Municipal Resolutions – Close Gitmo

Berkeley, CA – October 25, 2011

 

Resolution: Closing Guantanamo and Justice for Detainees

 

October 25, 2011
WHEREAS, according to the Berkeley Municipal Code, Section 3.68.010 (E), Peace & Justice Commission – Findings: “Peace is inseparable from justice”; and
WHEREAS, according to BMC 3.68.010 (L): “The residents of Berkeley have welcomed to our City those who have been forced into exile, and who have come fleeing torture and death,…” that was affirmed by the Berkeley City Council in Resolution No. 44,784-N.S.,1971, declaring Berkeley a City of Refuge, and later reaffirmed in Resolution No. 52,596-N.S., 1986, relative to Central American refugees; and
WHEREAS, on January 11, 2002, the US Government brought the first of nearly 800 detainees to a prison at Guantánamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba (Guantánamo); and
WHEREAS, President Barack Obama stated in January 2009 that the prison at Guantánamo would be closed by January 2010; and
WHEREAS, despite U.S. Supreme Court rulings on the right to due process in Rasul v. Bush, No. 03-334 (2004); Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, No. 05-184 (2006); and Boumediene v.Bush, No. 06-1195 (2008), Guantánamo remains open as of October 2011, with approximately 40 cleared detainees held without an end date, among them those who could not be sent to their home countries because of post-transfer treatment concerns, or resettled in allied countries (see “Final Report Guantánamo Review Task Force January 22, 2010; Dept. of Justice, Dept. of Defense, Dept. of State, Dept. of Homeland Security, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and Joint Chiefs of Staff”); and
WHEREAS, Guantánamo has become emblematic of the gross human rights abuses perpetrated by the U.S. Government in the name of fighting terrorism; and
WHEREAS, Guantánamo detainees have undergone a wide range of interrogation procedures that constitute torture or maltreatment, including but not limited to sensory deprivation and prolonged isolation; and
WHEREAS, Amnesty International USA states: “…the indefinite and arbitrary nature of the circumstances of their detention has led to a steep decline in the mental health of many incarcerated at Guantánamo…” (email May 12, 2011 from AI USA Chair Carole Nagengast to Peace & Justice Commissioner Rita Maran); and
WHEREAS, Congresswoman Barbara Lee writes: “Guantánamo…has led the world to question America’s commitment to the rule of law, due process, and the rejection of torture as an acceptable interrogation practice…” (Letter of May 26, 2011 to Rita Maran); and
WHEREAS, Amherst, Massachusetts adopted a resolution on Nov. 4, 2009, and Leverett, Massachusetts, adopted a resolution on April 24, 2010, calling upon Congress to repeal the ban on resettlement of detainees in the U.S., and each town declared that it would subsequently welcome publicly said detainees; and
WHEREAS, in light of offers of private support from within the Berkeley community, this Resolution neither requests nor suggests financial implications of any sort for the City of Berkeley.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Berkeley that the Berkeley City Council:1) Supports and reaffirms President Obama’s call for the closure of Guantánamo in furtherance of our country’s national security interests; and 2) Reaffirms Council’s moral and humanitarian concerns expressed in earlier resolutions; asserts Council’s unwillingness to turn its back on cleared detainees still being held at Guantánamo; and urges that Congress remove bans on the movement of cleared Guantánamo detainees to the U.S.; and 3) Makes known that upon the lifting of Congressional bans and approval by the Department of Homeland Security, one or more cleared detainees will be offered a welcome to the Berkeley community which has offered private support.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this Resolution be sent to President Barack Obama; Attorney General Eric Holder; Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer; Representative Barbara Lee, 9th Congressional District; Amnesty International USA Chair Carole Nagengast; Sister Marianne Farina CSC of the Dominican School of Theology and Philosophy in Berkeley; and United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights – Judge Navi Pillay. A record copy of said Resolution to be on file in the Office of the City Clerk.

