DOCTORS' ORDERS

08-09-2007

"More than 250 medical experts from across the world - led by Stirrer blogger Dr David Nicholl - yesterday called for independent examinations of prisoners at Guantánamo Bay....

Yesterday marked the 8 month mark in Al Jazeera journalist Sami al Haj's hunger strike, his peaceful protest against almost six years of abusive detention without trial in Guantánamo Bay; newly unclassified information indicates that his mental and physical health are in steep decline.

Next week (September 12th) also marks the 30th anniversary of the death of anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko in custody in South Africa.

Marking both milestones the respected Lancet medical journal has published a letter from more than 250 distinguished medical experts from 16 different countries condemning the medico-ethical abuses in Guantánamo and other secret U.S. prisons.

The doctors call for independent medical evaluation of the prisoners and an investigation into on-going allegations of torture, and draw a direct comparison to the ethical abuses of apartheid South Africa.

The Lancet letter is highly critical of inaction by the American Medical Association and the Medical Boards in Georgia and California, each of which is responsible for regulating the former hospital chief at Guantanamo, Dr. John S. Edmondson. Dr. Edmondson instigated force-feedings at the prison camp when the serious hunger strikes began in 2005.

Four prisoners have died in custody thus far in Guantánamo Bay, at least eight in Afghanistan, and many more in Iraq and elsewhere. Respected doctors from around the world - the UK, USA, Australia, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Zambia and Zimbabwe - lend their voices to Reprieve's call for action, demanding transparency in the secret prisons before more prisoners die.

Eight British residents remain at the base and one of them, father of four Shaker Aamer from London, has reportedly been on hunger strike even longer than Mr. al Haj and has suffered even more.

Co-authors of the letter include Dr. John Kalk (South Africa; who oversaw the medical response to hunger strikes in the apartheid era); Prof. Trefor Jenkins (South Africa; one of the doctors who investigated the attempted cover-up of Steve Biko's death); and Dr. Steven Miles (Minneapolis, USA) (author of "Oath Betrayed - Torture, Medical Complicity and the War on Terror").

The letter condemns coercive methods that have been used, contrary to the direct dictates of medical ethics, to 'break' the prisoners' non-violent protest: "The attitude of the US medical establishment appears to be one of 'See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil'.

Because of the secretive nature of the military prison, it is not clear how many detainees have been involved in hunger strikes. Reports have previously indicated that over 100 detainees had joined the protest but it is thought that many have since ended their actions because of coercive methods employed by US guards and doctors to "break" the strike including the use of "restraint chairs."

Stirrer regular Dr David Nicholl, a consultant neurologist at the City Hospital Hospital in Birmingham who coordinated The Lancet letter, said: "This statement by more than 250 doctors shows the strength of feeling amongst the world's leading medical experts - they are saying with one voice that allegations of torture and force-feeding must be investigated, and the failure to do so implies complicity.

"The US medical authorities are duplicating the mistakes made by the authorities in apartheid South Africa 30 years ago, when they 'look the other way' and thereby became complicit with torture.

"The U.S. is simply ignoring international agreements such as the Declaration of Tokyo and Malta, which forbid force-feeding of competent prisoners who are engaged in a peaceful protest.

"Worst still, the U.S. military seems to be force-feeding the prisoners in a way that is intentionally painful. This is inhumane."

Reprieve's legal director, Clive Stafford Smith said: "I welcome this strong statement from the medical profession. I have seen with my own eyes the physical and mental suffering of the men in Guantánamo. It is good that the Brown government is going to allow Shaker Aamer home to his children, but he will be coming in a box if the abuse does not stop.