Yeah, But How Does the Taliban Feel About Those Hunger Strikes at Gitmo?
The other day, Steve wrote a post noting a letter from habeas counsel at Guantanamo to the effect that "all but a few" detainees are currently on hunger strike to protest searches and confiscations and alleged abuses of the Quran. I know exactly what you thought when you read this post: I wonder what the Taliban has to say on this important subject!
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The other day, Steve wrote a post noting a letter from habeas counsel at Guantanamo to the effect that "all but a few" detainees are currently on hunger strike to protest searches and confiscations and alleged abuses of the Quran. I know exactly what you thought when you read this post: I wonder what the Taliban has to say on this important subject! Fortunately for you, the Taliban has issued a statement, and Aaron Zelin of the Jihadology blog has posted it. Here it is:
For a long period now, the invaders have been carrying out reprehensible activities, under a pre-drawn plan, aimed against the sanctities of Islam which unquestionably is very offensive and worrying for the Islamic world.I just love how the Taliban discovers the role of the ICRC and global human rights norms when it's momentarily convenient.For twenty days now, inmates in the notorious Guantanamo prison which is operated and controlled by America, have been protesting the desecration of the Holy Quran carried out by American soldiers inside and to this day no organization has heard their voice.
The Islamic Emirate condemns this despicable act with the strongest of words and considers it a cowardly and shameful action of the defeated America. It likewise calls on the Islamic world, all Human Right organizations and every international aid/assistance group to investigate this act of America in the mentioned prison and work to prevent such activities and psychological torture taking place against defenseless detainees in this barbaric prison for the past eleven years. That the inmates are still carrying on with their strikes, which naturally means they have deprived themselves of food and other little comforts, therefore we call on the International Red Cross Committee and other Human Right groups, in accordance with their due obligation, to inform themselves of this prison and reach out to prisoners in dire conditions. Similarly, all the Ulema (Scholars), religious organizations and aid/assistance groups of the Islamic world must also categorically condemn this American transgression and take every necessary step needed for preventing repetition of such occurrences in the future.
Benjamin Wittes is editor in chief of Lawfare and a Senior Fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution. He is the author of several books.
