News From Parliaments Around the Globe -- February 20, 2007

Afghan Parliament passes war atrocity amnesty Bill
A controversial Bill that would provide amnesty to commanders accused of committing war atrocities in Afghanistan has been passed by the country's Upper House.
The amnesty Bill has now been approved by both houses of the Afghan Parliament but to become law it must still be signed by President Hamid Karzai.
He has asked lawyers to examine the measure but it is thought he may decide not to sign.
The international community, which is providing both security and aid for his Government, is opposed to a blanket amnesty for military commanders who have been accused of responsibility for the deaths of thousands of civilians and for numerous breaches of human rights during Afghanistan's three decades of war.
Many of those commanders and warlords are now sitting as members of Parliament.
-BBC



New Zealand: Taito Phillip Field Expected Back At Parliament Today

The Mangere MP, Taito Phillip Field, is expected to return to Parliament today in his new role as an Independent MP.

It is the first time the former Labour MP will be in Parliament since he was put on leave in August last year, pending a police inquiry into his dealings with constituents.

National and Act are likely to keep up the pressure on the Speaker, questioning the arrangement for Labour to cast Mr Field's proxy vote when absent from the House.

And this evening Mr Field is expected to take a different position to Labour by voting against the Green Party's anti-smacking bill.




Uganda: Opposition members return to Parliament
Publication date: Tuesday, 20th February, 2007


BACK: (L-R) Opposition MPs Latif Ssebagala (Kawempe North), Hussein Kyanjo (Makindye West), Micheal Mabike (Makindye East) and Ezati Kasiano (Terego County) enter the House
By Felix Osike & Apollo Mubiru

Opposition MPs, who had protested the continued detention of the PRA suspects, returned to Parliament yesterday, ending a three-week boycott.

Waving a victory sign, the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Prof. Ogenga Latigo and 40 other MPs entered the chambers at 2:45pm amid foot stamping from National Resistance Movement MPs.
Latigo read out a nine-page statement justifying their walk-out on January 30 and what the opposition had achieved.

He said the walk-out raised the public’s awareness of human rights violations and revealed dangerous threats.

“The sight of our Parliament with members struggling for space at the Government and empty seats at the opposition side was like a man walking out of his house in the morning with only one leg in his trousers.”

He said Ugandans were suffering in the hands of security forces and the neutrality of the prisons service and the objectivity of the Police Force were being compromised.

Latigo also asserted that court rulings were being disregarded with impunity and the authority of the courts was being undermined.

“We in the opposition in Parliament temporarily withdrew our participation in the plenary. We had to act urgently and be very bold, loud and clear about it,” he explained.

Latigo’s statements sparked off an uproar from the NRM members for ridiculing the judiciary and comparing President Yoweri Museveni with late dictators Mobutu, Bokassa and Amin.

The acting leader of Government, Adolf Mwesige, described the walk-out as an “unparliamentary, unfortunate, unwarranted and dishonourable act.”

He said it was wrong to taint the NRM regime when it restored democracy and stopped extra-judicial killings.

He noted that the Government would respond to the issues raised by the opposition.


Parliament Wants Interpol to Investigate UTL-Gemtel Connection

East African Business Week (Kampala)
NEWS
February 19, 2007
Posted to the web February 20, 2007

By Doreen Kansiime
Kampala
The Ugandan Parliament is set to involve Interpol in investigations concerning an interconnection deal between uganda telecom and Gemtel Limited.
The two companies have a deal that allows Gemtel, a Southern Sudan based telecommunications company to use Uganda's +256 country code, and utl's landline and mobile phone numbers.
According to Mr. John Odit, the chairman of the commission, statutory and state enterprises committee, only the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) can allow any party to use the country's code.
However, the UCC failed to explain to parliament how utl could have made such a deal without their knowledge.
Odit said utl is under the responsibility of UCC, but in making this deal, the company seems to have usurped UCC's power.
"The fact that they (Gemtel) dodged you and used uganda telecom, means that the country is making losses in revenue, which are taken by uganda telecom," Odit said, while addressing officials from UCC who appeared before the committee recently.
Uganda telecom is earning US$50,000 (Ush88million) per month from Gemtel, money, the committee believes, that should be going to UCC. Committee members also think that there might be more money in the deal and government is losing out.
Odit now says the committee intends to bring in Interpol to carry out the investigations because Gemtel is operating outside the Uganda border.
Odit wants to know if Gemtel is a subsidiary of uganda telecom, the viability and legality of a company using Uganda's country code in another country and how it is benefiting Uganda. The committee also wants to know who Gemtel is and its relationship with uganda telecom.
The committee intends to contact the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) for code details.







Macedonian Parliament backs changes of Government Cabinet

The Macedonian Parliament with 66 votes in favour, 10 against and 2 in abstention supported Tuesday the Government proposal concerning Xhelil Bajrami appointment as new minister of environment and physical planing.


