Republished permission Inter Press Service (IPS )copyright Inter Press Service (IPS)
http://www.ipsnewsasia.net/ and http://www.ipsnews.net/
Khmer Rouge Leaders Seek Release Before Trial
By Irwin Loy
Standing in an air-conditioned courtroom on the outskirts of the Cambodian capital, an aging former Khmer Rouge figure accused of genocide offered few words as he asked for his release.
"I only have one suggestion," said Khieu Samphan, "Please abide by the law."
More than three years after their arrests, three former Khmer Rouge leaders accused of crimes against humanity and genocide asked a United Nations- backed war crimes tribunal Monday to release them ahead of their pending trials.
Lawyers for Khieu Samphan, the regime’s head of state; Nuon Chea, its chief ideologue; and Ieng Thirith, a former cabinet minister, are arguing they should be released after having been kept in pre-trial detention since their arrests in 2007. A fourth co-defendant, former foreign affairs minister Ieng Sary, did not appear in court.
Observers say releasing the accused could ignite public outrage in this Southeast Asian country. The Khmer Rouge movement was responsible for the deaths of an estimated 1.7 million people. But, more than 30 years after the regime was toppled, senior leaders have yet to stand trial.
Lawyers for the accused argued Monday that the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), as the hybrid tribunal is officially called, is bound by its rules to release them in advance of their trials. The court officially indicted the four accused last September. Lawyers claim that any detention exceeding the four months that have since passed is illegal.
Court officials have not specified a date for the trials, but have indicated they are expected to take place this year. Sa Sovan, a lawyer acting for Khieu Samphan, noted the court has extended his client’s detention period numerous times since his 2007 arrest.
"There are no grounds to continue his detention any longer," he said.
Son Arun, a lawyer for Nuon Chea, said his client has no intention of fleeing the country if released. On the contrary, he argued, he is eager to testify and explain his side of the story.
"Nuon Chea has indicated again and again that he wishes to participate and cooperate with the court," Arun said. "He would like to live with his family and he does not intend to run away."
Court prosecutors, however, argued against releasing the accused, suggesting they had many reasons to flee, and that authorities may not be able to guarantee their safety outside the confines of the court complex.
"The passage of time has not diminished the impact of these crimes," co- prosecutor Andrew Cayley said. "If anything, it has increased the impact of these crimes. There are many members of the Khmer population who are suffering from psychiatric disorders as a result of their experiences during this appalling time."
The four co-defendants are accused of being part of a leadership group that oversaw egregious crimes committed more than three decades ago. Today, they are aging and frail. The youngest, Ieng Thirith, turns 79 this year. She quietly left the courtroom early on in proceedings Monday. Nuon Chea, 84, sought medical attention after complaining of dizziness.
"She can barely walk," lawyer Phat Pouv Seang said of Ieng Thirith, "let alone cause any disturbance to the public order."
In January, co-defendant Ieng Sary asked the court to permit half-day sessions when the trial gets underway, citing his "age and ill health".
Court observer Panhavuth Long, a programme officer with the Open Society Justice Initiative, said he believed the accused are acting within their rights by asking to be released. Seeing the aged defendants Monday should come as a reminder that the tribunal must not lose momentum in pursuing prosecution.
"The testimony of the accused can shed light on the history," he said. "It may enable us to understand more about the regime and also to understand the personalities of the accused."
And for many victims of the regime, it is the testimony of the four accused, as much as any verdict, that will determine what value the tribunal holds.
"We really want the trial to be up and running very soon. If they die, they bring with them the truth," he said.
If the court were to release the accused before the trial, it would come as a shock to a Cambodian public eager for justice, said another observer.
"If they are released, it would be a stunning moment for the whole nation," said Youk Chhang, director of the Documentation Centre of Cambodia.
But he said many people here have already come to their own conclusions.
"Each of the survivors has their own judgement, no matter what the court has to say about it," Youk said. "The truth about [the defendants] is the crimes they have committed against the people of Cambodia. This kind of truth will never set them free."
The court is expected to rule on the co-defendants’ release bids within 30 days.
The case represents the second trial as part of the court’s mandate. Last July, Kaing Guek Eav, better known as Duch, was sentenced to 35 years in prison for his role as head of the notorious S-21 detention centre, though the sentence was reduced by 16 years because of time already served and illegal detention.
Tuesday, February 01, 2011
Human Trafficking: Vietnam - lured by “friendly” acquaintances
IRIN - Last year an ostensibly friendly woman asked Nguyen Thi Ha* if the 23-year-old felt like leaving Vietnam to work in China.Nguyen Thi Ha was intrigued by promises she could earn 6-7 times more selling clothes there than the US$50 per month she was making at home. She never thought the woman, a relative of a friend, would attempt to sell her and two other Vietnamese women into commercial sex work.
“If I had known that, I wouldn’t have gone,” Nguyen, whom Vietnamese police later rescued from China, told IRIN.
Between 2004 and 2009, Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security (MPS) reported nearly 3,000 Vietnamese victims of human trafficking, which is criminalized under Vietnamese law.
Most are sent to countries in Asia, Western Europe and the Middle East for sexual exploitation, or forced to work in factories or elsewhere, according to 2010 data from the UN Inter-Agency Project on Human Trafficking (UNIAP).
The traffickers are often relatives or acquaintances of victims, UNIAP says.
Nearly three-quarters of traffickers are women, but in some cases, men are involved. The Vietnamese government estimates that about 10 percent of women lured into arranged marriages with Chinese men may have become trafficking victims.
“In Vietnam everything is about relationships, so the traffickers present a very friendly face,” said Michael Brosowski, founder and CEO of Hanoi NGO Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation, which Vietnamese police consulted before rescuing Nguyen and others from China.
“Traffickers have all of sorts of tricks, and the victims seem to be easily fooled,” he said.
Rescue and re-entry
When Nguyen and two fellow Vietnamese women arrived in a Chinese city and realized they were being sold into sex work, they escaped from the house where they were being held. Luckily, a Vietnamese man took them in and called the Vietnamese police.
About a month later, Vietnamese police arrived and brought the women to a victims’ shelter in Hanoi.
“My mother was so happy, and my family cried a lot,” Nguyen recalled of her homecoming. “It was as if I had died and been reborn.”
