Peace Corps Returns to Nepal; Withdraws from Honduras Without a Splash

                           Image via WikipediaOn January 17, the US Embassy in Kathmandu announced the return of the Peace Corps to Nepal after a seven year absence.  The announcement coincided with an event hosted by Prime Minister Bhattarai at his office in Singha Durbar and by Ambassador DeLisi at his residence. According to the embassy, the first group of approximately 20 Peace Corps volunteers is scheduled to arrive in Nepal later this year:

"The U.S. Agency for International Development’s collaboration with Peace Corps will build on the strengths and strategies of the U.S. Government’s Feed the Future and Global Health Initiatives partnership with Nepal to reach and impact many more vulnerable Nepalese across the country.  The volunteers will be trained as Agriculture and Nutrition Extensionists and will work with rural communities to improve food security and health of the Nepalese people in the context of the two Presidential Initiatives in Nepal."

The photos from the two events can be found at Flickr.  See also the embassy statement, and the Peace Corps announcement.

The bigger news, of course was the withdrawal of the Peace Corps from Honduras this week.  On January 16, the Peace Corps pulled out all volunteers from Honduras.  According to CBS, neither U.S. nor Honduran officials have said what specifically prompted them to withdraw the 158 Peace Corps volunteers. The report also notes that this is the first time Peace Corps mission have been withdrawn from Central America since civil wars swept the region in the 1970s and 1980s.

On December 21, Peace Corps released the following statement:

The Peace Corps is conducting an ongoing review of the security environment in Honduras, and has cancelled its next volunteer training class while this review is being conducted.


All 158 currently serving volunteers are safe and accounted for and will participate in a conference in January before returning to the United States on administrative leave. Peace Corps will review the safety and security climate in Honduras before continuing with volunteer operations.


“The safety and security of all Peace Corps volunteers is the agency’s highest priority,” said Peace Corps Director Aaron S. Williams. “During this time, we are going to conduct a full review of the program. We thank the people of Honduras for their strong support of Peace Corps over the years.”

But unlike the return of the Peace Corps to Nepal, one can't really tell what's going on if you look up US Embassy Honduras or the Peace Corps Honduras website.  Both are also on Facebook. Ambassador Kubiske herself is on Twitter. But nowhere is the departure of the Peace Corps volunteers mentioned, not even in warden messages to American citizens. Go ahead, take a look:

• http://www.facebook.com/peacecorps?sk=wall
• http://twitter.com/peacecorps
• http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=learn.wherepc.centralamerica&cntry=honduras
• http://twitter.com/USAmbHonduras
• http://www.facebook.com/embajadahonduras
• http://honduras.usembassy.gov/prl12.html
• http://honduras.usembassy.gov/messuscit2012.html

Peace Corps media arm has statements on a Peace Corps volunteer building a new clinic in Cameroon, on the Peace Corps return to Nepal, and PCVs leading 4 spelling bees in Armenia the last week alone, but absolutely nothing on the withdrawal of its volunteers from Honduras.

It's like if you don't mention it, it did not happen ....

According to CBS, on Jan. 24, 2011, a Peace Corps volunteer was robbed and raped near the village of Duyure in southern Honduras. Three men were reportedly found guilty of rape and robbery in that case, according to an employee of the regional court in the southern city of Choluteca who was not authorized to be quoted by name.

An entry in Peace Corps journals indicates that one of the volunteers in Honduras was also shot in an assault on a bus in early December.  After the announcement that Peace Corps was suspending Honduras’ February 2012 training group, a PCV notes:

"It has been two weeks since one of our volunteers here was shot in an assault on a bus, and this is the first e-mail that we have receive that really says anything. After two weeks of all of us volunteers e-mailing, texting, and calling each other talking about how we thought Peace Corps Honduras handled the situation with the injured volunteer, and what we thought was going to come of it all, it is nice to see some action being taken."

As the incident was called "a tragic case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time," another PCV reacts:

"Where my problem comes in with all of this, in my opinion, is the fact that Peace Corps is treating this incident as if the volunteer had been in a car accident or something more along those lines - something that was completely out of Peace Corps or Honduras‘s control. But, no, she was on a bus… this is a matter of Honduras being the most dangerous country in the world (that is not currently in a war), but it is as if Peace Corps Honduras doesn’t want to own up to that. In one of the e-mials, admin said “If we learn anything that would result in a need to change policy or travel guidance we will communicate that straight away.” So, as a result of this accident, their response is that they might just need to make another policy change. It seems to me that this is their response to everything - make another rule or policy change that will help to avoid situations like this in the future, but for this particular incident, I don’t think there is really anything that can be done. People have to travel in and out of San Pedro Sula and/or La Esperanza. There is no way to avoid that - we already have been instructed to make sure and not travel at night, especially in and out of San Pedro or Tegus, and this volunteer was certainly not - it was noon on a Sunday.


To make this situation worse, it was brought to volunteers attention the following day that there had actually been two other assaults on the same bus company over that week - but Peace Corps had not informed any volunteers of these incidents.

So statements and photos about the Peace Corps returning to Nepal when the first batch of volunteers are not even getting there until later this year, but nothing on the Peace Corps leaving Honduras when the departure of the 158 volunteers already occurred. Ow...

Related articles

• 158 Peace Corps Volunteers Leave Honduras (abcnews.go.com)
• Peace Corps evacuates Honduras over safety (cbsnews.com)
• Peace Corps cites safety in pullout from Honduras (sfgate.com)
• US Peace Corps to return to Nepal after 7 years (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

Peace Corps Officially Suspends Program in Kazakhstan, Digital Diplomacy Crash Lands!

Image via WikipediaYesterday, I posted about the reported suspension of Peace Corps operations in Kazakhstan.  (Read After 18 Yrs in Kazakhstan, Peace Corps Will Reportedly Suspend Operations Due to Safety Issues). Today, Peace Corps officially confirmed it. See statement below:

Washington, D.C. | November 18, 2011 -- Peace Corps has suspended its volunteer activities in Kazakhstan based on a number of operational considerations. All 117 Peace Corps volunteers serving in the country are safe and accounted for, and will soon be participating in a transition conference.

“The Peace Corps has made significant contributions to the development of Kazakhstan for almost two decades,” said Peace Corps Director Aaron S. Williams. “For the past 18 years, Peace Corps volunteers have worked alongside their Kazakhstan counterparts to create a lasting impact that lives on in schools, clinics, NGOs and community and youth centers throughout the country. We thank the government and people of Kazakhstan for welcoming Peace Corps volunteers into their communities, and we are grateful for their strong support and partnership over the years.”

Kazakhstan is celebrating its 20th anniversary of independence this year. According to the United Nations Development Programme’s Human Development Index, Kazakhstan is one of the most developed countries in the world to host a Peace Corps program.

Peace Corps has operated in Kazakhstan without interruption since 1993. Over 1,120 Americans have served in Kazakhstan since the program was established, working with communities in projects focused on teaching English, education, youth development, HIV/AIDS prevention, and community development.

Families with questions or concerns may contact the Peace Corps’ Counseling and Outreach unit, which maintains a 24-hour, 7 days a week duty system. The telephone number during standard office hours is (800) 424-8580, extension 1470; the after-hours number is (202) 692-1470.

