Four former Guantanamo Bay prisoners who have settled in Bermuda are playing a behind-the-scenes role in the wealthy island's sporting event of the year.
The four ethnic Uighurs from western China are working as groundskeepers during the PGA Grand Slam of Golf at Port Royal Golf Course. The first round was starting Tuesday, featuring some of the biggest names in the sport.
The Uighurs have spent the past four months grooming the Trent Jones-designed course and will be out between rounds to cut, rake and repair.
Port Royal superintendent Steve Johnson praised the men, who were whisked to Bermuda in June after seven years in the U.S. prison in Cuba.
"Everyone should be proud of them, and they should all be proud of themselves," Johnson said before the start of the tournament.
Their work during the Grand Slam is a change from the last high-profile event at Port Royal. The men were kept away when former U.S. President Bill Clinton played the course in August during a visit to the British territory.
The men's arrival in Bermuda initially sparked protests and a no-confidence vote for the premiere, but the controversy has subsided.
When not working, two of the men play for the X-Road Warriors in a local soccer league — and all say they are grateful that Bermuda accepted them.
"This place was the one and only country to open their arms to us and give us the opportunity to be free," said 30-year-old Abdulla Abdulgadir. "This country showed the courage to accept us and we never want to leave. We want to stay here and live peaceful, prosperous lives."
The Uighurs — Turkic Muslims from far western China — were taken to Guantanamo Bay as suspected "enemy combatants" following their capture in Afghanistan and Pakistan in 2001.
The Pentagon determined they did not pose a threat, but their release was delayed because they could not be sent back to China, where they face persecution for their separatist beliefs, and other countries refused to accept them.
In June, Bermudian Premier Ewart Brown announced he had agreed to take the refugees, surprising many local officials and angering the British government, which said he should have consulted with it first.
The Guantanamo base still holds 13 Uighurs who have been cleared for release since 2004. Six have accepted an invitation to move to the Pacific island of Palau and their move is expected soon. Negotiations on the rest are continuing.
The U.S. Supreme Court said Tuesday it will hear a challenge from the men on whether judges can order their release.
Copyright 2009 AP News
