Fawzi al-Odah is from Kuwait. In 2002, he was taken forcibly and subsequently detained in a US detention camp at Guantánamo Bay.
Up till today, he has not been put on trial for any offences. That is no surprise since there has been no formal charge made up against him. He will just be kept detained until the "war on terror" is over*.
Fawzi alleges that he was beaten up when he was first brought to Guantánamo - that would not be the last time.
Out of a protest inter alia against their detention without trial, Fawzi and 83 others went on a hunger strike in December.
According to Fawzi, the tactics used by US to stop them from carrying on are as follows:-
1. They took away his "comfort items" - blanket, towel, shoes etc.;
2. Then they kept him in isolation** for 10 days;
3. Then they came and threaten to put him on "the chair" if he continue to refuse to eat. "The chair" refers to the metal chair where detainees are strapped on to be force-fed.
He refused - and the US carried out their threat. Fawzi was placed onto the "chair" and liquid food was forced through his nose via a thick tube with a metal edge.
Fawzi said, "They pulled the tubes in and out. If I resisted or tried to take the tubes out, they would strap me down, hold my head back and force the tubes in and out causing a lot more pain. It was useless to resist."
Todate, only 4 of them are still refusing food. Hardly surprising seeing the torture*** they had to endure.
Fawzi complained also of the horrible conditions in Guantánamo - "the lousy food, no reading materials, bad medical care, being in isolation". But he said that that is not the real problem of being in Guantanamo.
"The real problem is being here without reason, without hope, without a hearing. I am an innocent person who has done nothing wrong and I have had no opportunity to show that. ... A fair court with fair procedures is what I have been asking for".
Fawzi says that his health is deteriorating. He longs for death for "(d)eath in this situation is better than being alive and staying here without hope. Death would be better if it helped end this situation."
*According to the International Law of Armed Conflicts, any enemy combatants captured will be detained until the hostilities end. In this case, the US has started a "War against terror" - so technically, the hostilities may not end since "terror" can never be fully eradicated. Can it?
** The Human Rights Commission has stated many times that being kept in isolation is considered a form of torture - mental torture.
***For those who still can't imagine how can force-feeding amount to torture, here is an account given by Attorney Julia Tarver on 28th October 2005 and found in the report submitted by five holders of mandates of special procedures of the Commission on Human Rights who have been jointly following the situation of detainees held at Guantánamo Bay since June 2004:-
“They are being force-fed through the nose. The force-feeding happens in an abusive fashion as the tubes are rammed up their noses, then taken out again and rammed in again until they bleed. For a while tubes were used that were thicker than a finger because the smaller tubes did not provide the detainees with enough food. The tubes caused the detainees to gag and often they would vomit blood. The force-feeding happens twice daily with the tubes inserted and removed every time. Not all of the detainees on hunger strike are in hospital but a number of them are in their cells, where a nurse comes and inserts the tubes there.”
Friday, March 10, 2006
Friday, March 03, 2006
Roza's story
Roza Yusupova was born in Kazakhstan in 1958. She has been living in Grozny off and on since 1980.
During the war, she left Grozny with her family and returned in April 200 only to find her house to be unihabitable. At that time, her husband managed to get a job as a plumber at a police station.
One day, around 2 months after working there, he told Roza that he was going to the police station to get paid. That was the last Roza had seen of her husband.
The police station deny any knowledge of what happenned to her husband - much to Roza's disbelief.
Life has not been easy on Roza - or for that matter, those who live there. There is no piping and water supply. Clean water has to be bought and is very precious. At the same time, rain water is collected and saved for purposes such as laundry and mopping the floor. There is gas supplied - but it gets turned off frequently and is unreliable. Roza stocks up on firewoood to keep her stove going.
Roza has four sons. She says this about them:-
"I feel upset and ashamed that I can't give my children what my parents gave me. We can't give our children a peaceful childhood. There are no decent schools, and if there are they don't have the most basic conditions.
They don't know what parks or funfairs are. They are children of war, they know what killings and explosions are. They know nothing but war."
But it is her sons - and recently, a granddaughter - that keeps her going on no matter how tough life is, no matter how much she is deprived of basic human rights.
