Unexpected Whiff of Freedom
Proves Bracing for the Mideast
By NEIL MacFARQUHAR
A similar mixture of anticipation and dread has emerged as
the Middle East enters uncharted political and social
territory.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/06/internat...mideast.html?th

TRAGEDY'S WAKE
Torn From Moorings, Villagers From Sri Lanka Grasp for Past
By AMY WALDMAN
After the tsunami, a group of Sri Lankan villagers are a
placeless people nostalgic
even for homes linked with
horror.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/06/internat...06lanka.html?th

QUOTATION OF THE DAY -

"Everything happening is taking place in one context, the bankruptcy of the authoritarian regimes and their rejection by the Arab peoples. Democracy is being born and the current authoritarianism is dying."
- MICHEL KILO, a political activist in Damascus, Syria.


http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/06/internat...mideast.html?th

MULTIMEDIA -
Interactive Feature: Tragedy's Wake
The Times's Amy Waldman reports from Navalady, Sri Lanka, where at least 620 of about 1,900 inhabitants died after the Dec. 26 earthquake and tsunami.
http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/inter.../double.html?th

Italian Reporter Arrives in Rome Amid Questions
By JASON HOROWITZ
Giuliana Sgrena, who was shot by U.S. soldiers after being
released by kidnappers in Baghdad, returned amid anger at
the U.S. and Italy's continued involvement in Iraq.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/06/internat.../06rome.html?th

Syria Offers Gradual Pullback of Its Troops From Lebanon
By HASSAN M. FATTAH and DAVID E. SANGER
President Bashar al-Assad plans to order a gradual pullback
to Lebanese territory near Syria's borders.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/06/internat...06syria.html?th

Ukraine's Security Chief Says Ex-Official Killed Himself
By STEVEN LEE MYERS
Oleksandr Turchinov said the former interior minister, Yuri
Kravchenko, had shot himself twice in the head, refuting
speculation that he had been murdered.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/06/internat...ukraine.html?th

Pope Appears at Hospital Window to Bless Faithful

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John Paul II offers silent blessing to hundreds of faithful gathered
outside Rome's Gemelli Hospital

Pope John Paul II at a window of Rome's Gemelli Polyclinic
HospitalPope John Paul offered a silent blessing to hundreds of
faithful gathered Sunday outside his hospital room window, where the
Roman Catholic pontiff has been recovering from surgery to aid his
breathing.

A smiling 84-year-old John Paul appeared to be in good spirits as he
made the sign of the cross and waved in steady, strong gestures to
cheering pilgrims at Rome's Gemelli Hospital.

He did not speak during his brief appearance, which was broadcast live
around the world and on large television screens set up in St. Peter's
Square at the Vatican where moments before a senior aide read the
pontiff's weekly message and Angelus prayer.

In his message, Pope Paul expressed a special thanks to believers of
other faiths, especially Jews and Muslims, for their prayers for his
recovery.

Some information for this report provided by AFP and AP.

Chinese Foreign Minister Hopes for Resumption of North Korean Nuclear
Talks

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Li Zhaoxing says China believes six-party talks present a realistic
choice for resolution of nuclear issue on Korean Peninsula through
dialogue

Li Zhaoxing Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing says he hopes
multi-party talks on North Korea's nuclear weapons programs will
resume soon.

China, regarded as the nation best able to influence the reclusive
North, has recently sent high-level officials to Pyongyang in hope of
restarting the negotiations, which have been stalled since last June.

Addressing reporters on the sidelines of China's annual legislative
session, Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said Sunday that Beijing seeks
to ensure that the Korean Peninsula is nuclear free. But, he said, the
North should have its needs addressed.

Mr. Li said China believes the six-party talks present a realistic
choice for the resolution of the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula
through dialogue. He says the talks are in the interest of all parties
and they should be continued.

North Korea wants security guarantees and economic aid in return for
complying with U.S. demands that it give up its nuclear weapons
programs.

China has held three rounds of talks bringing together Japan, North
and South Korea, Russia and the United States. They have been
inconclusive.

The impasse flared in 2002, after U.S. officials said North Korea had
admitted having a secret nuclear weapons program in violation of
international agreements.

The crisis escalated last month, when North Korea said it had
suspended participation in the talks and repeated assertions that has
built nuclear weapons, a claim some Western experts say probably is
true.

The Chinese foreign minister on Sunday said he does not know whether
Pyongyang in fact has developed nuclear weapons.

The United States has asked China to use its influence as North
Korea's chief supplier of food and fuel to prod Pyongyang to return to
the negotiations. Washington says the six-way process is the best
opportunity North Korea has to settle the dispute and end its
international isolation.

China says its influence over the North is limited and has urged both
the United States and North Korea to be flexible in their demands.

China Calls for Lifting of EU Weapons Embargo

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Foreign Minister says Beijing does not intend to buy large number of
weapons Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing is calling for an end to
the European Union's arms embargo, saying his country does not intend
to buy a large number of weapons.

China wants the embargo lifted despite U.S. fears that Beijing may use
new European weapons to attack Taiwan.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the annual session of the
National People's Congress, Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said Sunday
the embargo is an obstacle to good relations with Europe. Mr. Li said
China believes the embargo - which he calls obsolete, useless, and
detrimental - is a jarring note in the strategic partnership between
China and the European Union.

The European Union imposed the embargo after the bloody 1989 crackdown
by Chinese troops on unarmed pro-democracy demonstrators.

The Bush administration opposes lifting the embargo, in part because
the United States has committed to protect Taiwan in the event of a
Chinese assault.

China considers democratic Taiwan a part of its territory and has
vowed to reunite it with the mainland by force if necessary. The two
have been governed separately since 1949, when Communists took over
the mainland following the Chinese civil war and the Nationalists fled
to the island.

Concerns over China's military intentions have risen in light of
Beijing's plans to enact an anti-secession law at this NPC session.
Critics say the law could give China a legal basis to attack the
island, although Chinese officials say it is intended to discourage
Taiwan politicians from declaring the island independent.

However, China's top diplomat on Sunday said Beijing does not intend
to buy a large number of new weapons from Europe.

Foreign Minister Li says China is committed to peaceful development.
He said it does not need to buy a large quantity of advanced weapons
from Europe. He says that as a developing country, China does not have
the money to buy expensive weapons, which, he said, would be useless
to China.

On Friday, however, China revealed it will increase its defense budget
by more than 12 percent this year. Officials say the additional money
will pay for soldiers' wages, retirement pay, and the purchase of new
weapons systems.

Mr. Li on Sunday also warned that U.S. military cooperation with Japan
should not include Taiwan. He said any U.S.-Japanese defense activity
related to the island would infringe on Chinese sovereignty.

