Somali official's immunity case raises legal, policy issues
The federal government argues that it is up to the executive branch, not the judicial, to decide when foreign officials deserve immunity from charges of human rights abuses filed in U.S. courts.
So what is the verdict, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg asked the government's lawyer Wednesday, on Mohamed Ali Samantar? He has been sued by his alleged victims and accused of presiding over a Somali regime of repeated rape, abduction, summary execution and years-long imprisonment in solitary confinement.
"We are not addressing that here," said Deputy Solicitor General Edwin S. Kneedler.
It was one of several dead-ends the justices encountered in oral arguments regarding Samantar v. Yousuf. The central issue of the case is not whether Samantar was responsible for torture in his native land but whether his alleged victims can now bring him to court in suburban Washington.
The matter carries great policy implications for the United States and its relations with other countries, and should stand for the principle that "one nation's courts cannot sit in judgment of another nation's acts," argued Samantar's lawyer Shay Dvoretzky.
But it also exposes a seeming conflict in Congress's actions. The Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) protects foreign states and their "agencies and instrumentalities" from lawsuits, with a few limited exceptions. But the Torture Victim Protection Act authorizes lawsuits, and was passed specifically to ensure that those "who avail themselves of the protections and privileges of residency in the United States also bear responsibility for their actions, especially actions as significant as torture," according to a brief filed by its congressional sponsors.
At the outset of the arguments, Justice Anthony M. Kennedy pronounced himself "puzzled" by the contradiction, and the resulting hearing showed he had company.
Samantar, now 74 and living in Fairfax, held several key positions in the government of Somalia from 1980 to 1990, including defense minister and prime minister. He fled the country in 1991, first to Kenya, then Italy and finally the United States. He was sued by Bashe Abdi Yousuf and four others in 2004, who alleged Samantar was ultimately responsible for the "torture and killing" of members of the Isaaq clan in a period of brutal civil wars.
Samantar denies the claims and says the suit cannot be brought because the foreign sovereign immunity law protects actions taken by those in official positions of government, even though the law is silent as to whether it protects individuals.
Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. told Yousuf's lawyer, Patricia A. Millett, such a reading made some sense.
"We are talking about insulating state acts," Roberts said. "The only way a state can act is through people."
Justice Stephen G. Breyer was troubled as well. Under Millett's theory, he said, suing the defense minister of a country would not be allowed, but filling in the name of the individual would bypass the restriction.
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Published: 2010-03-04 08:41:36
News/Wararka maanta
- JANNADII LA WAAYEY: qaybta 2aad sahankii warfidiyeenada burcad-badeedda & Filimka Blackspot
-
Qaybtii 2-aad
3. Haddaba maxaa ka dhacaya Soomaaliya maanta? Waxaa ka dhacaya waxyaabo ay ka aammusan yihiin ilaha wararka ee caalamiga ahi. МИНИСТР БЕЗОПАСНОСТИ, iyadoo arrintaasi iyo qodobo kale oo muhiim ah uu jawaab dheer ka bixinayo Marxuum Cumar Xaashi Aadan oo markii waraysiga la qaadayey ahaa Wasiirka Amniga dowladda Kumeelgaarka ah ee Soomaaliya, wuxuuna ku jawaabay:
- (2010-09-09)
- Wasiirka Arr. Dibedda Ruushka oo hambalyo ku aaday 50-gurada xiriirka labada dal u diray Soomaaliya
-
Moscow: Wasiirka Arrimaha Dibedda dalka Ruushka ayaa waxa uu dhambaal hambalyo ah oo ku aadan maalinta 11-ka september u diray dowladda iyo dadka Soomaaliyeed, dhambaalkaasi oo la guddoonsiiyey Danjiraha Soomaaliya u fadhiya dalka Ruushka, Dr. Maxamed Maxamuud Xandulle.