"Operation considerations" ... sounds like they could not hire a truck or something.

No mention of the sexual assaults/rape incidents, or allegations of espionage against PCVs.  Apparently, there are also reports of racial persecution against African-American volunteers.  Read more here.

In the one case of espionage allegations, Alexander M. White, who joined the Peace Corps in 2010 took to his blog to write a personal statement addressing the allegations.  His case  made it to the local papers and his blog post on November 7, 2011 blares with the blog title,

Мен шпион емеспін: I am not a spy!

There doesn't seem to be any "rapid response" or "correction for the record" on this issue from either the U.S. Embassy or the Peace Corps office in Astana.  Why was it hard to release a statement clarifying the role of PCVs?  Would it have upset our partner in the GWOT? If this happened in Egypt or Pakistan, wouldn't the embassy have rolled out its "correction for the record" already?

"Persons who have been employed by an intelligence agency, or otherwise have been associated with intelligence activities, are ineligible to serve as volunteers in the Peace Corps. This exclusionary policy is one aspect of the broader, long-standing policy of maintaining an absolute separation between Peace Corps and intelligence activities conducted by the U.S. government. This absolute separation is necessary to protect volunteers' safety and to maintain the trust and confidence of the people in the countries in which volunteers serve."

The official Peace Corps statement above is not posted anywhere in the US Embassy Astana's website, not in the embassy's Facebook page, not in the US Peace Corps in Kazakhstan website and oh, Ambassador Fairfax's FB page talks about an outstanding article he read:

Ambassador Ken Fairfax:

I just read an outstanding article by Kazakhstan's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yerzhan Kazykhanov, on the need to improve relations between the Islamic countires and "the West." He makes great points by approaching the question from the perspective of Kazakhstan's multiethnic secular society and Kazakhstan's role as the current chair of the 57-country Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

The Peace Corps is pulling out of the country after 18 years of continuous operation and the embassy's media arm says nothing about it ... but we're told about what the ambassador is reading.

This is a great example of digital diplomacy crash landing in Kazakhstan!

Related articles

• US Peace Corps to quit Kazakhstan (telegraph.co.uk)
• Peace Corps to Quit Kazakhstan (abcnews.go.com)
• Peace Corps to quit Kazakhstan in Central Asia (sfgate.com)
• U.S. Peace Corps to Leave Kazakhstan (time.com)
• Peace Corps to Quit Kazakhstan (abcnews.go.com)

After 18 Yrs in Kazakhstan, Peace Corps Will Reportedly Suspend Operations Due to Safety Issues

The Peace Corps will reportedly leave Kazakhstan soon, with all volunteers pulled out of the country and the local staff disbanded. Unconfirmed reports indicate that this decision is due largely "to growing safety issues, including terrorism and what has become the highest sexual assault/rape level among PC countries worldwide."

Here is a quick background of the Peace Corps operation in Kazakhstan, the ninth largest country in the world, a country nearly four times the size of Texas and one of the United States favored partners in Central Asia.

Over 1,176 Peace Corps Volunteers have served in Kazakhstan since the program was established in 1993. Currently, 126 Volunteers are serving in Kazakhstan. Volunteers in this Central Asian nation work in the areas of education, organization and community development, HIV/AIDS with support from the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program, and youth development. English education Volunteers teach Kazakhstani students and also introduce local teachers to new methodologies through innovative team-teaching techniques. Organization and community development Volunteers help increase the capacity and technical skills of local community and non-governmental organizations; and youth development Volunteers teach work skills, healthy lifestyles and leadership to Kazakhstani youth. Volunteers are trained and work in Kazakh and Russian.

According to the State Department, the United States provided roughly $1.205 billion in technical assistance and investment support in the country between 1992 and 2005.

A PCV who blogs in Adventures in Kazakhstan writes:

"Yes Kazakhstan does currently rank number 1 among all Peace Corps for incidents of rape or sexual assault. Again, the extent to which this affected the decision to remove volunteers is unknown. I do not believe that Kazakhstan is an overly dangerous country. I have never truly felt threatened or unsafe. %90 percent of my experience has been positive, and the people here have ultimately expressed nothing but warmness, kindness, and hospitality. That being said, we did unfortunately have 4 (that I know of) incidents of rape/sexual assault within a 1-year period. While incidents do happen in every PC country, I think it is very rare to have this many incidents occur in such close proximity."

I don't know if one of those four incidents is this one which made it to the local papers on November 11, 2011.  Or if this case is the fifth.  See Peace Corps volunteer sexually abused in Karaganda oblast.

On Nov 2, the US Embassy in Astana released the following Emergency Message for U.S. citizens:

"In light of the explosions in Atyrau on October 31, 2011, the U.S. Mission encourages U.S. Citizens in Kazakhstan to review the most recent Worldwide Caution (see below). We urge U.S. citizens to exercise vigilance and to take measures for their own safety and security at all times. These measures include paying attention to surrounding circumstances and events, avoiding crowds, and keeping a low profile."

I've just reviewed Kazakhstan 2011 OSAC Crime and Safety Report: Astana, a report prepared annually by the U.S. Embassy.  There is no mention of rape anywhere. 

Email inquiries to both the US Embassy Astana and the Peace Corps office in Kazakhstan requesting confirmation for the suspension of operation have yet to receive a response.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
Photos from US Peace Corps/Kazakhstan/Flickr

Related articles

• Congress moves to protect Peace Corps volunteers (sfgate.com)
• Congress Passes Wilmer-Supported Legislation to Protect Peace Corp Volunteers (legaltimes.typepad.com)
• New Law Protects Peace Corps Volunteers (newser.com)

Iraq Reconstruction - Rogues' Hall of Shame from 2005-2011

 SIGIR | Convictions from Iraq Reconstruction

Related articles

• Reports: Prosecutions Going up for War Zone Crime (abcnews.go.com)
• State Department Refuses to Cooperate in Audit, Criticized for Handling of Iraqi Police Program (pogoblog.typepad.com)
• Iraq Projects to Need 'Robust' Oversight (online.wsj.com)
• CBI: We are not responsible for the loss of $17 billion, and our mandate formal Iraqi Development Fund (thecurrencynewshound.com)
• Prosecutions up in war zones (politico.com)
• US Iraqi police funding condemned (bbc.co.uk)

 

 

 

US Files Complaint Against Obiang Jr., Alleged Kleptocrat and Son of Equatorial Guinea Dictator

Via DOJ:

WASHINGTON – The U.S. government has filed civil forfeiture complaints against approximately $70.8 million in real and personal property, which the government alleges is the proceeds of foreign corruption offenses and was laundered in the United States, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director John Morton.

An amended civil forfeiture complaint has been unsealed in U.S. District Court in the Central District of California and a separate civil forfeiture complaint was filed today in the District of Columbia.   According to the complaints, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue (Nguema) used his position and influence as a government minister for Equatorial Guinea to acquire criminal proceeds through corruption and money laundering, in violation of both Equatoguinean and U.S. law.    According to the complaints, Nguema is the son of Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mbasogo (Obiang), the president of Equatorial Guinea.

