Tuesday, July 14, 1998
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W O R L D | Tuesday, July 14, 1998 |
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Belfast
parade peaceful BELFAST, July 13 — A contentious parade by Protestant Orangemen through a Roman Catholic area of Belfast passed off peacefully today, raising hopes of averting further unrest in Northern Ireland... Arafat for Chinese help in reviving W. Asia talks BEIJING, July 13 — Palestinian President Yasser Arafat arrived here today for a three-day visit during which he is expected to invite China to play a more “active role” in the revival of the stalled West Asia peace process... |
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Zaki
asked to mind his tongue DHAKA, July 13 — Bangladesh today severely criticised the reported derogatory remark by a special Pakistani envoy against its liberation history and reiterated Dhaka’s demand for an unconditional apology from Islamabad for the 1971 atrocities...
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South Korea calls security meeting SEOUL, July 13 — South Korea called an emergency security meeting today following a fresh North Korean infiltration, as troops combed the country’s east coast and nearby mountains for traces of spies... Kashmir division permanent: atlas-makers WASHINGTON, July 13 —The atlas-makers who have issued the Hammond Historical World Atlas (Volume) II have said that they view the division of Jammu and Kashmir is “permanent.” Lankan navy sinks rebel boats; 18 dead COLOMBO, July 13 — The Sri Lankan Navy attacked a flotilla of Tamil rebel boats, killing at least nine guerrillas as troops shot dead another nine militants in a separate incident, the Defence Ministry said today... Winnie won’t quit ANC JOHANNESBURG, July 13 — Winnie Madikizela Mandela threw her weight behind the party for which ex-husband Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s President, spent 27 years in apartheid jails, squashing reports she was set to quit... Obuchi likely to succeed Hashimoto  |
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| Belfast parade peaceful BELFAST, July 13 (Reuters, ANI, AFP) — A contentious parade by Protestant Orangemen through a Roman Catholic area of Belfast passed off peacefully today, raising hopes of averting further unrest in Northern Ireland. As pro-British marchers assembled for a day of province-wide demonstrations, the police said they had arrested two men after the murder of three Catholic children in a fire-bomb attack on their home yesterday. The killings were condemned by the Orange Order, an exclusively Protestant brotherhood that holds mid-July marches each year to commemorate 300-year-old British victories over the native Irish. “Two men have been arrested this morning in connection with the suspected sectarian arson attack at Ballymoney early yesterday,” a police spokesman said. The killings sent shock waves through both communities in the bitterly divided British-ruled province and cast a shadow over hopes of stability in the wake of a peace deal hammered out by rival politicians in April. A march by several hundred members of the Orange Order along Belfast’s Lower Ormeau Road, which had sparked rioting and unrest in the past, was initially delayed by a hoax bomb alert. Meanwhile, the independent Parades Commission in Northern Ireland rejected another application from the Orange Order to stage its annual parade through the Catholic district of Portadown. Reports quoted commission sources as saying that they would “prohibit’’ the Orange Order from marching through Garvaghy Road. “We have said repeatedly, and consistently, that the only way forward is by genuine engagement conducted in good faith between the parties. That remains our position and we would appeal yet again to everyone to talk, talk and talk some more until a resolution can be agreed, not only for Garvaghy Road, but for all contentious marches,’’ the Parades Commission said. The Orange Order has been banned from staging its annual march along Portadown’s Garvaghy Road for fear of derailing last April’s peace accord. WASHINGTON: President Bill Clinton is directly involved in efforts to restore calm in northern Ireland and is “engaged all the time” in talks with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, US Ambassador to the United Nations Bill Richardson has said. “We are following this very closely”, Richardson told CNN television yesterday. “This is a very, very difficult period.” The Irish peace process has a strong foundation” Richardson said adding that “we’re hopeful that there won’t be violence. We’re hopeful that there will be dialogue.” Renewed bloodshed would jeopardise the US-brokered northern Ireland peace accord struck in April. |
