Life Outside The Fences In Guantanamo City

This article from the BBC looks at what life is like on the other side of the fences in Guantanamo City, Cuba.

1 minute read

October 4, 2007, 9:00 AM PDT

By Nate Berg


"On the one side, there is Guantanamo City, home to 200,000 people and the usual Cuban mixture of Soviet and colonial architecture, horse carts, 1950s American cars and revolutionary slogans."

"On the other side, hidden behind a range of hills, is GTMO, home to 10,000 US Navy personnel, neat suburban houses, the only McDonald's in Cuba and the most controversial prison camp in the world."

"The practicalities of sharing land have led to a degree of co-operation between the two sides."

"These days, seeing the US base from the Cuban side is almost impossible. The area is surrounded by a vast Cuban military zone, and a former lookout point for tourists has been closed."

"A local student says it hurts him deeply that the name of his birthplace is now associated with allegations of torture."

"'It's an embarrassment,' he says. 'It's a beautiful bay. It should be used for the good of our country.'"

Wednesday, October 3, 2007 in BBC

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