Month: June 2005

Indonesia Plays the Autonomy Card

DILI – After 23 years of brutal Indonesian rule, President B.J. Habibie has offered East Timor independence if people reject autonomy in return for accepting Indonesia’s permanent sovereignty. The announcement, setting a July vote, took the international community by surprise. But rather than expressing relief, pro-independence supporters in East Timor remain skeptical.

After Habibie’s announcement, right-wing militia groups, armed by the military, led assaults on sympathizers of Falintil, the pro-independence guerrilla forces. Hundreds have died during recent attacks, and over 18,000 people have been displaced since last November. read more

Angola and Zambia Move Toward War

LUSAKA – A year ago, Zambia and Angola were whispering about war. Now theyre shouting, as Angola accuses its neighbor of helping to arm Jonas Savimbis UNITA rebel movement. In Lusaka, Zambias overcrowded capital, headlines about a possible invasion hit the streets every other day. One such story, which said Angolas military power is three times that of Zambias, led to the arrest of staff members at The Post and subsequent espionage charges. read more

Haunted by a Shameful Legacy

HOLLYWOOD – Dashiell Hammett. Lillian Hellman. Clifford Odets. Those literary legends were just a few of the left-leaning citizens whose names Elia Kazan, then under scrutiny for his own political affiliations, recited before the vicious House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) sniffing out radicals in 1952. A brilliant stage and screen director (A Streetcar Named Desire, On the Waterfront, East of Eden), Kazan claimed he was proving his patriotism 47 years ago. He has remained unrepentant about those McCarthy Era betrayals ever since. read more

Another Countdown for Mumia

PHILADELPHIA – On October 28, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court denied the appeal of Mumia Abu-Jamal, along with his motion for a new trial. Although the decision is being appealed in federal court, Gov. Tom Ridge could sign a second death warrant at any moment. After that, Abu-Jamal may have as little as 30 days to get a judge to issue a stay of execution.

A respected journalist and anti-racism activist, Abu-Jamal was accused of killing a police officer on weak, tainted evidence. During the original trial, jurors were barred on racial grounds, key evidence was suppressed, and police officers were permitted to testify that Mumia had confessed – after "forgetting" to mention it for two months. read more

US Hypocrisy Takes Center Stage

LONDON – For the first time, Amnesty International (AI) is targeting the US for a year-long campaign, accusing it of double standards and creating a climate "in which human rights violations thrive." Its detailed October report attacks the US for "a persistent and widespread pattern of human rights violations."

Federal and state authorities, police, immigration, and prison officers are criticized in a study that paints a picture of gratuitous violence, sexual abuse, and cruelty. Shocked that the US was singled out, the State Department issued an angry repudiation. read more

Monsanto Plays the Hunger Card

LONDON – A new war is breaking out in Europe. On one side is Monsanto – the planet’s second largest agro-chemical company – which recently launched a major media blitz to overcome opposition to genetically engineered foods. On the other is the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FOA), non-government groups like the Panos Institute, and a growing chorus of European leaders. The stakes are control of world food supply.

Austria, Luxembourg, and Italy recently have attempted bans on the planting of genetically-modified seeds. European consumers are picketing grocery stores. One major UK supermarket chain has even refused to sell genetically-modified products. Britain’s Prince Charles accuses the multinationals of "playing God." read more