.
Page 1: daybydaywithVOA_6a-01Jun2003.html .
|
.
Usually 2 or more calendar days worth of
news bulletins are packaged together and will appear on this web page depending
upon the amount and character of the news. Each page which packages several
days of news bulletins has a unique designation in its name, "VOA_n", and a
date "01Feb2003". The "n" is a number between 1 and 10, or a bit larger. You
can expect the number "1" to contain the first few days of news bulletins for a
given month. Then the next number "2" will contain the next few days and so on.
Neither the number or the date indicate the exact date of the news bulletins.
However the date "01Feb2003" indicates the month of the news bulletins. The
entire month of news bulletins is stored under a directory on the server having
the date name "01Feb2003". Typically the population of this web page with news
bulletins may trail the actual date of those bulletins by no more than one or
more days. .
Note: Each
news article is set out in 3 colored areas. The yellow area provides the
headline. The blue area contains location context, HFY article summary,
HFY comment, time and credits, and email/printer and streaming audio Urls.
The brown area contains the unaltered news item as originally published
by our sources such as VOA, BBC, DOD, and others. Some variation to this format
may occur.
. |
.
(Click here for the news -
directly below this commentary and promotional section):
COMMENTARY -- WAR --
The completed
article.
COMMENTARY -- NEWS REPORTING
-- The
completed article.
COMMENTARY -- US and Israel's
'common cause'
COM_002-01Mar2003.html Wednesday,
19-Mar-2003 -- The completed
article.
Jesus Christ is the answer. He is both an example of what we must
be like as humans and he is the facilitator/mediator/interface whereby we can
all know and experience the love/caring of God.
If you have any comments, questions, or concerns you can email
this ministry at thilts@help-for-you.com
Click
here for "Bruce Atchison Reports", World news bulletins on Christian
persecution.
Visit the...
Overcomer on line Study Bible
OOLSB articles
are now being added - Click on::
http://www.help-for-you.com/doc/OOLSB_freestanding.html
.
Also check out:
Introduction to the Book
of Revelation
Revelation.html
.
Page 1
x.
.
xxx.
.
.
5 Suspected al-Qaida Members
Handed Over to US in Malawi
. |
.
Asia Pacific - Malawi - @Malawi's High
Court
The five, a Sudanese, a
Saudi Arabian, two Turks, and a Kenyan, were arrested during the weekend and
are suspected by U.S. authorities of channeling funds to al-Qaida. Earlier this
week, a judge in Malawi's High Court, Healy Potani, had ruled government
attempts to deport the men without charge violated Malawi law. He ordered that
the men must be charged or released by Wednesday. But when the deadline
expired, the director of public prosecutions said that he could not comply with
the order because the men had already been handed over to U.S. officials. A
lawyer for the five said the Malawi government violated the country's
constitution by handing them over in defiance of the court order. A
spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Lilongwe declined to comment to VOA and
attempts to reach a spokesperson at the Department of State in Washington D.C.
were not successful.
Comment (HFY): The
statement is made in the following BBC article, "The case is reminiscent of
that of Khalfan Khamis Mohamed who was detained by U.S. and South African
officials in October 1999 and then taken for trial in the Federal Court of New
York. He was found guilty for his role in the bombing of the U.S. embassy in
Dares Salaam and is in jail. The case was subsequently brought before South
Africa's Constitutional Court, which ruled that both the constitution and
Mohamed's rights had been severely violated. Judge President Arthur Chaskalson
said Mohamed's treatment was profoundly disturbing." Although the statement may
be true there are other important issues involved. It is always sad when human
rights are reduced. However, there is a war being fought against terrorism and
we all know full well that the legal apparatus can become a place of hiding for
terrorists as it now does for criminals and rob the world of the opportunity
presented by timely interrogation. One would hope that before arrests were made
and the process of interrogation was applied that more than just suspicion was
involved. In the previous case cited in the BBC article below, that
apprehension by the USA was vindicated finally in a USA court of law. None of
us would feel comfortable being treated in a way that deprived us of what would
be ordinarily considered our lawful rights but then we should not be doing
things that call down this kind of suspicion upon ourselves. Again, one would
hope that sufficient investigation into the conduct of these people was
performed and that simple accusations by others or secret political agendas
were not turned into excuses to get rid of people as is the case now in Burma
with Aung San Suu Kyi. It would be helpful that when other important issues put
human rights on the "back burner" that such conduct should be quickly followed
with a full public disclosure of the facts involved that led to the
apprehension. The problem security agencies raise is that this immediately tips
off coconspirators of terror and damages the effectiveness of the security
agencies. That being the case, then the period of time before such public
disclosure should be sufficient and the disclosure should perhaps not be fully
public but through legal agencies representing the public and that monitor such
things to ensure ultimate correctness associated with the apprehension. From
a Christian standpoint, the bottom line is that war is ugly and it cannot
be civilized and if we individually and nationally paid more attention to our
state of mind and regard and respect to one another then perhaps war would just
go away and rights would not even be an issue.
VOA --25 Jun 2003, 16:23
UTC
Delia Robertson
Johannesburg
 
 Listen
to Delia Robertson's Report (RealAudio)
Robertson
Report - Download 261k (RealAudio)
x
x |
.