On the other hand, Imer Aliu, on-going environment minister, is appointed as new minister without portfolio with 66 votes in favour, 12 against and none in abstention.

After the vote, both ministers Bajrami and Aliu were sworn in.

With recent reshuffling, the Government Cabinet is now made up of 14 ministers and 8 ministers without portfolio.

Previously, Gruevski elaborated that the current Cabinet reshuffling would enhance Government's effectiveness. According to him, Aliu would commit himself to Framework Agreement implementation, whereas Bajrami was expected to successfully execute his duties as environment minister.

After one-hour recess, the Parliament should resume with its 16th session.

20 February 2007
Macedonian Information Agency





EU Parliament condemns Polish lawmaker's brochure, labeled anti-Semitic by Jewish organizations

The Associated Press
Tuesday, February 20, 2007

BRUSSELS, Belgium: The European Parliament has condemned the publication by a Polish extreme-right deputy of a brochure that Jewish organizations have labeled as being anti-Semitic.

The 32-page booklet, published by independent EU lawmaker Maciej Marian Giertych, describes the Jewish people as a "tragic community" preferring to live a separate life "in apartheid from the surrounding communities."

The booklet, available online on Giertych's personal Web site, is a treatise on the differences between the Latin, Byzantine, Jewish and Arab civilizations. It classifies them according to race, language, religion and other criteria.

The European Jewish Congress said the text is anti-Semitic and threatened to bring Giertych to court. It asked the Polish government to strip the lawmaker of his parliamentary immunity so he can be sued.

European Parliament Hans-Gert Poettering said he was "greatly disturbed" by the brochure, titled Civilizations at War in Europe, which bears the logo of the European Parliament. He said the EU assembly did not help finance the booklet.

A spokesman for Poettering said Tuesday the European Parliament could review how the legislature's logo is being used to prevent deputies from associating their private views with the assembly.

Other Polish lawmakers said they found the brochure shocking and harmful to the image of Poland.

"This is in an absolute contradiction with a democratic Poland, open to multicultural cooperation," Polish members of the Liberal Democratic group said in a statement.

Giertych, who is a member of the ultraconservative League of Polish Families and father of Poland's Education Minister Roman Giertych, was not immediately available for comment.

Last year, Giertych praised the regimes of late Spanish dictator Francisco Franco and Portuguese dictator Antonio Salazar, triggering an angry reaction from fellow parliamentarians.

German Socialist leader Martin Schulz called his speech "fascist".




Parliament's lawyers question EPLA legality
Emma Barraclough, London

The European Parliament's legal service says that the European Patent Litigation Agreement (EPLA) is not compatible with European law.

Members of the Parliament asked their legal team to consider whether it would be lawful for member states to negotiate the Agreement, which envisages a single European patent court, in October last year.

At the time, the European Parliament gave its provisional backing to the EPLA, but also voted to remind the Commission that legislative proposals should be accompanied by an in-depth impact analysis related to patent quality, governance of the patent system, judicial independence and litigation costs. MEPs also asked Parliament's lawyers to consider whether EU member states have the right to enter into a legal agreement that deals with cross-border litigation rules.

Now the legal service has issued an interim legal opinion which says that where common rules have been adopted, member states of the European Community "no longer have the right, acting individually or even collectively, to undertake obligations with non-member countries which affect those rules".

"It follows that the Community's competence is exclusive for the matters governed by EPLA and Member States therefore are not entitled on their own to conclude that Agreement."

At a public hearing on patent reform in July 2006, EU Internal Market Commissioner Charlie McCreevy said that the EPLA "is seen as a promising route towards more unitary jurisdiction".

"Therefore, I will ask my services to explore the possibilities of moving this project forward," he said.

The Commission was expected to back the EPLA in a communiqué on reforming patent litigation that was due to have been released before the end of 2006.

Opposition to the Agreement from some member states, led by France, has meant that the Commission has delayed publishing its proposals for patent reform while member states try to find a compromise deal. The latest report by the Parliamentary Legal Service is unlikely to have helped that process.

At the end of January, a key minister in the German government, which holds the rotating presidency of the EU until the end of June, urged the European Commission to publish its proposals.

MIP Week welcomes your feedback on this or any other story. Please email the author with your comments. Letters may be published online.




Jamaica: Breaches in the Constitution and Acts of Parliament

Ken Chaplin
Tuesday, February 20, 2007



Ken Chaplin
In his latest report auditor general Adrian Strachan has pointed to widespread irregularities and breaches in the operations of a number of government entities. Meanwhile, contractor general Greg Christie has continued his gallant effort to bring a level playing field in the award of government contracts and the procurement of government's goods and services.

