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| Thursday, August 31, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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UN tells militias in East Timor to surrender DILI (East Timor), Aug 30— The United Nations’ top official in East Timor today urged die-hard pro-Indonesian militias that are continuing to launch raids into the territory from Indonesia to lay down their weapons and surrender. US no to ransom for hostage Pak military ex-chiefs in $ 1 b scam India day at peace summit 51 Muslims’ bodies found
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| Yugoslavia indicts
Western leaders BELGRADE, Aug 30 — The Belgrade District Attorney indicted NATO and Western leaders here yesterday over their role in last year’s bombing campaign against Yugoslavia and the deaths of 504 persons, the Serbian state television reported. Strike cripples B’desh port Torpedo blasts sank ‘Kursk’ UN chief’s plea on Suu Kyi
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UN tells militias in East Timor to surrender DILI (East Timor), Aug 30 (DPA) — The United Nations’ top official in East Timor today urged die-hard pro-Indonesian militias that are continuing to launch raids into the territory from Indonesia to lay down their weapons and surrender. The appeal by Mr Sergio Vieira de Mello, head of the un transitional authority in East Timor
(UNTAET) came as the territory celebrated the first anniversary of its independence vote from Indonesia. Pro-Jakarta militias and Indonesian soldiers launched a murder, rape and arson spree after 80 per cent of East Timor’s 800,000 people voted overwhelmingly for independence. Despite the presence of 7,745
UN peacekeepers, more than 100 die-hard militiamen continue to launch cross-border raids into the half-island territory from neighbouring West Timor. “I wish to appeal to you to lay down your weapons and surrender,’’ Mr De Mello said before nearly 10,000 East Timorese who gathered outside
UNTAET headquarters for the anniversary ceremony. He said the UN would continue to press Indonesia for the return of more than 120,000 East Timorese refugees languishing in West Timor, whose return home has been blocked by the militias. “We remember them, and with a determined effort on the part of the Indonesian Government, those of you who want to return ... should soon be allowed to do so,’’ Mr De Mello said. The militias marched more than 260,000 East Timorese at gunpoint across the border into West Timor after launching its orgy of violence, and repatriation has stopped in recent weeks because of the militias. US Senator Tom Harkin, one of several foreign dignitaries to attend today’s anniversary ceremony, blasted the continued attacks by the militias, which have killed two
UN peacekeepers in the past month. “The bloodshed that followed your peaceful ballot is a stain on the fabric of the world ... and a stain on some of the leaders of the Indonesian military,’’ he told the cheering crowd. “To those who continue to spread their poison through violence, let me say that you are living in the past, you are on the wrong side of history.’’ The
UN has arrested dozens of militiamen who are in jail in Dili awaiting trial once a court is established to handle their cases. Mr De Mello said East Timorese who wanted to remain part of Indonesia still held the same rights as independence supporters but warned that militia groups who committed atrocities last year will be brought to justice if they returned home. |
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US no to ransom for hostage WASHINGTON, Aug 30 (Reuters) — The USA has demanded the unconditional release of an American man kidnapped in the southern Philippines but said it would not pay any ransom or make deals with the Muslim rebels who seized him. State Department spokesman Philip Reeker said several U.S. officials had gone to the southern Philippine city of Zamboanga to speak to local officials about the kidnapping of Jeffrey Schilling of Oakland, California. He said an emissary of the Philippine Government’s chief hostage negotiator, Robert Aventajado, had reported seeing Schilling, 24, on Jolo island in the hands of a faction of the ABU Sayyaf guerrilla group, which has been holding six Europeans captive for months on the island. In Oakland, Schilling’s mother, Carol, told reporters she was praying for her son’s safe return. The kidnapped American is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, who majored in near eastern studies and converted to Islam. Relatives and family friends said he went to the Philippines in March and recently married a Filipino woman, who reported he had been abducted after they visited Jolo. Echoing official U.S. Denials friends of the Schilling family scoffed at the kidnappers’ assertions that Schilling worked for the CIA. “There’s no CIA involvement. He’s apolitical. He’s not involved in any terrorist group. He’s just a guy who happens to be in love. That’s all it is,’’ family friend Anthony Rodgers told reporters