Florian Forster, chief of mission for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Vietnam, said the government should be commended for its efforts in combating human trafficking, noting Hanoi had signed bilateral anti-trafficking agreements with several countries in the region, including neighbouring Cambodia (2005), as well as Laos and China (2010).
“There’s a public realization that [human trafficking] is a more diverse and complex problem that doesn’t just involve women and children,” Forster said.
“The MPS is very willing to address it and there’s a lot of public debate in the media and in workshops,” he said.
According to Hanoi-based NGO leader Brosowski, human trafficking is a major source of concern for Vietnamese authorities. He noted, however, that MPS walks a “fine line” between raising public awareness about human trafficking and “presenting a good face that they are in control… I suspect that if they were more comfortable acknowledging the problem, they could actually get more support from the international community.”
Trafficking too narrowly defined?
A June 2010 trafficking in persons report by the US Department of State downgraded Vietnam from a “Tier Two” to a “Tier 2 Watchlist” country, saying Vietnam had not done enough to show “evidence of progress” in protecting trafficking victims or prosecuting labour traffickers.
Vietnam has received the “Tier Two” designation eight of the last 10 years.
Vietnamese women and children are often sold to brothels along the Cambodian, Lao and China borders, the US report said.
In June, Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Nguyen Phuong Nga called the report inaccurate and “politically motivated”.
Vietnam actively collaborates with international organizations to combat trafficking, particularly of women and children, Nguyen said.
But according to Pau Khan Khup Hangzo, associate research fellow at the Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies in Singapore, Vietnam focuses too narrowly on stopping trafficking of women and children for sexual exploitation.
Moreover, despite bilateral anti-trafficking agreements Hanoi had signed with other countries, Vietnam has yet to pass a comprehensive anti-trafficking law. Such laws have already been enacted in Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar and other Southeast Asian countries, Hangzo said.
A comprehensive Vietnamese anti-trafficking law should address trafficking of men, women and children for labour exploitation, he said.
*Not her real name
All rights reserved. This material comes to you via IRIN, the humanitarian news and analysis service of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the United Nations or its Member States. The boundaries, names and designations used on maps on this site and links to external sites do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the UN.
Vietnam: Death of a Vietnamese journalist who was brutally attacked last week
Sources:
International Freedom of Expression Exchange
Committee to Protect Journalists
Bangkok, January 31, 2011 - The death of a Vietnamese journalist who was brutally attacked last week underscores the urgency for authorities to investigate the case, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Le Hoang Hung, a reporter with the Nguoi Lao Dong (Laborer) newspaper, succumbed to severe injuries in a Ho Chi Minh City hospital over the weekend, according to international news reports.
On January 20, an unknown assailant entered Hung's house in Tan An town, dousing the reporter in chemicals and setting him ablaze. He suffered severe burns on around 20 percent of his body and was in critical condition before his death, according to news reports.
"Le Hoang Hung's death must be fully and independently investigated, and his killer brought to justice," said Shawn Crispin, CPJ's Southeast Asia representative. "Media killings are rare in Vietnam and authorities should act to ensure that a culture of impunity does not begin to take root."
Hung's wife, Tran Thi Lieu, told reporters that he had received threatening text messages on his mobile phone from unknown numbers before the attack. News reports indicate that he had widely covered official misconduct in the country's southern Mekong Delta region.
Police have indicated they are investigating the attack. So far no suspects have been identified or arrests made, according to the reports.
International Freedom of Expression Exchange
Committee to Protect Journalists
Bangkok, January 31, 2011 - The death of a Vietnamese journalist who was brutally attacked last week underscores the urgency for authorities to investigate the case, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Le Hoang Hung, a reporter with the Nguoi Lao Dong (Laborer) newspaper, succumbed to severe injuries in a Ho Chi Minh City hospital over the weekend, according to international news reports.
On January 20, an unknown assailant entered Hung's house in Tan An town, dousing the reporter in chemicals and setting him ablaze. He suffered severe burns on around 20 percent of his body and was in critical condition before his death, according to news reports.
"Le Hoang Hung's death must be fully and independently investigated, and his killer brought to justice," said Shawn Crispin, CPJ's Southeast Asia representative. "Media killings are rare in Vietnam and authorities should act to ensure that a culture of impunity does not begin to take root."
Hung's wife, Tran Thi Lieu, told reporters that he had received threatening text messages on his mobile phone from unknown numbers before the attack. News reports indicate that he had widely covered official misconduct in the country's southern Mekong Delta region.
Police have indicated they are investigating the attack. So far no suspects have been identified or arrests made, according to the reports.
WikiLeaks: Bradley Manning isolated - video report from Quantico military base
The man suspected of revealing classified US government documents to the WikiLeaks website is being held in solitary confinement while awaiting trial.
Bradley Manning has been kept alone in his cell in a Virginia jail for 23 hours a day, under constant surveillance, for seven months.
The Pentagon denies he is being mistreated, sying that he receives visitors, can make phone calls, and routinely meets with doctors.
But the UN says the use of solitary confinement for prolonged periods can be a form of torture that should be used sparingly.
Al Jazeera's Kristen Saloomey reports from the Quantico military base.
Bradley Manning has been kept alone in his cell in a Virginia jail for 23 hours a day, under constant surveillance, for seven months.
The Pentagon denies he is being mistreated, sying that he receives visitors, can make phone calls, and routinely meets with doctors.
But the UN says the use of solitary confinement for prolonged periods can be a form of torture that should be used sparingly.
Al Jazeera's Kristen Saloomey reports from the Quantico military base.
War Crimes: Chad - African Union Calls for ‘Expeditious’ Start to Habré Trial
Source: International Criminal Court (ICC)(Addis Ababa, February 1, 2011) – Senegal should start the trial of Chad's former dictator Hissene Habre immediately, Human Rights Watch said today, echoing a call from African Union heads of state and government. In a resolution adopted at its summit on January 31, 2011, the African Union called for an "expeditious" start to the trial.
"The African Union has made it clear that Hissene Habré needs to face justice soon," said Reed Brody, special counsel at Human Rights Watch, who has been working with Habre's victims for 12 years. "Survivors of Habré's government's cruel abuses have been fighting for 20 years for their day in court. It's time for Senegal to stop this circus and heed their pleas."
Habré is accused of thousands of political killings and systematic torture when he ruled Chad from 1982 to 1990 before fleeing to Senegal.
