Baghdad, December 5
The trial of Saddam Hussein was marred by chaotic scenes today as the defence team walked out of the tribunal and the ousted Iraqi dictator stood up to shout a tirade of abuse at the court.

The dramatic scenes, which prompted a recess of the tribunal to solve the problems, were a further setback for the court whose time before today has been limited to just two brief sessions after two earlier adjournments.

The walkout was in protest against the court’s refusal to let Saddam’s foreign lawyers, former US attorney-general Ramsey Clark and former Qatari justice minister Naji Nuaimi, address the court.

“Make a written request,” said presiding judge Mohammed Rizkar Amin. “I just want two minutes,” Clark said in English, but Amin refused.

From the dock, Saddam interrupted,: “How is it (the court) legitimate when it was set up under the occupation?”

Members of the defence team then said they would leave the court and Amin said “As you like. Then we will have to summon other lawyers”.

Saddam refused to have lawyers appointed by the court and stood up to shout at the top of his voice, “Long live Iraq. Long live the Arab nation. Long live Iraq.”

The trial was then suspended to allow defence lawyers who quit the courtroom to confer on their next move.

Saddam and seven of his deputies are on trial for the massacre of 148 people from the Shiite village of Dujail in 1982, for which all the accused could face the death penalty.

Nuaimi said the court’s refusal to hear the lawyers’ request was “a violation of the rights of the defence”, insisting the court examine its own legitimacy before proceeding with the trial.

Amin said the defence should send him a written memorandum concerning questions about the court’s legitimacy and promised to send a written reply.

Saddam tried to speak to back up his lawyer but Amin ignored his declarations and those of the deposed leader’s half-brother and co-defendant Barzan al-Tikriti.

Officials close to the court had been hoping that this time a full four days of hearings featuring 10 witnesses is possible before the court adjourns again in time for Iraq’s parliamentary elections on December 15.

At least three witnesses were due to appear today. Amid fears over their security, only two witnesses were to appear in court and be filmed by TV cameras relaying the trial to the world, according to a US official. Another six were to appear in the court but without being filmed. The final two were expected to speak from behind a screen, said the official.

The whole process, closely watched around the world, has had a slow beginning with a brief opening session on October 19, followed by a 40-day delay and then a two hour session on November 28, and then a week-long adjournment.

Dozens of Iraqis in his former hometown Tikrit demonstrated in support of Saddam, while a symbolic protest against him took place outside the Green Zone in Baghdad where the trial is taking place. There, a tent of 18 people who have lost relatives to Saddam’s regime, one from each of Iraq’s provinces, has been set up. — AFP

Brussels, December 5
People of Indian origin are baffled over the display at some public places here, of a poster, which asks for an end to the alleged ‘human rights violation’ in Kashmir.

The illustrated poster has been put up at the Central and some other railway stations in Brussels. Precisely it reads: ‘Stop Human Rights Violation in Kashmir’,

Well-meaning persons of Indian origin expressed concern over the fact that nothing ostensible had been done to get the poster removed or get action, whatsoever, initiated against those responsible for the display of the poster. A senior journalist was conspicuous by his anguish while regretting that even the Indian Embassy here had not taken up the matter with the Belgian government.

On the other hand, Indian diplomatic circles, on being contacted, said that the issue was discussed with the officials at Brussels at certain level. It was revealed to the Indian authorities that the poster had been displayed as an advertisement. However, one of the Embassy officials agreed that the display of the poster, whether an advertisement or otherwise, should not be taken lightly and appropriate steps must be taken to withdraw it. Further more, the persons, behind this, should also be taken to task.

Reliable sources revealed that the poster and its display here is the handiwork of an Islamic organisation based in London. This was set up by a man of Pakistani origins. But, nothing much had been done to counter the propaganda.

However, these acts were not of much worry as such a poster carried almost no impact on the general public. But why are the Indian officials so discreet and slow in discharging their duties is a cause of worry to people as the poster catches the eye of everyone visiting the railway stations. Moreover, posters like this, might act as a dampener in the process of strengthening the warm strategic European Union — India relationship.

Islamabad, December 5
The government has decided in principle that its rehabilitation plan for quake-hit people of occupied Kashmir would not involve any relocation and those who had lost their homes would receive shelters in their respective areas, a federal minister said on Saturday.

Speaking at a news briefing following a marathon meeting on relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation in occupied Kashmir, Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayat said the road-map for reconstruction would be designed in light of the seismic survey reports prepared by experts from China, Turkey, Japan and Italy.

One of the survey reports is expected to be submitted by the end of the month, according to the minister, who is also coordinator for relief and reconstruction in occupied Kashmir. Other reports suggesting safe places for reconstruction would be given sometime next month, he said.

The minister said the meeting had decided that no relocation would be made and in case shelters were to be built in earthquake-prone areas, only those structures would be erected which had a capacity to withstand the quake.

The meeting was also attended by representatives of the Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Authority (ERRA) Lieut-Col Zaheeruddin Babar, chief coordinator, Federal Relief Commission (FRC) Saeed Ahmad Khan, advisor to the Prime Minister of occupied Kashmir, Raja Muhammad Farooq Haider, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Arshad Mahmood Mughal, Maqbool War, President District Bar Association, Muzaffarabad, President Press Club, Bagh, Tahir Abbasi, leaders of the mainstream political and religious parties of occupied Kashmir and council members of occupied Kashmir.

Mr Hayat said there was a consensus in the meeting that rehabilitation of the affected people should remain a top priority. The minister said relief activities in occupied Kashmir would continue for another about four to five months.

He dispelled an impression that the relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation activities were completely under the Pakistan Army. He said the mandate of the FRC was limited, while the ERRA was answerable to a council headed by the Prime Minister.

In reply to a question, he said people were benefiting from the five crossing points opened on the Line of Control (LoC). But the minister said that unli7ke Pakistan, which issued clearance to intending travellers within 48 hours, New Delhi was taking time to clear the lists prepared by it.

He said Pakistan wanted to enable Kashmiris from both sides of the divide to go across the LoC without any travel document, but India had some reservations on it.

Dubai, December 5
The UAE has assured India that it would look into its request to relax in the case of its nationals the 34 per cent ceiling on employment of workers from any country in a company.

“I had discussions with the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs as well as the Ministry of Interior, and I have requested that the ceiling regulation be relaxed. The UAE authorities assured us that they would consider the proposal, and we are expecting a positive response from them” India’s Ambassador to the UAE Chandra Mohan Bhandari said.

He said the Indian Business and Professional Council has also submitted a proposal in this regard to the UAE government.

“India is a country with diversity and the workforce from India is also diverse. The Indian workforce has already proved their capacity, and is recognised as highly productive and hard-working. I feel that they should treat India as a different case due to the diversity of human resources,”he was quoted as saying in the Khaleej Times.

Mr Bhandari expressed hope that the UAE authorities would take a positive decision

The current regulation in the UAE does not permit a company to recruit more than 34 per cent of its employees from one particular country. To do so, a company has to pay a considerable amount as fee. — PTI