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November 18, 2000, Chandigarh, India  
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Coup rumours sweep Fiji Turkey to mediate in W. Asia
stir India ‘eligible’ for permanent UN seat |
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Mori may face
no-trust move India, Iran to solve
regional disputes Ex-spy chairs
Indo-Russian group Caste system
universal London Vidya
Bhavan lauded
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It’s man vs machine in White House race against time MIAMI, Nov 17 (Reuters, AP) — In the cliffhanger US presidential election, it has come down to man versus machine. Republicans want vote-counting machines to make the final determination whether Texas Governor George W. Bush or Vice President Al Gore wins Florida and White House. Democrats want human beings to count the ballots. “In the movie ‘2001,’ a computer called Hal controlled our lives,” Democrat lawyer Stephen Zack said. “Hopefully, in this case, machines will not control our lives.” Americans cast 100 million ballots in the election for the presidency of the world’s most powerful nation. It has come down to just 300 votes in Florida, where Mr Bush leads Mr Gore by that razor-thin margin. Attorneys for Mr Gore and the Democrats have argued that election workers should be allowed to scrutinise ballots to decide who voters intended to vote for. Republican attorneys have said machines do a better job. “The machine does not care who wins the election. People do,” said Mr Theodore Olson, who represented the Bush camp in a federal court hearing in Miami. Republicans say hand counts introduce an unacceptable human element. Human handling can spoil punch-card ballots, they say, dislodging “chads,” the tiny pieces of paper voters were supposed to have punched out of the holes. If a “chad” is dangling, it is up to the worker to conclude if the ballot constitutes a vote. Or worse some suggest, an election worker eyeing a ballot could deliberately cheat. Hand counts “introduce uncertainty and possible prejudice,” Mr Olson said. The implication that people might be incompetent or resort to cheating if they get their hands on the ballots has irked democrats. Some analysts said the man versus machine argument cuts for both Mr Gore and Mr Bush. Research has shown that when the “chad” is not fully punched, the machine does not count the vote — Mr Gore’s argument. But it also has shown that when cards are handled too much, “chads” can fall out — Mr Bush’s contention. Studies have found that up to 20 per cent of punch cards are not read properly by machines when “chads” are not fully punched, political analysts said. “We know that the machines are worse (than manual counts) because we have used the damn things for 30 years and when the hole is partially punched the machine doesn’t pick up the vote,” said Lance DeHaven-Smith, Associate Director of the Florida Institute of Government at Florida State University. Democrats point out that one of Bush’s recurring campaign themes was his belief that people should be empowered at the local level to make their own decisions. “We trust the people,” Mr Bush said over and over in the days leading up to the November 7 vote. But in the court, lawyers for the Republicans fought fiercely against local officials’ decisions to recount votes by hand, implying that hand counts by humans open the door to subjectivity and possible fraud. “Machines are neither Republican nor Democrat. They are neither consciously nor subconsciously biased,” Republican Attorney BoB Martinez told the Miami-Dade canvassing board. Meanwhile as officials count more than 2,500 overseas absentee ballots today, a mere handful of votes out of six million cast statewide that could be decisive in settling the presidential election between Al Gore and George Bush. To erase Bush’s current 300-vote margin. Gore would have to win about 56 per cent of these absentee votes that have tilted for the Republicans since 1980. “However you slice it and dice it, the Gore campaign should not be expecting to gain votes from the overseas ballots.” said Mr Le DiBenigno spokesman for the Bush campaign in Florida. Democrats argue this year is different. “This election has shattered all historical context” said state Democratic Party Chairman Bob Poe. An AP survey of all 67 Florida counties through midday yesterday found 2,575 overseas ballots yet to be counted. That number is likely to grow because counties can accept overseas absentee ballots until midnight today for inclusion in the final totals as long as they were postmarked by election day. Counties have until noon tomorrow to report their absentee ballot results to the state. |
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New chapter in US, Vietnam ties: Clinton HANOI, Nov 17 (Reuters) — US President Bill Clinton said today the USA and Vietnam had opened a new chapter with his historic visit to Hanoi, showing a “painful, past can be redeemed in a peaceful and prosperous future”. Speaking live on Vietnamese television, an unprecedented privilege granted to the first US President to visit since the Vietnam War ended, Mr Clinton also gently urged Hanoi’s communist leadership to strengthen human rights and open up its political system. However, Vietnamese watching said the translation of his speech as broadcast on state-run Vietnam Television became virtually unintelligible when he mentioned sensitive rights issues. Mr Clinton tried to make his case to the Vietnamese people, in part by pointing to the US history of civil liberties and political freedoms, while acknowledging the stain of slavery and the long denial of political rights to blacks and women. “In our experience young people are much more likely to have confidence in their future if they have a say in shaping it, in choosing their governmental leaders and having a government that is accountable to those it serves,” he said. Vietnamese viewers said there were no problems with translation of Mr Clinton’s comments on the war, given in a speech to students at Hanoi National University. Mr Clinton said the two countries needed to continue to help each other heal the wounds of war, not by forgetting the heroism and tragedy suffered by all sides, but by embracing the spirit of reconciliation. Speaking with great care, Mr Clinton gently urged Hanoi to consider strengthening its respect for human rights, opening up its political system and further liberalising its economy. Mr Clinton began his day with a welcoming ceremony with full state honours at Hanoi’s Presidential Palace hosted by counterpart Tran Duc
