News from Parliaments Around the Globe -- February 19, 2007

Polish Politician Blasts Jews

Dinah A. Spritzer
JTA Wire Service

FEBRUARY 18, 2007
Prague

A Polish member of the European Parliament has published a booklet suggesting that Jews are unethical, are obsessed with separateness and are a "tragic community" because they don't accept Jesus as the messiah. The extreme right-wing parliamentarian Maciej Giertych, an influential member of the nationalistic, Catholic-based League of Polish Families, released "Civilization at War in Europe" on Feb. 14 at the European Parliament headquarters in Strasbourg.

Giertych's son, Roman, Poland's education minister and deputy prime minister, now heads the league, which has been battling the stain of anti-Semitism for years.

The 32-page booklet by the elder Giertych aims to prove that European culture, education and morality should be the province of only one civilization. Poland and other parts of Europe are depicted as having a Catholic core which cannot coexist with what he depicts as the Jews' Torah-based civilization.

After reading the booklet on Giertych's Web site, www.giertych.pl, the executive director of the European Jewish Congress said his organization will investigate the legality of the publication.

"It is quite amazing that a member of the European Parliament referred to racial theories of the pre-World War II era reflecting empty prejudices and the ugliest anti-Semitic cliches," Serge Cwajgenbaum said. He also called upon the younger Giertych to renounce his father's work.

Maciej Giertych, a professor of biology at the Polish Academy of Sciences, writes of Jews, "It is a civilization of programmed separateness, of programmed differentiation from the surrounding communities...By their own will, they prefer to live a separate life, in apartheid from the surrounding communities. They form their own communes (kahals), they govern themselves by their own rule and they take care to maintain also a spatial separateness. They form the ghettos themselves, as districts in which they live together, comparable to the Chinatowns in the USA."

The elder Giertych told JTA that the booklet represents not his thoughts but the philosophy of Polish historian and philosopher Feliks Koneczny, a 1930s-era philosopher who some accused of anti-Semitism. "I am promoting the teachings. They are very good ideas, and they should be followed," Giertych said. "I subscribe to his methods."

Asked if Koneczny's views weren't discriminatory and outdated, Giertych said that even though they were written before the State of Israel's birth, they address an issue that hasn't changed for centuries and that pertains to various civilizations "like the Chinese and many others, not just the Jews."

Rafal Pankowski of Never Again, a Polish anti-racism organization, noted that Giertych for decades has championed the philosophy of Koneczny, who suggested that Jews and Catholics could not live in the same country because Jews were lawless and immoral.

Pankowski said Giertych was only repeating what was a core philosophy of the League of Polish Families, a junior partner in the Polish government's fragile three-party coalition.

"This book is consistent with his previous writings, as disappointing as that may be," said Pankowski, who noted that the father-and-son team was under fire for recently denying the existence of evolution. The League of Polish Families is a post-1989 revival of Endejca, the early-20th century party that used violence in an attempt to reduce the Jewish presence at universities. Some of the league's admirers have a neo-Nazi past.

One of the 1930s stereotypes revived by Giertych, who also was inspired by Endejca leader Roman Dmowski, is that of Jews as greedy conspirators.

"They settle among other civilizations, preferably among the rich," the book says of Jews, paraphrasing Koneczny. "They tend to migrate from poorer to richer lands They do so always as a group, immediately forming their own separate community."

Another section addresses the age-old stereotype that Jews use the Torah, Talmud and other commentaries hypocritically to produce ethical rules of convenience, allowing for "a constant casuistry, multiplying exceptions to immutable rules."

Giertych warns of the influence of this philosophy on Latin civilizations, meaning Christian Europe. But he denies suggesting that Europe's values are Christian values.

"I am saying that we in Europe make our laws according to ethics, not the Torah," Giertych said.

Asked how he thought Israelis made their laws, he responded, "the Torah." Piotr Kadlcik, president of the Union of Jewish Religious Communities in Poland, said that rather than finding anything directly anti-Semitic in Giertych's book, instead it was full of "dangerous thoughts that could elicit anti-Semitism."

He added dryly, "there is no mention of making matzahs out of Christian blood," a reference to medieval blood libels against Jews.

Giertych's book was issued only a month after the formation of a new far-right European Parliament grouping that includes members from parties with a history of anti-Semitism in France, Austria, Romania and Bulgaria. None of those parties, however, has members sitting in a country's governing coalition.

"It is not acceptable for such views to be expressed by a member of the European Parliament," Pankowski said. "The sadder thing is that such people have a role in running" Poland.

This story reprinted courtesy of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.




"No funding from European Parliament for anti-Semitic booklet"



Original article: www.ejpress.org/article/14279


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By Yossi Lempkowicz Updated: 18/Feb/2007 22:35




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BRUSSELS (EJP)--- The European Parliament said it has not contributed “neither financially nor materially” to the publication of an anti-Semitic brochure written by a non-attached Polish MEP.

The European Jewish Congress and several members of the European Parliament have denounced the publication of the booklet entitled "Civilizations at war in Europe" which was unveiled last Wednesday in Strasbourg by MEP Maciej Giertych.

The pamphlet bears a parliament logo on its cover and carries the usual caveat that the views expressed “do not present the official European parliament position”.

“No funding application for this brochure has been recorded at the present time,” the EU’s parliament said.

Maciej Giertych is a former head of the League of Polish Families and the father of Poland’s deputy prime minister, Roman Giertych.

The 32-page brochure claims that Jews are “biologically different” from “gentiles”, and “prefer to voluntarily live separately from the communities which surround them”.

“It is a great misunderstanding to consider anti-Semitism as racism,” the booklet reads. “The Jews of Poland are racially indistinguishable from the Poles.”

In its statement, the European Parliament said:“Following the rules adopted by the Bureau, the Parliament’s administration always checks the contents of materials for which a funding application is requested as well as its compliance with the European Parliament’s regulations and the fundamental values of the European Union,” the parliament said.

“Failure to comply with these conditions excludes all funding from the Institution’s budget”.

The European Parliament said it had already turned down a funding application by the same MEP as it failed to comply with the House’s regulations.