South Asia Tsunami Reconstruction to Cost Billions

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International aid institutions make estimates based on evaluations of
damage The first hard figures are coming in on the cost of rebuilding
areas of South Asian hit by the December 26 tsunami.

The World Bank estimates that Sri Lanka will need one and a half
billion dollars to rebuild housing and the transportation system, and
the local fishing and tourism industries.

Sri Lanka suffered the most extensive damage after Indonesia in the
disaster. The total losses are estimated to equal 4.4 percent of the
country's gross domestic product.

In a recent report, the World Bank estimates that losses in the
Maldives have reached nearly half a billion dollars, adding up to a
staggering two-thirds of the archipelago's annual domestic economic
output. The housing and tourism sectors are the worst hit, with
tourist arrivals dropping by as much as 80 percent.

International aid institutions made the estimates based on their
evaluations of the damage in the region.

India says it will finance most of its tsunami reconstruction work on
its own, although it may seek help later from international aid
institutions.

Indian Finance Minister P. Chidambaram recently told Parliament the
government is providing $2 billion to rebuild tsunami-hit areas on the
southeast coast and to restore the livelihoods of people affected by
the waves. "I wish to assure the house [of Parliament] and the
affected people that the government will provide the necessary funds
for the purpose and ensure that every affected family is fully
rehabilitated," he said.

Rebuilding efforts in the tsunami-hit countries focus on replacing the
fishing boats and nets that were swept away by the giant waves.

The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization says losses in
the fishing industry total half a billion dollars - much of it damaged
or lost boats. It says the first priority is to repair boats wherever
possible. Teams are already working in Sri Lanka and elsewhere to help
fishermen return to sea.

The World Bank says countries have moved quickly into the rebuilding
phase due to the generous international aid for people affected by the
tsunami. But the bank's report says most of the money so far pledged
is for humanitarian relief, and more aid will be needed over the next
three to five years to restore the damage wrought by the waves.

Aid Agencies Concerned for Safety of Refugees in Ivory Coast

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Flare-up of fighting in Ivory Coast alarms aid agencies

Some 7,200 Liberian refugees have returned on UNHCR convoys since
October 2004. © UNHCR/S.BrownellA flare-up of fighting in
Ivory Coast has alarmed aid agencies, which fear a new wave of
refugees into neighboring Liberia. Aid officials also are concerned
for the safety of Liberian refugees in Ivory Coast.

The United Nations High Commission for Refugees in Ivory Coast limited
its movements in the west of the country, following a flare-up of
fighting this past week between rebels and militia loyal to the
government. It was the first outbreak of fighting in Ivory Coast since
November.

UNHCR Spokeswoman Fati Kaba says, if the situation deteriorates
further, she is worried about the security of Liberian refugees in
western Ivory Coast, where some blame renewed fighting in the region
on Liberian mercenaries.

"The tensions in western Cote d'Ivoire have the potential of adversely
affecting the protection of refugees, because each time there's
fighting in Cote d'Ivoire, the local population tends to be hostile to
the refugees, because of past involvement of Liberian nationals in the
fighting," said Fati Kaba.

There are around 17,000 Liberian refugees in Ivory Coast who fled
their own civil war, which ended in 2003.

In addition to worrying about the safety of the Liberian refugees in
Ivory Coast, Ms. Kaba says, the UNHCR also is concerned that renewed
fighting in Ivory Coast could send a new wave of refugees into eastern
Liberia, which is ill-equipped to cope.

"Liberia is a country trying to recover from 14 years of a brutal
civil war that left a lot of devastation, and this wouldn't be a good
time for Liberia to be receiving a large number of refugees," she
said.

There are already 5,000 Ivorian refugees in villages on the Liberian
border, who fled fighting in Ivory Coast during 2002. Another influx
of refugees poured into Liberia this past November, when government
forces bombed rebel positions. Ms. Kabba says many refugees are in
remote areas in Liberia that have not been accessible to humanitarian
agencies for a long time.

Juliette Gwapu is a refugee in the tiny border village of Luaguatuo.
Sitting under a tree surrounded by her six children, she recently
spoke to VOA. She says she is afraid to return to Ivory Coast, where
she says she saw several people killed by rebels.

Ms. Gwapu told VOA that, as a civilian she cannot protect herself from
rebels with guns. She says she was chased out of her village, and fled
to Liberia, leaving all her possessions behind. She says now she has
nothing, and food provided by aid agencies is not enough.

The U.N. World Food Program says it is running out of food in Liberia,
and has prioritized the distribution of rations to refugees and
displaced people who are returning home. Although the Liberian
conflict ended in 2003, the country was left in economic ruin.

Majority of Mexican Immigrants in US Support Guest Worker Idea

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Proposal would allow them to stay in country legally, but only for
limited time A majority of Mexicans living and working in the United
States would take part in a guest worker program that allowed them to
stay in the country legally, but only for a limited time. That's
according to a survey of nearly 5,000 Mexican migrants.

In the survey, conducted by the Washington-based Pew Hispanic Center,
71 percent of respondents said they would participate in a temporary
worker program.

Almost the same proportion of those questioned said they would take
part in a program that offered the opportunity for permanent legal
status, once they had lived in the United States for five or more
years.

Jorge Castañeda (Photo courtesy - OAS) Former Mexican Foreign
Minister Jorge Castañeda worked on a Mexican draft proposal for
a temporary worker program when he was a member of President Vicente
Fox's Cabinet.

He says the vast majority of Mexican migrants want to be able to
travel legally back and forth between the United States and Mexico. He
says increasingly tight border controls make it more difficult for
Mexicans to enter the United States, and those who attempt to enter
illegally face considerable obstacles and risks.

"What people want to do is come and go, as long as they have the
assurance that they will be able to come back next year," said Jorge
Castañeda. "Right now, they can't, because the border is
closed, because it's expensive and because it's dangerous. If you tell
someone, 'you get to work six months here at this, go back to Mexico,
wait six months, and you can come back, and you can come back, and you
can come back,' that's what most Mexicans really want."

President Bush has proposed a plan that would allow undocumented
workers to get temporary visas to work legally for a limited amount of
time, but those documents would not lead to citizenship.

The issue is expected to be high on the agenda when U.S. Secretary of
State Condoleezza Rice visits Mexico in the coming week. President
Vicente Fox is also determined to vigorously pursue it when he meets
with President Bush and Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin later this
month in Texas.

Mr. Castañeda, the former Mexican foreign minister, says views
may differ between newly arrived migrants and those who have been in
the United States for many years.

"Now, those who have already settled in the United States, the 4.5 or
five million who are already there, who may have a family there, who
have been living there for five or 10 years, they probably don't want
to come back, and they won't," said Jorge Casta. "But they
won't come back under current circumstances either. They won't come
back period."