Government officials in Malawi say the United States has taken five
men suspected of links to al-Qaida out of Malawi.
Earlier
this week, a judge in Malawi's High Court, Healy Potani, had ruled government
attempts to deport the men without charge violated Malawi law. He ordered that
the men must be charged or released by Wednesday. But when the deadline
expired, the director of public prosecutions said that he could not comply with
the order because the men had already been handed over to U.S.
officials.
A
lawyer for the five said the Malawi government violated the country's
constitution by handing them over in defiance of the court order. A
spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Lilongwe declined to comment to VOA and
attempts to reach a spokesperson at the Department of State in Washington D.C.
were not successful.
The
five, a Sudanese, a Saudi Arabian, two Turks, and a Kenyan, were arrested
during the weekend and are suspected by U.S. authorities of channeling funds to
al-Qaida.
Malawi
is a small landlocked country and has not previously been the focus of
terrorism or known investigations into terrorism activities. It is bordered on
the northeast by Tanzania, which was the scene of a bomb attack against the
United States embassy in Dar Es Salaam in 1998.
The
case is reminiscent of that of Khalfan Khamis Mohamed who was detained by U.S.
and South African officials in October 1999 and then taken for trial in the
Federal Court of New York. He was found guilty for his role in the bombing of
the U.S. embassy in Dar es Salaam and is in jail.
Before
being taken out of South Africa, Mohamed was kept incommunicado and was refused
access to a lawyer by officials of the Federal Bureau of
Investigation.
The
case was subsequently brought before South Africa's Constitutional Court, which
ruled that both the constitution and Mohamed's rights had been severely
violated. Judge President Arthur Chaskalson said Mohamed's treatment was
profoundly disturbing.
Email this article to a
friend.
Printer Friendly Version
.
|
End of article 1
.
.
6 British Troops Killed in
Southern Iraq
. |
.
Middle East - Iraq - @Majar al Kabir -
Re: Escalating Terrorism In Iraq Plus
Updates
U.S. troops have
come under almost daily attacks and ambushes during the past several weeks in
areas north and west of Baghdad. The latest attacks against American forces
occurred around the towns of Ramadi and Fallujah, west of the capital. But now
Six British soldiers have been killed and eight others injured in attacks in
southern Iraq. In other clashes west of Baghdad, at least three Iraqis were
killed and one U.S. soldier was wounded.
The latest news on these
attacks as of Thursday, 26-Jun-2003 is as follows: An attack on a U.S. military
patrol in Baghdad has killed at least one person and injured several others. It
marks the latest in a series of attacks against American troops in the country.
The attack on the military patrol occurred on a road leading to Baghdad's
international airport. There have also been reports that a vehicle carrying
employees of the national electricity company was attacked and that at least
one Iraqi employee was killed. U.S. forces have come under almost daily attacks
in central and western Iraq, the region dominated by Sunni Muslims and the main
power base for the ousted regime of Saddam Hussein and his ruling Baath Party.
At least 20 American troops have been killed in such attacks since May 1. U.S.
officials blame remaining loyalists of the ousted regime for the attacks. They
also say these armed groups have carried out a number of attacks against oil
and power installations in an effort to stir up public resentment of the
coalition forces. British military officials are still investigating clashes
earlier this week between British troops and angry civilians in the town of
Majar al Kabir, in the south of the country. Six soldiers of the royal military
police force were killed and seven injured. Four Iraqis were also reported
killed in the violence. According to local witnesses, tension had been brewing
for some time in the area. Residents were angry over what they consider
heavy-handed and intrusive methods used by British troops in searching for
weapons in private homes.
VOA -- 24 Jun 2003, 17:19
UTC
Sonja Pace
Baghdad
Note: The updates were taken from
another more recent report by:
Sonja Pace, Baghdad, 26 Jun 2003, 13:26
UTC
Pace
Report - Download 229k
(RealAudio)
x
x |
.
 |
 |
| British troops
in southern Iraq |
|
Six British soldiers were killed and eight others injured in attacks
in southern Iraq. In other clashes west of Baghdad, at least three Iraqis were
killed and one U.S. soldier was wounded.
British
forces came under two separate attacks near the city of Amarah, about 200
kilometers north of Iraq's second largest city, Basra. In one attack a
helicopter also came under fire.
It was the first major attack against British troops in Iraq
since the fall of the regime of Saddam Hussein in April.
U.S. troops have come under almost daily attacks and ambushes
during the past several weeks in areas north and west of Baghdad. The latest
attacks against American forces occurred around the towns of Ramadi and
Fallujah, west of the capital.
Military officials blame the attacks on armed groups still
loyal to Saddam Hussein's ousted regime.
The military has been conducting extensive security sweeps to
try to eliminate this armed resistance. Iraqi activists say the fact that
Saddam Hussein has not been proved dead or been captured, is an incentive for
his loyalists to continue their attacks.
American military officials in Baghdad are not commenting on an
operation last week in which U.S. special forces targeted a convoy suspected of
carrying senior members of the ousted regime. The operation occurred along the
border with neighboring Syria. Several Syrians were injured in a firefight
involving U.S. troops.
