DEMONSTRATION AGAINST GUANTANAMO DETENTIONS

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 000097 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF A/S FRAZER, AF S/E NATSIOS, AF/SPG, AF/RSA, AF/PD, S/WCI, DS/IP/AF, DSS/ITA NSC FOR PITTMAN AND SHORTLEY SECDEF/DASD-DA FOR M PORGES CENTCOM FOR AMBASSADOR ROTH AND JAMES BOND E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PTER PINR PHUM KAWC KPAO SOCI ASEC SU SUBJECT: DEMONSTRATION AGAINST GUANTANAMO DETENTIONS REF: A. A) KHARTOUM 00073 ¶B. B) KHARTOUM 00072 ¶C. C) KHARTOUM 00062 ¶1. On January 23, the Government of Sudan sanctioned a peaceful demonstration to protest the continuing detention of Sudanese nationals at the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (GTMO). Approximately 100 protesters took part in the march, which included a riot police escort. A smaller group, including six men dressed in orange coveralls and black hoods, with their hands chained to their waists, approached the Embassy's main gate to submit a statement to an Embassy representative (PAO). Fatih Khalil, the president of the Sudanese Lawyers Union, the Sudanese Organization Defending Homeland and Creed, and the Sudanese Organization Defending Iraq and Palestine, orchestrated the protest. (Note: Khalil, a former member of the National Islamic Front (NIF),has led several previous protests against the U.S. Embassy. End note.) The protesters read a statement in both English and (at PAO's insistence) in Arabic, and they also handed over a list with the names of nine Sudanese detainees at GTMO. ¶2. The text of the statement is as follows (Note: copies of the statement and list will be faxed to both AF/SPG and AF/PD. End note.): (Begin text) If the U.S. Government has evidence that Guantanamo detainees have committed crimes, they should be charged and brought to fair trial. If not, they must be released. (End text) ¶3. Following a brief question-and-answer session with the local print and electronic press, a woman who identified herself as the aunt of detainee Sami Muheidine Mohamed Al Haj, an Al Jazira cameraman, reminded PAO that her nephew was now in his second week of a hunger strike intended to protest his detention. She asked pointedly whether the USG was prepared to accept the consequences if something should happen to Al Haj's health while in detention. PAO replied that all the protesters' concerns would be forwarded to authorities in Washington. ¶4. The protest is the latest in a series of efforts by the Sudanese government and public to draw attention to this issue and gain the release of Sudanese detainees at GTMO (reftels). It also reflects growing interest by civil society in addressing this issue. HUME