Since he took office more than a year ago Christie has come under severe attacks by prominent members of the ruling People's National Party as he and his staff launched an intense campaign to bring probity in the award of contracts and the procurement of government's goods and services. In his latest thrust he has threatened to prosecute principals of more than 60 public entities for their failure to submit quarterly reports as required under the Contractor General's Act.

Christie is strongly supported by Strachan who said that many breaches of the government's prescribed rules for the procurement of goods and services were again noted in 2005-2006. In some instances there was no indication that the required recommendation of the National Contracts Commission (NCC) or Cabinet approval was obtained. But once more the most common infraction was the failure of many entities to invite the required competitive price quotations before awarding contracts of less than $4 million.

Strachan said he was therefore often unable to determine how those organisations satisfied themselves that the prices paid were fair and reasonable. Other frequent violations were that business was done with suppliers who were not on the NCC-approved list or who did not submit the Tax Compliance Certificate. "I again recommend that appropriate legal sanctions be instituted for breaches of the government's procurement requirements," Strachan concluded.

Many officials believe that a large number of entities are controlled by party sympathisers who bypass procurement and contract procedures in order to cover up a partisan approach that has grown worse over the past 15 years. Government, it seems, is in no hurry to make the punishment more severe.

The auditor general in his 2005/2006 report said that government entities are required, under relevant Acts of Parliament, to submit for audit annual financial statements within four months after the end of the financial year, March 31. However, many of them were in varying degrees of arrears in meeting this requirement. In the case of ministries and departments which should submit Appropriation Accounts, up to December 6, 2006, he had not received 57 accounts for 2005/2006 and 2l for 2004/2005.

He said the audits that were done identified a number of instances in which payments amounting to $50.4 million were made in breach of the stipulated rules or guidelines or without the requisite approval. Overpayments totalling $20.1 million were also observed or reported to the auditor general, based on the findings of internal auditors. The implicated agencies were told to bring themselves in compliance with the government regulations, to cease unauthorised payments and effect recovery of overpayments.
The audits of several entities disclosed instances in which vouchers and supporting invoices were not presented for expenditure totalling $18.3 million. Strachan was therefore unable to verify their authenticity. Information was not made available as to how assets and other resources valued at $1.8 million were accounted for. Nine entities also reported losses and irregularities involving $13 million. Most of these cases of losses and irregularities were reported to the police.

In his report Strachan said that a number of instances were noted in which the use of funds or the accounting for public financial transactions were not done in compliance with the Constitution and/or relevant Acts of Parliament. These breaches related to such areas as some loan transactions, certain resurces belonging to the Capital Development Fund and the revenue from the levy imposed by government on incoming international telephone calls.

One of the adverse effects of such non-compliance with the Constitution and the Acts of Parliament is the undermining of the intended parliamentary control of public expediture. It is clear to this column that the financial secretary bears full responsibility for this undesirable state of affairs. He or she is there to guide and advise the minister of finance. If the minister insists on breaching the Constitution or Acts of Parliament, the financial secretary has the authority to bring the matter to the governor general, the Public Service Commission and the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament.

The auditor general said the audits disclosed that 11 agencies of government had not remitted to the relevant institutions statutory deductions of approximately $1.48 billion which had been deducted from employees' emoluments over protracted periods. This breached the requirements of the relevant Acts of Parliament and could expose the delinquent agencies to legal sanctions.
Employees' entitlement to certain benefits could also be compromised.




New Zealand: Minister backs anti-smacking bill
Tuesday, 20 February 2007, 3:52 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Government
20 February 2007
Minister backs anti-smacking bill

Youth Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta is adding her support for Green MP Sue Bradford's anti-smacking legislation, set to be voted on by Parliament tomorrow.

MPs will vote on the second reading of the bill, which has been amended by the select committee to allow parents to still use reasonable force in some circumstances, but not for the purpose of correction.

Nanaia Mahuta said while it was disappointing that the bill did not go as far as originally planned by completely removing reasonable force as a defence, it was a step in the right direction.

"We need to do more to ensure that we create a safer environment for our children and young people as they grow up, and this bill at least sends a signal that things must change." Nanaia Mahuta said. "There continues to be far too many instances of young people being abused, neglected or killed, and this cannot continue."

"This is why I will be voting in favour of the bill, and in support of key child welfare advocates such as the Office of the Children's Commissioner who have campaigned strongly for change.

"This change will not result in the 'criminalising' of parents as opponents of this bill fear, as Police will still have the ability to exercise their discretion and common sense when investigating allegations of potential abuse.

"Children and young people are essential members of our families and communities, and deserve to enjoy the same rights as everyone else to live free from abuse and all forms of violence," Nanaia Mahuta said.




Malawi: Malawi:Parliament to Begin new Impeachment Proceedings
February 20, 2007
VOA, VOA Africa
By voanews

In Malawi, Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee is in the process of drafting new impeachment procedures for a sitting president and his deputy. This follows a constitutional court ruling that principles of natural justice are not adequately addressed in the previous guidelines. Sources say the Committee would, in a few days, table the procedures for debate before Parliament. Observers are questioning the timing of the announcement, since they claim there is too much tension in the country at this time.