People have commented how strong Roza is, how she never cries. She doesn't deny the latter but regarding the former, she confesses that she "...was afraid to cry in front of the children, so as not to traumatise them even further".
During the war, she left Grozny with her family and returned in April 200 only to find her house to be unihabitable. At that time, her husband managed to get a job as a plumber at a police station.
One day, around 2 months after working there, he told Roza that he was going to the police station to get paid. That was the last Roza had seen of her husband.
The police station deny any knowledge of what happenned to her husband - much to Roza's disbelief.
Life has not been easy on Roza - or for that matter, those who live there. There is no piping and water supply. Clean water has to be bought and is very precious. At the same time, rain water is collected and saved for purposes such as laundry and mopping the floor. There is gas supplied - but it gets turned off frequently and is unreliable. Roza stocks up on firewoood to keep her stove going.
Roza has four sons. She says this about them:-
"I feel upset and ashamed that I can't give my children what my parents gave me. We can't give our children a peaceful childhood. There are no decent schools, and if there are they don't have the most basic conditions.
They don't know what parks or funfairs are. They are children of war, they know what killings and explosions are. They know nothing but war."
But it is her sons - and recently, a granddaughter - that keeps her going on no matter how tough life is, no matter how much she is deprived of basic human rights.
People have commented how strong Roza is, how she never cries. She doesn't deny the latter but regarding the former, she confesses that she "...was afraid to cry in front of the children, so as not to traumatise them even further".
See Roza' story told in a photo journal in BBC News Online here
Thursday, March 02, 2006
Humberto's story
Humberto Alvarez Machain - or should I say Dr. Alvarez - is a medical doctor who is a Mexican and was residing in Guadalajara, Mexico.
On April the 2nd, 1990, while Dr. Alvarez was in his medical office, men came and took him by force. Dr. Alverez was then forced onto a plane which flew him into US territory. Upon disembarking the plane, Dr. Alvarez was arrested by the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) officials to be tried for the crimes he had allegedly committed!
Not surprisingly, Dr. Alvarez challenged the way he was abducted and forcibly brought to the US. The Supreme Court of the US found that while Dr. Alvarez '...may be correct that his abduction was "shocking" and in violation of general international law principles', nevertheless the decision on whether he should be returned to Mexico is one that should be left to the US government to make.
Dr. Alvarez was not returned to Mexico.
Outraged?
Would you feel any differently if it is said the DEA believed that Dr. Alvarez participated in the murder of DEA special agent Enrique Camarena Salazar by prolonging agent Camarena's life so that others could further torture and interrogate him?
On April the 2nd, 1990, while Dr. Alvarez was in his medical office, men came and took him by force. Dr. Alverez was then forced onto a plane which flew him into US territory. Upon disembarking the plane, Dr. Alvarez was arrested by the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) officials to be tried for the crimes he had allegedly committed!
Not surprisingly, Dr. Alvarez challenged the way he was abducted and forcibly brought to the US. The Supreme Court of the US found that while Dr. Alvarez '...may be correct that his abduction was "shocking" and in violation of general international law principles', nevertheless the decision on whether he should be returned to Mexico is one that should be left to the US government to make.
Dr. Alvarez was not returned to Mexico.
Outraged?
Would you feel any differently if it is said the DEA believed that Dr. Alvarez participated in the murder of DEA special agent Enrique Camarena Salazar by prolonging agent Camarena's life so that others could further torture and interrogate him?
You can read the Supreme Court's opinion here.
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Zafar's story
Zafar Qureshi was the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) of the provincial investigation department in Punjab.
Sometime after May 2005, Zafar was made chairman of a Punjab Police inquiry committee. The purpose of the committee was to make recommendations regarding Sonia Naz's case.
The committee in its report found sufficient grounds to support Sonia's allegations. The committee further recommended the registration of FIR against the accused, including Khalid Abdullah, Superintendent of Police (SP) of Faislabad.
However, the recommendations were not implemented by the Punjab Government.
Subsequently, Zafar found himself victimised:-
1. He was removed from investigation department and transfered to Surveillance and Inspection department without any office, staff, phone and car;
2. His promotion from BPS-19 to BPS-20 was withheld;
3. Thereafter, he was told that his services were not required and was asked to stay at home till further orders.
Sometime after May 2005, Zafar was made chairman of a Punjab Police inquiry committee. The purpose of the committee was to make recommendations regarding Sonia Naz's case.