“The complaints announced today allege that, on a modest government salary, Minister Nguema amassed wealth of over $100 million,” said Assistant Attorney General Breuer.   “While his people struggled, he lived the high life – purchasing a Gulfstream jet, a Malibu mansion and nearly $2 million in Michael Jackson memorabilia.   Alleging that these extravagant items are the proceeds of foreign official corruption, the Department of Justice is seeking to seize them through coordinated forfeiture actions.   Through our Kleptocracy Initiative, we are sending the message loud and clear: the United States will not be a hiding place for the ill-gotten riches of the world’s corrupt leaders.”

“This investigation was initiated by ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in an effort to identify Teodoro Nguema Obiang’s assets in the United States after he was suspected of obtaining his wealth from alleged illicit activities such as the misappropriation of public funds, theft, extortion and embezzlement of the nation’s natural resources,” said ICE Director Morton. “ICE HSI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners both here and abroad to hold these individuals accountable by denying them the enjoyment of their ill-gotten gains.”

According to the complaints, despite an official government salary of less than $100,000 per year, Nguema amassed more than $100 million during a period in which he and an inner circle of individuals who hold critical positions of political and economic power in Equatorial Guinea were the near-exclusive beneficiaries of the extraction and sale of that country’s natural resources .   Under Equatoguinean law, the natural resources belong to the people of Equatorial Guinea.   The complaints allege that Nguema used intermediaries and corporate entities to acquire numerous assets in the United States, including more than $1.8 million worth of Michael Jackson memorabilia, a $38.5 million Gulfstream G-V jet, a $30 million house in Malibu, Calif., and a 2011 Ferrari automobile valued at more than $530,000.

Read in full here.


Related posts:
Friday, March 26, 2010 | The Problem with Alleged Kleptocrats and Visas …

Sunday, February 27, 2011 | Global Witness: Son of Equatorial Guinea's dictator plans $380M superyacht

Related articles

• U.S. wants to recover $71 million allegedly amassed by son of president of Equatorial Guinea (cnn.com)
• DOJ Targets Assets In Equatorial Guinea Corruption Probe (legaltimes.typepad.com)
• US to seize assets from E Guinea (bbc.co.uk)
• Equatorial Guinea dictator's son 'splurged millions of impoverished country's money' (telegraph.co.uk)
• US Could Face Chill by Seizing E. Guinea Assets (abcnews.go.com)

The First Duty - One's Obligations In Correct Order

Via Secrecy News:

The Guide explains that when you are in the Army, your first duty is not to the Army, but to the U.S. Constitution.  “Put [your] obligations in correct order: the Constitution, the Army, the unit, and finally, self.”  See “The Soldier’s Guide,” Field Manual, 7-21.13, February 2004, with Change 1, September 20, 2011.

Thanks to a Hardworking Congress, Some Feds in the Garden Countries of I'Af/Pak to Lose Some Benefits

Stephen Losey of Federal Times reported last week that federal employees deployed to the I'Af/Pak region who are not in the Foreign Service have now lost numerous travel, medical and leave benefits because those benefits were not renewed by Congress after they expired Oct. 1. Excerpts:

The following benefits, which are available to Foreign Service officers, will no longer be available to non-Foreign Service personnel posted in Iraq, Afghanistan or Pakistan, according to the Office of Personnel Management:

• Reimbursement of travel costs when going home on leave.

• Reimbursement of travel costs when obtaining necessary medical care when such care is not available locally.
• Reimbursement of travel costs when evacuating family members who are in imminent danger.
• Reimbursement of travel costs when transporting furniture and other personal effects when moving to another duty station.
• Mandatory leave for employees who have returned home after a three-year deployment. Agencies also will no longer have the option to offer leave to employees who had served in a war zone for 18 months.
• Medical examinations, mental health care, inoculations, vaccinations and other preventative care.
• A death gratuity equal to one year's salary when an employee dies of injuries sustained while supporting military operations.

Read in full here.

I have not read the OPM notice but I am presuming that these changes applies to non-Foreign Service and non-Defense employees serving in those three priority countries.

The 2010 OIG review of US Embassy Pakistan indicates that there are some three dozens non-State and non-DOD personnel in that country (DEA: 16, FBI: 7, DHS: 4, BBG:1, DOE: 1, NAS: 8, Treasury: 1).

On the U.S. Embassy Iraq staffing -- well, trying to pin down the staffing number over there, is of course, rocket science and I simply do not have the brains for it. Also, with the military withdrawal and the embassy taking charge, a whole lot of big numbers are bring thrown around - 5,000 - 17,000.  Security people is a big component but not sure how many non-State/USAID and non-DOD personnel will continue to deploy in Iraq and our consulates there when all is said and done in 2011. 

Due to the recent "flavor of the month" in Afghanistan, the civilian uplift staffing picture there is a bit more clearer.  Seven civilian agencies (State/USAID excepted) account for about 26% of the total civilian uplift.  So all those folks, plus some three dozens in Pakistan and an undetermined number in Iraq will be affected by Congress' non-renewal of warzone benefits.

In short, if they need mental health care after service in the warzones, they're basically out of luck?

This will have an impact to the employees already deployed there, but may have a larger impact on recruitment of employees for the 2012 assignment and onward.

From SIGAR/State OIG

Below is an excerpt from the SIGAR/State OIG review of the civilian uplift in that country:

[...] State increased its civilian personnel deployed to Afghanistan from 192 in January 2009, to 501 in March 2011—an increase of 309 personnel.

State has an additional 81 authorized full-time equivalent positions for the civilian uplift as of May 31, 2011, but the positions are currently unfilled. According to State officials from the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA), they will continue to place additional civilian personnel in these positions through fiscal years 2011 and 2012.

USAID had the second largest presence of any agency prior to the start of the uplift. USAID personnel increased from 85 in January 2009 to 307 as of March 2011, an increase of 222 personnel. USAID has an additional 80 authorized positions for Afghanistan that are currently unfilled. According to USAID officials, they will continue to place additional U.S. civilians in these positions in fiscal years 2011 and 2012.

As of June 2011, the other seven civilian agencies with a presence in Afghanistan accounted for an increase of 189 personnel, or approximately 26 percent of the total civilian uplift. These agencies provide personnel at the request and direction of the Chief of Mission in Afghanistan and State officials in Washington in order to meet the mission’s strategic goals. The Chief of Mission determines the number of authorized civilian uplift positions in consultation with each department.

DOJ accounted for an increase of 78 personnel, or 11 percent, of the total civilian uplift. The majority of these uplift personnel are employees of the Drug Enforcement Administration who work on mentoring and training Afghan law enforcement entities in an effort to promote the rule of law. In addition, they provide leadership and guidance in the conduct of bilateral counternarcotics investigations and operations. USDA has deployed 59 civilian uplift personnel as of June 2011, representing eight percent of the total civilian uplift. These employees primarily mentor Afghan government officials at the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock.

The remaining five agencies account for approximately seven percent of the total civilian uplift. DHS personnel advise, mentor, and train Afghan border, customs, and related entities to enforce Afghan customs and immigration law. Treasury places technical experts at Afghan government ministries where they provide assistance in four areas: strengthening budget and financial accountability, combating economic crimes and corruption, building internal audit capacity and increasing non-tax revenues, and achieving debt relief and improving debt management. Transportation personnel advise officials at the Afghan Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation on issues such as civil aviation law and surface transportation planning. HHS personnel work on health programs, such as programs to strengthen maternal and child health services in Afghanistan. Finally, Commerce personnel assist with efforts to promote Afghanistan’s economic development and trade. 

