Russians capture vital hill position
MOSCOW, Sept 8 — Russian troops fighting Islamic rebels in the North Caucasus region of Dagestan said they had gained ground in the past 24 hours after President Boris Yeltsin told generals to crush the rebels.

Tabloid editor killed in Lanka
COLOMBO, Sep 8 (DPA) —An Editor of an anti-government tabloid has been shot dead by an unidentified gang close to his residence in the Capital of Sri Lanka, the police said.

Blasts at US base in Kosovo

Jakarta rejects peace force move

JAKARTA, Sept 8 (Agencies) — Indonesia today ruled out any early deployment of foreign peacekeepers in East Timor and said President B.J. Habibie would not attend a key Asia-Pacific summit at which the crisis in the territory would be discussed.

“Indonesia will try its best to overcome the situation there and still rejects the presence of (foreign) security forces, until phase there, “State Secretary Muladi told reporters. Phase three refers to the period after the result of East Timor’s independence ballot is ratified by Indonesia’s highest legislative body, which meets from October.

Meanwhile a five-member U.N. delegation arrived in Jakarta today for urgent talks with the Indonesian government to help quell unrest in East Timor even as pro-Jakarta militia attacks continued unabated a day after the imposition of martial law in the territory.

The arrival of the delegates coincided with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan’s 48-hour deadline issued to Indonesia on Monday to bring the militants, on a rampage after the Timorese opted for independence in a UN-administered referendum on August 30, under control.

During their talks with representatives of the Indonesian government, the mission, will seek Jakarta’s permission for an international force to check the violence that has forced thousands to flee and implement the UN mandate on the former Portuguese colony’s future political status.

Jakarta’s permission is a must as Russia and China are opposed to intervention in Timor without an explicit nod for help from Indonesia.

In Dili itself there was relative calm and U.N. security staff have been able to leave their besieged compound in the Timorese capital and are driving around the city to assess damage for the first time since Sunday.

But despite the improvement, the situation remained tense with sporadic gunfire heard throughout the night, though far less than in previous days.

Commanders of East Timor’s pro-Jakarta militias met the regional armed forces chief and said they would stop the violence in the territory, a leading pro-Indonesian Timorese told Reuters.

Basilio Araujo said the two overall commanders of all the militias, Joao Da Silva Tavares and Eurico Guterres, met Adam Damiri, head of the Indonesian Military Command which includes East Timor.

“They (the militias) agreed to stop their actions and today they would start cleaning up the mess,” Araujo said. “Hopefully that’s correct. Today I haven’t got in touch with my people in East Timor.”

The meeting was held in Atambua, on the Western side of the border between the two halves of Timor island. Thousands of Refugees have fled East Timor to Atambua this week.

In a related development Indonesian opposition leader Megawati Sukarnoputri will fly to West Timor tomorrow to look at the plight of thousands of refugees who have fled violence in the eastern half of the island, her personal aide said.

Ms Megawati heads the populist Indonesian Democratic Party-struggle (PDI-P) which won the country’s first democratic poll in 44 years in June.

“She will go to Kupang on a chartered flight tomorrow to look at the refugees and PDI-P’s East Timorese members,” her aide told Reuters.

CANBERRA: The United Nations said today it would completely withdraw from strife-torn East Timor tomorrow.

“I can confirm that there will be a withdrawal of UNAMET staff planned for tomorrow,’’ UN spokesman David Wimhurst said. “ As far as I know the entire contingent will be coming out.’’

Mr Wimhurst said the contingent to be withdrawn by mid-morning on Thursday would consist of the 200 international staff now in Dili. However, he was unable to confirm that the 262 locally employed UN staff would be withdrawn at the same time.

Mr Wimhurst said he did not yet know what would become of the East Timorese refugees in the UN compound, estimated at between 1,500 and 2,000 in number but the UNHCR would arrange for their well-being.

DARWIN (Australia): The United Nations today said some 5,000 East Timorese had been herded into the port of Dili by pro-Jakarta militia for forced deportation to West Timor as part of a “cleansing’’ of independence supporters.

UNAMET spokesman David Wimhurst described scenes of misery recorded by a reconnaissance mission allowed out into the Timorese capital under close guard from the Indonesian military today.

Jakarta’s imposition of martial law and a curfew in the region yesterday had done nothing to stop the rampaging gangs of militiamen who have killed hundreds of independence supporters since the UN-sponsored referendum, he added.

“The situation since the imposition of martial law has not changed, it seems, one bit. We saw widespread destruction in the downtown area of Dili, shops and commerces have been looted, we saw militia on the streets carrying weapons.’’

SYDNEY: Australian Prime Minister John Howard said today that the United Nations still supported sending a peacekeeping force to East Timor if Indonesia was unable to rein in rampaging pro-Jakarta militias.

Reacting to news that Indonesia had rejected any early peacekeeping force, Mr Howard added that economic pressure on Indonesia was an option for the international community.

Mr Howard told reporters after an emergency cabinet meeting that he had spoken with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan a couple of times today.

It remains the desire of the Security Council, that in default of the satisfactory return to security in East Timor due to the activities of the Indonesian army and police, that a peacekeeping force would be introduced,’’ Mr Howard added.

