The Manila Times, Saturday, June 21, 2003 By María Isabel García

THE US fight against terrorism is undermining human rights around the world, warned jurists speaking at the World Social Thematic Forum (WSTF) taking place this week in Colombia.

The “war on terrorism” launched in the wake of the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington has given rise to “a new reading of international jurisprudence on human rights,” said Ignacio Saíz, deputy director of the Americas program of the London-based Amnesty International rights watchdog.

The new vision goes so far as to regard fundamental rights as perhaps a “luxury” enjoyed by people in stable countries, Saíz said at the opening of a WSTF panel in Cartagena, a Caribbean resort town on Colombia’s northern coast.

Chilean activist José Miguel Vivanco, executive director of the Americas division of Human Rights Watch (HRW), concurred with Saíz and other experts that September 11 marked the birth of “a new era” in international politics and the application of international human rights law.

Saíz was the opening speaker at the panel on “War, Terrorism, Security and Human Rights.”

Other participants were Federico Andreu, an adviser to the Geneva-based International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), Gustavo Gallón, the head of the Colombian Commission of Jurists, Marco Romero, a professor at the National University of Colombia’s law school, and Samuel Moncada, the head of the school of history at Venezuela’s Central University.

Defining terrorism

Andreu said that in the context of the new division of the world between “good” and “evil”–rather than “capitalists” and “communists” as in the past–“talk has even arisen as to whether torture might be a necessary tool” in the fight against terrorism.

The adviser to the ICJ said the mere fact that the possibility of torture being necessary is being toyed with “is a grave setback,” even if the word “torture” is not used, but the more euphemistic “use of necessary physical pressure” instead.

In Romero’s view, the question is whether “if in the current situation, it is possible to talk about political solutions to conflicts, and if security implies observance of human rights and respect for coexistence.”

The terrorist attacks on the United States provided an outlet for “currents” that were already vocal within the country, which he said recalled episodes of the Cold War, and made it possible for them “to rationalize a doctrine that is not new,” said the law professor.

Those groups had already identified “enemies including narco-states like Colombia and rogue-states like Iraq,” and followers had been won over to the idea that “imperialism is good if the empire is good,” he said.

The government of US President George W. Bush “dumped into the sack of antiterrorism everything it had in a bunch of other bags,” in order to build a policy that was “lax” on human rights, under which “if dictators are friends, they should be supported, as is the case in Pakistan,” said Romero.

Andreu pointed to the “gradual but steady emergence” of reforms aimed at suppressing legitimate, peaceful forms of social resistance.

He cited the case of Peru, where the government recently made allusions to the “infiltration of terrorists” in nationwide protests by teachers, campesinos and students that led the president to declare a state of emergency.

According to Andreu, a particularly “revealing” development in this respect was the September 28, 2001 approval of resolution 1373 by the United Nations Security Council, which established wide-ranging measures to combat terrorism.

The binding resolution required nations to criminalize terrorist activities, freeze the funds and financial assets of terrorists and their supporters, ban others from making funds available to terrorists, and deny safe haven to terrorists–without ever defining terrorism, Andreu underlined.

Since 1937, the international community has attempted to come up with a consensus on a definition of “terrorism,” and 250 proposed definitions have been debated, but agreement has not been reached, he noted.

No more greys

In a world where everything is seen in terms of black and white, and “greys are not accepted,” more and more civil liberties are being restricted, and the rights of the most vulnerable are being violated, said Andreu.

To illustrate that, he cited a European Union framework decision on the extradition of wanted criminals within the bloc, which limits guarantees for people who are extradited, by abolishing the requirement that the offense of which the person is accused must be classified as a crime in both countries in question.

The jurist also pointed out that the Algiers Convention, the African Union Convention and the Arab League’s Antiterrorism Convention all include disturbances or upsets in any key sector, such as public water or electricity utilities, as a form of terrorism.

With that approach, “legitimate forms of the exercise of trade union rights have formally begun to be criminalized in the international sphere.”