Atopele Muluzi is the chairman of Malawi’s Legal Affairs Committee. He says that ignoring the impeachment process runs contrary to the country’s constitution.

“The National Assembly in 2005 noticed that the constitution had provided for the process of impeachment to be included within the procedures of the National Assembly. Unfortunately, that was omitted. And that constitutional provision needed to be adhered to,” he said.

Muluzi said the President, Bingu wa Mutharika, challenged the impeachment process when it was introduced to remove him from office.

“When the procedures were finally drafted and presented to the National Assembly, the President had decided under presidential referral to refer the procedures to the constitutional court to determine whether the procedures were in conformity to the principles of natural justice. The constitutional court made its determination around November last year and made its recommendation that on the process of impeachment, a tribunal should be set up,” Muluzi noted.

He says the Committee is complying with the constitutional court’s ruling and would like to keep the powers of the President in check, since he believes too much power is currently held by the presidency.

“The presidency in Malawi has enormous powers. We are coming from thirty years of dictatorship. We are coming from ten years of democratic rule. We’ve never had impeachment procedures with the National Assembly. Parliament itself cannot question the conduct of the President, which is what we feel is quite unfair to the people of Malawi,” he said.

Muluzi said parliament thought it wise to have the impeachment procedures in-situ as the constitution stipulates.

“The National Assembly thought that it was important to have these procedures…Recently, we’ve seen the arrest of political opponents of the President. We have seen the arrest of the sitting President on trumped up treason charges, and there is a worry that Malawi actually is slipping back to authoritarian rule. The National Assembly have remained firm and have said it is important that we continue in oversight to check on the abuses of power,” he said.

Muluzi said the Committee is sensitive to political tensions in the country.

“The Committee is very much aware of the political climate. The intention of putting the procedures in place is not necessarily to use it against the current President. The work of the Committee as mandated by the House is to re-look and bring to the National Assembly impeachment procedures of a sitting president and a sitting vice president,” Muluzi said.

He said the Committee is composed of members of all the political parties represented in Parliament.

“The Committee do not comprise members of the opposition only. There are members of government who had voted in favor of having these procedures put in place. And what is left is to consult with all the political players,” he said.




Croatian Parliament Speaker visits Montenegro



20 February 2007 | 07:53 | FOCUS News Agency



Podgorica. Croatian Parliament Speaker Vladimir Sheks is on a visit to Montenegro, the Croatian television HRT reported. The visit is at the invitation of the Montenegrin Parliament Speaker Ranko Krivokapic. On Tuesday, Vladimir Sheks will meet with Montenegro’s President Filip Vujanovic. Then, he will meet with representatives of the Croatian minority in Kotor. On the first day of his visit, Vladimir Sheks met with Ranko Krivokapic and with Prime Minister Zeljko Sturanovic.







Turkey: Parliament to discuss EU


The New Anatolian / Ankara

20 February 2007


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Parliament will discuss European Union-related issues today, EU Chief Negotiator Ali Babacan stated yesterday.

According to the Anatolian news agency, Babacan said that the EU Commission is expecting countries to discuss issues on the body's agenda after it announces its working timetable.

"They expect to receive a report on the discussions following these talks. They want to know what our parliamentarians think about the EU. We will discuss these issues in Parliament today."

Citing his recent visit to Brussels, he said that he met several EU officials and discussed Turkey's decision on a road map,

Babacan who said that Turkey's decision to determine a road map for the 2007-2013 period was a significant event for the EU Commission, added that it supports Turkey's decision on such a plan.

He added that the EU doesn't want to open the benchmark regarding the energy chapter.

He also said that Turkey's total burden of debts is below the European Union (EU) average.

The deputy said that the ratio of total debts to gross national product (GNP) in the EU is around 63 percent and added that this ratio would probably be below 60 percent in Turkey.





