FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Hunger Strikers' hope raised by Stockwell Day's visit to Guantanamo North
Facility in Kingston; Day Refuses Dialogue with Secret Trial Detainees During Tour of Kingston Immigration Holding Centre
JANUARY 26, 2006 -- Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Minister
Stockwell Day made a brief surprise appearance at Canada's Guantanamo North
(the Kingston Immigration Holding Centre, KIHC) late yesterday afternoon.
The Minister's handling of the two-month hunger strike at the prison has
met with significant anger across Canada and internationally in recent
weeks.
According to detainees Mahmoud Jaballah, Mohammad Mahjoub, and Hassan
Almrei, the three men were suddenly ordered into their cells and the doors
double-locked, with no explanation. As each peered out of the tiny window
in his cell door, he saw Stockwell Day briefly looking at him. Each of the
prisoners requested to speak with Mr. Day, but Day declined dialogue.
"It is worrisome that Mr. Day may only be getting one side of the story. He
did not speak with the men, he has not contacted their lawyers, he has not
responded to numerous requests to meet with the detainees' families and
support campaign," says Matthew Behrens of the Campaign to Stop Secret
Trials in Canada.
Nevertheless, Day's appearance was taken as a sign of hope by the three
detainees, who have been on a liquids-only hunger strike for 63 days, in
the case of Mohammad Mahjoub, and 52 days, in the case of Mahmoud Jaballah
and Hassan Almrei. After exhausting all other recourse, the three felt
forced to take this drastic step simply to gain minor improvements in
conditions - amounting to being treated with dignity - at the new $3.2
million dollar facility. To the concern of human rights organizations in
Canada and internationally, they have been held for as long as 6.5 years
without charge on secret suspicions neither they nor their lawyers are
allowed to see. All have been fighting deportation to torture.
"The last four weeks have seen an outpouring of public support for the
detainees: coast-to-coast demonstrations, as well as phoning, faxing, and
letter-writing to Mr. Day and Immigration Minister Diane Finley, urging
negotiation to end this crisis," explained Behrens. Many organizations and
individuals across Canada are joining in the call to close the "Guantanamo
North" prison, abolish the abusive security certificate regime, free those
imprisoned under this measure or provide them with a fair and open trial,
and end the deplorable policy of deporting people to torture.
Mr. Day's visit comes less than 48 hours after a group of almost 70 health
workers and organizations, including the Canadian Centre for Victims of
Torture, issued a letter expressing their very grave concern that the
prison was failing to provide medical monitoring of the hunger strike, and
calling on Day to take immediate action to resolve the hunger strike (see
text of letter http://www.homesnotbombs.ca/health.htm).
"Mr. Stockwell Day would not be here without all of your support of us,"
Mahmoud Jaballah said via telephone, wishing to thank the Canadian people.
"Now we hope they can actually make some improvement in the conditions," he
added, which now include severe problems with heat distribution in the unit
during a cold weather alert, continued denial of medical care, and a
punitive atmosphere of incessant humiliation. (The hunger strikers' demands
are detailed in an open letter they addressed to the People of Canada on 8
January 2007, which can be found at
http://www.homesnotbombs.ca/openletter.htm.)
For more information, contact the Campaign to Stop Secret Trials in Canada,
(416) 651-5800, tasc@web.ca
