OVER 100 people packed into an enthusiastic planning meeting in Oxford on October 1 to discuss building the demonstration. Respect, the Green Party and various NGOs were represented. Plans were laid for public meetings and leaflet distribution in every region of the country. They heard that demonstrations are already planned in at least ten other countries as December 3 is an international day of action against climate change. Socialist Resistance supporters will be working to make sure the action is as successful as possible. • Contact: www.campaigncc.org 020 7549 0395 prefer to die rather than face the prospect of indefinite confinement without trial.
Among the hunger strikers are British residents. They say they have been inspired by Bobby Sands, leader of the 1981 IRA hunger strike who died along with nine of his comrades (see box).
Binyam Mohammed from Britain told his lawyer, Clive Stafford Smith, 'I do not plan to stop until either I die or our rights are respected. People will definitely die.'
After attempting to conceal the scale of the protest and refusing independent investigators access to the prisoners, US officials have now admitted that a number of the hunger strikers included some detainees being kept for months in solitary confinement, others being denied proper bedding and clothing, and all communication with families being refused.
The hunger strikers in June demanded, and won, the right to form prisoners' council. They called off their action after the Pentagon agreed to talks about improved conditions and proper legal access.
But in August when the promise had apparently come to nothing and several detainees were beaten by their guards, the current hunger strike began.
Shaker Ameer, a detainee from Britain, said that members ot the prisoners council were then placed in isolation.