Micropanacea

First impressions go a long way, and today I've not only heard of the country of Palau for the first time, I've become a big fan. A land of beautiful beaches, several name spellings and a very cool aerial view (according to my copious research), Palau (or Belau or Pelew) is making a name for itself as a peaceful haven for unwanted souls.

My first finding was that Burmese refugees, relentlessly persecuted in their own country and increasingly turned away from countries already struggling to support thousands of refugees, have been welcomed to Palau with open arms. The refugees told of feeling peace and freedom in Palau; how people had been warm and friendly; how one senator went so far as to allow the eleven refugees to stay on his farm after their funds ran out while they wait for word on their asylum applications. Certainly beats being shoved out to sea in a boat with no motor. Of course, eleven refugees are probably easier to house on a farm than tens of thousands, but one must at least be touched by the effort from a country with a population of 20,000.

I then read on to find that Palau has offered to take in some 13 Guantanamo detainees, all Uighurs from China. This will constitute the largest transfer of prisoners since President Obama first announced the closure of the prison. The U.S. is reluctant to send them back to China as the country considers them to be terrorists (despite the U.S. clearing them of enemy combatant status sometime after detaining them in Afghanistan and Pakistan) and will likely welcome them back with some harsh sentence. After some negotiation with the U.S., Palau agreed to take them in.

Although not everyone the country will be warmly welcoming their new neighbors, and in spite some suspicions that the move is based more on good money than on good will, the government of Palau is standing by its assertion that their decision was based on human rights more than any other factor. My hat goes off to Palau, even if the Uighurs decide they'd prefer not to resettle on the island paradise.

In consideration of this theme, I'd like to add my voice to those encouraging countries around the world -- most especially the United States -- to take on the challenge of housing the detainees from Guantanamo. Not surprisingly, the debate in this country seems to have almost instantaneously morphed from one centered on human rights and responsibility for the decisions and actions of our country to an opportunity for spinning and scaring and steering public opinion down well-worn partisan trails. I have no doubt that many throughout the country sincerely believe that these detainees will pose a grave threat if they are located in our country - even in our prisons. But in my opinion, it is far more dangerous to our public image, our self respect and our national soul to keep a place like Guantanamo open in its current form. Those prisoners pose no greater threat to us than we do to ourselves. Let them in.

Fortunately, some countries are beginning to do so already. In fact, the reality is that over 540 detainees have been transferred to over 30 countries in the last few years and many countries continue to step. Belgium, Britain, Ireland, France, Portugal, Spain, Bermuda, Albania, Italy and even Venezuela (for what its worth) have all agreed to consider taking or have already taken prisoners for resettlement, usually in the face of protests and backlash from their citizens. But the need is still real and extensive, if concerning and expensive. I only hope the U.S. citizens will be willing to take a similar "risk" to defend the values this country was built on.

In the meantime, well done, Palau!