The survey found that most of those questioned would like to stay in
the United States indefinitely, but most of those said they would
participate in a temporary immigration program.

http://www.postimees.ee/070305/online_uudised/159448.php

paint bottles thrown at latvian embassy in st petersburg on sunday

Bolivia's Leader Says He Plans to Offer His Resignation
Monday
By REUTERS
President Carlos Mesa said Sunday that he was resigning as
new protests spread and threatened the important oil and
gas sector.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/07/internat...bolivia.html?th

Hope in the Land of Dashed Hopes
If the West is serious about striking at poverty and poor
governance in Africa, it must support the encouraging
developments in Nigeria.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/07/opinion/07mon1.html?th

--------------------
Bolivian President Says He'll Resign
--------------------

Carlos Mesa says weeks of protests have made governing impossible. Congress has final say.

By Hector Tobar
Times Staff Writer

March 7 2005

BUENOS AIRES; Besieged Bolivian President Carlos Mesa said late Sunday that he would submit his resignation to Congress today following weeks of protests that have spread to nearly every corner of his impoverished Andean country.

The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wo...0,1754922.story

--------------------
100 Extremists at Large, Ex-Police Chief Says
--------------------

From Times Wire Reports

March 7 2005

At least 100 extremists trained by Osama bin Laden are at large in Britain, the recently retired head of London's police force said in an article in Sunday's News of the World paper.

The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wo...headlines-world

--------------------
Communists Lead Polls in Moldova
--------------------

From Associated Press

March 7 2005

CHISINAU, Moldova — The ruling Communists, former allies of Russia now turned toward the West, held an early lead in Sunday's parliamentary election, an exit poll showed.

The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wo...headlines-world

Italy Holds State Funeral for Slain Intelligence Officer

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Shooting death of Nicola Calipari has angered many Italians already
opposed to the deployment of Italian troops in Iraq

Coffin of late Italian intelligence officer Nicola Calipari is carried
outside St. Mary of Angels church at the end of the funeral service in
Rome

The state funeral for Italian intelligence officer Nicola Calipari was
held Monday morning in a church in central Rome. Mr. Calipari was
killed by U.S. troops in Baghdad, in what the United States says was
an accidental shooting, as he was taking a just freed Italian hostage
to safety.

Thousands of sorrowful mourners turned out for the solemn and
emotional service. There was applause as the coffin was carried into
the packed church. Mr. Calipari's distraught wife sat next to her two
children.

Among those attending were Italy's president and prime minister and
other top state officials. The U.S. Ambassador to Italy was also
present.

During the service, the undersecretary to the prime minister's office,
Gianni Letta described Mr. Calipari as a serious, intelligent and
responsible servant of the state, an extraordinary person who carried
out his job with great passion. He was a man, Mr. Letta added, who
gave you faith and security.

Mr. Letta also said this is a time for the country to honor the heroic
sacrifice of Nicola Calipari without divisions and without
controversy.

In his sermon a military chaplain spoke of the grandeur of Mr.
Calipari's soul who sacrificed his life to save another one.

Mr. Calipari was killed Friday evening when U.S. troops opened fire on
his car. He was traveling towards Baghdad airport after having secured
the release of Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena, who had been held
captive by Iraqi insurgents for one month.

Ms. Sgrena works for the Communist daily Il Manifesto. She was wounded
in the shooting. In a vivid account of the events that was published
by her newspaper Sunday she said Mr. Calipari died shielding her from
the shooting.

The intelligence officer was a highly experienced hostage negotiator.
In the eyes of Italians he is a hero who sacrificed his life with
selfless courage.

The journalist has charged that U.S. troops may have deliberately
targeted her since the Italians had paid a ransom, a practice America
opposes. But in an interview published Monday in a leading Italian
paper, Ms. Sgrena appeared to be backtracking by saying she does not
know what led to the attack.

Accounts of what happened differ. U.S. forces say the car was
approaching at high speed and did not stop after warning signals. Ms.
Sgrena says the car was driving at a regular speed and there was no
justification for shooting.

The United States has called the killing of Mr. Calipari a "horrific
accident" and promised a full investigation.

But the incident has led to an increase in anti-American sentiment in
Italy, where a large part of public opinion opposed the war in Iraq.
Italy has 3,000 troops based in the country and there have been
increasing calls for those soldiers to be pulled out.

Women Demand Right to Vote in Kuwait

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Several hundred women demonstrate in downtown Kuwait City, demanding
women be allowed to vote and run for office in parliament elections

Woman in Kuwait CitySeveral hundred women demonstrated in downtown
Kuwait City, Monday, demanding women be allowed to vote and run for
office in parliament elections - something they have been prevented
from doing in Kuwait for more than 40 years. But, this time the
government has thrown its full support behind proposed legislation
that would give women in the emirate the right to vote.

Under heavy police security, the peaceful demonstration Monday took
place outside of the Kuwaiti parliament. Inside, members had gathered
to discuss a government request to set a date to debate a bill that
would allow Kuwaiti women the right to vote and run as candidates in
parliament elections.

Some of the demonstrators say their motivation was the result of an
announcement Sunday night that a bloc of 13 Sunni Muslim members of
parliament said it would vote against the government-sponsored bill.

But, according to the chairman of the political science department at
Kuwait University, Abdul Reda Assiri, those members of parliament are
losing their credibility.

"People who have held the traditional justification that a woman's
place is at home, women should focus on different issues," said Abdul
Reda Assiri. "And, others have held to religious justifications that
major decisions made in the society should be made by males. Now, this
group of people cannot hold water as far as their rationale or their
opposition because there are counter opinions from religions elements
that women do participate in the political decision-making, whether as
a voter or a member of parliament as in many other Islamic societies."

Although the Kuwaiti constitution calls for gender equality, a 1962
electoral law remains in force that precludes women from participating
in parliament elections, either as a candidate or as a voter. Kuwaiti
women have been appointed to positions within the government and are
allowed to participate in local elections.

In 1999, parliament narrowly defeated a similar bill that would have
given women the right to vote in parliament elections.

This time, according to Mr. Assiri, it appears the proposed
legislation will likely be approved.

"The government this time is in line with the wish of the people," he
said. "And, there is a political will on the part of the government in
the executive branch to do something and the government can influence
the decision making, and in fact

coerce some members to this issue. So, the chances of it being passed,
the probability, I think this time is much higher than prior times.
Perhaps this time it will pass, given the fact the political
environment in this region of the world

has been changing in the last few years and few months."

Even so, opponents of the measure have been holding almost daily
demonstrations in downtown Kuwait City.