*****************

Leverett, MA – April 24, 2010

 

RESOLUTION BY THE TOWN OF LEVERETT, MA, TO ASSIST IN THE SAFE RESETTLEMENT OF CLEARED GUANTÁNAMO DETAINEES
WHEREAS, President Obama has vowed to close the prison at Guantánamo Bay Naval Base by January 2010; and
WHEREAS, many detainees at Guantánamo have been cleared by our government of wrongdoing and have been determined to pose no threat to the United States; and
WHEREAS, many of these detainees cannot be repatriated because they are either stateless or fear the harm awaiting them if returned to their home country; and
WHEREAS, our government has asked other countries to accept cleared detainees but has banned their settlement in the United States; and
WHEREAS, these detainees have suffered unjust imprisonment for many years; and
WHEREAS, the Pioneer Valley has many resources to help such detainees with trauma from their imprisonment; and
WHEREAS, the Pioneer Valley has welcomed in the past many refugees from a variety of traumatic experiences in other countries,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Leverett Town Meeting of April 24, 2010
1) Urges Congress to repeal the ban on releasing cleared detainees into the United States and
2) Welcomes such cleared detainees into our community as soon as the ban is lifted.
And BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this Resolution be sent to the President and Attorney General of the United States, the United States Senators for Massachusetts, and the United States Representative for Massachusetts’ First District.

*****************

Town of Amherst, MA

 

Resolution to Assist in the Safe Resettlement of Cleared Guantánamo Detainees — Nov. 4, 2009

Amherst Special Town Meeting - November 4, 2009

WHEREAS, President Obama has vowed to close the prison at Guantánamo Bay Naval Base by January 2010; and

WHEREAS, many detainees at Guantánamo have been cleared by our government of wrongdoing and have been determined to pose no threat to the United States; and

WHEREAS, many of these detainees cannot be repatriated because they are either stateless or fear the harm awaiting them if returned to their home country; and

WHEREAS, our government has asked other countries to accept cleared detainees but has banned their settlement in the United States; and

WHEREAS, these detainees have suffered unjust imprisonment for many years; and

WHEREAS, the Pioneer Valley has many resources to help such detainees with trauma from their imprisonment;and

WHEREAS, the Pioneer Valley has welcomed in the past many refugees from a variety of traumatic experiences in other countries,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Amherst Special Town Meeting 2009:

1) Urges Congress to repeal the ban on releasing cleared detainees into the United States and
2) Welcomes such cleared detainees into our community as soon as the ban is lifted.

And BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this Resolution be sent to the President and Attorney General of the United States, the United States Senators for Massachusetts, and the United States Representative for Massachusetts’ First District.

 

 

facebooktwittergoogle_plusredditpinterestlinkedinmailby feather

GTMO has been open:

U.S. Hunger Strikers

Hunger Striker's Blog

 U.S. Faster in Solidarity w/Gitmo & Pelican Bay Prisoners


NGTubeBeforeMeFlagBehindMeAgonyAwaits

Foreground: EMT prepares the tool for the nasal intubation.       Background: U.S. Embassy, Buenos Aires, Argentina Middleground:...agony awaits. 


The feeding demo is extremely painful, yet it is done with consent. The long-term solidarity fast continues with nasogastric nourishment in front of U.S. governmental symbols of power. The twice-daily force-feeding of Gitmo hunger strikers is nonconsensual and therefore real torture by the standards sponsored by U.S. taxpayers and authorized by members of Congress who just raised the debt ceiling to nearly $17 trillion. President Obama's actions continue to belie his empty words "Close Guantánamo."  As Commander-in-Chief, he could easily order an end to what the Pentagon refuses to call "forced-feeding."   The force-feeding is premeditated  relentless forced penetration of plastic into their innermost sacred cavities !


