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More Guantánamo Detainees Quit Hunger Strike 15 Held at Guantánamo Are Said to Quit Hunger Strike
(about 4 hours later)
WASHINGTON — An American military spokesman said Sunday that 15 detainees at the military prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, who had been listed as having gone on hunger strike had quit participating in the protest, accelerating an apparent downward trend since the start of Ramadan last week.WASHINGTON — An American military spokesman said Sunday that 15 detainees at the military prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, who had been listed as having gone on hunger strike had quit participating in the protest, accelerating an apparent downward trend since the start of Ramadan last week.
The spokesman, Lt. Col. Samuel House, said in an e-mail that as of Sunday, 81 of the 166 prisoners were still listed as taking part in the hunger strike. That figure was down from 96 on Saturday, 102 on Friday, 104 on Thursday and 106 on Wednesday, the number at which participation in the protest had peaked and plateaued.The spokesman, Lt. Col. Samuel House, said in an e-mail that as of Sunday, 81 of the 166 prisoners were still listed as taking part in the hunger strike. That figure was down from 96 on Saturday, 102 on Friday, 104 on Thursday and 106 on Wednesday, the number at which participation in the protest had peaked and plateaued.
But David Remes, a defense lawyer who represents several Guantánamo detainees in habeas corpus proceedings, expressed skepticism in an e-mail and said he wanted to talk to his clients before drawing any conclusions about what the military was reporting.But David Remes, a defense lawyer who represents several Guantánamo detainees in habeas corpus proceedings, expressed skepticism in an e-mail and said he wanted to talk to his clients before drawing any conclusions about what the military was reporting.
“Perhaps the authorities finally made hunger striking such a horrendous experience that some men, at least, are dropping out,” Mr. Remes said. “Perhaps some men feel the hunger strike has achieved its goals by forcing Guantánamo back onto national agenda and jump-starting the transfer process. There are still other ways to read the numbers. Until we speak with our clients, we can only speculate.” “Perhaps the authorities finally made hunger striking such a horrendous experience that some men, at least, are dropping out,” Mr. Remes said. “Perhaps some men feel the hunger strike has achieved its goals by forcing Guantánamo back onto the national agenda and jump-starting the transfer process. There are still other ways to read the numbers. Until we speak with our clients, we can only speculate.”
The military’s number for the subset of participants who are forced to eat a liquid nutritional supplement through gastric tubes inserted into their noses while they are strapped into restraint chairs if they refuse to eat, 45, has remained unchanged since July 2.The military’s number for the subset of participants who are forced to eat a liquid nutritional supplement through gastric tubes inserted into their noses while they are strapped into restraint chairs if they refuse to eat, 45, has remained unchanged since July 2.
Last week, at the start of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month in which Muslims fast during daylight hours, the military began moving compliant detainees who were not participating in the hunger strike back into communal living conditions, where they could pray together. The bulk of the detainees in communal conditions had been forced into individual-cell lockdown in a raid in April.Last week, at the start of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month in which Muslims fast during daylight hours, the military began moving compliant detainees who were not participating in the hunger strike back into communal living conditions, where they could pray together. The bulk of the detainees in communal conditions had been forced into individual-cell lockdown in a raid in April.
The drop in hunger strike participants began soon afterward. On Friday, the military said that 99 of the 102 detainees then tracked as participants had voluntarily eaten a meal within the last 24 hours, and that about 100 detainees were “living in some sort of communal setting at the various camps.”The drop in hunger strike participants began soon afterward. On Friday, the military said that 99 of the 102 detainees then tracked as participants had voluntarily eaten a meal within the last 24 hours, and that about 100 detainees were “living in some sort of communal setting at the various camps.”
The military has said that removal from hunger strike status requires “the sustained eating of solid food and caloric intake over several days.” In addition, when detainees being force-fed chose to end their hunger strikes, officials have said, doctors reintroduce regular meals at a controlled pace to avoid “refeeding syndrome,” which can be fatal when “undernourished people suddenly consume food.”The military has said that removal from hunger strike status requires “the sustained eating of solid food and caloric intake over several days.” In addition, when detainees being force-fed chose to end their hunger strikes, officials have said, doctors reintroduce regular meals at a controlled pace to avoid “refeeding syndrome,” which can be fatal when “undernourished people suddenly consume food.”
“For this reason, we anticipate that numbers will fluctuate for the next several weeks, should the detainees choose to end their hunger strike,” Colonel House said on Friday. “For this reason, we anticipate that numbers will fluctuate for the next several weeks, should the detainees choose to end their hunger strike,” Colonel House said Friday.
The hunger strike has been going on for months. Detainees have said through their defense lawyers that it was set off by a search in February of their Korans for contraband, which the detainees found offensive. The detainees said through their lawyers that the search led to protests that swelled, leading in part to the raid in April that pushed the detainees into individual cell lockdown.The hunger strike has been going on for months. Detainees have said through their defense lawyers that it was set off by a search in February of their Korans for contraband, which the detainees found offensive. The detainees said through their lawyers that the search led to protests that swelled, leading in part to the raid in April that pushed the detainees into individual cell lockdown.
Military officials say their procedures for searching Korans were unchanged and that it has routinely done so through the years. Military officials say that their procedures for searching Korans were unchanged and that it has routinely done so through the years.
But both sides agreed that the underlying cause of the protests was the men’s growing despair that they would never go home. Most of them have been held for more than a decade without trial, while 86 have been recommended for transfer since early 2010, if security conditions could be met. But they remain incarcerated.But both sides agreed that the underlying cause of the protests was the men’s growing despair that they would never go home. Most of them have been held for more than a decade without trial, while 86 have been recommended for transfer since early 2010, if security conditions could be met. But they remain incarcerated.
The prison, which President Obama has promised to close, has faded from the political agenda, and the transfer of low-level inmates has stopped since Congress imposed steep transfer restrictions in January 2011. In January, the Obama administration reassigned the State Department envoy charged with negotiating transfers and did not replace him.The prison, which President Obama has promised to close, has faded from the political agenda, and the transfer of low-level inmates has stopped since Congress imposed steep transfer restrictions in January 2011. In January, the Obama administration reassigned the State Department envoy charged with negotiating transfers and did not replace him.
The hunger strike has appeared to push Guantánamo back onto the agenda in Washington. In April, Mr. Obama renewed his commitment to try to close the prison, and the State Department appointed a new envoy to handle transfers.The hunger strike has appeared to push Guantánamo back onto the agenda in Washington. In April, Mr. Obama renewed his commitment to try to close the prison, and the State Department appointed a new envoy to handle transfers.