In response, the government has launched a media campaign on
television and radio stations urging public support for the proposed
legislation.

Arab governments throughout the region have been under mounting
domestic and international pressure to democratize, including the full
participation of women in the political process.

Report: Tens of Thousands Raped in Eastern DRC

[http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=C0C1C3:2F72C9D

Human Rights Watch says government soldiers and rebel forces have
sexually assaulted females on a daily basis since fighting broke out
in 1998 A human rights group says tens of thousands of women and girls
in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo have been
raped by armed groups on both sides of the conflict.

U.S.-based Human Rights Watch says government soldiers and rebel
forces have sexually assaulted females on a daily basis since fighting
broke out in 1998.  But the group says only a handful have been
prosecuted for the crimes.

Human Rights Watch says many more incidents of rape have probably gone
unreported in the Congo. 

Some information for this report provided by AP, Reuters.

Indonesia, Malaysia to Discuss Disputed Territory

[http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=C0C1BF:2F72C9D

Offshore oil field near Borneo is claimed by both countries

Indonesia and Malaysia have agreed to hold talks about an offshore oil
field claimed by both countries.

Tension has been mounting between the neighboring nations, with
Indonesia sending fighter jets and warships to the disputed area off
the east coast of Borneo.

They were deployed before Indonesian President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono's visit to a nearby area on Monday. Malaysia accused
Indonesia of encroaching on its territory.

But both countries say they want to resolve the matter peacefully.
Indonesian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Marty Natalegawa says Malaysian
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Indonesia's President Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono talked by telephone and agreed to discuss their
conflicting claims to the oil field in the Sulawesi Sea.

"Between the two governments there is a good communication now
established at various levels including, I am told, reportedly talks
between the prime minister of Malaysia and the President of
Indonesia," said Marty Natalegawa. "[It] is certainly Indonesia's
intention and Indonesia's position to want to establish diplomatic
communication to address this issue."

Mr. Natalegawa says no date has been set for the talks between the two
leaders, but he adds that the foreign ministers of both countries will
discuss the issue when they meet on the sidelines of a regional
meeting Wednesday in Jakarta on Wednesday.

The long-running dispute centers around lucrative oil blocks off
Borneo island, which comprises the sultanate of Brunei, Malaysia's
Sabah state, and Indonesia's Kalimantan region.

The oil blocks lie near Sipadan and Ligitan islands. The International
Court of Justice handed sovereignty of the islands to Malaysia in
2002, but Indonesia claims Malaysia's territorial waters extend only
19 kilometers from the islands.

Mr. Natalegawa stresses that Indonesia's readiness to hold talks does
not mean it has given up its territorial claim.

"Our readiness to open diplomatic communication should not in any way
be construed as being a lessening, a weakening of our resolve in
making this statement, in confirming that the two territory concerns
is actually part of Indonesian territory," he said.

As if to drive that message home, Mr. Yudhoyono travelled close to the
disputed area on Monday to visit oil installations and holding centers
for Indonesian migrant workers. The workers fled Malaysia last week
after a government amnesty for illegal workers ran out, further
exacerbating tensions between the two countries.

Malaysia says it has also stationed two warships in the disputed area
to monitor Indonesia's movements.

Moldova;s Pro-West Communists Win Majority in Parliament

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But party falls short of winning enough seats to re-elect President
Vladimir Voronin Moldova's pro-Western Communist Party has won a
majority in Sunday's parliamentary election, but fell short of winning
enough seats to re-elect President Vladimir Voronin.

Moldova's parliament elects the country's president. But a party must
win 61 seats in the 101-seat legislature to choose a president on its
own. The Communist Party should end up with about 56 seats in
legislature, while two other parties will hold the rest.

Electoral officials said early Monday that with nearly all votes
counted, Mr. Voronin's governing party won 46 percent of the vote -
down somewhat from elections four years ago.

The centrist Democratic Moldova Bloc won 28 percent support, and the
center-right Popular Christian Democratic Party was third, garnering
close to 10 percent of the vote. Several other parties split the
remaining votes.

Official results are expected Wednesday.

Some information for this report provided by AP and Reuters.

Bolivian President Mesa to Resign

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Decision comes amid waves of protests in South American country
Bolivian President Carlos Mesa has announced he will step down as
president, amid a wave of protests in the South American country.

Mr. Mesa said in a radio and television broadcast Sunday night he will
formally offer his resignation to the Bolivian Congress Monday.

Recent protests have blocked roads in the country and forced the
government to deploy the military to maintain control of some of
Bolivia's oil fields.

In January, as tens of thousands of protesters called for greater
autonomy, Mr. Mesa agreed to allow the Santa Cruz province to elect
its own leaders and hold a referendum on its autonomy. He also agreed
to scale back dramatic fuel price increases.

The Santa Cruz province is home to a quarter of Bolivia's eight
million people and nearly a third of its economic output.

Some information provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

Fire Kills 100 in Dominican Republic Prison

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Officials say dozens of inmates began fighting in the jail late Sunday
and then set fire to their pillows and sheets Officials in the
Dominican Republic say a fight among gang members at a local prison
led to a fire and more than 100 inmates were killed.

The officials say dozens of inmates began fighting in the jail late
Sunday and then set fire to their pillows and sheets.  Few other
details have been given.

More than 20 inmates were rescued from the prison, in the eastern part
of the Dominican Republic.

Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP.

International Campaign Focuses on Animal Diseases

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Frequent and widespread outbreaks of avian influenza, foot-and-mouth
disease, and West Nile virus prompt international agencies to team up
with donor nations and farmers to combat the outbreaks A new
international campaign to control outbreaks of animal diseases has
begun with a three-day meeting in Japan. One of the goals is to
get earlier and more accurate warnings on diseases, such as bird flu,
which could trigger a pandemic in humans.

The world's veterinary officers are warning that trans-border animal
health crises - which used to occur every two decades or so - have
recently been happening every year.

The frequent and widespread outbreaks of avian influenza,
foot-and-mouth disease, and West Nile virus have prompted
international agencies such as the World Organization for Animal
Health and the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization to
team up with donor nations and farmers to combat the outbreaks.

The first of five regional steering committees - this one for Asia and
the Pacific - began its initial meeting in Tokyo.

Bernard Vallat, the director general of the World Organization for
Animal Health, says that with diseases such as bird flu posing a
potential threat to the whole planet, it is vital to ensure early
detection and a rapid response.

"A part of the investment to be done will be to help developing
countries to develop surveillance systems, early detection, early
response, notification systems," Mr. Vallat says. "The other problem
is, in certain cases, countries are not transparent for economical
reasons or political reasons."

International health officials at the Tokyo meeting say the Chinese
government has become more transparent since being criticized for its
initial handling of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome epidemic in
2003.

