Dubai -19thAugust, 2002 keralamonitor.com

Traffic jams and road accidents in Dubai would most likely be reduced
dramatically if the emirate had an integrated public transport system
providing reliable and customer-focused services to commuters, according
to Swedish transportation expert Lars Nordstrand.

"There should be no doubt in the minds of all those people living and
working in Dubai that using public transport to commute is much smarter
and safer than using cars," said Nordstrand, one of the international
industry specialists who will address delegates at Dubai's Gulf Traffic
Convention, in October.

Nordstrand, Business Director of AB Storstockholms Lokaltrafik (SL), the
authority responsible for all public transport within the capital of
Sweden, will outline the advantages of mass transit and public transport
and the benefits they bring in the lives of urban dwellers.

"The key-words in creating attractive and effective public transport in
Dubai are integration and customer-focus. The system design must be
based on real travel needs and on the perceptions and expectations of future
passengers," he said.

"Integration is a crucial part of any urban traffic policy and includes
hi-tech components such as simple-to-use smart-card ticketing systems,
covering all public transport and other services and encouraging the
effective use of the transport system as a whole. I am impressed by the
intelligent transport system (I.T.S.) programme that is now rolling out
in Dubai. "

According to Nordstrand, an underground system in Dubai would have many
advantages due to its high capacity, frequent services and controlled
temperatures.

"A Dubai underground system would offer cool temperatures on hot summer
days and could provide an attractive inner city transportation
alternative for thousands of commuters. Dubai is fast approaching the 1
million mark in population and other cities of its size, elsewhere in
the world, already have, or plan to introduce, underground services.

"Public transport should not be seen as a technical system but as a part
of the daily city life. Therefore it has to be planned, built and
performed as an integral part of the city structure and the city
spirit," said Nordstrand. "To attract more passengers, public transport
modes must offer high comfort standards, reliability and a
customer-centric approach."

Nordstrand also stressed the importance of educating youngsters on road
safety issues. "The government has to proactively introduce a grassroots road safety
educational programme to strengthen future safety standards," he said.
"Dubai's road accident record is not flattering but could improve
drastically if proper education-focused initiatives were introduced in
parallel to the now ongoing technical improvements.

"In Sweden, our road safety record, is as much a result of
working with attitudes and values as with traffic regulators and road
construction authorities. Government transportation officials and industry heads from 15
countries will attend the Gulf Traffic Convention to map out a blueprint
for improved regional traffic management.

Road safety, mass transit, I.T.S. and urban planning developments will
be the key issues at the multi-national event, to be staged between
October 26 - 29, at Dubai's Crowne Plaza Hotel, alongside Gulf Traffic
2002, the region's premier vertical exhibition for the transportation sector.

To be opened by a senior Dubai government official, the convention has
attracted wide international attention as the region's traffic and
transportation infrastructure continues to grow.

"We anticipate that over 350 Middle East and international delegates
will attend the convention which will include 26 keynote speakers from
the GCC, the USA, the UK, Australia and Western Europe, including the
President of the European Union Road Federation," said Anca Westley,
Senior Conference Manager, IIR Exhibitions and Conferences, the event's organiser. Top

Number of Resellers Caught in Breach of Copyright Laws

A month long offensive conducted by UAE Ministry of Information yields major
results

 

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 19 August 2002- The UAE Ministry of
Information stepped up its enforcement activities against traders and users
of illegal software in the Emirate recently. The raids conducted by the
Ministry resulted in 34 active resellers found guilty of dealing in illegal
software whereby a total of 47 PCs were seized all of which were loaded with
illegal software including Windows 98, Windows XP, Office XP and Adobe Photo
Shop. In addition 550 counterfeit CDs, carrying illegal copies of Windows
98, Windows XP, Office 97 and Office XP were also confiscated.

Street Vendors selling pirated CDs in a Gulf country's busy market.

“The copyright law in the UAE is very clear. It states that those who are
caught manufacturing or importing pirated work for either sale, rent, use or
circulation without permission, will face the serious consequences that go
hand in hand with breaking the law,” said Salem Al-Ameri, general manager,
censorship department, Ministry of Information and Culture. “These include
criminal charges and penalties, varying from confiscation of illegal goods,
to heavy fines and in some cases a prison term,” added Al-Ameri.

Al-Ameri went on to say that, ‘the resellers found guilty of violating the
law by selling unlicensed copies of software need to understand that their
illegal activity and earnings are simply not fair on the software
developers, who invest huge amounts in their research and development. Not
only are they making illicit profits but they are putting all users at risk
and hurting the legitimate technology industry in general.”

