India : minister Modi questioned at riots inquiry[ 833 ]

Gujarat minister Modi questioned at riots inquiry

Narendra Modi (c) has always denied any wrongdoing over the 2002 riots BBC,16:48 GMT, Saturday, 27 March 2010 The chief minister of India's Gujerat state, Narendra Modi, has appeared for the first time before a panel investigating deadly riots in 2002. Gujarat authorities have been criticised for not doing enough to prevent the violence in which more than 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, died. Mr Modi, a leading member of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), denies any wrongdoing. The riots took place after 60 Hindus died in a train fire. The cause of the blaze was never clearly established. Hindu groups allege the fire was started by Muslim protesters, but an earlier inquiry said the blaze was an accident. Tight security Mr Modi told reporters he had been questioned for several hours by the Supreme Court-appointed panel, but gave no details of his testimony. The riots left more than 1,000 people dead - most of them Muslims "I have said before, India's constitution and the law are supreme... no-one is above the law," Mr Modi was quoted by AFP news agency as saying. He was summoned in connection with the murder of a former Congress party MP, Ehsan Jaffrey, who was among dozens of Muslims killed in a residential complex in the state's biggest city, Ahmedabad. His widow has filed a petition accusing Mr Modi of aiding and abetting his murder, a charge that has been rejected by the chief minister's BJP party. The BBC's Sanjoy Majumder in Delhi says security was tight as Mr Modi appeared before the special investigating team. Few people have been brought to justice for the 2002 riots, which were among the worst outbreaks of violence in decades, our correspondent says. The Supreme Court set up a panel to investigate the riots two years ago, after allegations that the Gujarat government was doing little to bring those responsible to justice, he adds. Mr Modi is one of more than 60 people who have been named as co-accused. In the past, the Supreme Court has criticised the government of Gujarat for failing to protect its Muslim citizens. Mr Modi's supporters have always said that under the circumstances he could have done little to prevent the violence.

D.R. of Congo: Massacre is uncovered [ 832 ]