Pak strikers risk prison terms

ISLAMABAD, Sep 8 (IPS) — Hundreds of Opposition party workers detained in a government crack-down ordered ahead of Saturday’s huge traders strike in Pakistan’s business capital, Karachi, may be tried in special courts as "terrorists".

An August 27 presidential ordinance, announced by the 30-month-old Nawaz Sharif government, has changed Pakistan’s 1997 anti-terrorism laws to include strikes and protests which have been declared "terrorist acts".

The amendments which have the power to suppress all public opposition to government policies and actions are the most bizarre of a series of undemocratic measures the government has come up with although Prime Minister Sharif enjoys the largest democratic mandate in Pakistan’s history.

Over the last year, the government unsuccessfully attempted to gag Pakistan’s independent media and rights organisations. Now it has shown itself intolerant of public protests through massive arrests of anti-government political workers.

"The government has amended the law to stop people from raising their voice against oppression," observes Afrasiab Khattak, president of the Independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP).

But that could not stop the September 4 joint agitation by traders and opposition parties in Karachi to protest the raising of sales tax to 15 per cent by the government to please the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

A bankrupt government had to resort to fresh taxation to shore up the crisis-ridden economy but in the process it alienated the trading and business community, traditional allies of the businessman-turned-politician Sharif.

At least 700 political activists were arrested in Karachi in the run-up to the September 4 strike. Arrests were also made in other provinces including that of Omar Sailya, leader of the country’s largest association for small traders, forcing the US State Department to express concern.

Although the State Department spokesperson agreed that it is the government’s responsibility to control law and order, he said that this should not be used as a pretext for denying the rights of the citizens.

Opposition parties, rights organisations, lawyers and labour unions have voiced fears that the government could use the ordinance to silence all forms of public dissent.

A spokesperson for a 16-party opposition alliance described the amendments as the official strategy to counter growing public dissatisfaction with the government, particularly the debacle in Kargil and the suppression of democratic rule in Sindh province.

Dubbing the amendments as "draconian", main Opposition Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) spokesman Farhatullah Babar said the government has stifled the democratic spirit of Sindh. The PPP is the party of two-time Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto, who faces arrest if she returns to Pakistan.

"It is a slap in the face of the people of Sindh and a warning that people who stand up for their rights will be tried as terrorists," Mr Babar said.

The Rawalpindi-based People’s Lawyer Forum has announced a hunger strike against the government’s actions to "break the popular and democratic means of protest". The forum says that the amendments are in direct conflict to the fundamental right of expression given to the Pakistani people by the Constitution.

The Sharif government is also under pressure from politico-religious parties, which have cashed in on the government’s loss of face over the Kargil conflict with India.

The Jamaat-i-Islami, which is running a separate anti- government campaign is planning a long march on Islamabad later this month. "Whenever a government is on its last legs, it resorts to unconstitutional and undemocratic steps for survival. Still I believe that the people of Pakistan will not be deterred by such draconian measures,’’ said Jamaat chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed, who headed a violent campaign against the Bhutto government in 1996.

In a related development — Former Pakistani Premier Benazir Bhutto today said a massive anti-government protest campaign would not stop until Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif resigns.

“Pakistan is sliding towards anarchy and that’s Mr Nawaz Sharif’s responsibility,” Ms Bhutto told the BBC world service, a day after opposition parties formed a huge alliance to force Mr Sharif’s resignation.

Kashmir is not East Timor: USA

WASHINGTON, Sept 8 (UNI) — The Clinton administration has made it clear that “Kashmir is not East Timor, which had referendum last week to determine whether to become an independent state or stay a part of Indonesia.”

“I just urge you not to get trapped into facile analogies that don’t apply. Kashmir is not East Timor,” said the State Department spokesman James Rubin in reply to a question yesterday.

Commenting on the current Indian parliamentary elections, he said, “Let me say that India’s latest elections are only the most recent example of its dedication to democratic principles.”

“We look forward to working closely with the new government when it is formed in October,” Mr Rubin added.

“During the several Indian national elections, in the past turnout in the predominantly Muslim Kashmir valley has been particularly low. It is not for us to comment on the legitimacy of elections in any part of Kashmir,” he observed.

Mr Rubin added, “We have said repeatedly that the Kashmir dispute must be resolved between India and Pakistan in a manner that reflects the wishes of the people of Kashmir.”

He further said, “I don’t know whether there are Indian officials talking to the USA about Osama Bin Laden.

He, however, added, “I do know that officials in the State Department spend a lot of time working with many governments trying to obtain as much information as possible on the whereabouts of Osama Bin Laden so that he can be brought to justice, and we would welcome further information in this regard.”

Russians capture vital hill position

MOSCOW, Sept 8 (Reuters) — Russian troops fighting Islamic rebels in the North Caucasus region of Dagestan said they had gained ground in the past 24 hours after President Boris Yeltsin told generals to crush the rebels.

A spokesman for the Defence Ministry said federal forces backed by Dagestani volunteers yesterday captured a strategically important mountain position overlooking the road leading from border areas to the town of Khasavyurt, which officials say the rebels want to proclaim their capital.

