Sarah speaks to the European Parliament about the closure of Guantanamo (Ilford South Liberal Democrats)

Ilford South Liberal Democrats <info@libdems.org.uk>

Sarah speaks to the European Parliament about the closure of Guantanamo

February 10, 2010 5:00 PM
Originally published by Sarah Ludford MEP

Sarah Ludford, on behalf of the ALDE Group. - Madam President, some European governments actively participated in illegal rendition, torture and illegal detention. Others gave background support. Others pretended not to see. So it was not something that just happened 'over there'. That is one of the reasons we have kept our continuing interests.

Of course MEPs spent many years calling for the closure of Guantánamo, so we warmly welcome the announcement by President Obama and we understand the difficulties in unravelling the mess left by George Bush. However, it is extremely frustrating that nearly 200 men remain there. We also fully welcome the federal trials for people like Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, but why did it not happen eight years ago? The best response to the terrorists is criminal convictions.

We will continue to push EU governments to take more detainees for resettlement, both out of transatlantic solidarity and out of guilt at their own complicity, and we will resist Chinese threats regarding the Uighurs. It does not help that the United States is unable to settle any of the 17 Uighurs in US territory.

My own constituent, Shaker Aamer, a legal UK resident whose family of a British wife and four British children live in Battersea in London, is still, after eight years, marooned in legal limbo in Guantánamo. He appears to be the victim of pass-the-parcel, whereby the US and UK governments may be colluding to bundle him off to his home country Saudi Arabia. He is a direct witness to his own and others' torture, not only by the US but by UK secret agents. This would be very convenient in preventing his testimony before UK courts.

We do, as I say, welcome the efforts to close Guantánamo, but we oppose military commissions and other continuing abuses. Europe must do more as well.