DR Congo rebel massacre of hundreds is uncovered

By Martin Plaut Africa editor, BBC World Service Advertisement Locals showed evidence of the massacre BBC, 00:48 GMT, Sunday, 28 March 2010 Evidence of the massacre of at least 321 people in Democratic Republic of Congo has been uncovered by the BBC. The killings took place last December but have not previously been reported. Fighters from the notorious Lord's Resistance Army raided several villages in a remote part of north-eastern DR Congo, killing and abducting children. Human Rights Watch says this is one of the worst massacres carried out by the LRA, whose fighters roam across several countries after spreading from Uganda. The rebel leaders initially claimed to be fighting to install a theocracy in Uganda based on the Biblical Ten Commandments, but they now sow terror in Sudan and Central African Republic, as well as DR Congo. Narrow escape In the latest attack, the rebels hacked to death villagers and made others carry looted goods. He warned me because he is an Azande, like me Jean-Claude Singbatile One abductee, 17-year-old Jean-Claude Singbatile, was captured with a group of friends and spent days carrying bags of salt. "As we marched, the LRA killed people - two at one village, three at the next and then four at the next," he told the BBC. "They wanted to kill me, but the leader said I should be kept alive, as they needed strong soldiers." Eventually, one of the rebels warned him that he would also be killed and should take his chance and run for it. "He warned me because he is an Azande, like me," said Jean-Claude, referring to his ethnic group. Posing as soldiers The United Nations had heard rumours that an attack was to be launched around Christmas, and reinforced their troops in the area. The son of our chief was among them, so we felt we had to give them a burial Jacques Akoba Red Cross volunteer But they were deployed to towns like Dungu and Niangara rather than the remote villages where the killings finally took place. On 13 December, a contingent of LRA rebels crossed the Uele river, before arriving at a market in the village of Mabanga Ya Talo. Dressed in military uniforms, they pretended to be Congolese soldiers who had spent months in the forests and asked local people for food and other goods. They then asked people to carry the goods back to where they had crossed the river, and when the villagers refused, the rebels turned on them. Adults were attacked, captured, imprisoned in huts, then taken out and made to act as porters. Anyone who was unable to keep up with the pace of the forced march was "left behind" - a euphemism for being tied up and battered to death with wooden stakes or killed with machetes and axes. Those who refused or tried to escape were also brutally killed. It was a pattern repeated in villages all the way to Tapili, some 45km (30 miles) away. Shallow grave Lt Jeanvier Bahati, a Congolese army commander in the Tapili area, was one of the first to arrive at the massacre site and helped to bury the dead. "I saw with my own eyes 268 dead bodies, because we buried them - there was no-one else to do it," he said. LRA MASSACRES May 2002 Eastern Equatoria, Sudan 450 killed, activists say some villagers forced to walk off a cliff January 1997 Lamwo, northern Uganda More than 400 die, roughly 100,000 displaced December 2009 Makombo, DR Congo Estimated 312 killed in village raids December 2008 Doruma area, DR Congo About 300 die in worst incident of campaign of violence known as "Christmas massacres" Jacques Akoba, a Red Cross volunteer, said he buried seven bodies in a shallow grave 2km south of Mangada, along with nine skulls he found by the side of the road. "We were scared as we were burying them, but the son of our chief was among them, so we felt we had to give them a burial," he said. Human Rights Watch, working with local groups, has verified 321 deaths - but other activists have given far higher estimates. Witnesses say the stench of death hung over the area for weeks. Children were a particular target of the LRA. At least 80 were taken by force - boys to become fighters, girls to be used as sex slaves by LRA combatants. Quite why they killed so many of their victims is a mystery. Fear remains "We don't understand what their strategy really is, but they clearly like killing, like destroying things," said Father Joseph Nzala, the Catholic priest at Tapili. Jacques Akoba says he buried bodies after the massacre Many villagers are still too frightened to go home, and they continue to live in a makeshift camp on the edge of Niangara. Local people question why the UN, Congolese and Ugandan forces do not co-operate more closely to halt the LRA, who have now returned to their camps north of the Uele river. Ugandan army commanders claimed they had all but eradicated the LRA after launching a joint operation with South Sudanese and Congolese troops in December 2008. With logistical and intelligence support from the US, the operation was meant to kill LRA commanders, including its leader, Joseph Kony. But the attack failed to achieve its aims and the LRA dispersed, attacking churches and villages during Christmas 2008. Uganda continues to maintain substantial forces on Congolese territory, sometimes conducting joint patrols with the army. The Congolese soldiers receive support from UN troops who have a number of small peacekeeping bases in the area. But Anneke van Woudenberg of Human Rights Watch said the massacre provided "clear evidence" of the LRA's ongoing capabilities. "Rather than ignoring the facts, the governments of the region and UN peacekeepers should co-ordinate their efforts to protect civilians and develop a comprehensive strategy to resolve the LRA problem once and for all," she said.

Chle marks month since earthquake..[ 831 ]

Chile Preisdent Pinera marks month since earthquake

President Pinera has pledged to rebuild damaged areas (BBC)Sunday, 28 March 2010 03:26 UK Chilean President Sebastian Pinera has attended a vigil to commemorate exactly one month since a massive earthquake struck the south of the country. Mr Pinera, speaking in the city of Concepcion, repeated his vow to rebuild areas devastated by the earthquake. The 8.8 magnitude quake and the tsunami it triggered killed nearly 500 people, with thousands more made homeless. Total damage has been estimated at $30bn (£20bn) with more than 1.5m homes across the country damaged. Speaking at the vigil in Concepcion's cathedral, Mr Pinera repeated his pledge to rebuild areas hit by the quake. "We have a debt, a task to rebuild our country," he said. "As president I will lead that reconstruction process, I'll be the bricklayer, the worker, the carpenter, the engineer and also the architect, representing all Chileans and as we have already said, we will rebuild on stone and not on sand." Mr Pinera said he also planned to extend the presence of the military in some areas to help speed up the rebuilding process. 'Dry your tears' Later, he addressed a mass in the square in front of the cathedral, attended by thousands. He called on people to dry their tears and to start working "in the great task of rebuilding Chile". Concepcion, the second largest city in Chile, was severely damaged by the quake and hundreds of its residents are still living in tents in parks and gardens. Tens of thousands who lost their homes in the regions of Bio Bio and Maule and are still waiting for temporary housing. Mr Pinera took office less than two weeks after the disaster.

