Guantanamo Uighurs derailed

A U.S. appeals court has reversed a lower court ruling that the 17 Uighur detainees at Guantanamo should be immediately released into the US. Washington Post:

Two of the judges, Karen LeCraft Henderson and A. Raymond Randolph, found that Urbina overstepped his authority in ordering such a remedy. Only the Executive Branch and Congress have the power to allow people to enter the United States, they ruled.

“The question here is not whether petitioners should be released, but where,” Randolph wrote in an 18-page opinion. “Never in the history of habeas corpus has any court thought it had the power to order an alien held overseas brought into the sovereign territory of a nation and released into the general population.”

In an opinion concurring with Randolph and Henderson, judge Judith W. Rogers wrote that Urbina had the right to order the release of the Uighurs into the United States but had acted “prematurely.”

More analysis from SCOTUSblog.

Day 23 of 100: Worcester goes home

As part of the 100 Days Campaign to Close Guantanamo and End Torture, we’re inviting groups to join us in Washington, DC, for all or part of a week.

This week’s Worcester participants have gone home, but not without sitting down to recap the experience:

mp3 link, other formats, podcast feed

Today was another long, grueling, satisfying day for those still here. Vigils at the National Mall and White House, conference calls, blogging, writing, and a birthday party. Carmen breaks it down:

Items and gadgets

A personal note
The 100 Days is going great. Nice to be working so hard on something positive. Starting to think about what I should do (for money or for free) when I return to Worcester in May. Ideas? You know how to reach me.

I’ve been thinking about how we pick our causes, inspired by the following 2 articles about causes that have arguably not done well.

Save Darfur Can’t Save Darfur:

In all the activist rhetoric about genocide, one critical fact is lost – as bad as the situation is, it could be far worse. If you don’t understand this simple point, you don’t understand the stakes involved.

(See also Some Defend Save Darfur and The Janjaweed Speak, by the same author.)

Life For March:

At 36 years old, the pro-life movement is still energetic and indignant—and trapped. Every year of Republican rule has increased the suspicion that pro-lifers are the GOP’s useful idiots.

Continue reading “Items and gadgets”

Day 21: Worcester comes to town

A small group from Worcester arrived this week to help with the 100 Days Campaign to Close Guantanamo and End Torture. Good energy and a good attitude.

We started the day outside a press conference at the National Press Club held by a “keep Guantanamo open” group, then moved on to the White House for our daily “Free the Uighurs” vigil, then spent the afternoon visiting Worcester’s Rep. Jim McGovern and staffers for Senators Kennedy and Kerry. Visiting my elected officials was well worth my time.

Day 13 of 100: Why not phone the White House?

Another “Free the Uighurs” vigil today–various media stopped by, and ABC News wrote a nice blog post.

Tomorrow we’re kicking off a national week of phoning the White House and Attorney General (it’ll be Eric Holder’s first day) and saying 1) thanks for planning to close Guantanamo, and 2) free the Uighur detainees immediately.

Text of the “Free the Uighurs” campaign e-mail after the jump.

Continue reading “Day 13 of 100: Why not phone the White House?”

Day 10: Remembering the Uighurs and all detainees

There’s been a surprising amount of news about the Uighur detainees at Guantanamo this week, including a documentary on PBS and a lengthy story today on Democracy Now!

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And wouldn’t you know it, today’s White House vigil was briefly on Politico 44. (And the main site.)

Uighur vigil on Politico 44

Like last week, we spent this Friday fasting. The vigil was made up of prayers and readings by and about the men who’ve been at Guantanamo.

释放维吾尔人

Day 9 of 100: Free the Uighurs

This week we’re focusing on the release of the Uighur detainees at Guantanamo. This sub-campaign has some interesting challenges, like answering everyone’s initial question: “Free who?”

Nice weather and good crowds for today’s vigil. The web angle is going slower than I’d like. Still connecting with other groups who are either working on this issue or might want to be in the loop.

Detainee lawyer Emi MacLean on Guantanamo

Emi MacLean, staff attorney with the Center for Constitutional Rights, talks about the current situation at the Guantanamo detention facility, having just returned from the prison. Recorded at the Peace Mural, Washington, DC. Presented by the 100 Days Campaign to Close Guantanamo and End Torture, January 26, 2009.

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Download the mp3 or see other formats.

100 Days Campaign podcast feed