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Thursday,
August 16, 2001, Chandigarh, India   |
NRIs celebrate I-Day with fervour Israeli forces enter Palestinian villages
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Scuffles at Japan’s war anniversary function Pak anti-terrorism Act gets more teeth Lanka govt contacts LTTE |
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Caretaker govt firm on ensuring fair poll
Bush likely to visit India
next year Serial killer
held in China
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NRIs celebrate I-Day with fervour Beijing, August 15 In Beijing, the function was held on the premises of Indian Embassy where Indian Ambassador to China Shiv Shankar Menon hoisted the Tricolour. Mr Menon also read out President K.R. Narayanan’s Address to the nation on the eve of the Independence Day. In Shanghai, the growing Indian community gathered at the residence of Consul General Sujan R. Chinoy, who read out the President’s Address after hoisting the National Flag. In Hong Kong, the function was organised at the residence of Consul General Ashok K. Kanta. In Sydney, expatriate Indians assembled at Consul General M. Ganapathy’s residence in suburban Killara to celebrate the Independence Day. Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in his Independence Day speech today acknowledged the contribution of the Indian diaspora abroad to India. Mr Vajpayee had said: “By their sheer energy, enterprise and achievements, Indians overseas have enhanced the country’s image and promoted keener appreciation of its concerns.” In a special message to Indians in Australia, he said: “The Indian community in Australia has contributed significantly to the promotion of relations between the two countries. I wish the community every success in its endeavour.” “I am particularly looking forward to my visit to Australia later this year and renew contacts with the Australian leadership so that our bilateral relations are Further strengthened,” he added. In Canberra, Indian High Commissioner R.S. Rathore unfurled the National Flag at his residence. Local Indians in New Castle, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Darwin and Brisbane also celebrated the Independence Day with cultural programmes. In Dubai, Consul General Asoke Mukerji on the occasion of Independence Day said Indians had actively participated in the development of the
UAE, and the two-way trade between India and Dubai had gone up by $ 500 million in the past year. In Kuwait, Indian Ambassador Prabhu Dayal read out the President’s message and addressed the gathering. Hundreds of Indians attended the Independence Day functions in Manama and Bahrain where Ambassador S.S. Gill unfurled the National Flag and students sang patriotic songs. Indian associations in Bahrain will jointly host a celebration on August 17 with the theme ‘Bharat Darshan’. Reports of Independence Day celebrations also came in from Nepal and Bhutan. In Kathmandu, Charge d’Affaires Jawed Usmani spoke about the multi-faceted and deep relationship between India and Nepal. Referring to the historical ties between the two countries, he said, “We will continue to make sincere efforts and endeavour to further enhance our mutual trust and cooperation.” In Thimpu, ambassador K.S, Jasrotia unfurled the National Flag followed by presentation of arms by a contingent of the Indian military training team in Bhutan.
PTI |
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Israeli forces enter Palestinian villages Gaza, August 15 Palestinian sources in Bethlehem said that despite
Israeli forces taking positions, a gunbattle continued past midnight between troops and Palestinian gunmen near Beit Jallah and near the Jewish settlement of Gilo next to Beit Jallah. A reporter for the Palestinian news agency Wafa said the Israeli forces, including tanks, entered several Palestinian villages near Bethlehem. The villages are classified under the Oslo agreements as area B territory, which is under Palestinian civil authority but Israeli security control. However, Israel Radio reported that the Israeli army did not enter areas under complete Palestinian jurisdiction. Palestinians in Bethlehem said flares lit the night sky, while the buzz of gunfire could be heard. There were no injuries reported. Israeli military sources told Israel Radio that the troop movements would not lead to infiltration into the territory under Palestinian control. In a large Israeli army operation, Israeli tanks entered into Palestinian town of Jenin early yesterday in a retaliatory strike for suicide bombings, which Israel said, were carried out by militants from Jenin. The operation in Jenin was widely condemned and prompted the Palestinians to request a United Nations Security Council meeting for international protection forces to be sent to the Palestinian territories. Palestinian security sources told Palestine Radio that Israel was in all likelihood planning to attack areas like Beit Jallah and Beit Sahour, from which Palestinian gunmen have been firing at Gilo, a Jewish settlement on the West Bank territory. Meanwhile, Palestinians in the West Bank town of Ramallah said Israeli F16 warplanes flew over the area early today, while Israeli Apache helicopters hovered over the West Bank towns of Jenin and Tulkarim. The Wafa agency reported that Israeli tanks fired more than 15 shells at Palestinian homes in the West Bank town of Hebron, after Palestinian gunmen and Israeli troops exchanged fire in the area. Hebron: Israeli undercover troops killed a Palestinian militia leader in a shooting ambush in the town of Hebron on Wednesday, just hours after an Israeli paratroop company took position at the entrance of another West Bank town in a warning to Palestinian gunmen. The militia leader, Emad Abu Sneineh, 25, was killed by a burst of fire as he got out of a car near his home, said Nabil Abu Sneineh, a relative. The shots were fired by undercover troops from a parked blue-and-white truck, the witness said. Israeli security officials would not comment by name, but said privately that Abu Sneineh was killed by elite Israeli forces because he had been heavily involved in shooting attacks on Israelis in Hebron. DPA, AP |
