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> Mon., May. 15, 2006
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FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
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Today's lead stories:
Senate Resumes Debate on New Compromise Immigration Legislation
Ugandans Assaulted and Sodomized on US Airbase in Iraq
Israel’s Spouse Ban Will Affect More that 20,000 Arab
Families
Thousands Rally in Canada Against Canada’s “Guantanamo
North”
Mumia Abu Jamal Comments: Atenco, Wal-Mart and State Repression
FSRN Headlines
CLIMATE CHANGE CAN CAUSE TENS OF MILLIONS OF DEATHS
"182 million people in sub-Saharan Africa alone could
die of disease directly attributable to climate change by
the end of the century," according to a report released
today by the UK-based charity group, Christian Aid. The group
also warns that millions more in other parts of the world
face the threats of famine, drought, and climate induced natural
disasters. The report documents how the poorest will bear
the brunt of rich countries' failure to curb greenhouse gas
emissions. The warning comes as a new round of climate talks
begins in Bonn, Germany.
CANADA SEEKS WEAKER CLIMATE CONTROLS
Canada has already indicated that it will seek weaker standards
on emissions limits. Alison Benjamin reports from Vancouver.
A 2-day dialogue on how to limit global warming begins today
in Bonn, Germany. The meeting is part of the UN Framework
Convention on Climate Change. Heading into the convention,
developing nations, such as Brazil, have argued that richer
countries should bear the most responsibility for curbing
greenhouse gas emissions. Chairing the discussions that began
today is Canada 's Environment Minister Rona Ambrose. In a
statement last week, Minister Ambrose indicated she will be
lobbying for less stringent emissions targets based on national
circumstances, such as whether a nation is a major energy
exporter. Many Canadian environmentalists are urging Minister
Ambrose to resign her position as the Bonn chair. Although
Canada says it remains committed to the Kyoto Protocol, the
Canadian government announced last week that it would be impossible
to meet the Protocol's first-phase emissions targets, which
call for the country to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions
by 6 percent to 1991 levels. The talks in Bonn will be a pre-cursor
to negotiations that begin Wednesday on how to maintain the
Kyoto pact after 2012.
U.S. TO RESTORE DIPLOMATIC TIES WITH LIBYA
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced today that the
US will move to restore diplomatic relations with Libya. The
US has not had an embassy in Libya since 1979. Libya will
also be removed from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism.
STATUS OF DARFUR PEACE DEAL
Two rebel groups in Sudan's Darfur region say they will ignore
an African Union deadline to sign a peace deal aimed at ending
three years of war in the region. Sam Olukoya reports from
Lagos.
The Sudanese government and one rebel group have already
signed the peace agreement in Nigeria's capital Abuja. The
African Union intends to start implementing the agreement
on Wednesday and it has given Monday as the deadline for the
two rebel groups to sign it. The rebel leaders say they will
not sign the deal because it does not favor them. The rebel
groups' refusal to sign the peace deal has sparked fears that
peace may not return to the Darfur region. The African Union
has warned that the rebel groups could face international
sanctions if they do anything to undermine the peace process.
In the meantime, many people in the Darfur region have been
killed in recent days during violent protests against the
peace deal. For Free Speech Radio News, this is Sam Olukoya
in Lagos.
ELECTED LEADER INAUGERATED IN HAITI
Haitians now have an elected government for the first time
since the February 2004 ouster of President Jean Bertrand
Aristide. Rene Preval took the presidential oath of office
yesterday. This will be his second term as president in ten
years. Just hours before the inauguration ceremony, unrest
broke out in Haiti's National Penitentiary, where many prisoners
have been held for years without charge.
WAVE OF VIOLENCE IN SAO PAOLO
In Brazil, a wave of violence has hit the streets of São
Paolo. Over 77 people have been killed by the PCC criminal
organization. Natalia Viana reports.
