Hunger Strike

As most of you probably know, there is a place called Guantanamo Bay where America has put suspected terrorists in order to protect their country. What you may not know (but I'm hoping most of you do) is that some of the prisoners there have been declared completely innocent and yet they are still being held in this hell hole.
Obama promised to close Guantanamo Bay and release the innocent, but has yet to do so. Some of the prisoners have been hunger striking for months, to alert Obama to the fact that they want to be released (funnily enough).
The first I heard of this was when Frankie Boyle went on hunger strike in order to show solidarity and to raise awareness of this horrific ordeal. A number of celebs are taking it in turns to hunger strike to raise awareness and have been asking others to join them if they are able to.

Me and my dad were able to and therefore we decided to join the hunger strike. So far we haven't eaten for 4 days and although we are weak, tired and very hungry, we will carry on until we've done a week. I am 20 years old and I feel that this issue is disgusting. Something needs to be done about it.  By hunger striking, we are trying to raise awareness and to show solidarity but also we have tweeted MPs and other celebs in order to get them to put pressure on Obama to keep his promise to close Guantanamo Bay for good.

I urge you, if you agree, to contact your MP and stress how important you feel this issue is. Please try and do what you can in order to stop these horrific things from happening. Some of the prisoners have been locked up since 2002. They haven't seen their family and they have been tortured and beaten and force fed. I personally think this is disgusting and so please try to do whatever you can to show that this is not ok. You don't necessarily need to go on hunger strike, even if you just message an MP or someone, then great.

Another thing that greatly sickens me is that the majority of these prisoners are Muslim and are therefore doing Ramadan. These prisoners who have been striking are now, during Ramadan, being force fed during the day. Not only do I believe that the protest should be respected but even more so I believe that their religion should be respected. I am not religious myself but force feeding Muslims during Ramadan just seems plain wrong to me.

If you wish to read more about what is happening and read individual stories visit this website:

 www.standfastforjustice.org

So far I have lost half a stone and my dad has lost 9lbs. We have both lost about 2 inches around our waist and this is after just 4 days. Just think, some prisoners have been striking for 5 months and Shaker Aamer has lost 32lbs which they believe is half his body weight. Shaker Aamer is a British resident and was imprisoned in 2002. In 2007, it was acknowledged that he held no threat and in 2009 Obama set him to be released. That was in 2009 and now, in 2013, he still hasn't been released.

Please do anything you can to help.