NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Guantánamo Bay

Guantanamo Bay (abbreviated as GTMO or "Gitmo") is located at the south-eastern end of Cuba, in the Guantanamo Province, at 19°54′ N 75°9′ W (http://kvaleberg.com/extensions/mapsources/index.php?params=19_54_N_75_9_W_) and contains a United States Naval Base (116 km² = approx. 45 mi²). This is Image:Cu-map. ... This is Image:Cu-map. ... Statistics Capital: Guantánamo Area: 6,178km² Inhabitants: 507,300 Population Density: 82 per km² Map Categories: Provinces of Cuba | Caribbean geography stubs ... The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. ...

Contents

1 History

2 Detention of prisoners

3 Fictional representations of Guantanamo

4 See also

5 External links

History

See also timeline of Guantanamo Bay Map of Cuba with the location of Guantanamo Bay indicated Noteworthy Events of Guantanamo Bay. ...

U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay was established in 1898, when the U.S. obtained control of Cuba from Spain at the end of the Spanish-American War, following the 1898 invasion of Guantanamo Bay. The U.S. government obtained a perpetual lease that began on February 23, 1903 from the newly independent Cuban state. The terms hold that the U.S., for the purposes of operating coaling and naval stations, has "complete jurisdiction and control" of the area, while the Republic of Cuba is recognized to retain ultimate sovereignty. A 1934 treaty reaffirming the lease granted Cuba and her trading partners free access through the bay, modified the lease payment from $2,000 in gold coins per year, to the 1934 equivalent value of $4,085 U.S. Treasury Dollars, and added a requirement that termination of the lease requires the consent of both the U.S. and Cuba governments, or the abandonment of the base property by the U.S. With over 9,500 (according to National Geographic April 2005 issue) U.S. troops, "Gitmo" is the only U.S. base in operation on Communist soil, as of 2005. 1898 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... The Spanish-American War took place in 1898, and resulted in the United States of America gaining control over the former colonies of Spain in the Caribbean and Pacific. ... (Redirected from 1898 invasion of Guantanamo Bay) This article needs cleanup. ... This article or section should include material from Tenancy agreement A lease is a contract conveying from one person (the lessor) to another person (the lessee) the right to use and control some article of property for a specified period of time (the term), without conveying ownership, in exchange for... February 23 is the 54th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1903 has the latest occurring solstices and equinoxes for 400 years, because the Gregorian calendar hasnt had a leap year for seven years or a century leap year since 1600. ... 1934 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Aerial view of Guantanamo Bay

Satellite view of Guantanamo Bay

Since coming to power, Fidel Castro has only cashed one rent check, while steadfastly refusing to cash the others because he views the base as illegitimate. Although diplomatic relations do not exist between the U.S. and Cuba, the U.S. has agreed to return fugitives from Cuban law to Cuban authorities and Cuba agreed to return fugitives from U.S. law, for offenses committed in Guantanamo Bay, to U.S. authorities. Aerial view of Guantanamo Bay, collected from http://www. ... Download high resolution version (1153x865, 287 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1153x865, 287 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Cuban President Fidel Castro waves the Cuban flag during May Day celebrations, 2005 Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (born August 13, 1926), has led Cuba since 1959, when, leading the 26th of July Movement, he overthrew the government of Fulgencio Batista. ...

The U.S. control of this Cuban territory has never been popular with Cubans. The Cuban government strongly denounces the treaty on grounds that article 52 of the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties declares that a treaty is void if its conclusion has been procured by the threat or use of force—in this case by the inclusion, in 1903, of the Platt Amendment in the Cuban Constitution. The Cuban Convention was warned not to modify the Amendment and was told that the U.S. troops would not leave Cuba until its terms had been adopted as a condition from U.S. to grant independence. The Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, adopted on May 22, 1969, codified the pre-existing international customary law on treaties, with some necessary gap-filling and clarifications. ... The Platt Amendment, a rider appended to the U.S. Army appropriations bill (March 1901), stipulated the conditions for the withdrawal of United States troops remaining in Cuba since the Spanish-American War, and defined the terms of Cuban-U.S. relations until 1934. ...

The Cuban government cut off water to the base, causing the United States to first import water from Jamaica and then to build desalination plants. Today the base is self-sufficient producing its own water and electricity. Only two Cubans, both elderly, still cross the base's North East Gate daily to work on the base; but the Cuban government does not allow new recruitment. Desalination refers to any of several processes that remove the excess salt and minerals from water in order to obtain fresh water suitable for animal consumption or for irrigation, sometimes producing table salt as a by-product. ...

