FL RIGHTS GROUP REJECTS ADL DEMAND TO BAR MUSLIM FROM PANEL

CAIR: ADL demand part of nationwide effort to exclude Muslims from political participation

WASHINGTON-DC

Nov 13,2001 -The Florida Commission on Human Relations (FCHR) has rejected a demand by that state's chapter of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) to exclude a Muslim representative from a panel discussion at an annual civil rights conference.

For several weeks, the ADL, along with the Jewish Community Relations
Council of the Palm Beach Jewish Federation, has been in discussions with
FCHR representatives seeking to bar Altaf Ali, Executive Director of the
Florida office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-FL) from
a panel discussion at the 11th Annual Florida Civil Rights Conference
beginning today in West Palm Beach. That session, titled "Day of Dialogue,
Communicating Across Ethnic, Cultural and Religious Lines," includes
panelists from the U.S. Department of Justice Community Relations Service
and the National Conference for Community and Justice.

In response to the ADL demand, FCHR Director of Education and Outreach Ron
Snell told Ali: "...we have advised the ADL that we see no reason to ask
that you not participate. I am looking forward to your participation in
this event." (CAIR is North America's largest Muslim civil rights
organization.)

"This malicious attempt at exclusion, which is ironically aimed at a conference on multicultural inclusion, is just one small part of a nationwide campaign by the ADL to marginalize and disenfranchise the Muslim community in America. We thank the FCHR for refusing to be intimidated," said CAIR's National Board Chairman Omar Ahmad.

Ahmad added that the ADL's Islamophobic smear campaign recently went public when the Los Angeles Times wrote: "Pro-Israel or Jewish organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League, the Jewish Defense League and the Middle East Forum think tank have provided news organizations with reams of critical documentation on Muslim leaders in recent weeks."

Ahmad also noted the ADL's long history of such attacks. Just this April, a federal judge upheld a jury's findings that the ADL defamed a Colorado couple by publicly accusing them of being anti-Semitic. U.S. District Court Judge Edward Nottingham said that evidence was sufficient to support the jury's conclusion that the ADL "acted recklessly in its efforts to
publicize what it perceived to be anti-Semitic conduct."

In 1999, the ADL agreed to pay $25,000 to a community relations fund and said it would not spy on other organizations as part of a settlement with the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee and other groups. The settlement resolved a class-action lawsuit filed in 1993 that accused the ADL of spying on Arab-American, pro-Palestinian and anti-apartheid groups and individuals.Other Jewish groups protested the ADL leadership's 1990 attendance at the funeral of anti-Arab extremist Meir Kahane, whose group is now listed as a terrorist organization by the State Department.

US-Arab Leaders Discuss Middle East peace process

The US has been consulting with a lot of people from the Middle East who are interested in the Middle East peace process as well as the campaign against terrorism. On the peace process, it basically renewed the commitment to move from violence and get back to the peace process. "We found a very strong commitment behind implementing the Mitchell
recommendations to end the violence, as well as the Tenet plan to get that started, and then go on to the resumed negotiations on the basis of UN Resolutions 242 and 338 and what's called land for peace. The goal remains to try to achieve progress on all tracks," said U.S. Department of State Spokesman Richard Boucher.

"This morning, the Secretary had discussions with Foreign Minister Peres of Israel. These were positive discussions about how to get the process back on track. This afternoon with Chairman Arafat, they discussed the Tenet-Mitchell process. Chairman Arafat reaffirmed his commitment to moving down that road. We made very clear the importance of taking decisive action against violence and terror and making a maximum effort towards that end," Boucher told reporters.

The US officials also met Foreign Minister Shara of Syria and the Secretary reviewed the
international campaign against terrorism and our commitment to the peace process. The US welcomed Syrian comments about the events of September 11th, but wanted results in terms of the kind of action that the President was calling for yesterday.

The US also took advantage of the opportunity of a number of people being in New York
to consult with Secretary General Kofi Annan, the European Union's High Representative Solana, and Foreign Minister Ivanov of Russia on the Middle East situation. It was an informal discussion, but I think as the Secretary General has already said, everyone is committed to Mitchell or recommitted to the Mitchell process and working in close coordination.

The US and the Gulf Cooperation Council reviewed cooperation against terrorism on all fronts, financial, diplomatic and other areas, as well as the peace process. "They were very positive about the President's speech yesterday at the UN General Assembly, as was Chairman Arafat and others. People noted the President's comments on the Middle East, and we will be talking about that as we go into the future of the Middle East peace
process," the State Department spokesman said.