in Oakland. Reeker said he had no details on the condition of Schilling or why he was in the Philippines. Local officials in Zamboanga, who reported Schilling missing, said he had been living there since March. Asked if the USA would seek help from Libya for the release of the American hostage, Reeker said Washington supported efforts by negotiators to end hostage-taking in the Philippines. “We support efforts by negotiators ... For a quick resolution to this case,’’ he said, but he stressed that the USA would not pay ransom money. ZAMBOANGA (Philippines): Muslim rebels today renewed threats to kill Schilling after Washington said it would not make deals for his release. A rebel spokesman told DXRZ radio that the hostage would be killed if Washington and Manila did not negotiate. “Maybe we will behead him,’’ the caller said. The rebel spokesman earlier said the group would present detailed demands later this week but that these would include the release of three Islamic fundamentalists jailed in the USA for the 1993 bombing of New York’s World Trade Centre. |
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Pak military ex-chiefs in $ 1 b scam ISLAMABAD, Aug 30 (UNI) —At least 20 retired top army, naval and air force officials of Pakistan, including three army chiefs, were involved in a whopping $1 billion kickbacks scam in several controversial defence contracts, the Daily News has reported. The National Accountability Bureau
(NAB) of Pakistan has documents which provide enough evidence for launching full-scale probe against these officials for receiving commissions in purchases of tanks, submarines, naval mine hunters, mirage fighters and jeeps. Among those involved in the kickbacks are two former naval chiefs and one air force chief, besides three army chiefs. However, the paper said while the NAB had already launched prosecution against many politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen, it was hesitating to take action against the top military brass who were allegedly involved in shady deals. The nab was barred from investigating corruption charges against serving defence officials. While a majority of the controversial deals had not yet been touched by the nab, it was making efforts to seek extradition of a former naval chief, Admiral Mansural Haq, from the USA. Documents indicated that the Direction des Constructions Navales International
(DCN-I) of France had made an indirect payment of $ 5 million to the Admiral for over invoiced upgradation project for three Agosta B submarines. The paper said the former naval chief had left his daughter’s residence in Texas for an undisclosed destination. It was learnt that some Pakistani officials gave him information about the government’s decision to seek his extradition. In another case, Commodore Shahid, former Director of Naval Intelligence, who was sentenced by a court martial to seven years of imprisonment for his alleged role in the submarine deal had been pardoned after only three months of conviction. The paper also referred to kickbacks in the $250 million Edrain class minesweepers deal. The Nab had so far not questioned Admiral A.U Khan and Rear Admiral Mujtaba, two senior officials, who played a crucial role in the purchase of Agosta submarines. The nab documents also indicated the role of former Director-General Defence Procurement, Rear Admiral Saeed Akhtar in the Mirage deal, which was concluded during Air Chief Marshal Abbas Kathak’s period. Rear Admiral Saeed left his job and migrated to Europe amid reports that there were $ 20 million kickbacks in the controversial Mirage deal. Even dismissed vice-chief of Air Staff Arshad Chaudhary offered to prove kickbacks and commission from land deals in Karachi to Mirage purchases and Mirage rebuild factory in Kamra. The paper said a former Chief of he nab, Senator Saifur Rehman, had personally investigated Gen Jehangir Karmat’s T-80 tank deal with Ukraine. The company that acted as a go-between, the General’s headquarters and Ukraine suppliers were investigated to establish the role played by Lieut-Col Alias Moda (retd) in the deal. Several retired officials, who spoke to the paper’s investigating team, also alleged corruption in the purchase of 3700 Landrover jeeps. The key supplier of the jeeps to the army was a close relative of the then serving Lieutenant-General, who was also the main decision maker in the purchase. The nab had also to investigate into Lieut-Gen Farruk Khan’s decision to allow advance payment of Rs 25 crore to
Mitsubishi for a power plant. The Japanese company later cancelled the protect, causing a loss of Rs 25 crore. |