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Scuffles at Japan’s war anniversary function Tokyo, August 15 Thousands of Japanese policemen, including riot squads, were mobilised today as right-wing activists and anti-war protesters clashed near a controversial war shrine in Tokyo. “No one was arrested, and we have not received any reports of injuries so far,” said a spokesperson for the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, adding that 2,300 police officers were deployed. But news reports said several persons were injured after people were involved in minor skirmishes at Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine, dedicated to those who died in a century of conflicts up to 1945. Tension mounted at the shrine after Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, ignoring the opposition outcry at home and abroad, worshipped on Monday at the nation’s de facto war memorial. The police separated angry critics of Mr Koizumi’s visit and right-wing activists, some of whom were waving Japan’s sun symbol national flags. Ignoring the clamour outside, aging veterans and bereaved families marched to the inner courtyard of the shrine, as five Cabinet ministers paid homage today.
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Pak anti-terrorism Act gets more teeth Lahore, August 15 The ordinance, which was promulgated under the PCO-1 read with Provisional Constitution (Amendment) Order No 9, incorporated amendments to the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997. The ordinance came into force at once. The ordinance broadens the scope of legal punitive action against terrorists by dilating the range of offences to be dealt under the Act. Moreover, the government has also expanded the base of the legal authorities, which are empowered to take action against offenders. The main focus of the amendment falls on individuals and organisations promoting or fanning religious and ethnic hatred and anti-government activities like holding of meetings, gatherings and strikes. For instance, Section 2(O) of the ordinance says, “Meeting means a meeting of two or more persons, whether in public or private.” The ordinance thus suggests the law enforcers could even enter private premises to take legal action against a meeting of two or more persons on a mere apprehension of violation of law. The ordinance has introduced fresh clauses to decipher the organisations. The fresh law empowers the government not only to brand any organisation a “terrorist” one in the light of the prescribed legislation but also extend enormous powers to arrest the culprit(s), award severe punishments and confiscate his or their assets. The punishment for such offences range from six-month prison to death penalty plus fine and confiscation of property in dangerous offences. Section 6 defines the acts of terrorism, Section 7 elaborates the punishment, Section 11A defines the nature of organisational terrorism and Section 11B determines whether or not an organisation is proscribed and the government powers to deal with such offences. Section 11C deals with the right to review and 11D covers the role of the government in warning certain organisations and keeping an observation on it on the pretext of doubtful activities. Section 11E suggests measures to be taken against the proscribed organisations, especially with reference to having access to its accounts and other activities.
ANI |
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Lanka govt contacts LTTE Colombo, August 15 “I met several of them (rebels) and they want to negotiate with the government,” Mr Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, Minister for Civil Aviation, said after visiting rebel-held areas in the north of the country. “They are ready to talk and it’s now up to us to respond,” Mr Fernandopulle said. On Monday, Mr Fernandopulle met some
LTTE members, who are fighting the government to divide this small island country on ethnic lines. He was the first government minister to visit the rebel-controlled areas since 1995. Mr Fernandopulle, a Tamil Christian, toured Madhu Church, 13 km north of Colombo. He also visited a cemetery of the rebels and an exhibition hall, containing photographs of war victims. He said the rebels were keen to resume peace talks that broke off in 1995. He did not give other details. There was, however, no mention of Mr Fernandopulle’s visit on the guerrillas’ website. Sri Lanka’s separatist war came into sharp focus after the rebels attacked the country’s only international airport and an adjoining airbase on July 24, destroying 12 civil and military aircraft. The attack set off a chain reaction, with insurance companies slapping higher premium and some shipping lines bypassing the country’s ports. Sri Lanka was listed as a high war-risk country. The rebels have been wanting to resume peace talks. But their demands for a ceasefire and lifting of a government ban have been rejected by President Chandrika Kumaratunga until now. Norway has been trying for the past two years to bring the two sides back to the negotiating table.