Andrés Thomas Conteris - fasted on water and coconut water with vitamin and electrolyte supplements. Solidarity fast began July 8, 2013 with 30,000 hunger striking California prisoners urging fulfillment of 5 Core Demands of the Pelican Bay supermax prisoners.  Force-feeding protests began Sept. 6 & Sept. 25 in front of the White House & later in front of the Oakland Office of CA Dept of Corrections and Rehab (CDCR) to depict how prisoners in Guantánamo are tortured with force-feeding twice-daily and how CA prisoners as future hunger strikers have been threatened with a court order authorizing force-feeding.  On Oct 4 and Oct 8 he was tube-fed in front of the U.S. Embassies in Montevideo, Uruguay and Buenos Aires, Argentina. On Oct 15 a similar protest took place in Santiago, Chile.  On Friday, Oct 18 the feeding protest returns to Washington, DC outside a Federal Court hearing on the lawsuit challenging force-feeding in Guantánamo.  He is now on a maintenance fast losing about 1 pound per week, unlike the 5 pounds/week the first 11 weeks.  In January 2014 with the anniversary of Guantánamo on Jan. 11, the force feeding protests will recommence.  Please spread the word. 

Join a Rolling Fast

U.S. Hunger Strikers who have suspended their fast


image-300x183

 

 

 

 

Diane Wilson - Water only 58 days (lost 48 lbs). Diane, co-founder of CodePink and member of Veterans for Peace, suspended her hunger strike on June 27, 2013 after detention following her arrest for scaling the White House fence the day before. She faced a jury trial in DC District Court on Sept. 5th, 2013.


s_brian_wilson_color

S. Brian Willson - Suspended Hunger Strike on June 10, 2013 after 31 days on 300cal/day, when a car accidentally hit him. Supporters continue a vigil with a rolling fast, in Portland, OR.

 

628x471-300x225

Elliott Adams - Went 80 days on 300 cal/day from May 18, to August 4, 2013 losing 45 lbs.   He is past President of Veterans for Peace.

 


tarak

 

 

 

 

Tarak Kauff - Ended fast on August 4, 2013 after 58 days on 300 cal/day since June 7.  He lost 29 lbs. On Board of Directors for Veterans for Peace.


CynthiaP-on-Bike

Cynthia Papermaster - After 84 days on 300 cal/day, Cynthia suspended her  hunger strike on Sep. 6 which began June 15, 2013. Code Pink member,  lost 35 lbs. The transfer of two Algerian prisoners on Aug. 29, 2013, inspired her to suspend her fast. 


Collaborative of CloseGitmo.net Organizations

- Arlington West Santa Monica

- Campaign for Alternatives to

   Isolated Confinement - NY

- Close Guantánamo.org

- Code Pink

- Global Exchange

- Fast for the Earth

- The Jericho Movement

- The Justice Campaign

- The London Guantánamo

  Campaign

- Meta Peace Team: "Pursuing peace

   through active nonviolence"

- Metta Center for Nonviolence

- NRCAT

- No more Guantánamos

- Nonviolence International

- Nuremberg Actions

- Office of the Americas

- Peaceworkers USA

- Save Shaker

- Stop Mass Incarceration

- Witness Against Torture

- The World Can't Wait

- Veterans for Peace

Pelican Bay Hunger Strike

Daily Updates

www.CAhungerstrike.net

RSS Feed via

Witness Against Torture feed-icon-28x28
<a class='rsswidget' href='http://witnesstorture.tumblr.com/rss' title='Syndicate this content'><img style='border:0' width='14' height='14' src='http://www.closegitmo.net/wp-includes/images/rss.png' alt='RSS' /></a> <a class='rsswidget' href='http://witnesstorture.tumblr.com/' title='Calling for an end to torture everywhere, on any person for any reason. www.witnesstorture.org'>Witness Against Torture</a>

Sharing

Editors' Log In

Copyright © 2013. All Rights Reserved.

Powered by WordPress and WordPress Theme created with Artisteer.