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India day at peace summit UNITED NATIONS, Aug 30 — It was somewhat odd that Kashmir should figure at the world summit of religious and spiritual leaders in the United Nations, but it did indeed on Tuesday, thanks to the Secretary-General of the World Muslim League, Abdullah Al-Obaid, who talked of “oppression” of Muslims in Kashmir. An eminent jurist and Member of Parliament, Dr L.M. Singhvi, could not let the remark pass without a response, but he did so subtly. He told the delegates that when there are religious riots, when terrorism claims victims in the name of religion as in Kashmir, when religions attack one another, religions are diminished and brought into disrepute. As religious leaders representing various faiths, beliefs and countries took the podium on the second day of the summit in the General Assembly hall, the common theme running through their addresses was the
oneness of all religions and that religious extremism has to be eschewed. The UN Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan, in his keynote address, noted that religion had often been yoked to nationalism, stoking the flames of violent conflict and setting group against group. “Religious leaders have not always spoken out when their voices should have helped combat hatred and persecution, or could have aroused people from indifference”, Mr Annan said and added, “Religion is itself not to blame; the problem is usually not with the faith, but with the faithful”. The day at the world peace summit turned out to be a sort of India day with a number of religious and other leaders from back home addressing the assembly on Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and generally on the need for tolerance. Two of the four sessions were chaired by Dr Karan Singh, Member of the Rajya Sabha, and Mrs Manju Jain, Chairperson of the Times of India publications. The speakers included Dr Singhvi, Buddhist meditation master S.N. Goenka, Mata Amritanandamyi Devi, Dada J.P. Vaswani, Pramukh Swamiji Maharaj and Jathedar Manjit Singh of Anandpur Sahib. A message from the Shankaracharya of Sringeri that “there is no alternative to spirituality” was read out by Mr V.R. Gaurishankar. The sessions variously dealt with a call for dialogue among religions, role of religion in conflict transformation, towards forgiveness and reconciliation, and ending violence, poverty and environmental degradation. Dr Singhvi said if human lives were destroyed in the name of religion and if religions positioned themselves in the battle array of adversaries, religions had no role to play in the new world which was struggling to be born. “Let the religions of the world unite for peace in the world”, he said. Jathedar Manjit Singh cautioned against the negative view of religion, “my shrine, your shrine, my God, your God”. That could only lead to hatred and bloodshed, he said, adding that religious leaders were victims of the illusion of ritual worship. |
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51 Muslims’
bodies found in Bosnia KALIMANICI (Bosnia), Aug 30 (Reuters) —Forensic experts have found the remains of 51 persons, apparently Muslims killed by Serb forces in 1992, in a pit in eastern Bosnia and the chief investigator said yesterday more than 100 bodies might be there. “We suppose that the number of victims could reach more than 100,” said Mr Amor Masovic, head of the Commission for Missing Persons in Bosnia’s Muslim-Croat Federation. The commission’s forensic team has excavated a 20-metre pit near the Serb-controlled town of Sokolac, 50 km east of Sarajevo, over the past two weeks. Some
NATO-led peacekeepers are stationed nearby as security. “Autopsies will show what the cause of death of these victims was but we can already say that among them were disabled people without legs, children as well as elderly people,’’ Mr Masovic told reporters. Human remains found in the pit were covered with soil, rubbish and animal bones but the experts said identification of the victims would be eased by the low underground temperatures, which had preserved clothes and documents. The bodies found so far, however, were not the ones the experts had originally hoped to excavate, Mr Masovic said. According to the identification papers found in the pit, most of the victims were from the nearby town of
Rogatica. |
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Yugoslavia indicts Western leaders BELGRADE, Aug 30 (DPA) — The Belgrade District Attorney indicted NATO and Western leaders here yesterday over their role in last year’s bombing campaign against Yugoslavia and the deaths of 504 persons, the Serbian state television reported. Charges of genocide and crimes against the civilian population were brought against US President Bill Clinton, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Secretary of Defence William Cohen. Also indicated were German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer and Defence Minister Rudolf Scharping, French President Jacques Chirac and his Foreign and Defence Ministers, Mr Hubert Vedrine and Mr Alain Richard, respectively. From the Great Britain, Prime Minister Tony Blair, Foreign Secretary Robin Cook and former Defence Secretary and current NATO Secretary-General George Robertson were also charged. The court further indicated former NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana and the former Chief Commander of NATO’s European forces, US General Wesley Clark. “Several months of investigation determined that (the indicted) spurred an aggressive war against Yugoslavia, ordered attacks on civilians and the President of the country, caused destruction of property and environment”, District Attorney Dragisa Krsmanovic said. The District Attorney added the investigation also showed that the NATO used internationally banned weapons. According to Yugoslav law, the officials face the maximum sentence of 15 to 20 years in prison. |
