The Washington Post-Reuters Friday, April 18, 2003; Page A15

GENEVA, April 17 -- The United Nations' top human rights body kept up the pressure on Cuba over its rights record today by urging the communist state to accept a visit by a U.N. envoy to probe alleged abuses.

But the 53-state Human Rights Commission spurned a tougher resolution from Costa Rica, backed by Washington and the European Union, demanding freedom for about 75 dissidents recently given lengthy jail terms.

Presented by four Latin American countries -- Peru, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Uruguay -- the approved text merely called on Cuba to accept the commission's decision last year that the envoy should visit.

Cuba has so far refused to let French magistrate Christine Chanet into the country because it says the U.N. should focus instead on the U.S. Guantanamo naval base, where Washington is holding terrorist suspects. The United States, welcoming the resolution, said Cuba should be denied a seat next year on the commission, saying that no state should sit on the body if it "purposely and consistently undermines the spirit and purpose of the Commission."

The White House statement stressed a multilateral U.S. approach. "We will work with friends and allies to find new ways to effect a peaceful democratic transition in Cuba," it said.

Mexico, which voted in favor of the resolution, called it a "procedural" measure aimed only at winning cooperation from Cuba, where Fidel Castro has run a one-party state for more than 40 years.

"The Mexican vote will be consistent with its principles not to condemn or to criticize Cuba," said Mariclaire Acosta, Mexico's deputy minister for human rights and democracy.

But Cuba, which sees the vote as interference in its domestic affairs, lashed out at the four Latin American countries behind the resolution, calling them "disgusting lackeys" who had bowed to "shameful" pressure from Washington.

"The sole object has been to concoct a pretext to justify the genocidal blockade and policies of aggression that the United States has practiced for 40 years," ambassador Jorge Ivan Mora Godoy told the commission.

Human rights groups said the U.N. resolution was too mild because it overlooked the recent arrests of dissidents. The crackdown has brought widespread international condemnations.

"It is a completely inadequate resolution. It has no teeth and does not reflect the recent crackdown, the most serious set back in decades in Cuba in terms of rights abuses," said Jose Miguel Vivanco, Human Rights Watch director for the Americas.

Votes on Cuba are traditionally among the most politically charged at the annual meetings of the 53-state commission, with Latin American countries, even those most closely aligned with Washington, feeling that they have to tread carefully.

Argentina and Brazil both abstained, while Venezuela joined Cuba in voting against the motion. It was approved by 24 votes to 20, with nine abstentions.

The decision came only after the defeat of the Costa Rican amendment condemning Cuba for sentencing dissidents to up to 28 years in prison. The commission also rejected a Cuban draft attacking the U.S. economic embargo.

Posted on Thu, Apr. 17, 2003 CHRISTOPHER TOOTHAKER Associated Press

CARACAS, Venezuela -They used to be keepers of the peace. Now the 500 police officers under Miguel Pinto's command are mostly just killing time.

Ever since President Hugo Chavez clamped down on the Caracas police, charging them with instigating a coup, Pinto's 500 motorcycle police officers spend most of their days playing chess or exercising at their hilltop precinct.

Soldiers search them as they enter or leave the building, and allow only limited patrols. They've also taken away the officers' submachine guns, tear gas grenades and shotguns.

"They took all of our arms except the .38-caliber revolvers," said Pinto, chief of the police department's Phoenix motorcycle brigade. "We're practically defenseless."

Chavez brushed aside a Supreme Court ruling and said he would keep his firm grip on the 9,000-strong city police because they were "the lance that started the coup" last year. Police deny it and complain crime is booming because of the restrictions.

The coup began after 19 people were killed and more than 100 were wounded when gunfire erupted during an opposition march to the presidential palace on April 11, 2002.

The bloodshed prompted several generals to oust Chavez. Loyalist troops restored the president on April 14.

The government insists city police fired indiscriminately at civilian Chavez supporters and illegally detained cabinet ministers. Police deny firing at pro-Chavez gunmen and say they had no hand in the detentions.

In December, Venezuela's Supreme Court ordered the government to return police control to Caracas Mayor Alfredo Pena, a Chavez opponent.