Related item:       
SIGAR Audit-11-17 & State OIG AUD/SI-11-45 Civilian Uplift | September 8, 2011

USG Employee's Security Clearance Revoked Because His US Citizen Wife Went to an Islamic School?

Image via WikipediaU.S. Citizen Mahmoud M. Hegab worked as a budget analyst at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) until last year when his Top Secret/SCI security clearance was suddenly revoked. The revocation of his clearance was apparently due to the fact that his newlywed wife who is a U.S. citizen had graduated from an Islamic school located in the D.C. area. Also that she had participated in an ‘anti-war occupation protest in Washington’” on the grounds of the Washington monument, and that she had engaged in pro-Palestinian political activity while a student at George Mason University.

The wife had since graduated from GMU. And if the anti-war protest happened outside of Washington, would it have made a difference?

Last week Mr. Hegab filed a lawsuit against the NGA seeking reinstatement of his clearance. Mr. Hegab's complaint includes a rebuttal of the allegations against his wife.

Am I the only one who find this something out of the twilight zone? This is the United States of America. And here is a U.S. citizen forced to go to court to defend himself against "allegations" against his wife?

Quick excerpts from the court filing (h/t to Secrecy News):

5. Mahmoud M. Hegab, plaintiff, is a United States citizen who was employed by defendant, NGA.

8. Plaintiff was employed by NGA on January 4, 2010 in the position of Financial/Budget Analyst.

9. During plaintiff’s employment by NGA, he held a Top Secret security clearance and Access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI). There were no problems with plaintiff’s employment and his performance was well regarded by his supervisors.

11. Bushra Nusairat is an American citizen, who at the time of her marriage to plaintiff was residing in Fairfax County, Virginia, and who has continued to reside in Fairfax County Virginia with plaintiff since their marriage.

12. By memorandum dated November 2, 2010, which plaintiff received on November 18, 2010, NGA notified plaintiff of its intent to revoke his security clearance and his access to classified information. The proposed revocation was based in part, on his marriage to Ms. Nusarait, and in part on information previously disclosed by plaintiff as part of his security clearance investigation in 2009 which had been reviewed, discussed and cleared by NGA prior to his being hired and being granted a security clearance by NGA.

24. With respect to his wife, Ms. Nusairat, plaintiff responded that his wife “is a U.S. citizen residing in the U.S. who has never been accused of any illegal activity or being associated with any illegal activity.”

35. NGA’s decision did not resolve all issues. It further continued:

However, the information provided does not mitigate your
spouse’s current affiliation with one or more organizations which consist of groups who are organized largely around their non-United States origin and/or the advocacy of or involvement in foreign political issues. This concern elevates the potential for conflicts of interest between your obligation to protect sensitive or classified United States information and technology and your desire to help a foreign person, group, or country by providing that information. (Emphasis added).

53. Plaintiff renewed his argument that his wife’s employment by Islamic Relief USA did not constitute a security risk, that the action taken was solely due to the anti-Islamic bias of NGA’s security personnel, and that the revocation of Plaintiff’s security clearance and access was in violation of his constitutional rights and privileges.

Read the complaint in full here.

Related articles

• Report to Congress: 4.2M hold security clearances (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Ex-worker sues secretive US agency, alleging bias (sfgate.com)

Snapshot: Cost of One Civilian Employee, One Year in Afghanistan? $425,926 - $570,998

Estimate of costs to deploy a civilian employee to Afghanistan for one year. I'll have the details in a separate post:

Source: SIGAR Audit-11-17 & State OIG AUD/SI-11-45 Civilian Uplift

Peace Corps Volunteer Jesse Osmun Charged with Sexually Abusing Children in South Africa

Via DOJ | August 4, 2011:

WASHINGTON - A Peace Corps volunteer was arrested today and charged in a federal criminal complaint with traveling from the United States to South Africa to engage in illicit sexual conduct with multiple children who were all younger than six years of age. 

The arrest and charge were announced by Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney David B. Fein for the District of Connecticut; Kathy A. Buller, Peace Corps Inspector General; and Bruce M. Foucart, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) office in Boston.

The criminal complaint alleges that Jesse Osmun, 31, of Milford, Conn., traveled to South Africa on Jan. 29, 2010.   On March 25, 2010, Osmun was sworn in as a Peace Corps volunteer and began service as a volunteer at the Umvoti Aids Center (UAC) in Greytown, South Africa.   The UAC is a non-governmental organization that provides support to the residents of the Greytown area affected by the AIDS virus.   UAC also provides education, food and other child development services to children between the ages of three and 15.   The UAC also has a center for the younger children often referred to as the preschool.        

According to the complaint, Osmun, while volunteering at the UAC preschool, sexually molested at least five minor girls, all of whom were under the age of six, for approximately one year.   The complaint also alleges that Osmun engaged in illicit sexual conduct with one of the girls, who is approximately five-years-old, twice a week over the course of five months.  

“Mr. Osmun is charged with a shocking breach of the power entrusted to him as a Peace Corps volunteer,” said Assistant Attorney General Breuer.  “Allegedly, he repeatedly sexually abused five minor girls under the age of six -- horrific crimes.  Along with the international operation we announced yesterday -- Operation Delego -- this case is another example that the Justice Department will do everything in its power to bring to justice those who would exploit children, whether at home or abroad.”

“This defendant is alleged to have sexually abused very young girls, sometimes in exchange for candy, while he served as a Peace Corps volunteer at an AIDS center in South Africa,” said U.S. Attorney Fein.   “We are committed to prosecuting those who sexually exploit children, the most vulnerable in society, in this country and abroad.   I want to commend the diligent, swift and coordinated efforts of the Peace Corps’ Office of Inspector General and ICE Homeland Security Investigations in investigating this matter and arresting this individual.”

“We are committed to vigorous investigation and prosecution of those who exploit the mission of the Peace Corps to prey on innocent victims,” said Peace Corps Inspector General Buller.

“This arrest represents the very essence of the determination of federal, state and local law enforcement authorities to capture an individual whose primary objective, allegedly, was to sexually abuse vulnerable children,” said ICE HSI Special Agent in Charge Foucart.  “I hope that this arrest sends a clear message that we will continue to aggressively pursue individuals who engage in this behavior to ensure that there is no place to hide here in the United States or anywhere in the world.”

After being confronted by the UAC program manager in May 2011, Osmun resigned from the Peace Corps.   Osmun returned to the United States on June 2, 2011.

Following Osmun’s arrest today at his Milford residence, he appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Holly B. Fitzsimmons in Bridgeport, Conn., and has been ordered detained.

If convicted of the charge of traveling outside of the United States to engage in sexual conduct with a minor, Osmun faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

A complaint is an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

This case is being investigated by the Peace Corps Office of Inspector General and ICE HSI.   Investigative assistance has been provided by members of the South African Police Service (SAPS); ICE’s attaché office in Pretoria, South Africa; the ICE Cybercrimes Center in Fairfax, Va., and the U.S. Department of State’s regional security office in Durban, South Africa.   The case is being prosecuted by U.S. Attorney Fein, Assistant U.S. Attorney Krishna R. Patel and Trial Attorney Bonnie Kane of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.

