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Where do things stand at Guantánamo? Six basic questions answered.

President Obama this week pledged to “reengage” with Congress to find a way to close the terror detention camp at the Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, naval base. The renewed focus comes as 100 of the 166 detainees are reported to be engaged in a hunger strike. Here is a brief look at where things stand now.

2. What has been the US government’s response?

Suzette Laboy/AP
This video frame grab shows some of the makeshift weapons that were confiscated from prisoners at the Guantánamo Bay prison following a clash between prisoners and guards in April.

A. Medical personnel at the detention camp monitor those participating in the hunger strike. If necessary, officials order the forced feeding of detainees to prevent them from starving themselves to death. Reports are that 21 detainees presently are being force-fed.

This is accomplished by restraining the detainee twice a day and inserting a tube down the nose and throat. A serving of the liquid nutrition-supplement Ensure is then directed into the detainee’s stomach through the tube. The tube is withdrawn. The detainee remains restrained for a period of time to allow digestion and prevent any effort by the detainee to vomit. Five detainees are being hospitalized.

The president of the American Medical Association has said that the “forced feeding of detainees violates core ethical values of the medical profession.”

Detainees have complained that officials are intentionally using larger than necessary feeding tubes to make the forced-feeding process as painful as possible and to punish the detainees.

The atmosphere at the detention camp is described as tense. On April 13, guards allegedly used tear gas and rubber bullets in an operation designed to respond to detainees covering surveillance cameras in their cells. Officials say some detainees attempted to resist the guards by wielding broomsticks.

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Mark Sappenfield
Editor

Dear Reader,

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