"Photos of the child detainees at Guantanamo, images of waterboarding, and the blood-soaked cell walls where prisoners met their demise should be made public by the US government."

Rewritten Article:

Imagine Guantanamo as more than just a symbol of infamy. It's the stage for one of the most notorious prisons in 'War on Terror', alongside Alcatraz and Robben Island. For many, it's synonymous with torture, rendition, and arbitrary detention. Yet, for one former detainee, it was his home for 14 long, brutal years. Every nook and cranny of the camp is etched in his memory, forever haunted by the brutal reality he lived.

Recent headlines grabbed his attention - a series of previously unseen photos of the original detainees arriving at Guantanamo were published. The images, posted by the New York Times Sunday, show men in shackles, blindfolds, and ear protectors as they arrived in 2002. This is a rare glimpse into the dark side of Guantanamo that was largely hidden from public view.

Upon seeing the images, he couldn't help but share the article with a WhatsApp group he shares with former prisoners. The reactions were mixed, ranging from "I wish I was treated like that" to "Is this a sick joke?" They reminisced about the truth behind the scenes, sharing stories of the atrocities they endured. They wondered about the narrative these photos would spin - "We kidnapped them, abused them, tortured them, set their life on fire, released them without charge or trial. Now we are going to sugarcoat what we did to them and use photos to lie to the world."

Many of his fellow survivors shared harrowing accounts, from broken ribs and scars to permanent blindness. One brother poignantly remarked, "It is one thing to destroy a man, his family and his future... it's another to then release sanitized and misleading images to the world to cover up the evil of what you did."

He finds himself asking the photographers, how could they bear watching the atrocities while they stood with a wide-angle lens? How could they position themselves to capture the perfect photos while human torture was unfolding before their eyes? How can they live with themselves?

The images that haven't seen the light of day are even more chilling - 60 children held in cages, including a three-month-old baby. A human zoo of the most vulnerable. You won't see the photo of the 105-year-old prisoner beaten so badly his blood poured down his frail frame. You won't see the forced feedings. The cold, naked prisoners sitting in their own excrement. The men who lost their lives, whose deaths were deemed suicides. You won't see the photos of the brothers whose organs were removed and bodies mutilated. You won't see the body bags shipped out to families with a simple barcode as explanation.

The Americans torture, kill, and lie. They hide behind pretty photographs to conceal their barbarism. Thousands of photographs and videos detailing torture at CIA black sites have already been destroyed. One stop on the road to hell is all we're given.

But for those who lived it, the truth is undeniable. "My ribs were broken there, and I still live with the pain of it today" says one. "I still have the scars on my head and body, and I can't explain to my children why" says another.

The laughter of his tormentors echoes in his head, a constant reminder of the humiliation they inflicted. He was gagged, hooded, shackled, and chained to the floor. Driven almost to despair, he wished the plane would crash and end it all. Yet, he lived.

Now, he and his fellow survivors make a plea. They ask the Pentagon to release the photos of prisoners who died in Guantanamo, the children, the waterboarding, the force-feeding, the blood-stained walls of cells where prisoners were killed. They ask for the release of the art they created during their imprisonment - a testament to their resilience.

The first victims of the American government are its people, he believes. They are being lied to and deceived. Guantanamo remains a chilling reminder of the lies veiled in plain sight, of the rot that continues to eat away at American democracy. Without accountability, acknowledgement, and openness, the world will never know the truth.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of our website.

Enrichment Data:

Recent detainees describe the psychological toll of isolation and lack of support at Guantanamo, mirroring historical concerns about the camp's treatment standards(1).
Critics have compared staged displays of detainees, such as those of CECOT prisoners, to Guantanamo's historical imagery, arguing that such depictions serve to control the rule of law(2).
The search results do not include statements from former Guantanamo detainees regarding newly released photos. However, historical accounts, combined with recent reports, suggest a pattern of systemic dehumanization that former detainees have long criticized in memoirs and interviews.

The 'War on Terror' symbolized by Guantanamo draws comparisons to infamous prisons like Alcatraz and Robben Island, embodying torture, rendition, and arbitrary detention for many.
A former detainee, now a survivor, found himself reflecting on his past as images of the arrival of original detainees were published in a New York Times article.
The pictures show men in shackles, blindfolds, and ear protectors, offering a rare insight into Guantanamo's dark side that was hidden from public view.
The former prisoners shared the article, sparking a mix of reactions, from frustration to disbelief, as they recalled the atrocities they endured.
One brother stated that the sanitized images served to sugarcoat the evil deeds done to them, while another lamented the absence of truth in the media.
The former detainee wonders how photographers could observe the atrocities and still capture the perfect photos, questioning their sense of responsibility.
Beyond the published images lie even more chilling stories - 60 children held in cages, a 105-year-old man beaten nearly to death, force-feedings, cold and naked prisoners, deaths declared suicides, and body bags shipped with simple barcodes as explanations.
The Americans' tactics of torture, killing, and lying are masked behind pretty photographs, concealing the cruelty that occurs behind closed doors.
Thousands of powerful photographs detailing torture at CIA black sites have been destroyed, leveling accusations of covering up evidence.
The former detainees appeal to the Pentagon, requesting the release of photos capturing the prisoners' deaths, children's incarceration, waterboarding, force-feedings, and the art they created throughout their imprisonment.
The author of the article believes that the American government's first victims are its own people, who are deceived by false information and manipulated narratives.
Guantanamo remains a stark reminder of the suppression of truth and accountability in American democracy, perpetuated by politicians, policy-and-legislation, and military branches, as well as acts of crime-and-justice and war-and-conflicts.