Iran: Parliament approves of $250mn satellite purchase
February 20, 2007 6:43 AM
Tehran, Feb 21, Taliya News – Emergence of buying a DBS2 satellite worth US $250 million was approved at IRI Majlis here Sunday.
The budget allocated to the purpose is from oil sales and the 300 channel radio-TV satellite would be at disposal of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) after purchase.
Member of Parliament’s Cultural Commission Sa’eid Aboutaleb added in an interview with CITNA, “The urgency of the bill, whose initial title is ‘Revision on Charts No 4 & 8 of Country’s 4th Development Plan’, had previously been approved at Parliament’s Cultural Commission unanimously.”
Aboutaleb said, “The bill’s urgency has to be approved at the general assembly of the parliament and after that the job would be pursued at other concerned commissions, such as the Budget and Planning Commission that has to approve of the allocation of its required funds.”
Tehran Constituency MP at 7th Majlis pointing out that the plan is in line for discussion at the Parliament’s general assembly, expressed hope that by the end of the current year it would be put to discussion at the Majlis and that it would be approved, so that the concerned organs would after that adopt the necessary measures aimed at implementing it.
Aboutaleb said, “Based on this plan, the IRIB would receive US $250 million of the country’s oil sale revenues for buying and launching into earth orbit the Iran DBS2 Satellite, while a part of that budget would be allocated to setting up the land control station of that satellite.
Elaborating on specifications of Iran DBS2 Satellite, Aboutaleb said, “This is a live TV broadcast satellite that in addition to providing full coverage to entire Iran would provide coverage for some parts of North Africa, Middle East, and the Indian Subcontinent.”
He further reiterated, “Thus, we would not only not have to rend transponders any longer, but also be able to rent some of that signaling area to other countries in need of the service.”
Member of the Parliament’s Cultural Commission emphasized, “Possessing this satellite would rid us of news segregation, while by providing coverage for our radio-TV networks in Persian speaking and Muslim, culturally-identical countries it would grant us a regional media power.”
Aboutaleb reiterated, “Keeping in mind that the plan has been singed by 185 MPs, and that its urgency has been approved, I can predict that the IRIB would be able to purchase it by the year-end (March 20th, 2007).





European Parliament Eases Own Smoking Ban

The European Parliament eased its own total smoking ban for its buildings in Brussels, opting to allow smoking in designated areas, Belgian news agency Belga reported Monday.

Some officials had been ignoring the ban behind closed doors. Smoking will now be allowed in certain closed rooms with separate air circulation systems.

"The rule was not achievable," a spokeswoman for Hans-Gert Poettering, the parliament's new president, was quoted as saying.

The move comes as the European Union pushes a smoking ban for all public buildings across Europe.




French Parliament approves rules for impeachment
Chirac arranges session weeks before term ends
By Katrin Bennhold, International Herald Tribune | February 20, 2007

PARIS -- Parliament yesterday approved a constitutional amendment that introduces a US-style impeachment procedure to check the powers of France's presidency.

President Jacques Chirac convened both houses of Parliament for an extraordinary joint session in the castle of Versailles, nine weeks before his term runs out. He pledged to give Parliament impeachment powers when he ran for re election in 2002 and was under pressure for refusing to testify before judges investigating a party financing scandal while he was mayor of Paris from 1977 to 1995.

Many analysts saw the session yesterday as Chirac's last major political act before handing over power to his successor in May. Chirac, 74, in office since 1995, has not officially said whether he will run for a third term. But officials mentioned in French news reports suggest that he may announce his retirement from politics as early as this week.

In addition to Chirac's poor popularity ratings, there have been hints suggesting he will not seek re election. He said in a television interview this month that there was "a life after politics," while his wife, Bernadette, said she would miss the Élysée Palace.

On Saturday a book was published based on interviews with Chirac in which he spoke with uncharacteristic candor about his personal life, describing the pain of watching his older daughter fight anorexia and making allusions to past affairs . The author, journalist Pierre Péan, wrote a similar retrospective about François Mitterrand a few months before he left office as president.

Not all lawmakers were happy to be summoned to change the Constitution four days before Parliament adjourns for the election campaign.

Louis Giscard d'Estaing, a member of Chirac's center-right party and the son of former President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, voted three times no, "on principle," he said. "You don't change the Constitution of the Fifth Republic just before the presidency runs out," he said.

Others took issue with the changes . Pierre Lellouche, another Gaullist, called the new impeachment rules a "sort of legal putsch," while some members of the Socialist Party criticized them for not going far enough.

Since the Constitution was introduced under Charles de Gaulle, France's president has had more powers than any other European head of state. Only high treason was an acceptable criterion to remove a president from office, a decision that was the preserve of 24 high court judges.

According to the new rules, the president retains immunity and can continue to refuse to testify while in office. But in case of a "neglect of his duties manifestly incompatible with the exercise of his mandate," a two-thirds majority of either house of Parliament can authorize impeachment proceedings.

The changes come too late to affect Chirac . But as his term draws to an end, speculation has mounted over whether he might find himself summoned to testify.

Last Friday, a Paris appeals court approved a request to begin investigating the role of Chirac's chiefs of staff at Paris City Hall from 1983 to 1995 in a party financing scandal that involved fictional employees and illicit kickbacks.

Chirac's deputy at the time, Alain Juppé, was convicted for his involvement three years ago.

Lawmakers also approved two other constitutional changes yesterday that Chirac had promised -- one amending election rules in the French Pacific island territory of New Caledonia and another one writing a 26-year old ban of the death penalty into the Constitution. Any constitutional amendmen ts require a three-fifth s majority.