In July 2006, after Senegal had refused to extradite Habré to Belgium, the AU called on Senegal to prosecute Habré "on behalf of Africa," and President Abdoulaye Wade declared that Senegal would do so. President Wade recently stated, however, that he had "had enough" of the Habré case and was "returning" it to the AU.
The resolution adopted on January 31, though, noted Senegal's "readiness" to hold the trial. It called on Senegal's government to meet with the AU Commission to work out the modalities for an "expeditious" start to Habré's trial taking into account a November 2010 ruling by the Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) that Senegal should carry out Habré's trial by "a special ad hoc procedure of an international character."
In response to the ECOWAS court ruling, the AU Commission has proposed a plan to create special chambers within the Senegalese justice system with the presidents of the trial court and the appeals court appointed by the African Union.
Habre was first indicted in Senegal in 2000, but then Senegalese courts ruled that he could not be tried there. His victims then turned to Belgium and, after a four-year investigation, a Belgian judge in September 2005 issued an arrest warrant charging Habré with crimes against humanity, war crimes and torture and requested his extradition.
Senegal then asked the AU to recommend a course of action. On July 2, 2006, the African Union called on Senegal to prosecute Habré. President Wade accepted but refused to proceed for several years, however, until Senegal was provided with money to finance the trial. On November 24, 2010, international donors met in Dakar and fully funded the US$11.7 million budget for the trial.
Angola: Leprosy still a great public health concern
Source: Government of AngolaLuanda - Leprosy remains a major public health concern to Angolan authorities as the country is among the countries which continue recording over a thousand cases, despite having reached the elimination goal recommended by the World Health Organisation (less than 1 case /10.000 citizens).
According to a note from the National Department of Public Health, through its National Programme of Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control, made available to Angop, January 30 is celebrated as the World Leprosy Day as instituted by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The date is being celebrated in the country under the motto "Promoting Human Rights".
The document states that leprosy is a curable disease that affects thousands of people who are stigmatised and discriminated all over the world.
According to the WHO source, at least 13 provinces of the country reached the world organisation's leprosy elimination goal. They are Bengo, Benguela, Cabinda, Huíla, Cunene, Kwanza Norte, Luanda.
The provinces of Malanje, Moxico, Namibe, Uíge, Lunda Norte and Zaire are also part of the regions of the country that reached the elimination goal.
Bíe, Huambo, Kuando Kubango, Kwanza Sul and Lunda Sul are in the group that failed to reach the elimination goal.
Statistics say that more than 250,000 cases of leprosy were detected last year in 118 countries. Angola recorded 1,048 cases until December 2010.
Tibet: The Karmapa controversy
By B.RAMAN
See also: www.southasiaanalysis.org
The Karmapa is the head of what is known as the Karma Kagyu sect of Tibetan Buddhism.It is claimed that the institution of Karmapa is more than 200 years older than the institution of Dalai Lama, who is the head of all Tibetan Buddhists, wherever they may be living.
2.There has been a controversy regarding the present 17th Karmapa ever since the death of the 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, in 1981.Claims were made on behalf of the following two persons that they were the real incarnation of the deceased 16th Karmapa --- Ogyen Trinley Dorje (also spelt Urgyen Trinley Dorje) and Trinley Thaye Dorje
3.Both were enthroned by their respective followers as the 17th Karmapa, and both independently started performing ceremonial duties as the Karmapa. The majority of the monasteries and lamas of this sect recognized Urgyen Trinley Dorje as the Karmapa. However, a small number of monasteries and lamas of the sect including Shamar Rinpoche, who plays an important role in the selection process, did not allegedly recognize his claim. The Chinese Communist Party recognized his claim as the 17th Karmapa.
4.Urgyen Trinley Dorje enjoys considerable support----though not total support---- among the followers of what is considered the oldest sect of Tibetan Buddhism. His support for the process for the selection of the successor to His Holiness the Dalai Lama could, in Chinese calculation, lend credibility to the child projected by the Chinese Communist Party as the incarnation of the present Dalai Lama after his death.
5. Normally, the Chinese Communist Party would have used the Panchen Lama for this purpose, but the institution of Panchen Lama has got into a controversy since the death of the 10th Panchen Lama in 1989. There are two 11th Panchen Lamas---one (Gedhun Choekyi Nyima) recognized by His Holiness and the majority of the Tibetan Buddhists as the real incarnation of the previous Panchen Lama, who was arrested by the Chinese authorities in 1995, and one (Gyaltsen Norbu) recognized and installed by the Chinese Communist Party as the real incarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama and hence the legitimate 11th Panchen Lama. Despite the best efforts of the Chinese Communist party to promote the person selected by it as the legitimate 11th Panchen Lama, his legitimacy has not been accepted by an overwhelming majority of Tibetan Buddhists, particularly by those living in exile in India and other countries of the world. They look upon him as an impostor and have been demanding the release of the person recognized by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. They refer sarcastically to Gyaltsen Norbu as Panchen Zuma ( false Panchen) and not Panchen Lama.
6. As this controversy over the Panchen Zuma was picking up momentum in the late 1990s, the 17th Karmapa, who himself is a controversial figure, landed by a taxi in Dharamsala, where His Holiness lives, on January 5,2000.He claimed that he had given the slip to the Chinese and clandestinely fled to India via Nepal because he was unhappy in Tibet and was not able to get his spiritual education completed in Tibet since most of the senior religious scholars of his sect were living in India.
7. Questions arose regarding the genuineness of his claim. Did he really escape clandestinely after giving a slip to the Chinese as claimed by him or was it a choreographed escape organized by the Chinese intelligence to create a split among the followers of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, undermine his authority and project the Karmapa as the interim head of the Tibetan Buddhists after the death of His Holiness till the Dalai Lama’s successor is chosen by the Chinese Communist Party by stage-managing the identification of the child who is his incarnation.
8. Faced with this skepticism, the Karmapa explained how he escaped from Tibet at a media interaction on April 27,2002. He said as follows:
“On December 28, 1999, under the cover of a dark night, my senior attendant and I escaped from my monastery in Tibet and fled to India to seek refuge. The decision to leave my homeland, monastery, monks, parents, family, and the Tibetan people was entirely my own--no one told me to go and no one asked me to come. I left my country to impart the Buddha's teachings in general and, in particular, to receive the excellent empowerments, transmissions, and instructions of my own Karma Kagyu tradition. These I could only receive from the main disciples of the previous Karmapa, Situ Rinpoche and Gyaltsap Rinpoche, who were predicted to be my teachers and who reside in India.