Detention of prisoners

In the last quarter of the 20th century, the base was used to house Cuban and Haitian refugees who have been intercepted on the high seas. Beginning in 2002, however, a small portion of the base was used to house suspected al-Qaeda and Taliban prisoners captured in Afghanistan and elsewhere at Camp X-Ray, Camp Delta and Camp Echo. The most recent publicly disclosed transfer of prisoners occurred September 22, 2004 when 10 prisoners were brought from Afghanistan. Eventually several hundred alleged terrorists, some captured in Afghanistan, were imprisoned without charge at the base. 2002 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Al-Qaeda (Arabic: القاعدة, the foundation or the base) is the name given to a worldwide network of militant Islamist organizations under the leadership of Osama bin Laden. ... The Taliban (Pashtun and Persian: طالبان; students of Islam), also transliterated as Taleban, is an Islamist movement which ruled most of Afghanistan from 1996 until 2001, despite having diplomatic recognition from only three countries: the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia. ... Camp X-Ray, shown here under construction, is the temporary holding facility for detainees held at U.S. Naval Base Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. ... A Camp Delta recreation and exercise area at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. ... September 22 is the 265th day of the year (266th in leap years). ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The peculiar legal status of Guantanamo Bay was a factor in the choice of Guantanamo as a detention center. Because sovereignty of Guantanamo Bay ultimately resides with Cuba, the U.S. government argued unsuccessfully that people detained at Guantanamo were legally outside of the U.S. and did not have the Constitutional rights that they would have if they were held on U.S. territory (see Cuban American Bar Ass'n, Inc. v. Christopher, 43 F.3d 1412 (11th Cir. 1995)). In 2004, the Supreme Court rejected this argument in the case Rasul v. Bush with the majority decision and ruled that prisoners in Guantanamo have access to American courts, citing the fact that the U.S. has exclusive control over Guantanamo Bay. 1995 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The supreme court in some countries, provinces, and states, is the highest court in that jurisdiction and functions as a court of last resort whose rulings cannot be appealed. ... Rasul v. ...

The U.S. classifies the prisoners held at Camp Delta and Camp Echo as illegal enemy combatants, but has not held the Article 5 tribunals that would be required by international law for it to do so. This would grant them the rights of the Fourth Geneva Convention (GCIV), as opposed to the more common Third Geneva Convention (GCIII) which deals exclusively with prisoners of war. On November 9, 2004 US District Court Judge James Robertson ruled that the Bush Administration had overstepped its authority to try such prisoners as enemy combatants in a military tribunal and denying them access to the evidence used against them. Unlawful combatant (also illegal combatant or unprivileged combatant) describes a person who engages in combat without meeting the requirements for a lawful combatant according to the laws of war as specified in the Third Geneva Convention. ... The Fourth Geneva Convention (GCIV) relates to the protection of civilians during times of war in the hands of an enemy and under any occupation by a foreign power. ... The Third Geneva Convention (GCIII) regarded the treatment of prisoners of war. ... Geneva Convention definition A prisoner of war (POW) is a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict. ... November 9 is the 313th day of the year (314th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 52 days remaining. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... History Judge James Robertson was appointed in December 1994 to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. ... Order: 43rd President Vice President: Dick Cheney Term of office: January 20, 2001 – present Preceded by: Bill Clinton Succeeded by: Incumbent Date of birth: July 6, 1946 Place of birth: New Haven, Connecticut First Lady: Laura Welch Bush Political party: Republican George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the...

Three British prisoners released in 2004 without charge have alleged that there is ongoing torture, sexual degradation, forced drugging and religious persecution being committed by U.S. forces at Guantanamo Bay and have released a 115-page dossier detailing these accusations (http://www.wsws.org/articles/2004/aug2004/guan-a06.shtml). They also accuse British authorities of knowing about the torture and failing to respond. Their accounts have been confirmed by two former French prisoners, a former Swedish prisoner, and a former Australian prisoner. In response to accusations, US Navy Secretary Gordon England has claimed that a Navy inspector general has performed a review of the practices at Guantanamo and concluded that it was "being operated at very high standards." The Iron Maiden of Nuremberg was a famous torture device Torture is the infliction of severe physical or psychological pain as an expression of cruelty, a means of intimidation, deterrent or punishment, or as a tool for the extraction of information or confessions. ... The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. ... Secretary Gordon R. England Gordon Richard England is an American businessman who (as of 2004) serves as the United States Secretary of the Navy. ...

Former Guantanamo detainee Moazzam Begg, freed last month after nearly three years in captivity, has accused his American captors of torturing him and other detainees arrested in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Mr Begg, in his first broadcast interview since his release, claimed that he "witnessed two people get beaten so badly that I believe it caused their deaths".

