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> Mon., Nov. 21, 2005
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
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Today's lead stories:
Former Detainees Gather to Demand End to Indefinite Internment
Ariel Sharon Quits Likud Party
Washington’s Battle over the War in Iraq
International Activism to Save Stanley “Tookie”
Williams
APEC Summit Discuss Trade, Pandemics, and North Korea
Activists Protests Against the School of the Americas
FSRN Headlines
GM LAYOFFS
General Motors announced today that the company will cut 30,000
manufacturing jobs. At least ten production plants and service
facilities in the U.S. and Canada have been slated for closure.
The company estimates that planned cutbacks will save seven
billion dollars a year.
CIA FLIGHTS
Canada's Foreign Ministry is looking into allegations that
a privately-owned aircraft used by the Central Intelligence
Agency to transport detainees stopped over at a Canadian airport
on Friday. The government of Spain began an investigation
last week after similar allegations were made regarding the
use of an airport on the island of Majorca.
BLAIR'S ANTI-TERROR LEGISLATION
Earlier this month, Tony Blair suffered a crushing defeat
in Parliament over his anti-terrorism proposals which included
new powers to detain terrorist suspects without charge for
up to 90 days. Tomorrow, the House of Lords may vote to overturn
even the compromise bill eventually passed by Members of the
British Parliament. From London, Naomi Fowler reports.
This anti-terrorism bill has given Tony Blair some of his
worst days in office when even 49 Members of Parliament from
his own party refused to back him. Parliament finally passed
a watered down version of the bill but as it progresses through
the House of Lords for what's known as the second reading,
it looks like even this compromise deal between politicians
is in danger. Many in the House of Lords are expressing their
doubts over the legitimacy of holding terrorist suspects without
charge for 28 days, amended down from Blair's original plan
of 90 days. Even police support for the anti-terrorism proposals
is not as firm as Tony Blair has been claiming; the Association
of Chief Police Officers is worried that the measures are
counter-productive and alienate British Muslims and they're
actually opposed to some of the bill; in particular, amending
human rights laws to get around obstacles to new deportation
rules and making the justification or glorification of terrorism
anywhere an offence. Another defeat on this for Tony Blair
will force yet another rethink on anti-terrorism laws. The
House of Lords will vote tomorrow. This is Naomi Fowler in
London for Free Speech Radio News.
LULA OPENS ARCHIVES
The Brazilian government has created a law to make public
many of the confidential documents produced during the country's
military dictatorship. Natalia Viana reports from Sao Paolo.
The federal decree published last Saturday states that all
documents should be made available to the public in the National
Archive Museum in Rio de Janeiro by the 31st of December.
The decree creates an exception for documents deemed to pose
a risk to national security. The files were produced by the
National Information Service, The National Security Council,
and the General Commission of Investigation; responsible for
political prosecution during the period of military dictatorship
that lasted from 1964 to 1985. The archives contain the names
of 28,555 people investigated by the military regime. Due
to a 1979 Amnesty law, no military official was ever punished
in Brazil for practices like torture committed during the
dictatorship. The UN Human Rights Commission stated earlier
this month that the release of the confidential documents
is crucial to defeat the tradition of impunity in Brazil.
CARRANZA RULING
The former deputy Defense Minister of El Salvador, Nicolas
Carranza, has been found guilty of torture and murder by a
court in Memphis, Tennessee. The verdict was handed down on
Friday, along with an order to pay $1.5 million dollars to
each of his four accusers. A mistrial was declared in a fifth
case. An amnesty law passed in El Salvador in the 1990s shields
former military personnel from prosecution for crimes committed
during the country's civil war. Carranza has lived in the
U.S. for 20 years and holds U.S. citizenship. During the trial,
former U.S. Ambassador to El Salvador Robert White testified
that Carranza was once on the CIA payroll.
[top]
Former Detainees Gather to Demand End to Indefinite
Internment (3:09)
Japan and Russia signed a major bilateral agreement today,
covering issues ranging from trade to terrorism, engineered
with the help of the Bush administration. The two nations
have agreed to cooperate in the prevention of terrorist acts,
information sharing, and extradition of those involved in
terrorist activities. They will also collaborate in the exploration
and development of oil, natural gas and coal deposits. The
new agreement comes just days after President Bush and Russian
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin met Friday to discuss joint
counter-terrorism measures. The US has now detained an estimated
83,000 people in the name of the war on terror, some held
in undisclosed locations. This weekend, former detainees and
their family members gathered in London to demand an end to
the indefinite internments. Kat Aaron was there, and files
this report
[top]
Ariel Sharon Quits Likud Party (3:08)
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has announced he is
leaving the right wing Likud Party and forming a new centrist
political party, to contest the next national elections. And,
as Irris Makler reports from Jerusalem, new elections are
now likely to be pushed forward to March of next year.
[top]
Washington’s Battle over the War in Iraq
(4:09)
Vice President Dick Cheney is continuing the White House’s
defense over allegations that it manipulated intelligence
in a speech he made at a conservative think tank organization
in Washington DC. Cheney also rejected the increasing calls
for a withdrawal from Iraq. Cheney’s statements come
on the heels of a rancorous session of the House of Representatives
on Friday night in which lawmakers heatedly debated a GOP-sponsored
resolution calling for a withdraw of troops from Iraq. At
one point, exchanges between lawmakers almost resulted in
fisticuffs. Mitch Jeserich reports from Washington.
[top]
International Activism to Save Stanley “Tookie”
Williams (2:42)
Stanley “Tookie” Williams is scheduled to die
via lethal injection at San Quentin’s death row on December
13. The co-founder of the LA-based Crips gang was convicted
in 1981 of murdering four people. While in prison, Williams
has written an autobiography, 9 children’s books decrying
violence, and developed a protocol for peace that has been
used in cities around the country to end gang violence. He
has also been nominated multiple times for the Nobel Peace
Prize. As Sarah Olson reports, with less than a month until
his scheduled execution, his case is drawing international
attention and activism.
[top]
APEC Summit Discuss Trade, Pandemics, and North Korea
(3:36)
Leaders of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies
close their two-day summit today in Busan, Korea with a declaration
promising efforts to resurrect stalled global trade talks,
reaffirm the Bogor goals and fight against health threats
like bird influenza. Alongside the comprehensive declaration,
leaders agreed to issue a separate joint statement urging
swift completion of the Doha Development Agenda in the World
Trade Organization by the end of next year. The leaders will
announce another separate initiative on preventing avian influenza,
minimizing damage from sharing information, technology and
assuring transparent management of any possible pandemic.
But one of APEC’s biggest issues remains the so-called
North Korean nuclear crisis and 6 way talks. Eunji Kang has
more in Korea.
[top]
Activists Protests Against the School of the Americas
(2:27)
A record number of people, nearly 19,000, gathered in Ft.
Benning, Georgia, over the weekend to call for closing the
School of the Americas. Activists from the School of the Americas
Watch charge that the School has trained military leaders
from Latin America who have committed rape, torture and murder
in their home countries. 41 people were arrested when they
trespassed onto Ft. Benning, which houses the School. Activists
say they have the best chance in years of closing the School
through Congressional action. Melinda Tuhus has the story.
[top]
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