Vol.60/No.24           June 17, 1996 
 
 
In Brief  
Chechnya cease-fire threatened
   More fighting was reported between Russian troops and independence fighters in Chechnya hours after a cease-fire was supposed to take effect June 1 at 12:01 a.m. One clash occurred in the town of Suani, 40 miles southeast of the Chechen capital Grozny, where eight Russians were wounded. Another incident happened when Russian troops sealed off the town of Shali, near Grozny, demanding that the Chechens disarm.
   Russian general Vladidmir Shamanov was shown on Russian television the day before pounding his fists and shouting at town elders in Shali, demanding the rebel disarmament. "Right here, not anywhere else. If not, I will begin an operation," Shamanov declared.

GM to build plant in Thailand
   General Motors has announced plans to build a $750 million auto plant in Thailand. Company officials say they hope to win 10 percent of the new car market in the region by 2005. Japan-based Toyota dominates the southeast Asian car sales market.
   The facility will be a main center of GM 's production in Asia. GM's chairman and chief executive officer John Smith, said the potential for Asia's markets are, "tremendous, and China is the key."

Taiwan gov't calls for UN status
   On May 31, Taiwan officials reaffirmed their intention to drive for United Nations membership. Foreign Minister Frederick Chien said that the campaign for recognition would not be modified in the wake of tensions with Beijing. The Taiwanese government was established by counterrevolutionaries who fled there after the Chinese Revolution in 1949. Taiwan lost its UN status in 1971. Until 1979 Washington recognized the government in Taipei as the legitimate authority of China. Beijing considers Taiwan a province of China.
   At the same time Formosa Plastics, Taiwan's largest industrial group, is finalizing a $3.8 billion deal to build a thermal power plant in China. Taiwanese companies are the second largest investors in China. On May 31 U.S. president William Clinton officially renewed Beijing's "most favored nation" trading status.

UN extends Liberia intervention
   The United Nations Security Council announced May 31 it will extend its "observer" mission in Liberia and urged the neighboring states to bolster their "peacekeeping" forces inside Liberia in order to protect the observers. The Security Council also called for greater enforcement of the arms embargo imposed on Liberia in 1992.

Czech gov't loses majority
   The coalition government headed by Czech prime minister Vaclav Klaus lost its parliamentary majority in a June 1 election. The coalition, made up of Klaus's Civic Democratic Party, the Christian Democrats, and the Civil Democratic Alliance, were reduced to 99 seats in the 200-person parliament, down from 112. The Social Democrats gained the most seats, going from 24 to 61.
   The Czech regime was highly praised in the big-business press for the fast pace of its "market reforms" and privatizations. Milos Zeman, head of the Social Democratic party, immediately moved to reassure investors that a new government would not reverse Klaus's policies, saying, "There is no way of going back."

Terrorist to be executed in Cuba
   In early May, Humberto Real Suarez was sentenced to death by the People's Provincial Tribunal of Villa Clara for murdering a fisherman while attempting to enter Cuba from Florida. On October 15, 1994, Suarez stopped a vehicle with an R-15 rifle, forcing the passengers from the car and shooting Arcilio Rodriguez Garcia in the head, killing him.
    According to the accused parties, they all received military training in Florida from the ultra-rightist Cuban National Democratic Unity Party, with the purpose of organizing counterrevolutionary gangs in the Escambray mountains. Suarez's six companions were given sentences ranged from 30-years to 15 years. If the Cuban Supreme Tribunal confirms the sentence, the case will go the Council of State, which will make the final ruling.

Cuban sugar planting emergency
   The Central Organization of Cuban Workers and the Ministry of Sugar Industry agreed to declare an emergency in the sugarcane sowing operations for the month of May. Sugar is still the main export of Cuba, and the spring planting is essential to a successful harvest. As of May 22 only half of the necessary planting was completed.

Cuba, Dominica restore relations
   On May 18, Edison James, prime minister of the Commonwealth of Dominica, and Cuban foreign minister Roberto Robaina signed an agreement restoring diplomatic relations between the two countries. The agreement, James said, is a step that contributes to strengthening the Association of Caribbean States. Robaina stressed the importance and high priority the Cubans to have ties in the Caribbean.

Jury convicts Clinton's partners
   An Arkansas jury convicted two of U.S. president William Clinton's former business partners of fraud and other charges on May 28 for a series of transactions during the president's tenure as governor of Arkansas. James McDougal was convicted of 18 felony counts and his former wife, Susan McDougal, of four. Jim Guy Tucker, the current Arkansas governor, was convicted on charges of conspiracy and mail fraud in the case, and announced he would resign by July 15. The trial was the first in the "Whitewater" investigation that has plagued the Clinton administration. The president testified as a witness for the defense.

Clinton endorses Wisconsin plan to abolish welfare program
   Both Clinton and Republican party presidential nominee, Robert Dole have recently announced support for a plan that would eliminate Aid to Families with Dependent Children, the main welfare program, in Wisconsin. Governor Thomas Thompson has instituted a plan that would require aid recipients to find employment or work at "community service" or "transitional" jobs. The state will offer "job access loans" to purchase uniforms or tools a worker needs, to be repaid in cash or volunteer work.
   Clinton and Dole have agreed on key aspects of proposals to cut welfare, including drug testing for recipients, work requirement after two years, caps on benefits to children born to parents on welfare, and a five-year limit on benefits.

Scores of Black churches burned
   According to U.S. Justice Department figures, there were 28 arson attacks on African American churches throughout the South in the last 17 months. The National Council of Churches (NCC) found that 57 churches have been burned since 1990, 25 of them this year. Federal officials said May 21 that they have found no evidence linking the arsons of Black churches, although several cases have been tied to the Ku Klux Klan, the Aryan Faction, and racist skinheads.
   Assistant attorney general for civil rights Deval Patrick said 200 agents from the FBI and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) are investigating the cases, but making slow progress on solving them. On May 22, the NCC announced that agents from the FBI and the ATF were intimidating and questioning the pastors of these churches as well as their congregation. Some of the pastors have been asked to take lie detector tests.

— MEGAN ARNEY  
 

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