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Strike cripples B’desh port DHAKA, Aug 30 (Reuters) — Bangladesh’s main port was paralysed and stock market operations were halted today as the country was hit by the second opposition-led general strike in a week. The protest over prices also disrupted transport and the banking sectors and shut schools and many offices. The police said it deployed extra men to reinforce security in the capital, but no violence was reported in the early hours of the strike. “Both deliveries and cargo handling at the port have been stopped,” said the Deputy Traffic Director at Chittagong port, Sawar Hossain. Heavy morning rain had exacerbated the port’s problems, he said. Chittagong port handles about 80 per cent of Bangladesh’s exports and imports. “There will be no trading today,” said an official of the Dhaka Stock Exchange. The other stock exchange, in the port city of Chittagong, was also closed. Officials at local and foreign banks said they were seeing virtually no clients or transactions. “Inter-bank trading has been drastically slowed,” said one foreign bank official. The few buses and cars which ventured onto the streets of Dhaka early in the morning were mostly heading out of town before the strike took a firm grip. |
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Torpedo blasts sank ‘Kursk’ TWO ON-BOARD torpedo explosions — the second of them catastrophic — were responsible for sinking the nuclear submarine “Kursk”, according to US
spy submarines and a surface vessel which were monitoring Russian naval exercises in the Barents Sea on August 12. According to the US version of events, compiled from sonar tapes and other recordings analysed at the US National Maritime Intelligence Centre, the first explosion took place when a rocket-propelled torpedo misfired during loading or launch, causing the torpedo engine or its fuel to explode. After what the Americans portray as a desperate struggle by the N-sub’s captain, Grigory Lyachin, to bring the crippled vessel to the surface, it was devastated two and a quarter minutes later when the torpedo warhead exploded. The second blast tore a huge hole in the bow, killing most of the crew instantly and sending the submarine to the seabed. Within hours of the sinking, this version of the disaster was circulating within the US Government, nearly two days before the Russians announced the accident on August 14. The Russians assert that the explosion on the “Kursk” took place after a collision with a huge object, possibly a submarine or a World War II mine. The US version comes from surveillance data recorded by the nuclear submarine “Memphis”, which was one of two US submarines spying on the doomed Russian naval exercises. In addition to the two submarines, the US navy had a surface ship, “Loyal”, in the Barents Sea as part of its monitoring operation. The three vessels detected no indication of a collision involving the Kursk, the Americans say. US naval sources said the signals from a collision would be easy to distinguish and there was no evidence of such signals in the tapes they have examined. In addition to their sonar recordings, the US spy ships were able to monitor the Russian fleet’s transmissions in the minutes and hours following the disaster. According to an account yesterday, the Americans remained in the area, continuing to gather intelligence and intercepting frantic messages between the Russians as they tried to find out what happened to the “Kursk”. The American sources say they have found no evidence that any of the 118-strong crew survived the explosions. There is no evidence on the US navy’s sonar recordings of the tapping from within the “Kursk” which was reported by the Russians as late as two days after the sinking. — The Guardian, London. |
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UN chief’s plea
on Suu Kyi YANGON, Aug 30 (AFP) — Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi stood her ground in a roadside test of wills with the Myanmar military today as international pressure mounted for the regime to resolve the week-long stand-off. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged the authorities to find a peaceful solution to the crisis as the regime showed signs of becoming increasingly irritated over the confrontation. Mr Annan said the situation “underlines the necessity for national reconciliation” and urged the two sides to “engage as soon as possible in a substantive political dialogue.” |
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