HRW’s Vivanco argued that while the international community agrees on the need to successfully fight terrorism, states “must not resort to the same methods they say they are combating.”

It is erroneous to see “human rights as an obstacle” in the fight against terrorism, which must not be reduced to “fear and intimidation, but requires moral supremacy on the part of the state, as well as the support of the people,” added the spokesman for the US-based Human Rights Watch.

He also said that although the United States was a pioneer in incorporating human rights into its foreign policy, its legitimacy and credibility in that sense is being damaged by the way the war on terrorism is being waged.

Cuba’s case

The most disturbing case, he said, is the violation of the human rights of prisoners accused of terrorism, who are being held at the US naval base in Guantánamo, Cuba.

Vivanco pointed out that prisoners in Guantánamo have been sent by the United States to Jordan and Egypt for interrogation, because the laws of those countries allow the use of torture to extract information.

In addition, the activist referred to the human rights situation in Cuba. “Cubans also have the right to freedom,” he said, stating that the socialist government of Fidel Castro has failed to live up to internationally accepted human rights standards.

Vivanco’s remarks drew an angry response from the Cuban Ambassador to Colombia, Antonio López, who was in the audience.

López, who cast aspersions on Vivanco, said that no one in Cuba was “forcibly disappeared or tortured,” and that the country’s prisons “are open” to observers–a claim that the Human Rights Watch activist disputed.

The experts sitting on the panel also issued warnings of the implications of a draconian counterterrorism law that has almost made its way through the Colombian Congress, and which will generalize measures which up to now have only been adopted during a state of emergency.

The controversial bill will broadly authorize phone-tapping and surveil­lance of mail and e-mails, and will grant powers of prosecution to the police and army.
-- Inter Press Service

<a href=www.arutzsheva.org>Arutz Sheva, 13:11 Jun. 20, '03 / 20 Sivan 5763

Ain al-Yaqeen, a Saudi-backed internet magazine, included in a recent edition a series of news briefs regarding the oil industry in Saudi Arabia.

"Saudi Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Ali Ibn Ibrahim al-Naimi," reported Ain al-Yaqeen, "affirmed that all Oil producing countries are carrying out important roles and that relationships among them are on 'sound footing'." The minister reassured his audience at the 10th International Caspian Oil and Gas Exhibition and Conference, in Baku, Azerbaijan. He said, "Oil is still the indispensable fuel for today's ever-industrializing world and it will certainly not relinquish its primary position over the next three decades at a minimum." Until then, he explained, the demand for oil will grow by up to "a full 40% of today's production." In order to meet that demand, the internet newspaper quoted the Saudi minister, the oil industry will require an "environment of stable oil prices, and will require large and continuing investments in all parts of the world and at all levels of industry."

In another cross-cultural oil industry moment, the Oil Ministers of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Venezuela issued a joint statement on current international oil markets, reports the Saudi media. Following a tripartite meeting in the Spanish capital of Madrid, Minister al-Naimi, the Mexican Energy Minister, Ernesto Matenz, and the Venezuelan Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Rafael Ramirez, said that, thanks to cooperation between member states of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-OPEC countries, producing countries have been able to supply international oil markets with petroleum requirements. The oil-producing states, the ministers continued, used their recent surpluses to alleviate some potential crises; however, they also cited the importance of the return of Venezuela, Nigeria and Iraq to normal oil production. "The statement stressed the importance of the continuation of cooperation between the three countries to achieve their goal of oil market stability, in the interests of producer and consumer countries, the oil industry and the global economy," reported Ain al-Yaqeen.

But not all international oil-based relationships go smoothly... Saudi Arabia recently cancelled a $15 billion gas project, the largest in nearly 30 years, with the Exxon Corporation. The cancelled project, known as Core Venture One, was also to have involved such corporations as Royal Dutch Shell, BP and Conoco Phillips. Exxon and fellow consortium members were to develop gas reserves in the South Ghawar field in Saudi Arabia, reports Ain al-Yaqeen. No reasons for the cancellation were reported.

