we have ways of making you talk

I am increasingly concerned about the way government is responding to the recent allegations of collusion with the US torture and rendition program and the way this is beginning to impact on all our lives. Jack Straw's recent refusual to allow public access to information around the issue of torture and rendition on the grounds that " It would not be in the public interest", comes as no surprise. After all he is implicated in the great deceits around this war as much as any one .
The actioning of government anti-terrorist policy is devisive, discriminatory and is creating a climate of suspicion and prejudice. Recently the European Parliament has denounced Ireland and 13 other EU countries for collusion with the US to help the CIA carry out secret 'rendition' flights to transport terror suspects. Amnesty International claims three aircraft involved in US rendition flights had links to Shannon Airport. To mark International Day Against Torture, they published a report on Europe's role in rendition and secret detention. The report claims a number of European states either turned a blind eye to rendition or actively participated in it.
According to a 2006 report from the Council of Europe 14 European countries colluded in or tolerated the secret transfer of terrorist suspects by the US and two of them, Poland and Romania, may have harboured CIA detention centres .
That report listed Sweden, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Britain, Italy, Macedonia, Germany and Turkey as countries 'responsible, at varying degrees ... for violations of the rights of specific persons.'
Seven other countries 'could be held responsible for collusion - active or passive', Ireland, Poland, Romania, Spain, Cyprus, Portugal and Greece.
Germany has rejected the charge.
The home secretary, is to be questioned over allegations that British security services colluded in the torture of terrorism suspects and operated under a "James Bond-style get-out clause".
Suspects say they were repeatedly tortured by agents of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence Agency (ISI) before being questioned by MI5.
It is claimed British officials put pressure on the Pakistani authorities to get information and "knew very well" they were using torture during their investigations.
The Home Office has already launched an inquiry into claims that UK intelligence services colluded in the brutal treatment of British citizens and residents in Pakistan. I suggest that an independent equiry to investigate both the Home Office and UK intelligence services be expedited with out delay. David Miliband is himself accused of suppressing torture allegations that might embarrass the British government.

In a recent BBC survey more than 27,000 people in 25 countries were asked if torture would be acceptable if it could provide information to save innocent lives.
Some 36% of those questioned in the US agreed that this use of torture was acceptable, while 58% were unwilling to compromise on human rights
Countries that face political violence are more likely to accept the idea that some degree of torture is permissible. Some polls seemed to indicate difference of opinion along religious lines.

A majority of Jewish respondents in Israel, 53%, favour allowing governments to use some degree of torture to obtain information from those in custody, while 39% want clear rules against it. But Muslims in Israel, who represent 16% of the total number polled, are overwhelmingly against any use of torture.

The British poll indicated 72% were against the use of torture and 24% for it.

The survey suggests that nearly a third of people worldwide back the use of torture in prisons in some circumstances.

I find these figures extremely disturbing though not surprising. The issue is well reported through out the media but there seems to be little reaction from the great British public. Have we forgotten the lessons of our own history so soon? Are we really only concerned with the issues that affect our own immediate well being?

If your door gets kicked down in the middle of the night by the men in masks it is far more likely that they will be officers of the British government than terrorists. Perhaps in the end we do get what we deserve and a prolonged reluctance of the UK masses to enage in any effective protest may lead us to the place we dread most. Or - we could get more hands on rather than sitting on arses tutt tutting.......


Peace





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