November 2, 2005

World Media Watch

by Gloria R. Lalumia

BuzzFlash Note: WMW provides BuzzFlash readers foreign views and perspectives that are not usually available from the media here in the U.S. The presentation of these articles from these international publications is not an endorsement of their viewpoints.

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WORLD MEDIA WATCH FOR NOVEMBER 2, 2005

1//The Independent, UK-- AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL ON BLAIR’S TERROR LAWS: DANGEROUS. ILL-CONCEIVED. AN ASSAULT ON HUMAN RIGHTS (Tony Blair's plans for tough new anti-terror legislation have been subjected to a damning critique by Amnesty International, as MPs prepare to debate the measures today. In a submission to MPs, Amnesty International denounced the proposals to increase police powers of detention and make a new offence of the glorification of terrorism. It called them "ill-conceived and dangerous," amounting to an attack on "the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law." … A potentially powerful combination of opposition and rebel Labour MPs are preparing to vote against plans to give police powers to hold suspects for up to 90 days without trial - denounced as effective internment. They also plan to oppose the creation of an offence of "glorifying"' terrorism. … Amnesty condemned Mr Blair's 12-point anti-terror plan, saying: "Every element of which signalled further assaults on human rights, particularly for those identified as Muslims, foreign nationals and asylum-seekers." It said government statements linking the terrorist threat with foreigners were "encouraging xenophobia, racism and faith-hate crimes.")

2//Asia Times Online, Hong Kong--THE GAME’S STILL ON FOR SUNNIS (The George W Bush administration is citing the formation of a coalition of Sunni political organizations to run candidates in Iraq's December parliamentary elections, and high Sunni turnout in the recent referendum, as evidence that its policy of attracting Sunnis away from the insurgency is working. But this argument ignores the evidence from both the January election and the October 15 referendum that the overwhelming majority of Sunnis have followed the political strategy urged by the insurgent leadership and anti-occupation Sunni clerics. … Although it was never acknowledged by US officials or news media, the boycott of the election organized by insurgent groups and clerics was stunningly successful. Based on first-hand reports from virtually all the Sunni population centers, it appears that 95% to 98% of Sunnis stayed away from the polls. Based on the results of the election and referendum, there can no longer be any doubt that the Sunni community has been remarkably united, and that it has responded to the strategic direction of clerics and insurgent leaders. … The other political shoe has yet to drop in regard to the Sunni participation in the December election, and a decision to return to the boycott stance of last January now seems most likely.)

3//The Daily Star, Lebanon--SADDAM PALACES TO BECOME LEISURE PARK (U.S. commanders on Tuesday moved out of a complex of palaces that once belonged to ousted president Saddam Hussein, a site Iraqi officials hope to turn into a tourist destination. The complex, which overlooks the Tigris River, was built just outside Saddam's hometown of Tikrit soon after the end of the 1989-90 Gulf war. It served as headquarters to the 42nd Infantry Division, responsible for military operations in north-central Iraq. Their replacement, the 101st Airborne Division, will be staying at a former Iraqi airbase a few kilometers up the road. … The closure of the heavily fortified base, the 30th this year in Iraq, is also designed to concentrate U.S. troops and reduce their visibility and exposure to attacks. … Sergeant Jason Mastroietro, from Albany, New York, stood outside a palace built for Saddam's mother burning documents in a large metal drum. "These have been very good conditions, considering we're at war," he said.)

4//Japan Focus, USA--THE ROOTS OF THE JAPANESE OIL VICTORY IN LIBYA (… On October 2nd, the results of the second round of international bidding for exploration and development rights in twenty-six Libyan oil zones were announced. More than sixty oil companies from around the world participated in a fiercely competitive environment. Libya is the world’s number nine country in terms of estimated oil reserves, and many of its rich oil fields remain undeveloped. The results surprised many observers: Japanese companies captured rights to six of the most promising oil zones. As one official told Reuters: “It was quite a tight race. Last night, it was cut-throat competition … The Japanese were the big winners.” … With the rise in oil prices and a competitive business environment for oil companies globally, the Japanese success in Libya is an impressive feat. It allows both Japan and Libya to diversify their range of business partners. It was also a success born of failure. This time, Japan got it right.)

5//The Chosun Ilbo, South Korea--HOPE FOR STEM CELL CURE DRAWS HUGE CROWDS (Hope of a cure for incurable diseases through stem cell research brought some 3,000 people to Seoul’s World Stem Cell Hub (WSCH) on Tuesday, the day registration for test subjects in clinical trials opened. Researchers headed by cloning pioneer Dr. Hwang Woo-suk will select some 100 Parkinson’s and spinal cord damage patients as subjects for experimental treatment. … On Tuesday morning, the WSCH website went down just five minutes after it started accepting domestic and international applications at 9 a.m. due to the flood of applicants.)

