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| Brothers Ameer (l.) and Ahmed Raed lost their best friend, cousin, and band mate, Ahmed Haythem al-Rubaie, in a Sept. 16 shooting
in Baghdad involving Blackwater USA. Sam Dagher |
In contractors' shootings, Iraqis search for justice
The US Embassy in Iraq is now offering to pay relatives of those killed in a shooting involving Blackwater USA.
from the October 25, 2007 edition
Page 4 of 4
Ms. Burke says more plaintiffs will be joining the civil suit that was filed on behalf of families of three of the dead and a wounded person in conjunction with the New York-based Center for Constitutional Rights. It seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.
"We want the punitive damage to be high enough so they take it seriously and change their corporate culture and behavior," she said in a telephone interview from Philadelphia.
The end of a dream
Mr. Askari, Maliki's adviser, says in contrast to Blackwater's widely perceived defiance in the face of Iraqi charges of wrongdoing, the Australian-owned URG was quick to apologize for the shooting this month and offer to compensate the victims' families.
Still, the pastor at the church where Ms. Jalal served also says compensation alone is not enough.
"The main thing I want is justice," says Mr. Vivian from the backyard of the Church of New Life.
The sound of electric organs could be heard from inside the church as members of the congregation gathered for a service last week.
Friend and taxi driver Marany Awaness was driving Jalal and two of Jalal's relatives back home when they encountered URG guards who were protecting a client working on a US government-funded contract. The Australian-owned company, which is based in Dubai and registered in Singapore, said Ms. Awaness, who was killed with Jalal, failed to heed several warning signals to stop.
Vivian had known Jalal, who was in her early 30s, for 12 years when she and her two sisters joined the church. They hail from an Armenian Orthodox family. Jalal worked at the church as an accountant and was an active minister and counselor. Vivian says Jalal was like a mother to her sisters after their mother passed away a few years ago. The sisters refused to immigrate to America last year with their father.
"The dream that Jenevia had in her life was to help Iraq and its people," he says. "Her laughs and fresh spirit made you feel you were in the presence of someone who loved life and wanted to do something good for people."
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