Srebrenica, January 1995. Her country in the midst of a civil war, pregnant Hava Muhic, staying in the UN-designated Safe Area, was confident that she would give birth to a healthy and safe child. Half a year later, in July 1995, the baby Hava gave birth to wasn’t breathing and was taken away by the…

The most interesting fact I learned about GTMO was the presence of family and their daily lives on the military base.  I am ex-military and knew about dependent life on a military base.  However, the presence of family at GTMO was not something I had previously considered.  One hears about the current history and tends…

Guantánamo. What does this word call to mind?  Until starting the Guantánamo Public Memory Project, my mind conjured up several thoughts upon hearing this word — injustice, torture, the War on Terror — and then went blank, only to be replaced by feelings of confusion and ignorance.  I like to think that I’m a well-informed…

There is certainly no lack of information on the relatively short history of relations between the Cuban and American governments, or of the development and operations at GTMO. While conducting such research I discovered that obtaining more knowledge of GTMO’s past can easily strike up various negative feelings and emotions. What is perhaps the most…

Guantánamo is an anomaly, a place on the radar screen of politics and of international attention – both positive and negative. Its legacy has been the cause of international conflict throughout much of the past one hundred years. It’s centrality in the perpetration of alleged atrocities against human rights is something that will resonate throughout…

Have the September 11th terrorist attacks changed how you view or treat others? For many, unfortunately, the answer is probably “yes.” The events of 9/11, the United States government’s response to them, and an increasing public misunderstanding of Islam have created a culture of collective suspicion and prejudice towards Muslims (or those perceived to be…

  While asking whether we can close Guantánamo, I have been struck by the complexity of the question. The history of the base begins over a century ago and since then the base has functioned as an imperial tool for the United States. Amy Kaplan’s essay “Where is Guantanamo?” outlines the convoluted legal history of…

Video produced by University of Miami students Dong Kyu Lee and Laken Garcia. Translated by Frank Leon, Jennifer Aroch, and Laken Nardo. Sergio Lastres, an artist and former Cuban refugee at the U.S. naval base at Guantánamo Bay, reflects on his time at GTMO. The University of Miami is participating in the Guantánamo Public Memory…

Video produced by University of Miami students Noah DeBonis and Noelis Márquez.   From 1994-1995, Conrado Basulto spent nine months as a refugee at the U.S. naval base at Guantánamo Bay. He shares his story in the video above.   The University of Miami is participating in the Guantánamo Public Memory Project‘s National Dialogue and…

Video produced by University of Miami students Kenneth Rubi and Monica Duran. Interview conducted by Monica Duran.   Stephanie Scott, Ph.D. is an Assistant Research Professor at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. A former Peace Corps member, Scott volunteered as a social worker at the refugee camps at the U.S. naval base at Guantánamo…