U.S.
defense officials say investigators have not yet determined the identities of
those killed in the attack on the convoy. They say they will conduct DNA tests
if necessary to try to identify the victims. But they say there is no
indication that Saddam Hussein or his two sons are among the
dead.
Email this article to a
friend.
Printer Friendly Version
.
|
End of article 2
.
.
53rd Anniversary of Korean War
Observed
. |
.
Asia Pacific - North Korea -
Re: 53rd Anniver4sary of Korean War with
Recap
On June 25, 1950 the
armed forces of Communist North Korea drove across the 38th Parallel that had
divided the two Koreas since the end of World War II. The South Korean
military, smaller and less well-equipped, was unable to stop the well-trained
northern forces, and beat a hasty retreat. Donald Gregg, a former U.S.
Ambassador to South Korea and now president of the Korea Society in New York,
explains that the invasion was based in part on a miscalculation by Josef
Stalin and Mao Tse-tung, the leaders of the Soviet Union and China, which were
North Korea's primary supporters. "They both guessed wrong and thought the
United States would not intervene and so the decision was made to arm and
support North Korea by the Soviets and so the attack was launched," he said.
And thus began a complicated military scenario explained below in the article,
which when it ended left North Korea by contrast to South Korea a highly
reclusive Stalinist state with few friends. Economic mismanagement and a series
of natural disasters have brought the nation to the brink of economic
collapse.
Global concerns over North Korea's intentions have arisen
again since October, when the United States said Pyongyang had admitted it was
trying to enrich uranium to develop nuclear arms. Since then, the North has
engaged in a series of provocative acts, including restarting banned nuclear
facilities, and now says it already possesses nuclear weapons. South Korea's
new president, Roh Moo-hyun, has promised to maintain his predecessor's policy
of engaging the North with joint projects and economic assistance. But even he
has called the North's weapons program "intolerable," and South Korea - with
some reluctance - is once again part of an emerging alliance arrayed against
the North.
Comment (HFY): War is ugly! The Korean war
sucked into its conflict hundreds of thousands of Chineese and a substantial UN
coalition force led by the USA. The following article has this to say about the
conflict: "Former Ambassador Gregg says the Chinese advance exacted a heavy
toll on the allies: about 40,000 U.N. troops died on the battlefield. There
were 900,000 Chinese and one half million North Korean soldiers wounded or
killed. Despite this it was really Stalin, he says, who was calling the
shots."
VOA -- 25 Jun 2003, 12:36
UTC
Amy Bickers
Tokyo
Listen
to Amy Bickers' report (RealAudio)
Bickers
report - Download 676k
(RealAudio)
x
x |
.
On June 25, 1950 the armed forces of Communist North Korea drove
across the 38th Parallel that had divided the two Koreas since the end of World
War II. The South Korean military, smaller and less well-equipped, was unable
to stop the well-trained northern forces, and beat a hasty
retreat.
Donald
Gregg, a former U.S. Ambassador to South Korea and now president of the Korea
Society in New York, explains that the invasion was based in part on a
miscalculation by Josef Stalin and Mao Tse-tung, the leaders of the Soviet
Union and China, which were North Korea's primary supporters. "They both
guessed wrong and thought the United States would not intervene and so the
decision was made to arm and support North Korea by the Soviets and so the
attack was launched," he said.
However, U.S. President Harry S. Truman obtained a United
Nations Security Council resolution authorizing a military response to the
attack, and the United States, Britain and other nations were quick to send
troops. Mr. Truman dispatched an entire army.
 |
|
| U.S. soldier
views the battered remains of the Communist defenders of Hill 268 |
|
On September 15, General Douglas MacArthur, commander of the U.N.
forces, launched a counter-assault that took the North Koreans by surprise. His
troops recaptured Seoul, and soon after that the North indicated it would be
willing to accept restoration of the 38th parallel as the two nations' dividing
line.
MacArthur, however, felt that the two nations could be forcibly
reunited under Seoul's control and the fighting continued. He pushed northward,
and by November had virtually all of North Korea under his control. But 300,000
Chinese troops, which had secretly crossed the Chinese-North Korean border,
quickly pushed the U.N. forces back again.
Former Ambassador Gregg says the Chinese advance exacted a
heavy toll on the allies: about 40,000 U.N. troops died on the battlefield.
There were 900,000 Chinese and one half million North Korean soldiers wounded
or killed. Despite this it was really Stalin, he says, who was calling the
shots.
"The
Chinese called for a halt in the war, and Stalin, in a brutal message, said
no," he said. "It was Stalin's death in early 1953 that really set the stage
for the signing of the armistice. A lot of people have forgotten what a fight
to the death the war was at that time, and Korea was the cockpit of that
war."
The origins of the war are anchored in the Korean Peninsula's
history. For centuries, China, Japan and Russia jockeyed for its control. Early
in the 20th Century, Japan colonized the peninsula, and held it until being
defeated in World War II.