- (2010-09-09)
- Radio Muqdisho oo faafiyey magacyada guddiga Fulinta Al-Shabaab
-
War laga sii daayey idaacadda Radio Muqdisho ee ay maamusho dowladda kumeelgaarka ah ee Soomaaliya sidoo kalena lagu faafiyey barta www.radiomuqdisho.net ayaa lagu faafiyey magacyada guddiga fulinta Xarakada Al-Shabaab, magacyadaas oo mid kasta lagu hor qoray xila ama darajada uu ka hayo AL-Shabaab, kaasi oo u qornaa sidatan:
- (2010-09-08)
- Xildhibaan Cali Zeko: Madaxweynuhu wuxuu la tashadaa qaxooti, dowladduna waxqabad ma lahan...
-
Muqdisho: Xildhibaan Cali Maxamuud Faarax (Cali Zeko) oo ka tirsan mudanayaasha Baarlamaanka KMG ee Soomaaliya ayaa dhaliilo kala duwan u soo kala jeediyay ciidamada AMISOM, Xukuumadda KMG ah iyo Madaxweyne Shariif oo uu tilmaamay inuu talada dalka kala tashado aan xog ogaal ahayn.
- (2010-09-06)
- Oslo oo lagu soo gebogebeeyey tartan Kubbadda Miiska ah
-
Waxaa Maanta oo aheyd bishu 04.09.2010 si rasmi ah uga furmay Garoonka Kubbdda Miiska Haugenstua Scene ee Dalka Norway oo ku yaal Galbeedka magaalada Oslo.
- (2010-09-06)
- JANNADII LA WAAYEY (waa qayb ka mid ah sahankii warfidiyeennada ee burcad-badeedda Soomaaliya)
-
Akhristoow waxaan shalay idiin soo gudbinnay warbixin aan ka soo qaadannay filimkii BLACKSPOT iyo sahankii warfidiyeennada caalamku ku sameeyeen howlagalada burcad-badeedda Soomaaliya, warbixintaasi oo uu ku jirey qayb ka mid ah waraysi ay la yeesheen Madaxweynaha dowladda kumeelgaarka ah ee Soomaaliya, Shariif Sheekh Axmed. Maanta waxaan idiin soo gudbineynaa warbixin aad u dheer oo isla sahankaas ku saabsan oo warfidiyeennadu ku iftiiminayaan khatarta, saboolnimada iyo halista ka jirta Soomaaliya,
- (2010-09-05)
- Muqdisho oo maalintii 14aad oo xiriir ah la duqeynayo
-
Dagaalada iyo duqeynta ay ku hayaan shacabka magaalada Muqdisho kooxaha isaga soo horjeeda talada dalka Soomaaliya ayaa waxa ay galeen maalintii 14aad oo si xiriir ah loo duqeynayo, iyadoo dagaaladii iyo duqeyntii ugu dambeysay ay ku dhinteen dad kor u dhaafaya 15 qofood, ayna ku dhaawacmeen tiro intaas ka badan.
- (2010-09-05)
- Xeer Ilaaliyaha Guud & Wasiirka Dastuurka oo siyaabo kala duwan uga hadlay khilaafka madaxda dowlada
-
Muqdisho: Xeer Ilaaliyaha guud ee Qaranka dowladda kumeelgaarka ah ee Soomaaliya, Cabdullaahi Daahir Barre oo ka hadlya qoraalqabyeedka dastuurka cusub iyo khilaafka uu ka dhex abuuray madaxda sare ee dowladda ayaa sheegay inaan dastuurka loo marin jidkiii sharciga ahaa,isagoo carrabka ku adkeeyey inuu raacsan yahay mowqifkii Xildhibaanadii dhowaan ka hadlay arrinta ah inaan dastuurka loo mariin waddadii sharciga ahayad.
- (2010-09-05)
- Madaxweyne Shariif: si loo helo dastuur dhab ah waa in qoraalka qabyada ay ka dhex muuqato yididiilo
-
Muqdisho, Soomaaliya September 4, 2010, Madaxweyne Soomaaliya, Sheekh Shariif Sheekh Axmed, ayaa maanta ka hadlay Dastuurka qabyada ah ee uu soo bandhigay Guddiga Federaalka Dastuuriga ah ee Madaxabannaan.