The committee in its report found sufficient grounds to support Sonia's allegations. The committee further recommended the registration of FIR against the accused, including Khalid Abdullah, Superintendent of Police (SP) of Faislabad.
However, the recommendations were not implemented by the Punjab Government.
Subsequently, Zafar found himself victimised:-
1. He was removed from investigation department and transfered to Surveillance and Inspection department without any office, staff, phone and car;
2. His promotion from BPS-19 to BPS-20 was withheld;
3. Thereafter, he was told that his services were not required and was asked to stay at home till further orders.
Source: Asian Centre for Human Rights
Sonia's story
Sonia is a 23 year old housewife. She is married to one Asim Yousuf of Faislabad in Punjab. The Superintendent of Police (SP) of Faislabad is one Khalid Abdullah.
Sonia wanted to expose the excesses of the SP on hr husband and other family members. As a result, the SP along with the Jaranwala Station House Officer Inspector Jamshed Iqbal Chishti allegedly kidnapped her in May 2005.
This is what Sonia alleged was done to her:-
"SP Khalid Abdullah beat and tried to rape her. Unable to rape, he urinated on her face while Inspector Jamshed Chishti raped her in the presence of SP Khalid Abdullah."
A Punjab Police inquiry committee was set up with provincial investigation department Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Zafar Qureshi, as chairman. In its report, the committee found Sonia's charges of rape as substantial. The inquiry report said, "As regards the allegation of rape, there are sufficient grounds for registration of an FIR and subsequent investigation."
However, the Punjab Government did not implement the recommendations of Zafar Qureshi inquiry committee.
On 17 October 2005, taking suo motu cognizance of news reports about the victim's sufferings at the hands of the accused police officials, a three-member bench of Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered the immediate arrest of SP Khalid Abdullah, Inspector Jamshed Chishti and eight other policemen on charges of abduction, torture and rape of Sonia Naz.
On 24 November 2005, both prime accused-SP Khalid Abdullah and Inspector Jamshed Chisti were granted bail.
According to Sonia, since their release, there have been efforts to kill her. But the Punjab Inspector General of Police, Major Ziaul Hassan had refused to provide security to Sonia. Subsequently, Sonia's two-year-old son and a 10-month-old daughter were reportedly kidnapped on the evening of 22 January 2006. Thank God her kids were recovered from the kidnappers unharmed.
The case is still pending.
Post script:-
It is extremely difficult - and even dangerous - for rape victims in Pakistan to seek justice. This is due to the Offence of Zina (Enforcement of Hudood) Ordinance of 1979 which provides inter alia as follows:-
1. A rape victim is required to produce at least four adult male Muslim eyewitnesses, who have physically seen the act of rape against the victim in order to prove her case.
2. The Court must be satisfied that the witnesses are truthful persons and abstain from major sins (kabair).
3. The rape victim can be held guilty if she fails to prove the accusation.
4. The Ordinance also considers sexual intercourse as adultery whether it is with or without the consent of a woman, who is not married with the man. Therefore, if a woman complains that she has been raped, her statement pertaining to sexual intercourse can be treated as her confession to adultery and thus could be charged with the offence of Zina!!!
According to the National Commission on the Status of Women, 80% of the women prisoners in the jails were victims of the Ordinance that relates to adultery, rape, kidnapping and abduction.
Sonia wanted to expose the excesses of the SP on hr husband and other family members. As a result, the SP along with the Jaranwala Station House Officer Inspector Jamshed Iqbal Chishti allegedly kidnapped her in May 2005.
This is what Sonia alleged was done to her:-
"SP Khalid Abdullah beat and tried to rape her. Unable to rape, he urinated on her face while Inspector Jamshed Chishti raped her in the presence of SP Khalid Abdullah."
A Punjab Police inquiry committee was set up with provincial investigation department Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Zafar Qureshi, as chairman. In its report, the committee found Sonia's charges of rape as substantial. The inquiry report said, "As regards the allegation of rape, there are sufficient grounds for registration of an FIR and subsequent investigation."
