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| Friday, February 2, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Canada for suspects’ direct indictment Libya won’t accept blame |
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Israeli minister meets
Arafat Thaksin fails to get
outright majority Solheim meets Lanka leaders 
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Parliament clears panel report on Wahid
scandals JAKARTA, Feb 1 — Indonesia’s Parliament (MPR) today overwhelmingly endorsed a report which found that President Abdurrahman Wahid had acted improperly in two graft scandals, opening the way for possible impeachment. Wahid’s party stormed out during the 393-4 vote, drawing jeers and shouts from other legislators. The move comes amid mounting frustration over Wahid’s erratic 15-month rule which has largely failed to pull Indonesia out of years of political and economic mess. Many now question whether he can hang on to power until his term ends in 2004. Despite the seriousness of a censure — it could pave the way for impeachment proceedings — Wahid is unlikely to be forced out just yet due to the lack of a credible alternative, the long and complicated impeachment process and the risk of bloodshed. The Speaker, his deputies and party chiefs are now meeting to draft options on what action should be taken against Wahid. The choices will later be put to the House. During the heated debate, several parties controlling a firm majority of the chamber’s 500 seats, demanded Parliament formally reprimand Wahid for lying and abusing his power. A minister said Wahid still had the support of the cabinet. Wahid says he has Megawati’s crucial support, although her Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle (PDI-P), the country’s largest party, joined the censure push. Earlier, Indonesia’s three main parties, wielding a strong majority in parliament, demanded President Wahid be censured for lying and abusing his power — the first step towards possible impeachment. Vice President Megawati Sukarnoputri’s Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle (PDI-P), the former ruling Golkar party and the pro-Islamic United Development Party (PPP) endorsed an inquiry’s finding that Wahid had acted improperly. “The PDI-P faction suggests the parliament issue a warning to the president,” senior party MP and sacked Wahid minister Laksamana Sukardi told the House, adding Megawati fully endorsed the party’s stand. Only Wahid’s own party had stood by him by the time parliament rose for lunch, but one of his ministers said he also had the support of the cabinet. As party after party condemned Wahid in Parliament, more than 15,000 pro- and anti-Wahid protesters faced off outside the building. A phalanx of riot police that was keeping them apart left for no apparent reason in the early afternoon. There were similar rallies in other cities, with minor scuffles between pro and anti-Wahid groups in Sulawesi. The mounting pressure on Wahid could stop him from completing his term which ends in 2004. “(It) is really damaging...I don’t think the President will stay longer than August,” political analyst Andi Mallarangeng told Reuters Television. Justice Minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra warned political tensions could trigger a repeat of the bloody social unrest that toppled former strongman Suharto in 1998. A formal reprimand is the first step towards a special meeting of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) and impeachment. Wahid has three months to respond to a formal censure. If Parliament is not satisfied, it can issue a second warning, giving him 30 days to meet their demands. Finally, the House can ask the MPR to hold a special session to force Wahid to account for his behaviour. The 700-seat MPR — which includes Parliament’s 500 MPs — can then impeach him. The latest move puts Wahid uncomfortably close to the fate of ousted Philippine President Joseph Estrada, forced from office last month in the wake of impeachment proceedings. Wahid has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing over the scandals. The first, dubbed Buloggate, involves the theft of $4.1 million from the state commodities regulator Bulog by people claiming to be acting on Wahid’s behalf, including his masseur. The second, Bruneigate, involves his acceptance outside government channels of a $2 million donation from the Sultan of Brunei for aid for warn-torn Aceh province. The cross-party parliamentary committee found Wahid probably had a role in one and lied over the other.
— Reuters |
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Canada for suspects’ direct indictment VANCOUVER, Feb 1 (AFP) — Government prosecutors said in the court that they planned to seek a direct indictment of the two men charged with the bombing of an Air-India flight in 1985, which killed all 329 on board. Ajaib Singh Bagri and Ripudaman Singh Malik, the two suspects who have been in police custody since October, appeared in a provincial court here as government prosecutors outlined their plans. “Crown counsel has confirmed its intention to seek a direct indictment,” said Geoffrey Gaul, a spokesman for the Criminal Justice Branch of the Minister of Attorney General, following the court hearing. “Under provisions of the criminal code, the written consent of the Attorney General or Deputy Attorney General is required to proceed by direct indictment,” he said. If direct indictment goes forward, “we will be proceeding directly to (British Columbia) Supreme Court for trial, bypassing the need for a preliminary inquiry, but naturally all of disclosure issues will still apply,” Gaul added. Asked when the decision by the Attorney General or the deputy would be made, he said no time frame had been set, but the next court appearance is scheduled for March 9. The two suspects were remanded in custody till that date. Earlier this month, a BC Supreme Court Judge denied bail to the two, accused, saying their detention was necessary to maintain the Canadian public’s confidence in the administration of justice. Bagri has appealed his bail denial. Sawmill worker Bagri, (51), and millionaire tycoon Malik, (53), face charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in connection with the deaths of those on board Air-India flight 182, which disappeared off the coast of Ireland on June 23, 1985. The Air-India plane was headed for New Delhi from Canada when it disappeared from radar screens 1,700 km off the coast of Ireland. Two Japanese baggage handlers died the same day when a bomb exploded at Narita Airport, near Tokyo, as luggage was being loaded onto Air India flight 301. The police believes the two blasts were linked and that the bombs were hidden in luggage on flights that originated from Vancouver. The case, investigated by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for the past 15 years at a cost of more than $ 30 million is not expected to go to trial until late 2002. |