“There have been various reports in the press about my escape, and so I will simply and briefly tell the truth about my journey. In great secrecy, my companions and I made our plans, using various stories to cover our true activities. For example, when the preparations were complete, I announced that I was entering a traditional, strict retreat and would not come out for some days. This story worked and prevented us from being pursued right away.
“On December 28, around 10:30 at night, my attendant and I slowly climbed down from my room and jumped onto the roof of the Protector Mahakala's shrine room. From this building, we leapt to the ground where a jeep was waiting nearby with Lama Tsultrim and a driver. We left immediately. The story had been given out that Lama Tsultrim and his companions were going on a journey. As if preparing for this, they had driven in and out of the monastery several times during the day, and, therefore, everyone knew about this trip and we could easily leave. Usually, the monastery was strictly guarded, but no twenty-four hour guards were posted and we also left through a side road.
“After a while, Lama Tsewang and another driver joined us at a designated place. We decided to head directly towards western Tibet since few travelers used this road and the check posts were not so strictly guarded. Driving day and night, we stopped only to change drivers. By taking back roads through the hills and valleys, we evaded check posts and two army camps. Through the power of my prayers to the Buddha and through his compassion, we were not discovered and arrived in Mustang, Nepal, on the morning of December 30, 1999. Continuing the journey on foot and horseback, we crossed over several passes and finally reached Manang as I had planned. This part was extremely difficult and exhausting due to the poor and often dangerous condition of the paths and the freezing cold weather. During this time, I was tired and not very well physically, yet despite the difficulties, I was completely determined to reach my goal.
“Once in Manang, a close friend of Lama Tsewang Tashi helped us hire a helicopter. We landed in a place of Nepal known as Nagarkot and then went by car to Rauxal. From there, we traveled by train to Lucknow and continued with a rented car to Delhi, arriving at last in Dharamsala early on the morning of January 5, 2000. I went straight to meet His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the very embodiment of compassion, and he received me with his great love and affection. My joy knew no bounds."
9. The skepticism regarding the genuineness of his claim has since subsided, but not completely. Some---including this writer---suspect that his “escape” to India was probably under a long-term Chinese intelligence operation to use him to influence events relating to Tibet after the death of His Holiness. It would not be correct to call him a Chinese spy meant to collect intelligence about His Holiness and his followers. The suspicion is that he could be a planted Chinese “agent of influence” to influence future events after the death of His Holiness.
10. The Government of India has allowed him to travel periodically within India to perform his religious tasks and obligations. He was also allowed to visit the US in 2008 to meet his followers there.
11. The skepticism regarding him has revived following the alleged seizure of currencies of different countries ---including China---- amounting to a total value of US $ 1.5 million from his office and from persons associated with him in Dharamsala in recent days. An investigation has been started as to how he got this money and for what purpose. The Karmapa himself and his principal aides have been questioned. They are reported to have claimed that this amount represented the cash offerings of his followers visiting Dharamsala to seek his blessings and by his followers in other parts of India and abroad during his travels. This explanation sounds plausible.
12. Shri P.Chidambaram, the Home Minister, told the media on January 31 that since the matter was under investigation, he was not in a position to come to any conclusions till the investigation was completed. His Holiness has supported the investigation without saying anything further.
13. Sections of the media as usual have gone to town with allegations of the Karmapa being a Chinese spy. The Chinese Communist Party has strongly refuted these allegations. A report on this subject carried in the “People’s Forum” section of the party-controlled “People’s Daily” of China on January 31 is annexed.
14. This is a sensitive issue which could have an impact on State-to-State relations with China and could hurt the feelings and sensitivities of the followers of the Karmapa. We should carry out a vigorous investigation, keeping the Holiness in the picture, and await the results of the investigation as suggested by the Home Minister. We should avoid speculation that could prove counter-productve.( 1-2-11)
The writer is Additional Secretary (retd), Cabnet Secretariat, Govt. of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director, Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate of the Chennai Centre For China Studies.
ANNEXURE
( From the “People’s Forum” section of the “People’s Daily” of January 31 )
Karmapa is Chinese spy? India makes a fuss again
India's Himachal Pradesh police aided by Intelligence Bureau officials on Saturday questioned the 17th Karmapa, Ugyen Trinley Dorje, to hear his explanation on where he had got Rs 8.5 crores worth of currency in dollars and yuan that was seized from his monastery.
Dorje was questioned at his Sidhbari ashram near Dharamshala as searches continued in different monastries along Indo-China border for the third consecutive day.
"The office of the trust, backed by the Karmapa, and his ashram at Sidhbari have also been searched. Details are being shared with Enforcement Directorate officials who will probe the matter relating to seizure of foreign currency," said an official in New Delhi. The official ruled out the possibility of Karmapa's arrest. "So far nothing incriminating has been found against him. Dorje also appears to be fully cooperating with the probe," he said.
Sources said the raids would be discussed at the conference of chief ministers on internal security in New Delhi on February 1 amid reports that IB officials suspect the Karmapa was a Chinese mole and the money was part of a design to control monastries along the border.
In Shimla, chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said the matter was serious although the Karmapa's office had denied any link with China.
Himachal DGP D S Minhas told TOI the Karmapa was questioned by a team headed by Kangra SP Diljeet Singh Thakur and the monk was asked about the money's source. "We are looking into what he told the team. He is not under house arrest."
All religious orders in India receive huge donations. No one has heard so far about any other religious group being targeted. It's irrational to conclude that Dorje is Chinese spy based on the recovery of a large amount of Chinese yuan in his monastery.
Dorje has been under the Indian security agencies' scanner since his arrival in India after he left Tibet 12 years ago.
The Indian government has confined the Karmapa's movements within 15 km of his home for sometime.Since July 2008, the Indian government has refused to let the Karmapa visit other monasteries in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir that are located close to the India-China border. How could Chinese government sponsor Dorje under India's tight surveillance?
