On 1 June 2012, Belgian newspapers reported the arrest of Stéphanie Djato, a young lady wearing a niqab (face veil) after an identity check. It was added that she assaulted police officers and injured two of them before being released. A few days ago, she gave her own version of the story and described what happened in the police station’s storage room where she was held (here). A statement allegedly made by one of the policemen especially resonates: “We will show you things worse than Guantanamo! Here it is worse than Guantanamo!”
Indeed, the treatment to which she was subjected was clearly inspired by the way American soldiers would “process” detainees of the War on Terror.
The young lady explains what happened after she removed her face veil but refused to undress fully. Two female officers attempted to take off her clothes forcefully and started to beat her. Unable to do so, they then called two male officers who allegedly joined the beating sessions. She explains:
“They called in the help of a third male officer who was told to bring a pair of scissors. They threw me on the floor and the male officer sat on my buttocks and he started to cut my clothes: my jilbaab, niqab and underwear. So there I was on the floor with that cop on my back who tore my clothes with scissors and the rest he tore with his hands. Meanwhile, my face was being kicked and my body was being punched by the two policemen who stood beside me (...) At that point, a male cop came and he put handcuffs on me, with my hands behind my back. I had my hair tied in a knot, he snatched the rubber band out of my hair and he pulled me by my hair to put me on my feet. He pulled my hair and my handcuffs and I sat on my two knees.”
The abuses worsened when the young lady accidentally head butted one of the female agents in her attempt to avert the beatings of the police officers.
“The police really became wild and they threw me back on the floor and started to undress me completely, they started to cut my underwear and pulled off my pants. I was naked.”
These words disturbingly echoe those of Moazzam Begg, a British citizen who spent several years in Guantanamo without charge and who is currently directing Cageprisoners. In his autobiography, EnemyCombatant, he recalls his “processing” after he was handed over by the Pakistanis to US personnel.
“I was tripped onto the ground to the prone position again. This time I felt knees pushing hard against my ribs and legs, and crushing down on my skull simultaneously. I was pinned to the ground by this massive weight; I was not sure how many of them were on me – perhaps three. I couldn’t move an inch. I felt the shackles being undone from the ankles, and then I felt a cold, sharp metal object against my legs: they were using a knife to slice off my clothes, and I felt the cold even more, though the humiliation was worse. With the trousers off, the shackles were replaced against my bare skin. The process was repeated with the shirt – my arms were twisted behind my back, until reshackling was complete. I was pulled up to a standing position and the hood was removed.”
Asim Qureshi, commenting on the Zelikowtorturememo, has already explained how sexual humiliationhas become a part of the instruments of the War on Terror, by preying on Muslim sensitivities. Coupled with physical violence, psychological abuse aims at stripping off the individual not just from his clothes but also from his dignity and humanity.
These are exactly the feelings described by Stéphanie Djato:
“They have offended me, the Muslim women, Islam … There was a small piece of cloth hanging from my neck, the man who sat on me was pulling it back, he strangled me with that piece of my niqab. I had the impression I was dying, I was suffocating, I could not breathe, I was shaking and my eyes rolled back, I was panicking. I thought I would die. I screamed in panic, anxiety... I was so stressed that I shouted: “Stop, stop please, I’ll do what you want, but please stop, stop this torture I’m going to do what you want! You are going to kill me!”Then they replied: “You can die!” And then they were insulting me, they said things I can’t mention. At that point, I received so many blows that I fainted on the floor, I could not move, and I screamed so much that I couldn’t scream anymore …”
However, her plight did not end there. “When they realised that they had gone too far and they raised my pants back up and they covered me partially with a top that I had. They dragged me so I could get up and they dragged me by the police department in front of all their colleagues. The colleagues asked, “Who is this?” Which the police said: “This is a burqa, this is a burqa!” For me this was a triple humiliation because I was half naked and this was a big humiliation for me, because I felt how everyone stared at me, I felt dirty by their eyes that were focused on my body, this was a humiliation for me. They paraded me for five minutes or so across the police station. And they were screaming: “Look, look this is a burqa!” And to finish, they threw me in a cell for about 2 hours.”
She was eventually transferred to the nearest hospital, bare foot and half dressed, and immediately admitted into intensive care.
This case could be seen as an isolated and unfortunate incident, completely unrelated to the War on Terror. However, the reference to Guantanamo made by one of the police officers is indeed significant. Guantanamo has created a mentality which branches out beyond the detention camps and conflict zones. It has normalised the idea that Muslims can be treated under a separate regime. Legislation going against hundreds-year old legal tradition canbe adopted to restrict or annihilate their right to a fair trial or their freedom of religion alike. The implementation of these policies shall be ruthless for them to be taught a lesson with, at the end of the day, very little protest.
It is interesting that Stéphanie Djato was placed in a storage room and not in an office as she noticed. She was symbolically taken out of the normal system where no rule would apply, just like 779 men were kidnapped all around the world and brought to an Island where none of the existing laws would prevail.
If Guantanamo still needs to be physically closed down, the impalpable state of mind it has spread also needs to be reversed...
Re: “We will show you things worse than Guantanamo” - Belgium (MUST READ!)
It is sad how few people are deeply bothered by articles like this. As an American, it is difficult for me to accept that the USA is capable of torture to extract 'confessions'. This incident is sad, but what about the hundreds of thousands dead and the millions of refugees in Iraq and Afghanistan as a direct result of American invasion and occupation?
Re: “We will show you things worse than Guantanamo” - Belgium (MUST READ!)
