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Nationalism on March MOSCOW, Dec 11: Nationalism is on the March again as a major force in Russia, with two parties dismissive of mainstream politics striking a chord . .....more India
for enhanced UNITED NATIONS, Dec 11: Warning against "selective approach" in fighting terrorism, India has asked the international community to enhance .....more 3
bomb attacks in ATHENS, Dec 11: Three bomb attacks were reported early today in Athens and in the northern Greek port of Thessaloniki, according to Greek radio. ......more Revoke
Israel’s JERUSALEM, Dec 11: The PLO delegation to the United Nations is planning to present an appeal to revoke Israel’s credentials as a member of the world .....more |
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China farmers seek recognition for Xi’an find BEIJING, Dec 11: Three elderly farmers are seeking recognition before they die for their discovery of the famed 2,200-year-old Xi’an terracotta warriors, ....more CIA
plans Iraqi WASHINGTON, Dec 11: The United States plans to set up an Iraqi intelligence service to spy on groups and individuals inside Iraq that are ....more Australia
reprimands SYDNEY, Dec 11: Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Australia was reprimanded in Canberra today for describing Prime Minister John Howard as a "dictator" .. ....more General
strike COLOMBO, Dec 11: Life in war-ravaged Jaffna peninsula was affected following a general strike today in protest against the army firing on civilians . ....more |
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Nationalism on March again in Russia after poll MOSCOW, Dec 11: Nationalism is on the March again as a major force in Russia, with two parties dismissive of mainstream politics striking a chord among millions of resentful and angry have-nots. The two parties — that despise each other — captured a total 21 per cent share of the vote in Sunday’s Parliamentary poll, making populist nationalism a renewed force in politics. But despite differences their constituency remains the same: The tens of millions who feel 12 years of post-soviet life have left them worse off than they were under communism. The poll’s outcome gave a resounding victory to the pro-Kremlin United Russia Party and set President Vladimir Putin up for an easy run at a second four-year term next March. But with the Communists stumbling far behind in second place, the spotlight is on the Liberal Democrats (LDPR) of flamboyant Vladimir Zhirinovsky and motherland (Rodina), a newly-created party that surged out of nowhere. Analysts saw no immediate threat to Kremlin aims of modernising Russia and making it more attractive for investors. "Putin is a nationalist, a patriot," said Michael Mcfaul of the carnegie endowment think tank. "Under the system he has put in place I don’t see any shocking things happening in terms of Russia’s relations with its neighbours or with the west." Zhirinovsky’s party took third place in the 450-seat state Duma with 38 seats, one more than motherland — preaching anti-tycoon and Russian nationalist policies. Two liberal opposition parties were reduced to a rump. This made the LDPR and motherland forces to be reckoned with when United Russia seeks to push key laws through Parliament. Both claim to defend national interests. But there appears little chance of them acting in concert. "There are no grounds for cooperation," Zhirinovsky told reporters today. "Motherland is a branch of the Communist Party...They are neither nationalists nor communists, but simply another sham thrown into the ring to disorient voters." Zhirinovsky jolted the establishment 10 years ago by winning nearly a quarter of the vote, but has since consistently backed the Kremlin in the Duma. Russians clearly still like his loudmouth delivery, disdain for ex-Soviet Nations on Russia’s southern fringe, off-colour language and the odd brawl, as occurred in an election debate. Many analysts suggest that motherland was conceived with Kremlin connivance to undermine the Communist vote. Its leaders include a top ex-Communist, a Duma Deputy who defends Russian interests and a leader of the failed 1991 coup against Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev. All freely parade nationalist colours, but cultivate an image of reasoned calm. "I cannot agree with any description of me as a fanatic," Sergei Glazyev, once a senior Communist, told an interviewer. "The programme we offer to our supporters is one of concrete moves to ensure social justice and economic growth." Motherland has exploited distaste for super-rich "oligarchs" running much of Russian industry by calling for a "rent" on the use of natural resources. Unlike Zhirinovsky, who pours venom on the west, it wants better ties — on Russia’s own terms. "Our strategic aim is European integration. But the west must take account of Russians as we are and not the liberals who have lost out," said Dmitry Rogozin, senior deputy and sponsor of causes defending Russia’s domestic and foreign interests. Zhirinovsky has said he will contest the Presidential poll and, given Putin’s ratings of 70 percent, claim second place. Glazyev has said nothing about running, though one analyst said he could take on Putin and even force him to a run-off. (AGENCIES) |
