3 killed, 30 injured as Tamil protests lead to clashes

COLOMBO, Oct 11: Three persons were killed and more than 30 injured in a grenade attack in Sri Lanka’s eastern Trincomalee district today as authorities imposed curfew after Tamil organizations held protests against the recent killing of seven people in police firing, police sources said.

Police clamped a curfew until dawn tomorrow and called for troops to assist them as a protest called by Tamils in the ethnically diverse district led to violence, including grenade attacks in the vicinity of Trincomalee town.

Sources said miscreants hurled grenades, killing three Tamils in two incidents. This is the second round of fatalities in the last few days after seven Tamil protesters were killed in police firing from a special task force camp that was under attack by civilians.

Residents said there was considerable tension in Trincomalee between the Sinhalese and Tamil communities, but the curfew and the advent of security forces led to the violence abating as the day progressed.

Even though the Government and the LTTE are observing a ceasefire for several months, the eastern province has been in ferment, as the rebel group has repeatedly organized protests against the State and security forces.

The LTTE had mobilized the Tamil population under the banner of the ‘Tamil Organisations’ Federation’ to call for a strike in the East today.

It was a similar attempt by Tamils to enforce a general strike in Muslim towns in Batticaloa district and counter-protests by Muslims that led to violent clashes that led to over a dozen deaths three months ago.

Normal life in Trincomalee district was paralysed today, with Government offices, banks, business establishments and schools being closed for the day. Markets were closed as protesters burnt tyres to block the road.

The latest round of violence came in the wake of an attempt by the LTTE to use civilians to raid the STF camp at Kanjirakuda in Ampara district, apparently to protest the alleged manhandling of two LTTE cadres by STF personnel.

The STF has claimed that it fired in self-defence after its camp was about to be overrun by hundreds of protesters and alleged that LTTE members were in the crowd directing the attack.

Initially, the police had said eight people were killed in the firing, but later, only seven bodies were found, most of them within the camp. The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), a body of scandinavian truce observers, has described it as a tragic event.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has ordered a full inquiry into the police firing and announced compensation for the victims. Reports suggest that some of these dead were known to be associated with the LTTE, but Tamil quarters assert that all those dead were civilians angry over reports that LTTE members were beaten up by STF personnel.

A Tamil newspaper said LTTE leader V Prabhakaran had conveyed to his political wing that ongoing peace talks would not be affected by the incidents. (PTI)

Former US President Jimmy Carter wins
Nobel Peace Prize

OSLO, Oct 11: Former US President Jimmy Carter won the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize today for "his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development", the Norwegian Nobel Committee said.

The Nobel Prize to Carter "can also be interpreted as a criticism of the position" of the US administration, the Chairman of the Nobel Committee, Gunnar Berge, told reporters just hours after the US Congress gave US President George W Bush authority to go to war against Iraq.

"In a situation currently marked by threats of the use of power, Carter has stood by the principles that conflicts must as far as possible be resolved through mediation and international co-operation based on international law, respect for human rights, and economic development," the committee said in its citation.

During his Presidency between 1977 and 1981, Carter’s mediation was "a vital contribution to the Camp David accords between Israel and Egypt, in itself a great enough achievement to qualify for the Nobel Peace Prize", it said.

"At a time when the cold war between East and West was still predominant, he placed renewed emphasis on the place of human rights in international politics," it said.

Carter has been nominated many times over the years and came close to winning in 1978 when the committee honoured Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem begin for their peace efforts under his aegis.

According to Berge, the committee had wanted to honour carter at the time, but his name was not nominated in time for the annual February 1 deadline.

"Through his Carter Center, founded 20 years ago, Carter has since his Presidency undertaken "very extensive and persevering conflict resolution on several continents", it said.

"He has shown outstanding commitment to human rights, and has served as an observer at countless elections all over the world. He has worked hard on many fronts to fight tropical diseases and to bring about growth and progress in developing countries. Carter has thus been active in several of the problem areas that have figured prominently in the over one hundred years of peace prize history," the committee said.

