Omar Khadr and the True Horror of Harperland

It's the human rights nightmare that just goes on and on. The case of Omar Khadr, and the travesty of justice that should shame us all.

And today the latest chapter in this Harperland horror story.

Canadian citizen Omar Khadr, a former Guantanamo Bay inmate now serving time in Edmonton Institution, will remain in the federal penitentiary after an Alberta judge rejected arguments that he be transferred to a provincial jail.

Where the Guantanamo Kid is condemned to be further tortured in one of our maximum-security hell holes. Even though at least one dangerous criminal has already tried to stab him, for refusing him an extra helping in a cafeteria line. 

And is denied a chance to get a better education, or apply for parole.

Even though he never should have been jailed and tortured, because he was a child soldier. Period. Even though his treatment by two Canadian governments has been absolutely abominable, and his trial in a U.S. military kangaroo court was nothing but a fascist farce.

And even though by the accounts of all those who have known him, from the guards at Guantanamo to Canada's prison ombudsman, he is not a terrorist, not a threat to anyone, and shouldn't be in a maximum security prison. 

Prison authorities ignored favourable information in unfairly branding former Guantanamo Bay prisoner Omar Khadr as a maximum security inmate, according to Canada's prison ombudsman.

In his letter, Ivan Zinger, executive director of the independent Office of the Correctional Investigator, calls the case "unique and exceptional." He says Khadr has shown no evidence of problematic behaviour while in Canadian custody and notes the Americans had categorized him as minimum security.

And the only reason he is being further tortured, now in his own country, is because prison officials are shamelessly bending the rules to please their political masters in the thuggish Con regime.

Prison officials have defended the maximum-security classification, arguing among other things that Khadr poses a moderate escape risk and sparks high public-safety concerns.

And cater to the moral perversion of its depraved leader. Who would punish this young Canadian to pleasure his rabid vengeful base.

And feed his inner demons... 



As if our child soldier hadn't been hadn't been punished enough.

Two bullets in the back that exploded out of his chest, still riddled with shrapnel, blind in one eye, ten years in Guantanamo where even though he was the youngest inmate, he was the only one totally abandoned by his country.

But despite that, has now been condemned to remain in his dark hole, where in TWELVE years no cameras and reporters have ever been allowed. So he has never been able to tell his story to Canadians. Or show them that despite all that he has endured he has somehow managed to hang on to his humanity.

As these letters to his friends and supporters clearly demonstrate. 

Usually we don’t appreciate the small things. We take them for granted. Once you lose these things like opening your window in the morning and taking a breath of fresh air or seeing a bird chirping, you really appreciate these things. Even though I’m in prison there are still a lot of small beautiful things around us. Seeing the sun rise or set or to see the snow fall. …”

I’m so happy to finally be in Canada, and even happier to be welcomed. It is so heartwarming to know that I’m not alone, and that there are wonderful people (like you) who care about me and wish me good luck. …”

And that's it eh? What more can I say that I haven't said before?

Except quote what Arlette Zinck, an Associate Professor at King's University College in Edmonton, who has tutored Omar for years, has said about this case:

"What's at stake here is the rule of law-a manifestation of our conscience as a nation-and when the rule of law is mowed down to get one individual; it affects us all."

And repeat this warning about the true horror of Harperland.

Until this human rights nightmare is over, until Stephen Harper and his lawless Con regime are removed from power.

Our country's values will stand for nothing. The rule of law will be replaced by the howl of the brutish mob.

The shame will go on and on.

And we shall dwell dangerously in his foul darkness...



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