Tuesday 11th January, 2011 - Silent lunchtime vigil outside the National Gallery in London's Trafalgar Square to mark the 9th anniversary of the opening of the US military torture camp at Guantánamo Bay. At least 50 people took part in the hour-long vigil. There was a strong media presence, with a lot of photographers and videographers, and some reporters (e.g. Al Jazeera).
Trafalgar Square silent vigil (D. Viesnik)
Nearly a year after the expiry of President Obama's own deadline to close the camp, 173 prisoners remain, most of them in limbo: either cleared for release but with nowhere safe to go or else neither charged with any crime nor held as prisoners of war. Prisoners cleared for release and still imprisoned by the US without charge or trial for nearly nine years include former British residents Shaker Aamer and Ahmed Belbacha.
Earlier in the day, a letter addressed to Prime Minister David Cameron signed by 75 MPs, MEPS, councillors and campaigners, including representatives of many NGOs, was delivered by hand to No. 10 Downing Street by a delegation from the London Guantánamo Campaign and Peacestrike.
Signatories to the letter included Guantánamo survivor Bisher Al-Rawi, Green MP Caroline Lucas, Labour MP John McDonnell, Baroness Sarah Ludford MEP (Lib Dem), Jean Lambert MEP (Green), Lindsey German (Stop the War Coalition), Kate Hudson (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament), Bruce Kent (Pax Christi), Walter Wolfgang (Labour CND) and journalists Victoria Brittain and Andy Worthington. In addition, there were messages of support for the vigil from Labour MPs Jeremy Corbyn and Karen Buck, and Green London Assembly Members Cllr Jenny Jones and Cllr Darren Johnson. A shorter version of the letter was published in both the print and online editions of the Guardian newspaper:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/11/guantanamo-closure-obama-deadline
See also:
Open Letter to Prime Minister David Cameron on Ninth Anniversary of Guantánamo
https://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2011/01/471851.html
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2011/01/471851.html
All images are Copyright (c) 2011 D. Viesnik. They may be reproduced free of charge for non-profit use. For profit use or high resolution versions, please e-mail.
Earlier in the day, a letter addressed to Prime Minister David Cameron signed by 75 MPs, MEPS, councillors and campaigners, including representatives of many NGOs, was delivered by hand to No. 10 Downing Street by a delegation from the London Guantánamo Campaign and Peacestrike.
Signatories to the letter included Guantánamo survivor Bisher Al-Rawi, Green MP Caroline Lucas, Labour MP John McDonnell, Baroness Sarah Ludford MEP (Lib Dem), Jean Lambert MEP (Green), Lindsey German (Stop the War Coalition), Kate Hudson (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament), Bruce Kent (Pax Christi), Walter Wolfgang (Labour CND) and journalists Victoria Brittain and Andy Worthington. In addition, there were messages of support for the vigil from Labour MPs Jeremy Corbyn and Karen Buck, and Green London Assembly Members Cllr Jenny Jones and Cllr Darren Johnson. A shorter version of the letter was published in both the print and online editions of the Guardian newspaper:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/11/guantanamo-closure-obama-deadline See also:
Open Letter to Prime Minister David Cameron on Ninth Anniversary of Guantánamo
https://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2011/01/471851.html http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2011/01/471851.html All images are Copyright (c) 2011 D. Viesnik. They may be reproduced free of charge for non-profit use. For profit use or high resolution versions, please e-mail.
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