China on Monday denied that Tibetan spiritual leader Karmapa was its spy and claimed allegations against it showed India's "mistrustful attitude" towards Beijing. "The speculation by India's media, regarding the matter of the Karmapa as a Chinese agent or spy, shows that India is keeping its mistrustful attitude toward China," said Xu Zhitao, an official of the United Front Work Department of the ruling Communist Party Central Committee.
"The 17th Karmapa Living Buddha (Monks in Tibet are called living Buddhas) is the first reincarnated Living Buddha confirmed and approved by the Central Government of the People's Republic of China after the peaceful liberation of Tibet in 1951," said Xu.
"The reincarnation of holy men is a unique form of succession in Tibetan Buddhism, which has long been recognized and respected," Xu told state-run 'Global Times'.
"Karmapa left China in 1999 for the purpose of religious behaviors, just as he claimed," said Xu.
The Global Times, which published Xu's comments in a report, seemed to frown upon on the Indian media. "This is not the first time that India's media has linked 'spies' with China. Earlier this month, three Chinese citizens were arrested in India on suspicion of money laundering and spying on border security. But the Chinese foreign ministry said they were actually tourists who had mistakenly crossed the border from Nepal," it said.
See also: www.southasiaanalysis.org
The Karmapa is the head of what is known as the Karma Kagyu sect of Tibetan Buddhism.It is claimed that the institution of Karmapa is more than 200 years older than the institution of Dalai Lama, who is the head of all Tibetan Buddhists, wherever they may be living.
2.There has been a controversy regarding the present 17th Karmapa ever since the death of the 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, in 1981.Claims were made on behalf of the following two persons that they were the real incarnation of the deceased 16th Karmapa --- Ogyen Trinley Dorje (also spelt Urgyen Trinley Dorje) and Trinley Thaye Dorje
3.Both were enthroned by their respective followers as the 17th Karmapa, and both independently started performing ceremonial duties as the Karmapa. The majority of the monasteries and lamas of this sect recognized Urgyen Trinley Dorje as the Karmapa. However, a small number of monasteries and lamas of the sect including Shamar Rinpoche, who plays an important role in the selection process, did not allegedly recognize his claim. The Chinese Communist Party recognized his claim as the 17th Karmapa.
4.Urgyen Trinley Dorje enjoys considerable support----though not total support---- among the followers of what is considered the oldest sect of Tibetan Buddhism. His support for the process for the selection of the successor to His Holiness the Dalai Lama could, in Chinese calculation, lend credibility to the child projected by the Chinese Communist Party as the incarnation of the present Dalai Lama after his death.
5. Normally, the Chinese Communist Party would have used the Panchen Lama for this purpose, but the institution of Panchen Lama has got into a controversy since the death of the 10th Panchen Lama in 1989. There are two 11th Panchen Lamas---one (Gedhun Choekyi Nyima) recognized by His Holiness and the majority of the Tibetan Buddhists as the real incarnation of the previous Panchen Lama, who was arrested by the Chinese authorities in 1995, and one (Gyaltsen Norbu) recognized and installed by the Chinese Communist Party as the real incarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama and hence the legitimate 11th Panchen Lama. Despite the best efforts of the Chinese Communist party to promote the person selected by it as the legitimate 11th Panchen Lama, his legitimacy has not been accepted by an overwhelming majority of Tibetan Buddhists, particularly by those living in exile in India and other countries of the world. They look upon him as an impostor and have been demanding the release of the person recognized by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. They refer sarcastically to Gyaltsen Norbu as Panchen Zuma ( false Panchen) and not Panchen Lama.
6. As this controversy over the Panchen Zuma was picking up momentum in the late 1990s, the 17th Karmapa, who himself is a controversial figure, landed by a taxi in Dharamsala, where His Holiness lives, on January 5,2000.He claimed that he had given the slip to the Chinese and clandestinely fled to India via Nepal because he was unhappy in Tibet and was not able to get his spiritual education completed in Tibet since most of the senior religious scholars of his sect were living in India.
7. Questions arose regarding the genuineness of his claim. Did he really escape clandestinely after giving a slip to the Chinese as claimed by him or was it a choreographed escape organized by the Chinese intelligence to create a split among the followers of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, undermine his authority and project the Karmapa as the interim head of the Tibetan Buddhists after the death of His Holiness till the Dalai Lama’s successor is chosen by the Chinese Communist Party by stage-managing the identification of the child who is his incarnation.
8. Faced with this skepticism, the Karmapa explained how he escaped from Tibet at a media interaction on April 27,2002. He said as follows:
“On December 28, 1999, under the cover of a dark night, my senior attendant and I escaped from my monastery in Tibet and fled to India to seek refuge. The decision to leave my homeland, monastery, monks, parents, family, and the Tibetan people was entirely my own--no one told me to go and no one asked me to come. I left my country to impart the Buddha's teachings in general and, in particular, to receive the excellent empowerments, transmissions, and instructions of my own Karma Kagyu tradition. These I could only receive from the main disciples of the previous Karmapa, Situ Rinpoche and Gyaltsap Rinpoche, who were predicted to be my teachers and who reside in India.
“There have been various reports in the press about my escape, and so I will simply and briefly tell the truth about my journey. In great secrecy, my companions and I made our plans, using various stories to cover our true activities. For example, when the preparations were complete, I announced that I was entering a traditional, strict retreat and would not come out for some days. This story worked and prevented us from being pursued right away.
“On December 28, around 10:30 at night, my attendant and I slowly climbed down from my room and jumped onto the roof of the Protector Mahakala's shrine room. From this building, we leapt to the ground where a jeep was waiting nearby with Lama Tsultrim and a driver. We left immediately. The story had been given out that Lama Tsultrim and his companions were going on a journey. As if preparing for this, they had driven in and out of the monastery several times during the day, and, therefore, everyone knew about this trip and we could easily leave. Usually, the monastery was strictly guarded, but no twenty-four hour guards were posted and we also left through a side road.
“After a while, Lama Tsewang and another driver joined us at a designated place. We decided to head directly towards western Tibet since few travelers used this road and the check posts were not so strictly guarded. Driving day and night, we stopped only to change drivers. By taking back roads through the hills and valleys, we evaded check posts and two army camps. Through the power of my prayers to the Buddha and through his compassion, we were not discovered and arrived in Mustang, Nepal, on the morning of December 30, 1999. Continuing the journey on foot and horseback, we crossed over several passes and finally reached Manang as I had planned. This part was extremely difficult and exhausting due to the poor and often dangerous condition of the paths and the freezing cold weather. During this time, I was tired and not very well physically, yet despite the difficulties, I was completely determined to reach my goal.