| Zaki asked to mind his tongue DHAKA, July 13 (PTI) — Bangladesh today severely criticised the reported derogatory remark by a special Pakistani envoy against its liberation history and reiterated Dhaka’s demand for an unconditional apology from Islamabad for the 1971 atrocities. Suranjit Sengupta, Parliamentary Affairs Adviser to Bangladesh Prime Minister sharply criticised Pakistani Prime Minister’s special envoy Mohammad Akram Zaki’s “oblique reference” to the “alleged role” of (then Indian Prime Minister) Indira Gandhi in dismemberment of Pakistan leading to the birth of Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan) as an independent state. He termed the reference as a “distortion” and absolutely “uncalled for”. Sengupta’s reactions came amid continuing protests in different pro-liberation forces, intellectual, political and media circles over the remark by Senator Mohammad Akram Zaki during his recent visit to Dhaka. Zaki, who was here on a four-day visit as Pakistani Prime Minister’s special envoy, was quoted by country’s leading Bengali daily “Bhorer Kagoj” as saying that “Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan) and Pakistan were the babies of the same mother nation. But one of them (Bangladesh) was separated by a surgical operation by a “lady”. Sengupta is the first front-ranking ruling Awami League leader to react to Zaki’s reported remark. |
| Arafat for Chinese help in reviving W. Asia talks BEIJING, July 13 (PTI) — Palestinian President Yasser Arafat arrived here today for a three-day visit during which he is expected to invite China to play a more “active role” in the revival of the stalled West Asia peace process, while Beijing is likely to raise the issue of the South Asia situation. The visit by Mr Arafat, who is expected to meet Chinese President Jiang Zemin and premier Zhu Rongji, is likely to be dominated by West Asia talks. The two sides will also exchange views on bilateral relations and regional issues of common concern, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Tang Guoqiang had said earlier. According to analysts, China may raise the issue of “tensions” in South Asia following nuclear tests by India and Pakistan in May. “China may try to convince Arafat that the current tension in South Asia has solely been created by India,” they said, pointing out to the close ties between India and Palestine over the years. Mr Arafat’s Chinese tour assumes significance in view of the May visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who had also invited China to play a more positive role in West Asian region considering Beijing’s strong connections with some Arab countries. ISLAMABAD (Reuters): Pales-tinian President Yasser Arafat today said that Pakistan’s nuclear programme matched that of Israel and had the backing of the Muslim world. “If Israel can have a nuclear weapon, then why should you not have it,” the official APP news agency quoted him as saying in a stopover in the Pakistani capital en route to China. “There is a very positive and strong reaction from (the) Muslim world to Pakistan’s nuclear tests,” Mr Arafat was quoted as saying. Israel has not admitted having a nuclear weapon but is widely believed to have developed one. Obuchi
likely to succeed Hashimoto |
| Britons’ ignorance on Blair’s post from Lucy Ward in London ONE in 10 young Britons is unable to name Tony Blair as British Prime Minister, and only two in 100 know who is the country’s Health Secretary in a survey that gives politicians lower ratings than sports and pop stars, TV celebrities and religious leaders. The findings come from a survey commissioned by the British Youth Council, The State of the Young Nation poll, which paints a picture of an increasingly lost generation, believing itself ignored by politicians, alienated from the political process, and ill-prepared for citizenship. Almost two-thirds of the 16-24-year-old surveyed believed national government did not listen to their views, and nearly three-quarters believed they were rarely or never consulted on decisions taken within their community. If young people feel they are not of interest to politicians, they repay the indifference in full. Despite Tony Blair’s near-ubiquitous media presence and high popularity rating, 10 per cent of the 1,000 polled could not identify him as Prime Minister. Recognition is lower still among senior ministers, with Health Secretary Frank Dobson proving the Cabinet’s man of mystery to all but 2 per cent of those surveyed. Almost nine out of 10 failed to identify David Blunkett as Education Secretary, and 84 per cent could not name the Home Secretary as Jack Straw. One in four could not name their constituency MP. The project of a single European currency aroused the strongest feeling among largely apathetic young people, with a quarter very much opposed to the concept