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| Saturday, January 15, 2000, Chandigarh, India  
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5
Croats get jail terms for Muslims’ massacre
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Moscow comes out with new security
concept 25 primate species may soon
disappear
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5 Croats get jail terms
for Muslims’ massacre THE HAGUE, Jan 14 — The UN Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia found five Bosnian Croats guilty and acquitted one of crimes against humanity today for the brutal massacre of Muslims in a central Bosnian village in April 1993. The court handed down heavy sentences which the prosecution hailed as a benchmark for future cases of ethnic cleansing. In its seventh judgement since trials began in 1996, Judge Antonio Cassese ordered the five — brothers Zoran and Mirjan Kupreskic, their cousin Vlatko Kupreskic, Drago Josipovic, and Vladimir Santic — should serve sentences ranging from six to 25 years for killing 116 Muslims, including 33 women and children. The sixth accused, Drago Papic, is to be released. The accused, the Kupreskic brothers in front, their co-defendants behind, were flanked by a coterie of lawyers and nine guards. Each accused, dressed in a suit, stood in turn as the rulings were delivered. The five, all found guilty of persecution, some of murder, helped organise or participated first in shelling then in house-to-house attacks in the town of Ahmici Santici as soldiers of the Croatia Defence Force (HVO) swept through the Lasva valley from January to May 1993. HVO soldiers, with black-painted faces, burned houses, barns and livestock in the cold-blooded massacre. One witness in the case told how she stood on a balcony, her dead son below, as jeering Bosnian Croat soldiers told her to jump. The case against the six was one of the largest in tribunal history. The three trial judges heard testimony from 158 witnesses over 15 months, although little mention was made of the possible role of the Croatian authorities. The full judgement, which comes just 10 days before Croatian presidential elections, ran to 340 pages. The presiding judge described how the rampage resulted in the murder exclusively of Muslim inhabitants and the burning of 169 houses and two mosques. The "tragic episode’’ was aimed at expelling the Muslims from the village, just stopping short of the highest war crime count of genocide. Santic, commander of the notorious special purpose military police unit known as "the jokers", will face the longest sentence of 25 years. Mr Cassese said Santic had undoubtedly passed on the orders of his superiors and, by his presence, encouraged his subordinates. "The trial chamber finds that the fact that you, Vladimir Santic, were in a position of command during the events in question lends an even greater magnitude to your responsibility,’’ Mr Cassese said. Brothers Zoran and Mirjan Kupreskic received 10 and eight- year sentences, respectively as local commanders. Their cousin Vlatko, a police operations officer whose house was used as a staging point, will serve six years. Dragan Josipovic, pinpointed for participation in the murder of a local Muslim, was given 15 years sentence. Prosecution spokesman Paul Risley said the trial had proved the first test of direct ethnic cleansing brought before the tribunal. "The verdict and
the sentences set by the justices today are a benchmark
for future cases of ethnic cleansing that will be brought
by the prosecutor,’’ he said. —
Reuters |
Window on Pakistan HOW will Pakistan’s military ruler, Gen Pervez Musharraf, now digging his heels in all facets of administration, reconcile his economic revival plan with the recent Supreme Court judgement that has declared all kinds of interest as un-Islamic. The military junta has been talking in great detail about reviving the sick economy. It has not spelt out how it will abolish the system of giving and taking interest. In Islam, interest is known as "riba". It stands banned in Pakistan as per an order of a Full Bench of the apex court. The issue has been under consideration since 1980. The court said, "any amount, big or small, over the principal, in contract of loan or debt is "riba" and prohibited by the Holy Quran, regardless of the fact whether the loan is taken for purposes of consumption or for some production activity." The Bench observed that the Prophet had also termed as unlawful transactions like money for money for the same denomination where the quality on both sides was not equal, either in a sport transaction or in a transaction based on a deferred payment. A barter transaction involves two weighable or measurable commodities of the same kind where the quantity on both sides is not equal, or where the delivery from anyone side is deferred. It is between two different weighable or measurable commodities where delivery from one side is deferred. The Bench observed that these three categories are termed in Islamic jurisprudence as "riba-al-sunnah" because their prohibition is established by the "sunnah" of the Holy Prophet along with the "riba-al-Quran". There are four types of transactions termed as "riba" in Islamic fiqht based on the Holy Quran and sunnah. It was held that all the prevailing forms of interest, either in banking transactions or private transactions, fall within the definition of "riba". Similarly, any interest stipulated in government borrowings, acquired from domestic or foreign sources, is "riba" and clearly prohibited