Sinn Fein rejects London's `decommissioning' ultimatum
The British and Irish governments announced a proposal
April 1 that would establish the Northern Ireland Executive,
effectively beginning the devolution of British rule in the
occupied northern six counties of Ireland. Under this
"Hillsborough Declaration," however, the Executive would be
implemented only on condition that the Irish Republican Army
(IRA) - which has observed a cease-fire since July 1997 - put
some of its arms "beyond use." All parties that sign onto
the declaration must also agree that so-called weapons
decommissioning is "an obligation." Sinn Fein, the party
leading the fight for a united Ireland free from British
rule, rejected London and Dublin's proposal, as did the
Women's Coalition and a party loyal to British rule, the
Progressive Unionists. Within two weeks, British prime
minister Anthony Blair and Irish prime minister Bartholomew
Ahern had to drop their scheme.
Sinn Fein's chief negotiator, Martin McGuinness, said on BBC radio, "The history of republicanism and the demeanor of republicanism from time immemorial clearly shows that they are not going to bend the knee to the demands of elements of the British military establishment, or Unionism." London has been seeking ways to stall on implementing the April 1998 "Good Friday Agreement," which was signed by the British and Irish governments, as well as all the major parties in Northern Ireland. That agreement codified gains made in the fight to rid Northern Ireland of London's rule and called for the creation of bodies such as the Northern Ireland Executive.
Munich cops arrest protesters
Twenty-one people were arrested in Munich April 11 while
protesting an appearance by German defense minister Rudolf
Scharping. After entering the beer tent where Scharping was
to speak, several protesters put on T-shirts marked with
slogans such as "No to the German war of aggression," and
"War-makers to jail." The protest was organized by several
peace groups, as well as by youth from Scharping's own Social
Democratic Party. Police intervened aggressively, despite
objections from those gathered to hear Scharping. The
arrested youth may be charged with violating a ban on
uniforms for wearing the T-shirts.
Romania gov't plans big layoffs
The Romanian government plans to lay off 100,000 workers
in coming months as part of an agreement with the World Bank
to privatize, restructure, or close government companies.
More than half of all Romanian workers are employed by state
enterprises. The government seeks to sell off at least 250
small- and medium-sized companies by June, and another 500
after that, to win further credits from the World Bank. Large
companies like Sidex steel works, a tractor and truck factory
in Brasov, and an aluminum plant in Slatina are also on the
auction block.
Basque patriot is killed in Spain
José Luis Geresta was killed in Spain March 19. Geresta
was shot in the head and had scratches on his face and hands.
A gun was allegedly found near his body. Spanish cops, who
had accused Geresta of membership in the armed independence
group Basque Homeland and Freedom (ETA), claim he may have
committed suicide. His family reject this possibility. Herri
Batasuna, the leading political party fighting for a Basque
homeland in the region straddling Spain and France, sent out
a statement shortly after the killing. Part of it read: "In
Herri Batasuna's view, there is no doubt that it is an action
of `dirty war,' a killing executed by the State apparatuses."
It points out several Basque militants who died and were said
by cops to have committed suicide, including Xabier
Kalparsoro, who allegedly fell from a window while being held
at a police station, and Josu Zabala, who was found dead in
1997 after disappearing for several days.
Israeli settlers take W. Bank land
Since last October Zionist settlers from Israel have built
at least a dozen new settlements on land that had belonged to
Palestinian people, and they are planning to build more.
Taking over territory and cutting off Palestinian villages
from one another has been one of the methods backed by Tel
Aviv to minimize any land that would be won by Palestinian
people through so-called peace agreements. "We have to take
control of as much land as we can now," settler Elhanan Ariel
told the Associated Press. "All of these new settlements are
illegal," said Didi Remez, coordinator of the anti-settler
group in Israel called Peace Now. According to a U.S.-
brokered "peace" deal with Tel Aviv and the Palestinian
Authority, no new settlements could be built. The Israeli
government, seeking to loophole the accord, argues that they
are not new settlements but expansions on existing
settlements. Palestinians charge Tel Aviv with sabotaging the
agreement.
Students in Nicaragua demand budget increase in education
Demanding that at least 6 percent of the federal budget be
allocated to universities, about 1,000 students protested
April 14 in front of Nicaragua's congress building. Under the
same demands, another 80 students armed with grenade
launchers and explosives broke into the Foreign Ministry that
same day and occupied the building for an hour. That group
dispersed after meeting with Nicaraguan foreign minister
Eduardo Montealegre.
Maryland cop kills Black man
Sean Thiekle, a Montgomery, Maryland, cop, claims he
accidentally killed Junious Roberts with a semiautomatic 9 mm
Beretta bullet to the back. Thiekle said he thought Roberts,
who was Black, might be driving a stolen car. After car-
chasing Roberts and ending up at a McDonald's, Thiekle
alleges he approached the car calling for Roberts to get
out - Beretta pistol in hand. Roberts put his hands up. The
cop said he was trying to pull Roberts out of the car when
the gun went off. "I don't see how a gun can accidentally go
off unless you pull the trigger," said Thomas Lewis, Robert's
half brother. He questioned why the cop had his gun drawn in
the first place. This was the second killing by the cops in a
two-week period. In both cases unarmed Blacks were gunned
down by white cops.
- BRIAN TAYLOR AND MEGAN ARNEY
Robert Dees contributed to this column.