They add that Thailand and Vietnam have also become more responsible
since being accused of covering up the scale of their bird flu
outbreaks last year.

The health officials say that in countries where governments remain
unresponsive or unable to make accurate reports, a system has been put
in place to get timely information through other channels.

The Chief Veterinary Officer for the Food and Agriculture
Organization, Joseph Domenech, says he is worried that vigilance will
wane when animal disease outbreaks fade from the headlines.

"The risk is when a crisis is over, even if it is still remaining in
an endemic situation, if the big crisis is over, the interest may fall
again until the next crisis," Mr. Domenech says.

Delegates at the Tokyo meeting will also choose locations for five
regional epidemiology units and the same number of regional diagnostic
laboratories.

Organizers say those facilities should allow health officials to
better and more quickly detect and respond to outbreaks, which
threaten poultry, livestock, and humans.

This was distributed to newspapers by Knight-Ridder/Tribune Information Services. It appeared in the Houston Chronicle on March 4, 2005.

In Haiti, 'hunger in dark places' is real ... and ignored
U.S. media, rights groups silent on country's torment

By Mark Weisbrot

President Bush's State of the Union speech was long on "the force of human freedom," which he called "the permanent hope of mankind, the hunger in dark places, the longing of the soul." Yet just 600 miles from Florida, that hunger and longing is being met every day with bullets, beatings, arrests and rape by the unelected, unconstitutional government in Haiti. That government's biggest supporter is the administration of George W. Bush.

One year ago, Washington helped depose the elected government of Haiti. The populist ex-priest Jean-Bertrand Aristide, Haiti's president, became the first elected leader to be overthrown twice by armed thugs supported by the United States.

The first time was in 1991, after he had served only seven months as the country's first democratically elected president. At the time, the evidence of Washington's culpability was circumstantial: The leaders of the coup were on the CIA payroll. A death squad organization that killed thousands of Aristide's supporters during the 1991-1994 dictatorship was headed by Emanuel Constant, who told the world on CBS' 60 Minutes that the CIA hired him for the job.

This time, our government's role in the coup was more overt. "This is a case where the United States turned off the tap," said economist Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Earth Institute at Colombia University. "I believe they did that deliberately to bring down Aristide." Sachs was referring to the cut off of funding from the Inter-American Development Bank and World Bank from 2001-2003. It was an unusually cruel thing to do: Haiti is desperately poor, with the worst incidence of malnutrition and disease in the hemisphere.

But it worked, in that it made people's lives more miserable in Haiti. The economy shrank, and Washington poured in tens of millions of dollars through USAID, the International Republican Institute and other organizations to forge a political opposition. It was a movement that could never win an election, but it controlled the media and had some heavily armed former military personnel — including convicted murderers — who wanted to get back in power.

On Feb. 29 of last year they got their wish. As their insurrection closed in on Port-au-Prince, U.S. officials told Aristide they could not guarantee his safety — despite the fact that they managed to secure the airport with just a handful of U.S. Marines. According to U.S. press reports, they told Aristide he was going to a news conference. They took him instead to the airport where he boarded a plane to an unknown location, which turned out to be the Central African Republic.

The Bush administration's major allegation against Aristide was that he allowed armed gangs, called "Chimeres," to attack his political opponents. Whatever the truth to these charges, they cannot match the hell on Earth that is now Haiti's existence.

The Center for the Study of Human Rights at the University of Miami Law School conducted an investigation in Haiti last November. Among the findings: "summary executions are a police tactic," and the jails are filled with political prisoners “including the ousted constitutional government's Prime Minister Yvon Neptune and Interior Minister Jocelerme Privert.” Many of these prisoners are held without charge, beaten and denied medical help.

Cite Soleil, a horribly poor slum of 250,000 people, is under virtual lockdown, cut off from commercial traffic. Young men cannot leave for fear of arrest, since the neighborhood is known to support Aristide. People who are shot by police, army or pro-government thugs treat their injuries at home because anyone who shows up at a hospital with a bullet wound can be arrested. Bodies of victims can be seen in the streets, being devoured by dogs and pigs.

The goal of the present government seems to be to use violence and fear to intimidate the pro-Aristide population, which appears still to be the majority and who continue to demand the return of their elected president. It is eerily similar to the 1991-1994 dictatorship in both its objectives and methods.

But they are making sure that, unlike last time, Haitians do not escape the island to embarrass the U.S. government by washing up — alive or dead — on the shores of Florida. The silence here regarding Haiti's torment, in the media and among major U.S. human rights organizations, is deafening and shameful.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mark Weisbrot is co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Center for Economic and Policy Research, 1621 Connecticut Ave, NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20009
Phone: (202) 293-5380, Fax: (202) 588-1356, Home: www.cepr.net

Italy honours officer slain by US:

Italy has paid homage to an intelligence officer killed in Iraq by US forces, giving him a full state funeral that was tinged with anger over how he was gunned down while protecting a freed Italian hostage.
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/32D...784F54F6A87.htm

http://tinyurl.com/5uoa6

Italian hostage accuses US of trying to kill her as thousands mourn her rescuer :

The former Italian hostage who saw her rescuer shot dead at a US checkpoint in Baghdad said yesterday they might have been targeted because of US objections to Italy's policy of negotiating with kidnappers.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1432040,00.html

Outrage as US soldiers kill hostage rescue hero :

'The hardest moment was when I saw the person who had saved me die in my arms,' she said. Her poignant words and weak, haggard appearance as she had to be helped from the jet that brought her back from Baghdad are fuelling national rage.
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/internation...1431436,00.html

Shattered bridges:

Is there more to the abduction of Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena than meets the eye?
http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2005/732/in2.htm

UK opposition party demands withdrawal of troops from Iraq :

British Prime Minister Tony Blair faced renewed criticism over his Iraq policy on Saturday when the leader of the opposition Liberal Democrats Charles Kennedy urged him to withdraw British troops from Iraq.
http://207.44.245.159/article8211.htm

Lawyers' panel indicts Bush, Blair:

US President George Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair deserve life sentences, with the possibility of parole after 25 years, for the war crimes and genocide in Iraq, according to a lawyers' panel.
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/D8C...35312621768.htm

http://tinyurl.com/4jytm

Ireland: Mossad Agents Attempted to Assassinate Palestinian :

Two Mossad agents were caught in the act of planning to assassinate a Palestinian "terrorist" in Ireland. No complaint has been filed by Dublin in Israel for this Mossad activity.
http://www.israelnn.com/news.php3?id=77917

Aristide's Lavalas puts UN duplicity to the test in Haiti :

