Lawless Russia lacks proper justice: Amnesty report

LONDON, Oct 29: Torture, rapes and "disappearances" are common currency in Russia’s legal "climate of impunity," international human rights group Amnesty International charged today in a report published days after 800 hostages were seized by Chechen rebels in Moscow.

Drafted last June, the report’s publication coincides with a major campaign by amnesty to highlight the discrepancy between the human rights protection Enshrined under international and Russian law and the reality of widespread abuse.

The 125-page report, entitled "Russian Federation: denial of justice," focuses on "specific and serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law by Russian law enforcement and security forces."

In Russia there is a " reality of widespread human rights abuses committed by agents of the state and private individuals or groups (non-state actors) in a climate of impunity," the report said.

"Throughout the Russian Federation, the torture or ill-treatment of women, men and children in custody is virtually routine," it added.

The organisation cites several methods of torture employed by police officers, including the "Slonik" (elephant) which involves rest raining the victim, forcibly placing a gas mask over the victim’s head, and cutting off the air supply until they lose consciousness.

The air supply is then restored. The torturers then threaten to turn it off again unless the victim signs a "confession". Variations of this technique include spraying tear-gas into the mask, which makes the victim vomit, or using a plastic bag instead of a gas mask.

Other torture techniques reported to Amnesty International include sexual violence and rape, and the use of electric shocks.

Nearly one million men, women and children are imprisoned in Russia, according to the amnesty report. Among them, nearly 200,000 are still waiting to be judged.

"Conditions in the country’s disease-ridden and overcrowded pre-trial detention centres are generally so appalling that they amount to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment," the report said.

Women and children do not escape the mistreatment, according to Amnesty. Women arrested by police are often tortured and sometimes raped, the report said, adding that children are often deprived of the most basic necessities.

"Children in Russia are routinely deprived of their liberty for months or even years in pre-trial detention and sentenced to long terms of imprisonment for relatively minor offences," the report said.

Ethnic minorities, particularly Chechens, "have been stereotyped by Russian law enforcement officials as terrorists, drug dealers or other types of criminal," said the report, which also contained a long section on human rights violations in Chechnya. (AFP)

Russia to draft a new national security concept: Putin

MOSCOW, Oct 29: Russia today said it would overhaul its national security plan to meet the new challenges posed by international terrorism.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivnaov today told the state television RRT, after a high level meeting of security officials in the Kremlin, that President Vladimir Putin has asked Government agencies to prepare a new version of the country s national security plan.

Mr Putin had called the meeting in the wake of the recent tragic seizure of the Moscow theatre building by Chechen terrorists. Besides Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov, Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, Interior Minister Boris Gryzlov, Federal Security Service head Nikilai Paturshev, Prosecutor General Vladimir Ustinov and other senior officials took part in the meeting.

Yesterday, at a meeting of his cabinet in the Kremlin, President Putin had emphatically stated that "Russia will not go for any agreement with terrorists and will not give in to any Blackmail."

He had also said he will instruct the Army’s general staff to "change its plans for using the armed forces," to meet the dangers posed by the terrorists.

Mr Ivanov said the "component part of the new version of national security concept will be plans of use of armed forces" to meet the threats by terrorists. (UNI)

EU delegates study new treaty, reject ‘US of Europe’

BRUSSELS, Oct 29: Delegates at a European Union conference studying post-expansion reforms to the 15 nation bloc ruled out today any reference to a "United States of Europe".

Britain could not give its support to a new name suggesting the creation of an EU "superstate", warned Britain’s European Affairs Minister Peter Hain.

Hain also cautioned against suggestions that a reformed EU should be called "United Europe," saying the term was more appropriate to a soccer club.

Disagreements over the EU’s future name are likely to be overshadowed over the coming weeks by even fiercer discussions on other key elements of a new draft EU treaty unveiled in Brussels this week by former French President Valery Giscard D’Estaing.

Among a range of controversial proposals made by the former French leader - following eight months of debate in a 105-member European convention including representatives from Governments, EU institutions and national Parliaments - are suggestions that the EU should be represented by a European "President" to be appointed by the bloc’s leaders.

The draft treaty also calls for the setting up of a "Congress of the peoples of Europe" comprising members of the European Parliament and national legislators and the introduction of an "exit clause" allowing member states to leave the union.

Giscard insisted today that he was "encouraged" by support for his ideas among convention delegates. But he admitted that "obviously different views" were also expressed.

The preamble of the proposed treaty says the bloc - including 10 new member states set to join in 2004 - must be a "union of European states which, while retaining their national identities, closely coordinate their policies at the European level and administer certain competences on a federal level".

Britain traditionally opposes any mention of creating a "federal" Europe.

Also controversial are suggestions that all EU citizens should enjoy dual citizenship - of their country of origin and of the union.

The treaty calls for the integration of the European charter of fundamental rights into the new EU constitution.

The most controversial proposal suggests creating a President of the EU Council to be selected by European leaders.

The European Commission has already expressed concerns that such a position would inevitably run into conflict with the Commission’s President. (DPA)

Russian military helicopter shot down in
Chechnya, 4 killed

MOSCOW, Oct 29: Chechen rebels today downed a Russian MI-8 military helicopter near provincial capital Grozny killing all four aboard, officials said.