Luong. |
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Coup rumours sweep Fiji SUVA, Nov 17 (Reuters) — Fijian police and soldiers stepped up security around the capital Suva today as rumours swept the city of riots and new coup plots. Residents reported a buildup of street patrols and roadblocks two days after a high court ruling that the post-May coup government was illegal. “We have in place more foot patrols to counter any situation that may arise, and we are checking on each rumour that is spreading among the public,” Assistant Police Commissioner Emosi Vumisa told Reuters. Rocked by a nationalist coup in May which toppled the country’s first ethnic Indian Prime Minister and then by a failed mutiny which killed eight, Fiji was plunged into a fresh crisis on Wednesday when the high court ruled the government of Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase illegal and unconstitutional. Tension in the capital was high today as Fijians waited for Qarase to file a stay order against the high court ruling. Qarase has said his military-backed administration remains the legitimate government. But despite the increased security, the police said a nightly curfew in place since the failed military mutiny at Suva’s Queen Elizabeth Barracks on November 2 was expected to be lifted today after the last mutineer was captured. The high court called on deposed President Sir Ratu Kamisese Mara to recall Parliament and appoint a Prime Minister. Mara is in New Zealand undergoing medical treatment and is expected back in Fiji on Sunday. Deposed Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry said yesterday he was confident of again leading Fiji if Parliament was recalled, but local media reported he might face a vote of no-confidence within his party today. Fiji’s high court, unions and other community leaders have called for a government of national unity — which many Fijians interpret as a return to power of the democratically elected government but with an indigenous Fijian as Prime Minister. Failed businessman George Speight and gunmen stormed Parliament on May 19 in the name of indigenous Fijians, taking Chaudhry and his multi-racial cabinet hostage. Speight released Chaudhry after 56 days once the Fijian military appointed an indigenous interim government. Speight is now under guard on an island off Suva awaiting a treason trial. Ethnic Indians make up about 44 per cent of the 800,000 population and dominate the economy. |
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Turkey to mediate in W. Asia stir ANKARA, Nov 17 (Reuters) — Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem will visit Israel next week to try to revive the peace process halted by seven weeks of fighting between Palestinians and the Israeli army, a ministry spokesman said today. He told reporters at a weekly briefing that Mr Cem spoke with his Israeli counterpart at a Euromed meeting in Marseilles this week and would go to Israel in the middle of next week. “The Israeli minister has invited Mr Cem to Israel and it was agreed to enlarge the talks to include (Prime Minister Ehud) Barak as well,” he said. Turkey, an overwhelmingly Muslim country, is a NATO member that growing military and political ties with the Jewish state but at the same time has long expressed sympathy with Palestinian aspirations to statehood. Turkey was among moderates which managed to persuade Muslim leaders at the Organisation of the Islamic Conference earlier this week to delete a reference to jihad (holy war) against Israel from the declaration. JERUSALEM: A Jordanian was killed in a clash between protesters and Israeli troops in the West Bank town of Qalqiliya today, witnesses and hospital officials said. Palestinian hospital officials said Mahmoud Sammour (38), had been hit by a live bullet in the chest. An Israeli army spokeswoman said soldiers had used rubber-coated metal bullets to disperse demonstrators in the Palestinian-ruled town and had not fired live ammunition. His death brought the toll to 233 people killed in seven weeks of Israeli-Palestinian fighting. Meanwhile, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported today that Israel had decided to impose economic sanctions on the Palestinian authority over the six weeks of clashes. Haaretz said the Isareli army had been instructed to block the delivery of goods into the Palestinian areas — with the exception of food and humanitarian goods. According to the Haaretz report, deliveries of fuel to the Palestinians are to be scaled down. Prime Minister Ehud Barak also reportedly ordered authorities to withhold tax reimbursement the Israeli state owes Palestinians totalling several million dollars, citing security concerns. RAMALLAH: Two Palestinian policemen died overnight after an exchange of fire with Israeli soldiers in the West Bank town of Jericho, Palestinian sources told Deutsche Presse-Agentur DPA today The Palestinians had reportedly opened fire on an Israeli army outpost, making the Israeli soldiers to return fire. Exchanges of gunfire were also reported from other towns in the West Bank overnight. Four Palestinians died in connection with the clashes in the Palestinian territories yesterday. Two were shot dead by Israeli soldiers near Hebron, while two others Kalkilya and Khan Yunis died of injuries received earlier. |