The government has yet to do so. On Wednesday, a court ordered the arrests of eight police officers accused of killing two people and wounding 35 at the march. Pena's government will appeal the ruling, his spokesman, Ramon Muchacho, said Thursday.

The same court had dismissed murder charges against four Chavez supporters who allegedly were videotaped shooting into the crowd. It upheld lesser charges of improper use of firearms.

Demoralized police commanders say that Chavez's takeover has reduced patrols and given criminals the edge in this capital of 4 million people.

Soldiers have confiscated weapons, impounded many police vehicles and stationed armored personnel carriers outside police precincts to monitor officers' movements.

Pena says police are now outgunned by criminals using Uzi submachine guns, grenades and high-powered rifles equipped with silencers and armor-piercing bullets. Bandits recently launched a rocket-propelled grenade on a city highway to rob an armored truck.

"These violent groups enjoy total impunity," Pena said. "Chavez wants to maintain that impunity and the police are an obstacle to that plan."

Since November, 16 officers have been killed and more than 100 wounded, Pena said. One officer was killed in an ambush by government supporters, police say.

Chavez supporters say the police needed to be reined in.

"The police force was equipped like a small army," said legislator Nestor Leon, who claims city police routinely suppressed pro-government demonstrations.

Lina Ron, a prominent Chavez street activist whose followers have attacked opposition marches, insists police must be punished for the events of April 2002.

"They executed our comrades," Ron said. "The takeover must continue and those responsible for the deaths that day must be brought to justice."

NAOMI KOPPEL, <a href=www.sfgate.com>Associated Press Writer Thursday, April 17, 2003
(04-17) 18:05 PDT GENEVA (AP) --

The top U.N. human rights group Thursday rejected an amendment criticizing a dissident crackdown by Cuba, instead approving a milder resolution calling for a U.N. rights monitor to visit the island.

The 53-nation U.N. Human Rights Commission, which regularly criticizes Cuba on its rights record, voted 31-15 against condemning the communist state's monthlong drive against dissidents and other opponents.

The rejected amendment expressed "deep concern about the recent detention, summary prosecution and harsh sentencing of numerous members of the political opposition" and called for them to be released.

Governments and human rights groups around the world have condemned Cuba for jailing dozens of dissidents. The crackdown was followed by the executions Friday of three men convicted of the April 2 hijacking of a ferry filled with passengers in a bid to get to the United States.

Cuban representative Juan Antonio Fernandez said "Cuba has been forced to bring to trial and condemn scores of agents of U.S. subversion in Cuba."

In Washington, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said that despite the measure's defeat, the United States was pleased that the commission did pass a Cuba resolution.

"It sends a strong message of support for the courageous Cubans who struggle daily to defend their human rights and their fundamental freedoms. It shows the international community is attentive to the human rights situation in Cuba despite some hopes that we're not paying attention because we're occupied elsewhere."

The White House said Thursday that it is considering new steps against Cuba in response to the recent crackdown against dissidents.

The repression "only makes our policy goal of encouraging rapid, peaceful transition to democracy more relevant and more urgent and we ... are willing to consider steps to advance that policy goal in this climate," said Claire Buchan, a spokeswoman for President Bush, declining to elaborate.

The panel also voted 24-20 in favor of a resolution that simply urges Cuba to accept a visit by U.N. human rights investigator, French jurist Christine Chanet. There were nine abstentions.

Cuba has previously refused to allow Chanet to visit, claiming such a visit could infringe on its sovereignty.

Latin American countries voting in favor of the resolution included Mexico -- a longtime Cuban ally -- as well as Paraguay, Chile, Guatemala and Costa Rica. Argentina and Brazil abstained, while Venezuela voted against.

Cuban representative Juan Antonio Fernandez told the meeting that the resolution had been brought by Latin American "lackeys" working for the United States.

The commission also turned down a proposal 26-17, brought by Cuba itself, that criticized the U.S. trade embargo with Cuba.

U.S. Ambassador Kevin Moley defended the embargo.

"The United States doesn't have any interest in putting money in Castro's pockets. We aren't in the business of strengthening a regime which has repressed its people for 45 continuous years," he told reporters after the debate.

