TAOISEACH BRIAN Cowen’s commitment to accepting Guantánamo detainees for resettlement in Ireland has been welcomed by Amnesty International and also by nationalist politicians who have called for Northern Ireland to follow his lead.
In an interview with CNN during his visit to the US this week, Mr Cowen said Ireland would accept a “proportionate amount, a small number” of detainees.
“It is incumbent on us, those who called for [Guantánamo’s] closure, to assist the United States now in ensuring that certain prisoners be relocated elsewhere,” he added.
Noeleen Hartigan of Amnesty’s Irish branch hailed the Taoiseach’s pledge, saying it showed “a great deal of courage”.
Amnesty has been lobbying the Government to accept at least one detainee – Uzbek national Oybek Jamoldinivich Jabbarov. He shares the fate of some 60 inmates at Guantánamo who have been cleared for release but remain at the detention facility for fear of torture and persecution in their home countries.
Ms Hartigan stressed that the detainees Amnesty would like to see resettled have all been exonerated.
“They are not Taliban. They are not al-Qaeda. They are not suspects of any kind. These men have been cleared for release. The US government and military has accepted that these men are not a threat, and never were.”
EU officials have questioned why Europe should take detainees if the US does not resettle some within its own borders.
Amnesty International has argued that while the existence of Guantánamo is the responsibility of the US, other countries were complicit in the transfer of detainees.
“They allowed people to be transferred through their territory, actively participated in illegal detentions and kidnapping or, as in Ireland’s case, at a minimum they allowed their territory to be used as a staging area for rendition operations,” said Ms Hartigan.
Amnesty’s Northern Ireland section has urged First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness to follow the Taoiseach’s example.
“Northern Ireland is accustomed to asking the US for assistance with our political problems, Amnesty NI director Patrick Corrigan said.
“The First and Deputy First Minister should now assist President Obama in his moves to close the camp by offering humanitarian protection to vulnerable prisoners who need a place to go.”
SDLP leader Mark Durkan and Sinn Féin MEP Bairbre de Brún echoed Amnesty’s call.
“We should join with the Taoiseach in his proportionate and appropriate offer,” Mr Durkan said.