Yemen: Parliament agrees to al-Ja’ashin’s demands
By Kawkab al-Thaibani & Abdul-Aziz Oudah
Feb 20, 2007, 14:42

The al-Ja’ashin gather at their camp at Dar Salm.
After days of protests, the parliament has finally agreed to form a committee to investigate the claims of the al-Ja’ashin villagers, who say they were expelled from their village by Sheikh Mohammed al-Mansour. The Sunday session in parliament was active, and ended in the formulation of an eight-member committee to investigate the al-Ja’ashin claims.

The committee consists of Zaid Abu Ali, Sheikh Ali Abdu-Rabu al-Qadi, Mohammed al-Shadadi, Ali al-Amrani, Abdullah Hassan Khairat, Dr. Saleh al-Sanabani, Mohammed Ben Naji al-Shaif and Sakhar al-Wajeeh. Mohamed Ben Naji al-Shaif, the head of the investigation committee, said that they listened to the people.

“The people were not forced to leave, but they left as a kind of protest against the actions of Sheikh Mohammed al-Mansour,” he said. “The people are protesting against the way he collected the Zakat, as well as the other conflicts,” he said. “We will listen to both sides and to the local and security authorities, too,” he said. Committee member Zaid Abu Ali said that this issue has been exaggerated in the media but that the committee would be neutral. “We will not accept injustice or abuse of any group.” The citizens’ complaint is focused on the allegation that the sheikh had continually extorted money from them and violated their rights, he said.

The committee would likely conduct a survey of the area in the governorate of Ibb, he added. Al-Wajeeh declined to give any opinion on the case. “I can not make any statements because it will interfere with the objectivity and the neutrality of the committee,” he said. “If there are members of the committee who have said something [to the media], it represents their personal opinion only. The opinion of the committee will be in its report,” he said. Al-Wajeeh estimated that it would take three or four days for the investigation to be concluded.

The committee will investigate and make a report, which will present both recommendations and conclusions. “Then the council must either accept or reject the committee’s recommendations and the government must carry out the council’s decision,” he said. Khaled al-Anesi, the executive manager of HOOD, said that some members of the committee had already made up their minds about the case, but that the people of al-Ja’ashin have faith in the other committee members. The al-Ja’ashin case emerged a few weeks ago when members of the tribe held a press conference, hosted by HOOD, to air their grievances against Sheikh Mohammed al-Mansour. They claimed that he had extorted money from them, confiscated their land by force, and maintained private jails.

The sheikh’s son and the local authority in Ibb denied the accusations and said that the people were being used for political purposes. The people of al-Ja’ashin then protested in front of parliament, which prompted the issuance of a letter to the Ministry of the Interior and the office of the General Prosecutor. The protesters and HOOD felt this was insufficient action and again protested in front of parliament to call for the formation of an investigation committee.

The Hood organization for defending human rights and freedoms called for people to gather at the “refuge” in Dar Salm in Sana’a for the Friday prayers to show solidarity with the al-Ja’ashin people who were allegedly expelled from their village by sheikh. Many people were on hand that day to show support for the villagers including parliamentarians, journalists, human rights activists and lawyers. Shawqi al-Qadi, an MP who was the speaker for the prayer, spoke about the status of human rights in Islam. He also called for the formulation a committee to investigate the al-Ja’ashin people’s claims.

Mohamed Naji Allawo, the head of the HOOD organization, urged the people of al-Ja’ashin to protest in front of the parliament on Saturday. On Saturday, the people of al-Ja’ashin did in fact protest, and called for an investigation committee. “I demand an investigation committee to stop this man’ abusive actions. We protest here to get justice from this man,” Hamoud al-Juma’ai, 45, qat seller said. “Many times we have protested in front of the parliament, hoping an investigation committee will be formed,” said worker Murshid al-Buraihi, 38.

“We are from the al-Ja’ashin [tribe] but we live here, and we come today to support them,” said a 27-year old teacher, who declined to give his name. “I’m hoping to get rid of all the sheikhs in Al-Re’ash and Al-Sefa,” said electrical technician Eyoub Mansour, 18, of Re’ash. Ahmed al-Qashani, 29, a teacher from Al-Sefa, wants the formation of a committee and nothing more. The al-Ja’ashin waited anxiously for the outcome in the discussions in the parliament chamber.

“The parliament room witnessed a heated discussion and verbal exchanges,” Sakhar al-Wajeeh, an MP, said. “The presidency of the parliament declined to form a committee, in spite of the fact that it is against the rules of the parliament,” he said. According to the rules, the parliament can form a committee if 10 MPs support the motion.

On Sunday, the same faces and the same demands, and the same expectations were again waiting in front of the parliament building for some result. The protesters decided to camp in front of the parliament until their demands were met. In the end, the parliament relented and formed a committee.

Copyright (c) 2002 - 2006, Yemen Observer Newspaper




Netherlands: Parliament still against Iraq inquiry?

