As prisoners in Guantanamo Bay prison's hunger strike enters its 100th day, officials in Washington are hinting the Pentagon is slowly leaning toward the release of all cleared-Yemeni nationals.
Out of the 166 prisoners currently sitting in Guantanamo, 91 are Yemeni nationals. Out of the 91 Yemeni detainees, already 56 have been cleared of all terror charges brought against them by a court of law. Despite the judicial clearance, American President Barack Obama has argued that their release back to Yemen would present too much of a threat to national security for the Pentagon to allow it. As a result Yemeni nationals have been illegally detained in America's most infamous penitentiary, having been robbed of all hope.

In a desperate bid to raise media awareness Guantanamo detainees announced in February they would hunger strike, a move which was prompted by allegations guards had desecrated the Holy Quran and a deep sense of injustice.

As detainees joined the movement, slowly commanding the world's attention, Yemeni officials found themselves caught in the eye of the storm, forced to defend Yemen national sovereignty before their political ally, the United States of America.
In receipt of millions of military and financial aids from Washington many Yemeni officials felt uncomfortable at the idea of challenging America's will, especially since the matter is directly related to terror.
However, as popular anger grew in Yemen, state officials had to rise and meet their people's demands, officially requesting that the White House arrange for the immediate repatriation of all its nationals, starting with those who had already been cleared for transfer.

Democracy Now reported on Friday that 30 hunger strikers are now being force-fed through nasal tubes pushed into their stomachs and three have been hospitalized. It is important to note that several rights groups have already denounced America's decision to force-fed the prisoners, noting it went against their human rights.

The American Civil Liberties Union, Center for Victims of Torture, Human Rights Watch and 17 other groups wrote the Pentagon on Monday stressing "Guantanamo’s force-feeding process is inherently cruel, inhuman, and degrading.”

“We urgently request that you order the immediate and permanent cessation of all force-feeding of Guantanamo prisoners who are competent and capable of forming a rational judgment as to the consequences of refusing food,” they wrote.

The letter also asked US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to allow “independent medical professionals” access to the prison to “review and monitor the status of hunger-striking prisoners in a manner consistent with international ethical standards.”

A lawyer representing several Gitmo prisoners said last week that “detainees have described the experience of having the tube snaked down your throat as being like having a razor blade pulled down.” The lawyer, David Remes, said the military uses force-feeding to prevent detainees from becoming martyrs.

Attorney General David Holder told journalists on Wednesday after a hearing at Capital Hill that his preference remained to close the facility but that Congress had blocked that option.

He added the Obama administration was looking at sending detainees who have been cleared back to their own countries and declared that the block on Yemenis was under review, signaling a change in policy.

Last week Holer told his audience at the University of Berkeley in California, "Those who placed unwise and unwarranted restrictions on where certain detainees could be housed, charged and prosecuted;" clearly siding against President Obama's moratorium.

Back in Yemen detainees' families have warned they would neither tire nor abandon this fight, determined to one way or the other claim their sons, fathers and brothers' rights.