It was a shocking and moving drama about the four British muslims who went to a friend's wedding in Pakistan, but were abducted by the Americans and held at Guantanamo for nearly 3 years. Three of them made it home. Their only crime was to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Intercut with the dramatisation were interviews with them. None of them were terrorists although they were kept in conditions that would be outlawed in Europe - tortured at several points, and constantly being pressed to admit to being people they weren't, in places they weren't, confronted with doctored evidence despite being able to prove they were in England at the time their captors were claiming they'd been abroad, etc etc.
It was horrifying to see human beings kept in cages, heads shaven, and brutalised like that. None of them were radical. One said he hadn't even been a practising muslim until they captured him - all have been politicised and feel their faith has deepened as a result of what happened. They all came out of it with strength and dignity - refusing to tell the Americans anything, even when tortured. They weren't allowed access to lawyers and even when they were eventually released and flew home by the RAF, their captors never admitted they'd been wrong. Neither do they seem to have had proper access to the British diplomats - since they left a man who had passed himself off as being from the British Embassy has in fact admitted he was an American, posing as a Brit, to get their confidence.
It was a powerful piece of film and I'd just like to say to cysters - if you ever get the chance to see this on cable, or whatever - do so. (Although I should think it will be banned in the US).
Of the almost 1000 prisoners they have had in Cuba, only 10 - yes, 10 - have even been charged with anything. Contrary to our laws here, none have been allowed legal advice.
I think all it will do is fuel extremism as people are going to - quite rightly - feel outraged by the way these people have been treated. It's a good thing that the British muslims have been able to get out and tell the story to the world.
They were allowed a copy of the Koran but were beaten if they tried to pray, stand up, or even speak. In the final few months, the three Brits were allowed privileges the rest of the inmates couldn't share - as if their captors had realised there was indeed evidence they were innocent, but rather than admit it or let them go, they held onto them a few months longer, to let the furore die down.
It was, despite all this, very touching and uplifting to see the three survivors actually gain strength through their faith and all three resolutely refused to 'confess' to things they hadn't done, even being tortured. I think if something like that happened to me, I'd lose my faith entirely...
If you have an interest in cultures and faith, and the strength of the human spirit... and you ever get the chance to see 'Road to Guantanamo'.... do watch it as I'd love to know what others who have seen it think!
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Polly, thank you for bringing this up. I wonder if it is available in Canada? Would you rate it appropriate for children at all - if so, which age group?
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I'd guess it will definitely play in places like Canada and Australia/NZ/South Africa where people have a fairly liberal take on things. Having lived in the US, and seen TV there... I really seriously doubt if a major US TV station would dare buy it, or show it. I could be proven wrong, as it's certainly powerful.
Here in the UK, Channel 4 is one of our 5 major terrestrial channels, so it will have had big exposure and hopefully, big viewing figures.
No, I really wouldn't have let my younger kids watch it (It was on quite late in the evening here). However, I really wish my 16 year old son had seen it as he loves learning about faiths - unfortunately he was out. He is also very anti-war - he came on an anti-war rally with me, and has grown up in a pacifist household, so this would be an important part of his education about the world. I'm sure it will be repeated a lot on UK TV so he will get a chance to catch it.
It was a no-holds barred drama, very graphic and unflinching in depicting the violence and abuse the prisoners have endured. The scenes of them having their heads shaved alone made me cry - as it's too close to what happened here in Europe in Auschwitz, Belsen, etc. Really shocking. It was pretty gory and unflinching - possibly wisest to watch it through with DH first before letting even older kids see it?
So I'd say it's suitable for older teenagers, with parental guidance kind of thing. It's rare I see a TV programme and say to anyone 'You've GOT to see this!' ... but that's how this one made me feel.
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Pollysis thanks for posting this. It's very scary, sad, and disheartening to hear about the fact that only 10 men out of 1000 have actually been charged with something. The torture being inflicted is inhumane and I hope all those responsible are brought forth and punished.
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This film sounds interesting. Hopefully we will be able to see this in the US (whether it be broadcast on Canadian stations or a community group hosts a screening).
I hope I get a chance to see this film. Thanks for posting about it.
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Thought I'd fish this thread out to let Canadian Cysters know this Documentary should be playing by the end of June at local theatres. Yay!
There's also a drama coming out in the beginning of June, called "Free Zone" -It's about "three women, an American, an Israeli, and a Palestinian, who become temporary travelling companions in a remote area of Jordan. That seems interesting enough
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i watched it! it was so horrible!!! but also interesting..u dont realize how awful muslims are treated there! it has come on quite a few times...
but i liked the end part when those three went home cuz they werent charge and the gaurd is telling him not to look out the window and it ends with "u dont !##% own me" and the guard cant do anything! but gosh how horrific..really makes u think doesnt it
the part that made me cringe well alot made me cringe but especially that form of torture where they chain u to the floor..and play that loud loud heavy metal music with the flashing lights..gosh that would make anyone crazy....cruel
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I think those men are bearing witness to inhumanity, the same way WW2 concentration camp survivors bore witness. As some of the first people out and able to tell their story, the film is very important for the sake of the muslim men still in there without legal representation, or without any prospect of a fair trial. The sooner Blair goes the better - I had been a Labour party member and worker most of my adult life, but I left the party over his decision to fight these oil wars - the whole thing has been a humiliating disgrace. I can't understand why we aren't using our army to liberate those men, rather than fight in countries where we're not wanted and where we wouldn't be if they weren't oil rich.
My grandfather was one of the British soldiers marched through Belsen, a month after it was liberated, to bear witness to atrocities that otherwise, in the future, may have been denied. So it's a subject that's important to me. They are around the age of muslim boys I have taught, in the past - to think of any of them in a place like that breaks my heart. I think politicians should live and work in communities before they decide to go to war with them - and also be forced to put their own family in the front line. Then they might hesitate before getting involved. Fighting a war is bad enough - but then to build a concentration camp - beggars belief.
Tell us what you think when you've seen it, Diamond.
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I haven't had the chance to see this film, but it seems an important time to remember it as I note that three prisoners have now committed suicide:
Quote:
At the weekend, one top state department official called them [the suicides] a "good move to draw attention", while the camp commander said it was an "act of asymmetric warfare waged against us".
What horrendously callous comments to make over people's deaths! I heard a radio interview where the lawyer of some of the prisoners said that he expected that Guantanamo Bay would soon be closed, but that this wouldn't solve the problem because the real torture would continue in secret. We now know that secret US flights took terrorist suspects through Europe to torture camps, now probably located in North Africa.
Polly, I too am going to have a hard time voting for Labour after this. It's a disgrace that our country is associated with such atrocities.
'Road To Guantanamo' 
What horrendously callous comments to make over people's deaths! I heard a radio interview where the lawyer of some of the prisoners said that he expected that Guantanamo Bay would soon be closed, but that this wouldn't solve the problem because the real torture would continue in secret. We now know that secret US flights took terrorist suspects through Europe to torture camps, now probably located in North Africa. 
