Free the Captives: Witness Against Illegal Detention and Torture

In the most recent message from those holding our friends, Tom Fox plainly states that his life is tied to our efforts to free other detainees, and he pleads for our help in this matter: "... a plea for my release from captivity and also a plea for a release from captivity of all the people of Iraq. We are all suffering from the same fate ...". While we can't make promises that cannot be kept, we share an abiding concern for all people being held without trial, or enduring humilation, torture, or captivity in violation of international law. Tom himself has worked tirelessly with families of detainees in Iraq to bring more public attention to their plight. We too can take direct action on these concerns.

We are inspired by the example of twenty-five Christians who take their stand outside the gates of the US Naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to visit with inmates there, while appealing for the release of Christian Peacemakers being held in Iraq. This is motivated by the demands of their faith:

"For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me." Then the righteous will answer him, saying, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?" And the King will answer them, "Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me."

Matthew 25:35-40

The group began fasting on Monday after base authorities turned down their request to visit with prisoners, and the fast continues as repeated appeals for entry are denied. On Tuesday night, they wondered "What ever happened to George Bush's generous invitation that those who are concerned about Guantanamo should 'go down yourself... and take a look at the conditions'?" As their vigil goes on, they call all Americans to "join us in pressuring the Bush Administration to let us in. Please call President Bush at 202.456.1414 and Donald Rumsfeld at 703.692.7100 and request that they respond to our request for access. You can contact the US Naval Base itself at (011)(53)993-021."

This vigil is just one example of what might be done by the American people to lift up this concern while we continue to call for the release of Tom Fox, Harmeet Singh Sooden, James Loney, and Norman Kember. While we all explore creative and dynamic means to bring more light to this issue, we strongly urge activists and people of faith to remember the disciplines of civil initiative articulated by Jim Corbett. Although there is a great need for renewing the way, aquaintance with history may enable us to stand on the shoulders of giants while advancing our call to free the captives; Corbett dedicated tremendous work and thought to the struggle for human rights and understanding humanity's fault lines; it would be foolish for us to neglect his template for direct action.

A lot of work remains ahead of us, work that we must continue when Tom and the others are released. There remains "a great people to be gathered." Let us find our tasks in the work before us.