Sunday, January 08, 2006

"During Ramadan, tube-feeding takes place before dawn..."

New details have emerged of how the growing number of prisoners on hunger strike at Guantánamo Bay are being tied down and force-fed through tubes pushed down their nasal passages into their stomachs to keep them alive.

They routinely experience bleeding and nausea, according to a sworn statement by the camp's chief doctor, seen by The Observer.
...a Guantánamo spokesman confirmed that the number of hunger strikers hasalmost doubled since Christmas, to 81 of the 550 detainees. Many have been held since the camp opened four years ago this month, although they not been charged with any crime, nor been allowed to see any evidence justifying their detention.
[...]
Although some prisoners have had to be tied down while being force-fed, 'only one patient' has had to be immobilised with a six-point restraint, and 'only one' passed out. 'In less than 10 cases have trained medical personnel had to use four-point restraint in order to achieve insertion.' Edmondson claims the actual feeding is voluntary. During Ramadan, tube-feeding takes place before dawn. LINK to Guardian, The Observer

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Voluntary?
I must have missed something.
How can force-feeding be "voluntary"???
Makes me feel all better how we respect the customs of Ramadan.
Sheesh....

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