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India for enhanced cooperation to fight terrorism UNITED NATIONS, Dec 11: Warning against "selective approach" in fighting terrorism, India has asked the international community to enhance cooperation to combat the scourge which aims at destroying human rights, fundamental freedom and democracy, thus threatening to destabilise legitimately constituted governments. Pointing out that terrorism is an invasion on the rights of others and denial of human rights of the victims, Minister of State for External Affairs Digvijay Singh said, "as violent expression of extremism, it represents a negation of every liberal value that sustains concept of human rights." Addressing the United Nations general assembly on implementation of universal declaration of human rights yesterday, he regretted that an understanding of the linkage between countering terrorism and promotion of human rights remains "mired in suspicion and misunderstanding." Criticising "selectivity, double-standard and partial approaches," he said an approach based on dialogue, consultation and cooperation would have better chance to succeed in improving human rights rather than one characterised by issuing report cards or by intrusive monitoring. Terrorism, he told the delegates, constitutes, "at the very least," a violation of the declaration’s articles on the right to life, freedom of opinion and expression and duties of individuals and rights of others. Stressing the need for the international community to pay attention to development of the poor countries and removal of economic disparities, Singh said the purpose of development is to promote individual human rights and social justice or as the charter puts it, to ‘promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom.’" "Development without democracy, social justice and respect for human rights can be neither lasting nor sustainable," he emphasised. The greatest challenge, the minister told the 191-member assembly, lies in implementing the article of the declaration which calls for "national efforts and international cooperation" for everyone to enjoy "economic, social and cultural rights" which are "indispensable for his dignity and free development of his personality." "Only a universalization of basic economic dignity can provide the foundation for any shared vision of universal human rights. It would be difficult to achieve universal observance of human rights among societies differentiated by gradations of affluence and want, surplus and despair," he said. Stressing the need for the international community to pay attention to development of the poor countries and removal of economic disparities, Singh said the purpose of development is to promote individual human rights and social justice or as the charter puts it, to ‘promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom.’" "Development without democracy, social justice and respect for human rights can be neither lasting nor sustainable," he emphasised. The greatest challenge, the minister told the 191-member assembly, lies in implementing the article of the declaration which calls for "national efforts and international cooperation" for everyone to enjoy "economic, social and cultural rights" which are "indispensable for his dignity and free development of his personality." "Only a universalization of basic economic dignity can provide the foundation for any shared vision of universal human rights. It would be difficult to achieve universal observance of human rights among societies differentiated by gradations of affluence and want, surplus and despair," he said. (PTI) |
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3 bomb attacks in Greece November 17 sympathizers suspects ATHENS, Dec 11: Three bomb attacks were reported early today in Athens and in the northern Greek port of Thessaloniki, according to Greek radio. There were no injuries and fire officials reported minimal property damage. The unknown assailants tied some small camping gas bottles together and ignited them at the entrance of a home to a judge in Athens. In Thessaloniki similar incendiary bombs were ignited under a car of a building contractor and in front of the offices of the national electric company (dei). Police believe the attackers are sympathizers of the left-wing extremist underground organization November 17, reported Greek radio. A Court in Athens found 15 members of the November 17 terrorist group guilty of multiple murders, bomb attacks and armed robberies on Monday. Lawyers predict that the condemned terrorists will be given multiple life sentences. The Court is expected to hand down sentences early next week. (DPA) |
