On 9/11 anniversary, a refusal to forgive highlights ongoing feelings of vengeance and loss.

For many years, the question of whether to forgive those who have inflicted immense suffering upon individuals has been a topic of intense discussion. It is not merely a matter of personal absolution; rather, it serves as an avenue to advocate for all those wronged, particularly those unjustly detained in Guantanamo Bay. The complexity of forgiveness is exacerbated when justice remains elusive.

Having endured nearly 15 years of wrongful imprisonment at Guantanamo Bay, I experienced firsthand treatment that no individual should ever face. I became one of many innocent victims caught in the web of the United States’ military strategies post-September 11, which justified unfounded invasions in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as the implementation of torture programs in CIA facilities and Abu Ghraib. These actions transformed Guantanamo into a grim symbol of dehumanization and a focal point for discussions surrounding human rights violations.

Within the confines of my cell, I once encountered a boxed meal marked with the phrase, “We Will Never Forget, We Will Never Forgive.” In response, I inscribed my own message, asserting, “We Will Never Forget, We Will Never Forgive; We Will Fight For Our Justice.” For this assertion, I was subjected to punitive measures, enduring both solitary confinement and restricted access to food.

On the 24th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, the phrase “Never Forget, Never Forgive” resurfaces in public discourse. While it is often intended to be a tribute to those who lost their lives, its implications can also beckon calls for retribution and vengeance. It becomes pivotal to question what true forgiveness consists of, especially when discussions surrounding accountability and justice are sidelined in favor of revenge.

The narrative surrounding events such as Guantanamo and CIA black sites is not merely about individual acts of forgiveness, but rather acknowledges the widespread harm inflicted on myriad communities. This collective trauma touches the lives of those subjected to torture and violence, their grieving families, and the societal fabric of nations involved, such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, and Somalia. Therefore, any act of forgiveness must emerge from a collective acknowledgment of suffering rather than from an individual perspective.

Some individuals have publicly proclaimed forgiveness for the atrocities they suffered at Guantanamo, which, while seemingly noble, risks undermining the collective narratives of those affected by wider systemic injustices. When forgiveness is offered for personal gain or recognition, it raises ethical questions about the impact on the remembrance of those lost to violence or the lingering effects on their communities.

It remains pertinent to ask: Whom are we forgiving? Is it those who have not expressed remorse? Are the voices silenced by violence being adequately acknowledged? When considering forgiveness, we must remember the many individuals whose stories have gone untold and whose fates remain obscured.

Compounding these dilemmas is the flawed premise that the onus of forgiveness falls solely on the wronged. Society often asks survivors to shoulder the burden of healing, urging them to move forward for the comfort of others without pursuing justice and accountability first. This moral ambiguity raises critical questions about who is deemed human and deserving of compassion, contrasting sharply with the depiction of those engaged in acts of violence as strategic or heroic.

Forgiveness cannot be meaningfully discussed in the absence of justice or reparations. To do so risks sanitizing the wrongs committed and shifts the narrative from accountability to victim-blaming. True forgiveness must encompass systemic change, ensuring that healing does not equate to silence or complicity in ongoing injustices.

As the so-called war on terror persists, with Guantanamo still operational, the demand for answers, accountability, and justice remains unaddressed. The failures that allowed injustices to flourish are echoed in contemporary conflicts, as seen in the suffering of innocent civilians in Gaza. This ongoing violence and suffering underscore the perils of seeking forgiveness without acknowledging the gravity of the wrongs committed.

Ultimately, some actions may transcend the capacity for forgiveness. In such cases, it is imperative to adopt the stance of remembrance and resistance—never forgiving and never forgetting. #PoliticsNews #MiddleEastNews