by the Holy Quran. The court observed that the prevalent financial system, based on interest, is against the injunctions of Islam as laid down by the Holy Quran and sunnah. The Bench said that a variety of Islamic modes of financing had been developed by Islamic scholars, economists and bankers that might serve as a better alternative to interest. These modes are being practised in about 200 Islamic financial institutions in different parts of the world. These alternatives being available, the transactions of interest cannot be allowed to continue forever on the pretext of necessity. The Bench held that it had also gone through the detailed reports of the Council of Islamic Ideology submitted in 1980, the report of the Commission for the Islamisation of the Economy constituted in 1991, the final report of the same commission reconstituted in 1997, as also the report of the Prime Minister’s committee on self-reliance submitted to the government in April, 1991. It could be a benevolent and pious act of the state if no one could legally charge any interest, small or big. But how would the economy function? First and foremost, the government has either to refuse interest on all international or national borrowings or stop taking loans. How about the old commitments in case of loans from the World Bank and the IMF? General Musharraf has
been sending his officers with a begging bowl to borrow
and bail out the economy. Again, how would the modern
business, industry and banks work? Luckily, the court has
given time for the government to implement the ban on
"riba". The way religio-political parties have
welcomed the verdict shows that there has been a popular
upsurge to end "riba". How the military regime
will react is as yet not clear. — Gobind
Thukral |
Will Ocalan be hanged? ANKARA, Jan 14 (DPA) — Leaders of Turkey’s coalition government have decided to abide by a stay of execution order issued by the European Court of Human Rights, but there is still no final decision yet on whether Abdullah Ocalan, leader of the Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK), should be hanged or not. Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit announced on Wednesday after a marathon seven-and-a-half hour government summit meeting that the case file of Ocalan would remain at the Prime Minister’s Office and not be sent immediately to Parliament where a majority vote is needed for approval of the execution. With Turkey striving to become a full member of the European Union it may seem odd for there to be any debate on whether to obey a stay of execution issued by the European Court of Human Rights, but that assumption does not take into account the depth of anger directed at Ocalan and the thirst for revenge among most Turks. Ocalan is held responsible for the deaths of more than 32,000 people, even though the majority of them were PKK fighters. A Turkish court in June sentenced Ocalan to death for treason, a ruling which an appeal court upheld in November. The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) of Devlet Bahceli rode a wave of anti-Ocalan feeling to become the second largest party in Parliament at national elections in last April. Until now the party has
seemed to work well in coalition with Ecevit’s
Democratic Left Party (DSP) and the Motherland Party
(ANAP) of Mesut Yilmaz, but in recent weeks MHP members
upped the stakes and openly called for a vote on
Ocalan’s fate to be taken immediately. |
Russia concedes heavy losses MOSCOW, Jan 14 (AFP) — Russia has reported its biggest single day loss of life since its latest campaign in Chechnya started and faced new criticism for restricting the movements of Chechen men and boys. Russia’s top brass descended yesterday on Chechnya for a battlefield inspection as condemnations mounted of the decision on Wednesday to bar Chechen males aged between 10 and 60 from entering or leaving the separatist republic. The move followed two stunning setbacks and fear of new Chechen counter-attacks in the military campaign that began October 1. Defence sources said 33 soldiers were killed and another 26 wounded over the past 24 hours, the Interfax news agency reported yesterday, the highest toll since forces rolled into Chechnya. More than 200,000 refugees have fled into neighbouring Ingushetia, whose President yesterday compared the separation order to Stalin’s forced repatriation of Chechens into central Asia in the 1940s. The new Organisation of Cooperation and Security in Europe (OSCE) Chief Wolfgang Schuessel, labeled the Russian decision a "violation of international codes and conduct." Amid growing media concern of the merit and costs of the increasingly brutal offensive, Interior Minister Vladimir Rushailo led a senior military delegation for the first time since Chechen counter-attacks in Shali and Argun last weekend. Moscow admits that at least 37 Russians were killed in those raids. WASHINGTON: The Clinton administration has asserted that a proposed meeting with Chechen leader Iiyas Akmadov will not constitute a change in America’s policy towards Russia or recognition of the breakaway Chechnya. "With respect to Mr Akhmadov, who arrived in Washington on January 11, he was invited by two outside organizations... "We do not recognise him as the Foreign Minister of an independent Chechnya. But as a private citizen of the Russian federation," State Department Spokesman James Rubin told reporters yesterday. Stating that the Department of State has a long history of meeting with all parties to a conflict, Mr Rubin said "on that basis, working level officials, desk level officials from several bureaux... And working level officers from the office of Russian affairs will meet with Mr Akhmadov, to discuss the conflict in Chechnya, including humanitarian and refugee concerns." Meanwhile, Mr Akhmadov,
