Statement By Doreen Oport
Delivered at the press conference following the February 24, 2020 oral arguments at the U.S. Supreme Court
My name is Doreen Oport.
Each of us standing here, and the hundreds of other survivors and family members whose case was heard today by the Supreme Court, have a different story from that day in 1998 when terrorists backed by the government of Sudan bombed the American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.
All of us lost colleagues and friends in the attack. Some lost parents, spouses, and children.
Some of the children of embassy workers who were killed ended up in deep poverty after the loss of the primary wage earner in their family. In one of the most tragic cases, a child of one of my colleagues died after the attack because her family could not afford a simple operation to save her life and they no longer had the State Department’s health plan because her mother had been killed in the bombing.
Some of us survived with debilitating physical injuries, but we all carry scars. I still can’t take loud noises. Many of my friends still sleep with the lights on each night to avoid being reminded of the horrible and desperate darkness that surrounded all of us in the building after the bombs went off.
One of my dearest friends, Jael, who was standing next to me when the bomb went off, was badly burned in the blast. We were both pulled from the wreckage afterward, but she suffered for years from those injuries before they finally claimed her life five years ago. Despite all of that, she died trusting that the United States would find a way to secure justice for the victims of the attack — hoping for a path that could provide healing in the U.S. and Kenya, and reconciliation in the region.
Jael’s spirit and hope reflects that of many of the survivors. All of us were targeted in this attack because of our service to America. U.S. citizens and foreign nationals alike who worked at the embassy all served because we believed in what the U.S. embassy stood for. Many of my colleagues — who would later spend weeks in the hospital — returned to work the day of the attack to help keep the embassy running and care for those who were more badly injured.
You see, when our embassies are destroyed, there is no one left to turn to for help and support. Embassy employees who worked in the mail room suddenly found themselves standing in for the Ambassador and speaking at funerals around the country. Colleagues who spent hours crawling through the darkness and smoke to escape the building quickly turned around went back in when they realized they were the only ones able to find and help those still trapped inside.
What Sudan did caused incredible pain, and I still can’t understand how any human could do that to another. But that tragedy also uncovered some of best of those who serve in our embassies around the world.
Today’s arguments before the Supreme Court are an important step in recognizing the best of who we are and bringing us closer to justice and closure. And we are heartened and optimistic by what we witnessed during the oral arguments in Court today.
We are grateful and very encouraged by the support of the U.S. Solicitor General and President Trump for our claims. They have made it clear that holding Sudan fully accountable for what it did is vital both to secure justice for victims and also to ensure America maintains the diplomatic and national security tools it needs to deter future attacks.
U.S. Courts have already issued a final judgment confirming that Sudan played a central role in these attacks and requiring Sudan to pay part of our judgment. Sudan funded, protected, and provided diplomatic passports to the al Qaeda terrorists who bombed our buildings. The embassy I worked at in Nairobi was targeted because it was where the U.S. moved its diplomats after cutting off ties with Sudan for its support of terrorism.
Sudan’s central role in these attacks is not in question. And after today, we are hopeful that the Supreme Court will rule in our favor on punitive damages as well, which the U.S. Government just argued is necessary to help deter future acts of terror against the United States.
But with today’s arguments, the legal battle is now over. The only question left is if Sudan will stop denying the legitimacy of U.S. Courts and finally work with us, the victims of its past terrorist acts, to resolve these claims.
We are encouraged by the political changes taking place in Sudan, but it is important to recognize that the same military that helped coordinate the attacks against our embassy is still part of the current power-sharing government. And many of the leaders who stole billions from Sudan still hold positions of authority in the new government.
If Sudan is serious about returning to the community of law-abiding nations, it must acknowledge its central role in the attacks against US embassies, stop denying the legitimacy of U.S. Courts, and work with victims to find a just and fair settlement.
Thus far, Sudan has ignored all of our efforts to enter into discussions about the judgments against it.
We have received incredible support in Congress and from President Trump’s Administration, and during those meetings and in conversations with reporters, we are often asked what we want to happen next. The simple answer is that we expect Sudan to acknowledge what it did and work out a just deal with victims to satisfy our judgments.
U.S. law requires Sudan to fully satisfy our court-ordered claims. Our goal is to work with Sudan toward a solution.
We recognize that Sudan is currently facing economic hardship as a result of sanctions from its support of terrorism and the embezzlement of Sudan’s wealth by its leaders.
We have presented a plan to Sudan and the U.S. State Department that would allow Sudan to extend out payment of our judgments so that it can take advantage of the many economic opportunities that will arise once it is removed from the State Sponsor of Terrorism List.
Sudan is an oil-exporting country and will generate significant wealth from concessions on oil and mineral exports that can be used as guarantees on payment.
Sudan knows which banks and companies assisted it in bypassing sanctions and funneling money and arms to terrorists. Our plan would allow those companies to help Sudan pay its judgment in exchange for settling their own liability with victims.
Sudan can also do much more to identify the billions of dollars that have been embezzled by government leaders and the al-Bashir family. In fact, one reason the international community should support our claims is to keep the pressure on Sudan to repatriate these funds, which watch-dog groups say far exceed our judgments.
And finally, there are other state actors with a strong interest in seeing Sudan removed from the terror list who can contribute funds directly or offer to guarantee future payments once Sudan is removed from the list.
We are hopeful Sudan has turned its back on terrorism. But it has been over 20 years since these attacks and it is high time Sudan finally answers for its past actions. We are waiting for justice. We are hopeful our case and its successful resolution will help prevent future terrorist attacks. And we look forward to the peace of mind and spirit that will come from knowing this chapter is concluded.
Our hope is that the transitional government in Sudan will show it is truly different from its predecessor by accepting U.S. Court judgments and finally negotiating with us directly on a just settlement. That is the only way Sudan and its victims can both turn the page on this horrible episode and seek our own brighter futures.
Thank you for your time. I can take questions, and some of our legal team is also hear to answer specific questions about the case.