compared with 7 per cent strongly in favour. Politicians have low prestige as well as low recognition: sports stars, teachers, pop stars, direct action activists, TV celebrities and religious leaders come higher on young people’s list of most respected public figures. At a time when the government seeks ways to increase voter participation in the face of a dismal turnout in May’s local elections, the survey found one in two aged 18 to 24 did not vote in the 1997 general election, rising to 60 per cent at local elections. Fewer than a quarter of those surveyed said they definitely intended to vote in next year’s European elections. Young people blamed lack of interest in and knowledge of politics for their failure to use their vote, together with non-registration. Four out of 10 did not know how to register themselves to vote. The survey also found that fewer than a quarter of 16-24-year-olds received any citizenship education at school. Mr Blunkett, a strong advocate of teaching citizenship in schools, has set up a working party examining how the subject can be taught more widely. Martin Wilson, aged 20, the chairman of the British Youth Council, a representative body for young people, said the survey demonstrated that young people wanted the opportunity to learn about politics and to be listened to. He said: “Much of today’s politics is about young people — the minimum wage, tuition fees and the New Deal — yet young people are often the last to take an interest in politics and the last to hear about things that affect them. “The result is they feel excluded and ignored, like second class citizens.” — The Guardian, London. |
| South Korea calls security meeting SEOUL, July 13 (AFP) — South Korea called an emergency security meeting today following a fresh North Korean infiltration, as troops combed the country’s east coast and nearby mountains for traces of spies. Defence Minister Cheon Yong-Taek cut short a trip to the USA to return home after the body of a suspected north Korean commando was found less than three weeks after a spy submarine intrusion. Officials here said ministers were expected to discuss ways of handling Pyongyang’s latest “provocation” in which the body was found yesterday washed up on a beach with a stash of arms and a special commando-style vessel. The Defence Minister today demanded that North Korea immediately cease acts of “useless aggression”, warning Pyongyang it would “not just idly watch such acts.” The hunt for up to four North Korean spies resumed at sunrise along the east coast and in the heavily-wooded mountains of the region. While military scuba divers prepared for an underwater search. Ministry officials said there was a high possibility that “between two and four” agents may have come ashore after abandoning the 1.5 metre-long propeller-driven craft found near the port city of Tonghae. The vessel could hold up to five people, but it remained unclear how many were actually aboard when it entered South Korean waters, they said. |
| Kashmir division permanent: atlas-makers WASHINGTON, July 13 (PTI) —The atlas-makers who have issued the Hammond Historical World Atlas (Volume) II have said that they view the division of Jammu and Kashmir is “permanent.” In their latest map of the region, distributed by Newsweek as for promotional purpose, the Indian side of the Line of Control is shown with the rest of India in the Indian colour pink. The so-called “Azad Kashmir” is also shown in the Indian colour pink. The rest of Jammu and Kashmir occupied by Pakistan, where the writ of the so-called “Azad Kashmir” authorities does not run, is shown in purple, the Pakistani colour, along with the rest of Pakistan with the note: “Indo-Pakistan war over Jammu and Kashmir 1947-49 results in permanent division of the state.” A fourth area, shown in broken pink and white lines, is described as “claimed by China and India, occupied by China in 1962.” |
| Lankan navy sinks rebel boats; 18 dead COLOMBO, July 13 (AFP) — The Sri Lankan Navy attacked a flotilla of Tamil rebel boats, killing at least nine guerrillas as troops shot dead another nine militants in a separate incident, the Defence Ministry said today. At least two boats of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) were sunk by navy gunboats off the district of Trincomalee in the north-east of the country last night, the ministry said. “According to technical sources, nine terrorists had been killed,” the ministry said. It did not say if troops had suffered any casualties in the confrontation. The ministry added that nine more rebels had been killed in separate skirmishes over the weekend in the north of the country. |