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1//The Independent, UK 1 November 2005 19:07
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article324062.ece

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL ON BLAIR’S TERROR LAWS: DANGEROUS. ILL-CONCEIVED.
AN ASSAULT ON HUMAN RIGHTS

By Ben Russell and Nigel Morris

Tony Blair's plans for tough new anti-terror legislation have been subjected to a damning critique by Amnesty International, as MPs prepare to debate the measures today.

In a submission to MPs, Amnesty International denounced the proposals to increase police powers of detention and make a new offence of the glorification of terrorism. It called them "ill-conceived and dangerous," amounting to an attack on "the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law."

The organisation's onslaught - in the strongest language it has deployed against the Blair Government - came as ministers braced themselves for sustained opposition to the Terrorism Bill when it is debated in the Commons from today. The Bill has already been condemned by senior judges, lawyers and civil liberties groups.

A potentially powerful combination of opposition and rebel Labour MPs are preparing to vote against plans to give police powers to hold suspects for up to 90 days without trial - denounced as effective internment. They also plan to oppose the creation of an offence of "glorifying"' terrorism.

Amnesty's attack comes after a recent warning from Lord Carlile of Berriew, the Government's terror watchdog, that 90-day detention could breach human rights law.

The submission to MPs states: "Since the war on terror was declared by the US government in 2001, the UK authorities have mounted a sustained attack on human rights, the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law."

It warned that the Bill contained "sweeping and vague provisions that undermine the rights to freedom and expression and association, the right to liberty, the prohibition of arbitrary detention, the rights to the presumption of innocence and fair trial.

Amnesty International added: "One proposal is to introduce a crime that involves the 'glorification of terrorism'. Such terms are broad, vague and subjective. They have no legal clarity and can, therefore, be used arbitrarily to restrict human rights, including freedom of expression." It said the measures proposed after the bombings in London on 7 July were" inconsistent with the UK's obligations under domestic and international human rights law and that, if enacted, they would lead to severe human rights violations."

The organisation made clear its alarm at the potential for new powers to be abused. It said: "Once any government begins to 'sacrifice' human rights in the name of security, it is not long before individuals pay the price."

It said the anti-terror measures across the world had led to dissent being stifled and allowed the state to commit human rights abuses. Its report said evidence of that trend was already apparent in Britain "with peaceful protesters who have been subjected to police action under legislative provisions originally introduced to purportedly counter terrorism."

Amnesty condemned Mr Blair's 12-point anti-terror plan, saying: "Every element of which signalled further assaults on human rights, particularly for those identified as Muslims, foreign nationals and asylum-seekers." It said government statements linking the terrorist threat with foreigners were "encouraging xenophobia, racism and faith-hate crimes."

(MORE)

2//Asia Times Online, Hong Kong Nov 2, 2005
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/GK02Ak01.html

THE GAME’S STILL ON FOR SUNNIS

By Gareth Porter

WASHINGTON - The George W Bush administration is citing the formation of a coalition of Sunni political organizations to run candidates in Iraq's December parliamentary elections, and high Sunni turnout in the recent referendum, as evidence that its policy of attracting Sunnis away from the insurgency is working.

But this argument ignores the evidence from both the January election and the October 15 referendum that the overwhelming majority of Sunnis have followed the political strategy urged by the insurgent leadership and anti-occupation Sunni clerics.

After the announcement last week by three Sunni political groups that they had united to run candidates on December 15, the Los Angeles Times quoted a "Western official" in Baghdad - the usual term for US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad speaking on background - as arguing that Sunni involvement in the political system would eventually cause "a gradual erosion of support for the insurgency."

Even as the votes in the constitutional referendum were still being counted on October 16, Khalilzad had said the high Sunni voter turnout "was a good indication that our approach to the Sunnis is producing results". US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice echoed the same theme, declaring, "The Sunnis are joining the base of this broad political process."

This view of the relationship between the Sunni population and insurgency is politically convenient for the administration. However, the evidence indicates that the overwhelming majority of Sunnis went to the polls on October 15 not because they had been urged to do so by Sunni politicians, but because Sunni clerics and armed organizations had agreed on a campaign to defeat the constitution.

(SNIP)

The announcement by the three Sunni groups that they will participate in the December elections should not be confused with a broader Sunni decision to participate. The Iraqi Islamic Party, the Iraqi People's Gathering and the National Dialog Council are all elite groups with no mass base of their own.

