Interview with Janette Belmar

Richard Belmar is one of the four remaining British citizens who continues to be detained in Guantanamo Bay. Born and raised as a Catholic, at the age of 16, Richard converted to Islam and in the Summer of 2001, he went to study the Quran in Pakistan. Shortly after September 11th he was arrested as he, along with many other students, attempted to leave Pakistan. Since that time, he continues to be been caged like an animal in Cuba, with little indication that the British government will press for his release. His sister, Janette spoke to Cageprisoners.com in a rare interview about her family's ordeal and the brother she misses desperately...

Cageprisoners.com: How did you and your family come to know that Richard was being held at Guantanamo Bay and what was your reaction?

Janette Belmar: My father received the news first from the Home Office in October 2002. We were all shocked, stunned, also in disbelief.

CP: Could you give our readers an insight into the ordeal your family have had to endure for the past two years? What impact has it had on them?

JB:The last two years have been a total nightmare. It has affected each member of my family in different way; Mum has been trying to keep the family positive and tells us to be strong for Richard. Dad worries a lot, especially about what people are thinking – the public, the press, friends and family members. Andrew prays a lot for Richard and is doing the best to help his brother. I sometimes feel a bit low and stressed out. It is worse when the press want to interview you, all in one day, and cannot understand you and cannot understand that the family need to be left alone.

CP: How much communication have you had with Richard?

JB:In the beginning, we received a few letters, like three to four a year. But now they have stopped his letters. The last one we received from him was in September 2003. I write to Richard once a month. I know he doesn’t get to read them because those b*****ds won’t let him. I have spoken to a former detainee, who told me that they had done the same with his family letters. I do not really want to go into his letters too much but in each, Richard says he is doing well and not to worry about him. He also asks us to forgive him for things he had done in the past before he became a Muslim.

CP: What impression do his letters give of conditions in Cuba and of his psychological and physical well-being since he has been detained?

JB:I still cannot make out what it is like there. If Richard wanted to say the truth, we would not know because his letters have been censored. As for his psychological and physical well-being, he is doing a lot better than most. He had a bad reaction to ‘eating fish’ so they kept on giving him fish, so that Richard would become more ill.

CP: Why do you think the correspondence from him and other British detainees have ceased for a number of months now?

JB: It is all down to mind games, on the part of both governments i.e. America and Britain. They know that the letters are the only way the detainees can communicate with their families.

CP: How did you react to the news that Richard would not be amongst those who were released earlier this year?

JB: Very badly. The Home Office gave me and my family false hope. I let them know over the phone that I was not impressed and hung up on them.

CP: What is your response to the allegations from the US that your brother pledged allegiance to Osama bin Laden and trained and fought alongside al-Qaeda, and is thus deemed too dangerous to free?

JB: Complete rubbish. They even said that Richard was abroad in 1998 learning to make bombs. This was again rubbish. He was in Britain, being a typical teenager and had never been abroad or had a passport at the time. We gave the Government proof, and a well-known newspaper proof too, that my brother was in Britain.

CP: Tell us a little about your brother. What was his character like?

JB: He would always play jokes on people, but was also sometimes quiet. When he was much younger, he loved going swimming and kept a few pets – hamsters, terrapins and goldfish. My parents would not let us have a dog – Richard loved dogs – so instead he would offer to walk the neighbours' dogs to the local park every Saturday and Sunday afternoon. Richard enjoyed his food. He would always steal my chocolates out of the fridge! He was also very helpful at home, helping Mum with the shopping and sometimes cooking. He even bought me my first mobile phone.

CP: Can you tell us a bit about his conversion to Islam and what was your family's response? How did his conversion change him?

JB: It was a slow process, Richard thought about it a lot. Andrew his older brother was a Muslim, so they discussed this between themselves. The rest of us were a little shocked, but knew he was old enough to make that decision. He changed in many ways. He would listen more to what people had to say, and was more caring. He gave up many things – TV, music, pork, designer clothes and going to clubs.

CP: How has his detention in Guantanamo Bay altered your family's perception of Islam and Muslims?

JB: It hasn’t altered my family's perception of Muslims and Islam one bit! Some of the press have been good to our family (they know who they are if they are reading this). Others are only interested in inciting hate towards one group – which unfortunately are the Muslim Community.

CP: What do you make of the role of the British government?

JB: The British Government are being very weak in this situation. They are letting the American Government take lead in all of this, while they take a back seat. My family have no faith in them.

CP: Have they assisted you sufficiently?

JB: No! That is why I have thrown my election card in the dustbin. You must help them into power, but they won’t help you! Richard was born and raised in Britain - still they won’t do a thing; Only because he has changed from Roman Catholic to Muslim.

CP: How do you feel about the administrative reviews which are planned for some of the remaining detainees?

JB: Good, because this might be one step to their getting a fair trial.

CP: Have you found much sympathy and practical support from the Muslim community?

JB: Not just the Muslim Community, but everyone. Strangers have voiced their concerns about the Guantanamo situation. I get a few letters from people, and a lot of support from my work colleagues.

CP: What made you and your family speak publicly now after two years of silence?

JB: We were tired of keeping this a secret. Richard had done nothing wrong, plus I did not want the media to make their own minds up about Richard.

CP: What message would you like to give our visitors? What can they do to help the detainees at Guantanamo?

JB: Thank you for taking time to read and click onto this site. I am not too sure what they can do to help but I have made a folder of newspaper articles, and personal letters, for when Richard returns home. The readers are welcome to send e-mail and messages to Richard or me so that I can include in the folder, that I am doing for him. I have letters from his friends also, as they cannot write to him directly, because they are not family. Guantanamo is very strict about this. You can email me at this address jansarah2003@yahoo.co.uk

CP: If you had the opportunity to speak to your brother right now, what would you say to him?

JB: Everyone is thinking about him and the others that are detained with him. We miss him so much and are fighting hard to get him released – which I know will happen soon.

CP: Finally Ms. Belmar, what do you think of our website?

JB:I do not have a computer, I'm also not very good with one - I can just about type. I have heard from other people it is really good, and has loads of information on people being wrongly detained.

CP: Janette Belmar, thank you for speaking to us.