who has been recognised by the Chechen rebels as the
Foreign Minister, said his only aim "is to stop the
total destruction of our people and we are prepared to do
anything... we are prepared to negotiate. |
India, UK to focus on terrorism LONDON, Jan 14 (PTI) — India and Britain today decided to accord top priority to combat global terrorism. This was one of the decisions taken during a two-hour long luncheon meeting External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh had with his British counterpart Robin Cook here. The two countries also decided to set up a roundtable to bring together opinion makers of the two countries to further strengthen bilateral trade and cultural ties, they said at a joint press conference after the meeting. Mr Jaswant Singh invited Mr Cook to India to inaugurate the roundtable which he accepted and a date for his visit will be mutually finalised later. During the talks, Britain impressed upon India to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) saying this was not only in the interest of New Delhi but the entire world. "We have also reviewed bilateral relations which is in an excellent shape", Mr Cook said, adding trade between the two countries was higher than ever before. Asked about the British Chief of Defence Staff Sir Charles Guthrie’s visit to Pakistan, Mr Cook said it did not signify any change in Britain’s policy towards Islamabad. Britain wanted Pakistan to return to democracy early, he said, adding "We expect the military regime in Pakistan to set out a date" for this. Mr Cook also said that
there was no question of arms sale to Pakistan and that
Sir Guthrie is in Islamabad at an invitation from that
country. |
Britain urges Pak to help end terrorism ISLAMABAD, Jan 14 (PTI) — Britain has made clear to Pakistan its "deep concern" on developments in Kashmir and asked Islamabad to join the international efforts to eradicate terrorism in all its forms. Britain’s position was made clear by its visiting Chief of Defence Staff Sir Charles Guthrie during his meeting with Pakistan’s military ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf here yesterday during which he said he also discussed the recent hijacking of the Indian Airlines aircraft. "I made clear our deeply felt concerns on Kashmir and emphasised the urgency for Pakistan to join the international efforts to eradicate international terrorism in all its forms," General Guthrie, the first foreign dignitary to visit Islamabad after military took over power last October, told a select group of journalists after the meeting. He said they were of the view that "terrorism is a scourge in the world" and agreed on the need to bring "the perpetrators of terrorism to justice," according to Pakistan’s official news agency APP. Replying to a question, he said he was "deeply worried over the situation in Kashmir which has been dangerous sometimes". The situation "we
think became more dangerous following the nuclear tests
in 1998" by both India and Pakistan, he added. |
Moscow comes out with new security concept MOSCOW, Jan 14 (Reuters) — Russia published its radically reshaped national security concept today and the document made clear it has reduced the threshold for using nuclear weapons, to counter what it sees as a growing military threat. It envisages the potential use of its vast nuclear arsenal "to repel armed aggression." Under the previous national security doctrine published in 1997 Russia reserved the right to use nuclear weapons only if its very existence was threatened. Acting President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on January 6 covering the new concept setting out Russia’s views on its strategic interests and establishing priorities for protecting them. Few details were made available at the time, but officials said it was a sweeping rewrite of the 1997 security strategy to focus more on fighting terrorism and organised crime. The 21-page document was published today in the weekly military newspaper Nezavisimoye Voyennoye Obozreniye. The document, which is divided into four sections and fills two broadsheet pages, says Russia remained important but "a number of states" were trying to weaken and marginalise it. "The level and scale of threats in the military sphere is growing," the concept says. It says Moscow’s
main security task is to deter any attacks, nuclear or
conventional, against Russia and its allies. |
25 primate species may soon disappear WASHINGTON, Jan 14 (UNI) — After surviving 100 years without losing a single species, 25 species of apes, monkeys, lemurs and other primates are now on the verge of extinction and may soon disappear, experts have warned. "As we enter the new millennium, we risk losing our closest living relatives in the animal kingdom, as well as many of the world’s highest biodiversity areas that these animals have come to symbolise," Dr Russell Mittermeier, President of Conservation International (CI), said here. Dr Mittermeier, a
premier primatologist who was honoured by Time magazine
in 1998 as one of the "heroes of the planet",
released a report which he authored, on behalf of the CI
and the primate specialist group of IUCN — the world
conservation union’s species survival commission. |
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