A historic British Embassy vacation house [ 830 ]

Historic British Embassy holiday house to be given to Tochigi Prefecture

Ernest Satow

NIKKO, Tochigi -(Mainichi Japan) March 28, 2010-

A historic British Embassy vacation house on the shore of Lake Chuzenji in Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture, will be handed over to the Tochigi Prefectural Government for free, it has been learned.

The residence, built in 1896 by British diplomat Ernest Satow (1843-1929), author of the book "A Diplomat in Japan," is due to be handed over the prefectural government on April 1. The prefecture plans to renovate it, enabling it to be unveiled to the public.

"We are extremely grateful to be handed this historic structure," said Tochigi Gov. Tomikazu Fukuda.

The British Embassy vacation house on the shore of Lake Chuzenji in Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture, is pictured in this file photo. (Mainichi)

Lake Chuzenji is located at an altitude of 1,300 meters, and since the Meiji Era, many embassy vacation homes have been built on the shore of the lake as places to escape the summer heat. Among these, the British structure is the oldest.

The house, which is made of wood, has 495 square meters of floor space. Its outward appearance is Japanese, but there is a fireplace inside, along with other Western furnishings. It is said to have the best view among the four foreign embassy vacation houses on the shore of the lake, and the second floor overlooks Hatcho Dejima Island, which is known for its beautiful autumn scenery.

Kazumi Fukuda, a former Nikko Municipal Government worker who has published books including "Nikko Hishochi Monogatari" (Nikko summer resort story), describing how Nikko emerged as a tourist area during the Meiji Era, says that Satow worked as an interpreter for the British Embassy. He took a liking to the area after renting a home on the shore of the lake, and Emperor Meiji provided him with land to build a villa. Later, the house was used as an embassy retreat.

Recently the villa has deteriorated with age, and for the last two years it has remained unused. In January 2009, the British Embassy approached the prefectural government to discuss the possibility of handing the villa over.

The prefecture plans to open the home to the public once it has been restored, though the exact date has not yet been decided.

NATO chief : Russia relations with Nato: [ 829 ]

Nuclear treaty augers well for Russia relations: NATO chief

Agence France-Presse Published: Saturday, March 27, 2010

Aleander Nemenov NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen of Denmark delivers a speech at the Russia's Foreign Affairs University in Moscow on Dec. 17, 2009.

BRUSSELS -- NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen hailed Saturday a historic new nuclear arms reduction deal between the United States and Russia, saying it augurs well for alliance relations with Moscow.

Mr. Rasmussen told an audience in Brussels that the "welcome news" would not only "contribute to a safer world, it will also give impetus to cooperation with Russia in other fields including with NATO-Russia relations."

U.S. President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev on Friday finalized the agreement to cut long-range nuclear arms, which would see the number of deployed warheads reduced by a third.

The new pact, due to be signed April 8 in Prague, replaces the landmark 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), which expired in December.

Mr. Rasmussen told top policymakers at a transatlantic conference that a "security roof" stretching from Vancouver to Vladivostok as sought by Russia should be built on missile defence cooperation between NATO and Moscow.

"I am suggesting nothing less than a radical change in the way we think about European security, about missile defence, and about Russia," he said.

"It would allow Europe to play an active role in a process which, until now, is conducted largely over their heads, by the US and Russia."

Mr. Rasmussen, who said Iran had gone "gone far beyond what is necessary for a purely civilian" nuclear program, pointed to more than "30 countries" that have or are developing missile capabilities at ever greater ranges.

As a result, "we need a missile defence system that includes not just all countries of NATO, but Russia, too," the Dane said.

A NATO summit in November represents a deadline for allies to settle plans, he said, stressing that "we also need a decision from Russia -- a decision to view missile defence as an opportunity, rather than a threat."

Anti-missile defence systems already in place within the NATO alliance fall under a US shield that has missile interceptors in the United States, Greenland and Britain.

Plans for it to be extended into eastern Europe have raised serious concern in Russia.

Read more: http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=2734724#ixzz0jQVr14i8
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