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ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 2012
INTERNATIONAL 21
Lat/Am
Suit targets ‘new penal code’:
The ACLU has filed a lawsuit against
Puerto Rico’s police chief and justice sec-
retary, saying the island’s new penal code
violates the constitutional right to freedom
of expression.
The lawsuit comes a week after Gov
Luis Fortuno approved the new code that
restricts certain types of
protests and establishes
a three-year prison sen-
tence for violators.
“The statute is evi-
dently intended to sup-
press speech, to stop
people from protesting
against government
policies,” William
Ramirez, local ACLU
director, said Tuesday.
The lawsuit seeks a
Fortuno permanent injunction to
stop Justice Secretary
Guillermo Somoza from enforcing the
new law as it relates to protests and
demonstrations. A portion of the new code
states that those who disrupt, interrupt or
prevent legislators from performing public
duties or cause disorder while in the
immediate view and presence of lawmak-
ers will be charged.
The American Civil Liberties Union
says the new code uses vague language
and does not offer police or potential
offenders any guidance about what kind
of conduct would be considered criminal.
“It’s just plain old unconstitutional no
matter how you look at it,” Ramirez said.
“What would disturb one legislator may
not disturb another legislator.” (AP)
❑ ❑ ❑
Brazil deploys troops: The Brazilian
government has sent close to 9,000 troops
to its borders with four neighboring coun-
tries as part of a big two-week anti-crime
operation.
Army, navy and air force personnel
have been deployed along Brazil’s fron-
tiers with Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia
and Uruguay, the Defense Ministry said Traditional ‘Silleteros’ prepare to participate in a parade during the Flower Festival on Aug 7, in Medellin, Antioquia department, Colombia. (AFP)
on its website Tuesday.
The ministry said the operation, which with Seychelles President James Michel,
who told them “the return of stability” to
began Monday, is aimed at stemming the
inflow of drugs and arms and other con- Diplomacy Madagascar is crucial for the wider region.
traband into Latin America’s biggest “It is my hope...we can together reach a
nation. One neighbor, Bolivia, is the consensus that will establish a lasting solu-
world’s No. 3 cocaine-producing nation tion for peace,” Michel said in a statement
and officials there have estimated 92 per- on Tuesday. (AFP)
cent of that country’s cocaine production ❑ ❑ ❑
heads to Brazil. Clinton urges S. Africa to promote democracy ‘Party’ rejects new draft: Zimbabwe
The area to which the troops have been President Robert Mugabe’s party won’t
sent includes the so-called Triple Border,
the porous region where Brazil, Paraguay
and Argentina converge and is home to
drug and arms traffickers, smugglers and
‘Stop supporting Congo rebels’ accept a new draft constitution without
amendments to reforms seen as undermin-
ing its traditional powers, state media
reported Tuesday.
counterfeiters. (AP) KAMPALA, Aug 8, (Agencies): US the accusations that it is backing the Clinton, speaking two days after Spokesman Rugare Gumbo said the draft
❑ ❑ ❑ Secretary of State Hillary Clinton rebels. Rwanda says it is being used visiting the 94-year-old Mandela, was unacceptable in
Federal police go on strike: urged Rwanda and Great Lakes as a scapegoat for the chaos in east- said South Africa’s legacy of peace- its present form and
Brazil’s federal police launched an open neighbours on Tuesday to stop sup- ern Congo. fully overturning apartheid brought “we cannot commit
ended nationwide strike Tuesday, joining porting Congolese rebels as regional Rwandan President Paul Kagame with it responsibilities. ourselves to positions
other sectors seeking wage concessions which are untenable,’
leaders met in Uganda to discuss and his Congolese counterpart “Few countries on this continent according to The
from the government, their unions said. ways to end the insurgency in the Joseph Kabila are due to meet in can carry as much weight or be such
“The idea at this time is not to harm The new-elected chairperson of the Herald newspaper,
society, but to make the government African Union Commission, South eastern Democratic Republic of Kampala and join the talks with their effective partners and leaders as which is controlled
aware of our dissatisfaction,” Jones Leal, Africa’s Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma Congo. regional neighbours about the size South Africa,” Clinton told universi- by Mugabe loyalists.
