WASHINGTON, 22 July 2005 — A US delegation will soon travel to Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia, the countries with the greatest number of nationals being held at the US terror suspect camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, a US diplomat said yesterday.
“We will travel to Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia, who have the two largest populations in Guantanamo, in the coming weeks to see what can be done to send some detainees home and if these governments can control the threat some may still pose,” said Pierre-Richard Prosper, ambassador-at-large, Office of War Crimes Issues.
“We would prefer not to have these individuals in Guantanamo, and have their countries share the burden,” he said.
“We want to send home as many detainees as possible, those who no longer pose a threat — or if they do, those that their governments can manage,” Prosper said.
So “we continue to seek transfers, but not if we believe the detainees might be subjected to torture,” he added.
Of the 510 prisoners of 36 nationalities now at Guantanamo, there are “over 100 Afghans” and “over 100 Saudis,” Prosper added.
Prosper pointed out that Afghan President Hamid Karzai was insistent on the return of detainees. Concerning Saudi Arabia, “a partner on the war on terror,” Prosper explained that the United States did not want to add stress to “their internal problems by sending planeloads of detainees if they are not prepared to deal with them or to manage the threat they might still pose.”
“We want to keep them off the battlefield, but we don’t want to hold anyone longer than necessary,” added Matthew Waxman, deputy assistant secretary of defense for detainee affairs.
Hunger Strike at Gitmo
Fifty-two prisoners at the US Guantanamo Bay camp in Cuba have launched a hunger strike, apparently in protest at their detention, military authorities said yesterday.
Joint Task Force Guantanamo, which is in charge of the camp, said the 52 prisoners had so far refused at least nine consecutive meals.
Prisoners who refuse food were treated with intravenous drips, and oral rehydration solutions including Gatorade energy drinks, water and oral nutritional supplements, said a Joint Task Force statement.
“All are monitored by medical professionals and have their vital signs checked daily. They continue to be offered food and water.”
The US military statement came a day after one of two Afghan men released from the camp after three years said as he arrived in Kabul that 105 prisoners had just staged a hunger strike.
Former Taleban soldier Habibul Rasoul said the protest was aimed at highlighting “inhuman” conditions at the camp.