Parliament honours folk legend
Folk music fan Alan Keen MP, organised a Parliamentary tribute to the famous American singer/songwriter Tom Paxton at the start of his recent visit to the UK.

At a reception, sponsored by BBC Radio 2 Folk and compered by Jeremy Vine, Mr Keen presented Tom with a suitably engraved Parliamentary Shield. The Speaker of the House of Commons, Michael Martin, presented him with a signed bottle of "Speaker's Malt" whisky, while former Labour leader Neil Kinnock and former Shadow Foreign Secretary Michael Ancram spoke of Tom Paxton's enormous contribution to the world of contemporary folk.

Mr Keen, MP for Feltham and Heston and a long-time enthusiast of folk music, said: "I have known Tom for nearly 25 years and was aware that he had many admirers in Parliament.

"The Home Secretary, John Reid, and Michael Ancram often play Tom's songs at the annual Parliamentary fundraising concert for MacMillan Nurses."

He added: "Tom has quite a number of fans in Parliament who can also play and sing many of his songs.

"He has contributed so much to the world of contemporary folk song with his songs of protest against segregation in the US in the 60s, apartheid in South Africa, the wars in Vietnam and Iraq through to the ethnic cleansing in the Balkans in the 90s. It was impossible not to be seriously moved by his recent tribute to New York City's fire fighters for their sacrifices following 9/11."

The event was attended by more than 50 of his fans from both Houses of Parliament and Tom told the audience later that evening at his concert at the Queen Elizabeth Hall how honoured he was to receive such a tribute from Parliament.

2:21pm Saturday 17th February 2007




Parliament not His Master’s Voice

Parliament
Author: Kostis Geropoulos

18 February 2007 - Issue : 717



[Print Article]



European Parliament President German Hans-Gert Poettering addresses the members of the European Parliament during his inaugural speech in Strasbourg, February 13, 2007*
The days when the European Union succumbed to pressures from across the Atlantic, but also when the Parliament played second fiddle to the Commission and the Council seem to be long gone. This Parliament has its own voice and, as Hans-Gert Poettering said, it “cannot allow itself to be outdone by anybody when it comes to completing this task of unifying our continent." The president of the European Parliament was addressing German Chancellor Angela Merkel, president-in-office of the EU Council, Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and MEPs in his keynote inaugural speech in Strasbourg on February 13.


Poettering and Merkel’s speeches were met with huge applause in the EU assembly, which was a clear sign that both leaders’ efforts for a strong Europe have won the acceptance of both the European People's Party (EPP) and the Party of European Socialists (PES).


Poettering said he intends to help ensure that under the German Council Presidency a road map and a mandate are agreed upon at the summit in Brussels on June 21-22, as the outcome of which full implementation of the substantive core of the European Constitution will be in place by the next European Parliament elections in 2009. Merkel agreed that a constitutional treaty will be the crucial issue for the 2009 elections.


The parliament’s independent nature was highlighted on February 14 by a long-awaited report concluding a year-long investigation by a special committee of the EU assembly into CIA activities in Europe. The report, adopted by MEPs despite pressure from European governments and Washington, noted that the CIA operated more than 1,245 flights in European airspace over a four-year period and that secret detention centres may have been located in US military bases.


More than 10 European states, including Britain, Italy and Germany knew about the US secret service CIA's secret programme of taking terrorism suspects to other countries for interrogation.


In the report, the parliament said extraordinary renditions are “an illegal instrument used by the USA in the fight against terrorism” and condemned the “acceptance and concealing of the practice, on several occasions, by the secret services and governmental authorities of certain European countries.”


“The testimonies we received are facts and the facts speak for themselves,” said Italian Socialist MEP Claudio Fava, who drafted the report.


Carlos Coelho from Portugal, chairman of the committee investigating the CIA reports, was pushing for a strong condemnation of member states involved and felt ultimately justified. He told New Europe after the voting that the issue for the European Parliament is now closed and “It’s up to the Commission, the European Council and the Member States to apply the recommendations we approved.”


The report, adopted with 382 votes in favour, 256 against and 745 abstentions, almost split the European Parliament’s main group, the conservative European People’s Party. Conservative MEP Jas Gawronski of Italy, the group’s lead lawmaker on the investigation committee, countered the report while EPP’s Coelho was pushing for a strong condemnation of member states involved.


Gawronski told New Europe in Strasbourg before the voting there is limited hard evidence to substantiate the abuse accusations. “I think this report has no positive effect whatsoever. I think the United States should be criticised for what they did, but we didn’t need one year of travelling of 46 people. We should have made a political statement saying that the United States made a mistake because of extraordinary conditions in violation of human rights and other things. Not engaging a whole committee for one year,” he said.


Gawronski did not manage to pass two amendments he was particularly keen on – that the CIA has the right to fly whenever, it wants, wherever it wants, with whatever plane it wants (7), and secret service agencies are called secret because they act secretly and they should be left to act secretly until they break the law (8).


Asked if the report could lead to a cooling of relations with the US, Coelho told New Europe after the vote “no country likes to discuss issues connected with secret services. We know that; but when I listened new statements and new positions from the new Congress – either the (US) Senate or the House of Representatives - I believe a huge part of the approach they are making towards some initiatives of the administration are very much in the same line as the European Parliament has voted, so I think in both sides of the Atlantic speaking about departments they are very much common views.”




European Parliament approves aid but subject to conditions

Parliament MOLDOVA
18 February 2007 - Issue : 717



[Print Article]


The European Parliament in Strasbourg on February 14 adopted the Commission proposal to the Council with several amendments to grant 45 million Euro in exceptional macro-financial aid to Moldova, one of Europe’s poorest countries, a New Europe correspondent reported. The money, approved in a report drafted by Bela Glattfelder from Hungary, will support Moldova’s balance of payments in the context of a severe deterioration of Moldova’s trade and current account balances and, in this way, alleviating the financial constraints on the implementation of the government’s economic programme.
The rise in energy prices and the embargo imposed by Russia in 2006 on imports of Moldovan wine and spirits have also taken their toll on Moldova’s trade balance. The wine sector accounts for 25 percent of the tiny country’s GDP. Eighty percent of the wine production was exported to Russia. Moldova’s economy remains highly dependent on agriculture (notably fruit, vegetables and tobacco) and is lacking in natural resources.
This Community financial assistance shall be managed by the Commission in consultation with the Economic and Financial Committee and in a manner consistent with the agreements or understandings reached between the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Moldova. The Commission will regularly inform the European Parliament of the Economic and Financial Committee proceedings and provide it with the relevant documents. The Community financial assistance shall be made available for two years starting from the first day after the entry into force of this decision. This aid should prompt Moldova to implement reforms under the EU-Moldova Action Plan agreed as part of the European Neighbourhood Policy. Moldova has had a frontier with the EU since the accession of Romania on January 1, 2007. Moldova has not been given EU candidate status but in a speech to the parliament’s plenary on January 31 in Brussels Romanian President Traian Basescu spoke of the need to give Moldova a European perspective.





