Guantanamo Bay Naval Base facts for kids
Guantanamo Bay is a large bay located on the southern coast of Cuba. A part of this bay is controlled by the United States. The U.S. gained control of this area in 1903. This happened through a special treaty signed between the United States and Cuba.
However, the current government of Cuba believes this treaty is not legal. They say it goes against International law. This includes a rule called the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties from 1969.
The southern part of the bay has a navy station belonging to the United States. This base is often called "Gitmo" for short. Its main jobs are to help stop terrorism and drug crime. It also helps people who are leaving Cuba by sea.
This base is also used as a place to hold people captured by American forces. Many of these prisoners came from Afghanistan and Iraq. Some were also taken from other countries, like Britain and France. Some groups say these prisoners do not get the rights they should have. These rights are usually given to prisoners of war under the Geneva Conventions. One reason for this might be that U.S. laws do not fully apply to them there. Some human rights groups and released prisoners have reported that some people held there have been treated badly.
Contents
About the Detention Camp
There is a lot of discussion and disagreement about the detention camp at Guantanamo Bay. This camp is part of the navy base. It used to hold people who had escaped from the Cuban government by sea. Now, it also holds people who are believed to be against the United States. This includes some soldiers.
Some people have even called it a concentration camp. George W. Bush, a former U.S. president, said it was sometimes used for prisoners of war. However, many human rights groups say America holds people from countries it is not at war with. This was seen when some British prisoners were sent back home in 2003.
Who is Held There?
The camp holds people who the United States sees as terrorists. These people are kept there because there is not enough evidence to give them a trial in a court. Around 300 to 400 men are currently held in this prison. Most of them are Muslims. They are believed to have attacked American troops. Some of these people were captured during the war in Afghanistan.
What Happens to the Prisoners?
Work is now being done to bring some justice to the Guantanamo prisoners. Some people have been sent back to their home countries. Others have been sent to different countries. Some prisoners were found not to be terrorists. Their own governments then released them. Other prisoners are now in jail in their home countries. For example, some Uighur people from China were sent to Albania. This may have happened because China did not want them back.
Images for kids
-
Map of Guantánamo Bay showing approximate U.S. Naval Base boundaries
-
The base in 1916
-
United States–Cuban border, Guantanamo Bay Naval Base
-
U.S. Marines stack up landmines for disposal in July 1997.
-
United States training ship Monongahela, around 1903
-
Wind turbines atop John Paul Jones Hill, the highest point on the base
-
The entrance to Camp 1 in detention camp's Camp Delta
-
McDonald's at Guantanamo
See also
In Spanish: Base Naval de la Bahía de Guantánamo para niños