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Revoke Israel’s credentials as UN member:PLO JERUSALEM, Dec 11: The PLO delegation to the United Nations is planning to present an appeal to revoke Israel’s credentials as a member of the world body. UN sources are quoted in a Ha’aretz report to have said that some of the Arab states and the nonaligned nations could be expected to support the initiative. The committee dealing with the credentials is slated to meet today in New York and will, according to protocol, send a general recommendation to the plenary session to ratify the credentials of all member nations. However, when the assembly meets next week, PLO observer Nasser Al-Kidwa is said to be planning to demand that Israel’s crendentials be revoked, arguing that Israel is not authorized to represent the territories, but only the area within the green line. This would be the first time since the Oslo accords that such a demand is going to be put in front of the world body. (UNI) |
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China farmers seek recognition for Xi’an find BEIJING, Dec 11: Three elderly farmers are seeking recognition before they die for their discovery of the famed 2,200-year-old Xi’an terracotta warriors, now one of China’s biggest tourist attractions, the Sina news web site said today. But so far their efforts have been in vain. The farmers asked the museum of Qin Shihuang terracotta warriors and horses on Wednesday to give them a certificate for their 1974 discovery and asked that their names be recorded in museum literature instead of a vague reference to a "group of farmers", Sina said. "In recent years, as they are getting old, their desire for an acknowledgement and safeguarding of their discovery rights is becoming stronger and stronger," it said. Nearly 8,000 life-sized terracotta warriors and horses along with tens of thousands of pieces of weaponry have been uncovered since the initial find in 1974 by nine farmers digging a well. Five of the farmers have since died and the petition was handed over to the museum and local culture bureau by three of those still alive, Sina said. But the petition was refused as in Chinese law there are no clear regulations on treasure-trove discovery rights, Sina said. (AGENCIES) |
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CIA plans Iraqi domesetic spy service -newspaper WASHINGTON, Dec 11: The United States plans to set up an Iraqi intelligence service to spy on groups and individuals inside Iraq that are targeting US troops and civilians, the Washington Post reported today. Citing unidentified US officials, the post said the CIA plans to set up the new service with help from Jordan. Two members of an Iraqi exile group are at CIA headquarters in Virginia this week to work out details of the new program, the post said. Iraqi Interior Minister Nouri Badran, a secular Shiite Muslim, has been selected to head the service initially, the post said. Badran has worked with the CIA over the past decade to incite coups against Saddam Hussein. Badran and fellow Iraqi exile Ayad Alawi hope to recruit former Hussein officials for the service, an approach opposed by some Pentagon officials and Ahmed Chalabi, head of the Iraqi national Congress, the Post said. (AGENCIES) |
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Australia reprimands Zimbabwe diplomat over ‘dictator’ Jibe SYDNEY, Dec 11: Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Australia was reprimanded in Canberra today for describing Prime Minister John Howard as a "dictator" over his implacable refusal to allow the troubled African country to be re-admitted to the Commonwealth. Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe earlier this week pulled his country out of the Commonwealth. Florence Chitauro, Zimbabwe’s Ambassador, accused Howard of acting like a dictator in his position as chairman of the Commonwealth Troika on Zimbabwe. Chitauro, speaking after the meeting to Australia’s ABC radio, said: "I’m here to protect the head of state I represent, and the country". She dismissed as speculative a report in a British newspaper that mugabe planned to break off diplomatic relations with Britain and with Canberra. Howard said he was not concerned with being called a dictator. "I’m fairly untroubled," Howard said. "In fact I’m not fairly untroubled, I‘m very untroubled." (DPA) |