Since the copyright law was passed in 1992, the UAE has become a leader in
the fight against illegal software proliferation and has achieved the lowest
piracy levels in the region, for the 6th consecutive year with a reduction
of 3% to reach 41% in 2001. The governments stance in the face of illegal
software and the software piracy results recorded for 2001are credited as
major factors in the emergence of the UAE as a regional IT hub with a
greater influx of investments into the country and positive growth in the
local IT industry.

The UAE government recently passed an amended new Federal Copyright Law,
No.7 to further improve the country’s already effective Copyright law.
Hence, the UAE continues to set a precedent in its commitment towards
protecting the creator with a clear objective to nurture a successful and
prosperous economy.

“We believe that education and awareness is the key to controlling the
spread of piracy and raids are always taken as a last resort. No action is
taken against any company until several notices have been presented, in
addition to offers of assistance from the BSA to license their software. If
all efforts fail only then will the authorities take action against those
companies in breech of the copyright law,” added Al-Ameri.

“The BSA applauds the UAE Ministry of Information for their unrelenting and
dedicated enforcement efforts in the fight against the piracy menace. The
result has been, the emergence of the UAE as a role model in combating
illegal software and maintaining the lowest piracy levels in the region,”
said Jawad Al Redha, regional director, Business Software Alliance.Top

DHL UAE Appoints New Jebel Ali Station Manager

August 19, 2002

DHL UAE, the Emirates' leading air express supplier has appointed Sri
Lankan Carl Samuel as station manager of its JAFZA Express Logistics
Centre (ELC).

Samuel, a graduate of Sri Lanka's St. Thomas' College moves into the
position after fulfilling the responsibilities of Services Trainer for
the UAE.

A seven-year DHL veteran, 32-year old Samuel brings a wide range of
experience to his new role having served in operations, training and
customer service during his career with DHL.

"During his time at DHL, Samuel has been exposed to the numerous facets
which make up DHL's Gulf business. This broad range of experience
coupled with his local market knowledge will put him in good stead to
deal with the intricacies of the highly successful Jebel Ali ELC," said
David Wild, General Manager, DHL UAE.

Samuel's previous roles within DHL include Care Desk Executive/Duty
Manager, Air Freight Co-ordinator and Multi-function Floater. Top

 

TASJEEL Launches GCC'S First Mobile testing unit for light and heavvy vehicles

18th August, 2002

Tasjeel - the vehicle test and registration service operated by Emirates
Petroleum Products Company (EPPCO) LLC in tandem with Dubai Police - has
launched the Gulf's first mobile inspection system for light vehicles
(MVIS). The move follows Tasjeel's introduction, seven months ago, of
the Middle East's first mobile testing unit for heavy vehicles.

The Dhs 1 million MVIS is stationed at Tasjeel's Warsan centre in Dubai
and operates Saturday to Wednesday from 7am to 3pm and from 7am to 2am
on Thursdays.

"This customer-centric service is in line with Tasjeel's mission to
provide enhanced convenience, by revolutionising the vehicle test and
registration experience," said Hussain Sultan, Group Chief Executive &
Board Member, Emirates National Oil Company Limited (ENOC) LLC, of which
EPPCO is a subsidiary.

"Future demand will dictate the number of MVIS units we will introduce,
but the strong usage of Tasjeel's heavy vehicle mobile testing facility
indicates that UAE motorists will soon embrace the new service too."

MVIS will soon be equipped for on-the-spot registration, but currently
motorists using the service can make use of the free number plate
delivery, a day after testing.

"Tasjeel constantly improves its offering by designing and evolving
flexible, value-added services. More innovations are in the pipeline, in
accordance to ENOC's pioneering and versatile nature," said Sultan.

"Tasjeel occupies a prominent position in the Middle East's test and
registration sector and is diversifying to offer consultancy services to
authorities throughout the region."

The new MVIS service is available by appointment by calling 04 3336470
or the MVIS hotline 050 5388135.