president of the police union in Brasilia, (left), greets US Secretary of State Clinton’s call, made in South and composition of the anti-rebel ty students in Cape Town, in a He alleged the
told AFP. Hillary Clinton (right), on Aug 7, at the Africa during her latest stop on an force, which was broadly agreed by speech billed as the centrepiece of an draft did not reflect
The strikers are demanding higher pay presidential guesthouse in Pretoria. 11-day Africa tour. the views of many
(AFP) African tour, maintained internation- them at an African Union summit in
and a career plan. “You are a democratic power with voters and his party
al pressure on Rwanda and Uganda Addis Ababa last month. Mugabe supporters who were
There are some 15,000 federal police to withdraw any backing for the “The mere fact that Kabila has the opportunity to influence Africa
officers in Brazil’s 26 states and federal canvassed country-
Tutsi-led M23 rebels, whose flown in here and that Kagame is and the world.” wide and said it contained “alien ideas” that
district (Brasilia), according to union offi-
cials. advances have thrown the volatile, here is testimony of how seriously “We are looking for ways to were not aired at public meetings during an
Police have pledged to provide a mini- ethnically-mixed east of Congo back they take this matter,” Ugandan enhance and deepen our partnership. outreach campaign to gather the people’s
mum service, but “the strike will affect all into conflict, displacing thousands of Foreign Minister Henry Okello South Africa has so much to offer to contributions, the paper reported.
services, some investigations can be civilians. Oryem told Reuters. the rest of the world,” Clinton said as The ZANU-PF politburo, the party’s top
blocked and generate delays in the The Rwandan government has As uneasy neighbours, Congo and she met with Foreign Minister Maite policy making body, is scheduled to meet
issuance of passports and in immigration Nkoana-Mashabane. “As crises and Wednesday to finalize objections to the
strenuously denied allegations by Rwanda have gone to war with each draft that include the proposed election of
matters,” Alexandre Santana Sally, the UN experts that its military officials other in the past. opportunities arise, there are tough
union chief in Sao Paulo, said. (AFP) ten provincial governors from all parties.
have provided equipment and Roots issues we have to tackle together, Mugabe appointed the governors in the
❑ ❑ ❑ recruits for the M23 rebellion. from nuclear proliferation to climate past. The draft also calls for an independent
Argentina seizes firm: Argentina on Nguesso Mboulou Uganda has also rejected similar Eastern Congo’s enduring con- change, security crises, the situation prosecuting authority to replace Mugabe
Tuesday ordered a government takeover allegations that its soldiers have flict, which has killed, maimed and in (the Democratic Republic of appointees in the justice ministry and par-
of a printing firm that has been linked to backed the movement. displaced several million civilians Congo) or Syria. liamentary controls over military and secu-
Vice-President Amado Boudou, who faces
Clinton, speaking at a news con- over nearly two decades, has its “We do not always see eye to eye rity deployment. (AP)
allegations of illicit enrichment, the Africa ference in Pretoria, praised a two- roots in Tutsi-Hutu ethnic and politi- on these issues. I don’t know if peo- ❑ ❑ ❑
Economy Ministry said. cal enmities dating back to the 1994
The government said it was taking over day meeting of Great Lakes region ple always do and certainly not two Police charge miner: Zambian police
Compania de Valores Sudamericana, heads of state held in the Ugandan Rwandan genocide. nations. Sometimes we will disagree have charged a coal miner with murder in
‘Rules’ dent rebels’ profits: A US Later invasions of Congo by as friends do,” she said. connection with the killing of a Chinese
which prints official documents and cur- law and an electronics industry code gov- capital Kampala this week to discuss
rency, and had informed Congress with a solutions to the Congo crisis. They Rwandan forces and Kigali’s back- A senior State Department official supervisor during a protest over pay, a
erning the use of conflict minerals have police official said on Tuesday.
