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> Tue., Nov. 1, 2005
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
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Today's lead stories:
Harry Reid Calls for Investigation into the White House
Rights Groups Suspicious of Samuel Alito
Solidarity Fast With Guantanamo Detainees
Abuses in Orleans Parish Prisons
First Latin America Congress of Recuperated Enterprises
The Case of Stanley “Tookie” Williams
FSRN Headlines
UNREST IN ZANZIBAR
Results are now in for Zanzibar's hotly-contested election.
Voters in Tanzania's semi-autonomous island went to the polls
on Sunday amidst tensions that later erupted into three days
of street violence. Police have reportedly used sticks, tear
gas, rubber bullets, and pepper-laced foam against demonstrating
supporters of the opposition party. Zanzibar's electoral commission
today announced the re-election of the current president.
The leading opposition candidate is refusing to accept defeat
and has vowed to carry out a Ukraine-style campaign to protest
what he says are fraudulent results.
LONDON TALKS CLIMATE CHANGE
In London, Energy and environment ministers from around the
world are meeting to discuss how to tackle climate change.
Helen Kelly has more.
Representatives from more than 20 countries are meeting in
London today to focus on sustainable energy and the move towards
a low carbon economy. Along with government officials, delegates
from the International Energy Agency and World Bank will also
contribute to the discussions. Until now, the Kyoto Protocol
has been the main international effort to tackle climate change,
establishing a set of targets for cutting carbon dioxide emissions.
The Kyoto Protocol does not include the US or the emerging
economies of China and India. These countries argue that such
cuts are not economically viable. Today's discussions follow
an agreement drafted at July's G8 summit in Gleneagles. The
draft emphasised the importance of climate-friendly technologies.
Nuclear power is expected to be back on the agenda, as are
renewables like wind and solar power and so-called clean coal.
Some environmental groups fear the meeting will generate little
more than hot air unless participants agree to concrete proposals.
The current Kyoto treaty expires in 2012. Helen Kelly, reporting
from London for Free Speech Radio News
CONNECTICUT CLERGY FOR PEACE
A faith-based group went to the offices of Connecticut's Congressional
representatives today to demand that they publicly oppose
the war in Iraq. Melinda Tuhus reports from Rep. Rosa DeLauro's
office in New Haven.
Members of Reclaiming the Prophetic Voice read the names
of the more than 2000 US service members killed in Iraq, at
intervals sounding a Buddhist prayer bowl to signify the estimated
100,000 Iraqi civilians who have died in the war. Event organizer,
the Rev. Allie Perry:
(Cut 0:14) "We come to the offices of Rep. Rosa Delauro
the human cost of the Iraq war. We pray for a lifting of the
spiritual darkness which has enveloped our leaders and our
country." While the reading of the names continued outside,
a group of clergy went in to meet with members of DeLauro's
staff and get her written statement in response to their initial
letter of contact. The group had four demands; a public condemnation
of torture, a time-frame for bringing troops home from Iraq,
a rejection of permanent US military bases in Iraq, and a
shift of budget priorities away from war to meet human needs.
Members of the faith-based organization said they were dissatisfied
with DeLauro's responses and will continue to press her publicly
on the issues. For FSRN, I'm MT in New Haven.
PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES FOR NOTICIAS
A commission of the Organization of American States has mandated
protection measures for over 100 media workers in Oaxaca City.
Vladimir Flores reports.
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights yesterday issued
mandatory precautionary measures for the owner and staff of
the NOTICIAS newspaper in Oaxaca. This is the first time in
Mexico that a collective protective order has been issued
for a media organization. Under the terms of the precautionary
measures, the Mexican government must guarantee the safety
of the NOTICIAS owner and staff, protect their freedom of
expression, and investigate the conflict that led the commission
to issue the measures. A group of men posing as striking NOTICIAS
workers continue to blockade the newspaper's main office building.
The office has been inaccessible to staff since the blockade
began on June 17th. Thirty-one workers were trapped inside
of the building for one month until their violent removal
by blockade participants on July 18th. Since then, the newspaper's
owner and some workers say they have been harassed by police
and have even received death threats by phone. Vladimir Flores,
FSRN, Oaxaca.