European Parliament is flag-bearer of freedom, human rights in world, says PM



ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said that European Parliament is a flag-bearer of freedom and human rights in the world and Pakistan expects it to make a fair, balanced and meaningful contribution in facilitating a peaceful and just settlement of the Kashmir dispute which has impeded normalization of relations between Pakistan and India.

The Prime Minister was talking to Mr. Richard Howitt, British Member of European Parliament who called on him at the PM's House on Saturday.

The Prime Minister said that both European Union and Pakistan are active partners in the fight of terrorism, reconstruction of Afghanistan and in the maintenance of global peace and security. Pakistan is committed to continue this partnership, he added.

The Prime Minister emphasized that Pakistan highly values its relations with the European Union and called for greater cooperation especially through enhancing trade.

The Prime Minister said that the greater access to the European markets will help to Pakistan achieve its social development plans. He said that the approval of free Trade Agreement (FTA) by the Cabinet would pave the process for third generation agreement between Pakistan and European Union by opening new areas of cooperation leading to enhance trade.

Talking about rehabilitation, relief and reconstruction activity in the earthquake affected areas of AJK and NWFP; the Prime Minister said it is going on in full swing on Build Back Better basis. He said all educational facilities and hospitals, clinics, offices and roads are fully operational in temporary and make shift premises. He the commitment of the Pakistan government is demonstrated by the fact that not a single person lost life due to lack of food, shelter, and medicine or epidemic despite grim forecast.

The Prime Minister welcomed the visit of Mr. Richard Howitt and appreciated his efforts to engage European Union for the just settlement of Kashmir dispute according to the aspirations of the Kashmiri people. While referring the ideas floated by President General Pervez Musharraf the Prime Minister said it provides an ideal base for discussion leading to a just settlement of the Kashmir issue.

Mr. Richard Howitt assured the Prime Minister of European Parliament's continued supports in all fields of mutual interest. He said that EU is appreciative of the fact that Pakistan is playing a stabilizing role in the region.

He said that Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz's interaction with the leaders of European Union during his recent visit to Davos and Brussels has led to a better understanding of Pakistan's role in the region and its policies.




Please return to Parliament – Abodakpi pleads with NDC MPs



Posted on: 17-Feb-2007 Previous Page






Dan Abodakpi



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I wish to say to you all that I am innocent and intend to continue to defend myself up to the highest court of the land against what I consider to be injustice of the decision and sentence given to me by the Fast Track High Court

Dan Abodakpi




The incarcerated Member of Parliament for Keta, Daniel Kwasi Abodakpi, is asking his NDC colleagues in Parliament to rescind their indefinite boycott of parliamentary proceedings.

In a press statement dated February 17, 2007, a copy of which was made available to myjoyonline.com, Abodakpi expressed profound gratitude to the NDC MP’s who he said had already demonstrated to him that they were together in everything that they did.

Praying God’s blessings for his supportive colleagues, he maintained that he was innocent of the charges for which he had been convicted, and explained that he had appealed against the judgement of Justice S.T. Farkye.

“In the meantime, I will ask my fellow Parliamentarians, who have shown such great solidarity with me, to reconsider their decision to boycott proceedings in Parliament indefinitely.”

Abodakpi, a former Minister for Trade and Industry was handed a 10-year jail term on February 5, after the Fast Track High Court in Accra, presided by Justice F.T. Farkye found him guilty of willfully causing financial loss of $400,000 to the State.

He had pleaded not guilty during his trial and maintained in his press statement that he was innocent.

“I wish to say to you all that I am innocent and intend to continue to defend myself up to the highest court of the land against what I consider to be injustice of the decision and sentence given to me by the Fast Track High Court.”

Abodakpi explained that all his political life he had served his country faithfully, for which he had no regrets. He said he did not however intend that his “circumstances become a source of worry or disadvantage” to his constituents and the NDC party.

“While going through the process of appeal, I have had a sober reflection about the effect of the possible events of the next few weeks, not only on myself and my family, but also on my Party and my Constituency, who have voted me into Parliament to protect and defend their interests.

“My lawyers have applied on my behalf to the Court for bail pending an appeal I have lodged against the judgement of Justice Farkye. I have immense confidence in my lawyers and the outcome of the application. If the application is successful, I shall return to Parliament to represent the interest of my Constituency and the NDC.”

On behalf of his family, he also expressed gratitude to his solicitors, members of his constituency, former President Rawlings as Founder of the NDC, Prof. Atta-Mills as NDC Flagbearer and members of the NDC for standing by him.







Yemen Parliament listens to reports on trade, Qat
SANA'A, Feb. 17 (Saba) - The parliament listened in a session, chaired by Yahya Ali Arraei, the vice speaker of the parliament, held Saturday to the report of Trade and Industry Committee regarding the law project of local trade.
The committee pointed in its report that the law No. 24 for the year 1990 aimed at realizing price and supplement stability in addition to
providingthem to every citizen.
The law aimed at regulating trade and observing the activities of the public, mixed, cooperative and private sectors.
Moreover, after trade release, it was necessary to create a new law regulating interior
tradeand encouraging investments in the field of establishing mills and wheat store units as well as creating marketing companies.
The committee clarified that the new law considered an alternative to the past one and that it keeps pace with the free trade and the
countrynew plans.
On the other hand, the parliament listened to the report of Law and Constitutional Committee over the results of its study to a law
project regarding remediesof Qat dangers.
The committee's report clarified that this project aims at unifying formalan public efforts for undermining Qat consuming and providing material and technical compensations to the Qat farmers who abandon the plant.
The committee viewed that any article in the law does not interfere with pending laws and that it can be introduced to the parliament for discussions. The parliament referred these two reports to the upcoming session for discussion.
MS/TN





Norway Parliament: Ceremony in memory of Asian flood victims
The spring session of the Norwegian Parliament (Storting) was opened with a speech by the President of the Storting, Joergen Kosmo, in memory of the victims of the Asian tidal wave. Kosmo then called for a two-minute silence. Prime Minister Bondevik then gave a report on how the Government handled the crisis.