However, the Punjab Government did not implement the recommendations of Zafar Qureshi inquiry committee.
On 17 October 2005, taking suo motu cognizance of news reports about the victim's sufferings at the hands of the accused police officials, a three-member bench of Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered the immediate arrest of SP Khalid Abdullah, Inspector Jamshed Chishti and eight other policemen on charges of abduction, torture and rape of Sonia Naz.
On 24 November 2005, both prime accused-SP Khalid Abdullah and Inspector Jamshed Chisti were granted bail.
According to Sonia, since their release, there have been efforts to kill her. But the Punjab Inspector General of Police, Major Ziaul Hassan had refused to provide security to Sonia. Subsequently, Sonia's two-year-old son and a 10-month-old daughter were reportedly kidnapped on the evening of 22 January 2006. Thank God her kids were recovered from the kidnappers unharmed.
The case is still pending.
Post script:-
It is extremely difficult - and even dangerous - for rape victims in Pakistan to seek justice. This is due to the Offence of Zina (Enforcement of Hudood) Ordinance of 1979 which provides inter alia as follows:-
1. A rape victim is required to produce at least four adult male Muslim eyewitnesses, who have physically seen the act of rape against the victim in order to prove her case.
2. The Court must be satisfied that the witnesses are truthful persons and abstain from major sins (kabair).
3. The rape victim can be held guilty if she fails to prove the accusation.
4. The Ordinance also considers sexual intercourse as adultery whether it is with or without the consent of a woman, who is not married with the man. Therefore, if a woman complains that she has been raped, her statement pertaining to sexual intercourse can be treated as her confession to adultery and thus could be charged with the offence of Zina!!!
According to the National Commission on the Status of Women, 80% of the women prisoners in the jails were victims of the Ordinance that relates to adultery, rape, kidnapping and abduction.
Dongyue's story
It was in May 1989 when Yu Dongyue, a journalist, joined the students in the pro-democracy demonstrations at Tien An Men Square, Beijing.
At the height of the protest, Yu and 2 others threw paint at the famous Mao Zedong potrait at the Square. He was arrested for that act and sentenced to 20 years imprisonment (the equivalent to a life sentence in Malaysia!!) - for basically, a criminal damage charge.
17 years later, he was released. However, instead of a sweet reunion with his family, he could not recognise them. They say that he spoke unintelligibly. His father says that Yu is suffering from mental illness.
When a friend visited Yu in 2004, he alleged that Yu was "barely recognisable" - and that he had a big scar on the side of his head.
Human rights activists claim that Yu had been a victim of torture and his mental illness was as a result of that.
Among other things, Yu was reported to have been tied to a electricity pole and left out in the hot sun for several days. He was also kept in solitary confinement for two years and that was what broke him.
From the bright young mind of the journalist in 1989, he is now one who is mentally ill.
Torture is still widespread in China. Although China outlawed torture in 1996, the UN special rapporteur who visited China last year, Manfred Nowak, reported otherwise. He found that it remained widely in use across the country. Torture methods stil used included "use of electric shock batons, cigarette burns, and submersion in pits of water or sewage".
At the height of the protest, Yu and 2 others threw paint at the famous Mao Zedong potrait at the Square. He was arrested for that act and sentenced to 20 years imprisonment (the equivalent to a life sentence in Malaysia!!) - for basically, a criminal damage charge.
17 years later, he was released. However, instead of a sweet reunion with his family, he could not recognise them. They say that he spoke unintelligibly. His father says that Yu is suffering from mental illness.
When a friend visited Yu in 2004, he alleged that Yu was "barely recognisable" - and that he had a big scar on the side of his head.
Human rights activists claim that Yu had been a victim of torture and his mental illness was as a result of that.
Among other things, Yu was reported to have been tied to a electricity pole and left out in the hot sun for several days. He was also kept in solitary confinement for two years and that was what broke him.
From the bright young mind of the journalist in 1989, he is now one who is mentally ill.
Torture is still widespread in China. Although China outlawed torture in 1996, the UN special rapporteur who visited China last year, Manfred Nowak, reported otherwise. He found that it remained widely in use across the country. Torture methods stil used included "use of electric shock batons, cigarette burns, and submersion in pits of water or sewage".
Source: BBC News Online - see here
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