Sunday, July 9, 2000, Chandigarh, India
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TULF rejects move on Lanka statute COLOMBO, July 8 — A broad agreement on self-rule and a new draft constitution that would give wider powers to minority Tamils to end the decades-old ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka today ran into trouble after a leading Tamil party rejected the move.
Pak plans war games ISLAMABAD, July 8 — The Pakistan Army has prepared an extensive training programme which may ultimately lead to testing post-nuclear environment and limited war concepts, their planning, practice and validation. |
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Insecurity among
Pak Christians ISLAMABAD, July 8 — A sharp increase in violence against Christians in Pakistan, especially incidents of gangrape and abduction of girls and women, has caused insecurity among several million-strong community which even refuses to register complaints against the culprits for fear of revenge. India seeks French
help for subs Najma seeks China’s
support on terrorism WASHINGTON, July 8 — An Army Major-General received a reprimand after an internal investigation found that he grabbed and kissed the army’s highest ranking female General against her will, the army said. Clinton to pacify
angry Okinawans
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TULF rejects move on Lanka statute COLOMBO, July 8 (PTI) — A broad agreement on self-rule and a new draft constitution that would give wider powers to minority Tamils to end the decades-old ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka today ran into trouble after a leading Tamil party rejected the move. A day after reaching a landmark consensus on the new constitution following a four-hour meeting between President Chandrika Kumaratunga and United National Party (UNP) leader Ranik Wickramasinghe, the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) outrightly rejected the agreement saying it is a “setback” to Tamil aspirations for greater political autonomy. The LTTE has already rejected the devolution of power proposal. However, there was no agreement on the contentious issue of transitory provisions to shift the power from the present presidential to the parliamentary democracy and analysts said sharp differences remained over its implementation. The two leaders ended their nine-week-long talks last night with the broad agreement on powers to be devolved to regions but differed on the modalities to get it ratified by Parliament. Later Ms Kumaratunga told the national television that the agreement was “a very historic occasion and I trust this will be the forerunner to the peace in this country.” “We have been able to start a new chapter and we have been able to work out an agreement,” she said. In his brief comments, Mr Wickramasinghe said they discussed devolution of powers in order to avoid division of the nation. The two leaders reached an agreement on the unit of devolution for the Tamil-dominated North-Eastern province, constitution of interim council to run it for five years and the extent of powers to be devolved to administer it. However, there was no agreement on the most contentious issue of transitory provisions to shift the power from the present presidential form of government to the parliamentary democracy. Nor the two leaders agreed on the modalities and time-frame to get the constitution legalised. To attain legal status, the constitution first has to be ratified by the Parliament with two third majority followed by an approval vote in a referendum. UNP leaders argued that the constitution could not be ratified during the term of this Parliament as the term of the House ended on August 24. Official sources said on her part Ms Kumaratunga would refer the approved draft to the Supreme Court as well as to the moderate Tamil parties before submitting it to the Parliament. On the transitory provisions, the UNP sources said that the President yesterday proposed to retain the powers of presidency for the rest of the six-year term stating that she had been re-elected only few months ago. The UNP, however, wanted her to relinquish the presidency immediately after the next round of Parliament polls scheduled to be held in October this year. The two leaders have agreed to meet at a later date to discuss the issue again. They also agreed to set up an independent commission for election, police, public service and judiciary. |
30 more taken hostage in Fiji SUVA, July 8 (AP) — A second hostage crisis erupted today in Fiji as armed rebels supporting coup leader George Speight took away 30 soldiers, police and government officials from a police station outside Suva. A defiant Speight said there would be more unrest until the military gave in to his demands. But Speight also offered hope for a resolution to the crisis that has gripped Fiji since he and six gunmen stormed Parliament on May 19 and took the democratically elected government hostage. Speight was involved in talks with a four-man military delegation tonight and army spokesman Maj Howard Politini expressed guarded optimism that they were progressing well. Earlier today, a spokesman for the second gang of hostage-takers, Iferemi Tiko, told reporters that he was a cousin of Speight and that the latest action was in support of Speight’s aims to disenfranchise ethnic Indians. Tiko led at least 100 rebels armed with tire irons, steel pipes and other makeshift weapons who took over a military checkpoint in Korovou, about 60 km outside Suva, 2030