Satellite Phone Activations Double in the Last Two Years; Reaches 100,000
Connections

Inmarsat leads the way in mini-M satellite phone activations globally; many
with multiple users and sales sales grow at an average rate of nearly 2,000
a month Top

Satellite Phone Activations Double in the Last Two Years; Reaches 100,000
Connections

August 18th 2002, Dubai

Inmarsat Ltd, the world’s leading global mobile satellite communications
provider, announced today that it has topped 100,000 registered mini-M
satellite phones worldwide with sales doubling in the last two year,
consolidating mini-M’s position as the world’s biggest selling mobile
satellite phone. “We are delighted to have reached this milestone,” said
Samer Halawi, regional director, Inmarsat Ltd. “Sales of mini-M satellite
phones have grown rapidly since the launch of service in 1997, and today it
is the most popular solution in our Instant Communication portfolio,
enabling people to communicate via voice, fax or e-mail anywhere in the
world.” In the Middle East, demand for voice communications via satellite
grew stronger in the last two years. “Much of the traffic generated from our
Inmarsat satellite that covers the Indian ocean region in the last two years
were from voice and low speed data which shows that importance that mini-M
is gaining in our part of the world,” Halawi said.

Captain David Younes, managing director of USMSTS, a satellite communication
solutions provider for the maritime industry and a Lebanon-based Inmarsat
partner said:” Judging from our sales record, the workhorse of the family
remains the standard mini-M type world phone, which has been the most
invaluable tool for numerous users.” Some of the mini-M users according to
Captain Younes include the UN-ESCWA in Beirut, ship masters, managers and
crew in Lebanon and Cyprus, African based medical staff and rough diamond
buyers.

Mini-M offers a complete range of models from portable, to maritime, to
vehicular and even for corporate jets with tracking antenna. This year
Inmarsat has also launched a payphone version. Captain Younes explains: ”
Another practical feature of the Inmarsat mini-M system is the various types
of pre-paid airtime SIM cards operating on this system, not to mention the
most popular crew cards, enabling seafarers to keep in touch with their
loved ones.” He continues: ”The Inmarsat mini-M system has in fact
established its voice, fax and data communications reliability up to
latitudes of 70 degrees and under adverse weather conditions in land and
sea, during solar flares activity and during thunderstorms. All other RF
based communications have proven ineffective under these conditions.”

The portable mini-M terminal is lightweight, fully portable and provides 98
per cent land mass coverage. The maritime mini-M offers coverage in all the
major shipping routes. In all variants, mini-M has proved itself a valuable
communications link for anyone operating beyond the reach of traditional
terrestrial networks or when those networks don’t offer the quality or level
of service required to make voice or data calls. It also offers value for
money when compared with many GSM roaming rates – if that service is
available – and can be less than half the cost of hotel rates.

Increasingly important has been the payphone solution which offers
seafarers, governments, mining, energy and construction sites, a cost
effective voice service for ‘communities’ operating outside the reach of
traditional communication services or where that service is not reliable
enough for email, fax and voice calls. In India, for example, a number of
villages, where electricity and telecoms infrastructure access are at
premium, mini-Ms, often with a payphone, are successfully used to address
the gap in the provision of rural public telephony

Companies like Roc Oil of Australia use mini-M for their oil exploration
teams for e-mail, fax and voice operating in diverse areas as Australia,
Senegal, the UK and Mongolia. Graham Ryrie, IT and graphics manager at Roc
Oil, Sydney explains: “We found the mini-M to be extremely useful as it is a
self-contained communications system. Easily portable and running from
batteries, it provided a useful additional safety measure and comms out in
the field.”Inmarsat mini-M phones can be used in over 150 countries worldwide and, in
addition, versions are in use for the aeronautical and maritime markets.

“Inmarsat has seen many rivals enter and leave the mobile satellite services
market,” said Halawi. “But despite all the hype and the tall claims, most
users recognise that if they want reliability, coverage and availability,
nothing tops Inmarsat.”

Inmarsat has been registering new connections for mini-M at the rate of
nearly 2,000 a month - with each terminal potentially being used by a range
of subscribers from one individual, to 50 or more on a ship.

“What also makes Inmarsat different is that our voice offering is just one
element of our total communications portfolio for enterprises globally,”
said Halawi. “At one end of the spectrum there’s our voice and low-speed
data mini-M phone, at the other end we’re currently the only company to
offer an integrated high speed global ISDN service at 64kbit/s, a Mobile
Packet Data service and voice, via our Global Area Network (GAN).”

Since the company’s inception over 22 years ago as a provider of maritime
safety services, Inmarsat has helped save the lives of hundreds of people at
sea. That same network, which posted an availability figure for the year
2001 of over 99.99%, also enables people to communicate from around the
earth and for businesses to benefit from mobile connectivity and
communications wherever they happen to operate in the world.