In 1945, the Soviet Union, which had declared war on Japan at
the very end of World War II and had sent troops into Korea, accepted the
surrender of Japanese units above the 38th parallel. The United States took the
surrender of the Japanese south of that line.
 |
|
| An American
mortar crew fires on the Communist North Korean invaders 11 July 1950, near
Chochiwan, Korea |
|
Within a few years, Soviet and U.S. occupation forces pulled out,
leaving a Communist government in the North and a democratically-elected
government in the South. Kim Il-Sung, the North Korean leader, decided to
reunify the peninsula by force of arms, and with Stalin's blessing, ordered his
troops to attack.
When
the fighting stopped in July 1953, both sides had been devastated and the high
hopes that came with the end of the 35-year Japanese occupation had been
dashed. Peace had been brought about not by a formal treaty, but only by a
fragile armistice, which remains in effect to this day. The ideological
differences that sparked the war are still in place despite the end of the Cold
War elsewhere in the world.
The
United States is still a close ally of the South, with 37,000 U.S. troops based
there to deter the North from another attack and to help defend South Korea if
an attack does come. The stability produced by the U.S. presence has allowed
the South to develop a thriving market-based economy.
North Korea by contrast remains a highly reclusive Stalinist
state with few friends. Economic mismanagement and a series of natural
disasters have brought the nation to the brink of economic
collapse.
"There
still is potential for conflict," said Derek Mitchell, a senior fellow at the
Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. "What we also see
as a legacy of that war is a pretty developed and economically vibrant East
Asia as a result of that and, on the contrary, the situation in North Korea is
a disaster. So it is probably the perfect example of dichotomy between vibrant
capitalism and freedom, and a closed society, that is the bottom line of the
Cold War."
Global concerns over North Korea's intentions have arisen again since
October, when the United States said Pyongyang had admitted it was trying to
enrich uranium to develop nuclear arms. Since then, the North has engaged in a
series of provocative acts, including restarting banned nuclear facilities, and
now says it already possesses nuclear weapons.
South Korea's new president, Roh Moo-hyun, has promised to
maintain his predecessor's policy of engaging the North with joint projects and
economic assistance. But even he has called the North's weapons program
"intolerable," and South Korea - with some reluctance - is once again part of
an emerging alliance arrayed against the North.
.
.
Email this article to a
friend.
Printer Friendly Version
. |
End of article 3
.
.
Afghanistan Releases 2
Journalists Detained for Controversial Article
. |
.
South East Asia - Afghanistan -
Kabul
@Aftaab
weekly
Re: Religious
Intolerance
Afghan President Hamid
Karzai ordered the two journalists released on bail, but the charges against
them still stand. Mir Hussein Mehdavi, chief editor of the Aftaab
weekly, and his Iranian deputy Ali Riza Payam were taken into custody last week
for publishing an article considered offensive to Islam and contravening the
country's press laws. The controversial article, entitled "Holy Fascism," was
critical of some Afghan politicians who also head religious factions. The
article complained about a lack of progress in the Muslim world, and called for
secular government in Afghanistan, which is at present officially
Islamic.
Comment (HFY): Whether Hamid Karzai is just
playing for time or is also sensitive regarding conduct of certain Muslim
clerics is yet unclear. One thing rings out loud and clear about this entire
Muslim dominated region of the world, and that is to follow Islam is to
discriminate against all other religions. There are many persecution reports on
this web site that factually substantiate that disposition. Although such
discrimination coming from liberal Moslems in the USA appears not to be an
issue except for pockets of fundamentalist radicals, this discrimination is an
issue throughout the vast majority of the so called Moslem world. This form of
religious discrimination rivals racial discrimination and equality that has
been a problem elsewhere in the world. Racial discrimination however is not
absent from the Moslem world it simply takes second place to religious
intolerance and persecution. What we have in the Muslim world of Islam is state
sponsored religion, specifically Islam and with a strong and prevailing
tendency of intolerance for any kind of criticism of the Islamic clerics as
criticism weakens their agenda of religious dominance.
The USA policy
coming from the White House has more or less denied there is any kind of Moslem
intolerance taught in the Koran or promoted by Islamic clerics and by the
Muslim followers of Islam. However, this is entirely incorrect as the facts
demonstrate otherwise. In point of fact, this intolerance spreads into the
political scenario and intimidates the making of political decisions. We see
this in this article below and we are now seeing this in Iraq as Muslim clerics
struggle to take a political dominance and inflame Muslims to violence. It is
my opinion that militant followers of Saddam Hussein in Iraq are not the only
source of terrorism occurring in Iraq. A general sense of intolerance would
appear to pervade Iraq as it does in Iran, Afghanistan, Syria, and other Middle
East countries as well as former Soviet Union states, as well as many South
East Asia and Asia Pacific regions.
Communism was thought by Marxists
to be an overall solution to social conflict within a society and between
different societies. But communism is no better than the leaders associated
with communism. Islam is no better than the leaders associated with Islam.
Christianity is no better than the leaders associated with Christianity.
Democracy is no better than the leaders associated with Democracy. A monarchy
or a dictatorship is no better than the leader associated with the monarchy or
the dictatorship. Therefore, communism could not work as it simply became
another expression of rule by dictatorship, a rule by a kind of "secular
clergy", those promoting a secular and materialistic philosophy of living while
using it to dominate the masses. In addition, this predatory dominance of the
masses by corrupt leaders whether or not they are "clerical", tends to corrupt
the masses until the masses either rebel or become as corrupt as their leaders.