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Libya won’t accept blame LONDON, Feb 1 (DPA) — Libya will ‘‘never’’ accept responsibility for the
Lockerbie bombing, but it may compensate the families of the victims after Abdelbaset Ali
Mohmed al Megrahi has appealed against his conviction, top Libyan politicians and diplomats said today. Asked by the
BBC if Libya would accept responsibility, Libya foreign minister Abdel
Rahman Shalgam replied: ‘‘never’’. But in another BBC interview,
Libya’s ambassador to Britain did not rule out compensation, but only after the appeal. He said the appeal by the intelligence officer found guilty of the murders of 270 persons should not be pre-judged. He said he felt deep sympathy for all the families of the victims and
Libya intended to fulfil its duty to the UN Security council, but the case was not yet closed as a legal matter. British foreign secretary robin cook said
Britain would press ‘‘extremely hard’’ for compensation. He said: ‘‘Before sanctions can be lifted,
Libya has to fulfil all the requirements of the security council resolutions. ‘‘I was quite interested that the ambassador did not rule out taking these further steps. In the event of the guilty verdict standing,
Libya has to accept it must take these further steps.’’ Mr Cook said
Britain and the USA agreed that Libya ‘‘must’’ fulfil the requirements of the resolutions. He told
BBC radio Scotland: ‘‘That means, in particular, we will be requiring
Libya to accept responsibility for the Lockerbie bombing and to pay compensation to the relatives. ‘‘Until it does so, there can be no question of any further rehabilitation through, for instance, the lifting of sanctions.’’ families of the
Lockerbie bombing victims, meanwhile, vowed to press for further inquiries into the disaster. The group will call for an independent public inquiry into unanswered questions surrounding the circumstances of the bombing. AMSTERDAM
(Reuters): Lockerbie bomber Abdel basset al-Megrahi faced the prospect today of spending at least 20 years in a
Scottish prison for killing 270 persons in a 1988 aircraft bomb attack. A
Scottish court sentenced the 49-year-old Libyan secret agent yesterday to life in jail for blowing up a pan am jumbo jet over the
Scottish town of Lockerbie on a flight from London to New York. Judges set a minimum term of 20 years, taking into account his age and the fact he would be held in a foreign jail. |
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Israeli minister meets
Arafat JERUSALEM, Feb 1 (AFP) — Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat met Israeli Cabinet Minister Amnon Lipkin-Shahak to discuss reducing violence in the region, the minister’s spokesman said today. “The meeting was designed to decrease the violence and discussed only security, nothing on the diplomatic front,” Amin Singer said of the one-hour meeting at Arafat’s office in Gaza city yesterday. The meeting followed Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak’s decision to halt diplomatic contacts with the Palestinians until after the February 6 election and the failure of a marathon round of peace talks in Egypt last week. Mr Singer said Mr Lipkin-Shahak, a former army chief who now serves as Transport Minister, had been sent by Mr Barak. “The meeting was to try to calm down the area, to ensure there will be no bombings or anything,” he added. The Israeli army has warned of a possible upsurge in violence in the region after the election that is expected to see Ariel Sharon, a hard-liner on the peace process, brought to power. Earlier, a Palestinian man whom the army suspected of planting bombs was killed by Israeli soldiers in the Gaza Strip, bringing the death toll over four months of bloodshed to 390. A Palestinian security source denied the man was shot in an area under Palestinian rule. He said unidentified gunmen had shot an Israeli driving on a bypass road near Jenin. Officials at Ha’emek Hospital in the northern Israeli city of Afula said the man died from a chest wound. Israel Radio reported the man was shot on the outskirts of the town in an area under Israeli security control. Meanwhile, Mr Barak has outlined how Israel might unilaterally separate from Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip if peace talks fail to bring an agreement. He said his priority was to achieve a peace deal and that he would continue negotiations within weeks of Israel’s prime ministerial poll on February 6 if he was re-elected. But contemplating the scenario if no deal was reached in the next few months, Mr Barak told members of the Foreign Press Association that he would opt for separation. |
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Thaksin fails to get
outright majority BANGKOK, Feb 1 (Reuters) —Thailand’s Election Commission said today telecom tycoon Thaksin Shinawatra’s Thai Rak Thai (Thais love Thais) party won 248 seats in the 500-seat House of Representatives in January’s general election. A senior EC official told reporters a single parliamentary seat remained undecided and a new round of voting to resolve it would be held later. Thaksin, (51), fell just short of winning an overall majority for his two-year-old party. He announced the formation of a three-party coalition that would control a commanding parliamentary majority of at least 324 seats in the Lower House. Outgoing Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai’s Democrat Party won 128 seats, the official said. The Thai general election was held on January 6 but 62 constituencies had a repoll on January 29 after widespread allegations of cheating. |
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Solheim meets Lanka leaders COLOMBO, Feb 1 (PTI) — Norwegian peace envoy Erik Solheim met Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga and opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe here as part of his efforts to bring the government and the LTTE together for direct political negotiations. Mr Solheim called on the President yesterday and the main Opposition United National Party leader today, a Norwegian Embassy spokesman said here, adding the envoy is scheduled to have meetings with other political leaders. He will stay here for some days to continue the discussions so that the peace process could be carried forward, the spokesman said. |
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Strike in Dhaka DHAKA, Feb 1 (Reuters) — At least 10 persons were injured in clashes in the capital Dhaka today when left-wing opposition parties staged a nationwide strike to protest the recent killing of six persons at a Communist rally, witnesses said. |
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