GMT Friday before confiscating six M-16 rifles and storming the town’s small police station. Also today, the US Embassy in Suva said Ambassador Osman Siddique was being recalled to the USA for consultations. |
Pak plans war games ISLAMABAD, July 8 (ANI) — The Pakistan Army has prepared an extensive training programme which may ultimately lead to testing post-nuclear environment and limited war concepts, their planning, practice and validation. Though these two concepts will have to be tested after planned war games to be conducted at each corps level and would be followed by integrated field exercises. The military commanders discussed many scenarios and professional matters on the last day of the two-day corps commanders’ conference which concluded yesterday. The Chief Executive, Gen Pervez Musharraf , who chaired the conference emphasised that each of the formations must plan professional training and implement their respective training plans vigorously ensuring maximum participation of the officers and men. “The participants deliberated at length over defence-related and professional matters,” said an official announcement. General Musharraf said he would soon be visiting and attending war games at each corps, meant to hone and enhance the command capabilities and professional acumen of the senior commanders. “The war games will be followed by integrated field exercises conducted in a realistic environment,” said the official announcement. This year, these games will be attend by General Musharraf himself as per his announcement. “It’s time for all professional abilities to be tested,” said a source, “as different things are being planned for rest of the current year.” These war games, to be conducted through maps or models, can also be conducted on computers. They will be followed by the annual November/December field exercises to be conducted in a realistic environment. It means that these exercises will also involve the Pakistan Air Force. Some sources say that following the war games and field exercises at each corps level, Pakistan will test the concept of post-nuclear environment by conducting an exercise in which the forces will be dispersed in view of the enemy’s striking capability and in case of a decision of a nuclear strike by Pakistan, it will also provide an opportunity for testing how the forces shall be deployed so that the enemy gets maximum punishment. According to a retired military officer, following the Kargil crisis, Pakistan also needs to test the “limited war concept” for which it has to conduct an exercise to a level appropriate for it. |
Insecurity among Pak Christians ISLAMABAD, July 8 (UNI) — A sharp increase in violence against Christians in Pakistan, especially incidents of gangrape and abduction of girls and women, has caused insecurity among several million-strong community which even refuses to register complaints against the culprits for fear of revenge. The Pakistani military regime and media have remained indifferent to the growing crime against the minorities as the rulers do not want to lose their standing with the clergy ,which enjoys political clout in the country, The Friday Times has reported. The paper quoting leaders of the community said the minority group felt that the state authorities had joined hands with fanatics in persecuting them. The community face threat from another law that allowed conversion of Christian wives without a divorce from their Christian husbands. Crime against minorities had tarnished the image of Pakistan in the international community with western countries having passed strong resolutions in the past against the victimisation of the members of the community. A number of
Christian girls were raped in May in Kala Shah Kaku area near Lahore when they were returning home from a
factory. They were taken out of the factory bus at midnight and gangraped
however, their relatives were reluctant to file an FIR. This was followed by another incident when a group of five Dutch women were molested in Lahore by several youths. A small crowd had watched as they were being molested. |
India seeks French help for subs PARIS, July 8 (PTI) — India has sought the help of France in reviving its submarine production line and building Air Defence Ships
(ADS) as part of its long-term defence co-operation with Paris, official sources said here today. France, on its part, is also interested in selling its latest Mirage-2000 D fighter jets to India, they said. “India is looking at indigenous construction of submarines and talks have been held with France to familiarise (India) with its (French) technologies”, sources said at the end of three-day meeting of the Indo-French High Committee on Defence Cooperation. “After many years of negotiations, the meeting discussed the finer points of the deal to acquire 10 additional Mirage 2000H jets for the Indian Air Force (IAF).” The deal is expected to be signed in New Delhi shortly. Describing the high committee meeting as “the most successful so far”, sources said the number of programmes in defence cooperation for the year 2000-2001 has gone up to 54 compared to 15 in the previous year. India has decided to revive construction of submarines with sophisticated technologies. “We have medium and long-term goals in the construction of submarines with French collaboration,” sources said. Defence Secretary T.R. Prasad led the 13-member Indian delegation while Jean Bernard Ouvrieu, a special representative of French Defence Minister Alain Richard, headed the French team for talks. Recently, India also placed an order for additional 55 French tm 333-2B2 Turbomeca engines for its Advanced Light Helicopters