bill declaring the move to be in the slashed profits among armed groups in the could include the creation of a neu- ing of Congolese rebels fuelled two said Clinton — on the sixth leg of a
nation’s best interests. crippling wars. marathon tour of the continent — Zambian miners killed the supervisor
Democratic Republic of Congo by 65 per- tral international military force to and seriously wounded another on Saturday
The company, one of several firms that cent in the past two years, a report by a South Africa’s next generation of wants to “encourage South Africa to
prints the country’s peso notes and identi- fight Congolese rebels. in the dispute at the Collum coal mine,
nonprofit rights group found on Tuesday. “We urge all the states of the leaders should honour the legacy of play a stronger and more influential about 325 km south of Lusaka, labour min-
fication cards, will be under the authority But the Enough Project — an arm of the anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela role” in global affairs.
of Economy Minister Hernan Lorenzino region including Rwanda to work ister Fackson Shamenda said earlier this
Center for American Progress that combats by promoting democratic values The two countries have appeared week.
and the head of the national mint, Katya genocide and crimes against humanity — together to cut off support for the
Daura. rebels in the M23, to disarm them around the world, Clinton said on at odds on issues such as sanctions “We have charged one person with mur-
also warned that months of unrest in Wednesday. der and 11 others with rioting and theft.
The printing firm is being investigated Congo’s volatile east is hampering progress and bring their leaders to justice,” on Iran and the conflicts in Syria and
by Judge Ariel Lijo for alleged influence She also called on South Africa, Libya. South Africa, which currently They will appear in court tomorrow,”
made in curbing the conflict minerals trade. Clinton said. Southern Province police chief Fred
peddling. The company used to be run by “Economics are at the heart of the which voluntarily gave up its nuclear holds a rotating seat on the UN
people close to Boudou. (AFP) renewed violence in eastern Congo, and
Aid weapons programme from 1989, to Security Council, last month Mutondo told Reuters.
❑ ❑ ❑ He said the police was looking for three
M23’s latest advances indicate a move to Donors including the United use its long-standing links with abstained from a heated vote on other men suspected of having been
Colombia extradites ‘suspect’: open the floodgates of conflict minerals States, Britain, the Netherlands and Tehran to persuade Iran to reconsid- sanctions against Syria backed by involved in the murder.
Colombian authorities Tuesday extradited smuggling to Rwanda,” said Enough Germany have suspended some of er its suspected pursuit of nuclear the United States and European The Chinese embassy in Zambia has
a woman accused of links to Mexico’s Project senior policy analyst Sasha their financial aid to Rwanda over weapons. nations. demanded that the incident be thoroughly
infamous Sinaloa drug cartel, police Lezhnev. investigated and murderers punished
announced. “The time for robust monitoring of severely.
Dolly Cifuentes Villa, 48, was handed mines and traders is now,” said Lezhnev, China also demanded that security meas-
who co-authored the report. (RTRS) Zuma in Seychelles: South African Madagascar has been mired in political ment official told AFP.
over to US Drug Enforcement crisis since leader Andry Rajoelina toppled Both Rajoelina and Ravalomanana were ures should be stepped up to guarantee the
Administration (DEA) at a military airport ❑ ❑ ❑ President Jacob Zuma arrived in the safety of Chinese workers and prevent simi-
Seychelles Wednesday to help broker a deal Marc Ravalomanana in March 2009 with already on the main Seychelles island of
in Bogota, Colombian police announced Ruling party wins majority: The rul- the army’s support. Mahe, where they are expected to meet face lar incidents in future. (RTRS)
in a second round of talks between
in a statement. ing Congolese Labour Party of President Madagascar’s president and the man he “South African President Jacob Zuma to face later Wednesday. ❑ ❑ ❑
Accused of drug trafficking and money Denis Sassou Nguesso won a large majori- has arrived on the Seychelles,” a govern- The rivals on Tuesday met separately
laundering in the United States, she will ousted three years ago. ICC orders reparations: The
ty in run-off legislative elections last week- International Criminal Court Tuesday for
be transferred immediately to a court in end, with 89 of the 136 seats, final results
the southeastern state of Florida, police the first time ordered that victims receive
showed Tuesday. reparations in the case of convicted
said. The PCT, which has been in power since People stunned
The suspect was arrested in August Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga.