The primary motivation of the leaders of these three elite groupings is to get elected to the Iraqi parliament. That motivation has made both the Iraqi Islamic Party and the Iraqi People's Gathering willing to compromise with Shi'ite and Kurdish leaders - and the US officials standing behind them.

(SNIP)

One of the Sunni politicians who agreed to campaign for the constitution, Mishan al-Jabouri, owns a satellite channel and he declared confidently that 80% of the population of Salahuddin province would vote "yes" to the constitution. But the vote in Salahuddin showed that traditional Sunni power brokers no longer influence Sunni voters. Eighty-one percent of the vote in Salahuddin was against the constitution.

In Tikrit, 96% voted "no", according to election officials. In Fallujah, the figure was 97%, and in Samarra, 95%. No figures have been released for the Sunni districts of Mosul, but Sunni leaders said the vote there was similar to those in the other major Sunni urban areas.

Last January's parliamentary election also demonstrated the decided lack of support for the Sunni parties now counted by Khalilzad to help rescue US policy. Both the Iraqi People's Gathering and the Iraqi Islamic Party wanted to run candidates in the January election, but the Sunni insurgent leaders and clerics called for a boycott.

The Iraqi Islamic Party registered for that election, but then threatened to boycott if the election was not postponed, and ultimately did not campaign. The Iraqi People's Gathering did campaign, but received only 15,000 votes.

Although it was never acknowledged by US officials or news media, the boycott of the election organized by insurgent groups and clerics was stunningly successful. Based on first-hand reports from virtually all the Sunni population centers, it appears that 95% to 98% of Sunnis stayed away from the polls.

Based on the results of the election and referendum, there can no longer be any doubt that the Sunni community has been remarkably united, and that it has responded to the strategic direction of clerics and insurgent leaders.

(SNIP)

Saleh al-Mutlak, a leading figure in the National Dialogue Council, said it would be "very difficult to convince people to come back to the political process", because they would be "disappointed that their voices mean nothing". After the decision by others on the council to join the electoral coalition, Mutlak publicly rejected that course.

The other political shoe has yet to drop in regard to the Sunni participation in the December election, and a decision to return to the boycott stance of last January now seems most likely.

3//The Daily Star, Lebanon Wednesday, November 02, 2005
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp...

SADDAM PALACES TO BECOME LEISURE PARK
U.S. troops hand over complex to Iraqi authorities

By Agence France Presse (AFP)

TIKRIT: U.S. commanders on Tuesday moved out of a complex of palaces that once belonged to ousted president Saddam Hussein, a site Iraqi officials hope to turn into a tourist destination. The complex, which overlooks the Tigris River, was built just outside Saddam's hometown of Tikrit soon after the end of the 1989-90 Gulf war. It served as headquarters to the 42nd Infantry Division, responsible for military operations in north-central Iraq. Their replacement, the 101st Airborne Division, will be staying at a former Iraqi airbase a few kilometers up the road.

Local Iraqi officials will take control of the site at the end of the month.

"This place is the symbol of how one man spent Iraq's wealth," said Major General Joseph Taluto, the outgoing U.S. regional commander. "Now is the time to return it to the people," he added.

The closure of the heavily fortified base, the 30th this year in Iraq, is also designed to concentrate U.S. troops and reduce their visibility and exposure to attacks.

American soldiers on Tuesday packed their bags, emptied the garbage, rolled up cables and took some final snapshots of the vast complex, which comprises 136 buildings, including 18 palaces.

"We've maintained the buildings," said Taludo, even though "it's not the greatest of constructions." Taludo himself worked in one of the palaces, but set up his private quarters in an outside trailer.

(SNIP)

Provincial governor Hamed Humud Shikti said plans are afoot to turn the complex into a tourist or leisure park when he officially takes over.

"First we shall open the gates to allow the people to see the palaces," he said. The palaces have always been off limits to the public.

(SNIP)

Sergeant Jason Mastroietro, from Albany, New York, stood outside a palace built for Saddam's mother burning documents in a large metal drum.

"These have been very good conditions, considering we're at war," he said.

The palaces, he said, offered safety from mortar attacks and air conditioning during the hot summer.

"We're not roughing it," he added.

4//Japan Focus, USA October 30, 2005
http://www.japanfocus.org/article.asp?id=432

THE ROOTS OF THE JAPANESE OIL VICTORY IN LIBYA
By Michael Penn

In February 2000, Japan began the new century on a sour note when it lost its rights to the Khafji oil field in the Saudi-Kuwaiti neutral zone. Japan’s Arabian Oil Company had held exploration rights in that zone since 1957, and the loss of such a long-term investment was keenly felt.