A few common themes came out of the US discussions with Chairman Arafat, Foreign Minister Shara and the Gulf Cooperation Council ministers. First, that it's nonsense, the claim that bin Laden makes that he speaks for Palestinians. The Palestinians were quite clear that they don't want to see their cause hijacked.

'There was a lot of praise, as I said, for the President's speech, comments on the Middle East. Everybody is looking for active American leadership and welcomed it on the campaign against terrorism. Everybody agrees on the basic track of ending the violence and resuming the political process,' the US Spokesman claimed.Regarding Afghanistan there is a very strong consensus in favor of a broad-based successor government in Afghanistan. "We will have an opportunity to discuss that topic tomorrow with the United Nations Security Council members and the Six-Plus-Two," he said.

US Citizens Warned about new terrorrist threats in the Middle East Update

In light of ongoing tensions in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza over the past
year, the US Department of State remains concerned about the potential for
further clashes, demonstrations and violent responses in the region and
elsewhere.

Once again the US Department of State reminded Americans to maintain a high
level of vigilance and to take appropriate steps to increase their security
awareness to lessen their vulnerability. "Americans should maintain a low
profile, vary routes and times for all required travel, avoid large crowds
and demonstrations and treat mail from unfamiliar sources with suspicion.
As stated in the Department's Worldwide Caution Public Announcement of
October 23, 2001, U.S. Government facilities worldwide remain at a
heightened state of alert," said an alert. ' These facilities have and will continue to
temporarily close or suspend public services as necessary to review their
security posture and ensure its adequacy,' it said.

'American citizens traveling abroad should contact the nearest U.S. embassy
or consulate by telephone or fax for up-to-date information on security
conditions. In addition, U.S. citizens planning to travel abroad should
consult the Department of State's Public Announcements, Travel Warnings,
Consular Information Sheets, and regional travel brochures,' it added.

 

Overland Humanitarian Assistance to Afghanistan

The US have been informed by the Government of Uzbekistan that a high-level
delegation will be arriving in Termez Sunday morning, November 11, to
inspect and arrange logistics to begin the supply of humanitarian aid
by river barge to Afghanistan. The delegation is led by the
Uzbek Minister of Emergency Situations and will include Uzbek foreign
ministry and border guard officials. The local UN representative and
representatives of non-governmental organizations involved in
humanitarian assistance will also be on hand.

Beginning the supply of humanitarian assistance through river barge and
land bridge from Uzbekistan to Afghanistan has been one of the key
goals of the United States Government and its Coalition partners. The
United States, through the U.S. Agency for International Development,
has supplied more than 80 percent of all food aid for vulnerable
Afghans through the UN World Food Program, and will continue to be a
leading food donor to the Afghan people.

But humanitarian assistance must reach the people of Afghanistan and the US does not want the same to reach Taliban forces. The fact that this process can now get underway is
a direct result of the changing security situation on the Uzbekistan- Afghanistan border. U.S. and Coalition forces have provided consistent and timely support to opposition forces, including those that have been fighting in the Mazar-e-Sharif area. The significant
inroads made by these forces will significantly increase the safe flow of humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people.

THE COALITION’S WORK HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN' - BLAIR

In a doorstep interview on 13 November, the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, said that although the Taliban in Afghanistan were 'in disarray and retreat' having fled the capital, Kabul, the job of coalition forces is 'not yet done by any means.' Mr Blair said that the retreat was 'a tribute to the skill and professionalism of the coalition forces,' but went on to say that with Usama bin Laden still at large, and the Taliban regime not yet fully dislodged, the objectives of the coalition were not yet fully achiveved. The Prime Minister said that now was the time to to step up now the humanitarian effort and to push on with efforts to establish a broad-based government to succeed the Taliban regime. He also added a message to the people of Afghanistan, that 'this time we will not walk away from you. We have given commitments. We will honour those commitments, both on the humanitarian side and in terms of rebuilding Afghanistan.'

IMBABWE: Hundreds of white commercial farmers face eviction

JOHANNESBURG, 13 November (IRIN) - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has passed a decree, amending the country's Land Acquisition Act so that white commercial farmers can be forced off their land with immediate effect.

Mugabe used a presidential decree to amend the law at the weekend so his government could seize white-owned farms, targeted for redistribution to landless blacks, despite legal challenges from the owners. The decision means that farmers who have been issued with acquisition orders by the government will have to stop farming immediately and remain confined to their houses, which they will have to vacate after three months.