The spring session of the Norwegian Parliament (Storting) was opened with a speech by the President of the Storting, Joergen Kosmo, in memory of the victims of the Asian tidal wave.
Kosmo then called for a two-minute silence.

Kosmo said that the catastrophe had destroyed the livelihood for millions of people, and killed a staggering number.

He then went on to thank all those who are helping to rebuild the countries which have been stricken.

He also said that his thoughts no out to all those in Norway who have been stricken. - For many Norwegians 2005 will be a very difficult year, Kosmo said.

He then called on Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik to give a report to Parliament on how the Government handled the crisis in the wake of the tragedy.

There has been criticism directed against the Norwegian authorities for doint too little too late.

Bondevik said the Department of Foreign Affairs started its work as soon as it became apparent how serious the natural disaster was.

- The first plane to bring Norwegians home was ordered the day after the disaster, Bondevik said.

However, he admitted that the catastrophe had been very demanding for Norwegian authorities, and that things could have been done differently.

He called for the formation of a special unit which will be called on to handle future crises.

An independent commission made up of seven members, will now evaluate how the government handled the crisis.

(NRK)


Jordanian Parliament did not shed tears over Saddam -- Al-Majali

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 18 (KUNA) -- Speaker of the Jordanian House of Representatives, Abdul-Hadi Al-Majali, also head of the Arab Inter-parliamentary Union, denied that the Jordanian Parliament had mourned late Iraqi president Saddam Hussein after the "tyrant" was executed.

Al-Majali made the statement to reporters on sidelines of the 9th Session meetings of the Council of Parliamentary Union of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (PUOIC) that ended earlier this week in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur.

He pointed out that what happened then was an ordinary session for the Jordanian Parliament following Saddam's execution and that some MPs proposed a "point of order" but no session was devoted for shedding tears on Saddam.

"What I said at the session was that carrying out the execution on the first day of Eid (Al-Adha) was unacceptable," Al-Majali said.

"They would have better waited for the trial to be completed and then holding Saddam responsible for whatever acts he had committed, topped with his invasion of Kuwait," Al-Majali added "carrying out the execution on the first day of Eid Al-Adha (Greater Bairam) left significant impact on the people in the street.. but it was no matter of a regime against another." In his answer to a question on reading Surat Al-Fatiha (Al-Fatiha Verse), that is praying for God to bless Saddam's soul, the Jordanian top parliamentarian said "I could not refuse a request by one MP to read Surat Al-Fatiha.. It is just normal to respond if any one makes such a proposal." Al-Majali again denied that no special session at the Jordanian parliament had been devoted to mourn the head of the defunct Iraqi regime, expressing hope that "the Kuwaiti people would overcome the matter" since the Iraqi regime and Saddam are now bygones.

He also emphasized keenness on enhancing bilateral relations between Jordan and Kuwait which he referred to as "more than excellent" and reached the highest level between King Abdullah II and Amir of Kuwait HH Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. "The relations are likely to be stronger," he said.

Jordan is always open to Kuwaiti brothers and there are many young Kuwaiti people studying in Jordan, Al-Majali said noting that there had been some problems in the past but were overcome through "wisdom and good relations "thanks God, contacts on the level of the people are good and our relations are strong on all levels." Addressing the issues on the agenda of the forthcoming Arab Inter-parliamentary Union meetings due in Jordan later this month, Al-Majali said the regional scene is "very bad" and that some Arab countries, namely Lebanon, Iraq and Palestine, are going through hard times.

"These conditions have contributed much to the cooperation with Kuwait as well as other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states, especially that we share the same views on current events," he said urging collective action to overcome the current situation.

Al-Majali concluded by urging a "decisive stance on what is going on worldwide, for there is a strong sense that attacks are launched against the Arab identity which is in danger.. this is manifested through the Iraqi crisis. There are attempts to blur the Arab identity."(end) kd.

msa






SL Parliament to meet amid political tension

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 February 2007, 13:12 GMT]
Sri Lanka's parliament is to meet Tuesday again amid political tension in the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government created by the sacking of three ministers by President Mahinda Rajapakse. Parliament met last time amid tension created by the defection of eighteen parliamentarians from the main opposition United National Party (UNP) to government side, sources said.
Anura Bandaranaike, one of the sacked ministers later was able to reconcile with Mahinda Rajapakse and was to be sworn in again as Minister of Heritage Sunday.

However, Mangala Samaraweera and Sripathi Sooriyarachchi have indicated that they will not join the government and accept ministerial portfolios under any circumstances.

Mr. Samaraweera has said that he will sit in the backbench in parliament and support the government even if Mr Rajapakse accepts his ten demands forwarded to the government in writing, sources said.

Presidential sources said Mr Rajapakse would not yield to the threat. Mr. Sooriyarachchi has threatened that he will expose the government's secret dealings with the LTTE, media sources in Colombo.

Meanwhile, a debate of the report of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) will take place in parliament on February 22 and 23. The COPE chairman is Wijesdasa Rajapakse, UPFA parliamentarian. The COPE report has charged corruption in 26 government institutions and called on the government to inquire into the allegations and punish the errant officials, sources said.

The debate will be proposed by the UNP and seconded by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) during adjournment time on February 22, sources said.





Bill to amend constitution registered at the Nepal parliament

Following the approval by the cabinet meeting, Law Minister Narendra Bikram Nemwang registered a Bill to amend the interim constitution at the Parliament Secretariat on Sunday evening.