The problem was that Japan, which is among the world’s most dependent countries on Arab and Iranian oil, had lost all significant presence in the upstream oil market. With the increasing rivalry for energy resources between Japan and China, as well as other countries, Japanese government and business leaders are making a strong effort to gain a toehold in the region.

Most significant has been the Inpex Corporation’s agreement in February 2004 to develop the massive Azadegan oil field in Iran. However, this deal has faced increasing political pressures as U.S.-Iranian relations continue to spiral downwards and Iran faces possible UN sanctions for its nuclear power program. In addition to the Azadegan deal, there have been less-controversial agreements in recent months between Japanese companies and governments like Egypt, Sudan, and Iraq.

However, the most dramatic event involves Libya. This essay reveals the steps that led to this unforeseen event.

On October 2nd, the results of the second round of international bidding for exploration and development rights in twenty-six Libyan oil zones were announced. More than sixty oil companies from around the world participated in a fiercely competitive environment. Libya is the world’s number nine country in terms of estimated oil reserves, and many of its rich oil fields remain undeveloped. The results surprised many observers: Japanese companies captured rights to six of the most promising oil zones. As one official told Reuters: “It was quite a tight race. Last night, it was cut-throat competition … The Japanese were the big winners.”

(SNIP)

But how is it that Japan could beat out all of the majors and other national companies to attain such an impressive share of the spoils?

In the first round of bidding in January, Japanese efforts failed dismally. At that time, fifteen zones were available and eleven of them went to American companies. All Japanese bids were rejected. Some Japanese business leaders were shocked at these results as they had anticipated some degree of success. In the wake of the Japanese companies’ failure in January, they re-examined their approach and found new ways forward.

(SNIP)

However, in 2005, the Japanese companies revised their strategies and found new approaches that worked much more effectively. Rather than operate independently, this time the Japanese organized group bids. Some of these partners were other Japanese companies and some of them were European companies that also failed in the first round. This gave the Japanese bids added strength.

Japanese oil companies also did a better job of assuring the Libyans that they were interested in more than just oil, and were committed to Libya’s long-term development and prosperity. An early milestone in this campaign was the March visit of a group of Japanese oil executives headed by former Foreign Minister Kakizawa Koji. Kakizawa is noted for having championed Japanese business relations with Libya even before the UN sanctions were lifted in 2003. Meeting with senior Libyan officials in Tripoli, this delegation began the process of putting Japan-Libya relations back on track. This group met with Saif al-Islam Qadhafi, the leader’s second son and possible successor.

(SNIP)

All of these efforts formed the backdrop to the startling Japanese success on October 2nd. The oil development rights gained in Libya were shared by five Japanese companies: Inpex Corporation, Japan Petroleum Exploration Company, Mitsubishi Corporation, Nippon Oil Corporation, and Teikoku Oil. For some of these companies, this was their first successful oil bid in the Arab world. If all goes well, actual oil production at these sites should begin in 2011 or 2012.

With the rise in oil prices and a competitive business environment for oil companies globally, the Japanese success in Libya is an impressive feat. It allows both Japan and Libya to diversify their range of business partners. It was also a success born of failure. This time, Japan got it right.

5//The Chosun Ilbo, South Korea Updated Nov.1,2005 20:19 KST
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200511/200511010023.html

HOPE FOR STEM CELL CURE DRAWS HUGE CROWDS

Hope of a cure for incurable diseases through stem cell research brought some 3,000 people to Seoul’s World Stem Cell Hub (WSCH) on Tuesday, the day registration for test subjects in clinical trials opened. Researchers headed by cloning pioneer Dr. Hwang Woo-suk will select some 100 Parkinson’s and spinal cord damage patients as subjects for experimental treatment.

Prof. Ahn Cu-rie of Seoul National University’s Medical School, who is in charge of clinical trials, said, "Initially, about 100 patients suffering from neurological illnesses including spinal cord damage and Parkinson’s disease will be selected.” Subjects will be picked depending on when the illnesses began, where and how extensive the damage is, and the chance of helping them using cloned stem cells.

Nine research areas have been accepted for clinical stem cell research domestically and abroad, Ahn said. Patients will be selected in order of the areas that will go into the clinical test phase. Ahn did not give a timeframe, but any experimental treatment is said to be still a long way off.

(SNIP)

On Tuesday morning, the WSCH website went down just five minutes after it started accepting domestic and international applications at 9 a.m. due to the flood of applicants. The number of visitors to the SNU Hospital homepage, which is connected to the WSCH, increased 10-fold to around 50,000. Patients from across the country scrambled to register at the hub set up in the hospital even before it opened, with more than 500 people able to register at the hub on the day.

The WSCH plans to give a personal explanation to all patients who are not chosen by phone or mail.