Guantanamo Bay: From a Notorious Prison to a Peace Park

By Kanika Gupta - 20 Mar '16 15:11PM

Guantanamo Bay is infamous as a notorious prison situated in Cuba. However, ahead of US president's visit, the first since 1928, the country's two professors make a rare suggestion of turning it into a science lab and a peace park as an effort to solidify friendly relationship between US and Cuba. The proposal was published on Thursday in Journal Science.

"As a result of this accident of history, wildlife has been thriving there, and that is sort of what prompted me also to put forward this idea - we don't want to lose that," said Joe Roman, the proposal's lead author and fellow at the University of Vermont's Gund Institute.

According to Roman, who has made several trips to Cuba in the last couple of years for work, opening a marine research institute, a peace park and conservation area could prove beneficial for both the countries and their citizens.

"This model, designed to attract both sides, could unite Cuba and the United States in joint management, rather than serve as a wedge between them, while helping meet the challenges of climate change, mass extinction, and declining coral reefs," the proposal, which Roman co-wrote with James Kraska, a professor of ocean law and policy at the US Naval War College, said.

The government has considered the presence of US in Guantanamo unlawful since 1960 and despite his President Obama's wish and efforts, he has failed to close the detention center at the naval base. Their consistent presence on Cuban soil has been a bone of contention for the two countries for all these years and is also the main reason why both the countries have failed to improve their diplomatic ties.

While the authors believe that the land should be returned to Cuban government, but until that happens, they think that bringing in science center could prove to a friendly middle ground. "I strongly believe that the labs should be returned to Cuba and that it is Cuban territory but we wouldn't want to lose what has been preserved there," Roman said.

"A first step in returning the land to Cuba, the Guantánamo peace park and research center would encourage nations to convert military bases and conflict zones into areas of creativity, cooperation, and biodiversity conservation," the proposal said.

"For the next generation, the name Guantánamo could become associated with redemption and efforts to preserve and repair international relations and the planet"