20 February 2007

AMSTERDAM — Prominent Labour Party (PvdA) members shared their rather sceptical forecast of the chances that a long-awaited parliamentary inquiry on Iraq might be launched in the new parliament.

The PvdA has been insisting on an inquiry into why the Netherlands was so eager to support the US and Britain in taking military action in Iraq in 2003. These two countries claimed action was necessary because of Iraq's possession of weapons of mass destruction, weapons which have never been found. The parliaments of the UK and Australia and the American Congress all conducted similar inquiries already some time ago.

There was no inquiry possible by the old parliament because the majority of Christian Democrats (CDA), Liberals (VVD), ChristenUnie, Orthodox Protestant SGP and Pim Fortuyn Party (LPF) were opposed to the measure. The Balkenende governments also opposed it. The PvdA, Socialist party (SP), Green Left (GroenLinks) and Democrats (D66) supported the idea of an investigation.

The new parliament will most probably also have no majority to support the inquiry.

The new coalition accord does not even mention the possibility of an inquiry on Iraq. PvdA leader Wouter Bos suggested it, but faced strong resistance from the CDA.

Senator Erik Jurgens says he will not accept silence on this important issue. He believes more discussion must take place, leading to an inquiry.

Former minister and senator-to-be Klaas de Vries says the same.

Technically, the Senate can also initiate a parliamentary inquiry, but it has not used this right since 1815. The new Senate will come into office after the elections in the provinces on 7 March, but it is also hard to predict whether it will have a majority supporting the idea.

[Copyright Expatica + ANP 2007]





Malawi: Parliament sets restrictions for journalists
by Bright Sonani, 20 February 2007 - 06:03:46
Journalists covering proceedings during the forthcoming sitting of Parliament should expect a rough ride as the House has set tough measures to bar the press from easy interaction with Members of Parliament.
However, National Media Institute of Southern Africa (Namisa) has cried foul on the restrictions, saying this would create unnecessary problems for the media.
National Assembly public relations officer Leornard Mengezi announced the new regulations during a discussion with members of the press in Lilongwe on Friday on the problems and challenges faced by journalists during parliamentary coverage.
Mengezi said the measures are aimed at restoring order during the proceedings and preventing journalists from mobbing MPs and ministers at will.
The restrictions include barring journalists from entering a room commonly known as Banana Room where MPs take their tea and a strict dress code of a tie and a jacket for male journalists.
Another requirement is that when journalists want to interview MPs they should go through the Press Office.
“Parliament is a house of procedures and orders. All these procedures are reflected in the Standing Orders of Parliament and we expect all journalists to follow the set procedures,” said Mengezi.
Initially, journalists were allowed to enter the Banana Room where they would share tea with MPs and get an opportunity for interviews.
However, the development did not go down well with journalists present at the briefing who argued that the procedures will only make the job of the press difficult.
On the dress code, journalists have all along been allowed to wear presentable casual clothes despite the Standing Orders stipulating that those entering the parliamentary chamber should be in business attire.
Journalists felt that they were not covered by the provision of the Standing Orders as the Press Gallery is outside the chamber.
Namisa National Director Innocent Chitosi in an interview on Friday said although he talked to Mengezi on scrutinising some press regulations at Parliament he did not know exactly what sort of reforms were put in place.
“But that will create unnecessary red tape and it would be difficult for journalists who, most often, work against strict deadlines. That red tape will hinder journalists from getting information that they need from the MPs,” said Chitosi.
He said Namisa will take up the issue with Parliament to chart the way forward.
“We have scheduled a meeting with them and that would be taken as one of the items on the agenda during the meeting,” added Chitosi.




Armenian Parliament passed bill of dual citizenship in its first reading
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On Tuesday Armenian Parliament adopted a bill, which supposes introduction of dual citizenship institute in the country. Presenting the bill Minister of Justice David Haroutunian said, according to the document Armenian citizens can admit citizenship of another country, which does not mean that it results in loss of Armenian citizenship. Besides, the minister said the legislative pack regulates issues of granting Armenian citizenship. Particularly, among other things, Armenian citizenship can admit those, who have reached 18 years old able to explain themselves in Armenian after getting introduced with the Constitution of the country; persons who have married with an Armenian citizen, as well as people who have performed exclusive services to Armenia; Armenians by origin.

According to the minister all persons with dual citizenship must informed about it the plenipotentiary body of the government. Otherwise, those who occupy or are trying to occupy certain posts will face criminal punishment, others-administrative fine.

The bill also regulates issues of passing military service of persons with dual citizenship. Particularly, they are freed of military service in Armenia if they have passed military service in other countries for at least 12 months, and alternative service for at least 18 months.

