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English
Date
Feb 20, 2024
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14
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Patel 1
Akhil Patel
Mrs. Proctor
Honors English/ Period 3
8 November 2023
Guantanamo Diary
Book Report
A.
Book Facts:
The novel
Guantanamo Diary
is a personal memoir written by Mohamedou
Ould Slahi in 2015.
B. Summary:
Mohamedou Ould Slahi describes his experiences being detained at Guantanamo Bay
from 2002 to 2016 in his memoir,
Guantanamo Diary
. Slahi recounts being transported
from Mauritania to prisons in Jordan, where he was interrogated for seven and a half
months by Jordanian intelligence services. Then, he was flown to the U.S. military’s
Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. He finally arrived at Guantanamo, where he was
subjected to extreme isolation, physical abuse, and psychological torture by U.S.
interrogators. U.S. military interrogators subject Mohamedou to a “special interrogation
plan” that is personally approved by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. He describes
beatings, sleep deprivation, sexual humiliation, and being exposed to freezing
temperatures as part of efforts to extract a confession from him. His family also received
death threats and was part of a mock kidnapping. Throughout this time, Slahi meets
several prisoners, including an Afghani teen, several people from Mauritania, and a
couple of Palestinians. He maintains his innocence, stating he had no involvement with
al-Qaeda or the 9/11 attacks, despite the interrogators' insistence. He details the
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devastating mental impact of isolation, arbitrary rules, and the crushing of hope. Slahi
finds respite by imagining his mother, drawing strength from his faith, and following the
guidance of sympathetic guards. He maintains sanity by recalling memories of his home
and longs to see his family again. After years of advocating for his release, Slahi finally
obtained legal representation in 2005 but continues to suffer under harsh conditions.
Mohamedou constructs his petition for habeas corpus. During this time, Mohamedou
wrote the 466 pages that would become the
Guantanamo Diary
in his segregation cell in
Guantanamo. In 2010, a federal judge ordered his release, determining his confession was
coerced through torture. However, he remained imprisoned for six more years until
finally being released without charges in October 2016. Slahi poignantly conveys his
humanity despite dehumanizing treatment and provides insights into the injustice and
brutality enacted post-9/11 at Guantanamo. His detailed firsthand account stands as an
important record of this controversial period in U.S. history.
C. Themes:
One theme portrayed in the book Guantanamo Diary is censorship and government
secrecy. The U.S. government conducted controversial processes at Guantanamo Bay and
fought for confidential information to remain a secret. Throughout the book, there are
many sections with redacted text because of the lack of accountability for actions taken
for the sake of national security.
Another theme in the novel is the resilience and perseverance of the human spirit. Slahi
describes how he experienced isolation and torture in the most dehumanizing conditions.
Despite this, he drew strength from his faith and maintained his composure. His refusal to
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confess despite torture shows remarkable resilience. This highlights the power of the
human spirit to overcome adversity through non-violent resistance. His perseverance
enables him to eventually attain freedom.
The last theme in the book is the importance of human rights. The U.S. government
detained Slahi for eleven years without charging him anything and subjected him to
extreme conditions, completely disregarding human rights. Slahi’s story is a reminder
that human rights must be protected for all people, even suspected terrorists. This theme
is significant because it challenges the human rights abuses that occur in the world today.
D. Analysis:
1.
Even though Mohameduo Ould Slahi was imprisoned, he still found a way to make a
meaningful contribution to society. He exposed the cruelty and human rights abuse
occurring at Guantanamo Bay under the pretense of national security. Slahi also
continued believing in his faith and positive outlook in the face of adversity. Mohameduo
Ould Slahi writes, “I believe that my story is important because it shows the human cost
of the war on terror. It shows that even in the darkest of times, there is still hope. And it
shows that we should never give up on our humanity” (Slahi 374). This evidence shows
that his story serves as a testament to the horrors that occurred in Guantanamo Bay and
the strong willpower of humanity.
2.
Slahi employs a humorous, ironic tone to underscore the brutality and injustice of his
circumstances. Creating a light, reflective tone allows for a sense of hope and resilience
in the face of adversity. The bleak setting of Guantanamo Bay adds to the feelings of
isolation and suffering Slahi experiences. He offers vivid descriptions of guards and
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interrogators and often characterizes interrogators as alternately menacing and
incompetent. Slahi writes, “Somebody would have to be stupid: was he stupid, or did he
think I was stupid? I would have respected him more” (Slahi 76). This quote
demonstrates that he severely criticizes the intellectual ability of some of his
interrogators.
3.
Mohamedou Ould Slahi's main goal in writing the Guantanamo Diary is to tell his story
and advocate for human rights. Throughout the book, it is clear that Slahi values his
steadfast religious faith and devotion to his mother. His belief in nonviolent protest made
it easier to sympathize with his position. Slahi recounts in the book, “Be patient.
Remember, Allah tests the people he loves the most. Comments like that were my only
solace besides my faith in the Lord” (Slahi 229). In addition to his values of faith, his
hope and resilience enhance the book's readability and provide a counterpoint to the
darkness of Slahi's experiences.
4.
One symbol in the novel is the orange jumpsuits that Slahi and the other detainees are
forced to wear. The jumpsuit symbolizes their dehumanization and their loss of
individuality. An unnamed interrogator says, “Just looking at you in an orange suit,
chains, and being Muslim and Arabic is enough to convict you” (Slahi 209). This
evidence shows that the orange jumpsuit adds to their negative demeanor. It also serves
as a reminder of their hopelessness, as they are being oppressed relentlessly.
E. Evaluate:
Mohamedou Ould Slahi wrote the manuscript that would become the
Guantanamo Diary in his fourth language, English. Background information on the
current situation at the time is provided in-depth to gain a full understanding of the book.
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In the book, Slahi describes explicit sexual descriptions, which may be alarming to
readers. In order to preserve national security, 2,500 black-bar redactions took place by
the United States government, obscuring many of the details. Slahi’s witty writing style
was certainly entertaining, and I would definitely recommend it to any young adult.
F.
Vocabulary:
1.
Solaced- to give comfort in grief or misfortune. “Although I was physically hurt, I was
solaced when I felt the warmth of another human being in front of me suffering the same”
(Slahi 25).
2.
Prostrating- stretched out with face on the ground in adoration or submission. “I
interrupted him, looking in the direction of Mecca, and prostrating myself to thank God
for being free" (Slahi 84).
3.
Respective- belonging or relating separately to each of two or more people or things. “I
pictured myself at this very same time back home, getting ready for work, enjoying the
new day, the morning ocean breeze through my open window, dropping my nephews off
at their respective schools” (Slahi 152).
4.
Oppressed- burdened by abuse of power or authority. “But I was more worried about my
emails with the Muslim friends, especially any of the ones who had ever financially or
spiritually helped the oppressed people in Bosnia or Afghanistan, because their messages
would be interpreted evilly” (Slahi 173).
5.
Futile- serving no useful purpose: completely ineffective. “I was growing tired of the
futile conversation with him, and of trying to convince him that I had nothing to do with
the Millennium Plot” (Slahi 182).
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