WASHINGTON (RNS) Top leaders from a number of faiths have asked Congress to allow the International Committee of the Red Cross access to all U.S.-held detainees, including those held at secret overseas prisons.
A letter signed by 25 senior faith leaders calls on Congress to support legislation that gives the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) the right to use information from the Central Intelligence Agency to access the U.S.-held detainees.
“The ICRC has a mandate to visit detention facilities around the world to ensure that prisoners of war and other detainees are treated humanely as required by international law,” they said.
While the United States has supported ICRC access and opposed holding detainees incommunicado, the letter claims that the U.S. has engaged in the practice of secret detentions over the past seven years.
“It is of the utmost importance that our country immediately implements all measures needed to guarantee the humane treatment of all detainees,” they said.
Providing the ICRC with access to the U.S.-held detainees would end secret detentions, giving the United States greater credibility to advocate humane treatment of American detainees, they said. They also believe it will restore U.S. integrity on the issue of torture.
“Torture and inhumane treatment are unequivocally antithetical to all of our faiths,” they said. “We all believe in the inherent worth and dignity of all human life.”
The lettter was signed by Bishop Thomas G. Wenski of Orlando, Fla, representing the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops; the Rev. Michael Kinnamon of the National Council of Churches; Rabbi Steve Gutow of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs; and Ingrid Mattson of the Islamic Society of North America.
– Ashley Gipson
Copyright 2008 Religion News Service. All rights reserved. No part of this transmission may be distributed or reproduced without written permission.
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posted September 26, 2008 at 8:26 pm
If the United States has nothing to hide, then the request of the faith leaders shouldn’t be a problem, huh?
posted September 26, 2008 at 11:47 pm
This is a very good idea. It would force the US to do the right things, which of course it should do because they are right and because we’re better off when we are in the right. It’s very short term thinking to think otherwise.
posted September 27, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Good xristian that the Scarecro-W is, he should have NO PROBLEM with this request. Nope, none at all. Not in the least. Of course Tinman-C would be quaking with anger and indignation at the mere thought of someone questioning his “a-THOR i-teh” (thank you, boys of “South Park”).
“So I guess that will have to be a ‘No’. Sorry, national security, ya know – that’s what the Tinman-C told me. If ya’ll excuse me I have some bush cuttin’ to do. If you need anything else, – well, don’t ask.” saith the Scarecro-W for posterity.
posted September 28, 2008 at 4:58 pm
On the other hand if he cares for his posterity, he should meet the requests of the Church leaders while he still has time to show everything is on the up and up. If he doesn’t everyone will say he had something to hide.
posted September 29, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Someone who has no regard for history will have real interest in their legacy. Scarecro-W does not care. He simply wants something to put in his overpriced “library” once he slips out of the Oval Office for the final time (can it be too soon? no).
posted September 29, 2008 at 3:47 pm
On a different national security issue, how much has your Republican congressperson cost you today?