Closure of Guantanamo stirs up a political Brawl in Berlin

By Lalith Ganhewa in Berlin for Sri Lanka Guardian

(January 23, Berlin, Sri Lanka Guardian) President Barack Obama today (22.1) signed the order to shut down the Guantanamo military prison within a year and halted all harsh interrogation of terrorist suspects. The executive order to shut the prison was one of Obama's key election promises during his campaign.

"The message that we are sending around the world is that the United States intends to prosecute the ongoing struggle against violence and terrorism and we are going to do so vigilantly," the new Democratic president said at a signing ceremony in the Oval office."We are going to do so effectively and we are going to do so in a manner that is consistent with our values and our ideals," Obama said.

Deciding to close the Guantanamo prison is simply the first step in a long, complicated process to determine the fate of its 250 inmates, many of whom have been held for years without trial.

USA wants to try about 80 of the prisoners on terrorist charges. It has cleared 50 other detainees for release but cannot return them to their home countries because of the risk they could be tortured or persecuted there.

"The message that we are sending around the world is that the United States intends to prosecute the ongoing struggle against violence and terrorism and we are going to do so vigilantly," ."We are going to do so effectively and we are going to do so in a manner that is consistent with our values and our ideals."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) welcomed U.S. President Obama's announcement to close down the Guantanamo prison camp. But Merkel is not willing to accept the prisoners in Germany. However, her ruling coalition partner Social Democratic party (SPD), thinks differently.

The controversy over the possible inclusion of Guantanamo prisoners erupted full scale again, in the German federal government following the inauguration of the new U.S. president Barack Obama.

Interior Minister Wolfgang Schäuble from the Christ Democratic Union (CDU) party vehemently rejected the SPD's proposal apparently, to provide the innocent prisoners a new home in Germany.

The federal government will take a final decision, when it is confirmed that the world's most heavily criticized prison is actually closed.

Government spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm in Berlin said German Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) would first wait for further decisions of the new U.S. president. Only then it would be clear whether there is any need for action. But Germany basically welcomes the closure.

According to Foreign Minister and Chancellor candidate of the SPD party Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Germany and other EU countries are willing to accept prisoners who are facing torture threats in their homeland after their release. Overall, it will be about 50 cases, who will come under this consideration.

However Interior Minister Schäuble, who is the man in charge of counter terrorism in Germany reiterated that it's the duty and responsibility of the USA. He does not see any reason why someone who is too dangerous for America should be accepted in Germany or in the EU.

Further more Schäuble snubbed the foreign minister, saying that "the issue is not foreign minister Steinmeier's responsibility. It's in the hands of the interior ministers of the federal states and the State. Everybody can read this in immigration laws of this country".,

The interior minister was supported by its conservative sister party CSU and Free Democrates Party(FDP) chief Guido Westerwelle. "The U.S. is responsible for the human rights consequences of their behaviour," said Westerwelle.

Supporting the SPD, a contrary attitude to Schäuble was shown by the Green Party and also the leftist Party with a willingness to host the prisoners. Green Party leader Claudia Roth said: "Schäuble expresses cynical words of a cold-blooded politician." The Leftist Party chief in the German Parliament the Bundestag, Gregor Gysi, said: "We can accommodate two prisoners. We can cope up with that."

President Obama signed three executive orders today (22.1). The first sets a deadline for closing the prison and kicks off a review process to deal with relocating, releasing or prosecuting the remaining detainees. It halts the military commissions set up to try prisoners and requires that conditions at the facility until its closure be humane.

The second order requires the CIA to close secret detention centers overseas that generated controversy in Germany and across Europe, and prohibits creation of such sites in the future.

Hereafter, the interrogation of prisoners should be made humane,and with adherance to the Geneva Convention -- something Bush administration said was not necessary.

The order also creates a task force to study rendition policies for transferring prisoners to other countries.

The third order a team of top Cabinet members is to conduct a broad review of detainee policy being for the future and to produce a report to the president within 180 days.

Obama on his second full day in office, have closed a chapter of the Bush era that alienated allies and drew hard criticism from friends and foes of USA. Bush criticized other countries for refusing to take prisoners at Guantanamo. However, the Obama administration hopes that new diplomatic efforts will open a bridge for a diologue on this matters with its partners.

Portugal's foreign minister Luis Amado urged his EU counterpartners last month to take in Guantanamo prisoners, saying such a move could make it easier for Obama to close the prison.

Switzerland has said it is open to taking in prisoners.

The prison was established at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States and the following "war on terror" by the bush administration. - Sri Lanka Guardian