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Catherine Poyner
03 March 2007

Thank you for your interesting and accurate article. Yes we are ruled by fear under the Howard government and yes our rights are being hacked away. I am an ordinary Australian and no political intellectual but I am ashamed to be a citizen of a government condoning torture and like many others, have recently started to protest.

Following is a letter I recently sent to the US Ambassador here in Australia regards David Hicks and the US Military Commissions.

Thanks to an online campaign organisation, www.getup.org.au - many of us ordinary Australians are able to speak up on issues that are important . Hopefully our combined voices will result in real changes for the better.

7 February 2007

The Honorable Robert D. McCallum, Jr.
American Ambassador

cc Prime Minister, the Hon John Howard MP

Dear Mr. Ambassador,

Yesterday I attended a protest held at Parliament House in Canberra in
support of David Hicks, an Australian Citizen detained at Guantanamo Bay,
Cuba for over 5 years without a trial. I also sent an e-mail to our Prime
Minister, the Hon John Howard MP (please see below) and also to several
media contacts.

I, like most of the world, was shocked, horrified and outraged by the
terrorist attack upon America (and ultimately upon us all!) on September 11,
2001. I would like to take this opportunity to offer my condolences and
prayers for all those whose lives have been adversely affected by this
horrendous attack.

Sir, I abhor the inhumane treatment of any person and hence the reason for
this letter. I join my voice with those of many others who are ashamed to be
citizens of governments condoning the conditions that detainees are held and
interrogated at Guantanamo Bay and at Abu Ghraib, contrary to the provisions
under the Geneva Convention.

In researching this matter, I have just read a discussion paper by President
George W. Bush (dated 6 September 2006, attached) on the creation of
military commissions to try suspected terrorists. In it President George W.
Bush states:

"In its ruling on military commissions, the Court determined that a
provision of the Geneva Conventions known as "Common Article Three" applies
to our war with al Qaeda. This article includes provisions that prohibit
"outrages upon personal dignity" and "humiliating and degrading treatment."
The problem is that these and other provisions of Common Article Three are
vague and undefined, and each could be interpreted in different ways by
American or foreign judges. And some believe our military and intelligence
personnel involved in capturing and questioning terrorists could now be at
risk of prosecution under the War Crimes Act -- simply for doing their jobs
in a thorough and professional way."

Sir, Common Article Three is not "vague and undefined", I did a simple
google search on the, 'definition of Article 3 of the Geneva Convention' and
immediately found the attached definition. President George W. Bush further
says, "and each could be interpreted in different ways by American or
foreign judges." My immediate response is to consider the vile treatment of
the Jewish people by the Nazi Germans during WWII. I am sure that the Nazis
interpretation of what constituted, "outrages upon personal dignity" and
"humiliating and degrading treatment." differed considerably from the
"foreign judges" interpretation. It does not mean that their interpretation
was correct and nor does it mean that the Bush Administration's
interpretation is correct.

Article 5 of the Geneva Convention has also been manipulated with President
Bush now invested with broad discretion to determine persons as, "Unlawful
Combatants" and without protection under the Geneva Convention.

My growing view is that the Bush Administration is trying to cover its
tracks, to justify the inhumane treatment of POW's held at Guantanamo Bay
and at Abu Ghraib. I have read the facts and myths sheets linked in the
attached discussion paper, and read through the vast amounts of information
provided on Wikipedia and on various other organisations websites. I now
believe that under the banner of fighting terrorism, President George W.
Bush has himself become a terrorist. Through his changing and manipulation
of the laws to justify his treatment of POW's, he has also forced many
Americans to become terrorists.

Australia's close association with America means that in the eyes of the
world we support America's treatment of POW's held at Guantanamo Bay and at
Abu Ghraib. I declare that I do not support this shameful and disgraceful
treatment of POW's. I am deeply ashamed and disgraced that the Australian
government has not done anything to stop this. I request, as a citizen of
Australia, an ally of America, that the POW's held at Guantanamo Bay and at
Abu Ghraib be afforded the full protection to which they are entitled as
lawful combatants under the Geneva Convention.

I used to be a proud Aussie and proud of our association with the Yanks -
this is fading fast on both counts.

Sincerely

Catherine Poyner