20.9.22
Dear friends and supporters, and any kind passers-by,
Every three months I ask you, if you can, to support my work as a reader-funded independent journalist and campaigner, primarily in relation to the main thrust of my work over the last 16 and a half years — reporting on the US “war on terror” prison at Guantánamo Bay, and campaigning to get it closed, but also via my forays into other territory, especially the unparalleled, life-threatening severity of the climate crisis, which finally hit home in the UK this summer, and the ominous hijacking of the British government by a new leader, Liz Truss, chosen by just 0.0017% of the electorate, who has surrounded herself with dangerous far-right “libertarians.”
I also continue — again on an unpaid basis — to involve myself in housing issues in the UK, in chronicling London via my photo-journalism project ‘The State of London’, and in making protest music.
I’m a week late in posting this fundraiser, which I delayed because of the ten-day period of mourning in the UK for the death of Queen Elizabeth II, which, extraordinarily, caused something close to a media blackout on any other news, in what should, with hindsight, be regarded as a shameful dereliction of duty by the mainstream media. I didn’t stop working throughout this period, of course, but now that normal life has resumed, I expect that the next few months will be very busy indeed, and your support will be very welcome.
If you can make a donation to support my ongoing efforts to close Guantánamo, and any of my other endeavours, please click on the “Donate” button above to make a payment via PayPal. Any amount will be gratefully received — whether it’s $500, $100, $25 or even $10 — or the equivalent in any other currency.
You can also make a recurring payment on a monthly basis by ticking the box marked, “Make this a monthly donation,” and filling in the amount you wish to donate every month. If you are able to do so, a regular, monthly donation would be greatly appreciated.
The donation page is set to dollars, because the majority of those interested in my Guantánamo work are based in the US, but PayPal will convert any amount you wish to pay from any other currency — and you don’t have to have a PayPal account to make a donation.
Readers can pay via PayPal from anywhere in the world, but if you’re in the UK and want to help without using PayPal, you can send me a cheque (to 164A Tressillian Road, London SE4 1XY), and if you’re not a PayPal user and want to send cash from anywhere else in the world, that’s also an option. Please note, however, that foreign checks are no longer accepted at UK banks — only electronic transfers. Do, however, contact me if you’d like to support me by paying directly into my account.
The last three months have, sadly, been fairly quiet on the Guantánamo front, although I have continued to cover the stories that have emerged: of the release of an Afghan prisoner, the acceptance of a plea deal by the “high-value detainee” Abd al-Hadi al-Iraqi, the approval for the release of Khaled Qassim, a talented artist, and the predictable problems the US faces in resettling Majid Khan, a facilitator of terrorism who became a cooperating witness.
I have also covered the unacceptable obstacles raised by the US authorities to prevent prisoners leaving Guantánamo with their artwork, and have also made a handful of media appearances, as well as being featured in a profile in The New Republic with the attorney Tom Wilner, with whom I co-founded the Close Guantánamo campaign in 2012. Most recently — just yesterday, in fact — I published the first detailed account of the “forever prisoner” and “high-value detainee” Abu Faraj al-Libi, who made his first public appearance since his capture 17 years ago at a Periodic Review Board in June — although the board members subsequently endorsed his ongoing imprisonment without charge or trial.
On the environmental front, as well as highlighting the significance of continued inaction to cut greenhouse gas emissions after the UK recorded its first ever temperature of 40°C, I posted another plea for action last month — “Human Kind Cannot Bear Very Much Reality”, Doing Nothing While the World Burns and Extinction Looms —and will be involved in environmental protests next month, which I urge everyone who can to also get involved in.
On Guantánamo, at least, there are signs of progress towards the prison’s closure, as the Biden administration has appointed a senior official in the State Department to oversee the transfers of the 21 of the remaining 36 prisoners who have been approved for release, and has also confirmed that negotiations are ongoing regarding plea deals to break the deadlock in the proposed military commission trials of the nine men who have been charged but are stuck in seemingly endless pre-trial hearings, some which have been ongoing for over a decade. With your help, I’ll be writing about these developments soon.
