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Guantanamo Bay Detainees To Get a Permanent Palau Vacation

When it comes to tropical island paradises, the Pacific archipelago of Palau totally fits the bill; it's got world-renowned diving, impressive nature, an average temperature of 82 degrees, and plenty of take-out Asian food.

For this reason, we think we're allowed to be a little jealous of the 17 Uighurs (Chinese Muslims) of Guantánamo Bay who will soon be transferred here and "resettled." After a US court ruled to have them released into the United States, a decision which was eventually overturned, the prisoners' fate has been up in the air while the US waited for any country to take them out of the government's hair. Palau was the only one to jump at it as a "humanitarian gesture," and now the group will be moved from Cuba and repatriated in the Garden of Eden. Says the NYT:

'What they will encounter in Palau is paradise,' said Stuart Beck, an American lawyer who is Palau’s permanent United Nations representative. 'From the time the first British vessel hit a reef in Palau in 1783, it has welcomed refugees.'

Yea, refugees and tourists. The full-time population of the islands is only around 21,000 people, and let's not forget that it hosted not one, but two seasons of Survivor. What a history for a little group of islands; we only hope that this doesn't become a third season of Survivor.

Related Stories:
· Palau To Take Chinese Guantanamo Detainees [NYT]
· Travel News Coverage [Jaunted]

[Palau photo: Cleer; Jail image: Mississippi Family Law Blog]