“Once in Manang, a close friend of Lama Tsewang Tashi helped us hire a helicopter. We landed in a place of Nepal known as Nagarkot and then went by car to Rauxal. From there, we traveled by train to Lucknow and continued with a rented car to Delhi, arriving at last in Dharamsala early on the morning of January 5, 2000. I went straight to meet His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the very embodiment of compassion, and he received me with his great love and affection. My joy knew no bounds."
9. The skepticism regarding the genuineness of his claim has since subsided, but not completely. Some---including this writer---suspect that his “escape” to India was probably under a long-term Chinese intelligence operation to use him to influence events relating to Tibet after the death of His Holiness. It would not be correct to call him a Chinese spy meant to collect intelligence about His Holiness and his followers. The suspicion is that he could be a planted Chinese “agent of influence” to influence future events after the death of His Holiness.
10. The Government of India has allowed him to travel periodically within India to perform his religious tasks and obligations. He was also allowed to visit the US in 2008 to meet his followers there.
11. The skepticism regarding him has revived following the alleged seizure of currencies of different countries ---including China---- amounting to a total value of US $ 1.5 million from his office and from persons associated with him in Dharamsala in recent days. An investigation has been started as to how he got this money and for what purpose. The Karmapa himself and his principal aides have been questioned. They are reported to have claimed that this amount represented the cash offerings of his followers visiting Dharamsala to seek his blessings and by his followers in other parts of India and abroad during his travels. This explanation sounds plausible.
12. Shri P.Chidambaram, the Home Minister, told the media on January 31 that since the matter was under investigation, he was not in a position to come to any conclusions till the investigation was completed. His Holiness has supported the investigation without saying anything further.
13. Sections of the media as usual have gone to town with allegations of the Karmapa being a Chinese spy. The Chinese Communist Party has strongly refuted these allegations. A report on this subject carried in the “People’s Forum” section of the party-controlled “People’s Daily” of China on January 31 is annexed.
14. This is a sensitive issue which could have an impact on State-to-State relations with China and could hurt the feelings and sensitivities of the followers of the Karmapa. We should carry out a vigorous investigation, keeping the Holiness in the picture, and await the results of the investigation as suggested by the Home Minister. We should avoid speculation that could prove counter-productve.( 1-2-11)
The writer is Additional Secretary (retd), Cabnet Secretariat, Govt. of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director, Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate of the Chennai Centre For China Studies.
ANNEXURE
( From the “People’s Forum” section of the “People’s Daily” of January 31 )
Karmapa is Chinese spy? India makes a fuss again
India's Himachal Pradesh police aided by Intelligence Bureau officials on Saturday questioned the 17th Karmapa, Ugyen Trinley Dorje, to hear his explanation on where he had got Rs 8.5 crores worth of currency in dollars and yuan that was seized from his monastery.
Dorje was questioned at his Sidhbari ashram near Dharamshala as searches continued in different monastries along Indo-China border for the third consecutive day.
"The office of the trust, backed by the Karmapa, and his ashram at Sidhbari have also been searched. Details are being shared with Enforcement Directorate officials who will probe the matter relating to seizure of foreign currency," said an official in New Delhi. The official ruled out the possibility of Karmapa's arrest. "So far nothing incriminating has been found against him. Dorje also appears to be fully cooperating with the probe," he said.
Sources said the raids would be discussed at the conference of chief ministers on internal security in New Delhi on February 1 amid reports that IB officials suspect the Karmapa was a Chinese mole and the money was part of a design to control monastries along the border.
In Shimla, chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said the matter was serious although the Karmapa's office had denied any link with China.
Himachal DGP D S Minhas told TOI the Karmapa was questioned by a team headed by Kangra SP Diljeet Singh Thakur and the monk was asked about the money's source. "We are looking into what he told the team. He is not under house arrest."
All religious orders in India receive huge donations. No one has heard so far about any other religious group being targeted. It's irrational to conclude that Dorje is Chinese spy based on the recovery of a large amount of Chinese yuan in his monastery.
Dorje has been under the Indian security agencies' scanner since his arrival in India after he left Tibet 12 years ago.
The Indian government has confined the Karmapa's movements within 15 km of his home for sometime.Since July 2008, the Indian government has refused to let the Karmapa visit other monasteries in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir that are located close to the India-China border. How could Chinese government sponsor Dorje under India's tight surveillance?
China on Monday denied that Tibetan spiritual leader Karmapa was its spy and claimed allegations against it showed India's "mistrustful attitude" towards Beijing. "The speculation by India's media, regarding the matter of the Karmapa as a Chinese agent or spy, shows that India is keeping its mistrustful attitude toward China," said Xu Zhitao, an official of the United Front Work Department of the ruling Communist Party Central Committee.
"The 17th Karmapa Living Buddha (Monks in Tibet are called living Buddhas) is the first reincarnated Living Buddha confirmed and approved by the Central Government of the People's Republic of China after the peaceful liberation of Tibet in 1951," said Xu.
"The reincarnation of holy men is a unique form of succession in Tibetan Buddhism, which has long been recognized and respected," Xu told state-run 'Global Times'.
"Karmapa left China in 1999 for the purpose of religious behaviors, just as he claimed," said Xu.
The Global Times, which published Xu's comments in a report, seemed to frown upon on the Indian media. "This is not the first time that India's media has linked 'spies' with China. Earlier this month, three Chinese citizens were arrested in India on suspicion of money laundering and spying on border security. But the Chinese foreign ministry said they were actually tourists who had mistakenly crossed the border from Nepal," it said.
Africa: New African Union Chairman Obiang Urges Africans to Take Lead in Solving Problems
The newly elected chairman of the African Union (AU), President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea, urged his fellow Africans to take the lead in resolving the conflicts that have ravaged the continent.
In his acceptance remarks, President Obiang said, "The crisis of the values of the African culture is reducing the unity and solidarity among our people. Africa must focus on the dialogue for a peaceful negotiated solution to the conflicts that ravage our towns. Africa must assume, more than ever, a leading role not just on the continent but in the international arena."