“We really pioneered universal mobile satellite communications and we’ve
been evolving the system over the past two decades, constantly achieving new
levels of innovation to match the needs of our customers. What our
enterprise customers now need is even greater bandwidth and our next
Inmarsat generation of satellites, which will be operational in 2004, will
drive us from 64kbit/s, through up to 144kbit/s and then up to 432kbit/s,”
said Halawi. “With such a flexible portfolio of cost-effective mobile
services and solutions, Inmarsat aims to continue to provide their customers
with what they need – reliable and cost-effective mobile satellite
communications.”

Top

Raqmiyat Enhances Customer Support with ACCPAC eCRM

And decides to build eCRM into its turn-key solutions for UAE and region’s
businesses

 

From right to left: Marc Van der Ven – ACCPAC General
manager; Abdulrahman Al Ghurair – Raqmiyat Chairman; Shaila Chandrasekhar –
ACCPAC Consultant ; Tapas Roy – Raqmiyat chief operating officer

Dubai, 18h August 2002 - Raqmiyat, a leading systems integration and IT
company and a member of Al Ghurair group of companies, today announced that
it has become the first ACCPAC eCRM business partner in the UAE. The
announcement comes after Raqmiyat has successfully integrated ACCPAC eCRM in
its own business. Raqmiyat provides a wide range of vertical industry
solutions and its decision to add the ACCPAC eCRM suite to its business
portfolio, according to the company’s chairman, Mr. Abdulrahman Al Ghurair,
substantially enhances the company’s business offering to the UAE and the
region’s mid-market businesses. “By integrating a CRM suite, we can now
offer our clients turn key solutions built with extreme care for customer
satisfaction.” He continues: “ACCPAC eCRM is uniquely positioned to serve
the real-world needs of customer-focused users, while seamlessly integrating
with all the front and back-end business functions that today’s mid market
business search for.”

ACCPAC’s eCRM is part of the ACCPAC suite of end-to-end e-business
management solutions designed specifically for mid-market businesses. In
commenting on Raqmiyat’s logic behind investing in a CRM tool, Roy Tapas,
Raqmiyat’s COO said: “Our decision to put in place a CRM suite is strategic
and is an integral part of our quality service goals. For example, we
needed to automate our entire sale and customer support process to ensure
instant access to clients’ information and therefore, greater efficiency in
responding to our clients’ calls. Today, our staff have instant access to
service level agreements, clients history and status, wherever they are.
This automation also achieved greater visibility into our own performance
used for strategic management decisions.” Roy explains that ACCPAC eCRM is
today helping Raqmiyat shorten its sales cycles and conduct more productive
marketing that is more efficient.

In commenting on Raqmiyat choice resting on ACCPAC, Roy said:” Compared to
the canned solutions available in the market, we were impressed by ACCPAC
eCRM’s ease-of-use, simplicity, and the completeness of integration with our
back end accounting. Roy explains that the open architecture of ACCPAC eCRM
allows for integration with any database and third-party software that
businesses might be using.” He adds: “This is an approach that we trust and
one that we’ve decided to take to our clients.”

Marc Van der Ven, general manager for ACCPAC said:”Raqmiyat’s reputation,
proven quality service and the depth of knowledge of its people are the
foundation of our partnership decision. We believe that the UAE’s
mid-market, along with its need for trusted solutions, needs to have access
to pro-active consultancy and proficiency in implementation and follow-up.
Raqmiyat delivers it all.”Top


S.B. Mathur takes over as chairman of the Life Insurance Corporation of India


Sunil Behari Mathur has today taken over charge as the Chairman of the Life Insurance Corporation of India.
August 16, 2002, Mumbai: Mathur is a qualified Chartered Accountant. He joined the Life Insurance Corporation of India in May, 1967 as a Direct Recruit Officer. Prior to his taking charge as the Chairman, Mathur was the Executive Director in charge of Marketing and International Operations. He had earlier held various prestigious positions in the Corporation from Senior Divisional Manager, in-charge of Gwalior Division to Chief of Corporate Planning at the Central Office and General Manager of LIC (International) E.C., Bahrain , Zonal Manager in-charge of Western Zone before taking charge as Executive Director. During his tenure as General Manager LIC (International) E.C., an offshore subsidiary of LIC from June, 1998 to December, 2000, Company's asset base increased from $24 million to $ 54 million.

The company also expanded its operations in Qatar and Dubai (UAE) 10 years after commencement of operations in Gulf in June, 1989. Under his leadership, the Western Zone, the largest zone of the Corporation, has shown unprecedented growth in business with total first premium income registering an increase of around 500% in fiscal 2001-02. The Zone has also excelled in customer servicing, application of technology etc. and is operating at the lowest cost ratio in the Corporation. Mathur was sponsored by USAID for a training programme on Housing Finance at the Wharton Business School , Philadelphia (USA) in April/May, 1992.