Thanks, as ever, for all your support. I understand that times are hard, with the cost of living crisis afflicting almost everyone, and I will, of course, understand if you’re not able to help me out with a donation, although please do be assured that, whether or not you can support me, your interest in my work is invaluable.
Andy Worthington
London
September 20, 2022
* * * * *
Andy Worthington is a freelance investigative journalist, activist, author, photographer (of an ongoing photo-journalism project, ‘The State of London’), film-maker and singer-songwriter (the lead singer and main songwriter for the London-based band The Four Fathers, whose music is available via Bandcamp). He is the co-founder of the Close Guantánamo campaign (and see the latest photo campaign here) and the successful We Stand With Shaker campaign of 2014-15, and the author of The Guantánamo Files: The Stories of the 774 Detainees in America’s Illegal Prison and of two other books: Stonehenge: Celebration and Subversion and The Battle of the Beanfield. He is also the co-director (with Polly Nash) of the documentary film, “Outside the Law: Stories from Guantánamo” (available on DVD here, or you can watch it online here, via the production company Spectacle, for £2.50).
In 2017, Andy became very involved in housing issues. He is the narrator of the documentary film, ‘Concrete Soldiers UK’, about the destruction of council estates, and the inspiring resistance of residents, he wrote a song ‘Grenfell’, in the aftermath of the entirely preventable fire in June 2017 that killed over 70 people, and he also set up ‘No Social Cleansing in Lewisham’ as a focal point for resistance to estate destruction and the loss of community space in his home borough in south east London. For two months, from August to October 2018, he was part of the occupation of the Old Tidemill Wildlife Garden in Deptford, to prevent its destruction — and that of 16 structurally sound council flats next door — by Lewisham Council and Peabody. Although the garden was violently evicted by bailiffs on October 29, 2018, and the trees were cut down on February 27, 2019, the struggle for housing justice — and against environmental destruction — continues.
To receive new articles in your inbox, please subscribe to Andy’s RSS feed — and he can also be found on Facebook (and here), Twitter, Flickr and YouTube. Also see the six-part definitive Guantánamo prisoner list, The Complete Guantánamo Files, the definitive Guantánamo habeas list, the full military commissions list, and the chronological list of all Andy’s articles.
Please also consider joining the Close Guantánamo campaign.
Investigative journalist, author, campaigner, commentator and public speaker. Recognized as an authority on Guantánamo and the “war on terror.” Co-founder, Close Guantánamo and We Stand With Shaker, singer/songwriter (The Four Fathers).
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16 Responses
Andy Worthington says...
When I posted this on Facebook, I wrote:
Here’s my latest quarterly fundraising appeal, in which I’m asking for your support, if you can, to enable me to continue my work, as a reader-funded independent journalist and activist, on Guantanamo, and on other topics, including the climate crisis, over the next three months. Any donations you can make will be very gratefully received.
I hope you like the collage of photos, giving some idea of how long I’ve been working on Guantanamo, as an independent expert on the prison and the men held there. The first photo is from 2010, the second from 2016, and the third from this summer, marking 7,500 days of the prison’s existence on July 24. I don’t suppose any of us are getting any younger!
...on September 20th, 2022 at 6:15 pm
Andy Worthington says...
It’s Day 3 of my fundraiser, and I’d like to thank the seven supporters who have so far donated $250. If anyone else can help, it will be greatly appreciated.
...on September 22nd, 2022 at 8:23 pm
Anna says...
Hi Andy, as often is the case, I haven’t been reading much of you lately other than the titles and a quick run through.
Hope to change that sometime soon and also to contribute – to your bank account which for me is by far the simplest as I do no e-banking of any kind. One of those who is glad to go to the bank and keep the ladies behind the tellers employed as long as that is possible – and have a chat with them, when there’s no queue waiting behind me :-).