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General strike paralyses Jaffna Peninsula COLOMBO, Dec 11: Life in war-ravaged Jaffna peninsula was affected following a general strike today in protest against the army firing on civilians on Tuesday. A bus commuter was seriously wounded when a soldier opened fire at a pro-LTTE newspaperseller in the heart of the heavily crowded Jaffna town on Tuesday evening. The paperseller, however, managed to escape unhurt. A Tamil party source in Jaffna told over phone that all shops, business institutions and Government departments were closed today in support of the strike. "only limited transport service was being allowed to facilitate the ongoing GCE (O/L) examination," he said. Meanwhile, three soldiers were arrested by the police in the incident and produced before the Jaffna Magistrate, who remanded them to police custody till December 23. Commenting on the shooting incident, the source said that the people of Jaffna were disturbed by this incident since it has taken place when there was a prolonged lull in the peace talks. However, the operation headquarters of the ministry of defence, in a statement said yesterday that the troops were forced to fire at the suspicious newspaper seller "in self-defence" as he attempted to fling a hand grenade at them. According to the statement, the suspected LTTE man was roaming around the eprlf office pretending to be a newspaper seller, when he was asked by the troops to stop for a search. "The suspected LTTE man suddenly took out a hand grenade from his pocket and tried to hurl it at the troops when they approached him. The troops were compelled to fire a shot towards the suspect in self-defence, but the suspect managed to flee the spot on account of a crowd that converged immediately after the incident," the statement added. This is the first such incident after the truce agreement between the UNF Government and LTTE came into effect from February 2001. (UNI) |
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Heavy floods kill 4, force thousands to flee Sumatra JAKARTA, Dec 11: Heavy floods swept through dozens of villages in two provinces on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, killing at least four people and forcing thousands of others to flee their homes, news reports said today. In north Sumatra, two days of incessant rains caused rivers in the province to overflow their banks, inundating hundreds of houses in several districts, the state-run Antara news agency reported. Four people drowned in the flood waters, the report said. North Sumatra Governor Rizal Nurdin has instructed all district and sub-district heads to stay on the alert for more flooding after experts warned that heavy rains and storms may hit the province by the end of this month. In east Sumatra, floods inundated dozens of villages across the province’s nine regencies, including the provincial capital of Jambi. Jakarta’s leading Kompas daily reported that flooding triggered by several days of downpours have swamped thousands of houses up to two-metres high, forcing several thousand residents to flee to higher ground. "Heavy flooding has forced a number of schools to close down in the districts of Jambi, Muaro Jambi, Batanghari and Sarolangan," Kompas quoted Harus saad, Jambi’s provincial spokesman, as saying. Saad said the floods also forced a number of sawmills to stop operating, giving the local forests a breather. (DPA) Indonesian terror suspects depart Pakistan KARACHI, Dec 11: Six Indonesian students, held by Pakistan as terror suspects, flew to Jakarta today in the care of Indonesian authorities, a senior official said. Mohammad Maalik, Deputy Director of Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (immigration) said they were taken to the airport under tight security. The six suspects, who were among 20 students arrested from different religious schools in the southern port city of Karachi late September, were interrogated for their alleged links with Al-Qaeda. Among the Indonesians was Rusman Gunawan, younger brother of Hambali, the alleged mastermind of the Bali bombings that killed more than 200 people. Hambali was arrested in Thailand in August and is being kept in US custody at an unknown location. The other students were from Malaysia and Myanmar (Burma) and have already been deported to their home countries. (DPA) Germany to aid food security project in Afghanistan KABUL, Dec 11: The Government of Germany has agreed to provide 10.5 million dollars to the UN for development projects in war-torn Afghanistan and a project for HIV/AIDS in Lesotho and Malawi, the UN said in a statement today. The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) will carry out the projects in 2004. In Afghanistan, "the project aims to assist in resettling returnees, increase food production and improve the livelihoods of vulnerable households," according to the statement. Besides returning refugees, the project will also assist internally displaced people with vegetable or pulses seeds as well as tools and fertilizer. The statement added that women will have priority. Another project will extend training for Afghan women and men who are members of fao village groups for poultry and dairy production, it said. Germany will also support the formulation of a medium-term national food security strategy. (DPA) |
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