The Bill has been drafted by incorporating the issues raised in the address made by Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, on February 7, to fulfill demands of Madhesis and Janjatis.

According to the bill, the one and a half month old constitution – which had been endorsed by the interim parliament unanimously on January 25 by rejecting calls for rectifying its weaknesses that were pointed out by legal experts as well as MPs themselves – will now be amended to state that Nepal will head towards federal democratic structure through the Constituent Assembly (CA).

Likewise, the bill has provisions to reconstitute the electoral constituencies on the basis of equal population, geographic characteristics and peculiarities, and increment of percent of population in Terai region. The existing constituencies in hills and mountains won't be reduced but the number of those in Terai where population has increased will be increased proportionally.

The bill also states that the elections to the CA will be held on the basis of Mixed electoral system – whereby direct elections will be held in districts on the basis of existing (and additional constituencies) constituencies along with proportional representation-based elections to be held simultaneously by treating the whole country as a single constituency.

Furthermore, the bill also states that a high-level five-member Electoral Constituency Fixation Commission will be formed to be led by a former judge of Supreme Court (SC) and including geographic, demographic and social experts as members.

It also calls for providing proportional representation of Madhesis, women, Janjatis, Dalits, disabled people and other minorities in all structure of the state.

The bill, however, does not have any provision regarding the election of Prime Minister. There were calls to insert provision whereby two-third of MPs should elect and/or remove the PM.

The interim parliament will discuss and endorse the amendment bill in its next meeting on February 20.

Meanwhile, the parties have formed a task force including representatives of all the parties to decide about the issue of whether to provide temporary voters with the opportunity to cast their votes in the CA elections. The Maoists are firmly demanding that temporary voters, too, be allowed to cast their votes. nepalnews.com sd Feb 18 07



Parliament deplores Zahedan terrorist attack, urges government to fight terrorism
Tehran, Feb 18, IRNA
Iran Parliament-Zahedan Terrorist Attack
Members of Parliament on Sunday condemned the terrorist attack in Zahedan last week and urged the government to take precautionary measures to stem terrorism.

Member of Majlis Presiding Board Mousa Qorbani read a statement in the formal session of the parliament expressing condolence on the martyrdom of several members of Basij (volunteer forces), personnel of the Islamic Republic of Iran Police (IRIP) and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).

The terrorists stopped a bus carrying members of Basij and personnel of the IRIP and IRGC with an explosive-loaded sedan car and caused explosion in which several of those on board the bus died and others were critically injured.

Iranian intelligence officials said that the terrorist group were equipped by terrorist networks abroad.





Turkish Parliament unnerved by alarming surge in crime
A parliamentary commission set up to investigate a surge in violence across Turkey came up with astounding facts when the police sent it a report containing comparative data on crimes committed across the country.

Rising violence hit newspaper headlines and triggered a public debate on causes of the phenomenon when high school children in several parts of Turkey injured and even killed each other for a variety of reasons in numerous reported incidents. The debate peaked when Ogün Samast, a 17-year-old secondary school graduate from the Black Sea province of Trabzon, gunned down Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink in downtown İstanbul in broad daylight.
The report, prepared by the Police Directorate General, shows that there was a dramatic increase in crimes such as domestic violence, murder and robbery in 2006, when compared to 2005 data. Number of incidents of crime has risen to more than 2 million a year from an average of 300,000 only five years ago.
“We have a generation that uses violence as a method to achieve personal goals of a different kind,” said Ömer Özyılmaz, a member of Parliament's Commission for the Investigation of Violence. "People who have personal problems and problems of identity do not respect lives and property of others."
He identified uncontrolled migration to big cities and the ensuing problem of adaptation to a new culture as well as financial problems stemming from rampant unemployment as the main factors behind the rise in violence, especially among the young population. Coupled with an overall problem with law enforcement, these factors turn disillusioned youth into easy prey for criminal gangs, he said.“We are creating a young generation that is prone to commit every kind of evil action,” he said.
According to the police report, the total number of incidents of crime stood at more than 460,000, representing a dramatic increase as compared to 2005, when the number of crimes was less than 290,000. The report also shows that the biggest surge between 2005 and 2006 was in incidents of personal injury; the police reported more than 50,000 cases of injury in 2006, a big surge as compared to 2005 when the same number was approximately 36,000.
There was also a dramatic increase in cases of assault and abduction. Some 71,564 cases of assault were reported in 2006, while this figure stood at 46,612 in the previous year. There were nearly 7,700 cases of abduction in 2006, compared to approximately 5,600 a year ago.
The figures point to a dramatic rise in domestic violence as well; the police said there were more than 17,000 cases of “mistreatment of family” in 2006, while the number of such cases was 9,901 in 2006.
Rising trends in suicide cases were also noteworthy. The number of attempted suicides rose to 18,527 in 2006 from 12,094 in 2005. There was a surge in the unauthorized possession of weapons, too. Security forces seized 19,137 unlicensed weapons in 2006 compared to 10,667 in 2005. There was also a rising trend in robberies; the number of residential burglaries increased from 53,932 to 85,956 while that of burglaries of offices rose from 43,733 to 55,967. Moreover, car thefts also increased from 32,051 in 2005 to 68,855 in 2006.




`European Parliament to Discuss Human Rights in N. Korea'



The European Parliament, which has been aggressive in dealing with human rights in North Korea, will discuss the matter again next month, the Yonhap News Agency reported Monday.
The European Union (EU)-sponsored resolution condemning Pyongyang's human rights abuses was passed by the U.N.'s Third Committee for the second consecutive year in November last year.

The North rejected the resolution, claiming it was nothing but a politically motivated plot based on sheer lies.

Yonhap quoted informed sources as saying that the parliament will review a report on human rights violations in the reclusive communist country and be briefed by three renowned activists _ Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel, former Czech President Vaclav Havel and former Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik _ on March 20.

The trio had called on the U.N. Security Council to take action against Pyongyang at the end of 2006, with the report saying that the human rights situation in North Korea is so egregious that the international community should intervene.

The parliament held a hearing last spring on the human rights issue including testimony by North Korean refugees, and also raised the issue of the ``dismal working conditions¡¯¡¯ of North Korean workers abroad.