The helicopeter hit by a missile caught fire and exploded, killing three-member crew and an accompanying military officer, near Russia’s main military base Khankal in the suburbs of Chechen capital, Grozny. The helicopter was shot down while attempting to land, Interfax quoted Russian defence officials saying.

The incident occurred three days after the dramatic end of a hostage-taking by Chechen rebels in a Moscow theatre, which left 117 captives and 50 hostage-takers dead. (PTI)

Nepal society accuses HP Govt of treating
Nepalese as second class citizens

SHIMLA, Oct 29: The All India Society for Unity of Nepalese has accused the Government in Himachal Pradesh of treating Nepalese as second class citizens and in violation of the Indo-Nepal Friendship Treaty of 1950.

Addressing a press conference here today, the president of the Society Mij Lal Sharma said the Nepalese working in the state were denied ration cards as a result of which they were not being issued driving licences and facing problems in opening bank accounts and admitting their wards to schools.

He said the Nepali daily wagers were not being regularised and treated as undesirable elements by the police.

Demanding a high level enquiry into the killing of four Nepalese in Malana in Kullu, who were allegedly burnt alive, he said that the police had not acted impartially and its conduct warranted an high level independent probe.

According to the treaty, Nepalese working in India did not require any certificate of bonafide resident of Himachal, state that was harassing the Nepalese." (PTI)

Anaesthetic used in Moscow siege: German doctor

MUNICH, GERMANY, Oct 29: Russian security forces used a powerful anaesthetic to knock out Chechen rebels holding hundreds captive in a Moscow theatre, a Munich doctor treating two German hostages said today.

Thomas Zilker, head of the Toxicology Department of a Munich University Clinic where two freed German hostages were treated, said he believed no mistake had been made in measuring the dosage because it was essential the gas take effect instantly.

"It was an anaesthetic. And the forensic experts have a indication which one it is," Zilker told Reuters in a telephone interview.

The gas has been blamed for the deaths of 115 hostages.

He said the suspected anaesthetic had been used in his own hospital until a few years ago before it was replaced by a more modern product.

Russians have refused to identify the active agent in the gas used to stun bomb-laden Chechen guerrillas threatening to kill more than 800 hostages unless Russian troops withdrew from their Southern Homeland.

Zilker said the anaesthetic could be lethal if used without control, but he did not think Russian officials had made a mistake in using the product.

"I don’t think the Russians could have done a better job in measuring the exact doses of the gas," he said. "They had to use a high dosage for the hostage-takers to fall asleep immediately and to prevent them from pulling triggers on their explosives."

He said the deaths could have hardly been prevented. "They would have had to be very lucky."

He said the special forces decision to use the gas had been a "good idea". "We wouldn’t have come up with anything more clever," he added.

The two German hostages left hospital today. Neither face any permanent damage, he said. (AGENCIES)

Vietnam building fire kills at least 48

HANOI, Oct 29: A fire believed to have started in a disco swept through a five-storey commercial building in South Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City today killing at least 48 people, state-run Vietnam television said.

Flames billowed from windows of the international trade centre sending dense black smoke into the sky as workers from the foreign offices, shops, a disco and a restaurant fled for their lives, many down steel ladders reaching up from firetrucks below.

TV showed a woman victim being carried away by two men, one a foreigner stripped to his waist, as hundreds of passers-by looked on.

The fire burned for about five hours before being put out at around 1700 hrs Ist. But there are fears some office workers were trapped in the building and that the death toll will rise.

At least 59 people have been taken to hospital. The TV report said the fire began in the blue disco, Ho Chi Minh City’s most popular dance spot, and swiftly spread to other sections.

City Mayor Le Thanh Hai said the cause of the fire was unknown.

"We don’t know the reason yet... I haven’t made any conclusion but it seems the inside capability of fighting fire is not too good."

Shops selling jewellery and dvds occupy at least two floors of the centre, and US insurer American International Assurance is also a tenant. (AGENCIES)

Iraq returns Kuwait documents, archive missing

KUWAIT, Oct 29: Iraq completed the handover today of nearly two tonnes of documents seized from Kuwait 12 years ago, but an official said Kuwait’s national archive was still missing.

Iraq took the documents during its seven-month occupation of Kuwait which ended with the 1991 Gulf war. United Nations officials said the two countries completed the transfer process which began at the border nine days ago.

But a Kuwaiti official involved in the transfer told Reuters the documents did not include 20th century treaties, official Diwan (court) documents of the Emir and the Crown Prince and other papers that make up the national archive.

"They gave us some diwan papers but they are overtime sheets for drivers and security men...This is not the archive," the official said. "It was like a feast without chick peas".

The head of the UN-sponsored transfer operation said there had been no official complaint from Kuwait and added the UN’s role did not include inspecting the documents.

"We never got involved in the qualitative aspect of the content," said Richard Foran, who brokered several other transfers of Kuwaiti property in the early 1990s, including gold looted from Kuwait’s central bank. (AGENCIES)

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