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Hunger strike at Gitmo

The US-led war on terror has been a contentious endeavour, marred with legal issues and human rights violations.

But some of its aspects rouse intense passions worldwide, sparking divisive debate and finger pointing. One of them is, of course, the US policy of drone attacks and the other is the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay where currently 166 detainees languish, most of whom have not been charged. The persistence of the clandestine prison is also a sore reminder of Obama’s failed promise. When he first came to office, the American leader vowed to close the facility and even passed an order in 2009 to shut down the place in a year’s time. But subsequently, political, judicial and logistical constraints hampered the realisation of his presidential order.

While the operations at the centre are highly confidential, intermittent disclosures by the media highlighting the terrible living conditions and incidents of torture and abuse have sparked a furore among human rights activists. Former detainees, after their release, have told horrific tales of the torture and mental anguish that they had to face, despite scant evidence to implicate them in any criminal or extremist activity.

And now, the news of a burgeoning hunger strike at the facility, which has forced US authorities to reinforce medical staff there, has once again raised questions and concerns about the prison’s environment. According to media reports, nearly two-thirds of the detained personnel — 100 out of 166 detainees — are currently on hunger strike and 21 of them are being forced-fed by a tube.

While protests, and incidents of prisoners inflicting self-harm, have been common at the institution, this particular protest has so far been the most enduring. And there’s a big reason for its protraction: Nearly 100 inmates cleared for release cannot be deported to their home countries due to restrictions placed by Congress or because of fear that they will be treated badly in their home countries.

A clear violation of international law, Guantanamo continues to be a much-loathed symbol of post-9/11 American foreign policy. If the US administration has to improve its image internationally, it needs to at least deport detainees who have been cleared for release.