For now just the latest AJE investigation – which you probably already know about – concerning the rot in Labour and the vicious attacks against Corbyn & his allies. It’ll mean much more to you, as you probably know who the protagonists are, while I know just a couple of figure heads : Corbyn & Starmer.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/9/23/unprecedented-leak-exposes-inner-workings-of-uk-labour-party
It’s a three-part series, now running live.
Otherwise so glad the obnoxious ROYality Show soap opera finally came to an end. As a non-Brit I never allowed myself any opinions on them, but now am staunchly anti-monarchy.
How many millions of increasingly destitute tax-payers’ money was wasted on this extravaganza ?!
As for Truss’ latest ‘policies’ sending your country straight to the edge of the economic cliff, too shocked to even comment. Hang in there, you Brits !
...on September 24th, 2022 at 9:13 pm
Anna says...
PS : and now a good old movie, VHS (:-) on my non-TV flat screen. Arabesque, Gregory Peck & Sofia Loren :-). Wonder how many teenagers still know even their names … Old ‘innocent’ movies increasingly are my favourite escapism from the madness of this world. Guterres should be candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize, he evidently has truly internalised the world’s countless dramas and tirelessly fights to have them mended. If those in power do not heed his warnings, it won’t be because he did not try to convince them.
...on September 24th, 2022 at 9:28 pm
Anna says...
PPS : watching the 1966 ‘Arabesque’ after very many years was interesting. Only now it dawned on me that the title did not refer to the op-art swirls in the titles or the convoluted plot, but was a pun of sorts. Arab-esque. Various ‘Arabs’ – including voluptuous Sofia Loren – fighting it out in London : one admired Arab PM, admirable because he wishes to have Anglo-American investors exploit his national oil reserves … The others, who want to prevent that – admittedly not for noble anti-colonial reasons but purely selfish ones – all are disposable thugs.
Peck once starred in an interesting 1947 film about anti-semitism, Elia Kazan’s ‘Invisible Barrier’, in which he played a reporter who pretended to be Jewish to experience the ostracism himself.
That was merely a realistic film, real life reporter Matthieu Aikins went all the way. Together with an Afghan friend and pretending to be an Afghan himself, he travelled the ‘illegal’ way from Afghanistan to Europe.
And now this … https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2022/9/23/why-marvels-mossad-superheroine-sabra-is-all-kinds-of-wrong
… and Labour’s vicious refusal of Corbyn’s determination to support Palestinians and a Palestinian state.
Not to mention that woman’s suggestion to move the British embassy to Jerusalem. Time is running out for Palestinians. Politically, but I also wonder whether the Gaza strip will survive rising sea levels …
...on September 25th, 2022 at 3:09 pm
Andy Worthington says...
Great to hear from you, Anna,and do let me know if you’d like me to send you my bank details.
I haven’t checked out ‘The Labour Files’ yet. I somehow can’t quite face it, as only the Labour Party can save us from the Tories – hopefully in the not too distant future – although I’m profoundly disappointed by Starmer. Sadly, it doesn’t seem like they’re prepared to embrace PR as the way forward for the UK, both to make sure that the Tories never get in again, and also to have proper grown-up representation rather than the endless “winner takes all” nonsense of first past the post, which particularly marginalises the Lib Dems and the Greens.
I too am relieved that the whole protracted period of mourning is over. What a hideous anachronism it was, especially, as you note, with so much poverty in the country. It will take a while, but I suspect that, from here on in, Republicanism will be on the rise. It’s certainly long overdue.
...on September 26th, 2022 at 12:41 am
Andy Worthington says...
I don’t blame you for finding an escape in old movies, Anna. I think I have ‘Arabesque’ on DVD, but I don’t think I’ve watched it. Maybe it’s time to change that.