Previously, land-acquisition orders had to pass through the courts first, now the courts will examine cases retrospectively. The President of the Commercial Farmers Union (CFU) president Colin Cloete, told IRIN that farming was likely to stop on almost 800 farms currently under acquisition orders.

"These regulations have widespread implications for the commercial agricultural sector both in respect of continuing farming operations and the resettlement programme," he said.

The government said it had taken the decision because the farmers were abusing the court system to frustrate land reform. But the CFU said it had agreed with government earlier this year to drop court cases against it as a precursor to a negotiated deal over land redistribution.Economists told IRIN that the decision to evict farmers from land targeted for acquisition would fuel the country's growing food crisis and further reduce export earnings as more farmers abandoned commercial agriculture.

Mugabe's decision to evict white farmers came in the same week as a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) assessment mission was about to begin work in the country. The mission, which also comprises people from the European Commission (EC), Commonwealth Secretariat and the World Bank, as well as technical advisers from the UN's Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) will try to come up with a programme for land reform acceptable to all stakeholders.

Self-styled war veterans and militants loyal to the government have occupied an estimated 1,700 white-owned farms over the last 18 months, demanding that they be redistributed to landless blacks. These occupations and the violence that has often accompanied them, has meant that farming activities have been seriously disrupted.

Britain allocates 2.95 million pounds for HIV/AIDS work

NAIROBI, 13 November (IRIN) - Britain's Department for International Development (DFID) has allocated ActionAid, a British development charity, 2.95 million pounds sterling (US $4.29 million) for HIV/AIDS work in Rwanda, DFID reported on Tuesday.

The money will be disbursed over three years and will allow ActionAid to help Rwanda's National AIDS Commission (Commission Nationale de Lutte Contre le Sida) implement a five-point strategy to combat the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The first of these five points - to set up an office and recruit staff - began in early October and was to end 31 December, ActionAid reported.

Other parts of the programme are for Rwanda to build capacity in its AIDS commission, the NGO Forum on HIV/AIDS and other bodies so that they can manage and coordinate their activities. The programme also seeks to help civil society bodies to build their capacity to engage government and donors in HIV/AIDS work. Another strategy is to encourage behavioural and attitudinal change in face of the prevalence of the disease. Community, family and local traditional capacities are to be strengthened in order to increase on-site support such as counselling centres, and treatment regimes for people living with AIDS. Last is a strategy to strengthen the social coping mechanisms of poor rural and urban communities to face the impact of AIDS.

 

U.S.-Nigeria Law Enforcement Committee Meeting

On November 9, 2001, Assistant Secretary for International Narcotics
and Law Enforcement Affairs Rand Beers hosted the first meeting of the
U.S.-Nigeria Law Enforcement Committee, in Washington, D.C. The Law
Enforcement Committee, established during Nigerian President Obasanjo's
visit to Washington in May 2001, is to improve coordination and
cooperation among the law enforcement and security agencies of the two
countries on a broad spectrum of issues of mutual concern.

Attorney General Bola Ige led the Nigerian delegation. The two
governments discussed a wide range of law enforcement issues, including
counternarcotics, extradition, corruption, financial fraud, money
laundering, trafficking in persons, immigration crimes, and police
modernization. Both delegations concluded a joint declaration with a
series of commitments to be carried out by March 1, 2002, and agreed to
meet again in six months in Abuja.

IMPROVING BASIC HEALTH AND EDUCATION SERVICES IN TAJIKISTAN

MANILA, PHILIPPINES (12 November 2001) - The Asian Development Bank (ADB)
will provide a US$950,000 technical assistance grant to prepare a project
to improve basic education and health services in Tajikistan. The grant
will come from ADB's Japan Special Fund, financed by the Government of
Japan.

Several years of civil conflict since independence in 1991 and the
difficult times of transition have placed immense development challenges
before Tajikistan including and especially the need for massive inputs into
the social sectors.

The grant will prepare a Social Sector Development Project (SSDP) to
improve the quality and efficiency of the heath and education sectors,
increase access to basic social services by the poor, especially girls, and
establish a monitoring mechanism. The proposed SSDP, scheduled for 2002,
will build on the ADB-supported Social Sector Rehabilitation Project.

The new project will provide a bridge from emergency and rehabilitation to
development and intensify policy dialogue with the government on reform and
institution building.