(ALH), built by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. India chose the French engine last July for
ALH following abrupt withdrawal by a us company — the us’ Light Helicopter Turbine Engine Company — following sanctions imposed by the USA in response to India’s 1998 nuclear tests. Sources said India and France also held discussions on the construction of 32,000-tonne Air Defence Ship (ads) which is being built at Cochin Shipyard Limited. “In addition to 155 mm artillery guns, France is also keen to assist India in the Main Battle Tank project and other components for the
ALH programme,” sources said. Meanwhile, India has also initiated preliminary talks with the Dassault Aviation of France over the purchase of 18 Mirage 2000 D fighter aircraft and rasit-e battlefield surveillance radar for artillery from
Thomson-CSF. |
Najma seeks China’s support on terrorism BEIJING, July 8 (PTI) — India has sought China’s support on its resolution on terrorism, which it has placed with the UN, even as both nations underlined the need for global cooperation to fight the growing menace. Acknowledging that narco-terrorism and terrorism were intertwined and posed a threat to governments worldwide, China’s top legislator Li Peng and visiting Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha Najma Heptulla agreed that all nations must cooperate to fight the common danger. Ms Heptulla, who is on a five-day official good-will visit to China in her capacity as the President of the Council of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), said India had placed a resolution with the United Nations on terrorism and hoped that China, a
permanent member of the UN Security Council, would support it. Mr Li, Chairman of the standing committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s Parliament, said China was opposed to all forms of terrorism. The two leaders also discussed a wide range of bilateral and multilateral issues of common concern during their one-hour meeting at the Great Hall of the People here last evening. Mr Li and Ms Heptulla stressed on the need for more interaction and exchange between lawmakers of both countries. The Chinese leader also mentioned that he had suggested to Indian President the need to establish a Joint Parliamentary Forum to promote Sino-Indian relations. Ms Heptulla hoped that China would play a more active role in the world body of
Parliamentarians and invited Mr Li to be one of the presiding Vice-Presidents at the Conference of Speakers of National Parliaments to be held in New York. Accepting Ms Heptulla’s invitation, Mr Li said China places great importance on the activities of the IPU and pledged to support Ms Heptulla’s work. Mr Li added that the Chinese side had put forth some “constructive proposals” including equal sovereignty, non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, respecting every country’s people’s choices and safeguarding the authority of the UN. |
Kiss costs General his job WASHINGTON, July 8 (AFP) — An Army Major-General received a reprimand after an internal investigation found that he grabbed and kissed the army’s highest ranking female General against her will, the army said. There were no witnesses to the incident, but the army’s Inspector- General found the complaint brought against Major-Gen Larry Smith by Lieut-Gen Claudia Kennedy was believable because she had no reason to lie about it. General Kennedy, who retired last month as Deputy Chief of Staff, said in a statement she was satisfied with the army’s action against Major-Gen Larry Smith, which effectively ends his military career. “As far as I am concerned, this matter is closed,” she said. General Smith insisted in a statement that he did not do what General Kennedy accused him of, and said he was “deeply disappointed” by the finding of the army’s Inspector-General. “However, for the good of my family and the army, we have elected to put it behind us and move on with our lives,” he said in a statement. Gen John Keane, the army Vice Chief of Staff, gave him an administrative memorandum of reprimand, the army said. |
Clinton to pacify
angry Okinawans
WASHINGTON, July 8 (AP) — Japanese anger over criminal and unruly behavior by US soldiers could overshadow global economic issues when President Bill Clinton joins a summit of world leaders on Okinawa. A marine corporal stands accused of fondling a junior high school girl in the latest incident in years of trouble between local residents and the US troops based in Japan. The White House said yesterday that Clinton plans a speech to residents at Okinawa’s Peace Park upon his arrival for the July 20-23 summit as well as meetings with community leaders. It will be the first visit of a US President to the island where 26,000 US troops are stationed. |
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