Carter will receive the award and a prize sum of 10 million kronor (1.07 million dollars) at a ceremony at Oslo’ city hall on December 10, the anniversary of the death of the prize’s creator, Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel, in 1896 in San Remo, Italy.

The peace prize is the only one of the Nobel Prizes to be announced and awarded in Oslo, with those for literature, medicine, physics, chemistry and economics all announced in Stockholm. (AFP)

India, EU come out strongly against terror,
agree to further trade

COPENHAGEN, Oct 11: Giving a new dimension to bilateral relations, India and Denmark today came out strongly against terrorism in any form and agreed to work closely to overcome specific bottlenecks impeding further expansion of trade and investment.

After wide-ranging discussions with his Danish counterpart Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee told reporters that the two countries "share the view that terrorism anywhere and in any form must be rooted out completely."

He said "both countries are committeed to countering this grave threat to open, democratic and multi-cultural societies such as ours."

The Prime Minister’s remarks come a day after the Danish Premier, who is also the President of the European Council, Stated publicly that there was no agreement between the EU and India on the formulation on Kashmir for incorporation in the joint India-EU statement.

Vajpayee said the two sides discussed ways to enhance trade and investment. They identified several potential areas for cooperation including information technology, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, food processing and non-conventional energy sources.

Observing that relations between India and Denmark were friendly and warm, the Prime Minister said he held "constructive" discussions with rasmuseen on bilateral, regional and international issues.

During talks, Vajpayee said Indian exports faced all kind of non-tariff barriers. He also saw no justification in India being subjected to anti-dumping trade protection measure within the textile quota.

The Prime Minister stressed that India’s growing markets in a liberalising regime and Denmarks’ thrust for expansion and diversification provided growing prospects for stepped-up cooperation between the two countries.

Earlier, the Prime Minister had a meeting with the Speaker of the Danish Parliament and a group of Parliamentarians.

"Our two countries can fruitfully share our experiences of the functioning of our respective multi-party systems," he said adding "unfortunately, open democratic societies likes our face serious threats from the menace of international terrorism".

Without naming Pakistan, he said "it is doubly unfortunate when state provide safe havens and support to terrorist networks".

He said "hence our strong emphasis on the principle that the fight against terrorism should not be restricted only to its perpetrators; it should also encompass the states that sponsor them".

Referring to the J and K elections, he said the large number of candidates and turnout of voters in the face of open intimidation and targeted killings by terrorists, has again proved the resilience of Indian democracy. "The ballot has clearly won over the bullet."

The Prime Minister called on Queen Margrethe who hosted him to lunch before flying to London for talks with British Premier Tony Blair. (PTI)

Cong authorizes Bush to invade Iraq with or without UN

WASHINGTON, Oct 11 : Ignoring fierce international opposition, the US Congress authorised George W Bush to take a unilateral decision to invade iraq, with an upbeat President saying Saddam Hussein must be confronted "fully and finally".

The House of Representatives and the Senate adopted a resolution authorizing bush to launch what could become the world’s first preemptive war against iraq — a war not in response to something Baghdad has done lately but due to apprehensions that he may use weapons of mass destruction against America and its allies.

The vote in the House of Representatives was 296 to 133 and in the senate 77 to 23.

Reacting to the Congress decision bush said: "the gathering threat of Iraq must be confronted fully and finally. The days of iraq acting as an outlaw state are coming to an end."

The vote "also sends a clear message to the iraqi regime. It must disarm and comply with all existing un resolutions or it will be forced to comply. There are no other options for the Iraqi regime," he said yesterday after the house of representatives vote.

The vote authorises bush to use force "in a manner necessary and appropriate" to defend the national security of the US against all continuing threat posed by Iraq.

It also asks the government to enforce all relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions regarding Iraq.

The mood in the Congress reflected the inevitability of the war, analysts said adding the only question is how long bush is prepared to wait for a resolution from the un security council that he would consider satisfactory.

"Giving peace a chance only gives Saddam Hussein Nmore time to prepare for war on his terms, at a time of his choosing," Republican Senator John Mccain said warning against any delay in the war.

The majority in Congress ignored voices of dissent. Among those cautioning against war was former US central command commander-in-chief (Retd) Marine General Anthony Zinni, whose jurisdiction during his service had included the middle east.