He has also attended a programme on Globalisation, Technology and Management of Change conducted by Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, jointly with Sloan Business School, MIT, Boston (USA) in April/May, 1997. Mathur is a voracious reader and has attended various seminars at national and international forums. Under his able leadership, LIC is poised to scale new heights in all facets of performance.

AXIOM Telecom Inks Deal with Screenmedia

Dubai-August 18, 2002.

Middle East one of first export markets to distribute "Freepad" with regional turnover in tens of millions of Dirhams]


Dubai, 17/8/2002: Norwegian technology company, Screen Media, developers of FreePad, the world's first GPRS wireless multimedia, telecom and internet capable terminal, singed an exclusive distribution and agency deal with leading telecom retail chain Axiom for the Middle East region. The deal makes the Far East and the Middle East the first international markets to distribute this state-of-the-art Norwegian technology.


The deal is sign the wholesale telecom business is flourishing handsomely aside retail across the Middle East with demand still growing. "With the exclusive addition of Screen Media's Freepad, Axiom can consolidate its position as the leading specialist provider of telecom and wireless technology in the region. We are very confident this unique product will be a massive hit with the public especially when they know all the features and the unbeatable price we plan to retail at in this region," noted Faisal Al Bannai, CEO - Axiom Telecom. "With Screen Media's FreePad, you can surf the net, watch a movie, play a CD or make phone calls from anywhere in your home or office via a radio base station that automatically switches to GPRS for full mobility. The addition of a miniature camera will open up the possibility of fully mobile conference calls," stated a spokesperson for Screen Media. The FreePad terminal is expected to generate regional sales in the tens of millions of UAE Dirhams and is designed with a user friendly touch screen functionality, it is also e-mail capable. All the different functions are obtainable at the same time if the household/office has ISDN installed.

FreePad also contains a directory function with a synopsis over names, addresses, telephone numbers and e-mail addresses. It will soon be possible to use FreePad as a control terminal in your smart home, as a remote control for lighting, heat, and television. As an accessory to the FreePad, a wireless video conferencing camera will be available. "Imagine FreePad as your cooking book in the kitchen, your newspaper in front of the fireplace, your telephone on the terrace, or as your e-chat communicator from the hammock in the garden - the possibilities are innumerable. We know that many people still are afraid of using new forms of technology, but we believe that FreePad will resolve this. The keyword is simplicity, and the product will appear as user friendly, flexible, and innovative that the user will be inspired to take full advantage of the Internet," added Faisal Albannai.


The Norwegian technology company, Screen Media, has positioned itself as a leading supplier in the race for a combined telephony and Internet terminal. Screen Media released the first prototypes of the FreePad at a press conference in Paris last year. The FreePad is based upon a new version of the DECT wireless technology that supports both data and voice. This technology named DECT DMAP is unique because of the ability to simultaneously transfer data and voice over the same ISDN line. The range of the technology is 300 meters outdoor and 50 meters indoor. Screen Media believe they are ahead of competitors on the technology side. The FreePad is developed with the main focus on user friendliness without no compromise on functionality and information services.

The two Norwegian design companies, Ergonomi Design AS and Fem Design AS, have both contributed in the design of the Freepad and the intuitive user interface. The terminal is 31 cm wide and 26cm deep and will support a 12.1 or 10.4 inch colour touch screen. The LCD based touch screen eliminates the need for a mouse and a keyboard. Information at your fingertips is finally a reality. The FreePad, which is only 10 mm high in the front and 30 mm in the back, weighs only 1.2 kilo. The use of the Linux operating system secures a 1-one second start-up time. Other key parameters are smart card reader/writer, loudspeakers, speakerphone, microphone. The flash disk secures silent operations and the rechargeable batteries will last for 4 hours.

Screen Media's Middle East Partner, Axiom Telecom, is part of local conglomerate, Al Bannai Enterprises. Al Bannai Enterprises is a family-owned group of companies that started its operation in 1960 in Dubai. Today the Group has fourteen different operations in a diversified market place with nearly five hundred employees. Axiom Telecom is a leading, authorized distributor for Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Siemens, Trium, Motorola, Thuraya, Compaq, C-pen and other leading manufacturers. Axiom specializes in mobile and wireless communication products hence ScreenMedia's preference to work with Axiom. Axiom is backed up by its own state-of-the-art repair center for telecom support and after sales. Axiom have offices in UAE, and Pakistan, and vast network of distributors throughout the Middle East. With such a network Axiom believe they are in an ideal position to service the huge Middle East market for Screen Media's Freepad.Top 

Local study on female condom shows acceptability

BUJUMBURA, 19 August (IRIN) - A study on the acceptability of the female
condom, Femidom, shows that "it provides a reliable men-for-women
protection against pregnancy as well as the HIV virus".