In other action, the commission:

• Urged Belarus to end repression, legitimize the election process, ensure freedom of the media and give power back to parliament.

• Voted against reprimanding Sudan over its human rights performance.

Clubhouse confidential: Shortstop Omar Vizquel is in the process of becoming a U.S. citizen. Vizquel, a native of Caracas, Venezuela, spent April 1, an off day for the Indians, in Washington, D.C. He toured presidential monuments and government buildings.

Therald.co.uk

JONAY Hernandez watched from the stands as his former team, Real Madrid, enjoyed their own Hampden success story when they lifted the Champions League trophy in May last year.

This Sunday, when the Spaniard takes his place in the Dundee side for the semi-final of the Scottish Cup against Inverness Caley Thistle, he hopes to create his own slice of good fortune.

Hernandez was approaching the end of his career with Real Madrid when the Spanish giants, packed with world-class players, reached the final of Europe's premier competition. The defender had joined them three years before, but knew he was never going to have a chance of securing the left-back slot with Roberto Carlos in the team.

He left without playing a competitive first-team game, with his whistle-stop trip to the Champions League final in Scotland as a spectator one of the last times he linked up with the Spanish giants. When the man from Tenerife boarded the official Real charter to Glasgow Airport it was his first time in Scotland. He was in the country for less than 24 hours and, as he sat in the Dundee sun yesterday, he admitted that never in his wildest dreams did he think the next time he would come to Hampden would be to play in a cup semi-final.

"When I finished with Real Madrid my agent told me about the chance to come to Dundee and felt it would be good for my career rather than for me to sign for a club in the lower leagues in Spain," said Hernandez. "In saying that, it was a great experience being at Real Madrid, as even to train with people like Zinedine Zidane was good and I think they are the best team in the world just now, as they showed against Manchester United."

Since he arrived in Scotland last summer he hasn't found the move from the Bernabéu to Dens Park too much of a culture shock and is enjoying having a regular run in the first team. "Although I did not know about Scottish football before I came, I am enjoying it," said Hernandez. "Some of the grounds are obviously not as good as Real Madrid's but playing at Ibrox and Parkhead is a good experience and Hampden looks a good place as well."

His football has come on in leaps and bounds since the start of this season, as has his command of the English language, and for a man who had never been to the United Kingdom apart from the short visit to Hampden last May, Hernandez hasn't taken long to master the vernacular.

In a team which has many nationalities, such an attribute is important and is one of the main reasons why the man who was born in Venezuela but travels on a Spanish passport has settled in easily at Dens Park. "I watch DVDs like Training Day and Collateral Damage with the English subtitles on and memorise the words, which has helped my English a lot," he said. "It is good to understand and speak the language of your team-mates."

Making himself understood in defence will be important against Inverness on Sunday, a game which Hernandez claims is the biggest of his career.

The Scottish Cup semi-final will also be a big day for Gavin Rae, who is at the other end of the scale to Hernandez regarding his time in and knowledge of Scottish football.

Eight-years ago he was the kit boy when Dundee were beaten by Aberdeen in the Coca-Cola Cup final, but times have changed and on Sunday he will run out of the Hampden tunnel a proud member of the present Dens Park side.

Rae believes his best friend since childhood, Dennis Wyness, is the man Dundee will have to stop if they want to progress to the Scottish Cup final. "He should be playing in the SPL as he is a proven goalscorer and has shown his talent time and time again with Inverness," said Rae. "Scotland are struggling for out-and-out strikers just now and Dennis is one of the best in the country. He may be just doing it in the first division but hopefully he will get a chance to do it in the SPL.

"He was always a great player and even when we were kids he was the top man. I remember he scored 17 goals in a game our team won 28-0."

Rae believes if Dundee can put the shackles on Wyness they have a good chance to win, although the fact it took them two games and extra-time to beat Falkirk in the last round is an indication of how tricky first division opponents can be.

Either way, both Hernandez, the foreigner playing at Hampden for the first time, and Rae, the proud Scot who wants to get a national cup final, believe Dundee will be too strong for their Highland opponents.

-April 18th