The term "clerical" traditionally applies to religious leaders who supposedly
promote the religious cause. However, in a broader sense, all political systems
are an expression of some kind of social philosophy just as religion is a
social philosophy and one can therefore consider such leaders as "clerics" of
that philosophy.
What the government of the USA must come to understand
is that Islam is a global movement that if it were to succeed in dominating
these regions would become an ugly political religious entity ruled by Muslim
clerics and brutal laws that deprive citizens of rights taken for granted in
the USA. But the social problems of this world cannot be blamed just on Islam.
Muslims, as do Catholics, consider rule of the clerics as synonymous to the
rule by God. This is why clerics from both of these religions have in the past
and continue to strive for political power over the masses. In the absence of
such political authority there is always the manipulation of the "faithful" to
serve the cause put forward by the "clerical". One cannot blame the average
Muslim or Catholic for their blind obedience to clerics because they have been
taught from birth that association with the religious institutions and
obedience to the clerics constitutes association with God and obedience to God.
Unfortunately, on the part of Protestant clerics there is a somewhat similar
but toned down manipulation of the faithful giving rise to a rather strange
power struggle between denominations. In all cases noted here, Communism,
Muslim, Catholic, and Protestant, the "clerical" class (used in the generic way
of promoting a social philosophy and agenda) tends to promote the notion they
("clergy") are acting under the authority of God. Acceptance of the "faithful"
of this notion makes the "faithful" more manipulatable and controllable and in
alignment with the clerical agendas. This is even true in Democratic countries
when democratic leaders in the name of God and national pride manipulate
millions of people into acts of war. This is not to say that the action of war
was right or wrong but simply to point out how the masses can be manipulated.
But back to religious manipulation.
This idea of "association and
obedience to God" as synonymous with "membership in a religious institution and
obedience to clerics" is so strongly ingrained that clerics often take their
congregations (the "faithful" as they are called by the clerics) down any trail
that suites the religious/political agenda of the clerics. To digress again,
military organizations do the same, the military "clergy" here are the generals
and they insist on blind obedience by the "faithful" soldiers otherwise the
military objectives would never be met. Needless to say, in all this confusion
and competition, the religious clergy, in general, are at odds with the secular
segment of society which has a tendency to treat religion in general as
unrealistic and unable to take on the challenges of life. A good example is the
military junta in Burma or the dictatorship in North Korea.
In the USA
and other Western countries there are degrees of mixing government with
religion. In the USA the original concept of "no state sponsored religion" in
order to protect "freedom of religion" has now evolved into a secularized
treatment of social control in the form of laws that deny religious expression
and freedom in any institution where there is any kind of government
involvement or general public involvement. This situation is supposedly
promoted in the interests of peace and social harmony. This trend is pumped by
the "materialists" who want to first destroy established and somewhat
secularized Christianity and thereafter all religions and create a social
environment of self indulgence for all, all of which appears highly immoral
(from a Christian perspective) of society.
This entire scenario is
simply "ugly", complicated, and driven by agendas serving those that are able
to obtain leadership over different areas of society. What we see in all
of this confusion are the social forces generated by several classes or
categories of people having diverse agendas purposed around their leadership's
view of what this leadership ("clergy" whether secular , religious, military,
etc.) want life in general to become. Their attitudes and behavior and
finally their actions to, for, and within any given society reflect these
agendas in the form of alliances and divisions as they both help and oppose one
another as it serves their individual purposes.
Now it is true I have
used the term "clergy" as almost equivalent to "leaders" because of the common
attribute of being in authority and representing a specific philosophy of life
by which society or some segment of society is manipulated. The merits of the
philosophies were not an issue. The issue was how these "clerics in the generic
sense" struggle for dominance and work out their agendas. For example, in the
USA the army serves the government with the President being Commander In Chief.
In turn the President should be concerned about administering his office on
behalf of all Americans. In a way, the President is a "cleric" of democracy.
But if we look at Zimbabwe which is supposed to be a similar situation, Mugabe
is the "cleric" of democracy but effectively operates a ruthless dictatorship
and does not act in the interests of all the people in Zimbabwe. Why play with
the word "cleric" when "leader" would do the job? Because I want to emphasize
that most often there is no difference as either label fits all as explained.
But from a Christian perspective, leadership means something entirely
different and a cleric should "lead" in a very specific way. Jesus Christ
taught that "leaders" should serve others not dominate and manipulate others
for their own self aggrandizement and agenda. The New Testament was framed as a
written record of how a Christian culture should be formed. Christian clerics
should be more concerned about being "Christ Like" and influencing the
"faithful" in that regard. The aspect of "authority over" should not even be a
claim or an issue. The term "cleric" should mean to serve others in a
partnership of leadership. The aspect of Christian community or culture is to
be one of fellowship built out of trust, honesty, and collaborative social
interaction, all of which is dominated by a supportive and cooperative spirit
of interaction. A Christian community has no need of instituted democratic
processes, a hierarchical chain of command, or any of the other forms of
entrenched social manipulation used to organize and control people in today's
world.
