February 2010 Letter to the Editor Dear Mr. Luxner, I agreed to talk to you on January 28, 2010 and was, therefore, keen to read your story in the current issue of The Washington Diplomat, “Oppressed Nannies: State Department Orders Embassies to Clean Up Their Act.” I take great exception to what you wrote on page 12 that, “Sefue suggested that human rights lawyers, not abusive diplomats, are the real problem.” I never made that suggestion, and your misrepresentation of my words has disturbed me greatly. I hold human rights lawyers in high regard. Unfortunately, the impression that your statement quoted above gives is that I am critical of all human rights lawyers, and I defend all abusive diplomats. Nothing could be further from the truth. I would never defend any abusive individual, diplomat or not, but I would also not condemn any individual on the basis of one sided testimony. I believe that diplomats too have the right to the presumption of innocence. This is what I kept on telling you during the interview. I repeat, I did not suggest that human rights lawyers, not abusive diplomats, are the problem. I kindly ask you to set the record straight. Sincerely, Ombeni Sefue Ambassador of Tanzania to the United States