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> Wed., Jan. 18, 2006
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
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Today's lead stories:
Both Parties Unveil Lobbying Reform Plans
Bush Administration Policy of Abuse Undermines Human Rights
Saddam Trials Will Resume with New Judge
OAS Demands Protection for Ecuadorian Plaintiffs in Chevron
Suit
Argentina to Privatize Environmental Services
Public Education Victory in New Orleans
FSRN Headlines
UNREST CONTINUES IN IVORY COAST
Violent unrest in Ivory Coast continues into its third day.
Four pro-government protesters are dead and ten others are
wounded following today's clashes with UN forces. Sam Olukoya
reports from Lagos.
In the face of the clashes with the protesters, more than
300 United Nations peacekeepers from Bangladesh have withdrawn
from two towns in western Ivory Coast. The protesters are
supporters of President Laurent Gbagbo. They are opposed to
the dissolution of the country's parliament, which is dominated
by President Gbagbo's loyalists. UN-appointed international
mediators have recommended the dissolution of the parliament
as a way of ending the divided country's crisis. President
Gbabgo's party, the Ivorian Popular Front, yesterday announced
its withdrawal from the interim government and the peace process.
African Union President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria has scheduled
an emergency trip to Ivory Coast to attempt to mediate the
ongoing crisis. For Free Speech Radio News, this is Sam Olukoya
in Lagos.
SUPREME COURT ON PARENTAL NOTIFICATION
The Supreme Court ruled today that a lower court was wrong
to strike down a New Hampshire law that requires minors to
notify parents before receiving an abortion. Mitch Jeserich
reports from Washington.
By a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court ordered a lower
court to reconsider a New Hampshire law that requires parental
notification 48 hours before a minor can obtain an abortion.
The lower court previously struck down the entire law. Justice
Sandra Day O'Connor wrote the opinion that says the law, in
general, is constitutional, but it doesn't include an exemption
for the health of the mother; the Court has previously established
that all abortion restrictions must include such exemptions.
Crystal Lander, with the Feminist Majority Foundation, says
parental notification could end up endangering the lives of
young women. [CUT] "When I first heard the case, I thought
about what would I have told my mother if I got pregnant unexpectedly.
I was a good student. I would never want to have disappointed
my mother...and I probably would have done whatever it takes
not to tell her, which may have meant I would some place that
is unsafe." Mitch Jeserich, Free Speech Radio News.
PORT REFORMS DROPPED
The European Parliament today voted down a proposal to liberalise
port services. This after a strike and stormy protests by
dock workers on Monday. Tony Cross reports from Paris.
The parliament today voted 532 to 120 against the plan, with
25 abstentions. The European Commission's plan had already
been thrown out in 2003, leading European Parliament President
Josep Borrell to accuse it of wasting time by not simply dropping
the bill. Dockers' unions agreed with him. They organised
a Europe-wide strike on Monday and a demonstration at the
parliament in Strasbourg, France, which police say left 64
officers injured and a hefty bill for damages. The overwhelming
rejection isn't just because of labour agitation. Port employers
opposed the bill, fearing it would hit their profits. The
most controversial proposal was so-called "self-handling",
which would have meant that a ships' own crew could unload
a vessel, giving rise to fears of massive job losses among
dockers. Commission members say they'll work on new port reforms,
possibly concentrating on alleged unfair competition between
European ports. For FSRN, I'm Tony Cross in Paris.
SHIP TO NOWHERE
A French warship on its way to a ship-breaking yard in India
is facing an uncertain future after it was found to contain
high amounts of toxic asbestos. Binu Alex has more from Ahmedabad.
The journey of a decommissioned French warship, Clemenceau,
to a ship-breaking yard in Gujarat is facing multiple problems.
Last week, the Indian Supreme Court denied permission for
the carrier to enter Indian waters. Then, Greenpeace claimed
the documents that the French government submitted to Egyptian
authorities to obtain passage through Suez Canal misrepresented
facts. Now the labour unions in India are using the controversy
to highlight poor working conditions at the ship-breaking
yard. They say the job fatally affects the workers due to
contact with hazardous substances like asbestos and other
toxic wastes while dismantling the ships. In mid-sea, the
ship now seems to be headed nowhere. From Ahmedabad in India,
I am Binu Alex for Free Speech Radio News.