Mr. Obiang, the President of Equatorial Guinea, assumed the AU chairmanship on January 30 at the organization's annual summit, which was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. President Obiang was nominated by the Central African region and approved by the other AU members under a regional rotation system. He succeeds the Head of State of Malawi, Bingu Wa Mutharika. This is the first time that Equatorial Guinea, the only Spanish-speaking member in Africa, holds the chairmanship of the AU.
In his remarks, President Obiang also pledged to work to increase the socio-economic development of Africa and to build unity, peace and solidarity among the nations of the continent.
The summit, which ends on Monday, January 31, was attended by heads of state and of government from the entire continent as well as the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, and the President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy.
Source: Republic of Equatorial Guinea
Burma: How Free is Burma's Suu Kyi?
Source: Robert Weiner Associates
Former White House National Drug Policy Spokesman, Robert Weiner, and National Security Analyst, James Lewis, in the Honolulu Star Advertiser, assert that the media in the U.S. and around the world have misinterpreted the "release" of Burma's Aung San Suu Kyi. Weiner and Lewis contend that she is not "free" because she cannot run for or win office despite her earlier election (which the junta blocked) as the country's national leader -- and that real change in Burma is only possible if the drug-funded junta is ousted and drug transportation, with Hawaii as a main port, is eliminated.
Weiner and Lewis ask, "How free is Suu Kyi? Is she free to run for office in non-rigged elections and assume the prime minister role she was denied? Free to call for a civilian government, a legal product-based economy, and a halt to the drug trade funding the junta and killing thousands in Burma and around the globe?"
Weiner and Lewis point out, "She still can't run for office or speak freely. Arresting and releasing her is a drama the regime continues to play time and again. She has been under detention in recurring waves for over 15 years."
"Suu Kyi has been careful not to verbally challenge the military leadership of Burma. Yet she has said, 'Real freedom is freedom from fear.' Is she really free if she is living in fear?"
Weiner and Lewis encourage Suu Kyi to "take a page from other historic leaders and enter exile – maybe as Burma's Political Dalai Lama."
"Laundered money – paid with drugs that go through Hawaii – cements the junta's power. With worldwide drug money filling the sanctions gap, the junta leaders live quite a luxurious lifestyle." Citing government reports, the authors explain that, "Hawaii is a major transshipment port for ice methamphetamine."
"Burma is a tale of drugs, ransom, and sanctions -- and Hawaii is at the center of it."
"To achieve real change in Burma, Suu Kyi and other opposition leaders must be allowed to campaign and run for office, and the drugs funding the junta and transiting through Hawaii must be eliminated."
Looking for solutions, and as a gesture for the junta's providing Suu Kyi some freedom, Weiner and Lewis assert that, "The U.S. should respond by filling the empty special envoy post in Burma and providing anti-narcotics targeted and monitored aid, but not providing other assistance. The former U.S. Political and Economic Chief in Rangoon, Leslie Hayden, reported that providing anti-narcotics aid to Burma would pressure the regime into 'concrete results' and would slow the flow of drugs. Full commercial sanctions lifting, however, would be an undeserved boon to the junta."
"The U.S. can exert pressure to keep Suu Kyi unincarcerated and help keep Burmese methamphetamine and heroin off America's and Europe's streets. The U.S. can support training, crop substitution, and intelligence sharing, including an opium crop survey disbanded since 2005. Knowledge is power," the authors state.
Former White House National Drug Policy Spokesman, Robert Weiner, and National Security Analyst, James Lewis, in the Honolulu Star Advertiser, assert that the media in the U.S. and around the world have misinterpreted the "release" of Burma's Aung San Suu Kyi. Weiner and Lewis contend that she is not "free" because she cannot run for or win office despite her earlier election (which the junta blocked) as the country's national leader -- and that real change in Burma is only possible if the drug-funded junta is ousted and drug transportation, with Hawaii as a main port, is eliminated.
Weiner and Lewis ask, "How free is Suu Kyi? Is she free to run for office in non-rigged elections and assume the prime minister role she was denied? Free to call for a civilian government, a legal product-based economy, and a halt to the drug trade funding the junta and killing thousands in Burma and around the globe?"
Weiner and Lewis point out, "She still can't run for office or speak freely. Arresting and releasing her is a drama the regime continues to play time and again. She has been under detention in recurring waves for over 15 years."
"Suu Kyi has been careful not to verbally challenge the military leadership of Burma. Yet she has said, 'Real freedom is freedom from fear.' Is she really free if she is living in fear?"
Weiner and Lewis encourage Suu Kyi to "take a page from other historic leaders and enter exile – maybe as Burma's Political Dalai Lama."
"Laundered money – paid with drugs that go through Hawaii – cements the junta's power. With worldwide drug money filling the sanctions gap, the junta leaders live quite a luxurious lifestyle." Citing government reports, the authors explain that, "Hawaii is a major transshipment port for ice methamphetamine."
"Burma is a tale of drugs, ransom, and sanctions -- and Hawaii is at the center of it."
"To achieve real change in Burma, Suu Kyi and other opposition leaders must be allowed to campaign and run for office, and the drugs funding the junta and transiting through Hawaii must be eliminated."
Looking for solutions, and as a gesture for the junta's providing Suu Kyi some freedom, Weiner and Lewis assert that, "The U.S. should respond by filling the empty special envoy post in Burma and providing anti-narcotics targeted and monitored aid, but not providing other assistance. The former U.S. Political and Economic Chief in Rangoon, Leslie Hayden, reported that providing anti-narcotics aid to Burma would pressure the regime into 'concrete results' and would slow the flow of drugs. Full commercial sanctions lifting, however, would be an undeserved boon to the junta."
"The U.S. can exert pressure to keep Suu Kyi unincarcerated and help keep Burmese methamphetamine and heroin off America's and Europe's streets. The U.S. can support training, crop substitution, and intelligence sharing, including an opium crop survey disbanded since 2005. Knowledge is power," the authors state.
Middle East: The ‘Creative Chaos’ Doctrine
By Fareed Mahdy Courtesy IDN-InDepth NewsViewpoint
ISTANBUL (IDN) - Seemingly, the Arab region has now entered an advanced phase of the so-called "creative chaos" doctrine, which was shaped by the neo-conservative administration chaired by the former White House occupant, and spelt out by its Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
Should it be so -- and the events seem to prove it is so --, two key questions would necessarily jump to one's mind, without questioning the legitimacy of the popular uprising against dictatorial regimes: when did such "creative chaos" start? Where will it lead to?.