Specifically, the grant will finance studies to:

* Define a pro-poor, priority health service package and examine the
feasibility of financing the package from the public health budget;
* Develop a plan for health system rationalization, facility and budget
allocation and staff placement/retraining to enable the system to respond
effectively,
* Propose measures to maintain and improve school attendance of girls and
children from poor families; and
* Develop a strategy to establish a school information and management
system.

The grant will also translate strategic plans into detailed action plans
by region and set up a monitoring and policy dialogue mechanism. The social
sector study will be done at the same time where social protection will
also be reviewed.

The ADB grant will finance nearly 85 percent of the project cost of US$1.12
million. The government will finance the balance.

The JSF, made available on an untied grant basis by the Government of
Japan, was established in 1988 to provide support for financing ADB's
technical assistance programs.

Troublesome climate for tea and coffee sectors

NAIROBI, 12 November (IRIN) - Internationally respected scientists have warned that farmers in the region face particular pressures with growing cash crops - vital for many to supplement subsistence food crops - as a result of global warming in the next few decades, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) warned on Thursday, 8 November.

Speaking at the latest round of climate negotiations in Morocco, UNEP Executive Director Klaus Toepfer said that if the scientific forecasts of climate change proved sound, farmers in Uganda would face serious problems growing coffee, one of the country's key export crops, and that many traditional tea-growing areas in Kenya would become unsuitable for production.

In order to survive, poor tea and coffee farmers in East Africa would have to clear forests - an important, and steadily declining natural resource - in higher, cooler areas, causing environmental damage which, in turn, could lead to increased poverty, hunger and ill-health.

This follows warnings that important tropical food crops - including rice, maize and wheat - may have difficulty setting seed in the face of rising global temperatures.

The environmental lobby group Greenpeace also warned last week that Mt Kilimanjaro, northeastern Tanzania, could lose its entire icecap by 2015 - a serious threat to the major water supply of some 5 percent of Tanzanians, the livelihoods of up to one million people, and a habitat which supports at least 1,800 species of flowering plants and 35 of mammals.

The warning on cash crops in Uganda and Kenya was based on information from GRID Arendal, a UNEP and government of Norway collaborative centre with renowned expertise in scientific mapping, which warned that the findings for East Africa were also relevant for the Caribbean, Latin America and Asia, where tea and coffee are also economically important crops.

In Uganda, the total area suitable for growing the Robusta variety of coffee would be "dramatically reduced" by an average temperature rise of 2 degrees Celsius, according to Svien Tveitdal of GRID Arendal. According to his organisation's predictions, "only higher areas - the Ruwenzoris, southwestern Uganda and Mt Elgon - would remain, as the rest would become too hot to grow coffee", he added.

The overall areas suitable for tea-cropping would not be reduced in Kenya, but plantations around Mt Kenya and the Aberdare mountains [in the central Rift Valley] would lie outside the tea-growing temperature range, according to Tveitdal."In those areas, the tea belt will move upwards, where there are forests today, which indicates another potential future conflict," he said. There would also be a loss or shrinkage of tea-growing areas to the east and northeast of Kisumu, in western Kenya, according to GRID Arendal's model.

Such disruption of these vital crops could be very serious for poor farmers - even more so if the current trend of declining commodity prices were to continue, Toepfer warned.Tea and coffee exports account for over US $500 million of Kenya's estimated $675 million in agricultural exports each year, according to UNEP.In Uganda, tea and coffee production accounts for some $422 million in agricultural export earnings annually, from estimated earnings for the agricultural sector in the region of $434 million, it added.Uganda has already been hit hard by a slump in foreign exchange earnings from coffee, as international prices have fallen to their lowest level in 26 years.

The combination of resource depletion and population growth places the sustainability of development at risk in many of the poorest countries (which include Tanzania and Uganda), according to the World Bank's annual environmental review, Environment Matters, on 25 October. Some developing countries were losing up to 4-8 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) because of a loss of productivity and natural capital due to environmental degradation, according to the report. That loss was also without the anticipated impacts of climate change, which threatened to undermined long-term development, it said. www.worldbank.org/environment/

The reduction of poverty was critical to secure a sustainable future, and that environmental sustainability was intrinsic to poverty reduction, according to the review. Without enhanced measures for fighting climate change, and their implementation as a matter of urgency, poor farmers in East Africa "face declining yields and incomes in the traditional coffee- and tea-growing areas, pushing them into more biting poverty", according to UNEP.