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EU: Parliament calls for ex-Guantanamo detainees to be resettled
 (AKI) - The European parliament has endorsed President Barack Obama's decision to close the US military prison at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba and called on member states to accept detainees for resettlement.Bruxelles sounds like a odd destination. Last week European Union foreign ministers said they wanted to help on humanitarian grounds, but would not respond until the US could show that the prisoners were not a security risk. If they at Gitmo they're security risks by definition. The European parliament on Wednesday adopted a resolution welcoming Obama's decision to close the prison within a year saying that the US bore the prime responsibility for the future of the detainees held there. "The inmates have been denied their fundamental human rights, notably the right of fair trial, and have been subjected to harsh interrogation techniques, such as waterboarding, which amount to torture and cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment," the resolution noted. "Those who are not to be charged and cannot be repatriated - (due to the) real risk of torture or persecution in his home country - should be given the opportunity to be admitted to the United States and afforded redress." However the parliament called on member states to "be prepared" to accept Guantanamo inmates. The resolution was endorsed with 542 in favour, 55 against and 51 abstentions. "MEPs also call on the member states, should the United States administration so request, to cooperate in finding solutions, to be prepared to accept Guantanamo inmates in the EU," it said. "Member states have a duty of loyal cooperation to consult each other on possible repercussions on public security throughout the EU," the resolution said. A US task force has been given 30 days to recommend where the 242 detainees should go - so far no formal request have come from the European Union. Albania is the only country to have so far accepted Guantanamo detainees on humanitarian grounds, taking in five members of China's Uighur ethnic minority in 2006. Portugal and Ireland are among the countries believed to be considering the prospect of accepting former Guantanamo prisoners. The controversial prison camp was set up in January 2002 to hold terrorism suspects captured after the 9/11 attacks. Many of the prisoners have been held for years without trial and the US wants to try about 80 of the prisoners on terrorism charges. Fifty other Guantanamo detainees have been cleared of charges but cannot be returned to their home countries as there are fears they could be persecuted there. Posted by: Fred 2009-02-06 |
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