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Detainee Abuse
In any country, the lion’s share of independency is always withheld by the respective government even though the country is said to be a modern democratic country. When we witness such an unjust specially on the name of ‘greatest national interest’, it means we’re deprived of our rights. This time it’s not directly the Pakistan or Pakistanis deprived of their rights. On this opportunity related to the Justice Department of US, the de facto greatest national interest is about the detainee abuse that the photos of detainee abuse wouldn’t be released in as much as, and as said by President Barack Obama, it could whip up anti-American sentiment overseas and endanger US troops abroad, mostly in Afghanistan and Iraq. It should be noted that absolute majority of the detainees are foreigners and not the US citizens.
In a wake of organized demands by American Civil Liberties Union from the US Justice Department, the Federal Law has recently been modified in the mid of November 2009 on the name of greatest national interest. The new Federal Law, as stated by the High Court of US, says that the detainee abuse pictures would be withheld by the US Government.
The country that is said to have been a high-mettled supporter of democracy and justice and thus preaching the rest of the world to promote democracy and justice has itself been convoluted in the breaching of its own set of rules and collection of laws. This is what we call an apex hypocrisy that is blotted out on the name of de facto greatest national interest.
As the President Barack Obama said that the pictures of detainee abuse would give a rise to anti-American sentiment overseas, I ask: even withholding the pics, does the government of US could help itself subduing the voice of all those who raise their voice against the atrocities of US for a de jure reason? From another point of view, a host of Pakistanis — supporter of enlightened modernization — presume that having anti-American views makes one a Jamat-e-Islami activist, a fundamentalist or an extremist. But the Ghairat Brigade of Pakistan, sometimes or rather often snub the fact that 52% of Americans, contemporarily, want all their troops back home — the troops fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq. The Ghairat Brigade of Pakistan wouldn’t call American Civil Liberties Union as extremist, fundamentalist or Jamat-e-Islami propagandist. But endorsing the cause of American Civil Liberties Union i.e. raising voice against the atrocities of American Government would make a Pakistani one of these three: Jamat-e-Islami activist, a fundamentalist or an extremist. This is how we’re — the Illah MashaAllah Ghairat Brigade of Pakistan.
So far, the American Civil Liberties Union has said that it’ll continue fighting for the photos’ release. I’m supporting the cause of ACLU and raising the voice against the heinous crimes the Government of America commits. You may call me a Jamat-e-Islami activist, a fundamentalist or an extremist. I really don’t care.
You are missing a point here, tortures do happen in almost all prisons of the world even in Pakistan but the positive side of America is their human rights organizations take notice of such issues and get such things published. They pressurize their Government to ensure such things should not happen by the American Army. Do we see anything like that in Pakistan ?
We do have Human Rights Organization in Pakistan and they’re quite active too. I keep on reading updates about them. The currently hands-on Human Rights organization is Defence of Human Rights Pakistan (DHRP) which is led by Amina Masood Janjua — wife of one Missing Person.
I had two points:
1) Pakistanis raising against atrocities of US are, by and large, said to be Jammati propagandist, fundamentalist or extremist. Whereas the same Pakistanis decry the obnoxious happenings in their own homeland too.
2) A person is Innocent until proven guilty. If detainees are guilty, punish them. But don’t abuse them. Bring them to the court, prosecute them and punish them. But then, the Godfather of Democracy and Justice isn’t really the Godfather.
I don’t see any point to defend this unjust.
I mean, this wrong happens in Pakistan too.
Coming article is about it.
We call them Jamati propagandist because JI has been raising issue of Afia Siddiqui and other Jihadis exported to Afghanistan and later caught . Even Afia Siddiqui is currently under US custody and had links with Al Qaida, she was one Jamat e Islami worker. No wonder why JI does efforts to get them released.
- A person is Innocent until proven guilty.
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It happens everywhere, unless they torture the prisoners how would they open mouth ? Haven’t you seen people releasing from Guantanamo bay after proving innocent ?
“Detainee Abuse” is itself has broader meanings. This isn’t about torture alone. Detainee Abuse does include horrific things which, I say, isn’t the trait of Humans at least, let’s say rape, molestation. And there’s a lot of such kind of abuse, Tanzeel and you know that. Why we’re so cold-blooded?
You miss the crux again: Innocent until proven guilty.
It’s not about how many people are getting released from Gitmo. It’s wholly and solely about ‘Humanity’ that we should oppose barbarism in any form.
@ Tanzeel: Why your tone of voice and argument match exactly what Dick Cheney was saying few months back. As I am in America, I am left wondering whether you support US Republican party and its Neo Con agenda???
You might want to read the failure of these Abusive Techniques. Torture made the Iraq War Happened!!!! YES. They tortures this guy, and he made up a story of Weapons of Mass destruction in Iraq and Saddam’s collaboration with Al Qaida. This sudden “Discovery” was a spark and everything else followed it.
There are numerous other stories, if you try to look beyong your Westernized mentality please.
Do us (American Muslims) a favor, please research before you say things like these.
Do you know how many innocent people have been detained, totured and abused @ Bay???
Also if Jamat-i-Islami harbors terrorism (as you tried to imply) then US government would have declared it a Terrorist Organization.
Afia Siddiqi’s case is yet to be brought to Justice, and thus until proven in the court that she was part of terrorism, she will be suspected terrorist but not Terrorist, and there is a Huge Difference between 2.
Do you know how many innocent people have been detained, totured and abused @ Bay???
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I know but why only fuss against America ? It happens everywhere. Unfortunately there is no other method to get information from terrorists. I don’t know why the citizens of Jihadi country voicing their opinion against US only but don’t see what damage Taliban and Al Qaida has done.
@ Tanzeel,
You are right it does happen everywhere and we raise our voice only when we see US doing it..
but there is a difference In US if any such incidence happen with a US citizen the Human Rights people will raise hell down earth and Justice will be insured, the whole concept of justice is awesome in US of A but ironically they don’t apply these concepts to anyone beyond the boundaries of their Land , that is their hypocrisy.
Detainee Abuse is something very common in India and Pak… forget detainees like terror suspects, POW, Naxals and all the everyday sufferers is a long list, like under trial prisoners, women, prisoner women children. and if they use such measures to open their mouth its worse than tragic, when such torture is met on innocents who are wrongly accused..
Be thankful you have never seen all that otherwise you will dread every single day of your life…
Nice article Absar
@ Tanzeel,
All this fuss is because America is the Pioneer of Democracy and Champion of Human Rights.
What do you think a sane person would have a protest rally against Al Qaeda demanding Democracy and Human Rights?? No sane person would do that!!
And no Torture is not the only way information is accessed. The actual problem is not with Terrorist, the problem is Suspected Terrorist.
You are innocent until proven guilty.
And thus alleged innocent people being tortured, water boarded, electrocuted, stripped naked, thrown to the dogs, muslim man’s honor disgraced by uniformed woman, starved, beaten, hanged, made to live in utter darkness for weeks naked on a land where there are scorpions etc and many more are not the way a civilized world access the info from the innocent people (suspected Terrorist).
That is neither Islamic, nor Democratic. It is against the American principles of Justice and its stand on Human Rights. Seems like you might get real along with Dick Cheney!!
I second Soumya and Umer. Thanks for elaborating my point and the crux of this writing.