The results of the study also show that Femidom empowers women by
enhancing their control over their bodies, and protects them, especially
against men under the influence of alcohol or drugs, when there is a
reduced chance of male condom use.

The 2001 study, funded by the UN Population Fund and conducted by the
Society for Women with AIDS in Africa-Burundi, involved 320 women and
lasted two months.

Other reported benefits over male condoms include comfort, softness,
greater sexual satisfaction, and a better smell. However, 49 per cent of
the respondents in the survey found Femidom difficult to use and
ill-adapted to local sexual practices.

Despite its benefits, Femidom is relatively expensive compared to male
condoms. Some women find it difficult to use because of the nature of the
female genitalia. "In short, the reluctance over its use limits its level
of acceptance", the study said.

It recommended that Femidom be sold at subsidised prices because of the
population's weak purchasing power. It also called for an information
campaign on the proper use of Femidom, and a special effort to change male
attitudes to it. Top

NIGERIA: Islamic court upholds death-by-stoning sentence

LAGOS, 19 August (IRIN) - An Islamic appeal court in Katsina State,
northern Nigeria, on Monday upheld a death sentence imposed by a lower
court on a woman found guilty of adultery.

Amina Lawal (30) was sentenced to death by stoning in March by a Sharia
court in the small town of Bakori for giving birth out of wedlock. A man
she identified as the father of the baby was discharged for want of
evidence.

"We hereby uphold the judgment of the Bakori Sharia court that you be
sentenced to death by stoning," said Abdullahi Aliyu Katsina, president of
the Upper Sharia Court, who presided over the appeal in the larger town of
Funtua.

The judge also maintained a preliminary ruling, issued earlier by the
court, that the execution of the sentence would be postponed by 18 months,
by which time Lawal’s eight-month-old baby would have been weaned.

On hearing the ruling, Lawal burst into tears while cradling her baby. Her
lawyers said they would appeal against the sentence in a higher court.

Lawal was the second woman to be sentenced to death by stoning since
states in Nigeria’s predominantly Muslim north began introducing the
Islamic legal code in 2000. The first, Safiya Husseini, was sentenced last
year in Sokoto State, but that verdict was quashed on 19 March, the same
day Lawal received her sentence.

Her sentencing attracted widespread international condemnation from
governments and human rights groups. The Nigerian government has also
described such an application of Islamic law as unconstitutional and
discriminatory against Muslims. It has urged reform in the 12 states that
have adopted the code, but these remain defiant.

The application of the law, which prescribes punishments such as the
amputation of limbs for stealing and flogging for drinking alcohol, has
heightened religious and ethnic tension in Africa’s most populous country,
which has roughly equal numbers of Muslims and Christians.

There have been intermittent outbreaks of violence between Christians and
Muslims across the country since Zamfara became the first state to adopt
the Sharia in early 2000. Thousands of people have died in the violence.
Top

Nigeria: Amina Lawal Sentanced to death by Stoning

London -The British Foreign Office has expressed deep concern on the decision by the Funtua Sharia Court of Appeal in Nigeria to dismiss Amina Lawal's appeal against the sentence of death by stoning for adultery. A Foreign Office spokesman said, 'Along with our EU partners, Britain opposes the death penalty in all circumstances'. Commenting on the decision by the Funtua Sharia Court of Appeal in Nigeria to dismiss Amina Lawal's appeal against the sentence of death by stoning for adultery, a Foreign Office spokesman said today: 'We are deeply concerned that the sentence of stoning remains following the dismissal of Amina Lawal's appeal by the Funtua Sharia Court of Appeal in Katsina State today. 'Along with our EU partners, Britain opposes the death penalty in all circumstances. We regularly remind the Nigerian authorities of our opposition to the use of the death penalty.

The means of execution in this case, and the use of it for an act of adultery, run contrary to Nigeria's international human rights obligations notably the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which Nigeria ratified in 1993. 'We note the decision to lodge an appeal against the Sharia Court of Appeal's decision. We remain in close contact with the defence team. 'The EU has expressed its concern to the Nigerian Government about the use of the death penalty and the extreme sentences laid down in the Sharia penal code introduced in 12 northern Nigeria states since 1999.'

