In January 2008, there will still be over 250 detainees held in the American military detention camp in Guantánamo Bay. A legal no-man’s land, the detention camp opened its door on 11 January 2002. Initially touted as a detention camp for “enemy combatants” caught fighting the Americans in Afghanistan, it has since emerged that many of the detainees were nowhere near Afghanistan or combatants and were sold by the Pakistani military for a mere $5000. Over 800 men, of various nationalities, including 9 British nationals, have passed through its gates in the past six years. Only one detainee has ever been convicted of a minor charge, less than a handful face charges and the rest have been held arbitrarily without access to the legal process, at the whim of the US military, for almost six years. Enough is enough. Will 2008 be the year to see Guantánamo close?
The London Guantánamo Campaign, in conjunction with Cageprisoners, invites you to join us in a day of action on Friday 11 January 2008 to call on the British government to take action to help close Guantánamo Bay and bring the remaining British residents back to the UK. Recently, the British government has taken positive steps, bringing back four of the British residents to the UK in 2007 (Bisher El-Rawi, Jamil El-Banna, Omar Deghayes and Abdel Nour Sameur). Like the British nationals before them, none have been charged with any offence under British law. We are calling on the British government to bring Binyam Mohammed and Ahmed Belbacha back to the UK, to take positive action to help close down Guantánamo Bay and other illegal American jails in the “war on terror” for good and to assist in the repatriation of detainees who have nowhere to go on release.
The day of action will involve: A letter being handed in to Downing Street at 11am by former British detainees led by Moazzam Begg, now a Cageprisoners spokesperson, to call on the British government to take action.
In Birmingham, protesters in orange suits would meet outside the Birmingham Council on the 11th January 2008, between 12.30 pm and 2.30 pm(Vistoria Square) distributing leaflets highlighting the desperate circumstances the Guantanamo detainees have been facing for six years without a properly constituted legal process that can deliver justice.
Those unable to attend the rally on friday will be able to join a vigil by the Bull Ring, in Birmingham City Centre from 1.00 pm on the 12th January 2008.
Orange Friday - Close Guantanamo 1:00 pm US Consulate, 3 Regent Terrace, Edinburgh In Birmingham, outside the Birmingham Council protesters will be marking the Six years of Guantanamo and collecting petitions demanding the closure of Guantanamo and return of the two known British residents still at Guantanamo to their homes in England.
Fri Jan 11 - Public Meeting: Defend Civil Liberties: six years of Guantanamo and the "War on Terror" 7:30 pm Augustine Church, George 4th Bridge For further information click here
Speakers include Aamer Anwar (human rights lawyer), Tom Leonard (poet), Shirley-Anne Somerville (MSP), Paddy Hill (one of the Birmingham 6), Noman Tahir (editor of IWitness, Scotland's Muslim newspaper)
The meeting will include readings from the recently-published book "Poems from Guantanamo - The detainees speak"
Meeting organised by Edinburgh Stop The War Coalition and Scotland Against Criminalising Communities (www.sacc.org. uk) More information 07936432519
Sheffield Guantanamo Campaign will be having a vigil on Friday 11th 4.30-6pm outside the Town Hall, Pinstone Street, 4.30-6pm. The Sheffield campaigners will be getting people to sign the letter that Cage Prisoners are co-ordinating
A day-long “statues” action involving groups of people dressed in the orange jumpsuits symbolic of Guantánamo Bay visiting several sites in London on the day where one or two people will pose as human statues while others hand out leaflets about what is happening at Guantánamo Bay. There are five groups following set routes. Please contact us for more details if you would like to join a group, even if it is only for a few hours. The groups will be working through the following areas: Northwest London (Harrow, Wembley, Regent’s Park, Edgware Road), West London (focusing on Binyam Mohammed – Paddington, Kensington, Knightsbridge, Westbourne Grove), South London (focusing on Shaker Aamer, who must be allowed to return to his native Saudi Arabia – Wandsworth, Battersea, Balham), Central London (several key sites in central London) and East London (The City, Whitechapel) from 8am to 4pm. A briefing for volunteers will be held on Monday 7 January at 7pm in The Gallery, First Floor (to the right), ULU, Malet Street, WC1 (nearest tube: Euston/Euston Square). Please get in touch if you are interested in getting involved in this action.
A demonstration between 6-8pm (speeches between 6-7.30pm) in Parliament Square (nearest tube: Westminster) to call on the British government to close down Guantánamo Bay. Speakers include former detainees, politicians and celebrities. Please join us in the evening and call on the British government to take action. This is an authorised event.
Six years on, enough is enough. For more details and to get in touch, please contact the London Guantánamo Campaign on 07809 757 176 or by email
London Campaign 