Madaxweynuhu, war-murtiyeed uu siiyey warbahinta, wax uu ku yiri, “Dastuur cusub oo Soomaaliya loo sameeyo waa howl qaran oo ahmiyad gaar ah leh, muggeeduna ballaaran yahay, taas oo ay tahay in uu ahaado hab cad oo aan daldaloollo lahayn islamarkaana ku fadhiya sharciyad iyo qaneeco shacab.”
- (2010-09-04)
- Filimka BLACKSPOT iyo qaybta 1aad ee warbixinada Burcad-badeedda Soomaaliya
-
Black Spot (goobaabinta dhimashada) waa eray inta badan ay isticmaali jireen jilayaasha filimada kaabooyga (Cowboy) ee dalka Mareykanka, taasi oo loola jeedo in ninkii ku dhaca goobaabintaasi madoow uusan ka soo samatabixi doonin oo halkaasi lagu qaarajinayo, hase yeeshee goobaabinta madoow waxa ay iminka cinwaan u noqotay filim maqal iyo muuqaal ah oo laga diyaariyey falalka burcad-badeedda Soomaaliya.
- (2010-09-04)
- Ciidammada AMISOM & kuwa Dowladda Soomaaliya oo madaafiic aad u culus ku ridaya xaafadaha Muqdisho
-
Dagalaada ay ku dhinteen, kuna dhaawacmeen boqolaalka qofood ee shacabka Muqdisho ah oo toddobaadkii 2aad galay ayaa maanya duhurnimadii mar kale dib uga bilowday xaafado ka mid ah magaalada Muqdisho.
- (2010-09-04)
- Kenya oo Xaqiijineysa Warbixinta HRW
-
Kadib warbixin ay soo saartay Hey’adda Xuquuqul Insaanka ee Human Rights Watch taasoo lagu sheegay in ciidamadda Amniga ee dalka Kenya ay si xun ula dhaqmaan dadka Qaxootiga ah oo ay soo barakiciyeen dagaaladda ka soconaya dalka Soomaaliya ayaa waxay dawladda Kenya sameysay guddi loo xilsaaray inay soo baaraan eedeymaha ku xusan warbixinta hey’adda Human Rights Watch, waxaana madax looga dhigay guddigaan Xassan Faarax oo sidoo kale ah guddoomiye ku-xigeenka gobolka Waqooyi bari Kenya.
- (2010-09-04)
- Halaagga dalka & dadkak Soomaaliyeed ku habsaday maxaa sababay?
-
Waxaan qirayaa in ilaahay subxaanahu watacaalaa ay u sugnaatay ammaan iyo mahad aan la koobi karib,ilaahayna ogu mahadnaqayaa inuu nagadhigay muslimiin iyo umma Nabi Muxammad S.C.W,Waxaana qirayaa in Nabi Muxammad S.C.W. uu gutay amaanadii iyo diintii ilaahay u soo dhiibay iyo in ilaahay oofsaday Suubanaha S.C.W. isagoo gutay waajibkii iyo masuuliyadii ilaahay u soo diray,ummaddiisana uu ogu tagay Quraanka iyo Sunnada oo dhamaystiran ahna qaabka nolosha iyo dhaqanka lagu badbaadayo aakhiro iyo adduunba haddii la rumeeyo oo lagu dhaqmo inta adduunka lagu suganyahay.
- (2010-09-04)
- Meydadka askartii Ugandha looga dilay Villa Soomaaliya oo laga dejiyey Kampala
-
Kampala: Meydadka afar askari oo ka tirsanaa ciidammada AMISOM ee ka socda dalka Ugandha oo toddobaadkan gudhiisa lagu dilay xarunta madaxtooyada Villa Soomaaliya kaddib markii lala helay madfac ay soo rideen kooxaha mucaradka ku ah dowladda ayaa waxaa laga dejiyey magalaada Kampala ee caasimadda dalka Ugandha.
- (2010-09-02)
.JPG)
-
.jpg)
