Writing by Suicidal Detainee Reveals Depths of His Despair (WaPo)

[kpete]

Writing by Suicidal Detainee Reveals Depths of His Despair

By Josh White
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 15, 2006; Page A05

Just before Jumah al-Dossari tried to kill himself by fashioning a makeshift noose and opening a gash in his right arm, the Guantanamo Bay detainee handed his lawyer an envelope containing pages of tidily handwritten Arabic, some stained with dried blood. Dossari had told his lawyer they could discuss the letter at a later time.

"The detainees are suffering from the bitterness of despair, the detention humiliation and the vanquish of slavery and suppression," Dossari wrote, according to a translation. "I hope you will always remember that you met and sat with a 'human being' called 'Jumah' who suffered too much and was abused in his belief, self, dignity and also in his humanity. He was imprisoned, tortured and deprived from his homeland, his family and his young daughter who is in the most need of him for four years . . . with no reason or crime committed."

The letter is a rare personal glimpse into the desperation some detainees at the U.S. detention facility in Cuba feel, and an emotional account of one man's turmoil and ultimate decision to die rather than stay in prison another day. Dossari's October suicide attempt -- one of nearly a dozen times he has tried to kill himself in his four years on the island -- failed because his lawyer, Joshua Colangelo-Bryan, discovered him bleeding and hanging limp in a cell where he was supposed to be on a bathroom break.

..............

Dossari ended his letter by saying that he saw "death looming."

"Farewell . . . farewell with no hope of seeing me again," he wrote. "I thank you for everything you have done for me, but I have a final request. Show the world the letters I gave you, let the world read them, let the world know the agony of the detainees in Cuba."

more at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/14/AR2006031401517.html?nav=rss_nation

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. this makes me cry

If we are a nation of ideals that are found in the Constitution, this criminal immoral act of detention without trial is an abomination.

[wtmusic]

2. .

:thumbsup: :hug:

[donkeyotay]

3. Cruel and unusual punishment

for a man held without due process. George is a Christian, a compassionate man, and chief defender of the constitution. He is also keeping us safe from shared humanity, for what you do for the least among us, you do for...some guy, what was his name?

[hiley]

4. The attorney was on Democracy Now

Wednesday, November 2nd, 2005
Attorney Tells Why Guantanamo Detainee Attempted Suicide in Front of Him

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/11/02/1546249&mode=thread&tid=25

[RaleighNCDUer]

5. Pay no attention to this.

It's all part of their terrorist agenda. They are trained to lie.

That's why we don't let them talk to the Red Cross.

(Explanations soon to be heard from Limpballs)