Something different for Lent today -
please read, pray, think and post as your faith inspires you.
Read about the current situation with Guantanamo
Pray for all who face trial by military commission and all who will try them.
Think about how you imagine Jesus may respond, as an inmate, as a judge, as a soldier, as a family member, as leader of a new way in our world.
Post any prayers or comments you have about today.
Tomorrow will be back to the Manchester and Salford peoples bible reflections.
Obama’s failure to close Guantanamo is complete-
The announcement on 4 April 2011 by US Attorney General Eric Holder that the alleged 9/11 conspirators will face trial by military commissions at Guantanamo Bay hails the complete failure by the Obama administration to fulfil its promise to close the notorious prison camp.
Cageprisoners believe that by reverting to much discredited military commissions the US government will completely undermine any legitimate prosecution case that they may have had against the men. Further, no trial under military commission will be considered to have provided due process and will result in the cases being used to exemplify how the US system of justice is inadequate.
Holder refused to rule out the use of the death penalty in the case of the men who will face the military commission. Such a move would only be used as collateral by those who seek to highlight the hypocrisies in the US justice system.
Director of Cageprisoners and former Guantanamo Bay detainee, Moazzam Begg, said of the news,
“Of the 779 men once held in Guantanamo as ‘the worst of the worst ‘only six them been successfully prosecuted there. These men included a cook, a driver, a video-maker and a child. This statistic in itself would render Guantanamo an object of ridicule – if the matter was not so deadly serious. Prosecuting these five men, the ‘9/11 conspirators, through the military commissions will appear to many as an attempt to legitimise the illegitimate. The fact is that some of these men were waterboarded and had their children abused in front of them. How does one avoid such information from challenging the whole process in open court? Trial by military commission.”
Moazzam Begg met with Christian ministers from the North West of the United Reformed Church in 2009 as a speaker at week-long annual ministers conference.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cageprisoners is a human rights NGO that exists to raise awareness of the plight of the prisoners at Guantanamo Bay and other detainees held as part of the War on Terror. We aim to give a voice to the voiceless.
Give a voice to the voiceless.
Contact Cageprisoners Ltd.
27 Old Gloucester Street
London
WC1N 3XX
Please leave a short comment below about todays posting. God bless you in your spiritual quest.
Kate Gray