I agree with you about Guterres. He represents what we all hoped the UN would mean – global leadership – but sadly he is sidelined by the people who actually run the world. It’s so dispiriting to see how the more fortunate members of humanity, for the most part, simply can’t handle the gravity of the climate crisis, and I note with alarm how there’s hardly any interest in what is happening in countries like Pakistan, compared to how much concern there would have been when I was younger.
...on September 26th, 2022 at 12:46 am
Andy Worthington says...
Thanks for your additional update, Anna. Sad to see the arrival of Sabra in the Marvel Universe, but it’s predictable, sadly, given the high-profile presence of Israeli backers in the company.
As for Truss and the Embassy proposals, is there any shameful stone she won’t leave unturned? I’m very fervently hoping that she ends up being our shortest-serving PM ever.
...on September 26th, 2022 at 12:52 am
Anna says...
And the latest : https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/9/26/polish-venue-cancels-roger-waters-gigs-after-ukraine-comments
Never go to pop concerts, especially in arena’s, but I probably would have made an exception for Roger Waters, in my home town of all places.
I will certainly go after the moron who orchestrated this cancellation !
By the way, Stanley Donen who made Arabesque, earlier had made a more coherent and wildly funnier film with Cary Grant & Audry Hepburn : Charade. That one I really recommend if you want to have a night off from the current horrors. I rarely laugh out loud when watching movies, but this one does offer a few opportunities for that :-). So does a less known Hepburn & Peter O’Toole film, with a subtler type of humour. William Wyler’s How to Steal a Million. Both with other famous actors who seem to enjoy their supporting roles.
And yes, send me you bank details and I now will read your dissection of that woman’s outrageous disregard for the basic rights of the inhabitants of the British Isles. Who did – not – elect her.
...on September 26th, 2022 at 1:36 pm
Andy Worthington says...
I see that Roger has issued a statement about the cancellation of the concerts, Anna, taking exception to reporting by the Guardian and Gazeta Krakowska: https://www.facebook.com/rogerwaters/posts/pfbid0cwJ7qACEQFvJXDwA7xZ9TBqNyYnmJA5DjEvhMZRnJNqX79RitsVbNR67RS4FjfVTl
A pity the concerts won’t be going ahead – Roger and his band ana his multi-media people put on an amazing live show, as I discovered many years ago when he invited me to one of his shows at Wembley.
As for films, thanks for the tips about ‘Charade’ and ‘How to Steal a Million.’ Both sound well worth checking out.
I’ll send my bank details now. I hope the process won’t be too arduous. It astonishes me how banks still make it quite difficult to move money from one country to another, handing almost the whole market to the likes of PayPal.
...on September 26th, 2022 at 6:31 pm
Anna says...
I’ll try to find the Gazeta Krakowska article and send an open letter to them.
Will keep my fingers crossed it still can be undone, provided you will then finally pay another visit to Kraków and we’ll both attend :-). This of course also applies to Dot and/or Tyler !
And remember that my guestroom nowadays has excellent heating :-), provided our electricity company will manage to supply the fuel …
And forward my heartfelt apologies to Roger. Britain is not the only country with nincompoop morons !
PS : if you have any comprehensive body of info about Roger’s humanitarian activities, that would save me searching for it. I know of course about Guantanamo, Shaker, Assange, I think also Palestine BDS, but the more the better :-).
...on September 26th, 2022 at 9:27 pm
Anna says...
Found the Gazeta Krakowska article, the first one dd 21/09 just asked the question whether the concert would be scapped. Today there is a follow-up, referring to Roger’s FB reaction.
Tomorrow (Wednesday) the city council will vote on whether to declare Him Persona non Grata in Kraków …
Tauron Arena has annuled the concerts. In the case of such a contract breach, the city will be expect to pay him compensation, but our moron has said that that will be peanuts for the city budget. The honour and the public image of our city are more important. Incidentally, Kraków is twinned with both Kijiv and Lviv.
