Former Guantanamo Detainees Continue to Protest in Uruguay
On Saturday four former Guantanamo Bay prisoners continued their protests for a second day in Uruguay's capital city. The ex-detainees were demanding further assistance from the Uruguayan as well as the U.S. government regarding living expenses for their new lives in the South American nation.
On Friday the men initiated their protest before the U.S. Embassy in Montevideo, claiming that had they slept on the spot throughout the night, and insisting that they would stay where they were until they were allowed to met with the U.S. ambassador.
According to The Associated Press, Adel bin Muhammad El Ouerghi, a former detainee, said, "We'll be here until Monday. We are not leaving until with speak with the ambassador."
As a humanitarian gesture, the government of Uruguay accepted the four former Guantanamo Bay prisoners, as well as two other men, in December after the U.S. authorities released them from Guantanamo Bay.
Once suspected of ties to al-Qaida, the men had spent 12 years at the U.S. military prison. After U.S. officials came to believe that they were no longer a threat, the prisoners were let go.
The four Syrians, one Tunisian and one Palestinian said over and over the United States should help them out financially, so that they might afford to bring their families to Uruguay.
As it stands now, the men receive 15,000 pesos ($600) a month from Uruguay's government, which they must use to pay for food, clothes, and any other personal items they might need. Officials have also provided a house for the six men to share.
As reported by RT.com Omar Mahmoud Faraj, one of the former detainee said that the Uruguayan government had made many promises, “but so far these are only words.”
"I want to live here and bring my family here, how am I supposed to pay for gas and water bills and food with only 15,000 pesos?” asks El Ouerghi.
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