POPULAR OPPOSITION TO CELLULOSE FACTORIES
Social movements in Argentina and Uruguay this week have been
protesting a controversial pulp mill project in the border
region between the two countries. Asli Pelit reports from
Montevideo.
The target of this week's protests is a proposed cellulose
factory owned by the Finnish company, Botnia. Although the
proposed mill will be physically based in Uruguay, many people
in Argentina's Entre Rios province are strongly opposed to
the project, saying the factory will cause sever environmental
damage in the shared border region. Protests on the Argentine
side have grown in recent weeks, as different civil society
movements from the region have blocked the bridges and roads
that lead to Uruguay from their side of the river. The left-wing
Uruguayan government, led by Tabaré Vázquez,
has been reluctant to stop the construction of the pulp mills
and is currently undergoing confrontation with the Argentine
government, which demands greater precautions in order to
avoid potential environmental damages. According to Juan Carlos
Villalonga, Director of Campaigns at Greenpeace Argentina,
the proposed pulp mills will produce 1.5 billion tons of pulp
annually and use technology that will destroy the ecosystems
of the Uruguay River. For Free Speech Radio News, I'm Asli
Pelit in Montevideo, Uruguay.
[top]
Both Parties Unveil Lobbying Reform Plans
(3:45)
Democrats revealed their version of lobbying reform today.
They say their proposal goes further than the two Republican
proposals released yesterday. But in all, details are minimal.
Both parties are trying to save face in a government that
has been riddled with scandal. As Leigh Ann Caldwell reports
from DC, Democrats are attempting to label the Republicans
as corrupt, while the Republicans say they are the party of
reform.
[top]
Bush Administration Policy of Abuse Undermines Human
Rights (2:08)
According to the World Report released today by Human Rights
Watch, new evidence indicates that torture and mistreatment
were an intentional part of the Bush administration’s
counterterrorism policy. The report further indicates that
human rights violations have been a deliberate choice by top
US government officials. Kenneth Roth is the executive Director
of Human Rights Watch.
[top]
Saddam Trials Will Resume with New Judge
(2:18)
The trial of Saddam Hussein is set to resume this week,
but the process has fallen victim to further dissention, with
the head judge of the current proceedings Rizgar Amin, resigning.
Amin is expected to be replaced by a deputy. Figures from
the former regime have been relased from US custody in recent
weeks, while others are still hoping to be released. Salam
Talib speaks with Badieh Izzat, a lawyer for Iraq's former
Minister of Foreign Affairs Tarek Aziz, and files this report
with David Enders.
[top]
OAS Demands Protection for Ecuadorian Plaintiffs
in Chevron Suit (4:30)
Ecuador has survived what is now considered to be the worst
oil-related environmental disaster on the planet. While operating
in the northeastern Ecuadorian rainforest, one of the most
delicate ecosystems in the world, Texaco, now Chevron, openly
dumped more that 30 times more oil than the total released
in the infamous Alaskan Exxon Valdez spill. The Organization
of American States has now demanded protection for the four
leading plaintiffs in a trial against Chevron that has lasted
over 12 years. Joseph Mutti has more from Quito.
[top]
Argentina to Privatize Environmental Services
(3:23)
Argentina’s government has announced that the South
American nation will form a new National Bio-diversity Council
this year. Environmental and Sustainable Development Minister
Atilo Savino says the council aims to promote programs for
the sale of environmental services. The Argentine government
has also signed an agreement to form a joint bio-diversity
policy with neighboring MERCOSUR trade bloc nations. FSRN’s
Marie Trigona has more from Buenos Aires.
[top]
Public Education Victory in New Orleans
(3:08)
There are fresh major developments to public education in
New Orleans. Mayor Ray Nagin's Bring Back New Orleans Commission
released the final plan to restructure New Orleans, while
the first of the city’s downtown public schools, whose
student body is predominantly African American, has re-opened.
FSRN’s Christian Roselund has more.
[top]
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