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| Sunday, October 29, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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4 Palestinians killed Foreign vessel hit
Kursk: Russia Clinton to campaign for gore USA sets terms for helping Pak Window on Pakistan |
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Annan flays massacre
of 29 Tamil detainees Cheney’s ‘embarrassing’ role UN staff security: session sought One killed in police firing in Nepal
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4 Palestinians killed RAMALLAH, West Bank, Oct 28 (AFP,
Reuters) — four Palestinians were killed and almost 200 wounded yesterday in a new explosion of violence on what had been declared a “day of rage,” further threatening to destabilise tentative peace efforts. Most of the violence and three of the deaths occurred at various flashpoints in the West Bank, but the Gaza Strip also witnessed fiery clashes between Palestinians and Israeli soldiers on three fronts, which left one Palestinian dead, witnesses and hospital sources said. The renewed violence, which followed a brief lull, came as Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak edged closer to forming an emergency government with the Right-wing Likud party of Ariel Sharon, a move Palestinians and Israeli Left-wingers fear would sound the death knell for the peace process. During a fierce exchange of fire between armed Palestinians and Israeli troops in the Palestinian-ruled town of Ramallah, Israeli tanks fired several shells onto a hillside, witnesses said. A building under construction was damaged. Violence also erupted after Friday prayers at the northern West Bank towns of Tulkarem and Qalqilya, at the Erez crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip, and at Rafah and Khan Yunis in the south of Gaza. Later in the day, Israeli tanks fired shells at the Arab town of Beit Jala and, in a rare incident, at Jericho, the first Palestinian town to come under self-rule following the 1993 Oslo accords. BEIRUT:
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has called on the Palestinians to launch more suicide bombings against Israel after a member of the Islamic Jihad group blew himself up near an Israeli army post this week. “If material means were made more available to these fighters inside occupied Palestine, then the world will see more such qualitative martyrdom operations, which will leave big and dangerous marks on the confrontation and decide its fate,” a
Hezbollah statement quoted Nasrallah as telling its al-Manar television channel on Friday. AMMAN: The Jordanian parliament accused the us House of Representatives of “total bias” toward Israel following a resolution that blamed the Palestinians for ongoing violence. “We have been profoundly surprised by the position of the American Congress concerning the dangerous political and security developments in the Palestinian territories,” acting Speaker Bassam Haddadin said on Friday, quoted by official news agency
petra. |
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Foreign vessel hit Kursk: Russia MOSCOW, Oct 28 (UNI)—Evidence collected to determine the cause of the
Kursk tragedy had shown that the stricken Russian submarine was hit by a foreign vessel, naval commander-in-chief admiral
Vladimir Kuroyedov has said. "After the remaining evidence is collected, I will announce the name of the killer
vessel," Voice of Russia quoted him as saying yesterday. The team of divers currently operating in the Barents Sea to retrieve the bodies of sailors from the sunken submarine have so far brought out four corpses, and a letter found on one of them indicated that more than 20 sailors survived the initial flooding. Reacting to Admiral Kuroyedov’s statement, the office of
US vice-president Al Gore denied any
American link in the tragedy. Talking to Itar
Tass, Gore’s naval adviser made it clear that the USA would not subject its submarines to ''international inspection''. In response to the
US claim, voice of
Russia asked, "Why should the USA shy away from an inspection, if it is so sure of the innocence of its vessels?" A Novosti report from the site of the tragedy quoted investigation committee chairman and Vice-Premier Ilya Klebanov as saying that
the truth would emerge on November 8 when all documents relating to the tragedy would be submitted to him. Also, the divers would have, by then, video-filmed the wreck, he added. Meanwhile, the design bureau chief of the Kursk Igor Spassky said international cooperation would be sought to lift up the submarine. MURMANSK
(AP): A fierce storm that forced the suspension of efforts to recover bodies from a sunken nuclear submarine lessened on Saturday and Norwegian divers resumed work underwater, a navy official said. The Russian-Norwegian mission to recover some of the bodies of the 118 men who died aboard the Kursk was put on hold on Friday because of winds up to 25 metres a second tossed the mission’ ships so hard on the surface of the Barents Sea that divers 10 metres below risked being jerked on their tethers. “The divers went down to the submarine and started to remove rubber coating in advance of cutting a hole in the ninth compartment of the submarine,” Vadim Serga, a spokesman for the Northern Fleet said. The ninth compartment is where the emergency escape hatch is located. After the Kursk sank, Russian submersibles were unable to connect with the hatch, but Norwegian divers who followed managed to open it a week after the tragedy and determine that there were no survivors. Although the winds subsided, there were still six-metre waves at the recovery site, an aide to navy spokesman Igor Dygalo told the Interfax news agency. He said safety precautions taken by the Norwegian divers made it possible to resume the operation, but Russian divers could not work until the waves were less than four metres. Divers on Wednesday recovered four bodies the Kursk’s compartments. |