Terminando la década de los sesenta me aparecí en Venezuela con una novia austriaca-norteamericana con quien tuve serias intenciones de contraer matrimonio.  Los proyectos no cuajaron, pero Janelle se llevó una muy buena impresión de nuestro país.  La llevé al Hotel Maracay a ver un concierto de “Las Cuatro Monedas” y por las noches asistíamos al “Pub” del Centro Comercial Cacaito (el único centro comercial que tenía Caracas para entonces), donde solía alternar en el piano con Pat O’Brian, el padre – precisamente – de los integrantes de aquel conjunto musical que se perdió en la historia de los tiempos más felices de mi vida.

Janelle regresó a su país tremendamente impresionada con Venezuela.  Tal vez lo que más le impactó – además del Parque Henry Pittier y la Bahía de Cata -- fue pasear por la Cota Mil, una avenida desde la cual divisábamos toda Caracas pero que tenía la particularidad de no llegar a ningún lado, pues – para entonces – la bella arteria vial se truncaba abruptamente en el Marqués para regresar en “U” a San Bernardino.   Solíamos hacer “loops” continuados en la Cota Mil, mientras oíamos la música que salía de mi “8-Tracks” o simplemente charlábamos disfrutando de nuestra mutua compañía y del frío viento que nos entraba por las ventanillas de mi carro, mientras paseábamos – madrugada adentro – en una ciudad que todavía no conocía el crimen.

Se fue mi novia -- blanca como la espuma del mar Caribe -- dejando en mí su lindo recuerdo y una terca costumbre de pasear por la Cota Mil cada vez que deseo tener un encuentro con mis pensamientos más profundos.  Ahora, ya completamente terminada y luego de varias décadas, la recorro con los vidrios hasta el “collín”, los seguros colocados y mi Browning 9mm rozándome el muslo derecho.

Eran las 9 de la mañana de ayer domingo 29 de julio cuando decidí abandonar mi “Guarimba” para ordenar mi mente y cargarme de cordura; había tenido una muy mala semana matizada de soledad, tristeza y depresión.  Como suelo hacer cuando el espíritu me lo exige, me dirigí a la Cota Mil para entrar en el sin-fin de mis pensamientos… pero me olvidé que los domingos trancan la vía para permitirles a los ciclistas y patinadores caraqueños un merecido día de esparcimiento en una ciudad dibujada por el concreto y las pesadillas.  Entonces consideré lo mejor: visitar a mis amigos del petróleo en la Plaza La Meritocracia, donde se llevaba a cabo una de las magníficas verbenas cuya finalidad es recoger fondos para seguir la lucha por la recuperación de la patria.

Guiado por mi instinto llegué de inmediato al quisco de la “Red Energía Positiva”, donde eché mi primera larga charla de la mañana en compañía de los amigos que allí se encontraban repartiendo folletos y haciendo proselitismo político.  No era la primera vez que me invitaban a unirme a ellos...  una vez más decliné respetuosamente la invitación.

“La Red”, conformada por la crema y nata intelectual y pensante de nuestra sociedad productiva, cayó en el mismo discurso indefinido y abstracto de la promoción de un referendo revocatorio aún más indefinido y abstracto que el discurso mismo de la inmensa mayoría de “nuestros” líderes.

Si yo fuese el régimen, le recortaría el presupuesto de financiamiento a los “Círculos Bolivarianos” y le asignaría una buena partida a todos aquellos movimientos, organizaciones políticas y ONG que promuevan el “REFERENDO REVOCATORIO INDEFINIDO”; eso – mediante un impresionante “guaraleo” -- me otorgaría el tiempo que requiero para terminar de colocar en posiciones claves los cuadros medios y bajos del “Ejercito Cubano de Ocupación” que me llegan – diariamente y a paso forzado -- desde la casa matriz en Cuba, tal como hizo Castro en Angola durante 1975-1976, antes de entrar de lleno en la tremendamente-sangrienta guerra civil que montó desde entonces en el poder al MPLA y que le ha costado decenas de miles de muertos a aquella otrora rica nación africana, bendecida por petróleo, minerales, madera preciosa y cualquier abundancia más enviada por Dios.

