UK MPs REGISTER REACT TO GUANTANAMO SUICIDES

UNCLAS LONDON 004563 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PTER PGOV UK SUBJECT: UK MPs REGISTER REACT TO GUANTANAMO SUICIDES ¶1. (U) Former Foreign Office Minister Keith Vaz, a Labour Member of Parliament (MP),introduced a strongly worded Parliamentary motion on June 12, criticizing press statements by USG officials following the suicide of three Guantanamo Bay inmates. Thus far the motion has received support from 60 other MPs. The motion describes the camp as a "moral disgrace" and calls for its immediate closure. Finally, the motion "deplores statements by officials of the U.S. Administration that the suicides were a 'good PR move' or 'an act of asymmetric warfare' as being indicative of a lack of respect for human rights and the sanctity of life." ¶2. (U) The motion - called an "Early Day Motion" (EDM) - will never be debated in Parliament, but such EDMs are used by MPs as a device to express an opinion and draw attention to an issue. Vaz previously raised the issue of Guantanamo in an adjournment debate in May. ¶3. (U) Full text of Vaz's EDM follows: Begin text: "That this House notes with shock that conditions at Guantanamo Bay have led to the suicide of three inmates; highlights the fact that none of these men had been found guilty of any crime in any court of law and have lost their lives despite their potential innocence; further notes that those released without trial have made serious allegations of torture and inhuman treatment; deplores statements by officials of the U.S. Administration that the suicides were a 'good PR move' or 'an act of asymmetric warfare' as being indicative of a lack of respect for human rights and the sanctity of life; believes that this camp is a moral disgrace; further believes that the camp is hindering the efforts of the allies in the battle for hearts and minds and may be aiding fundamentalist propaganda; and calls for the immediate closure of the camps." End text. TUTTLE