The USDOJ press statement says that Osmun returned to the United States on June 2, 2011. It looks like he was active on Twitter - http://twitter.com/#!/jesseosmun and LinkedIn - http://www.linkedin.com/in/jesseosmun; and also has a blog at http://jesseosmun.tk/; blogposts and tweets were current until August 4, the day of his arrest.

The day after his arrest, the US Embassy in South Africa released the following statement:

Statement on Arrest of Former Peace Corps Volunteer | August 05, 2011

The statement below should be attributed to Elizabeth Kennedy Trudeau, Spokesperson of the United States Embassy.

The United States Embassy is aware that a former Peace Corps volunteer has been arrested in connection with allegations regarding sexual abuse during an assignment in South Africa.

The Peace Corps was made aware of these allegations after the individual resigned from the Peace Corps, and departed from South Africa.

We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness. We are committed to working with South African and American authorities to investigate, and if these allegations are true, to hold the individual accountable.

As this is an ongoing criminal matter, we cannot comment on the specifics of this case. However,  we are engaging with both United States and South African authorities to determine the next steps.

For more information U.S. Embassy:  Elizabeth Kennedy Trudeau | trudeauek@state.gov | 012-431-4217 | 079-111-8280

A graduate of Southern Connecticut State University with a BA in English (2004)  and Colby Sawyer College where he studied Psychology from 1998-2000, this is how he describes himself in his blog:

I am a 31 year old former Peace Corps volunteer, blogger, nonprofit worker, grant writer and self-professed Africa Lover. I’m extremely passionate about helping nonprofits and new NGO’s connect with African communities and organizations in a way that is mutually beneficial. I recently spent over a year in South Africa working with a small NGO to build capacity around HIV/AIDS programming and develop as an organization. Prior to that I worked in Kenya for 10 months with orphans as well as older school children. I am currently looking for my next adventure in the world of development.

Related articles

• S.African children may have stopped sex predator (sfgate.com)
• Man charged with child sex abuse in Peace Corps (cbsnews.com)
• Peace Corps condemns alleged abuse by volunteer (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Jesse Osmun, Sex Predator And Peace Corps Volunteer, Outed By Kids At AIDS Shelter (huffingtonpost.com)
• Peace Corps volunteer charged with sexual abuse of children in Africa (cnn.com)

 

 

 

 

US Congress on Super Stoopid Ride: Saving $16 Million at a Cost of $364 Million

As if the debt ceiling theater was not badly scripted and terribly acted enough. 

Congress went on vacay even as the partial shutdown of the Federal Aviation Administration deactivated some 74,000 employees (FAA, construction workers, etc) and resulted in a loss to the U.S. Treasury of some $30 million a day.

The CSMonitor reports on the newly announced deal that is good until next month when Congress returns to do a cha-cha:

Funding for the FAA expired on July 23, following nearly four years of short-term extensions. Both the House and the Senate have passed long-term FAA funding bills that clashed on partisan and parochial issues, such as rules that make it tougher to organize unions and subsidies to rural airports.

Since members of the House have already left town, the deal involves the Senate’s passing of a House measure extending funding for the FAA through Sept. 16, in a vote expected on Friday. The agreement also frees up $2.5 billion in federal grants for delayed construction projects. Congress will return to the outstanding issues in September.

Well, that's dumb, okay, but here is what's even more stupid, as stupid does it in Washington, D.C. Congress was trying to save money by defunding rural airports at the tune of $16 million. Funding for FAA expired on July 23, at a cost of some $30 million a day in lost revenue to the U.S. Treasury. So our elected representatives in Congress, so wise and smart managed to saved $16 million at a cost of $364 million in lost fees in the last couple of weeks.

In what other universe is this type of stupidity acceptable?

Dear U.S. Congress, the Chinese are falling off their chairs laughing at all of us, and why not?!  With this kind of elected representatives, what else can possibly go wrong? 

Related articles

• FAA standoff costing jobs, heavy losses to U.S. Treasury (timesunion.com)
• FAA Shutdown: Deal Announced This Afternoon (abcnews.go.com)
• Deal Reached To Restore FAA Funding (outsidethebeltway.com)
• FAA Shutdown To Continue In Partisan Standoff (huffingtonpost.com)

 

 

 

 

US Embassy Mexico: Kept in the Dark on ATF's Fast and Furious Escapades

Richard A. Serrano of LAT's Washington Bureau reports that officials at the US Embassy in  Mexico raised concerns that U.S. guns were showing up at crime scenes in Mexico. But ATF officials kept the embassy in the dark about the operation to sell weapons to straw purchasers to trace smuggling routes.

If true, this is an excellent example of interagency uncooperation. Excerpt:

As weapons from the United States increasingly began showing up at homicide scenes in Mexico last summer, U.S. Embassy officials cabled Washington that authorities needed to focus on small-time operators supplying guns to the drug cartels.

Embassy officials did not know that at least some of the weapons were part of an ill-fated sting run by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, in which illegal straw purchasers were allowed to buy guns so smuggling routes into Mexico could be traced. Ultimately, ATF lost track of an estimated 1,700 weapons that were part of the so-called Fast and Furious operation, which began in November 2009.

Active links added above. Read the whole thing here.

LAT has also obtained a copy of an SBU telegram (sensitive but unclassified) from US Embassy Mexico dated July 2, 2010 sent via SMART with the subject "Mexico Weapons Trafficking - The Blame Game." The cable includes the names of the drafting officer, clearance officers (EXEC, POL, ATF, CBP, ICE). Click here to read the cable.

Fast and Furious was somebody's dumb idea masquerading as a light bulb, approved by several somebodies who sign off on it. But nobody with spine and integrity has come forward to claim this exhibit in "poor judgment." I'm waiting for a top dog to step to the podium and announced to all interested that "mistakes were made."    

Related articles

• Report details objections in ATF to 'Fast and Furious' sting - Washington Post (news.google.com)
• ATF 'stonewalled' agents on botched gun probe, report says (cnn.com)
• Justice's Bungled Gun Sting (thedailybeast.com)
• Report: Fast and Furious 'Armed' Cartel for 'War' (foxnews.com)

 

 

 

AGNA PR: ArmorGroup North America Reaches Settlement and Oh, There Has Been No Finding or Admission of Liability

I have recently posted about the settlement reached by AGNA with the U.S. Government relating to allegations about its U.S. Embassy Kabul guard contract (read Armor Group North America (AGNA) and Affiliates Pay $7.5 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations on US Embassy Kabul $189 Million Guard Contract | Friday, July 8, 2011).

AGNA has now released a statement about the settlement, not only disputing the Government's assertion, but also says its former employee's allegations lacked merit and points to the terms of the Settlement Agreement -- that "is is entered by the parties to avoid costly and disruptive litigation – and that there has been no finding or admission of liability."

Via PRNewswire:

ArmorGroup North America Reaches Settlement with Dept. of Justice Resolving Former Employee's Allegations

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla., July 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Today's settlement with the Justice Department involves conduct by personnel of ArmorGroup North America ("AGNA") prior to acquisition of ArmorGroup by G4S plc – and marks an end to the Government's inquiries regarding AGNA's performance of the US Embassy Kabul ("USEK") contract.

