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> Mon., Oct. 16, 2006
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
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Today's lead stories:
GOVERNMENT SPIES ON PEACE GROUPS
EDUCATION AT ISSUE THIS ELECTION YEAR
ISRAEL'S PRESIDENT ACCUSED OF RAPE
BANANA TYCOON TOPS POLLS IN ECUADOR
INDIAN WOMAN ON HUNGER STRIKE FOR SIX YEARS OVER MILITARY
TACTICS
FSRN Headlines
CIVIL RIGHTS LAWYER SENTENCED
Civil rights lawyer Lynn Stewart was sentenced today to 28
months in prison today in prison for enabling a former client
and convicted terrorist to communicate with his followers.
Stewart was convicted last year of providing material support
to terrorists after she passed along a 2000 press release
in which her former client, Omar Abdel-Rahman expressed an
opinion about a cease fire by Islamic militants in Egypt.
Stewart claimed that Abdel-Rahman had a constitutionally protected
right to express his opinion, despite an order barring any
contact between the blind, Egyptian sheik, and his followers.
Stewart's arrest came six months after the terrorist attacks
of Sept. 11, 2001. In addition to the material support conviction,
the lawyer was also convicted of defrauding the government
and making false statements by breaking a promise to keep
Abdel-Rahman from communicating with his followers. Last year,
Stewart was diagnosed with breast cancer. The court delayed
sentencing so she could undergo treatment.
UN VOTES TO FILL VACANCIES
With strong backing from the United States, Guatemala is likely
to win a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security
Council. Haider Risvi reports from the UN.
Despite three rounds of secret ballots held by the UN General
Assembly this morning, Guatemala has so far failed to win
sufficient votes. It needs at least two-third of the total
votes from the General to replace Argentina as a non-permanent
member of the Security Council. In the fourth round, Guatemala
won 110 votes against Venezuela's 75. The voting will continue
unless one of the contenders wins a clear majority. Observers
say Guatemala's lead over Venezuela suggests that US influence
in Latin America continues to prevail despite recent political
victories for left-wing governments in the region. Other new
Security Council members that were elected today are Indonesia,
Belgium, Italy and South Africa.
SRI LANKAN NAVAL CONVOY ATTACKED
One hundred and three Sri Lankan sailors were killed today
when an explosive laden truck slammed into a military convoy.
The suicide attack is being blamed on the Tamil Tigers. Ponniah
Manikavasagam reports from Sri Lanka.
Sri Lankan government forces suffered a second heavy blow
from rebels this week. All together, 230 security personnel
were killed this week as key international backers moved to
salvage international backers moved to salvage a 2002 truce
and arrange talks later this month. Hours before today's attack,
visiting Japanese envoy Yasushi Akashi met with President
Mahinda Rajapakse and other political leaders to hold talks
to promote the peace efforts. After today's suicide attack,
many fear that peace talks scheduled for the end of the month
in Switzerland may not happen. The government described the
attack on the sailors as a barbaric act but the rebels declined
to claim responsibility. For Free Speech Radio News, I am
Ponniah Manikavasagam from Sri Lanka.
DEMONSTRATIONS CONTINUE AT GALLAUDET
Protests continue at Gallaudet even after 133 students were
arrested Friday night to break up a three day shut down of
the internationally renowned school for the deaf. The students
are not in agreement with the appointment of Jane Fernandez
as the next president. Nan McCurdy has more from Washington,
DC.
Although the school was reopened Saturday after a week of
intense protests, the students, proudly wearing their arrest
numbers, continue to protest and camp out in tents on the
front lawn. More that a dozen tent cities have sprung up at
universities around the world in solidarity with the protests.
The students have support of many alumni, faculty and staff.
Leaders of the National Association of the Deaf, said in a
letter to the University Board of Trustees on Saturday that
the arrests are evidence of a growing chasm between the administration
and the students, faculty, staff and alumni, and called for
the Board to intervene in the crisis The two main issues for
students, who have been protesting since last May are audism
and racism. They don’t want Fernandez as president because
they say she did not implement a mandate to improve the quality
of signing by professors. Second year student Leala Holcomb,
said through an interpreter (sound) “We’ve come
here to a University dedicated to the deaf and hard of hearing,
I’ve come all the way from California 3000 miles away
to get an education that’s fully accessible and that’s
not happening.” Faculty plans to meet this afternoon
to decide if they officially want to back the protesters.
For Free Speech Radio News, from Washington DC, I’m
Nan McCurdy.
BRITAIN’S VEIL DEBATE
In Britain today, the first ban on the wearing of the veil
by some Muslim women was issued in a Birmingham city hospital.
Naomi Fowler has more from London.
