Fionnuala N’Ailain, the United Nations monitor on Human Rights and Counterterrorism, has asked the United States to perform its duties by providing medical assistance to the Muslim victims, it has tortured at the detention center and those released from the camp.
Fionnuala claimed that, the available medical treatments does not meet with the tune of harm caused by the United States at the Guantanamo detention camp. The UN human right monitor made known that, tortured prisoners suffer from traumatic brain injuries (TBI), post-traumatic brain disorder (PTSD), and many others.
“These men are all survivors of torture, a unique crime under international law, and in urgent need of care. Torture breaks a person, it is intended to render them helpless and powerless so that they cease to function psychologically, and in my conversations both with current and former detainees I observed the harms it caused.”
Fionnuala N’Ailain, the United Nations Monitor on Human Rights and Counterterrorism.
After the 9/11 terrorist assault on the World Trade Center in US, The Central Intelligence Agency, embarked on the hunt to capture suspected people linked to the attack.
However, in their bid to fish out intelligence from captured suspects, the CIA employed torture as a main interrogation tool to make prisoners give information. They termed the tactics as “enhanced interrogation techniques.”
Though, its 20 years past, the physical and psychological trauma, memories of unwarranted treatments and tortures still persist, the UN envoy averred.
“The dividing line between past and present is very narrow for these men. In some, it is non-existent: they inhabit bodies that are profoundly harmed by acts of torture.”
Fionnuala N’Ailain, the United Nations Monitor on Human Rights and Counterterrorism.
In February, the US government permitted a visit by the UN human right monitor, Fionnuala N’ Aoláin to the Guantánamo detention facility, where 30 suspected terrorists remained incarcerated till today.
The UN human right monitor, after the visit released a report accusing the US government of violating international conventions, by not providing specialized medical care aimed at addressing the lasting impacts of abuse.
“Without exception, each individual I met exhibits medical conditions relating to the physical harm they experienced from rendition and torture, or profound psychological distress such as anxiety, depression, extreme trauma and suicidal ideation.”
Fionnuala N’Ailain, the United Nations Monitor on Human Rights and Counterterrorism.
The detainees’ treatment by impartial medical professionals is one of the main demands stated by the UN rapporteur. To begin with, the fact that they are currently seen by military doctors in uniform, triggers them.
The UN rapporteur advised that, detainees must be treated by unbiased medical professionals, but the problem has been that, seeing medical professionals dressed in US military uniforms, looks alarming to UN.
“For these detainees, uniform is associated with a profound lack of trust and a history of misuse of medical treatment. A person who has been tortured can lose their trust in the entire system.”
Fionnuala N’Ailain, the United Nations Monitor on Human Rights and Counterterrorism.
Developing The Torture Tactics
Two psychologists, James Mitchell and Bruce Jessen, invented the CIA’s torture initiative in 2002. They based their design in part on studies with dogs that had been shocked with electricity and had subsequently developed “learned helplessness.”
All Guantánamo inmate groups, notably the five known “high-value” detainees, suspected of orchestrating the 9/11 attacks, received visits from the UN observers. For the purpose of confidentiality, the UN team declined to review the identity of the detainees they interviewed.
Notwithstanding, Ammar al Baluchi, one of the “high-value prisoners,” has disclosed via his attorney that, he’s enduring traumatic brain injury (TBI) as a result of constant “walling,” in which his head was always slammed against the wall.
The Law Professor, Fionnuala stated that, it is very pathetic the US carries itself as a global pioneer in developing therapies for tortured victims.
The US torture program’s supporters frequently use the victims as justification for their arguments, however, Ni’Aoláin stated that, the victims had been betrayed.
“The victims of terrorism have lost their right to the ultimate remedy for the violations of their loved ones on 9/11 – a trial. What was done in the aftermath of 9/11 was not just harmful to the men, it was deeply, profoundly harmful to the families themselves.”
Fionnuala N’Ailain, the United Nations Monitor on Human Rights and Counterterrorism.
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