We sharply dispute all the Justice Department's assertions that there was a violation of the False Claims Act.  When G4S acquired ArmorGroup, it was aware that AGNA had difficulty in successfully performing the USEK contract.  Following the acquisition, WSI (a G4S subsidiary) took the necessary steps to improve AGNA's performance on the USEK contract and to rectify any outstanding issues.  At all times, the Embassy was secure.  The company conducted an extensive investigation of AGNA's pre-acquisition conduct – and worked closely with Justice Department lawyers, providing them thousands of pages of documents and the opportunity to interview ArmorGroup personnel.  We know that the evidence does not support the Government's allegations of a False Claims Act violation. 

We are adamantly opposed to any form of human trafficking, including use of prostitutes.  The Government alleges that, in 2007, AGNA was four months late in implementing the specific anti-human trafficking policy required under federal regulations and claims that some unidentified AGNA personnel frequented prostitutes during this 4-month period.  At all times AGNA prohibited any form of human trafficking, and did not tolerate violations.  Importantly, the specific policy required by Federal regulations was implemented by AGNA prior to the ArmorGroup's acquisition by G4S.  The sole individual confirmed to have frequented prostitutes was fired by AGNA in normal course when his conduct became known.   Further, the Government's allegations regarding the hiring of third country national guards and AGNA's compliance to FOCI requirements are not supported by the facts – nothing in AGNA's conduct violated the False Claims Act.

This case involves allegations made by a former employee.  The company's investigation and the investigation of the Government both confirmed that these allegations arose largely from a personal animosity of that former employee toward AGNA's supervisor of the work at the Embassy – another former employee who is named specifically in the Complaint, Mr. Nick Du Plessis.  Based on the company's review conducted as part of this case, Mr. Du Plessis was, in fact, an effective leader who played a key role in keeping the Embassy secure, and has been disparaged unfairly by the allegations.  The former employee's allegations are set forth in a Complaint filed with the Court in 2009 and also in the Settlement Agreement released by the Government today.  The company's investigation confirmed that the former employee's allegations lacked merit. 

The Government declined to intervene generally in the former employee's allegations.  Disappointingly, the Government decided that it would intervene in the case with regard to three specific issues which are narrowly described in the Settlement Agreement.  The settlement resolves with finality the three Government issues – and includes a release by the former employee of all of his allegations. 

The terms of the Settlement Agreement make clear that it is entered by the parties to avoid costly and disruptive litigation – and that there has been no finding or admission of liability.

Nick Schwellenbach, POGO's Director of Investigations writes: "The settlement is a victory for accountability, but ultimately may be unsatisfying for critics of the government's less-than-robust oversight of contractors. Can we really expect other contractors to see this settlement as a wake-up call? The State Department fell asleep at the switch with AGNA and still has yet to prove that it's serious about contract oversight and enforcement of trafficking in persons regulations."

Not sure I'd call it a wake up call.  Just that the "get out of court" card can be expensive.

Related articles

• "Spring Break in Kabul" Contractor Settles for $7.5 Million After DOJ Joins Whistleblower Lawsuit (pogoblog.typepad.com)
• Security Company Paid $7.5 Million After Complaints (nytimes.com)
• ArmorGroup settles Kabul guard case for $7.5M (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• US Embassy sex scandal costs company $7.5 million (rt.com)

 

 

 

 

Armor Group North America (AGNA) and Affiliates Pay $7.5 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations on US Embassy Kabul $189 Million Guard Contract

I have posted here previously about the lawsuit filed by James Gordon, the former ArmorGroup North America (AGNA) Director of Operations under a False Claims Act whistleblower retaliation case against his former employer relating to the U.S. Embassy Kabul guard contract (see Lawsuit Filed Against US Embassy Kabul Contractor AGNA (Friday, September 11, 2009).

Today this statement was released by the Justice Department's press shop:

WASHINGTON - Armor Group North America Inc. (AGNA) and its affiliates have paid the United States $7.5 million to resolve allegations that AGNA submitted false claims for payment on a State Department contract to provide armed guard services at the U.S.   Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, the Justice Department announced today. The settlement resolves U.S. claims that in 2007 and 2008, AGNA guards violated the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) by visiting brothels in Kabul, and that AGNA’s management knew about the guards’ activities. The settlement also resolves allegations that AGNA misrepresented the prior work experience of 38 third country national guards it had hired to guard the Embassy, and that AGNA failed to comply with certain Foreign Ownership, Control and Influence mitigation requirements on the embassy contract, and on a separate contract to provide guard services at a Naval Support Facility in Bahrain. 

The settlement resolves a whistleblower suit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.   The lawsuit was initially filed under seal by James Gordon against AGNA, ArmorGroup International plc, G4S plc and Wackenhut Services Inc. under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private individuals, called “relators”, to bring lawsuits on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the proceeds of a settlement or judgment awarded against a defendant.   Mr. Gordon will receive $1.35 million of the settlement proceeds.   During 2007 and early 2008, Mr. Gordon was employed by AGNA, as its director of operations. 

The case remained under seal to permit the United States to investigate the allegations and determine whether it would join the lawsuit.   Under the False Claims Act, the United States may recover three times the amount of its losses, plus civil penalties.   On April 29, 2011, the United States joined the suit. 

“These contracts are put in place to provide essential support to personnel who are serving in our missions overseas,” said Tony West, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division.  “The Department of Justice will actively pursue its legal remedies where contractors falsely claim taxpayer dollars for services that fall short of material requirements in their government contracts.”

“Americans deserve to know that their tax dollars are being spent wisely and consistent with our values,” said U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. “Our office has targeted government contractors who fail to meet their obligations to the American people. With this settlement, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has now recovered more than $140 million in False Claims Act cases so far this year.”

“The Department of State appreciates the work done by the Department of Justice and the Office of the Inspector General in bringing this case to resolution. The Department of State  takes any allegation of contractor misconduct seriously and works as part of the inter-agency community to ensure it is adjudicated properly,” said Ambassador Eric J. Boswell, Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security.

The Deputy Inspector General for the Department of State, Harold Geisel, said, “We’re pleased with the successful resolution of this case, and I commend the dedication of our OIG investigators.   Our efforts should reinforce to American taxpayers that oversight of their tax dollars is taken seriously.”

Assistant Attorney General West and U.S. Attorney Machen thanked the joint investigation team, which includes Special Agents with the Department of State Office of Inspector General, and representatives from the Department of State and the Department of the Navy, for their efforts in the investigation of this matter.

Senate documents indicate that on March 12, 2007, the State Department awarded a $189 million contract to provide security services at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, to ArmorGroup North America, Inc. (“AGNA”), a subsidiary of the British-owned ArmorGroup International. Under the contract, AGNA is required to provide “a highly-trained, professional security force” to “protect life and property, prevent unauthorized access, maintain order, and deter criminal activity in and around the U.S. Mission in Afghanistan.”

So --  $7.5 million to resolve allegations with Mr. Gordon receiving $1.35 million of the settlement proceeds.  For a contract worth $189 million dollars, that's a pretty good deal.