"War and violence are a very last resort and we have to be very careful how we apply it, especially now, in our position in the world," he said.

Zinni said he is not convinced "we need to do it now." Saddam Hussein "is containable at this moment," he added.

The White House has claimed that Bush, if he decides on war, will do so as the head of a coalition. However, the only member of the coalition it has named is Britain.

The White House has consistently stated that while many arab rulers are afraid of speaking out against Saddam Hussein publicly, privately they will shed no tears if Bush removes him from power and brings about regime change.

One complicating factor is that the "Arab Street," i.e. Popular opinion, dubbing the us pro-israel. "The perceived bias" in favour of israel, the Washington Post reported "feeds resentment" in middle east.

The welcome for the us among the public even in Kuwait, liberated by the us-led coalition in the gulf war, "is no longer so hearty," it said. (PTI)

Pro-Musharraf PML(QA) is frontrunner in Pak polls

ISLAMABAD, Oct 11: The Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-e-Azam), main supporter of President Pervez Musharraf’s policies, today emerged as frontrunner in general elections even as the religious coalition Muthaidda Majlis-a-Amal (MMA) made an impressive debut in the country’s politics.

Dubbed the "kings party" for bracing Gen Musharraf’s military regime, the PML(QA) also achieved great success in the Provincial Assemblies of Punjab and Sind.

The results of 187 seats in the house of 272 were announced by the Election Commission by this afternoon. The PML(QA) won 58 seats while Ms Benazir Bhutto’s Pakistan Peoples Party cornered 40 seats.

The third major party which appeared for the first time on the horizons of Pakistani politics is MMA, a grouping of six Islamic parties which won 40 seats.

The Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) group could win only 13 seats whereas the independents emerged victorious at 32 seats.

The Muttahida National Movement, which has its power base in the cities of southern Sindh province, claimed 4 seats.

The results of the National Assembly seats suggest a hung Parliament in the country. It seems that no single party will be able to form the next Government without an alliance or coalition.

For the PML(QA), it would be a hard option as it can neither go with the PPP nor can it form an alliance with the MMA, which is opposed to the Government’s policies.

Bringing all the independents in its fold would also be a hard task for the kings party.

The PML (QA), however, will be in a comfortable position to form the provincial Governments in Punjab and Sind, where it commands a majority whereas the MMA is set to take the reins in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and Baluchistan.

The alliance of the MMA has created a stir in Pakistani politics. It has wiped out the Awami National Party of Wali Khan from the NWFP and it has, to a great extent, also swept the MQM from the province of Sind.

The MQM, which enjoyed immense popularity in the province, has failed miserably and was able to garner only a few seats of no significance. The results of yesterday’s polls have created wide speculations in the political circles and many doubt that the National Assembly will be able to complete its tenure. Newly-elected Member of National Assembly (MNA) Ejazul Haq, elder son of late Gen Ziaul Haq, though elected from the Bhawalnagar seat, is equally sceptical about the tenure of the next Government.

Contrary to expectations, the PPP failed to put up a good fight and was 20 seats behind the kings party. Earlier, PPP Chairman Amin Fahim had claimed that his party will form the Government not only at the centre but also in the provinces.

PPP chairperson, Ms Bhutto, in an interview with a local TV channel from London, today alleged rigging of polls and levelled charges of lifting vote boxes at some places. However, she said in view of the changed situation, her party’s door were open for talks with everyone and added that she would even establish contacts with the religious alliance of MMA if necessary.

Ms Bhutto said she would return to Pakistan at a proper time, to be received with dignity by her people and the Prime Minister from her own party.

Saying that she was interested in the return of democratic process in Pakistan, the PPP chairperson said she did not want to return to Pakistan to be harassed as was done in the past. She said her presence in Pakistan on the occasion of elections could make a significant difference.

The results of the 2002 elections have created a unique situation in Pakistan. While the deserters of the Nawaz Group managed to win more seats, most of its top leaders were defeated.

None of the PML(QA) group members could make inroads in Lahore, the stronghold of ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Even the PML(QA) head Mian Azar was defeated. (UNI)

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