Surrendering our sovereignty
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Almost 2 weeks ago, the highly ineffective Kenyan police force was shouting at the top of their voices, telling the world and anybody who cared to listen that they had "a high value catch". This high value catch was Abdulmalik Mohamed, a man whose friends describe him as a "humble and kind madrassa teacher who was true to his religion". Mr Mohamed, 37,is claimed to have planned the November 2002 attack in Kikambala, Mombasa, that saw the hotel burnt resulting in about 11 deaths and a missile aimed at an aircraft leaving Mombasa for Tel Aviv miss its target.
The arrest came at a time when Nairobi was in an insecurity wave with multiple murders and robberies being reported each day, therefore, the massive PR campaign by the Police at the arrest of a 'terror mastermind' was understandable...what is not is why the police dont have him right now. He has been shipped to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where he will be detained without trial and if he gets a trial, it will be by a military tribunal.
What makes this case special is that Abdulmalik Mohamed is a Kenyan citizen by birth, is accused of crimes committed in Kenya and yet he is freely given out by the Kenyan authorities to a foreign nation where there are no assurances that he will be tried. All that and the fact that Kenya has no extradition treaty with the US and there is no prima facie case against Mr Mohamed to warrant extradition. Abdulmalik Mohamed wasn't even given the chance to challenge that decision in a court of law.
It is painfully enough that a person is taken from his home to be detained in a foreign land without trial but what is more shameful and embarrassing is that in a country with a democratically elected government and with a rule of law, we can just surrender our sovereignty to a foreign power for nothing.
10 comments:
Disgusting! Americans will continue to spit in the face of human rights and justice. I cannot understand the Kenyan government and their handing over of a human being like he is nothing more than a wayward shipment. This is how corrupt governments gain favours with one another. God knows how he will survive in Guantanamo or what will become of his future. I can only pray for him and his family.
Shake enough Benjamins in front of any developing country's face, and valoh! You got yourself a live and kicking human being.
Do you realize this is the first time someone was caught in a country other than Afghanistan and Pakistan, that was sent to Gitmo? It's funny that Australia asked and got back one of their citizen from that hellhole Guantanamo in the same week, while Kenya is sending one of their citizen to that hellhole? What a world of difference!
P.S. Be careful out there, wasmaniac. I hope they don't send you to gitmo as well.
OM: I dont even think they were given any money...maybe just to get into the good books since the States has been tough on the Kibaki govt. As for me, it can happen...these kenyan authorities are really mad. I can only pray.
Wasmaniac, its not necessarily money that is there for all the world to see. US is in the G8 and most of the influential commitees that Kenya knows that to get money somehow they have to be the master's dog. Its unfortunate the guy got sent away to gitmo but I don't believe Kenya is done weeding out people from their country. While I was in Kenya in Jan i remember meeting an acquintance of my mom and he relating a story of how his truck of goods was ambushed by kenyan and US personalle because they had an inkling they were transporting a terrorism tool. In doing so, they apprehended the wrong people and supposedly lost the right people. I was bemused by the tale but its sadly whats going on.
PS:- by the way whats the deal with the amount of robberies in Kenya especially high caliber ones. Every night I watched news in Kenya (whilst there) there were at least two robberies and a murder. Should one be applying for a gun's licence if one were to move there now?
SD
You came at a time when were in the middle of a crime wave but thankfully now its slowed down...about applying for a gun, you can do that but the process is too slow, alternatively, you can own one(illegaly) for less than $50.
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I am in SHOCK! What the hell, is all that kept running through my mind. This is so sad, I can't believe that even now Africa, and Kenya are pulled into this so-called war on terror (worst misnomer - should have been called Global War of Terror and Nightmares). I can't even imagine what will happen to this poor man in Guantanamo, that place is a hell-hole, and none ever leave.
It doesn't matter whether Kenya had extradition with the US, even countries who do can't get their citizens out of Guntanamo, but there is the difference, they didn't give them up in the first place.
What is the world coming to?!