Freedom Socialist • Vol. 28, No. 4 • August-September 2007Somalis win against government bulliesLast summer, guns drawn and shields raised high, Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) agents and a multitude of other police agencies raided Somali immigrants' homes in Seattle and other cities, arresting dozens of men. The DEA's press releases blared that a dangerous drug smuggling ring had been eliminated. This summer, with less fanfare, a deflated government dropped charges against the Seattle defendants, and had to settle for minor convictions in a related New York trial. The dread drug substance involved is khat, a plant grown in East Africa. The leaves contain a stimulant and have been chewed in social gatherings throughout Africa and the Middle East for centuries. While khat is legal throughout Africa and Europe, there was no precedent regarding its status in the U.S. DEA press releases tried to whip up hysteria by suggesting that the defendants, who are all Muslim immigrants, may have been funneling money to terrorists — something they were never charged with. Originally, 18 Somali men were arrested in Seattle, most of them taxi drivers. As reported in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer (4/17/07), U.S. District Judge Ricardo Martinez warned the defendants that "97% of federal drug charges end in a guilty plea before trial." Of those who plead not guilty and want a trial, "95% are convicted — by juries that are predominantly white." So, fearful of deportation and prison, six of the men signed plea agreements and currently await sentencing. Charges were dismissed against seven others. But the remaining five defendants stood firm against the intimidation and refused to plead guilty. They maintained their innocence, just as their wives, sisters and children did when the men were first arrested. At that time, Somali women, assisted by Seattle Radical Women, organized a demonstration in front of the federal courthouse, demanding the government halt persecution of Somalis and Muslims and exposing police brutality against women and children during the raids. The public outcry resulted in the men being released while they awaited trial. On June 19, just before trial, the U.S. Attorney's Office suddenly dropped charges against the five. And in the New York City khat trial shortly thereafter, a jury convicted three of the original 44 arrested of far lesser counts. But this came after a year of intimidation against Somali families who lost their savings, livelihoods, homes and peace of mind. We can all take a lesson from these brave immigrants: if you stick together, mobilize public support and stand up to the government, you can win. Each fightback in this saga was a victory, inside and outside the courtroom. |
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