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> Wed., May 19, 2004
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
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Today's lead stories:
Violence Intensifies in Rafah and Gaza
Public Hearings on Iraqi Abuse Scandal
Houston Protests Halliburton Shareholder Meeting
Justice for Muslims Under Secular Congress Party?
Childbearing Options Reduced
Remembering Malcolm X
FSRN Headlines
CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR COURT MARTIALED
While courts-martial proceedings were held in Baghdad today
in the Abu Graib prisoner abuse scandal – another court-martial
began at Fort Stewart, Georgia. The attorney for the US Staff
Sergeant charged with desertion asked the military judge to
dismiss the charges because the infantryman is a citizen of
Costa Rica. Staff Sgt. Camilo Mejia says he decided to seek
conscientious objector status after an incident in which his
unit was ambushed and civilians were hit in the ensuing gunfire,
and another in which he said an Iraqi boy died after confusion
over which military doctor should treat him. He also claims
he saw Iraqi prisoners treated "with great cruelty"
when he was put in charge of processing detainees a year ago
at al-Assad, an Iraqi air base occupied by U.S. forces in
what he calls an oil-driven war. Mejia could receive the same
sentence given to Army Specialist Jeremy Sivits who pleaded
guilty today to his involvement in the torture at Abu Graib
prison and was sentenced to one year in prison a bad conduct
discharge.
MENTALLY ILL MAN EXECUTED IN TEXAS
Texas executed a severely mentally ill man last night, despite
a recommendation by the state's board of pardons and paroles
to commute his sentence. From KPFT in Texas Erika McDonald
reports.
JUDICIAL NOMINATIONS
Senate Democrats and the White House struck a deal on judicial
nominations. Jenny Johnson reports from our DC bureau.
PROTEST AT 9-11 COMMISSION HEARINGS
Immigrant New Yorkers Held Vigil Mourning the Civilian Casualties
of the War on Terror today in front of the 9-11 Commission
hearings in New York City. Gail Walker was there.
HOUSE DEFEATS BILL AIMED AT EMERGENCY HEALTH CARE FOR IMMIGRANTS
Yesterday, The U.S. House defeated a proposal that would require
hospitals to fingerprint or photograph illegal immigrants
to qualify for federal payments for emergency care. California
and Texas representatives led the argument against the bill,
saying it would turn hospital officials into border patrol
agents and keep immigrants from seeking medical attention.
The bill was defeated 331-88, with most Republicans and virtually
all Democrats against it.
[top]
Violence Intensifies in Rafah and Gaza (3:50)
On the heels of intensified house demolitions and missile
attacks on various parts of the Gaza Strip over the past few
days, today Israeli army helicopter gunships and tanks opened
fire on a nonviolent civilian demonstration in Rafah. 13 Palestinian
are reported dead, including 2 children, with more than 50
people injured. The incident occurred as some 3000 Palestinian
civilians from Rafah were peacefully demonstrating to protest
the recent Israeli military operation in the southern part
of the Gaza Strip. Today’s attack brings the death toll
since the weekend to 37 in what is being called the bloodiest
military operation since the beginning of the second Intifada.
Raji Sourani from the Palestinian Center for Human Rights
in Rafah talks with Deepa Fernandes.
[top]
Public Hearings on Iraqi Abuse Scandal (4:02)
In Washington, D.C., public hearings on the detainee prison
abuse scandals convened with testimony from some of the top
U.S. military commanders in Iraq. Selina Musuta reports from
Capitol Hill.
[top]
Houston Protests Halliburton Shareholder Meeting
(4:18)
This morning, Halliburton shareholders and company officials
were met with protests against war profiteering during their
annual meeting in Houston. Halliburton, the largest oil and
gas services company in the world, has been the number one
financial beneficiary of the war against Iraq. From Pacifica
station, KPFT, Renee Feltz reports.
[top]
Justice for Muslims Under Secular Congress Party?
(3:57)
India’s new Prime Minister was sworn in today, and
it was not Sonia Gandhi, wife of assassinated leader Rajiv
Gandhi. Gandhi announced yesterday to her Congress party that
she was stepping aside to allow 71-year-old Oxford-educated
economist Manmohan Singh to be India’s new Prime Minister.
Singh is a fierce proponent of economic liberalization and
spent many years working at the IMF. A Sikh, Singh will be
the first member of a religious minority to be India’s
head of state. This comes as many religious minorities around
India are hoping for better days under the secular Congress
governing coalition, especially the nation’s Muslims
who were persecuted and massacred during the previous BJP
Administration. As FSRN’s Binu Alex reports, many Muslims
are hoping that the new government might even bring them the
justice they were denied while the BJP ruled India.
[top]
Childbearing Options Reduced (3:39)
Women’s reproductive health issues have been in the
forefront of the news lately, with the emphasis on protecting
the right to abortion and making emergency contraception (Plan
B) more easily available. Meanwhile, another women¹s
reproductive health issue is unfolding in doctor¹s offices,
hospitals, and sometimes, courtrooms. It’s the issue
of women¹s shrinking childbirth options. Melinda Tuhus
reports from New Haven, Connecticut.
[top]
Remembering Malcolm X (:48)
To commemorate what would have been the 79th birthday of
Black Power leader Malcolm X, we listen to words he delivered
in one of his historic speeches: Don’t sit in, Stand
Up.
[top]
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