Si yo fuese “La Red”, me destacaría de gran parte de los políticos (viejos o nuevos) comenzándole a hablar golpeado al régimen, retándolo a que cumpla con pautas que esperan en la ruta hacia ese revocatorio hoy tan absurdamente indefinido; abogando ante las partes por la final designación de los miembros del CNE; exigiendo que el organismo electoral ratifique la validez legal de las firmas recogidas en el famoso “Firmazo”; pidiéndole a los miembros del consejo que presenten un cronograma preliminar razonable a fin de materializar el acto mismo de votación del referendo; forzando al régimen para que secomprometa a aportar los fondos requeridos a fin de hacer viable el constitucional acto electoral que tanto nos preocupa; exigiéndole al CNE la pronta presentación de un modelo de boletas de votación y muchas cosas más que se requieren para que el soberano ejerza su sagrado derecho al voto.

Son como veinte las pautas requeridas para llegar a un final feliz con esto del referendo.  Hasta ahora lo que hay esmora, bla-bla y mucho “guaraleo” de parte y parte.  Si yo fuese “La Red en Positivo” convocaría una “GUARIMBA” cada vez que se incumpla el cronograma nacional hacia el revocatorio y me aseguraría que hubiera candela permanente en “el guateque”, porque para estar guindando, mejor es caerse… o – en el mejor de los casos -- que se caiga el otro.

Habría que estudiarlo mejor, pero hasta he llegado a pensar que con tal de ponerle fechas, presión y cumplimiento a las pautas en la ruta hacia el referendo, aceptaría que el CNE fuese conformado todo por los miembros del cogollo del M.V.R.; total, pal’respeto que el régimen le dará al referendo, me orino adentro.  Una estrategia así lograría definir la situación EN EL MENOR TIEMPO POSIBLE, obligando al régimen a montarse o a encaramarse de una buena vez y por todas… mejor ahora que de aquí a unos meses, cuando el CASTRO-COMUNISMO en Venezuela esté más sólido y apuntalado por los efectivos regulares del “Ejército Revolucionario Cubano”.

Chávez y Castro – TODAVÍA – necesitan tiempo: es evidente.  Forzando las pautas se cierra el collar que terminaría oprimiendo la garganta del gobierno a un punto insoportable, siempre – eso sí – que tengamos al pueblo atrás cohesionado en un solo bloque, atento a la lucha que nos espera si queremos hacerle entrega del país que conocemos a nuestros hijos y nietos.

¿Y los militares?  Veremos -- cuando comience el inevitable “teque-teque” -- quienes estarán dispuestos a morir por la bandera tricolor de las siete estrellas que arropa a la inmensa mayoría de los ciudadanos de este país, o por la roja y negra con el “26 de Julio” bordado en dorado la cual representa la más férrea opresión del pueblo cubano y a los esbirros que hoy pisotean campante e impunemente la dignidad de los descendientes de los más grandes libertadores americanos.

Caracas 30 de julio de 2003

ROBERT ALONSO

Envíen sus comentarios – UNICAMENTE – a robertalonso2003@cantv.net pues los otros buzones colapsan con la cantidad de correo que reciben.  --

PORTAFOLIO VIRTUAL DE ARTÍCULOS Y ENSAYOS DEL MISMO AUTOR

Published: Friday, June 20, 2003 Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- Scientists have found a previously unknown population of red siskins, a bird feared to be nearing extinction in the wild.

"It was totally a surprise to us, a great shock," said Michael Braun, a research scientist at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History.

Once widespread in the coastal mountains of Venezuela and Colombia, the bird was nearly wiped out by trapping after it became popular both in that region and in Europe in the 1800s.

The bird was particularly valued for its bright red feathers, and in Latin America it is known as el cardinalito, or little cardinal.