SOMALIA: Killing of traditional elder "unintentional"

NAIROBI, 19 August (IRIN) - The killing of a traditional elder, who was
also a UK passport holder, in the self-declared autonomous region of
Puntland, northeastern Somalia, was accidental, Isma'il Warsame, chief of
cabinet of the Puntland leader, Col Abdullahi Yusuf, told IRIN on Monday.

Sultan Ahmad Mahmud Muhammad, better known as Sultan Hurreh, was killed on
Saturday in the village of Kala-Bayrkah, 50 km south of Garowe, the
region's capital.

According to Isma'il, Sultan Hurreh, who had opposed Abdullahi Yusuf, was
one of those targeted for arrest by the Puntland security forces, "because
of his association with extremist elements". "He died in a shoot-out
between his guards and security forces, who were trying to apprehend him",
he said. "It was unintentional, and we regret that it happened", he added.

However, a journalist eyewitness, who requested anonymity, told IRIN that
the killing of Sultan Hurreh, had been deliberate. According to this
source, a convoy of vehicles escorting Abdullahi Yusuf, who was moving
from Garowe to Galkayo, passed Sultan Hurreh's Land-Cruiser on the way.
Recognizing the car, then two technicals (battle-wagons) sent to intercept
Hurreh caught up with him at Kala-Bayrkah, "and he was killed by the
militia, who opened fire". "There was nothing accidental about it. His two
guards did not put up any resistance since they were surrounded", said the
source.

Sultan Hurreh, like Abdullahi Yusuf is a member of the Umar Mahmud
sub-clan of the Majeerteen, had been one of the strongest critics and
opponents of Abdullahi's administration, said the journalist. Hurreh was
one of the elders who met in Garowe last year and elected Jama Ali Jama as
president, he added. "There was no love lost between the two."

The killing is likely to create tension in Galkayo, which is the home town
of both the deceased and Abdullahi Yusuf. However, Isma'il told IRIN that
elders were meeting to investigate the killing, and that "we don't expect
the incident to create any political or security concerns".

Meanwhile, Isma'il has denied that the success of Abdullahi Yusuf's
military operations led to widespread human rights abuses. A group calling
itself the Human Rights Organisation (HRO), based in Qardo, 240 km south
of Bosaso, has accused Abdullahi Yusuf of large-scale arrests of people
suspected of opposing him. In a statement made available to IRIN, the HRO
said "the figure of civilians arrested and imprisoned or abducted on the
orders of Col Yusuf is 102".

Isma'il Warsame described these accusations as "pure fabrication", and
said that the actual number of people detained was two. "We are not
arresting anyone. We are in fact releasing the prisoners of war captured
in the fighting," he asserted.
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SOMALIA: Puntland bans BBC correspondents from reporting

NAIROBI, 19 August (IRIN) - The authorities in the self-declared
autonomous region of Puntland have issued orders banning two local
correspondents from reporting to the BBC's Somali service, a senior
official in the region's commercial capital, Bosaso, told IRIN on Monday.

Isma'il Warsame, chief of cabinet of the region's leader, Abdullahi Yusuf,
said the decision to ban the two reporters, Ahmad Muhammad Kismayo and
Muhammad Khalif Gir, was reached by the region's Emergency Committee on 16
August, "but did not take effect until Saturday [17 August]".

"These two gentlemen have been banned, because they have not been and are
not objective in their reporting of events in the region", said Isma'il.
He said the BBC had been informed of the decision to ban them. "We urge
the BBC to bring in people who are objective and not engaged in political
activity."

Other sources in Bosaso told IRIN that the BBC reporters had been targeted
for their perceived bias against Abdullahi Yusuf, and "supposed sympathy
for Jama Ali Jama [the former, elected Puntland leader and now rival for
the presidency of the region]".

Ahmad Kismayo told IRIN that he did not know why he and his colleague had
been banned, but denied any partiality. "We have been impartial to a fault
in our reporting. We have supported neither Jama Ali nor Abdullahi Yusuf,"
he said. "In fact, I challenge the authorities to come up with a single
piece that could be remotely construed as biased."

A local journalist in Garowe, the region's capital, who requested
anonymity, told IRIN on Monday that the banning was another attack on the
free press. "This is nothing more than an attempt to intimidate and harass
journalists in Puntland."

The authorities in May this year closed down the privately-owned Somali
Broadcasting Corporation radio and television, which was based in Bosaso. Top

UK Welcomes UAE's ban on Use of Children as Camel Jockeys

London - August 18, 2002.