May Allah show them something that is ten times worse that Gitmo! The physical, psychological, and economic/political oppression of Muslims has to come to an end. It's difficult to read this piece without tears of anger and helplessness rolling down. May Allah save us from the dominant systems of the non-Believers and May Allah free the Muslim men and women who are imprisoned and tortured in known and unknown prisons.
Re: “We will show you things worse than Guantanamo” - Belgium (MUST READ!)
format_quote Originally Posted by TrueStranger
May Allah show them something that is ten times worse that Gitmo! The physical, psychological, and economic/political oppression of Muslims has to come to an end. It's difficult to read this piece without tears of anger and helplessness rolling down. May Allah save us from the dominant systems of the non-Believers and May Allah free the Muslim men and women who are imprisoned and tortured in known and unknown prisons.
In shaa Allah they'll be humiliated in this life and rot eternally in hell ameen ya rabb ameen thoumma ameen
Re: “We will show you things worse than Guantanamo” - Belgium (MUST READ!)
Sorry but I am no longer surprized by what Kuffars do. What saddens me is what muslims do to fellow muslims either under autoritarian regimes or in the name of Islam
Re: “We will show you things worse than Guantanamo” - Belgium (MUST READ!)
format_quote Originally Posted by Muezzin
They beat a woman and stripped her naked over a piece of cloth she wore over her face.
And they think Islam oppressed her?
Also, I hope she pressed charges.
From what I saw in her video she didn't and she said she didn't make it out of hatred but to stop all the rumors and isn't calling for hatred. I don't know how she's holding up so well, because frankly if it were me I'd get an M2 browning and blow their dam* heads off the next day..
They always wonder why Muslims are so full of 'hate' and 'violence'
This is all we've ever seen from them. In fact they describe their own satanic souls so well.They pursue us here they pursue us there and get so upset when we react.
Text without context is pretext If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him
Re: “We will show you things worse than Guantanamo” - Belgium (MUST READ!)
I pray for a time when people can live in peace and with mutual respect for each other in our nations.
When people do not have to fear to be punished for who they are, what they believe, how they dress etc.
I pray this for ALL people - regardless of their faith, ethnic origin, age, gender and sexuality etc.
NOBODY should be treated like this, and certainly not by those services who supposedly protect us ...
Re: “We will show you things worse than Guantanamo” - Belgium (MUST READ!)
The worst feeling to have is that my brothers and sisters are being tortured and here i am posting this, sad, angry but unable to do anything except raise my hands to Allah.
If this were to happen during the time of Umar(RA) or Salahuddin (RH), the whole Muslim army would be on their way there. I guess it's just not like that anymore..
And He gives you of all that you ask Him; and if you count Allah's favors, you will not be able to number them; most surely man is very unjust, very ungrateful.
Re: “We will show you things worse than Guantanamo” - Belgium (MUST READ!)
format_quote Originally Posted by dysphoricrocker
The worst feeling to have is that my brothers and sisters are being tortured and here i am posting this, sad, angry but unable to do anything except raise my hands to Allah.
But isn't that the most important things you can do?
Also, there are non-violent things you can do. For example, raise awareness amongst your family, neighbours and friends; start a petition at school/work; write to your local MP; raise funds etc.
It may not seem like it's a lot, but it is more than most people do, and it is certainly more productive! And if enough people do the same, we can make a difference!
And most importantly, never lose hope! God knows why he allows such things and what his plans are for us.
Salaam
Peace glo
Here I stand.
I can do no other.
May God help me.
Amen.
Come, let us worship and bow down •
and kneel before the Lord our Maker
[Psalm 95]
Re: “We will show you things worse than Guantanamo” - Belgium (MUST READ!)
You are right. I can do all that, but i still wished i could do much more. Because raising awareness does not cure their pain.
And He gives you of all that you ask Him; and if you count Allah's favors, you will not be able to number them; most surely man is very unjust, very ungrateful.
Re: “We will show you things worse than Guantanamo” - Belgium (MUST READ!)
format_quote Originally Posted by منوة الخيال
I have seen all those pictures before and even worse. I have talked with people whose are tortured and see how they family is killed. During 25 years as human rights worker I have seen too much already.
Sometimes I ask from Allah why you gave me life like this. Why to put my shoulders all this suffering?
Only answer is He made me enough strong to carry all this and help others.
Re: “We will show you things worse than Guantanamo” - Belgium (MUST READ!)
format_quote Originally Posted by sister harb
Sometimes I ask from Allah why you gave me life like this. Why to put my shoulders all this suffering?
Only answer is He made me enough strong to carry all this and help others.
Re: “We will show you things worse than Guantanamo” - Belgium (MUST READ!)
format_quote Originally Posted by dysphoricrocker
You are right. I can do all that, but i still wished i could do much more. Because raising awareness does not cure their pain.
But knowing that people in other parts of the world ray and fight for them will ease their pain in some way! Don't think that you don't have a part in this and are not important.
Peace glo
Here I stand.
I can do no other.
May God help me.
Amen.
Come, let us worship and bow down •
and kneel before the Lord our Maker
[Psalm 95]
Re: “We will show you things worse than Guantanamo” - Belgium (MUST READ!)
These soulless behaviours can tell how severe is the cultural and psychological crisis in some western societies. Western governments can tell anything to hide their fear of different cultures and their inability to accept others, especially muslims, but their actions and their distorted "laws" expose their reality. As much as I'm hurt to see a muslim sister treated that way , I'm sure that injustice and oppression will only lead to wrack and destruction.
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