In fall 2010, Danger Room notes that a task order issued by the State Department under the Worldwide Protective Services to protect the U.S. Embassy in Kabul went to EOD Technology, "a global firm which has in the past guarded the British and Canadian embassies in the Afghan capital:

"And that means ArmorGroup North America — last seen with its guards taking tequila shots out of each others’ butts and engaging in extracurricular sex trafficking — has lost a contract worth nearly $274 million over five years."

In March this year, Knoxvillebiz.com reported that the State Department has fired EOD Technology, based in East Tennessee less than six months after the company won the $274 million job and three months after federal agents raided its headquarters.

The State Department said then that ArmorGroup will be extended for at least the next four months while it assesses options for replacing EOD Technology. Which means the State Department is struck with ArmorGroup North America until this month. Or longer if there is a search for a new contractor.



Related posts:
Kabul Embassy Security Force contract now combined with Baghdad Embassy contract and WPPS II into one base Worldwide Protective Services (WPS) contract (Thursday, October 28, 2010)

Lawsuit Filed Against US Emb Kabul Contractor AGNA (Friday, September 11, 2009)

POGO writes to Secretary Clinton about US Embassy Kabul Guards (Tuesday, September 1, 2009)

Security Contracts at US Embassy Kabul (Friday, June 12, 2009)


Related item:
New Information About the Guard Force Contract at the US Embassy in Kabul | Majority Staff Analysis | Prepared for Chairman Claire McCaskill

Flying the Unfriendly Skies: Up Next - Screening for Body Implants?

NBC broke the news that the U.S. government has told overseas airlines that fly into the country that foreign terrorists have discussed the possibility of surgically implanting explosive devices into air travelers. Just so you won't get scared out of your wits, NBC adds:

"There is no indication of a plot at the moment, according to an official familiar with the intelligence. Instead, terrorists are considering how devices or components could be implanted in passengers flying into the U.S. from abroad."

Right after the underpants bomber's failed attempt, I wondered how long before breast implants make it to the official warning lingo.

On March 2010, DHS/CBP issued a female suicide bomber threat assessment. Via Public Intelligence:

"Al-Qa’ida, reportedly, is considering using breast implants as a means to conceal explosives, which would be detonated by a liquid filled syringe that would replicate diabetics injecting insulin. Diabetic supplies (insulin and syringes) are not prohibited items on airliners."

But the latest report is not even talking about just breast implants. Do you have any idea how many kinds of body implants are out there?

According to bodyimplants.com, implants for medical or functional reasons are implant surgery (pec implants, calf implants, deltoid implants, bicep/tricep implants) that include surgical reconstruction of affected areas due to vehicular mishaps, injuries or congenital issues. Body implants for aesthetic reasons include buttock implants, cosmetic hip implants, and breast implant procedures which are "largely driven by individual wants and expectations."

But those are not the only implants done out there.  The Wikipedia list also includes the following that all sounds painful:

• Collarbone piercing
• Deep chest piercing
• Eyeball implant
• Genital beading and genital ribs
• Forehead Horn implants
• Magnetic implants
• 3D implant
• Transdermal implant

These procedures are apparently not easy nor are they performed by all cosmetic surgeons; they also are not cheap. Note that Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula's parcel bomb plot aka: 'Operation Hemorrhage' reportedly only cost $4,200 -- about how much a fancy coffee machine cost in US dollars.  Body implants on the other hand such as breast implants can cost anywhere from $5,000-$8,000; butt implants from $7,500-$9,000; tummy tuck from $7,500-$10,000, not sure how much is a tummy bump, can't plant a bomb in a flat stomach, right?

One of the talking heads on teevee said that surgical implantation is hard and that AQ has yet to perfect this.  Of course. Even if this is all talk, if this catches on and TSA reacts with another layer of screening and folks get scared out of their wits, then even the scaredy talk has done its part in advancing the goals of the terrorists; if not casualties then widespread fear.  On the other hand, given that there was an unsuccessful anal cavity bomber in 2009, this cannot be underestimated. The bad guys out there may be willing to die of tetanus or on the practice table of a rogue cosmetic/implant surgeon in the name of their cause. With enough practice, they may even deliver an eyeball implant that shoots death rays one of these days or a super EMP burst from an eyeball that can knock out the plane's electronic systems.

But not to lose sleep or anything, Danger Room reports on the next stage of job creation in the airport security industry:

"Already, airport security companies cackling at the chance to develop new detection tech for surgically implanted bombs. An Indiana company claims to have developed an imagery machine that can find “explosive materials, narcotics, and low-density plastics hidden inside or outside of the human body,” according to its CEO, by analyzing X-rays scattered or refracted from the body’s soft tissue."

Every scaredy news is a business opportunity.

Related articles

• U.S. government warns airlines about human bomb implants (theglobeandmail.com)
• Surgically implanted bombs possible, but unlikely (cbsnews.com)
• U.S. warns airlines that terrorists pursuing 'body bombs' (ctv.ca)
• Everyone P-P-Panic! The Joker al-Qaida is Sewing Bombs Into People! (wired.com)
• Testicle Implants: Are They Right for You? (everydayhealth.com)
• TSA Airport Scanners Wouldn't Catch an Implant Bomber (propublica.org)

 

 

 

DHS/CBP Inspector Gets 17 Years in Prison for Alien Smuggling, Drug Smuggling and Bribery

Image via WikipediaVia DOJ/U.S. Attorney’s Office Southern District of Texas

BROWNSVILLE, TX—Former Customs and Border Protection (CBP) inspector Luis Enrique Ramirez, 39, has been sentenced to a total of 204 months in federal prison, United States Attorney José Angel Moreno announced today. Ramirez, of Brownsville, Texas, was convicted in March 2011, following his guilty plea to conspiring to transport certain aliens within the United States, bringing in a certain aliens into the United States for private financial gain, accepting bribes in his capacity as a government official, and possessing with intent to distribute a quantity exceeding five kilograms of cocaine.

Ramirez, 38, of Brownsville, pleaded guilty on March 3, 2011. At that time, Ramirez admitted that between November 2007 and January 2009, while employed as a CBP officer, he was a member of a drug trafficking organization. He admitted that on Dec. 17, 2008, he allowed a co-conspirator to drive a vehicle laden with 12 kilograms of cocaine into the United States via a vehicle primary inspection lane he was manning at the time. Ramirez also admitted that between July 2008 through January 2009, he conspired with others to bring illegal aliens into the United States and to transport them furthering their illegal presence in the United States for commercial advantage and private financial gain and accepting bribes to influence him in his official capacity as a CBP officer.

Ramirez received the statutory maximum 120 months for each of the two counts of alien smuggling counts, the statutory maximum of 180 months for the bribery conviction, as well as 204 months for drug smuggling. All sentences are to run concurrently. Following his prison term, he will also serve 10 years of supervised release. As part of his sentence, U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen also entered a money judgment in the amount of $500,000 against the defendant, a sum representing the proceeds of Ramirez’s criminal activity, to the United States.

Ramirez’s sentence includes upward adjustments or increases in his calculated sentencing guideline range because he recruited other individuals, he was a public official, he received more than one bribe, he received more than $5,000 in bribes and he was in a high level or sensitive position and used his position as a public official to facilitate the illegal entry persons and narcotics into United States.

Ramirez has been in custody since his arrest, where he will remain pending transfer to a Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future where he will serve out his sentence.