A British Foreign Office spokesman said: 'We welcome the announcement by Shaikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan of a ban on the use of children under the age of 15 as camel jockeys. This extremely welcome development brings UAE legislation governing this issue into line with international standards and addresses an issue that has in the past been of concern to the international community. We look forward to the strict implementation of this ban.'

On 29 July the UAE’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the
Camel Racing Federation, Shaikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nayhan announced the
banning of the use of camel jockeys under the age of 15 and less than 45kg in
weight. The ban is due to come into effect on 1 September 2002.
Shaikh Hamdan has also ordered that all child jockeys currently in the UAE be
returned to their country of origin. Any child suspected of arriving in the country
to be used as a camel jockey will be refused entry. A medical committee will
examine each jockey at race meetings to ensure that the age stated in their
passport is correct.

Hundreds of children as young as 2 years old have been used as camel
jockeys in the Emirates where the smallest and lightest jockeys are at a
premium. These children originate mainly from the sub-continent. The UK
Government has had long-standing concerns about the safety, both from the
dangers of racing and from mistreatment by their sponsors. The UAE’s
announcement follows lobbying over several years by the UK Government and
others.

-South Africa's New media bill slammed

JOHANNESBURG, 19 August (IRIN) - A draft amendment bill, which critics
claim would allow government more control over South Africa's public
broadcaster, may be challenged in the Constitutional Court.

The Broadcast Amendment Bill, which was tabled in parliament last Friday,
is yet to be passed and may face legal challenges from opposition parties
who have denounced it as an attempt by government to exert political
control over editorial content.

The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is South Africa's
national public service broadcaster. It broadcasts 20 internal radio
stations in 11 languages, plus an external radio services in four
languages. It boasts six television channels, four of them free-to-air and
two satellite pay channels.

The broadcaster claims that more than 18 million adults tune into the
radio network everyday, and 16 million adults watch the three free-to-air
television channels.

The most contentious aspect of the Broadcast Amendment Bill is the
provision that the SABC should submit a news editorial policy to
Communications Minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri for approval.

A section of the bill states: "The board must prepare and submit to the
minister for approval within three months ... policies governing the
exercise of accurate, fair and accountable reporting. The board and
individual journalists of the corporation shall be subject to the policies
of the corporation dealing with accurate, fair and responsible journalism
and thus exercise care and skill and act in the best interests of the
corporation."

The South African National Editors Forum (SANEF) has slammed the proposed
amendments.

"The bill ... introduces clauses that threaten the independence of the
SABC board. These clauses also seek to give to the minister the power to
approve editorial policies for the corporation, which would suggest power
for the minister to approve or disapprove what is essentially a
journalistic ethical issue," a SANEF statement said.

The SABC has recently suffered the resignations of both its chief
executive of news, Barney Mthombothi, and his deputy and acting chief
executive of news, Mathatha Tsedu, who announced his departure last week.

Tsedu, also chairman of SANEF, told IRIN on Monday that the SABC already
had policies in place "which specifically state the board will formulate
and approve policy and the news division will operate within that policy"
and that "as long as it [the news division] operates within that policy it
is autonomous, it has editorial independence within that broad framework".

Such policy clearly stated that the SABC would not allow it editorial
content to be influenced by politics or commerce.

The new bill required the board to formulate policy, "which policy must
now be approved by the minister. But what if the minister then says 'no, I
don't like this'? Whose will then prevails? The issue of the minister
approving the policy is a new entry in the relationship between the
Ministry of Communication and SABC ... giving the minister some power to
dictate the policy of covering news," Tsedu said.

The SABC has long been trying to shake off its past, SANEF said: "The SABC
has come out of a past where it was used by the apartheid government as a
propaganda tool. Immense work has been done by this nation to get the SABC
to where it is now, a public broadcaster whose output is respected by all.

"Nothing should be done by government or anyone else to tarnish the image
of the SABC. The bill seeks to do that, and the publicity generated around
it has pointed the way to how people interpret it."

Tsedu added: "Insofar as you are talking about the impact on the
credibility of the news, that amendment is quite significant. It
introduces the minister, with a level of power, into the news-gathering
and broadcasting process, in a way that she does not enjoy right now."

If the bill was to be passed, it would feed into suspicions still held by
some that the public broadcaster was in fact a state broadcaster. "Those
who will be at the SABC, doing their work as best they know how, will have
a further hurdle to prove independence and credibility," Tsedu said.

SANEF has instructed a media lawyer to do "a thorough assessment of the
bill" and the findings would be made public soon.
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