Guantanamo hunger strike grows in scale

A hunger strike by the detainees at the United States infamous Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba continues to grow in scale, with defense lawyers voicing alarm.The lawyers said they were concerned about the critical health condition of the prisoners, who began the hunger strike on February 6, press tv reported.They also said the majority of the 166 detainees held at the base stopped eating and many lost dangerous amounts of weight and were now being forced-fed through the nose.The lawyers also noted that the lack of drinkable water had led to medical conditions affecting the kidneys, urinary system, and the stomach of the prisoners on strike.The hunger strike began after the Gitmo staff reportedly seized their personal belongings of the inmates, including letters, photographs and copies of the Holy Qur'an in a sacrilegious manner during searches of their cells.The prisoners are also protesting against their indefinite detention without charge or trial.An attorney representing thirteen hunger striking prisoners said on Saturday that the inmates were prepared to die if their demands are not met."Suffering for these years, the torture, the isolation, the brutality by the guards have made it intolerable to the point where so many of the prisoners have decided that they will try until death," said Gloria La Riva with Act Now to Stop War and End Racism (ANSWER) Coalition.Reports show that only six of the detainees at the Guantanamo Bay prison or one in 28 are facing trial. Close to 90 of the prisoners, or more than one in two, have been cleared for release. The United States, however, continues to keep them locked up and has no imminent plans of letting them go.US President Barack Obama had vowed to close the Guantanamo Bay prison as a main premise for his first term election. The facility, however, remains open five years later.