Breeders discovered that the red siskin could mate with the canary, Braun said Thursday, providing a bright color to the formerly drab songbird. Any canary today that has some red feathers has some siskin genes, Braun said.

Braun said the research team was conducting a survey of birds in little-studied Guyana, which neighbors Venezuela, when they came across a population of several thousand red siskins.

That, he said, is several times the known population of the birds elsewhere in the wild.

The discovery was made in April 2000, but was kept under wraps until a conservation plan could be developed providing legal protection for the birds in Guyana.

It was just a matter of time before they were discovered, he said, because the region where they were found is increasingly being developed.

Red siskins have been protected in Venezuela since the 1940s.

The goal is not to prevent people from raising the birds in cages, he said, but to avoid damage to the wild population.

The American Federation of Aviculture is engaged in a red siskin recovery project, attempting to breed a large enough captive population of the birds for the commercial market.

The discovery by Braun and Mark Robbins of the University of Kansas is being published in the June issue of The Auk, the journal of the American Ornithologists Union.

Posted on Fri, Jun. 20, 2003 CHRISTOPHER TOOTHAKER Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO DE YARE, Venezuela - As a priest finished saying Mass and parishioners received their customary blessing, churchgoers turned to leave this house of worship only to come face to face with more than 1,000 devils.

Outside on the plaza facing the 18th-century church, hundreds of masked "devils" crouched as a deafening African-influenced drum beat erupted and maracas rattled.

It was the start of an annual ritual in which the descendants of African slaves commemorate Corpus Christi, a Roman Catholic holiday celebrating the transformation of the body and blood of Christ into bread and wine. The ritual, which took place Thursday, is followed by two days of drunken revelry.

"We dress as devils to make fun of the devil," said 50-year-old Ana Hernandez, who organizes the ritual.

Clothed in bright red robes and wearing rosaries, men and boys of all ages take part in the shuffling and shaking frenzy known as "The Devil Dance" - a celebration residents of this quaint town, 28 miles south of Caracas, have prepared for all year.

The male dancers stomped and whirled, raising papier-mache masks painted in a rainbow of bright colors toward the heavens.

A procession of "Diablos Danzantes," or "Devil Dancers," formed around priests carrying sacramental bread through San Francisco de Yare's streets. Women and girls in red dresses adorned with holy crosses made of palm leaves walked alongside the procession with burning candles.

The Carnival-like dance, in which the devils pay penance and ask for relief from physical ailments, symbolizes the ongoing struggle between good and evil. It originated in southern Spain in the fifth century, when the Catholic church used the dance to convert pagans to Christianity.

"This symbolizes the triumph of Jesus Christ over the temptations of Lucifer, sin and death," Bishop Ovidio Perez told his congregation.

In Venezuela, the tradition dates to 1742, when liberal priests used it to include African slaves who were not permitted to worship in the same church as their white masters.

Venezuela abolished slavery in 1854, but descendants of slaves in San Francisco de Yare, now joined by others of mixed race, have preserved the religious tradition in this South American nation of 24 million.

The ritual mixes indigenous, African and Spanish traditions. The circling and stamping are derived from indigenous movements, while the cross step comes from Andalusian dances in Spain.

Dancer Alexis Gonzalez, a 50-year-old carpenter who started participating in the ritual when he was just 3, said he believes because of his involvement in Yare's Corpus Christi ritual his mother's ulcer was miraculously cured.

The oldest and most experienced dancer, called "El Primer Capataz," or "The Foreman," wears a mask with four horns.

The Foreman reaches that position if he demonstrates good behavior in the community throughout his lifetime and remains the maximum authority until his death.

In a hierarchical order, the Foreman is followed in line by two overseers, who wear three-horned masks. Other dancers have two horns.

"You can't get any more Venezuelan than this," said Julie Buell, a 35-year-old American who came from the capital with her family to see the ritual. "It's great to see traditions like these continue while the world is constantly changing."