A Christian community is driven by the caring of God for mankind
through the "faithful" called the saints. The principle of interaction is based
on the belief and experience that when people are "Christ Like" they are driven
into partnership with one another. They are driven to be with and to support
one another. They are driven to support through collaboration one another. This
concept of being driven by one Spirit is alien to the non Christian as well as
many who call themselves Christians but have never engaged the transformation
process to be Christ Like. When Christians lack these social skills and
relationships then they need help. This help is to come from the Christian
"cleric". In this case every Christian should be "led" by a "cleric" in such a
way that the "cleric" becomes no longer required and those that form the
Christian community learn to lead and mister to one another according to the
mandate of love or caring given by Jesus. In other words, the term "cleric"
here only means someone who stands out as capable of teaching others how to act
cooperatively in "fellowship" with each other which involves leading each other
not by authority but by influence through collaboration and example. Although
there are organizational issues that flow out of this they are resolved as
needed and consistent with the interaction of the community members to lead one
another and not according to a predetermined hierarchical "clergy" class.
In point of fact this kind of fellowship is a naturally occurring
exchange and cooperation that occurs between people when they agree to come
together in unguarded trust. Everyone is equal, everyone is showing some kind
of leadership, everyone wants to help, no one want to hurt the other, and so
on. But this normally happens in small groups and even happens in the American
military. The difference between this sense of community and the Christian
sense of community has to do with all having a relationship with God rather
than simple camaraderie With all the social systems that have been put into
place this natural interaction between people has been disregarded as a
framework providing social stability and social harmony. Yet it is this freedom
and trust that serves as the basis for the American system and is often used as
the single most significant "value" of American society. Unfortunately, as a
basic for the American democratic governmental system it disregards the
Christian aspect of a living relationship with the One True God in whom
Americans traditionally are supposed to trust. But God will change that one day
soon and Americans will be driven back to this principle and to God necessary
to make that principle of social interaction work.
VOA -- 25 Jun 2003, 13:53
UTC
Ayaz Gul
Islamabad
Listen to
Ayaz Gul's report (RealAudio)
Gul report
- Download 206k (RealAudio)
x
x |
.
Authorities in Afghanistan have released two journalists detained for
allegedly defaming Islam.
Afghan
President Hamid Karzai ordered the two journalists released on bail, but the
charges against them still stand.
 Mir Hussein Mehdavi, chief editor of the Aftaab
weekly, and his Iranian deputy Ali Riza Payam were taken into custody last week
for publishing an article considered offensive to Islam and contravening the
country's press laws.
The
controversial article, entitled "Holy Fascism," was critical of some Afghan
politicians who also head religious factions. The article complained about a
lack of progress in the Muslim world, and called for secular government in
Afghanistan, which is at present is officially Islamic.
President Karzai says he has ordered an investigation to clarify
whether or not the article violated the Afghan constitution or the press
law.
Wednesday's release of the two journalists came after the United
Nations and human rights organizations expressed doubts about the legal grounds
for the arrests. These organizations say the charges were politically
motivated, and constituted an attack on freedom of the
press.
 The chief justice of the Afghan Supreme Court says
President Karzai ordered the two men's release because they repented and
regretted what they had done. But Chief Justice Mawlavi Fazal Hadi said the two
men have not been acquitted or pardoned, and will be summoned to court to
answer the allegations.
Islam
is the national faith of Afghanistan, and defaming the religion or criticizing
religious leaders remain extremely sensitive topics.
Email this article to a
friend.
Printer Friendly Version
.
|
End of article 4
.
.
Asian Economies Remain Sick as
SARS Scare Eases
. |
.
Far East Asia & Asia Pacific - China -
Beijing, Hong Kong, Taiwan -
@WHO - Re: SARS & the
Economy
Beijing is celebrating
its removal from the World Health Organization list of places with new
infections of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. Taiwan is hoping to be dropped
from the WHO SARS list on Thursday. But while East Asia's SARS crisis appears
to be near an end, he region's economies remain in bad health. Since the
outbreak began, the disease has taken almost 350 lives in Mainland China. Two
hundred ninety-six people died in Hong Kong, which was removed from the WHO
infection list on Monday; Taiwan, Asia's third most affected location, has
suffered at least 84 SARS deaths. Along with lives, SARS has devastated the
region's economies.
VOA -- 25 Jun 2003, 14:05
UTC
Michael Kitchen
Hong
Kong
Listen to
Michael Kitchen's report (RealAudio)
Kitchen report
- Download 283k (RealAudio)
x
x |
.
Beijing
is celebrating its removal from the World Health Organization list of places
with new infections of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. Taiwan is hoping to
be dropped from the WHO SARS list on Thursday. But while East Asia's SARS
crisis appears to be near an end, he region's economies remain in bad
health.
 |
|
| AP |
|
| Woman celebrates
as balloons are released to mark relaunch of Beijing's travel industry |
|
The WHO is also lifting its warning against travel to the Chinese
capital. Nightclubs and other entertainment venues are reopening for the first
time in two months.
Although one suspected case of SARS in Southern China was
reclassified as confirmed, health officials say the worst of the outbreak is
over.