On November 30, 2004, The New York Times published excerpts (http://nytimes.com/2004/11/30/politics/30gitmo.html?ei=5094&en=8d107165e454d8b6&hp=&ex=1101877200&adxnnl=1&partner=homepage&adxnnlx=1101843681-+nTyVVJpq8yXt1yEg4X28g) from an internal memo leaked from the US administration, referring to a report from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The report points out several activities which, it said, were "tantamount to torture": exposure to loud noise or music, prolonged extreme temperatures, or beatings. It also reports the existence of a behavior science team (BSCT), also called "Biscuit", and the fact that the physicians of the base communicate confidential medical information to the interrogation teams (weaknesses, phobias, etc.), resulting in the prisoners losing confidence in the medical team of the base. Access of the ICRC to the base was conditional, as is normal for ICRC humanitarian operations, to the confidentiality of their report; sources have reported that heated debates had taken place at the ICRC headquarters, as some of those involved wanted to make the report public, or confront the US administration. The newspaper said the administration and the Pentagon had seen the ICRC report in July but rejected its findings. AP (Guardian) (http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4645430,00.html), Reuters (http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=6951969). The story was originally reported in other newspapers like The Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,1213640,00.html) when the report was leaked in May. The ICRC reacted to the article (http://www.icrc.org/Web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/iwpList4/C5667B446C9A4DF7C1256F5C00403967). November 30 is the 334th day (335th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 31 days remaining, as the final day of November. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is historically a committee of Swiss nationals, although non-Swiss nationals have recently been allowed (the committee appoints new members to itself to replace those who resign or die) which leads the international Red Cross movement (often simply known after its symbol... July is the seventh month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ...

See also Camp X-Ray Camp X-Ray, shown here under construction, is the temporary holding facility for detainees held at U.S. Naval Base Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. ...

Fictional representations of Guantanamo

The 1992 movie A Few Good Men depicts a legal trial concerning an incident that took place in Guantanamo Bay.
Guantanamo Bay was also featured in Bad Boys II (2003).
Guantanamo Bay was mentioned in the 1995 James Bond movie GoldenEye, which was, however, shot in Puerto Rico.
The base is frequently referenced in the TV series JAG, and its spin-off series Navy NCIS.
Animated series American Dad! features a real-estate agent being sent to Guantanamo Bay by the Government.

1992 is a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A Few Good Men is a 1992 drama film which tells the story of military lawyers who encounter a high_level conspiracy while trying to defend their Marine client on a count of murder. ... Bad Boys is a 1995 film that stars Martin Lawrence, Will Smith and Téa Leoni. ... 2003 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar, and also: The International Year of Freshwater The European Disability Year Events January January 1 - Luíz Inácio Lula Da Silva becomes the 37th President of Brazil. ... 1995 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... James Bond, also known as 007 (double-oh seven), is a sophisticated fictional character and British spy created by writer Ian Fleming. ... GoldenEye is the seventeenth James Bond film and the first to star Pierce Brosnan as Ian Flemings British secret service agent, James Bond. ... JAG (the acronym for Judge Advocate General) is an American adventure drama television show, produced by Belisarius Productions, in association with Paramount Television Network. ... A spin-off (or spinoff) is a new organization or entity formed by a split from a larger one such as a new company formed from a university research group. ... NCIS is a CBS network television series about a team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service who investigate crimes involving Navy and Marine Corps personnel. ...

External links

U.S. Naval Base Guantanamo Bay website (http://www.nsgtmo.navy.mil/)
Texts of United States - Cuban agreements and treaty of 1934 (http://sources.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_-_Cuban_Agreements_and_Treaty_of_1934)
Professor Alfred de Zayas' web site (http://www.alfreddezayas.com/) English, French, and German texts concerning legal and historical aspects of the Guantanamo complex, including "The Status of Guantanamo Bay" in 37 University of British Columbia Law Review pp. 277-341, and articles in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and Tribune de Genève
Statement by The Government of Cuba to the National and International Public Opinion (http://hometown.aol.com/webcuba/guantanamoeng1.html)
Guantanamo Province photos with the view from Mirador de Malones (http://www.cuba-pictures.com/guantanamo/index.html)
An Op-Ed Column criticizing the use of military tribunals to try "illegal combatants" (http://atlanta.creativeloafing.com/2001-12-12/rant.html)
Web site dedicated to criticizing U.S. treatment of prisoners in Guantanamo Bay (http://www.guantanamo.com/)
Supreme Court Decision goes against Bush (http://www.cdi.org/news/law/gtmo-sct-decision.cfm)
Google Maps (http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=19.997520,-75.142021&spn=0.163078,0.253372&t=k&hl=en)

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Detention of prisoners

Fictional representations of Guantanamo

See also

External links

History