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Clinton to campaign for gore WASHINGTON, Oct 28 (PTI) — US President Bill Clinton has decided to plunge into the current election campaign in its last days to help Democratic presidential hopeful Al Gore win the elections, media reports said. President Clinton’s action, who won his own election eight years ago by campaigning almost nonstop with only one or two hours of sleep daily for days, is intended to save vice president Al Gore’s chances of winning along with others campaigning for the senate and house of representatives. Mr Gore, however, according to press reports as well as friends of the candidates, has not been seeking Mr Clinton’s advice on the campaign. The decision to “ride to the rescue of reluctant Gore” is frontpaged in the Washington Times which notes that Governor Gray Davis of California is pleading for the President to rescue the Vice President. The Democrats have quietly urged Mr Clinton to do some campaigning himself whether Mr Gore wants him to do so or not, and Mr Clinton has now decided to do just that. The democrats feel that with the country enjoying the best economy it has had in decades, they should not only be able to retain the White House but also capture the House of Representatives — where a shift of six seats will make all the difference — and perhaps even the Senate. Mr Clinton is today more popular than ever while Mr Gore projects a wooden image though everyone admits that he is much more experienced in national affairs than Mr Bush and hence, on resume, he is far more qualified than Mr Bush for the highest position. His problem has been how to translate that into votes. Though Mr Gore is slightly ahead in California, most national poll, the Washington Times notes, show that he is trailing Mr Bush by two to eight points and falling behind in pivotal “battleground states.” “Clinton’s mission,” said the paper, “will be to shore up support in these states and to ‘reenergise the base’ of the Democratic Party—blacks and labour union members. Meanwhile, Mr Gore spokesman Chris Lehane said that Mr Clinton “will be out there not just for the Vice President but for all Democrats. We are glad to see him out there.” Adding that “this is a race Al Gore is running as his own man, on his own agenda and in his own voice.” The Bush campaign last night called the President’s tour “a desperation move by Mr Gore.” |
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USA sets terms for helping Pak ISLAMABAD, Oct 28 (UNI) — The USA has sought Pakistan’s firm
commitment and solid action on three conditions before it lets Islamabad drive out of the current economic mess. The conditions — to reign in Islamic
organisations, control cross-border terrorism and make progress on signing the CTBT — were dispatched by US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright in a letter delivered to Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar early this month. This was reported by ‘The Nation,’ quoting a source privy to the contents of the letter. According to the paper, the US Embassy in Pakistan neither denied nor confirmed the report. Counsellor of Public Affairs Lee James Irwin, however, said: “This is possible but I cannot confirm it”. |
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Window on Pakistan Currently Pakistan’s military ruler, Gen Pervez Musharraf, is in search of scapegoats to cover up his failure to live up to his own promises, the ones he made from the housetop when he took over the command of the country last October in a bloodless coup. The Press and the people had by and large welcomed the military dictatorship when it replaced the corrupt and debased civilian one under Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. General Musharraf’s declarations were taken at the face value. “Pakistan would have a clean and efficient government, control and direct the economy towards the prosperity of all, allow a good deal of freedom of expression and thereby free public opinion and a peaceful tension-free regime, an envy of not only the neighbours but also of the past civilian rulers and serious or pseudo-politicians.” This was the sum total of his pious declarations”. But one year has gone by and the General has been too busy trying to wade through the mess. India baiting has been the hallmark of his regime. Economic mess is too serious to allow any relaxation. The debt burden of $ 38 billion has perhaps not lessened. Foreign reserves are enough only for less than three weeks. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund must bail it out and the old friend, the USA, whose client state Pakistan has been for decades, has promised only a temporary relief. The price tag attached to this help says that Pakistan must rein in the Taliban and other religious zealots, the jehadis. But General Musharraf has just not that kind of control to direct the events to the like of