Evidence continues to mount of the United Nation's complicity in an on-going campaign by the US-installed government of Gerard Latortue to terrorize and exterminate sympathizers of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide's political party
http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cf...=55&ItemID=7375

http://tinyurl.com/42dow

South African radio program ambushes cheating lovers
'Cheaters' addresses a common behavior that's spreading AIDS fast:
infidelity. By Abraham McLaughlin
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0308/p01s01-woaf.html?s=hns

Flat-tax movement stirs Europe
In the past year, three more nations have adopted flat rates. By
Andreas Tzortzis
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0308/p01s03-woeu.html?s=hns

Bolivia's political tug of war
President Carlos Mesa tendered his resignation to Congress Monday. By
Bill Faries
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0308/p04s01-woam.html?s=hns

For Moscow's businesswomen, a powerful new role
On International Women's Day, Russian women celebrate strides in
business, but say inequalities remain. By Fred Weir
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0308/p07s01-woeu.html?s=hns

Afghanistan as a Narco State
The burst in poppy cultivation demands a long-term anti-drug
commitment. The Monitor's View
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0308/p08s02-comv.html?s=hns

133 Killed in Dominican Republic Prison Fire
By JEAN-MICHEL CAROIT
Rival gangs battling for dominance in a prison set a fire
that swept through a crowded cellblock, killing at least
133 inmates and injuring 26.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/08/internat...minican.html?th

..................

Italy Says its Version of Iraq Shooting Differs from US Reports

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=C1262B:2F72C9D

Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini says US military's version of
events does not coincide in all its points

Gianfranco Fini Italy's Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini says the
Italian and U.S. military versions of the killing of an intelligence
agent in Iraq differ. But he ruled out that the shooting that killed
Nicola Calipari was the result of an ambush.

Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini again repeated the Italian
government's demand for a full explanation from Washington for last
Friday's killing by U.S. forces of Italian intelligence agent Nicola
Calipari.

Addressing the lower house of parliament, Mr. Fini said the U.S.
military's version of the events does not coincide in all its points
with the Italian one.

The U.S. military has said the car that was traveling to Baghdad
airport with Mr. Calipari had approached a checkpoint at speed and
failed to stop, even though soldiers used hand signals, flashing
lights, and warning shots.

The soldiers opened fire killing Mr. Calipari and wounding Italian
journalist Giuliana Sgrena, whose release from her captors the
intelligence officer had secured moments earlier.

But Mr. Fini said there was no checkpoint, and the car was not
traveling faster than 40 kilometers per hour. He also says no attempts
were made to stop the car. He said that immediately after the shooting
two young American soldiers repeatedly apologized.

Mr. Fini also said that the suggestion that the shooting was the
result of an ambush, as suggested by Ms. Sgrena, was groundless. He
said "it was certainly an accident, ... caused by a series of
circumstances and coincidences."

Mr. Fini said it is the Italian government's duty to demand that light
is shed on what happened and that those responsible are found and
punished.

The State Department rejects suggestions that U.S. deliberately opened
fire on the vehicle. "Nothing could be further from the truth,"
spokesman Richard Boucher said.

Ms. Sgrena has said her car may have been targeted because the United
States opposes Italian willingness to pay ransom for hostages. But
neither Italian nor U.S. officials have provided details about how
authorities won the journalist's release after a month in captivity.

Mr. Fini said Ms. Sgrena was not kidnapped because she is an Italian
or because Italy has soldiers in Iraq. She was kidnapped, he said
because she was a Westerner and Italians are kidnapped in the same way
that the French are.

The foreign minister stressed that the United States is an allied
country and has promised full cooperation. He urged the center-left
opposition not use the affair to stir up anti-American sentiment.

Italian newspapers reported Monday that Prime Minister Silvio
Berlusconi is not satisfied with the account of the events he has
received.

NATO Braces for Unrest in Kosovo After Prime Minister Indicted for War
Crimes

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=C1262F:2F72C9D

Ramush Haradinaj was indicted by UN war crimes tribunal for his
alleged role in 1988-1989 Kosovo conflict

Ramush Haradinaj NATO has sent extra troops into Kosovo in case of
ethnic unrest, following the war crimes indictment of Prime Minister
Ramush Haradinaj. The Kosovo leader has stepped down saying he plans
to surrender to the U.N. war crimes tribunal in The Hague.

Kosovo's prime minister resigned Tuesday after being indicted by the
U.N. war crimes tribunal for his alleged role in the 1988-1989 Kosovo
conflict. He has said he will hand himself in voluntarily on
Wednesday.

Mr. Haradinaj has said he is ready to fully cooperate with the
international court. While denying Serb accusations that his men
committed atrocities against Serb civilians, he has said he will
travel to The Hague to answer any charges.

U.N. war crimes investigators questioned him late last year about his
role in the Kosovo conflict.

Thirty six-year-old Ramush Haradinaj was a former commander of the
Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). He led ethnic Albanian guerrillas in
their fight against the Serbs in Kosovo's western region.

In December 2004 he became Kosovo's prime minister. He heads Kosovo's
third largest party, the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo - an
offshoot of the political successor to the KLA.

Mr. Haradinaj has asked Deputy Prime Minister Adem Salihaj to take his
post until a new prime minister is appointed.

Security in Kosovo has been stepped up this week. Five hundred British
troops were flown into Pristina Monday night. A spokesperson for the
NATO-led peacekeeping force, KFOR, said there have been indications
that security is not as good as desired.

Twenty thousand troops are stationed in Kosovo where ethnic tensions
continue nearly six years after the end of the conflict.

Thai Muslim Leaders Criticize Removal of Three Generals

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=C12626:2F72C9D

Military commander says three generals held responsible for deaths of
85 Muslims in Southern Thailand will be removed from their commands

Thailand's military commander says three generals held responsible for
the deaths of 85 Muslims in Southern Thailand last year will be
removed from their commands. But Muslim leaders are criticizing their
punishment too light.

The president of Thailand's Council of Muslim Organizations, Nitti
Hasan, Tuesday called the removal of three army generals from their
commands too lenient.

"I'm not sure that this action is appropriate enough for the 78
detainees who died in this incident," he said.

Seventy eight men died last October in southern Thailand after being
crammed into trucks on their way to detention centers. They were among
hundreds arrested following a demonstration against the arrest of
several local militiamen. Seven others were shot to death during the
protest, which occurred in Tak Bai district near the border with
Malaysia.

Thai army chief Pravit Wongsuwan announced the transfer of the three
generals to inactive posts after a Defense Ministry inquiry found they
had been negligent in the incident. He said the generals would not
face further disciplinary action, since their loss of command is seen
as severe enough.

Civic leaders such as Gothom Areeya, secretary-general of the civil
liberties group Forum Asia, also believe the punishment was too light.