Islamic rebels led by Chechen warlords crossed from neighbouring Chechnya and captured several border villages on Sunday, just a fortnight after federal forces had beaten back their previous attack in another mountain district of Dagestan.

Federal forces have halted their advance just 5 km from Khasavyurt. They introduced a partial curfew in the town late yesterday.

MAKHACHKALA (AFP): Russian troops made progress against Islamic insurgents early on Wednesday capturing strategic high ground in western Dagestan from the rebels, the military press service said.

After intense shelling yesterday, government forces retook the Eku-Tube hills overlooking the Novolakskoye district, which was seized by some 2,000 guerrillas who invaded from neighbouring Chechnya on Sunday, the service said. However, Russian officials admitted that the rebels, led by feared Chechen warlord Shamil Dasayev, had consolidated their positions in the rest of the zone and their control along the border with Chechnya.

UNI adds: Defying Russian aerial and artillery power renegade, Saudi millionaire Osama bin Laden recently visited strife-torn Dagestan where Russian troops and Islamic rebels were engaged in a fierce battle.

Bin Laden reportedly provided $ 25 million in cash and indoctrinated Pakistani and Saudi mercenaries in a rebels’ camp Radio Moscow reported today.

Tabloid editor killed in Lanka

COLOMBO, Sep 8 (DPA) —An Editor of an anti-government tabloid has been shot dead by an unidentified gang close to his residence in the Capital of Sri Lanka, the police said.

The Editor, Rohana Kumara, 44, was travelling late yesterday in a three-wheeler trishaw when an unidentified man stopped the vehicle at Mirihana, 10 km South of the main city of the Capital, and opened fire, killing him instantly.

Mr Kumara, the Editor of the Satana (Struggle), earlier had been told by his wife that their house was under attack and that he should return home immediately.

The Police said yesterday that they were unable to confirm the motive for the killing, but they did not rule out the possibility that a private dispute had led to the slaying.

However, Mr Kumara in the recent weeks has been critical of the ruling People’s Alliance Government and has spotlighted allegations of corruption against a Chief Adviser of the President.

He was known to have close links with the main opposition United National Party (UNP) and also helped to produce a cassette that contained allegations of corruption against the presidential adviser.

Meanwhile, Sri Lankan troops and Tamil Tiger rebels have agreed to observe four “days of tranquillity” in September and October during a countrywide polio immunisation programme, Health Ministry officials said on Wednesday.

The two warring sides had agreed to stop fighting from September 10-11 and October 15-16 due to request by UNICEF.

Blasts at US base in Kosovo

PRISTINA, Sept 8 (Reuters) — A series of explosions, relieved to have been mortar bombs, killed two people and wounded four in south-eastern Kosovo, a spokesman for the KFOR peacekeeping force said today.

“Two civilians were killed and four were wounded, one of them critically”, said Captain John Sweeney, a US KFOR spokesman at the American base of Camp Bondsteel, outside Urosevac.

Soldier’s message
LONDON: A British soldier’s last message to his wife returned home 85 years after it was dropped into the sea in a bottle. Private Thomas Hughes scribbled a farewell note to his wife, Elizabeth, in 1914 and tossed it overboard into the English Channel on his way to the front in France. He was killed 12 days later and his body was never recovered. The bottle was found in April last year when fisherman Steve Gowan fished it out of the Thames river estuary. — Reuters

Clemency offer
WASHINGTON: Twelve jailed members of a Puerto Rican pro-independence guerrilla group have accepted a clemency offer from US President Bill Clinton that has become a political minefield for his wife, likely Senate candidate Hillary Rudham Clinton. The Puerto Ricans were members of the armed forces of the National Liberation, known by its Spanish acronym Faln. The U.S. authorities say it was behind a series of 130 bomb attacks on American political and military targets between 1974 and 1983. — Reuters

UN award for 6
NEW YORK: Nationals of Germany, Bolivia, Burundi, Egypt, Thailand and Ukraine have won the 1999 award “race against poverty” for their success in overcoming poverty or promoting the fight against it, the U.N. development programme said on Tuesday. The six winners will receive the award at a ceremony in the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday which will also mark the launch of “netaid”, a web site set up jointly by CISCO systems and the UNDP to combat poverty. — DPA

Fake gun
SAO PAULO: More than 80 detainees who broke out of a Brazilian jail with the help of a fake gun made of paper were at large on Tuesday, television reports said. Brazil’s Globo Television said a total of 93 detainees broke out of a police detention centre in Rio de Janeiro on Monday night, apparently using a gun that looked like a poorly-crafted and badly-painted toy. Nine were recaptured. — Reuters

Apology to Hindus
JOHANNESBURG: Giant Hollywood film producers, Warner Brothers, have issued a public apology for the hurt caused to Hindus in Stanley Kubrick’s controversial film, “Eyes Wide Shut.” “The company apologised to Hindus worldwide in a telephone call to the South African Hindu Maha Sabha,” its president, Ashwin Trikamjee, said here on Monday. Trikamjee said the company had agreed to cut the scene that sparked off the controversy. — PTI