May 23rd – Witness Against Torture – Response to Obama

 

HUNGER STRIKE – DAY 106 UPDATE
Day 106 of the Guantanamo Hunger Strike

http://witnesstorture.org/blog/2013/05/23/1229/

Dear Friends:

Included below is our response to President Obama’s comments today about Guantanamo.  The additional suffering that the men in Guantanamo have taken on themselves in this hunger strike has forced those in power to respond.  Because of their sacrifice, and the contributions of so many of you – in phone calls, vigils, letters, petitions, arrests, and many other creative actions – we are closer to Guantanamo’s closure today than we were yesterday.

But our work is far from done.  It is more important now than ever before to keep up all forms of pressure!

Please take a moment to read our response below, and look through the list at the end of this message to find ways to engage in the continuing work.

Peace-

Matt Daloisio

for Witness Against Torture

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No More Excuses – Anti-Guantanamo Activists Demand that President Obama Make Good on Promise to Restart Transfers and Close Guantanamo; Vow to Keep Pressure on President

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MAY 23, 2103

Contacts: Matt Daloisio, 201-264-4424, [email protected]

Jeremy Varon, 732-979-3119, [email protected]

New York City/Washington, D.C. – Responding to the hunger strike at Guantanamo, President Obama announced in a speech today his wish to re-start the transfer of men from Guantanamo and for the closure of the US prison.  Anti-Guantanamo activists insist that the speech be followed by concrete steps — including the immediate transfer of men from the prison — to show that the Obama administration is serious.  86 men have been cleared for transfer and must be released now.

We agree with President Obama that “GTMO has become a symbol around the world for an America that flouts the rule of law.”  The President must use his executive power and political leadership to at last close Guantanamo and end indefinite detention.  He must renounce the unprecedented, illegitimate, and increasingly discredited Military Commissions as an unacceptable substitute for true due process; and he must reject any policy of indefinite detention without charge or trial, and commit to bring credible suspects within a proper judicial system.  We applaud the courageous interruption of Obama’s speech, which underscores the emergency situation at the prison, and need for rapid closure of Guantanamo.

“It should not take men starving themselves to have President Obama stand up for the Constitution and human rights.” Says Matthew W. Daloisio, organizer with Witness Against Torture.  “We are more 11 years into the crime of Guantánamo and over 100 days into the current hunger strike.  The promise to transfer those cleared is important, but without immediate steps to release actual people, it is only another promise.”

“We have heard noble sentiments before from President Obama,” added Jeremy Varon of Witness Against Torture. “We will hold him to account.  It is not enough to release those who should have been released years ago.  Indefinite detention must end.  And the rule of law will never be fulfilled in Military Commissions.  Moving Guantanamo is not closing Guantanamo.    All held in the prison must be charged, tried in legitimate courts, or released.  We’ll be in the streets, at the steps of courthouses, in jail if necessary to make sure that Guantanamo closes.”

President Obama ended the Guantanamo portion of his speech today by asking the American people to “look at the current situation, where we are force-feeding detainees who are holding a hunger strike. Is that who we are? Is that something that our Founders foresaw? Is that the America we want to leave to our children?”

We may wish that this is not who we are.  But we will be judged by our actions, not our speeches.

Witness Against Torture and other groups will continue their vigils, rallies, solidarity fasts, calls to the White House, and direct actions until Guantanamo is shuttered.

Since the hunger strike began in early February, Witness Against Torture has held vigils in more than 30 cities and towns, had regular rallies at the White House, circulated a Change.org petition — signed by more than 210,000 people — demanding the closure of Guantanamo, helped organize a briefing for Congressional staff; coordinated a rolling fast in solidarity with the Hunger Strike and daily calls to the White House, Pentagon and the US Southern Command; and committed acts of civil disobedience.

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CONGRESSIONAL OUTREACH
Please call or e-mail your congressperson to ask them to sign on to Rep. Jim Moran’s (D-VA) ‘Dear Colleague’ letter to President Obama.  Send us a note if you would like a copy of the letter itself.

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WITNESS AGAINST TORTURE ROLLING FAST
Give up food for a day as part of Witness Against Torture’s ROLLING FAST.  Over 200 people have participated by fasting for some period of time since the Guantanamo Hunger Strike began.  Sign up for one day, or more.  Sign up as a community or as an office!  Download and send this letter to a man detained in Guantánamo.  The men on Hunger Strike know of, and very much appreciate our collective efforts at solidarity.

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HUNGER STRIKE SONG!

The Peace Poets, Witness Against Torture, and anti-mass incarceration activists have collaborated on The Hunger Strike Song. (PLEASE POST AND SHARE)

We will continue to gather for vigils, street theatre, song and action in NYC, including this Friday, May 24th in Washington Square Park (5:30pm), and next week for as part of a week of actions.  More information on weekly vigils in Chicago, Washington DC, and other locations can be found on our website.

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PHONE CALLS & LETTER WRITING

We have generated 100s of calls since the Hunger Strike began.  We are particularly focusing on calls to the U.S. Southern Command (where you will be able to speak to a person), but ask folks to call all of the numbers here:  Call the White House (202-456-1111, 202-456-1414), U.S. Southern Command (305-437-1213) and Department of Defense (703-571-3343) to express concern over the hunger strike and insist on Guantanamo’s closing.

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WITNESS AGAINST TORTURE SOCIAL MEDIA

Our Facebook page has been getting more and more traffic, and some weeks has reached over 200,000 people.  This is only possible when people like, share, and comment on posts.  Please ‘like’ us on
Facebook & Follow Us on Twitter

Post any pictures of your local activities to Flickr, and we will help spread the word on Tumblr.

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DONATE

Witness Against Torture is completely volunteer driven and run.  We have no paid staff, but do have expenses associated with our organizing work.  If you are able, please donate here.

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