Americans. One clear sign of the deepening political and economic crisis is that at least 13 ministers have quit various positions in the government during the past one year. The latest is Javed Jabbar, the high profile Minister for Information and Broadcasting. While General Musharraf made a cryptic army style comment on the resignation that no one is really indispensable , Mr Jabbar sang about his loyalty. He also kept up his criticism of the press that it was not fair. It is taking its adversarial role too far, and what General Musharraf said in New York that the Press was not patriotic and was providing handle to Pakistan’s enemy number one, India, was an innocent remark. The Press was acting more out of spite . There is no fair play. This is plain incompetence, and journalists are losing their credibility. Mr Jabbar also asserted that the policies followed by the army rulers would bring in good results in the next two years. This bravado and the declared personal reasons to quit apart, the Pakistani media now at the receiving end has not come out with any details as to why Mr Jabbar had to go. Mr Jabbar’s resignation was preceded by the resignation of Punjab’s Information Minister Shafaqat Mahmood. Many, however, in the media feel that the two like other eleven, have been made scapegoats. According to the daily Dawn and the Nation, the wise Cabinet ministers in the Musharraf ministry have just to nod what the military command asks them for. Their job ends there. They have to inform the people and keep a civilian facade. Nation’s comment was cryptic,” it is easy to blame the Information Minister for something that attracts media attention and criticism, but then the minister has to be privy to the innermost thoughts of ruler.” Other comments were on similar lines. What the newspapers and news magazines these days are facing is subtle censorship. This the Pakistani press has faced during all regimes whether under Zulfikar Ali
Bhutto or his daughter Benazir or under Mr Nawaz Sharif. Many newspapers have stood by the people and projected their interests and have taken the traditionally active adversarial role seriously. Some have been to jails and, others have faced many kinds of restrictions and some even have faced death. The battle has gone on and in the words of poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz this tradition of the rulers to be ruthless and the people to fight has to go on and on. The Press has to face this onslaught. Those who succumb would be forgotten sooner or later. Clearly the military regime is increasingly becoming unpopular. The promises and the declarations made by the Chief Executive no longer hold water with the people. Soon the time table drawn by a pliable Supreme Court too would be over. It is just three years. Military exercises and threatening postures too would not have any value for pauperised millions. The ruling elite, the military bureaucratic landlord nexus, now ruling the roost offers no solution to the economic crisis that is deepening with every passing day. The Press will have to highlight the crisis and insensitivity of the regime, sometimes quietly and sometime aggressively. It has little choice if it is to maintain its credibility. The coming months may see the army rulers coming heavily as they will not be able to take criticism in their stride. That is not their nature. This would be the first serious battle, as many like Najam Sethi of The Friday Times or Mariana Babbar see it. — Gobind Thukral |
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Annan flays massacre of 29 Tamil detainees UNITED NATIONS, Oct 28 (PTI) — The United Nations Secretary General, Mr Kofi Annan, has strongly condemned the massacre of 29 Tamil inmates of a rehabilitation centre this week and asked the Sri Lankan Government to hold an “impartial inquiry” into the killings. Expressing “profound” distress at the killings at Bandarawela, 250 km east of Colombo, Mr Annan said he expected the government to conduct an impartial inquiry to bring those responsible to justice. He also urged all parties in the country to refrain from any further escalation of violence”. Reports say that hundreds of machete
wielding men attacked a rehabilitation centre in Bandarawela in central Sri Lanka on Wednesday killing 29 inmates, including a juvenile. Fourteen others were wounded. The victims had been detained for their suspected links with the LTTE. Though, the police have so far arrested over 250 persons, mostly Sinhalese, from nearby villages in this connection, the LTTE has blamed the government and its security forces for instigating the massacre. COLOMBO: Meanwhile, the Sinhalese right wing nationalist party, Sihala Urumaya, has been blamed by Sri Lankan official media for provoking the massacre. The police found a large stock of posters purported to have been printed by the Sihala Urumaya calling for the centre housing the former Tamil militants to be removed, state-run Daily News said today. The police is now looking for the source of these posters which led to the mass attack, the newspaper said. The Director of the State Information, Mr Ariya Rubasinghe in a statement said besides the involvement of right wing nationalist elements, police investigations into the attack had also revealed that an LTTE militant, who surrendered recently, was the reason for instigating revolt by the ex-militants against the officials of the centre. Mr Rubasinghe said Antony James, a staunch LTTE militant, had surrendered recently with the intention of creating havoc in the detention camp. |