Since the outbreak began, the disease has taken almost 350
lives in Mainland China. Two hundred ninety-six people died in Hong Kong, which
was removed from the WHO infection list on Monday; Taiwan, Asia's third most
affected location, has suffered at least 84 SARS deaths.
Along with lives, SARS has devastated the region's economies.
In Beijing, for example, one estimate put tourist arrivals at the height of the
crisis down 98 percent. Even in countries not badly affected by the disease,
such as Thailand and Indonesia, tourism all but died during the
crisis.
Veronica Gonzales, whose Beijing-based company provides hotel
booking and other services to foreign businesses, says business travel to the
city is already returning to normal from its low point in May. She says tourist
travel is another story.
"There are some hotels that are located near the airport, those
hotels are not affected at all because there are some people who still need to
come into China to do business," Ms. Gonzalez said. "But there are other hotels
that are more focused on package tours; those hotels are much more
affected."
Tourist industry workers say Hong Kong's slump from SARS peaked
sometime in April. But economists like Tim Condon of ING Financial Markets in
Hong Kong are predicting that the effect on tourism will linger for several
months.
"We are
not going to get to where we were pre-SARS, until possibly later toward the end
of this year," he said. "The drop in tourism has really been huge and it seems
unlikely that it will really snap back that quickly."
Some
restaurateurs, on the other hand, are hoping that post-SARS euphoria could
actually bring an improvement over the period before the
outbreak.
"Before the SARS, things were still not great because everybody
was nervous about the Iraqi war at the time," said Scott McLean, who manages an
upscale Western restaurant in Hong Kong. "There was not the same kind of
feel-good factor that seems to be happening now.
The economies of China and Taiwan are less reliant than Hong
Kong's on the tourist trade, and ING's Mr. Condon thinks this will translate
into a faster recovery in those places. "SARS has really not interrupted the
manufacturing engine in China, and particularly in Southern China," he said.
"It has had an impact on retail sales, as it has in Hong Kong, but that should
be short-lived."
But he added that the region was not in great shape even before
SARS hit. The East Asian region has been in a financial downturn since 1997,
Mr. Condon said, and the disappearance of the disease alone will not cure that
problem. "It certainly did not help in any of the countries," he added. "It was
bad news. But I do not think the recovery from SARS accelerates the overall
closing of the gap in terms of how quickly or how far economies are from their
potential."
For Asia to return to the "tiger economy" days of the 1990s, he
says, will take real structural changes, and not just the absence of SARS.
.
.
Email this article to a
friend.
Printer Friendly Version
.
|
End of article 5
.
.
Israeli Troops Kill 2 Hamas
Militants in Gaza
. |
.
Middle East - Israel &
Palestine
Israeli soldiers have
killed two Hamas militants in Gaza, just hours before Israeli and Palestinian
officials are to discuss implementing the first phase of an internationally
backed peace plan. The meeting is an effort to reach an arrangement on the
Israeli transfer of security responsibility to the Palestinians in the
northern Gaza Strip and the West Bank city of Bethlehem. Mr. Sharon also said
Israel would not negotiate as long as terror attacks continue. As he put it, if
the Palestinians take security responsibility for an area, they will be
responsible for maintaining the ceasefire and will have to act to eliminate
terror. Israel has repeatedly said it does not want a temporary ceasefire and
demands the disarmament of terrorist organizations. On Tuesday, Prime Minister
Ariel Sharon told a parliamentary committee that even if there is a ceasefire,
Israel will continue striking at ticking bombs. He said that if Israel
identifies an intention to commit a terror attack they will notify the
Palestinians and expect them to take action to stop it. If they do not, he
said, Israel will act on its own.
VOA -- 25 Jun 2003, 14:52
UTC
Larry James
Jerusalem
x
x |
.
Israeli
soldiers have killed two Hamas militants in Gaza, just hours before Israeli and
Palestinian officials are to discuss implementing the first phase of an
internationally backed peace plan. The meeting is an effort to reach an
arrangement on the Israeli transfer of security responsibility to the
Palestinians in the northern Gaza Strip and the West Bank city of
Bethlehem.
 |
|
| AP |
|
| Palestinian
woman walks past picture of Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin in Gaza |
|
Israel Radio said the meeting was supposed to have taken place
Tuesday, but was delayed 24 hours at Israel's request, so that it could
formulate responses to Palestinian demands.
The report said that Major General Amos Gilad, coordinator of
Israeli government activities in the territories, and Palestinian Authority
security chief Mohammed Dahlan will participate in the
meeting.
Meanwhile, Israeli media are reporting that the Palestinian Prime
Minister Mahmoud Abbas may be very close to concluding a deal with militants
for a ceasefire in their attacks on Israelis. According to reports the
ceasefire would last for three months and would cover Israel proper, as well as
Palestinian areas.
Israel has repeatedly said it does not want a temporary
ceasefire and demands the disarmament of terrorist organizations.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told a parliamentary
committee that even if there is a ceasefire, Israel will continue striking at
ticking bombs. He said that if Israel identifies an intention to commit a
terror attack they will notify the Palestinians and expect them to take action
to stop it. If they do not, he said, Israel will act on its own.
Mr. Sharon also said Israel would not negotiate as long as
terror attacks continue.