The history of such an ill-minded doctrine goes back to over three decades ago, with the arrival to power of both the "Iron Lady" Margaret Thatcher in Britain, and the Hollywood actor Ronald Reagan in the United States.
Their policies pushed the Western bloc -- and consequently the whole planet -- towards a strong wave of neo-liberalism, led by the conservatives, and the free marketeers and warlords who dominate the military establishment.
Then came the collapse of the Soviet bloc to give a strong impetus to this long-term strategy.
In the Middle East in particular, the "creative chaos" doctrine began to crystallise primarily in the Kuwait invasion trap into which Iraq was pushed, to show London and Washington as supreme savers of the region from the long tyranny ruling it -- under their heavy protection.
And here came the timing of September 11 attacks, which took President George W. Bush to talk about a "crusade," and to dismiss top officials in the U.S. intelligence establishment just because they dared heralding that they had already warned the White House, well in advance, of the possibility of such attacks.
The fact is that the neo-liberals and neo-conservatives -- hand in hand with the market masters and the war lords-- occupied Afghanistan, invaded Iraq, smashed Pakistan, and turned the whole world up side down against Iran. As if all this were not enough, they seem to plan now for a shattered Lebanon.
In the meantime, the streets of Algeria, Jordan and Yemen are a quasi permanent stage of popular protests; Sudan is now divided into two states with dangerous consequences -- such as the strangulation of Egypt with food and water shortage caused by controlling the course of the River Nile, while mutilating it also geographically, from the so-called "Arab world", let alone the fate of Sudan itself.
All of this seems to be part of the "creative chaos" doctrine to fragment the region into small, forever submissive minor states.
In a few words, the following Arab countries are standing on the tipping point of this "creative chaos": Mauritania, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Sudan and of course Palestine. Syria will likely be the next target.
The Arab peoples' right to democracy, justice, freedom and human development are all unquestionably legitimate. These are the very rights that the Western bloc -- now dominated by the market and the warlords -- has been publicly voicing, while supporting dictatorial regimes suffocating them.
The outcome of the Arab popular aspirations, which started in Tunisia and continue with Egypt (at the time writing), will be positive, regardless of their dictators' failed attempts to hold power.
The fear is that the outcome will be sooner rather than later handled by the unlimited grid of market and warlords. (IDN-InDepthNews/
Côte d’Ivoire: Refugees from Côte d’Ivoire crisis set to top 100,000 by April
Refugees from Côte d’Ivoire, like this group, continue to cross the border into LiberiaUN - As Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon kept up his diplomatic push for a speedy solution to the post-electoral crisis in Côte d’Ivoire, United Nations agencies called for urgent funding today, warning that refugees fleeing to neighbouring Liberia could top 100,000 by the end of April.
Mr. Ban met today in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with President Goodluck Jonathon of Nigeria, who has played a major role in trying to solve the crisis resulting from former president Laurent Gbagbo’s refusal to leave office despite his UN-certified defeat by opposition leader Alassane Ouattara.
The Secretary-General has repeatedly called on Mr. Gbagbo to step down. In his talks with Mr. Jonathon, he stressed the need for an early solution to the impasse consistent with the will of the Ivorian people as expressed in the November presidential run-off election, which was meant to be a culminating point in reunifying a country split by civil war in 2002 into a Government-controlled south and a rebel-held north.
The resulting turmoil, much of it involving Gbagbo loyalist forces attacking civilians and UN convoys in Abidjan, the commercial capital, as well as ethnic strife in the west of the country, has displaced tens of thousands of people, with 32,000 fleeing to Liberia as of the end of last week.
“UN agencies have voiced concerns that if the current trends in refugee influx continue, by mid-February there could be as many as 50,000 refugees in Liberia and 100,000 by the end of April,” the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in its latest update on the situation today, stressing the urgent need to repair roads due to the upcoming rainy season in April, which will restrict access to many of the 32 Liberian villages hosting refugees.
“Maintaining the ability to provide assistance before and during the rainy season will be a significant challenge for the humanitarian community if resources are not urgently provided.”
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Liberia National Red Cross Society are currently providing safe drinking water and sanitation services in several communities.
At least 20,000 other Ivorians have been internally displaced in western Côte d’Ivoire, where UN officials have warned that ethnic tensions stemming from national, racial and religious affiliation linked to the opposing camps could lead to genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and ethnic cleansing.
On 18 January, UN agencies and partners launched an $87.7 million appeal for aid in Côte d’Ivoire and five neighbouring countries to face a potential major humanitarian crisis.
“In light of the increasing number of displaced persons and refugees, limited access to health care in several regions as well as the upcoming rainy season which will affect delivery, humanitarian organizations urgently need funding,” OCHA said.
The Ministry of Health, backed by UNICEF and the UN World Health Organization (WHO), has started an emergency vaccination campaign targeting over 840,000 people aged nine months and older in response to an outbreak of yellow fever.
A cholera epidemic has also been declared in Abidjan municipality, with local health authorities, supported by WHO and UNICEF, mounting a rapid response. UNICEF has so far distributed 250,000 bars of soap, chlorine and 3,000 information posters to fight the diarrhoeal disease which is spread by contaminated water and food. Hand washing is considered an important preventive step.
On the political front, the African Union (AU) has set up a panel to look into the crisis and come up with a solution in a month’s time, but Mr. Ban has made clear that Mr. Ouattara is the clear winner of the elections.
“The will of the Ivorian people has already been clearly stated through the election,” he told a news conference yesterday in Addis Ababa, where he is attending the AU’s annual summit. “It is important for Mr. Gbagbo to fully reflect the genuine will of the Ivorian people. The longer it lasts, the more serious problems will be for the people. Millions of people are suffering from this situation…
“Mr. Gbagbo first of all should clearly listen to the wishes and decision of the international community and transfer the power to his successor, Mr. Ouattara, who was legitimately elected.”
Mr. Gbagbo has demanded the withdrawal of the nearly 9,000-strong UN Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI), which has been supporting the stabilization and reunification efforts over the past seven years. The UN has categorically rejected the demand and reinforced the mission with 2,000 more troops and three armed helicopters.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