"In a normal case where maybe by negligence or maybe by bad judgment
resulting in the death of people, this can be considered as a criminal
case, or this can be considered as a very serious disciplinary issue,"
he said.

More than 600 people have been killed since the violence erupted more
than one year ago in southern Thailand. Authorities blame many of the
deaths on extremists seeking independence for the predominantly Muslim
south.

Mr. Gothom says the government is in a dilemma.

"They don't want to make a big fuss, fearful of the discontent of the
armed forces," he said. "On the other hand, we have to take care of
the sentiment of the many Thai people who are Muslim."

The violence in the South continued Monday, when three local officials
were shot to death in separate incidents.

Hundreds of people have been arrested on suspicion of ties to the
separatists. Muslim leaders say the crackdown has created an
atmosphere of fear. Muslim leader Mr. Nitti says the government must
be fair.

"The people need justice," he said. "They need good understanding,
they need respect to the [for their] rights and respect to the
different culture."

The Thai government has promised to create jobs and improve social
services in the South. But this has done little to quell resentment in
the region, which historically has felt alienated from the central
government of predominantly Buddhist Thailand.

Bangladesh: Arrests of Islamic Militants Raise Questions about Terror

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=C12631:2F72C9D

Country banned two extremist Islamic groups and arrested 70 of members
this month Bangladesh has banned two extremist Islamic groups and
arrested 70 of their members this month - admitting a problem the
country has long denied. The question now being asked is whether
Bangladesh's homegrown militant groups could be linked to any global
terrorist organizations. In the past month, the Bangladesh government
arrested 70 militants from Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh and
Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen and banned the two radical Islamic groups.The
suspects have been charged with sedition for their alleged roles in a
series of killings, robberies and political violence and bombings
across the country. The charges do not include attacks on opposition
party members, such as an assassination attempt on the former prime
minister, Sheikh Hasina. Abdul Jalil, the general secretary of the
opposition Awami League, says his party is pleased, as it has been
trying to convince the government for years to move against militant
organizations. He thinks the difference now is Dhaka is under
international pressure to do more to crackdown on militancy in the age
of anti-terrorism. "By doing this, they have accepted the reality. But
still then the people of Bangladesh doubt that the arrests and taking
action against all these fundamentalist parties is [anything] but an
eyewash to the foreign world," he said.Critics say the government has
been reluctant to act because of tensions within the ruling coalition
- which for the first time include two Islamic parties: Islami Oikya
Jote and Jamaat-e-Islami. The government denies this is an issue. But
some experts note there has been a so-called " Islamicization" of
Bangladeshi politics since Islamic parties entered the government in
2001. Ali Dayan Hasan, the Bangladesh analyst for Human Rights Watch -
based in Pakistan, said "Jamaat-e-Islami is an international
organization. It has a political wing that operates in Pakistan. And
it is an ideological international religious organization. It has very
clearly statedpolitical aims. Those political aims go against the
grain of pluralism and democracy and secular politics, as we
understand it… And the second you have that sort of political outlet
as a member of the government, you have to start catering to its
demands."Bangladesh was founded as a secular state in 1971, when it
broke free of neighboring Pakistan. The vast majority of its 141
million people are moderate Muslims. And members of the ruling
coalition say there are no designs to change the system. Abdur Razzak
is a spokesman for the Jamaat-e-Islami and he denies his party wants
more Islam in government. "It has been taking part in the elections of
this country since 1979. It has been represented in the parliament in
one way or another. Jamaat believes in rule of law, multi-body
systems, democracy, human rights, independence of judiciary - you name
it," he said.Despite political disagreements about why the government
decided to act now against these two Islamic militant groups - there
is general agreement that they pose a threat. But is the nature of
that threat related in any way to international terror
organizations?Zachary Abuza is the author of the book, "The Rise of
Militant Islam in Southeast Asia." He sees parallels between the
attitude of the Bangladesh government today and that of the Indonesian
government, before the 2002 terrorist bombings on Bali by a militant
group linked toal-Qaida. "What is coming out of the Bangladesh
government sounds hauntingly like what is coming out of the Indonesian
government before the Bali attacks. You're getting this constant
mantra about how they're moderate; it's a tolerant, secular society
that has no tradition of Islamic radicalism. And I think that really
belies some of the evidence we've seen," he said.That evidence, says
Mr. Abuza, is anecdotal but worrying. Bangladeshi radicals have fought
alongside the hard-line Islamic Taleban in Afghanistan. And there are
some Bangladeshis who support Osama bin Laden - the head of the
al-Qaida terror network, which has declared a holy war on the United
States and non-Muslims. But despite those tentative links, Mr. Abuza,
along with Human Rights Watch and Bangladesh government and opposition
leaders, say there is no compelling evidence to suggest that al-Qaida
is using Bangladesh to hide or train operatives for its campaign of
global terror, as it did in Afghanistan.There is more concern that
smaller militant organizations - possibly regional groups from
northeastern India or Pakistan, fighting against their own governments
- could be taking advantage of what had been the government's apparent
reluctance to act against them. That would make Bangladesh a refuge
for militant organizations seeking to hide or train for their own
operations.Christine Fair is a South Asia analyst for the independent
policy group, the United States Institute of Peace, based in
Washington. "I don't think it's in the realm of the far-fetched to say
that other militant organizations can take advantage of local
political environments to train, to conduct operations, that is
completely in the realm of possibility. And you don't have to have an
overarching al-Qaida connection for that to happen," she said.Many are
now waiting to see how the Bangladesh government handles the trials of
the 70 militants it arrested this month as a means of gauging its
commitment to fighting political violence and terror within its own
borders. It may be the key, some warn, to ensuring that Bangladesh is
not seen as the new haven for other militant organizations seeking
tocarry out agendas of their own.

Annan Urges Security Council to Take Action on Darfur

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=C12628:2F72C9D

UN secretary-general asks for more peacekeepers on ground, says
current efforts not enough to stem violence

Kofi Annan U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan is urging the Security
Council to move faster to deal with what he calls the "appalling
situation" in Sudan's Darfur region. Mr. Annan has asked for more
peacekeepers on the ground in Darfur.

Mr. Annan says he requested the private meeting with Council members
because current efforts by humanitarian groups and African Union
troops are not enough to stem the tide of violence in Darfur. His
comments were read to the media by deputy U.N. spokesperson Stephane
Dujarric.

"We keep getting reports, which show that the killing and the raping
and burning are still going on" said Stephane Dujarric. "I was glad to
hear from Council members that they hope to have a new resolution in
the course of this week that would include agreement on a mechanism
for holding individuals accountable for these dreadful crimes. That is
good. We must send a clear message that the world is not going to
tolerate them. Meanwhile, everyone agrees that a strong international
presence on the ground is crucial. Where the African Union troops are,
things are getting better for the population. But there are far too
few of them."