| Winnie won’t quit ANC JOHANNESBURG, July 13 (AFP) — Winnie Madikizela Mandela threw her weight behind the party for which ex-husband Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s President, spent 27 years in apartheid jails, squashing reports she was set to quit. “I am the ANC and I will die as the ANC” the controversial “mother of the nation: said in a statement sent to the SAPA news agency yesterday. She was referring to the ruling African National Congress, swept to victory in first all-race elections in 1994. |
| Global monitor Hutu rebels kill 12 students NAIROBI: Hutu rebels killed 12 high school students in a southern Burundi school, the state-run Burundi news agency said. The students were studying when a group of rebels armed with guns, clubs and knives attacked them at the school in Mabanda on Sunday. The rebels belonged to the National Council for the Defence of Democracy, the main rebel group in Burundi. — AP Ecuador poll QUITO: Jamil Mahuad, Christian Democrat Mayor of Quito, appeared to be the winner of Sunday’s presidential election in Ecuador, television reports in the South American country said. Opinion poll results of voters who had cast ballots in the election showed Mahuad with 53.6 per cent support and his rival, the populist candidate Alvaro Noboa, with 46.4 per cent. Official results after the counting of ballots were not expected to be announced until Monday evening in Quito. — DPA Pole-sitting record SOLTAU (Germany): Two Germans claimed they had set a world record for pole-sitting, remaining atop their perches for 1,225 hours. Hundreds of onlookers at a German theme park cheered when competition organisers announced that Regina Odeh and Hermann Kuemmerlehn on Sunday had broken the record of 51 days set last year by Wim Alaerds (24) of the Netherlands. Sitting on separate, 2.50-metre-tall poles, Odeh (42) and Kuemmerlehn (39) waved to the crowd when the announcement was made. — DPA Death in custody KATHMANDU: A Bhutanese human rights group has attacked the death in government custody of a pro-democracy activist who died on July 4 in the Himalayan kingdom. The Druk (Bhutan) National Forum for Human Rights, in a statement issued in Kathmandu on Sunday, said Mr Ugen Wangdi (30) had been an active member of the pro-democracy movement in Bhutan. The authorities regard the protests as a bid to seize power by the Nepali-speaking minority who resent the domination of Tibetan-type culture. — DPA Fishermen fined KUALA LUMPUR: Six Thai fishermen were fined a total of rm 850,000 (approximately $ 200,000) by the Kuala Trengganu Magistrate’s court on Monday for illegally fishing in Malaysian waters. Magistrate Darma Fikri Abu Adam also ordered that their trawler, fishing gear and rm 600 proceeds from the sale of their catch be confiscated. The Tekong, Den, 30, was fined rm 450,000 in default six months’ jail while his five crew members, aged between 18 and 30, were fined rm 80,000 in default three months jail each. — Bernama Birth rate down BEIJING: China with the world’s highest population of 1.243 million, has witnessed a steadily declining birth rate in the nineties, thanks to the widespread popularity of contraceptive methods. The State Family Planning Commission (SFPC) said on Sunday that a nationwide survey showed there had been an 83.8 per cent success rate in the use of contraceptive devices by married women last year and that China’s birth rate had fallen from 22.11 per thousand in 1989 to 16.57 per thousand last year. — PTI Kim to visit China BEIJING: Both South Korean and China agreed on Monday that South Korean President Kim Dae-Jung will embark on a state visit to China by the year-end, paving the way for the establishment of long-term partnership between the neighbours into the 21st century. South Korea’s Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Park Chung-Soo, in Beijing for a four-day official visit, and his Chinese counterpart Tan Jiawan, said that Kim and Chinese President Jiang Zemin will issue a joint declaration on ways to enhance bilateral relations when the summit occurs, according to an official accompanying park. — Oana Yonhap Ford statue unveiled PORTLAND (Maine): A 10-foot statue of film director John Ford was unveiled Sunday in his hometown, within sight of where his father once ran a saloon. Ford, who made more than 130 films between 1914 and 1965, has been honoured with film festivals around the world. He won six Oscars, received the first American Film Institute lifetime achievement award in 1973 and has been praised by filmmakers from Orson Welles to Steven Spielberg. — AP Brazil’s hope BRASILIA: President Fernando Henrique Cardoso is expected to bring up Brazil’s hopes of a permanent seat on an expanded UN Security Council during UN Chief Kofi Annan’s visit here, officials said. Mr Annan is to arrive for a four-day visit as part of a five-nation Latin American tour. — AFP  |
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