| http://palestinechronicle.com/article.php?story=20020120193910699
Belgian Senators Denounce Israeli Torture Sunday, January 20 2002 @ 07:39 PM GMT By Mathew J. O'Conner, PalestineChronicle.com Reporter BEIRUT: Belgian senators who are on a tour to collect funds and support the victims of the massacre of Sabra and Shatilla, denounced torture in a notorious prison ran by Israel in South Lebanon. The prison, Khiam was a place where thousands of Arab prisoners were held for years, tortured and never stood trials. It was managed by the now-disbanded South Lebanon Army (SLA), which was founded and trained by Israel. The SLA was working under Israeli command in the area and was immediately dismantled when the Israeli occupation of South Lebanon came to an abrupt end in May 2000. Josy Dubie of the Ecologist Party condemned "Israeli tortures" of hundreds of Lebanese and Palestinians at this jail. Vincent Van Quickenborne of the regional Flemish party Spirit and Jean Cornil of the Socialist Party joined him on his tour of the former Khiam detention center. Khiam was considered by most Lebanese as a symbol of Israeli oppression, and its collapse also symbolized the liberation of the south. Human rights groups, across the world, including the London-based Amnesty International, had repeatedly denounced the prison and the numerous cases of rape, abuse and torture that took place there. The Israeli army used the prison to jail people suspected of challenging the Israeli occupation of South Lebanon, which lasted for 22-years. The Belgian senators later met with Sheikh Nabil Qawook, the top official in southern Lebanon of the Hizbollah movement, which spearheaded the guerrilla war that brought an end to Israel's occupation. The senators arrived Saturday in Beirut for a visit mainly meant to show solidarity with victims of the Sabra and Shatilla massacres during Israel's invasion of Lebanon in 1982. All three are members of a Belgian parliamentary committee meant to provide information on the Sabra and Shatila massacres and collect money for lawyers representing the plaintiffs. The plaintiffs, 23 survivors or families of victims, are suing Sharon for genocide and crimes against humanity for his alleged responsibility in the killings. The number of those killed during the massacre ranges between 2,000 to 4,000. Hundreds of those considered dead are still missing as they were last seen while dragged by Israeli army trucks to unknown destinations. Sharon was forced to resign from the post after an Israeli commission of inquiry found him "personally" responsible for the deaths. |
