember Fallujah

Bush to The Hague!

[tyedyeto]

9. Kick

:kick:

[Clara T]

10. "My Husband is at the Gates of Gitmo"

My Husband is at the Gates of Gitmo

By JESSICA STEWART

Twenty-five U.S. citizens, calling themselves Witness Against Torture, are demonstrating, fasting and praying at the gates of the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay. They marched across Cuba to get to the prison. One of them is my husband, Danny Burns.

Danny and I have two children. Finian is three years old and Francis is seven months. Danny is at Guantanamo in part because of our family. What our government is doing at Guantanamo creates an unsafe world for our children. Our government is promoting a global escalation of violence which makes increasing terrorism inevitable.

I know Danny is risking retaliation by the U.S. government for demonstrating against the illegal actions of our government at Guantanamo. Danny and three others in our community, Clare Grady, Teresa Grady and Peter Demott, are awaiting sentencing in federal court in January for an action taken on St. Patrick,s Day in 2002 aimed at preventing the war on Iraq. Despite that, Danny and Clare and Teresa, have chosen to stand at the gates of Guantanamo.

<snip>

Danny and I think our government,s actions at Guantanamo have been marked by a disregard for international law. Our government has disregarded the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Geneva Conventions, the Nuremburg Principles and the Convention against Torture. This disregard is not just at Guantanamo but also in the "war on terror, the war against Iraq and in many parts of our global and domestic policy. When the world,s most powerful government chooses to violate international law, rather than follow international law and serve the common good and further justice, the law of force governs the world.

http://www.counterpunch.org/stewart12122005.html

[Cleita]

11. That's brave of them. I wish them safety and success.n/t