Ahmad Hasan al-Uqaili, deputy chief of the Human Rights Organisation in Iraq, dismissed Bush's promise as a Republican ploy "to win the [presidential] election in the United States".
Al-Uqaili said the most important thing was to end the abuses committed in the prison by both Saddam's regime and the US guards.
"The problem is not changing the location or the name of the prison," he said.
"It's about the staff of the prison. Those people are supposed to be trained in human rights. Even if a person is a prisoner, he is a human being first who must be treated with respect and dignity."
...Relatives of prisoners still held in Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad dismissed on Tuesday the promise made by Bush to demolish the building that has become an ugly symbol of US occupation.
Speaking as she waited outside the Abu Ghraib prison complex to hear news about her husband and son, Makiya Rashid said demolishing the building did not address the issue of prisoner abuse.
She said: "If he demolishes this prison and builds another, what's the purpose behind that? It will be the same, he will still torture our sons in it."
Meanwhile, Amir al-Izawi - also waiting for news of an imprisoned relative - dismissed the speech by Bush as "propaganda for his election".
Aljazeera article
Al-Uqaili said the most important thing was to end the abuses committed in the prison by both Saddam's regime and the US guards.
"The problem is not changing the location or the name of the prison," he said.
"It's about the staff of the prison. Those people are supposed to be trained in human rights. Even if a person is a prisoner, he is a human being first who must be treated with respect and dignity."
...Relatives of prisoners still held in Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad dismissed on Tuesday the promise made by Bush to demolish the building that has become an ugly symbol of US occupation.
Speaking as she waited outside the Abu Ghraib prison complex to hear news about her husband and son, Makiya Rashid said demolishing the building did not address the issue of prisoner abuse.
She said: "If he demolishes this prison and builds another, what's the purpose behind that? It will be the same, he will still torture our sons in it."
Meanwhile, Amir al-Izawi - also waiting for news of an imprisoned relative - dismissed the speech by Bush as "propaganda for his election".
Uncurious-But-Now-Desperate George....
Spurious George graphic