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Caretaker govt firm on ensuring fair poll Dhaka, August 15 The grim picture of political violence during the past one month has caused concern to the administration. The toll of human lives due to political violence during this time is 46, most of whom are from two political rivals the Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). This figure has been mentioned by daily Manabzamin in a report on Tuesday quoting unidentified police source. The report said around 1000 persons were wounded in political clashes with the police. The gravity of the situation can be determined from the arrest of criminals and terrorists, recovery of arms in one month. The daily Sangbad in a report on Tuesday quoting police head quarter said that in the first combing operation the police and paramilitary Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) arrested 52,071 persons on various charges of whom 824 are known political terrorists. The number of firearms recovered is 17565 with 6470 ammunition of various kinds and 62816 explosives— mainly hand made-bombs. The operation which began on July 13 will end on August 16. However, the daily Ittefaq in an analytical report giving details of police action remarked that still the hardened political terrorists were still at large and the police failed to nab them because of political backing and assistance by corrupt police officials. The report claimed that the terrorists have sources inside the police who provided them with information on possible raids and they moved from one place to another to avoid arrest. Some of them have crossed over to neighbouring countries. One of the top terrorists popularly known as Tokai Sagar was nabbed in the month of May when he returned from London. Two sophisticated revolvers were recovered from his possession. It is still a mystery how he could carry arms in the flight. Meanwhile, death of five in the clash between the Awami League and the BNP in the remote villages of Noakhali and Feni districts was confirmed with the recovery of three more bodies from the Chota Feni river. Earlier the police recovered two bodies only though the BNP claimed the death of eight. The Chief Adviser of the Advisory Council of the caretaker government in an interview with the state controlled Bangladesh Television telecast on Monday night remarked that after takeover by the caretaker government petty crime in the country has gone down significantly and most of the offences now reported are political in nature. |
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Bangladesh pays homage to Mujib Dhaka, August 15 The national flag flew at half mast and people, wearing black badges of mourning, offered flowers at portraits of the man who led Bangladesh to independence from Pakistan in 1971. His rule was cut short when a group of army officers gunned him down and most of his family in a mutiny on August 15, 1975. His two daughters — former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana — were out of the country at the time of the coup and survived. Popularly known as Mujib, the late leader still commands the respect of a majority of Bangladeshis. He is referred to a Bangabandhu, or friend of Bangladesh, and the anniversary of his death is a public holiday. The country saw a series of mutinies after Mujib’s death, including one in May 1981 in which General-turned-President Zia-ur Rahman was killed. His wife, Begum Khaleda Zia, was Hasina’s predecessor as Prime Minister and the two women are the main contenders in a parliamentary election expected in early October. Hasina today called for the upholding of her father’s principles and she vowed to work for the realisation of his dream of making Bangladesh self-reliant and prosperous. Khaleda has refused to accept Mujib as the country’s founding father and says her husband, then a Major, actually launched the independence war on March 26, 1971, when the Pakistani army arrested Mujib at his Dhaka home.
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Bush likely to visit India
next year Washington, August 15 The actual dates would be worked out later, they said. According to analysts, an early Bush visit is expected to further boost Indo-American relations after it reached a high during former President Bill Clinton’s final year in office. The changes expected to come about in Indo-American relations as Bush policies reached full fruition would change the geo-political picture, they added.
PTI |
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Serial killer
held in China Beijing, August 15 Duan Guocheng (28) was arrested at a hotel in Wuhan city in Wuchang district on Monday and confessed to a series of murders and robberies, the Beijing Youth daily said. Footprints at the scene of four murders carried out in Wuhan between May and June this year matched the shoes in the hotel room where Duan was captured, the paper said.
PTI |
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