Martin Mubanga: My Hero :: By RunOverByTheTruth

You might not have seen or heard of Martin Mubanga. Until recently he was out of the public eye for some time. Way, way out of the public eye.

He was a prisoner in Guantanamo for three years.

Martin was one of the four British detainees freed in January. There's a great interview with him in the Observer, so impressive that I couldn't choose which bits to quote - Martin's story deserves to be read in full.

He's not my hero for being in Guantanamo - that's a tragedy he didn't choose. He's not my hero for the brave way he stood up to torture, even though his strength is amazing - I'd excuse anyone who lost it under those circumstances, even though Martin didn't lose it, because you can't expect anyone to withstand such treatment. I can't imagine that I would.

Martin is my hero for what he's doing now.

A man who has endured three years of captivity and torture could be excused for taking it easy when he got out. Taking it easy and lying low. Never saying anything about anything, especially not about, say, Guantanamo, the government, the war in Iraq.

So where was Martin today?

He was at a Stop the War Coalition press conference, called to publicise the demo on Saturday.

Lindsey German, convenor of the Stop the War Coalition, points out just one of the obstacles in the way.
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"We are delighted that Martin is able to join our battle against this war on terror. The fact that we don't know whether he can even be with us on Monday because of the threat of a Home Office control order hanging over him this weekend, shows just how far the government is willing to go to restrict our civil liberties."

After the press conference he went to the Home Office - up high on my list of places not to go, given his circumstances - to present a petition demanding the release of five other prisoners who were British residents before the US seized and incarcerated them in Guantanamo.

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That's why Martin is my hero. He comes out of Guantano and not only keeps fighting for the people he left behind, but speaks out against the war and occupation of Iraq. Brave, brave man.

Martin is also a rapper - he wants to make a record of the raps he composed in Guantanamo. I want that record. So last words from Martin:

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And I got no love for the American government
Dey can go suck and I don't mean peppermint.
Now hear da bombs drop
As de Muslim babies, dem a die,
Now hear de bombs drop
As de Muslim mothers dem a cry
Now hear de bombs drop
As de Muslim soldiers dem a fly
Why? Because dey no want fe die.

from the RedOne at Run over by the Truth