TORTURE TRIAL IN MEMPHIS
Former Salvadoran army colonel, Nicolas Carranza, will take
the stand today in a Memphis courtroom. Carranza, a naturalized
U.S. citizen, is accused of crimes against humanity. His accusers
say that Carranza oversaw army and police forces responsible
for widespread torture, disappearances, and deaths during
the years of the Salvadoran Civil War.
[top]
Harry Reid Calls for Investigation into the White
House
The White House announced that it will replace Lewis Scooter
Libby as Chief of Staff for Vice President Dick Cheney with
David Addington, Cheney's former counsel. Human Rights groups
have accused Addington of being an architect of policies that
lead to the abuse of detainees in Iraq and Afghanistan. The
White House also announced that John Hannah will become Cheney's
new National Security Advisor. Hannah is alleged to be the
former White House aid that accepted Ahmed Chalabi’s
bogus information about Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction.
Meanwhile on Capitol Hill, the Senate’s top Democrat,
Harry Reid of Nevada, joined the growing number of calls for
the Republican Congressional leadership to investigate the
White House over the CIA leak and alleged manipulation of
intelligence to market the war. [ (Reid Audio 1:06) ]
[top]
Rights Groups Suspicious of Samuel Alito
(2:57)
One day after President Bush nominated Judge Samuel Alito
to replace Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court, several
women’s rights groups have announced their opposition
to the nominee, including Planned Parenthood and the National
Organization for Women. Several civil rights groups are also
expressing serious concerns, including the NAACP. Mitch Jeserich
has more from Washington.
[top]
Solidarity Fast With Guantanamo Detainees
(3:09)
Five independent members of the United Nations Human Rights
Commission committee rejected the Pentagon's offer to visit
the Guantanamo Bay detention camp unless they are allowed
to interview prisoners. The visit was scheduled for December
6 but U.N. human rights commission members have said that
the one day visit would undermine the purpose of an objective
and fair assessment of the situation of detainees held at
the Guantanamo Bay naval base. Selina Musuta reports from
Washington, DC where a coalition of groups are taking part
in a solidarity fast to show support for detainees who continue
their hunger strike on Guantanamo Bay.
[top]
Abuses in Orleans Parish Prisons (3:20)
Prisoners locked up in New Orleans are saying that their
human and civil rights are being abused at a newly re-opened
section of the Orleans Parish Prison. Inmates and legal aid
workers allege that those inside the recently opened central
lock-up facility are being denied access to phones, lawyers
and clean water, and are being beaten and held in filthy condition.
Christian Roselund reports from New Orleans.
[top]
First Latin America Congress of Recuperated Enterprises
(4:26)
Representatives from worker-controlled factories and businesses
from Argentina, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Brazil organized a
Congress on Recuperated Enterprises to strategize on how to
create more jobs without bosses or owners. Venezuelan President
Hugo Chávez inaugurated the event with more than 1,000
self-managed workers present who are putting the slogan “Occupy,
Resist and Produce” into practice. Marie Trigona reports
from Buenos Aires.
[top]
The Case of Stanley “Tookie” Williams
(4:00)
California has 645 people on death row – critics of
the appeals system call it dysfunctional: short of attorneys,
and short of judges. Three individuals sentenced to death
have just had their first appeals rejected, Inculding Stanely
“Tookie” Williams. Williams is scheduled to be
put to death by the state of California on December 13 for
his 1981 conviction of four robbery-related murders. Williams,
co-founder of the Crips Gang, regrets his involvement in the
crimes but maintains his innocence. Since ending up on death
row, he's worked from inside prison to end gang violence,
authored 10 books, received a Call to Service Award from President
Bush, and has been nominated several times for a Nobel Peace
Prize for his efforts. "The Campaign to End the Death
Penalty" is now calling on people around the nation to
demand clemency for Williams and a death penalty moratorium.
Miles Ashdown has more.
[top]
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