More Capture & Detention... More Torture???

Rights Group Claims US Involved in Secret Detention of Somalis

In yet another example of US policy going significantly awry of our own founding and first principles, it appears that the Bush doctrine of capturing and detaining people from other nations in secret continues. One has to wonder how soon it will be before we receive word of torture, denial of legal representation, circumvention of the rights afforded by habeas corpus (as required by the UN Charter and international laws), and other crimes against humanity. Given the history of the Bush gang, I am willing to bet some of these crimes have already occurred. Give the history of the partners in this affair, I think I might win such a bet.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) claimed Saturday that the US, Kenya, and Ethiopia are cooperating with the transitional government of Somalia to secretly detain people who have fled the recent conflict there. HRW deputy Africa director Georgette Gagnon said: "Each of these governments has played a shameful role in mistreating people fleeing a war zone. Kenya has secretly expelled people, the Ethiopians have caused dozens to ‘disappear,’ and US security agents have routinely interrogated people held incommunicado.”

Predominantly-Islamic Somalia has endured a lengthy civil war and several rounds of failed peace talks since the collapse of its last civil government in 1991.