NDC to call off boycott of Parliament
The minority NDC Members of Parliament are expected to end their indefinite boycott of the house this week.

Though the party is yet to make any categorical statement to that effect, sources say a meeting to be held on Monday to review the boycott would likely see the MPs return to the house.

The MP’s announced their boycott of proceedings of Parliament in solidarity with their colleague Dan Abodakpi who was handed a 10-year jail term a fortnight ago for causing financial loss of $400,000 to the State.

The move to go back to Parliament has been highly expected following a call by Abodakpi at the weekend for them to review the indefinite boycott and return to the house, expressing his appreciation to the NDC party and the MPs for their solidarity.

Minority Leader Alban Bagbin told Joy News a decision to return to Parliament or not will only be known after the meeting.

Meanwhile the NDC has dismissed allegations that it had a grand design to destabilize the country.

Executives of the East Ayawaso branch of the ruling NPP told a news conference on Friday that the minority’s indefinite boycott of parliamentary proceedings and a planned procession by the Committee for Joint Action were both part of the NDC’s plan to cause mayhem in the country.

But a leading member of the NDC and deputy Minority Leader, Edward Doe Adjaho said the allegations were laughable and needed to be treated with contempt.






Yemen Parliament take act in feudal Sheikh issue
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yemen Times Staff




SANA’A, Feb. 18 — The Parliament has composed a special committee to investigate the accusations against Sheikh Mohammed Ahmed Mansour, a powerful leader in Ibb, after people demonstrated for days in front of Parliament. Mansour was accused of evacuating many peasants working on his land in Al-Ja’ashin and abusively treating the people.

The committee is composed of seven MPs known for defending human rights and lead by MP Sheikh Mohammed Al-Shaef, head of the human rights and freedoms committee in Parliament. The MPs urged the government to provide shelter and food for the demonstrating citizens who have been camping over a week in Dar Salam in the capital region.

The committee evolved after heated debates in the Parliament where Al-Ja’ashin villagers plight was seen to be politically motivated. However, the committee started operating yesterday itself as it met with the villagers and agreed to stop the demonstration and arrange for them to return to their homes peacefully.

MP Abdulrazaq Al-Hajri, a member of the composed committee, stressed the importance of not leaving the case in the hands of the local jurisdiction in Ibb, which had rejected their case earlier and accused them of rebellion.

Other MPs urged Parliament to secure protection for these people once they return home in fear of being subjected to vindictive measure by the powerful Sheikh.

Earlier this month the men of Al-Ja’ashin village left the women behind and evacuated their homes in protest of the abuse they suffer under the control of Mansour. The villagers allege that consultative council member Mansour oppressed, harassed and imposed unlawful duties upon them and that the sheikh’s militia regularly loots and robs them.

Media, especially opposition, has taken up this issue heatedly and argued this is a violation against human rights and accused the sheikh of throwing the villagers out of their homes by force. However, Mansour denied these complaints that what is being proposed in opposition newspapers is nothing but rubbish.

“They want to disgrace me and damage my image for political reasons,” he said.




Students' Turn to Protest in front of Parliament
Updated on: 19.02.2007, 14:22
Published on: 19.02.2007, 14:00
Author: Dimitar Tabakov
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SOFIA (news.bg) -- Around 200 young protesters have gathered in front of the Bulgarian parliament, demanding recognition of their education.

Students want to graduate as bachelors although they study in a college. They have issued a declaration saying that Bulgaria should give young graduate better chance to find good jobs in the EU.

"We want to be treated equally," protesters demand in front of parliament today.

Lutvi Mestan, an MP from DPS and a chairperson of the parliamentary commission for education said students have the right to protests.

Around 1 pm protesters met with the Health minister Radoslav Gaudarksi.




Lesotho's ruling party leads in parliament polls
Mon Feb 19, 2007 2:11 PM GMT
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By Cletus Moraso

MASERU (Reuters) - Early results in Lesotho's parliamentary election put the ruling Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) ahead on Monday, but it faced an unexpected challenge from a new party in the tiny African kingdom.

The LCD has won 24 constituencies out of a total of 80, while the opposition All Basotho Convention (ABC) gained 12.

Thomas Thabane, a former LCD insider, has galvanised the political scene since breaking away from the ruling party in October and taking many LCD members of parliament with him to form the ABC.

The move left Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili's government with the slimmest of majorities in the 120-member chamber and forced it to call an early election in the mountainous territory dubbed Africa's "kingdom in the sky".

Final results are expected this week but more dynamic politics are not expected to ease hardships anytime soon.

Lesotho is struggling with drought, unemployment and one of the world's most alarming HIV/AIDS crises, thought to have infected about one third of adults in the country of 1.8 million people.

Surrounded by South Africa, the continent's biggest economy, Lesotho has seen its fortunes wane in recent years, particularly after a new global textile deal in 2005 removed quotas supporting an industry once seen as the kingdom's future.

Mosisili's LCD has increasingly been accused of failing to deliver on promises of economic growth and jobs in a country with an unstable political history.

The 1998 election resulted in riots after the LCD won all but one seat in parliament and was accused of vote-rigging. South Africa and Botswana intervened with troops to restore order.

Allegations of irregularities resurfaced against the LCD in the run-up to Saturday's elections, but observers from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) said after the polls closed there was no sign of irregularities.

The Independent Electoral Commission said it was not clear when final results would be released. "It might be in a couple of days," said spokesman Tuoe Hantsi.

Voters elect 80 MPs using the first-past-the-post system and 40 seats are assigned on the basis of proportional representation, an innovation first used in 2002.

Hantsi said only a few glitches had been reported with some voters not appearing on the voters' roll but he believed the elections had been free and fair.

In 2002, the LCD won 77 of the 80 directly contested seats, taking 54 percent of the vote. That election was endorsed as free and fair by international observers but rejected by the opposition as fraudulent.



Crotian Parliament Speaker Begins Two-Day Official Visit to Montenegro

Source:Crotia

The outstanding issues of war reparations and the border between Montenegro and Croatia should be resolved by the governments of the two countries, the Chairman of the Montenegrin Assembly, Ranko Krivokapic, and his Croatian counterpart, Vladimir Seks, said in Podgorica on Monday.