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Cheney’s ‘embarrassing’ role WASHINGTON, Oct 28 (PTI) — Republican vice-presidential candidate Richard Cheney’s involvement in a 1996 joint venture with an Italian company to bring Burmese gas to India by pipeline may become a source of embarrassment to his party’s campaign for the coming US elections because of Myanmar’s use of forced labour, media reports said today. Mr Cheney’s Press Secretary Juleanna Glover Weiss conceded that he was kept abreast of the Myanmar operations, all of which were “consistent with US policy and law”, The Wall Street Journal reported. She said the decision to work in Myanmar was made by the Italian management of Halliburton Company’s joint venture partner, Milan-based Saipem SpA. She added that Mr Cheney, the then CEO of Halliburton, was not involved in that decision but was aware of it. The journal said Mr Cheney, also former US Defence Secretary, declined its requests for an interview to discuss the level of his involvement. The project involved is Myanmar’s Yadana project. In March 1996 Mr Cheney himself presided over a signing ceremony in India on an agreement for Halliburton’s Brown & Root International unit to supply gas produced in Myanmar to India, according to industry reports quoted by the journal. Later in 1996, according to Offshore Data Services, a Houston (Texas) research firm, the Halliburton venture was awarded the big Yadana undersea pipeline contract, a year or so after Mr Cheney became Halliburton’s CEO. For the project, a London-based joint venture, called European Marine Contactors Ltd, was responsible for laying 365-km of 36-inch pipe, connecting the Yadana gas field with the Myanmar peninsula. Technically, Halliburton was violating no law. Although the USA has withdrawn its Ambassador from Yangon and imposed sanctions on new investments, the sanctions do not cover service contractors like the Dallas-based Halliburton. However, most US companies, including oil giants Texaco and Atlantic Richfield, pulled out of Myanmar years ago because of alleged human rights violations by the regime but Halliburton maintained its office under the US law. In a case involving another US energy company Unocal, a district court judge, while absolving Unocal, a principal investor in the Yadana gas field, on the ground that the company did not conspire to commit human rights abuses, was caustic about Myanmar regime’s role in helping to build the pipeline. |
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UN staff security: session sought UNITED NATIONS, Oct 28 (PTI) — Deeply concerned about attacks on their colleagues working in conflict situations, more than 22,000 UN employees have signed a petition asking the Security Council to hold a special session to consider the problems faced by them, especially their security concerns. This is first time that the staff has given such a petition to the world body. It was presented to General Assembly President Harri Holkeri of Finland who forwarded it to Secretary-General Kofi Annan and promised to give his serious consideration to the issue. The petition comes within a week of Secretary-General Kofi Annan seeking $ 30 million a year to tighten security at over 150 stations worldwide and impart security training to personnel being sent in conflict situation especially in areas where the government’s writ does not run. With the UN officials increasingly becoming victims of violence as they are “soft” targets, most of them without any weapon, the question of security is coming to the forefront and the world body is under pressure to ensure the staff sent to dangerous locations is fully trained in security procedures. |
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One killed in police
firing in Nepal KATHMANDU, Oct 28 (AFP) — At least one person was killed when the police opened fire on a group of absconding Tibetan refugees in the eastern Nepal yesterday, hospital sources and state news said. The clash occurred after the police tried to arrest 24 Tibetans who had escaped police custody while en route to the Department of Immigration in Kathmandu. “At least nine policemen and six Tibetan refugees were injured in the clash. The refugees are said to have pelted policemen with stones and the police responded with live fire,” the state-run news agency RSS reported. A Tibetan source talking to AFP last evening said one of the injured refugees had died on the way to Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu. The remainder were “undergoing treatment, but were in a serious condition,” the source added. |
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Bangladesh floods DHAKA, Oct 28 (Reuters) — A storm which dumped heavy rains in flood-devastated Bangladesh today has destroyed homes and raised fears of further flooding, weather officials said. They said no deaths had been reported as a result of the storm, which hit the country’s southern coast with a wind speed of 100 km per hour. But it had blown away many straw houses and uprooted trees and telephone and power lines in coastal areas in the southern Khulna district, the
said. |
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