As he put it, if the Palestinians take security responsibility
for an area, they will be responsible for maintaining the ceasefire and will
have to act to eliminate terror.
.
.
Email this article to a
friend.
Printer Friendly Version
.
|
End of article 6
.
.
Japan Threatens to Cut Aid to
Burma Unless Aung San Suu Kyi is Released
. |
.
Asia Pacific - Burma - Rangoon - @Insein Prison
-
Re: Japan's Ultimatum & Ms. Aung San Suu
Kyi
Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi was detained after
clash May 30 between her supporters and a government-backed crowd. The Burmese
government blames her supporters for the violence, but Western diplomats say it
was instigated by the government side. British officials have said Aung San Suu
Kyi is being held in Rangoon's notorious Insein prison, but Burmese officials
denied this in talks with Mr. Yano on Monday. Most other leaders of her
National League for Democracy also have been detained and the party's offices
shut. Japan is Burma's biggest international donor. It is not clear from
Japanese statements if Tokyo intends to stop all current aid, or to just to
refrain from extending any new assistance.
VOA -- 25 Jun 2003, 11:22
UTC
Gary Thomas
Bangkok
x
x |
.
Japan is threatening to cut off aid to Burma unless democracy
advocate Aung San Suu Kyi is released.
Japanese officials said Wednesday Japan would withhold economic
assistance to Burma unless Aung San Suu Kyi is released.
The statement to reporters came after U.N. Special Envoy Razali
Ismail met in Tokyo with senior Japanese officials to discuss Burma. He held
talks with Japanese Deputy Foreign Minister Tetsuro Yano, who was in Burma
Monday.
Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi was detained after clash May 30 between
her supporters and a government-backed crowd. The Burmese government blames her
supporters for the violence, but Western diplomats say it was instigated by the
government side.
British officials have said Aung San Suu Kyi is being held in
Rangoon's notorious Insein prison, but Burmese officials denied this in talks
with Mr. Yano on Monday. Most other leaders of her National League for
Democracy also have been detained and the party's offices shut.
Japan is Burma's biggest international donor. It is not clear
from Japanese statements if Tokyo intends to stop all current aid, or to just
to refrain from extending any new assistance.
.
.
Email this article to a
friend.
Printer Friendly Version
.
|
End of article 7
.
.
Liberian President Says He Will
Resist Rebel Onslaught
. |
.
Africa - Liberia -
Monrovia
Re: Charles Taylor Not To Step
Down
Liberian President Mr.
Charles Taylor, a former rebel, is accused of fueling instability throughout
west Africa by smuggling weapons, timber, and diamonds, charges he denies. A
cease-fire was signed last week at peace talks in Ghana, but Mr. Taylor has
refused to step down before his term expires in January, as stipulated under
the accord. On Friday, the president said he would serve out his term and may
run again whenever elections are held.. Charles Taylor has vowed to fight
against a renewed rebel offensive on the capital, Monrovia. He has also said
peace talks will fail unless an indictment against him for war crimes is lifted
by a U.N.-backed court in Sierra Leone.
VOA -- 25 Jun 2003, 12:14
UTC
Nico Colombant
Abidjan
x
x |
.
Liberian President Charles Taylor has vowed to fight against a
renewed rebel offensive on the capital, Monrovia. The opposing forces signed a
cease-fire last week.
In a speech broadcast on Liberian radio, Mr. Taylor insisted he
would not flee and that his forces will fight against
"terror."
He
spoke as heavy shelling echoed through the outskirts of Monrovia. The rebels,
who are demanding his immediate resignation, stormed toward the city center for
the second time in three weeks.
Tens of
thousands of people rushed into Monrovia from the northern and western suburbs,
fearing a repeat of fierce battles earlier this month.
Rebels who control most of Liberia have been unable to take the
capital since starting their insurgency in 1999. But explosions rumbled across
the capital late Tuesday as rebel fighters appeared to be encroaching on the
city.
A
cease-fire was signed last week at peace talks in Ghana, but Mr. Taylor has
refused to step down before his term expires in January, as stipulated under
the accord. On Friday, the president said he would serve out his term and may
run again whenever elections are held.
Mr. Taylor has also said peace talks will fail unless an
indictment against him for war crimes is lifted by a U.N.-backed court in
Sierra Leone.
The special court has refused to lift the indictment and has
received the backing of the United States and the European Union.
Mr. Taylor, a former rebel, is accused of fueling instability
throughout west Africa by smuggling weapons, timber, and diamonds, charges he
denies.
.
.
Email this article to a
friend.
Printer Friendly Version
.
|
End of article 8
.
.
London Demands Surrender of
British Soldier's Killers
. |
.
Middle East - Iraq - @town of Majar al Kabir -
More Violence Against
Soilders
Iraqi authorities in the
south of the country say tensions between civilians and British forces led to
the clashes Tuesday in which six British soldiers of the royal military police
were killed and seven wounded. Four Iraqis also died and 14 were injured in the
violence. Authorities say tension had been brewing for some time in the town of
Majar al Kabir over what many local residents considered heavy handed and
intrusive methods used by British soldiers in their search for weapons in
private homes. Refer to a previous | | |