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India ‘eligible’ for permanent UN seat UNITED NATIONS, Nov 17 (PTI) — Asserting its “total and immutable” commitment to all aspects of the United Nations functioning, India has said it fulfilled all necessary criteria to become a permanent member of an expanded Security Council. Making a strong case for the expansion of the 15-member Security Council in the United Nations General Assembly, Indian Ambassador to UN Kamalesh Sharma yesterday questioned the legitimacy and credibility of decisions regarding developing countries when they are not represented on it. “The developing nations could no longer stand on sidelines and watch as the council takes decisions that primarily affect them,” he said. “We (India) continue to have the confidence that on any objective grounds, criteria and belief in strengthening the work of the
council, the membership would conclude that India possesses the necessary attributes for permanent membership of an expanded Security Council,” he said. Participating in the debate on the reform and expansion of the council, he rejected partial approaches that do not take into account the concerns of the developing nations. He was referring to the suggestions made in some quarters that Japan and Germany be inducted as permanent members and leaving the decision on representation of developing nations to a later date when consensus is reached. He rejected creation of additional categories of memberships based on rotation, saying it would not meet the essential aspirations of developing countries as they would then be “relegated to a subsidiary and discriminatory status.” Developing countries cannot continue to be marginalised when the council’s actions are primarily focused on them and manifold impact of these actions are felt by them, he said. Regretting that seven years of discussions have failed to produce results, Mr Sharma cautioned against such debates becoming annual rituals. “At the dawn of a new century, we continue with an unrepresentative council that has become an anachronism and which continues to conduct business by superannuated and non-transparent working methods,” he said. “That makes it incumbent on the members to persevere and address this vital issue with the seriousness it deserves.” At present, the council’s action cannot be seen to be commanding a legitimacy which its own composition and working methods do not possess, he said. |
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TOKYO, Nov 17 (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori’s hold on power appeared to be rapidly eroding today, as political rivals readied a no-confidence motion in the strongest bid yet to have him removed from office. Opposition party leaders said they would submit the no-confidence motion as early as Monday against Mori, who was scheduled to return on Friday from a summit meeting in Brunei. Though the opposition alone does not have the votes in Parliament to oust Mori, a senior member of Mori’s own party was expected to join them, possibly tipping the scales far enough to force Mori out. The revolt by former Liberal Democratic Party Secretary-General Koichi Kato has rocked the ruling party, which has been in power with only a few short breaks since it was formed in 1955. Kato appears to have the numbers on his side. A majority of votes in the 480-seat lower house of Parliament is needed for the no-confidence motion to pass. There are 190 opposition party members. Kato and an allied faction have 64 members, enough to make a majority if all vote for the motion.
India, Iran to solve
regional disputes DUBAI, Nov 17 (PTI) — Iran and India will further expand their cooperation in solving regional issues and disputes, Iranian President Mohammad Khatami has said. Receiving credentials of Indian Ambassador to Tehran Pripuran Singh Haer yesterday, the Iranian leader said given their status, abundant facilities and respectful ties, both countries can upgrade their position and play a major role to solve regional and global problems. India and Iran share perceptions on Afghanistan as both countries are opposed to the Taliban militia government backed by Pakistan.
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Ex-spy chairs
Indo-Russian group MOSCOW, Nov 17 (PTI) — Russian Deputy Foreign Minister V. Yacheslav Trubnikov, who was the chief of foreign intelligence service in the Yeltsin administration, has been appointed co-chairman of the Indo-Russian working group on Afghanistan, government sources here have said. The appointment of Mr Trubnikov, who started his career in Soviet KGB with an Indian stint, is seen as a step towards formation of a “New Delhi-Moscow-Washington” axis to combat cross-border international terrorism and illicit arms and drug trafficking, experts here say. The Indo-Russian Working Group on Afghanistan, being set up under an agreement reached in New Delhi last month between Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Russian President Vladimir Putin, is scheduled to hold its first session in New Delhi on November 20 to 21. From the Indian side, the working group on Afganistan is co-chaired by Foreign Secretary Lalit
Mansingh.
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NEW YORK, Nov 17 (PTI) — Caste discrimination is a universal concern in the form of an institutionalised system and not just India’s domestic issue, India-born winner of this year’s Robert Kennedy Human Rights Award has said. In the era of globalisation of markets and of human rights, no country can claim that it’s a domestic matter. It is universal concern,” Mr Macwan, who was born into a Dalit family in Gujarat said yesterday. Mr
Macwan, who is being honoured by the Human Rights Watch as the champion of Dalits, said caste discrimination as an “institutionalised system” had allowed the Brahmins with 3.5 per cent population hold 78 per cent of judicial positions and about half of parliamentary seats. London Vidya
Bhavan lauded LONDON, Nov 17 (PTI) — The London branch of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan has come in for high praise for its role in successfully spreading the knowledge of Indian culture among the British and promoting harmony and understanding. “We all live in a country of rich diversity and the bhavan has played an important role in promoting the cultural heritage,” Baroness Jay, Leader of the House of Lords and Minister for Women, said here last night. |
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