Since Friday, there have been over 150 attacks in the streets
of São Paulo by the crime organization, First Command
of the Capital, or PCC in Portuguese. PCC controls drug trafficking
in the city and commands 90% of the prisons in São
Paulo State. The main targets were police cars, police stations
and banks. At least 77 people have died – mainly police
officers, but also criminals and a few civilians. In response,
the police arrested 82 people and killed another 23, according
to the Secretary of Public Security. The attacks have mostly
occurred at night, but yesterday 36 buses were set on fire
in broad daylight. Additionally, there have been rebellions
in 80 prisons in São Paulo and other states such as
Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Mato Grosso do Sul, Paraná,
Pernambuco and Alagoas. More than 200 prison guards and visitors
are being held hostage. The violence was triggered by the
unexplained transfer of 8 PCC leaders to isolation on Friday.
Today, thousands of buses are not running in the city. The
population is scared, and many people have not left their
homes. Analysts say the violence will continue until the PCC
leaders are released from isolation. For FSRN I´m Natalia
Viana in São Paulo, Brazil.
MAPUCHES END HUNGER STRIKE IN CHILE
In Chile, the four Mapuche Indians convicted of setting fire
to disputed land, ended their 63-day hunger strike yesterday
after the government agreed to consider emergency legislation
that would ease the conditions of their incarceration. From
Santiago, FSRN's Jorge Garretón has the story.
This morning the administration told Congress to give extreme
urgency to the emergency legislation that would allow the
Mapuches to serve their sentences at a half way house. The
Mapuches were sentenced to 10 years in jail and ordered to
pay a fine of nearly 900 thousand dollars for setting fires
to property belonging to Chilean forestry giant Mininco in
2001. The four say they are innocent. They were tried under
a Pinochet-era anti terrorism act for the forest fires set
in lands historically controlled by the Mapuches. The four
were taken to hospital to recuperate from their hunger strike,
according to medical officials they four lost nearly 40 pounds,
and are slowly beginning to receive fluids. The Mapuches'
63-day hunger strike had become explosive and internationally
embarrassing to the center-left government coalition. Congress
has 10 days to pass the legislation. For FSRN this is Jorge
Garretón in Santiago.
[top]
Senate Resumes Debate on New Compromise Immigration
Legislation (4:21)
The President's address on immigration this evening is expected
to address the issue of assimilation and entail the deployment
of the National Guard to the US/ Mexico border. Mexican President
and long-time US-ally Vicente Fox called Bush on Sunday to
voice his concern for the proposal. Meanwhile, the Senate
has resumed debate on new compromise legislation, which is
cause for concern on both sides of the immigration debate.
Leigh Ann Caldwell reports.
[top]
Ugandans Assaulted and Sodomized on US Airbase in
Iraq (3:56)
Two Ugandans working as security contractors in Iraq slipped
into a coma after being assaulted and sodomized on the grounds
of a US Airbase - this according to Uganda's Monitor newspaper
which reported the abuse came after 600 Ugandans working as
guards at the US base protested over poor wages and working
conditions. Aaron Glantz and Salam Talib have more.
[top]
Israel’s Spouse Ban Will Affect More that 20,000
Arab Families (3:09)
Israel’s Supreme Court has upheld a controversial
law that will effectively ban Palestinians who are married
to Israeli Arabs from being able to live with their families
inside Israel. Irris Makler reports from Jerusalem that the
judgment will affect thousands of families, and is being seen
as one of the most important that the court has dealt with
in many years.
[top]
Thousands Rally in Canada Against Canada’s
“Guantanamo North” (3:32)
As Canada continues to harmonize its security policies with
the United States, fighting the so-called war on terror, many
tactics created in the US are being exported north of the
border. A new prison, which some call "Guantanamo North"
has opened recently, and has drawn harsh criticism across
the country. Aaron Lakoff has more from Montreal.
[top]
Mumia Abu Jamal Comments: Atenco, Wal-Mart and State
Repression (4:23)
Solidarity actions continue throughout the world in support
of the people of Atenco, Mexico, which was the site of a brutal
police crackdown on the 3rd and 4th of May. Over 200 people
were arrested: 28 have not been allowed to post bail, and
others are refusing to post. In Southern California, people
have been holding weekly protests at local Wal-Marts, highlighting
the connection between the multi-national and state repression
south of the border. From Pennsylvania’s Death Row,
Mumia Abu Jamal comments.
[top]
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