1997, had taken 57 of the 69 seats that were Lubanga, 51, was jailed last month for
2011 in a police crackdown in the north- won outright in the July 15 first round, with 14 years by The Hague-based tribunal for
eastern Colombian city of Envigado.
(AFP)
another 10 going to its allies and just one to Snowfall in S. Africa using child soldiers in his rebel army during
the opposition and another to an independ- a bloody conflict in the Democratic
❑ ❑ ❑ ent candidate. JOHANNESBURG, Aug 8, (AP):
People slowly came outside Republic of Congo’s Ituri province in 2002-
Tourist died from electrocution: In Sunday’s second round it won another 03.
32 of the 67 seats still up for grabs, Interior despite the cold wind Tuesday
Police on the Caribbean island of St Lucia across South Africa, pointed “This is the first time the court has
say a 20-year-old British woman who died Minister Raymond Zephirin Mboulou ordered reparations for victims,” ICC
said. Independent candidates close to the their mobile phone cameras to
last month after diving into a hotel pool the sky and opened their mouths spokesman Fadi El Abdallah told AFP,
suffered an electric shock and then PCT won 12 seats, against seven for the adding that the order included a victims’
allied MCDDI party. to taste a rare snowfall that fell
drowned. on much of the country. trust fund set up by the ICC’s founding
Police say Hannah Defoe came into Overall the PCT and its allies took 117 treaty in 2002 to handle the process.
seats. The snow began Tuesday
contact with electricity in the pool at morning, part of an extreme cold The Trust Fund for Victims will now
Juliette’s Lodge in the town of Vieux Fort. The main opposition Pan-African Union consult victims “who suffered harm follow-
for Social Democracy (UPADS) — which snap now biting into a nation still
Defoe is the cousin of England striker and in its winter months. By mid- ing Lubanga’s crimes of enlisting, con-
Tottenham player Jermain Defoe, whose held 11 seats in the outgoing legislature — scripting and using children under 15
now has just seven deputies. afternoon, officials recorded
father died in June. snowfall across most of South years” to fight, the ICC said in a press
Two relatives who tried to save Defoe “Yesterday’s vote witnessed the same release.
fraud and irregularities that marked the pre- Africa. However, forecasters
are recovering after also being shocked. acknowledged snow remains so “Proposals for reparations, as
St Lucia’s Ministry of Infrastructure vious round of voting,” UPADS national advanced by the victims themselves are
secretary Martin Kimpo told AFP on unusual that they typically aren’t
says an investigation blamed faulty elec- prepared to provide details to be collected by the TFV and presented
trical wiring. It says power has been Monday. to a newly constituted trial chamber for
about snowfall in the nation. The
turned off at the hotel until crews fix the He accused the ruling Congolese Labour snow closed some roads and at approval,” the ICC said, without giving
problems. Party of robbing his party of as many seats Two people play with snow in a park on Aug 7, in Johannesburg. Snow falls least one high-altitude pass. The a time frame.
Assistant Police Commissioner Frances as possible to prevent it from reaching the annually in the mountains of South Africa and Lesotho, which even hosts a ski snowfall also closed several bor- “We expect about 1,000 victims to be
Henry says an investigation is continuing. threshold for a parliamentary group. (AFP) resort. But some high-altitude border posts between the two countries der posts in the country. eligible for reparations,” TFV executive
No one has been charged. (AP) ❑ ❑ ❑ received so much snow on Tuesday that they were forced to close. (AFP) director Pieter de Baan told AFP. (AFP)
