I asked HMG, further to the Written Answer by Lord Howell of Guildford on 25thJanuary (WA 239), why discussions with the government of the United States concerning the release of Mr Shaker Aamer from Guantanamo Bay have taken over four years; when they expect him to be released; and whether they expect compensation issues to arise.
Rt Hon Lord Howell of Guildford replied on 6th February: The Government remains committed to seeking the release of Shaker Aamer from Guantanamo Bay and regularly raises the issue at senior officialand Ministerial level with the US authorities. We will continue to do so, but ultimately the decision to release Shaker Aamer is one for the US authorities to take. The Government will not speculate when he might be released, and is not in a position to discuss possible compensation issues at this stage.
I asked HMG whether they and the Quartet will discuss with the government of Israel the conditions in which Palestinian child detainees are held.
Rt Hon Lord Howell of Guildford replied on 6th February: The UK remains concerned about the treatment of child detainees in Israel. We regularly discuss these concerns with the Israeli authorities.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon friend the Member for NE Bedfordshire (Mr Burt) most recently raised the issue of child detainees with Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Ayalon on 18th January, as well as with the Israeli Ambassador to London.
We welcomed the decision on 4th October 2011 by the Israeli government to raise the age of legal majroity for Palestinian children in the Israeli military justice system. When fully implemented, this will be an imortant step towards protecting children’s rights in the West Bank. We conitinue to lobby for further improvements, including a reduction in the number of arrests that occur at night and the introduction of audio-0visual recording of interrogations.
The UK has also funded a number of projects aimed at improving the impact of the conflict on Palestinian children, including those in detention.
Officials at our Embassy in Tel Aviv continue to discuss the treatment of child prisoners with the Israeli Government.
The topic is surely about “how our monies are spent or mis-spent (by governments)”
as much as about “the value and measure of human life” ?
At root, only three advances remain ‘stupidly’ absent
(1) Method III
(2) One-human-being needs (only) one-human-living;
(3) Application of the Karl Marx error “From each according to (his) ability, To each according to (his) need”
put the right way round
“To each according to (his) need*, From each according to (his) ability”;
so start establishing (1) and (3) will be established;
and it will become easier for the Bloated-Bosses to begin realising and trusting that (2) is reliably valid, for each of them to begin ‘weighing-in’ as but one human being needing but one human living.**
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* the Detail has to follow, as to what ‘extra’ Allowances may be added, e.g. for “one living-room’s cold-door one double draught-excluder”,
and for an annual holiday,
** not talking one’s Workplace, Business Costs here;
just what one is basicly ‘worth’ in/for the Lifeplace (see also * above).
————
If this whole legal-detention, and ‘one-human-living-need-&-right’ of any detainee is a major Matter
then it has to be stronmgly suggested that the United Nations establishes (an) International Detainees Holding Centre(s).
This should surely impartially ensure not only ‘fairplay’, ‘non-victimisation’, and the availability of a ‘generic’ and holisticly-sufficient ‘one-human-living’ per detainee, but an overall international financial, security, and judicial response-ability ?
@Miles:
Akin to Napoleon you mean? First on Elba, before the One Hundred Day Campaign, where he was held in a luxurious house… Then again on another, St Helena, 1821, when he surrendered to the British, for fear the Russians would castrate him. He dies there. St Helena is said to be the island of the perfect prison. No escape. It also kept the Zulu King, Dinzulu, prisoner in 1890?
Good thinking Miles. It would ensure a far more civilised way of dealing with those under threat and those who threaten. I like this idea.
A good place for Western war criminals as well. Prior to sending them to the Hague of course. Blair creature comes to mind in a hurry.
You see, the human race was a lot smarter historically than they are now. Why is that?