Seks started his two-day official visit to Montenegro with talks with his host.

"On behalf of the Sabor (Croatian Parliament), I welcome the memorandum by the Croatian-Montenegrin Council, which was signed by both governments and which concerns partial compensation of war damage," Seks said at a joint press conference, adding that Zagreb had not yet sent an official claim to Podgorica.

Under the memorandum, Montenegro paid 375,000 euro to the Konavle region of southern Croatia in damages for the looting of livestock during the 1991-1995 war. Direct property damage in the Konavle region is estimated at least 35 million euro.

"Montenegro was taken advantage of in the war and feels the moral obligation to at least symbolically compensate for the damage done," Krivokapic said, noting that Podgorica had not set time limits for the payment of war reparations.

Under the 1991 Croatian parliament resolution on armed aggression against Croatia, Montenegro was not declared an aggressor, but in a subsequent declaration Podgorica was named an aggressor against Croatia, Seks said.

"Never again will Montenegro destroy or invade other people's land nor will it be a part of a project that would cause damage to other Southern Slavic nations," Krivokapic said.

Seks said that the steps taken by Montenegro, including the partial payment of damages and the construction of a kindergarten in Dubrovnik, were good steps towards moral and political satisfaction. He added that the idea of Croatian ownership stakes in Montenegrin companies should be "calmly considered by both governments."

The two parliament speakers said that the provisional agreement on the borders was being implemented without any problems and that the two governments were willing to reach a lasting agreement on the borders soon.

Seks and Krivokapic spoke in favour of regional cooperation and good neighbourly relations, supporting the aspirations of the two countries to join Euro-Atlantic integration processes.

Seks invited his host to attend a conference of parliament speakers of the Southeast Europe Cooperation Process (SEECP), which is scheduled to take place in Zagreb in April.

19 February 2007
Hina News Line





Marshalls' Parliament Votes to Recess

Marshall Islands parliament voted to recess yesterday until two new senators from Kwajalein and Enewetak are elected and seated. The first roll call vote, during regular session on Monday, February 19, was a tie (12 - 12). Several of the Nitijela members were not present. The Speaker of the Nitijela Litowa Tomeing broke the tie, favoring a recess and siding with the minority party.

The dramatic vote came following several days of debate on the issue.

The Government majority party wanted to continue with the session. There were several hearings scheduled for Monday, with items sponsored by majority members.

Opposition senators wanted to recess until after the special election which will be held today, February 20.

The special election to fill the Enewetak/Ujelang and Kwajalein Electoral District’s vacant seats in the Nitijela was called on December 29, 2006, following the passing of two parliament members, Kwajalein's Senator Justin deBrum in December and Enewetak's Senator Ishmael John in November.

With the call for recess, the hearing scheduled on the controversial Bill 57, for the Social Security Earnings Test, was cancelled.





French parliament meets to reform constitution

PARIS, Feb 19 (KUNA) -- A joint session of the French parliament, bringing together the National Assembly, or lower house, and the Upper House, Senate, met Monday in the Versailles Palace at the request of President Jacques Chirac to discuss constitutional reform, parliamentary sources said.

Chirac called for the joint session, which is needed for any reform of the constitution, in order to change three articles that relate to Presidential immunity, the complete and irrevocable registering of the abolition of the death penalty in the French constitution and the modification of the voting status of New Caledonia, one of Frances Indian Ocean dominions.

The French President, who has himself been the object of several investigations linked with corruption allegations, has sought to make it less easy for a Head of State to avoid giving evidence in criminal cases.

Chirac refused on a number of occasions to give testimony to investigating magistrates here regarding political corruption and even allegations of self-enrichment.

A ruling by the Constitutional Council, then presided in the 1990s by supposed Chirac political opponent, Socialist Roland Dumas, protected Chirac from being forced to testify, but this will likely be less easy for Chiracs successors after the latest amendment to the Constitution.

Opposition groups have said they will abstain on the joint Parliament amendments of the constitution regarding the "Criminal Status of the President, " but the ruling conservatives from Chiracs UMP party are solidly in place to guarantee the two-thirds majority necessary for the passing of the amendments. (end) jk.





Police to revisit decision to keep crowd-control barrier around Hungarian parliament


Budapest, February 19 (MTI) - Budapest police have been instructed to revisit their decision to keep parliament surrounded by a crowd control barrier, the deputy chief of the national force said on Monday.

Arpad Szabadfi also instructed Budapest's police chief to set a time limit for maintaining the barrier, according to a statement sent to MTI. Szabadfi then noted that police had the power to extend the time limit if they considered it necessary.

Police constructed the barrier last October 23, to secure parliament for the many heads of state and government visiting Budapest on the 50th anniversary of the outbreak of the 1956 revolution and freedom fight. It has been in place ever since. Szabadfi noted that there had been a number of violent demonstrations last autumn and many rioters verbally threatened parliament before and immediately after it was cordoned off. Some even called on protesters to occupy it, similarly to their occupation of public television in September, when rioters fought police, and took over and looted the building.

Szabadfi underlined that securing the Members of Parliament, the government dignitaries who work inside the building and staff is of fundamental importance to the operation of the nation. To do so, it has the authority to close off areas to traffic and to pedestrians. While, by law, police must declare how long they plan to keep an area secured, they have every right to extend deadlines as many times as they see fit to keep people safe.

There have been multiple protests against the barrier. Most recently, leading members of the opposition Fidesz party took down a portion of the cordon in early February, which police immediately restored.



Tunisia Parliament ratifies Malta agreement
By MaltaMedia News
Feb 19, 2007 - 6:37:17 PM

The Tunisian Parliament ratified a cooperation treaty with Malta, binding the two countries to seek peaceful, fair and just solutions to any possible issues they might encounter.

The treaty was signed in June 2005 between Maltese Minister for Foreign Affairs Michael Frendo and his Tunisian counterpart Abdelbaki Hermassi. The treaty was subsequently ratified by Maltese Parliament in 2006.

The treaty states that the Maltese and Tunisian Prime Ministers are to meet once yearly. Additionally Foreign Ministers are to meet once every six months, with meeting alternating between the respective states.