The African Union has a contingent of fewer than 2,000 troops
monitoring a frequently-violated cease-fire in Darfur, in the western
part of Sudan, between the government-backed Janjaweed militia and
rebel fighters.

Mr. Annan says the Security Council must decide whether to help the
African Union increase its troops, or send a U.N. force to work
alongside them. But, he says, the participants at the meeting also
agreed that, if U.N. troops are needed in Darfur, they should not be
taken from U.N. peacekeeping forces already in Sudan to monitor the
recent peace accord between the North and the South in a separate
conflict. Consequently, Mr. Annan is urging donor nations to quickly
honor their promises of aid for the peace process.

The U.N. leader said he welcomes the thousands of letters he is
receiving from the public and pressure from the media urging stronger
action on Darfur. An estimated 70,000 people have been killed and
nearly two million people displaced since the Darfur conflict began in
2003.

Women in Ivory Coast Fight HIV-AIDS Stigma

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=C1262E:2F72C9D

AIDS groups try to reinforce message that women need to be encouraged
to stand up for their sexual rights to help battle disease

Edmond Adjobi, left, suffering from AIDS, stresses the importance of
having regular HIV medication to Salimata Diawara in Abidjan (File
photo)International AIDS groups across the globe held women's
solidarity marches Tuesday, sending the message that women in
particular need to be helped in the fight against HIV-AIDS. In Ivory
Coast, AIDS groups are trying to reinforce the message that women need
to be encouraged to stand up for their sexual rights to help battle
the disease.

Dr. Caren Grown, a director at the International Center for Research
for Women, says that women are increasingly infected because of lack
of information, and because they can't keep themselves safe from the
disease.

"Because of women's lack of social and economic power in particular,
many women and young girls are unable to negotiate relationships that
might be based on abstinence, or faithfulness or the use of condoms,"
she said. "And it is really important to find ways to reduce women's
vulnerability."

In Ivory Coast, where the HIV infection rate is the highest in West
Africa, a group called the Active Women of Cote d'Ivoire are
encouraging each other to take charge of their lives, and tell spouses
and family that they have the virus, even though they risk rejection
by their extended family circle.

Once a month three hundred women sit in a circle on the grass outside
Koumassi Hospital in the commercial capital Abidjan. They talk about
the problems they have in getting money, and looking after their
children, most of whom were born with HIV.

The secretary of the Active Women group, Anita Membey says that
religion plays a part in the denial that AIDS exists.

There are certain religious people who say that AIDS is a curse, Ms.
Membey says, while others say that the illness is a fiction and tell
people not to not take medicine and their illness will pass.

A member of the group, Aminata Kabore, says she is angry with
religious leaders who do not speak out against the disease. Ms. Kabore
is Muslim, and became the second wife of a man who wanted to replace a
wife who had died.

Ms. Kabore says she discovered that she had HIV - the disease that
causes AIDS - when she became pregnant. And, when she told her husband
he left her. The Active Women group helped her find a job and money to
buy anti-retroviral drugs. Now, she tells other women about her
disease, hoping her story can help others.

Religious leaders in Ivory Coast are trying to do more to speak out
about AIDS, but also to try and give women more power in their
relationships.

One of Ivory Coast's main Muslim leaders, Imam Mamadou Dosso, who
preaches in a large mosque in Abidjan's busy district of Adjame, says
that he tells his congregation that Islam is not a religion of
polygamy and that men should try and stay with one wife.

Mr. Dosso says that he tells people in his mosque that AIDS exists and
they must take medical and social responsibility for themselves.

Mr. Dosso is trying to get other religious leaders to join him in
spreading the word about the dangers of AIDS.

Civil war in Ivory Coast is believed to have made women more
vulnerable to HIV, as violence increases against women during
conflict. War also makes women economically vulnerable, and increases
the likelihood that they will use sex in order to get food or money.

Public Health Experts Draw Attention to Saving Newborn Babies in
Developing World

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=C1262D:2F72C9D

Lancet papers say two-thirds of all newborn mortality takes place in
just 10 countries

Public health experts say most of the four-million newborn babies who
die each year in developing nations could be saved by simple,
inexpensive interventions. They appeal to rich countries,
international organizations, and charitable foundations to increase
their funding to promote infant survival.

The number of newborn deaths worldwide is colossal in the view of one
medical adviser to the Indian government. Vinod Paul, of the All India
Institute of Medical Services, says the number of infants who die in
the first month of life is about 10,000 every day, 99 percent of them
in developing nations. But he notes that most of the concern and
resources are focused on the other one percent in industrial
countries.

Vinod Paul"It's as if one Asian tsunami is hitting the world every two
weeks, year-after-year. And yet, the responses are very different - to
that kind of an event and to this invisible tragedy that is
happening," says Dr. Paul.

Dr. Paul is a co-author of one of four articles appearing in the
medical journal Lancet that point out the worsening plight of newborns
worldwide, and what should be done. The contributors are scholars and
health economists from several countries, United Nations agencies, and
the World Bank. Their research was funded by the U.S. government and
the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation of Seattle, Washington.

Faith MclellanLancet senior editor Faith McLellan told a Washington,
DC, audience that the disaster of newborn mortality must end. "The
Lancet is publishing this series to inform the world about this
appalling situation, and to call upon the global community to reform
it," says Faith Mclellan.

The Lancet papers say two-thirds of all newborn mortality takes place
in just 10 countries - Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, Democratic
Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Indonesia and
Tanzania.  The major causes are infections, premature birth,
delivery complications, diarrhea and lack of oxygen.

Dr. Paul says common, low-cost measures can prevent 75 percent of the
newborn deaths, and can be offered within existing maternal care and
child survival programs. They include tetanus shots for pregnant
mothers, promoting clean delivery, extra care for low birth weight
babies, inexpensive antibiotics, and breast-feeding. The Indian
physician says the extra cost for assuring such safety is about $6
billion annually, or just $1 a year for every person in the world.

"There are not many health paradigms where such a low cost would save
such a large chunk of deaths. We would like to plea, the time has come
to bring these resources to save the babies," says Dr. Paul.

The Lancet outlines actions nations can take to address the crisis,
including setting targets for reducing newborn mortality by 2015. It
calls on the international community to demonstrate political
commitment to increased resources, and to coordinate country support
to turn what is known about saving newborn babies into action.

U.S. Politician Urges Haiti to Free Former Premier:

Former Haitian Prime Minister Yvon Neptune, who started a hunger strike 16 days ago to protest his imprisonment, should be released immediately, U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters said on Monday.
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?t...storyID=7832078