He added (quick translation) quote :
“Let him travel with us, with humanitarian aid to Bucza or Irpień, where the Russian army is stationed and see with his own eyes what life under Russian occupation is like. How very wrong he is with his declarations.
It will be enough if he comes to Kraków, we will take care of the rest, suggests Łukasz Wantuch.
– If Mr Waters will declare such readiness and we receive his answer before the vote, it will influence the resolution. If, however, he will decide that he has a monopoly on the truth, the case is evident.”
Wonder whether this ultimatum has been provided to Roger, with less than 24 hours to react ?
Wantuch is a PiS politician, which might explain his muddled logic and his incapability to understand that the suffering of Ukrainians under Russian occupation is exactly what Roger wishes to put an end to. By peaceful means instead of military ones.
The Persona Non Grata case rests on the assumption that Roger is in favour of the Russian regime. Nonsense.
Problematic, however, is that he supposedly was in favour of the Russian annexation of Crimea ? If that is true, then the case would indeed be hard to defend.
As you know, I fully agree with his view that Ukraine is sacrificed by US/NATO in order to weaken Russia in an exceptionally amoral proxy war and that they are doing everything to avoid a peaceful, diplomatic solution and rather want to protract the war as long as possible, with no qualms about sacrificing ever more ‘poor Ukrainians’. And there are fascist elements there, but this maybe is not the best moment to bring that up …?
Roger with all due respect does not seem to be sufficiently acquainted with our atavistic ‘Slavic Soul’s fighting spirit. Fighting against all odds and reason, no matter the (predictable) losses among our own human lives & property. Honour & Homeland, is the motto of our army. And while in the past it has been put to honourable purposes, such as in WWII, since we joined the capitalist NATO rat pack, we also joined wars of aggression (Afghanistan & Iraq) which were neither honourable nor defending our homeland.
...on September 26th, 2022 at 10:33 pm
Andy Worthington says...
Thanks for the invite, Anna – although perhaps you will have to make trip to London when Roger next plays here.
I don’t know of any single place where Roger’s humanitarian activities are collected, although his involvement in Palestine is his most significant contribution. I particularly like his open letters to fellow musicians who choose to play in Israel.
...on September 26th, 2022 at 11:49 pm
Andy Worthington says...
Thanks for the update, Anna, and for translating Łukasz Wantuch’s comments. I imagine that Roger and his team keeping a close eye on developments.
Thanks also for your assessment of the situation with regard to NATO. While no one ought to take a position that defends, in any way, Putin’s actions, it’s somewhat dispiriting to see how little coverage is given – at least in the UK – to any voices who suggest, as you do, that “Ukraine is [being] sacrificed by US/NATO in order to weaken Russia in an exceptionally amoral proxy war and that they are doing everything to avoid a peaceful, diplomatic solution.”
Here in the UK we have been sold a very one-sided story, made possible because of the old cold war enmity towards Russia, but which glosses over any problems with Ukraine, and manages to completely overlook NATO’s role in prolonging the war. And because of this enforced narrative, few seem to question whether it was even sensible to try to crush an enemy who has so many of the resources we have come to rely on (gas, primarily, but also food), and who can happily, it seems, start trading with other countries instead – China and India, for example – completely cutting off the EU and the US.
...on September 27th, 2022 at 12:03 am
Anna says...
Hi Andy, latest mini disaster, the administration of my building hired someone to cut dangling cables from the roof (old antenna’s etc), but he cut ALL cables, including old copper telephone/internet cables on the groubnd floor. So I have no telephone or internet (now in a terribly noisy cafe) for probably some time and contacting the newspaper is off for now.
Send the bank info by mail, it’ll take a while but will be taken care of :-).
...on September 27th, 2022 at 5:08 pm
Andy Worthington says...
I’m so sorry to hear about that, Anna. What an unfortunate development. I hope it doesn’t take too long to repair the damage.
...on September 28th, 2022 at 4:30 pm