Monday 11 February 2008

Evening notes

The winds died down for a while this afternoon, but blew up again for a while after sunset. It remained sunny all day, which made for a pleasant change.

It is reported that the 2009 Dakar rally will be held in South America. The event, which has been going for nearly 30 years, was cancelled this year after tourists were murdered along the trail of the rally just before Christmas. Specific threats were made against the desert race. Tomorrow, Tuesday, the details of the relocated event will be published in the Argentine capital Buenos Aires.

Six men were charged in connection with 9/11 today. They are currently being held at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. US prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. The trials will be held as military tribunals, under specific laws passed by Congress in 2006. I have never felt at ease with the detention camp and the way alleged suspects have been held there without charge or trial for 6 years and more now. I am not seeking to belittle the events of 9/11, nor the anguish and anger generated through the death of 3,000 innocent civilians in acts of unspeakable mass murder. However, it behoves the US administration to uphold civilised proceedings in the face of these inhuman acts, in order not to descend to the same level of that of the perpetrators of 9/11.

4 comments:

  1. What would you suggest that they do with the suspects if they close down the camp?
    Pam

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  2. Suspects? They have not been charged, have they?
    This is such a minefield...

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  3. I don't think we can apply good...or bad...to detention camps. This situation is unlike any other war in the last 3 decades. As Guantanamo goes..they are all still alive, well and Red Cross hasn't hollered complaints. I pondered on it taking US 6 years to bring charges/trials..i've assumed that given the scale and intricacy of El quaida's operations it will have taken that long to piece evidence together. I can't see charges being brought unless there is the surety of a conviction. What happens then...remains to be seen.

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  4. I love the Dakar rally, I hadn't heard about the deaths of the tourists or the threats.  It will be interesting to see where it will be held.  
    Lisa

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