France was widely condemned by other European nations for
its decision back in 2004 to ban the wearing of ‘overtly
religious dress’ in schools and other public institutions;
until now it wasn’t anticipated that other countries
would follow suit. Some fear today’s ban on the wearing
of the veil by medical students in hospitals in Birmingham,
Britain’s second city may begin a chain reaction in
other employment sectors. The wearing of a veil (or the niqab)
that covers part of the face and hair by some British Muslim
women has long been a normal sight in Britain’s multi-ethnic
cities. Public debate on the subject was non-existent –
until Member of Parliament and Leader of the House of Commons
Jack Straw sparked what many believe is an Islamophobic debate,
accusing the wearers of creating ‘community divisions.’
Lady Uddin is the first female Muslim to serve in the House
of Lords. (sound) “Of course, I defend the rights of
women who choose to wear the hijab or niqab because we do
pride ourselves in living in a free, British society. We cannot
pick and chose which rights we accept and which we don’t.”
The British government has yet to comment publicly. This is
Naomi Fowler in London for Free Speech Radio News.
FLORIDA JUDGES FINES DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
A Florida judge is threatening to fine the State’s Department
of Children and Families for failing to serve mentally ill
inmates. Roxanne Escobales reports from Tampa.
The Florida Department of Children and Families, or D-C-F,
is spending 6.8 million dollars to add 84 beds for people
deemed mentally ill by the courts. But judges and the county
jails where the insane and incompetent end up say that those
efforts are not enough. Under state law, the Florida D-C-F
has 15 days to find beds for mentally ill patients who would
otherwise be sent to jail. But a lack of resources has left
over 315 mentally ill inmates who should be in state care
deteriorating behind bars, with over 250 of them waiting longer
than the 15 day limit. Experts such as Pinellas County Jail
medical director Dr Tim Bailey say that the stressful environment
of jail only exacerbates mental disorders. (sound) “They
might go into acute crisis or maybe become psychotic or just
get worse.” In Bailey’s jail one mentally ill
inmate gouged out his eye while waiting to be transferred.
A judge in that county threatened to fine the D-C-F one thousand
dollars each day an inmate who needs care spends in the jail
over the mandated limit. The D-C-F says it needs more time
and more money to add the necessary beds. For FSRN, I’m
Roxanne Escobales.
[top]
GOVERNMENT SPIES ON PEACE GROUPS (4:30)
The American Civil Liberties Union is holding its annual
membership conference in Washington DC. In what has been a
turbulent time for civil liberties in the United States, one
of the things they are highlighting as an abuse of power is
the surveillance of anti-war protestors around the country.
And as FSRN’s Leigh Ann Caldwell reports, last week,
they received proof that such surveillance was going on.
[top]
EDUCATION AT ISSUE THIS ELECTION YEAR (3:50)
With Congressional elections just three weeks away, and
candidates are abuzz with talks about the Iraq War or scandals
in Washington DC. A poll released today says voters are also
deeply concerned about issues close to home, but politicians
are not talking about them. Yanmei Xie has the story in Washington
DC.
[top]
ISRAEL'S PRESIDENT ACCUSED OF RAPE (3:00)
Israel's President Moshe Katsav did not attend the opening
of Israel's parliament today, following police recommendation
to charge him with sex crimes. The police have recommended
the president be charged with a variety of crimes including
rape and sexual assault of women who worked in his office
over a number of years. The police are also recommending Katsav
be charged with fraud and betraying the trust of Israelis.
If the prosecutor follows these recommendations, these will
be the most serious charges ever leveled against an Israeli
head of state. Irris Makler reports from Jerusalem.
[top]
BANANA TYCOON TOPS POLLS IN ECUADOR (2:40)
Conservative banana tycoon Alvaro Noboa unexpectedly topped
presidential voting in Ecuador this weekend, but fell far
short of the majority needed to avoid a November runoff with
leftist populist and economist Rafael Correa. Diletta Varlese
reports from Quito.
[top]
INDIAN WOMAN ON HUNGER STRIKE FOR SIX YEARS OVER
MILITARY TACTICS (3:00)
An Indian woman is staging an extra-ordinary protest against
an extra-ordinary law. 34 year old Sharmila Irom has been
on hunger strike for 6 years demanding the repeal of Armed
Forces Special powers Act, a law that gives extra-ordinary
powers for Indian Army in the insurgency affected areas along
its border with China and Burma. Sharmila is being force-fed
through a pipe in her nose on the orders of the Indian government.
Still, her health is failing fast, and she has become a symbol
for Manipuris who live along the border and also got nominated
for Nobel peace prize. Our correspondent Vinod K. Jose met
her in police custody in a Delhi hospital.
[top]
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