I was delighted to read the editorial " A despot's prize " (Oct. 17 and TribLIVE.com) on the controversial UNESCO science prize funded by President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, the despotic ruler of Equatorial Guinea. As one of the groups that have so far successfully organized opposition to the prize, the Open Society Justice Initiative trusts that UNESCO will eventually abandon this tarnished venture altogether.
Perhaps Trib readers will also be glad to hear that the Department of Justice is finally taking action against the Obiang family here in the United States, despite oil-industry interests in this small West African state.
The Obiang family, which has ruled Equatorial Guinea for 32 years, already faces two corruption probes in Europe. U.S. Senate investigations have previously unearthed evidence suggesting that oil revenues have been diverted into personal bank accounts. Now the Department of Justice has filed notice of potential seizure of U.S. assets that include a $30 million mansion in Malibu, a private jet, sports cars and -- more bizarrely -- a collection of Michael Jackson memorabilia.
In taking this first step, the Department of Justice has demonstrated that Equatorial Guinea's oil wealth will not buy its corrupt rulers a free pass when it comes to enforcing U.S. laws against money laundering and foreign corruption.
Jonathan Birchall
New York City
The writer is senior officer, communications, for the Open Society Justice Initiative (soros.org/initiatives/justice).