The treaty encourages dialogue between the Parliaments, professional organisations, Universities and private sectors of the countries and pushes for financial and economic cooperation.

It is further provided in the treaty that Malta and Tunisia are to cooperate in the services and production sectors. While promoting investment and joint ventures between Maltese and Tunisian entrepreneurs, the treaty moreover calls for the implementation of Action Plans through which Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) will benefit.

Infrastructural projects in the sectors of energy, transport, communication, fishing, environmental protection, safeguarding of the Mediterranean Sea against pollution, science and technology are also encouraged in the treaty,

As part of the agreement, the Armed Forces of Malta and Tunisia also agreed to cooperate through training programmes, humanitarian work and mutual participation in exercises.

The agreement also speaks of cooperation in the sectors education and culture thanks to the exchange of students, teachers and professionals, as well as through activities which promote intercultural and religious dialogue.

Finally, the agreement also provides for the setting up of a Malta-Tunisia Business Council and for the collaboration in the fight against terrorism, criminality, drug trafficking, illegal immigration and human traffic.




Falun Gong Practitioner Who Met with VP of European Parliament Sentenced
The Epoch Times Feb 19, 2007

According to a report by Minghui.net on February 17, 2007, the Gansu Provincial Court sentenced Falun Gong practitioner Cao Dong five years in prison on February 8, 2007, under the charges of "illegal collusion with anti-China forces in and out of China" and "accepting illegal interviews." Right now Cao Dong is filing an appeal.

On May 21, 2006, Cao Dong met with Mr. Edward McMillan-Scott, Vice-President of the European Parliament. He talked about the persecution he, his wife and other Falun Gong practitioners he knows well received. He also talked about how he saw the body of Falun Gong practitioners after organ extraction. On the same day of meeting, Cao Dong was kidnapped by spies of Beijing National Security Bureau. Initially he was secretively jailed in Beijing, and on September 4, he was transferred to the detention center in Lanzhou City, which belongs to Gansu Provincial National Security Bureau. Cao's case, through Mr. McMillan-Scott's urging to the outside world, has gained extensive attention from the international society

Some people in the legal field pointed out there is no such rule of "accepting illegal interviews" in Chinese laws. Gansu Provincial Court apparently created this phrase.

Another charge pressed against Cao Dong is that Cao provided documents to prove the persecution of Falun Gong such as "Helping and Teaching Agreement," "Complaining Letter," "Police Department Meeting Notification," and "Notification of Relief from Labor-Education" to foreigners for photographing, "so as to pressure the government."

Analysts pointed out that these documents are legal documents that labor camps issue to those who completes full-term of the labor-education. Theses documents are made by the labor camps and related agencies. Releasing these documents should not generate any threat to the country. Cao Dong emphasized at the court that what he told the Vice-President of the European Parliament his own experience.

Minghui.net reported that an internal document within Chinese Communist regime showed the background of this sentence at Gansu Provincial Court. This document claimed that "According to guideline from Central '610 office," 'striking on Cao Dong and sentencing him in Beijing would be relatively sensitive, and could easily be speculated.' In addition, No. 17 Department of National Security Bureau issued a guideline that 'it is more appropriate to transfer Cao to Gansu Province, his hometown, to handle and sentence. The legislature department of Gansu Province will sentence him by law…if allowing Cao to return to the society, it certainly will bring harms to the social stability in Beijing, therefore he must be stricken on."

On December 22, 2006, Gansu Provincial Court held a court hearing over Cao's case. But the final verdict had to be announced after the approval of "upper-level 610 office." The final verdict of five-year in prison was eventually delivered this February 8.



Opposition Slams End Of Parliament Session Broadcasts


By Shakeh Avoyan

The Armenian opposition condemned on Monday a Constitutional Court ruling that will allow state television to end the hitherto mandatory broadcasts of some parliament sessions that usually feature strong verbal attacks on the government.

Under a law regulating the work of the National Assembly, the Armenian Public Television has to broadcast, in prime time, special sittings during which parliament deputies put questions to government ministers and make 3-minute statements on any issue. The assembly can also order the state-owned channel to broadcast its other sessions as well. In addition, the Armenian Public Radio has to broadcast all parliament sessions in full.

The legal provision, in place since 1995, has enabled opposition parties to spread their views through the two government-controlled broadcaster whose news coverage has traditionally favored the government. The management of the Armenian Public Television and Radio (HHRH) has been pushing for its abolition since last year, saying that it contradicts articles of Armenia’s constitution guaranteeing press freedom. The Constitutional Court accepted these arguments on Friday after an appeal filed by President Robert Kocharian.

Opposition leaders described the ruling as the latest in a series of government measures which they say are aimed at further restricting opposition access to the airwaves in the run-up to the May 12 parliamentary elections. They told RFE/RL that the mandatory broadcasts are necessary given the fact that state television and all major private networks are loyal to the Kocharian administration.

“I disagree with the [Constitutional Court’s] decision,” said Vazgen Manukian, the veteran leader of the opposition National Democratic Union (AZhM) party. “I believe the decision itself is unconstitutional.”

“Our first channel has never been known for covering the most important things. It is therefore necessary to obligate it show things which the National Assembly considers important,” he added.

The pro-Kocharian TV channels sparked a controversy last week by setting unusually high prices of election-related political advertising which will be affordable mainly for pro-government parties and individual candidates. The mostly cash-strapped oppositionists hoped to partly offset that by heavily using televised broadcasts of the relevant sessions of the outgoing parliament in the coming weeks. The court verdict enables the HHRH to stop those broadcasts.

“This ruling as well as the surge in the cost of campaign ads are clearly aimed at further limiting the opposition’s campaigning possibilities in the run-up to the parliamentary and presidential elections,” said Stepan Demirchian of the opposition People’s Party of Armenia. “It shows that the authorities are scared of full-scale opposition campaigning.”

“Of course that was done deliberately in connection with the 2007 and 2008 elections,” agreed Manukian.

But Galust Sahakian, a leader of the governing Republican Party of Armenia, rejected the claims. “If we accept that the media is free, then the media themselves must decide what to broadcast,” he said.

(Photolur photo)