Posted on 12/12/2005 11:48:32 AM PST by Sub-Driver
U.S. Activists Fast Outside Guantanamo
By VANESSA ARRINGTON, Associated Press Writer 23 minutes ago
American activists camping out at a Cuban military checkpoint outside the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay started their first day of a water-only fast Monday to protest the treatment of suspected terrorists detained at the base.
Members of the largely Christian group Witness Against Torture are demanding access to the prisoner camp to meet with inmates. The activists arrived late Sunday at the checkpoint, which is about five miles from the U.S. base, after a five-day march from the eastern Cuban city of Santiago.
"We can see the windmills of the U.S. base, we can see some lights off in the distance," Frida Berrigan, 31, said on her cell phone.
"We're not right next door, but we are closer to these prisoners than their family members have been since they were arrested."
Berrigan is the daughter of the late Phil Berrigan, a former Roman Catholic priest whose protests against the Vietnam War and nuclear weapons helped ignite a generation of anti-war dissent.
Stacey Byington, a civilian spokeswoman for U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, said those inside the facility could not see the protesters and only knew of their presence through media reports.
"Day-to-day activities of the base and its residents are not affected," Byington said in an e-mail message to The Associated Press, adding that access to the base is limited to those with official or authorized business.
The Guantanamo detention center has become a symbol of the controversy over detainee abuse by the U.S. military. Thirty-two prisoners are on hunger strike to protest what they say is cruel and inhumane treatment.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
How many of Castro's jails have they visited?
I wonder how come we never seen anything like this from Islamic groups? I mean, making human shield against attack from intifada, or against Al Qaeda's "prison".
I thought it was still criminal to visit Cuba without special permision, for example a professor studying utopia.
(2) They will eventually die from fasting even if they do drink water.
(3) Therefore, they will "fast" only long enough to get some press going. Once the story fades, they will no longer pretend to be fasting.
this is a lot safer than traveling to iraq to make their point.
Great point.
That's pretty ironic, given that many of the terrorists held at Gitmo are getting fat from their good diet there.
And the even greater irony of protesting at Gitmo while ignoring the far greater deprivations in Castro's political jails goes right over their heads, given their liberal bearing.
All I can think of is the big sign that was held up by Iraqis for the benefit of the human shields -- Go Home US Wankers.
Just more left-wing fanatics that happen to be called Christians. This is the one group of Christians the liberals, the old media, and the demorats love to embrace and exalt.
Yeah demand...I demand that they have to over and commune with our enemies in Iraq before they get to visit the murdering scum in Gtmo. Maybe they can preach the gospel,show the terrorists what great Christians they are and the "religion of peace" Muslims will chop their heads off!!!We will have that many less CHRISTIAN traitors to worry about!!!!Oooooooooooh,this makes me very angry.....
Hmmmmm...could we add a little flavor to their water with some "Monkshood"? Maybe a little "Nightshade" would be nice....Christians for the "blame America first" church!!!
And they'd like to be a lot closer to you too. That's why they're in Gitmo.
I guess it must be a real high to feel morally superior to those who are trying to protect your life, something you would not do for them.
All together now .... everybody sing: Kumbaya ..... someone's batting at the moon .... Kumbaya .....
Bears repeating, and loudly:
It's a controversy over nothing. The left basically took some air and made it smell bad. Sort of like what happens when they enter a room. But worse, because the bad air is created by their constant screeching.
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