A public official who sold himself for half a million dollars. This did say for two counts of alien smuggling, but not sure that means he only assisted two individuals gained illegal entry to the United States. Mr. Ramirez also received "more than one bribe" but how many more is that.  In any case, if he serve his entire sentence, he'll be 55 by the time he gets out of jail.

Related articles

• Corruption adds to problems on the border (chron.com)
• National Guard to Deploy Troops to Mexican Border (gloucestercitynews.net)
• "DHS: An Acceptable Level of Illegal Migration; a Downsized Border Patrol?" and related posts (thewesterner.blogspot.com)

 

 

 

What happens when America's ambassadors of hope and compassion return home as victims of rape and institutional neglect?

Image via Wikipedia

Last year, Peace Corps volunteer, JBrown quit after serving seven months in Guatemala.  And since this is the 21st century, he blogged about his experience. He posted then that "the Peace Corps is a wonderful organization with the capability to enact change all over the globe, but it is also severely flawed."  In this post, he wrote, "there is a dark side to the development organization with the cuddly name. [...] In the end, it's about people; Peace Corps administration interactions with Peace Corps Volunteers and Peace Corps Volunteer interactions with host communities are just two examples of important relationships that must form for a successful Peace Corps experience to ensue. When individuals are treated like numbers, problems arise. I am not just a number, which is kind of what I felt like during my time in the Peace Corps."

Yesterday, May 11, the House Foreign Affairs Committee held a full hearing on Peace Corps at 50. Click on the links below to read the testimonies. Be warned -- some have graphic, disturbing contents; the most disturbing is the institution's response. As this story was reported widely yesterday, the Peace Corps said it will revamp its training videos (oh, whiskey-tango-foxtrot!). CBS News says it has learned that just four days ago a Peace Corps volunteer reported a rape in West Africa.

    

Panel 1: Problems of Safety and Security

• Ms. Jessica Smochek, Former Peace Corps Volunteer
• Ms. Carol Clark, Former Peace Corps Volunteer
• Karestan Chase Koenen, Ph.D., Former Peace Corps Volunteer
• Ms. Lois Puzey, Parent of Late Peace Corps Volunteer
• Ms. Jennifer Wilson Marsh, Hotline and Affiliate Service Director
  RAINN

Panel 2: Assessment and Reform

• The Honorable Aaron S. Williams, Peace Corps Director

Panel 3: A View from the Inspector General

• Ms. Kathy A. Buller

Webcast 

From Ms. Clark, a PCV told that the local men are respectful, detailed a brutal 15-hour long rape and beating:

Weeks later, I realized that I had become pregnant with the child of my rapist. I
was terrified and disgusted. I returned to Kathmandu, where I saw a nurse who
confirmed my fears. She reported the pregnancy to the Peace Corps Medical Officer, who reported it to the Country Director and to Peace Corps’ headquarters in Washington, DC. The Peace Corps’ response was that I would need to choose immediately whether to terminate my pregnancy or terminate my service with the Peace Corps.
[...]
And the problem of sexual assault against Peace Corps Volunteers hasn’t
diminished since my service. Sadly, the three most recent years for which the Peace Corps has released statistics have seen the greatest number of assaults. The women trusting their lives to the Peace Corps every year cannot wait two more decades for the Peace Corps’ sexual assault policies to organically mature. The Peace Corps needs help, guidance, and greater accountability. 

From Karestan Chase Koenen, Ph.D., who joined the Peace Corps in 1991:

Purportedly in furtherance of making the Peace Corps safer for other volunteers, I was also sent to speak with a staff member of the Inspector General’s Office. This experience was a particular low in my mind. I went to her having been told that she was trying to learn more about the negative in-country experiences of female Peace Corps Volunteers, in order to improve our situation. It was clear from the beginning of the meeting, however, that her interest was in discrediting my story. When she asked why I was there, I told her I had been raped in Niger and had been sent to talk to her. I can still clearly remember how she responded. She said: “I am so sick of you girls going over there, drinking, dancing and flirting, and then, if a guy comes on to you, you say you have been raped when you have lead them on.”
[...]
The Peace Corps’ legal “assistance” was equally disappointing. When I decided I
wanted to prosecute my perpetrator—encouraged by two other female PCV’s who had been raped and had prosecuted—my statement was given to the police in Niger who apprehended and questioned P. He was released after questioning. After this, I spoke with the American in-country Peace Corps director about my case. I said I wanted to prosecute, and he responded: “It’s your word against his. He said you wanted to have sex and we believe him.” It was at that point that I decided I needed to give up on the Peace Corps and return home to New Jersey.

From Ms. Lois Puzey, Mother of Slain Peace Corps Volunteer Kate Puzey:

The Peace Corps was extremely reluctant to give us any information about the circumstances of Kate‘s death, or to even assist us in gathering the facts ourselves. They wouldn‘t honor our request to see the initial email that had started this nightmare; we had to retrieve it ourselves. All the information we learned came from Kate‘s friends among the Volunteers and villagers, and eventually representatives from the Justice Department. Ironically, Brian Ross from ABC 20/20 received much more information from the attorney defending Constant BIO then we—the victim‘s family— did from the organization we had entrusted with our daughter‘s safety.
[...]
No Peace Corps representative ever came personally to deliver the awful news of Kate’s death, even though we live less than an hour from the Atlanta regional office.
[...]

The majority of Kate’s effects arrived unaccompanied six months after her death; they were simply dropped in our driveway by a FedEx delivery truck without any condolences from the Peace Corps.
[...]
However, we still have some unanswered questions about the circumstances surrounding Kate‘s death, and we request that the Peace Corps be completely transparent with us. Moreover, we are also painfully aware that if we hadn’t reached out to Peace Corps, and if ABC 20/20 had not investigated, they would not have reached out to us. 

Excerpt from the OIG-Peace Corps testimony:

The Peace Corps, like other international development agencies, is constantly mitigating safety and security risks. With volunteers serving in 77 countries, the agency faces a range of challenges that affect volunteer safety and security including: political unrest, natural disasters,rising crime rates, terrorism threats, and the complexity of dealing with varying legal systems in foreign jurisdictions. Unlike most other international agencies, however, the Peace Corps also faces unique safety and security challenges that result from the fact that the majority of volunteers serve at the grass roots level in rural communities, often in remote areas far from the capital city and the Peace Corps office. They live and work with people of diverse cultural backgrounds and languages. In short, the model of volunteerism that makes Peace Corps such a compelling experience for its volunteers can at the same time make the agency’s efforts to ensure their safety a challenge.

Our audit report, issued in April of 2010, focused on the management and organization of the safety and security function at Peace Corps. Consistent with past reports, we found in 2010 that volunteers overwhelmingly state being satisfied with their level of safety and security and staff support. Moreover, we found that while Peace Corps maintains a much larger safety and security workforce than comparable international non-governmental organizations, safety and security staff at all levels lacked the experience and training needed to perform their jobs.

A large broom needed over there!

Related articles

• Peace Corps Volunteers Speak Out on Rape (nytimes.com)
• Peace Corps Promises to Stop Blaming Victims of Sex Assault (abcnews.go.com)
• Peace Corps apologises to victims (bbc.co.uk)
• Peace Corps Volunteers Speak Out About Rape, Violence (huffingtonpost.com)