The minister informed that according to the bill persons with dual citizenship can participate in elections on the territory of Armenia. Haroutunian also said the President, Parliamentarians of the National Assembly of RA and members of the Constitutional Court cannot have dual citizenship, ‘Novosti-Armenia’ reports.
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EGYPT: POLITICAL POWER NOT HEREDITARY, SAYS SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT


Cairo, 20 Feb. (AKI) - The delicate question of the succession of power in Egypt, where president Hosni Mubarak has ruled unchallenged for a quarter century, has been raised by one of the most influential figures in the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) in an exclusive interview with pro-government newspaper al-Ahram.

"Egypt's political system is democratic and does not recognise the hereditary passage of power," said Ahmed Fathi Surur, speaker of the Egyptian parliament and secretary general of the NDP, which has four fifths of the seats in the assembly. There has long been speculation that Mubarak senior is grooming his son Gamal to take over his role.

"The possibility of any citizen to stand as a candidate for election is constitutionally guaranteed" Surur said, "regardless of his community or religious faith and this is a first guarantee of democracy." He reiterated that "the amendments to the Constitution seek to facilitate the democratic process and the participation of all parties in the political life of the country".

"The reforms [currently being discussed by the executive] includes the supervision by the judiciary of the political elections," he added. "A judge is present in every polling station," he pointed out, an indication of "the importance which the party attributes to electoral monitoring."

On 17 January, the national assembly provisionally approved an earlier request by president Mubarak to amend 34 articles of the national constitution despite noisy resistance by MPs from the Islamist opposition and also the smaller leftist parties who say the changes are not in line with what they have been demanding.

The constitutional articles to be amended cover a number of contentious issues, including the power of the executive, the role of parliament, judicial supervision of the electoral process and the long-standing state of emergency.

Draft amendments of the 34 articles are to be drawn up by parliament's legislative council -- which is dominated by the NDP -- and presented to the national assembly.

Regarding the new terrorism laws, which the executive is preparing to approve by June to replace the emergency laws that have been in force for 25 years, Sourur said that "the scope of the terrorism law is to conform to the standards of other countries, as the terrorist threat is not to be underestimated.

"It will not substitute the emergency law and will apply only to criminals, regarding the rights and freedom of all citizens." Egypt is preparing to embark on the biggest constitutional reform ever in its history.

In the current political context, the reform marks a decisive step, much desired but also feared by most ordinary Egyptians. Many worry that the process of democratisation of the country has come to a stand still and that through constitutional admendments and ad hoc laws the regime of president Mubarak wants to perpetuate itself, guaranteeing continuity irrespective of any popular endorsement or legitimacy.




Gibralter: Opposition to Question Parliament on School Bullying and Theatre Royal
Feb 20,2007 00:00 by vox
(Photo: Steven Linares - Shadow Minister for Education)

Shadow Minister for Education Steven Linares will raise the issue of bullying in school at the meeting of the Gibraltar Parliament when opens on Monday.

Mr Linares will ask the Government to say how many incidents of bullying, however minor, have been reported to teachers or head teachers in the academic years 2004/5, 2005/6 and 2006/7 to date with a breakdown by school. He will also ask the Government to state how many pupils are currently attending the Alternative Learning Centre in Bayside, and he wants to know whether such a centre has been set up in any other school to deal with children with behavioural problems.

On a related matter, Mr Linares will ask the Government to state what the total cost has been of the break-in that occurred in St Bernard’s School in January. In a question to the Minister for Social Affairs, Mr Linares will ask how many juveniles sentenced since the year 1996 to date have undergone rehabilitation programmes, stating the programme and whether the convicted juvenile has re-offended.

He will also want the Government to state how much they have spent on schools in maintenance and how much on minor works, with a breakdown by school, and whether the Health and Safety audit of all institutions has been completed.

In his role as Shadow Minister for Culture, Steven Linares will ask the Government to state how many visits have taken place by officers of the Technical Services Department to the site of the old Theatre Royal to make sure that it is safe.

He has also tabled a series of questions on the Mount and on the Music Centre. In relation to the Mount, Mr Linares will ask Government whether it is being used for any purpose other than for functions and parties, and if so by whom and how much is the rate being paid for such use. In relation to the Music Centre, the Opposition spokesman will ask Government to state which groups or individuals are currently using the Music Centre. He also wants to know whether the Minister has now visited the Centre and whether he is satisfied with the refurbishment that has taken place with the £53,000 that was allocated for the purpose from public funds.

Steven Linares will also ask questions about the Transborder Institute, trainees at Cammell Laird, and whether the Minister has met with the Youth Council to discuss issues of PSHE.




Minority NDC calls off Parliament boycott
Ghana News Agency , 20/02/2007

The Minority National Democratic Congress Parliamentarians, who began an indefinite boycott of Parliament on February 6 2007 in solidarity with the jailed Member of Parliament for Keta, Dan Kwasi Abodakpi has called off the boycott and would return to Parliament today.

A statement signed in Accra by John Tia, The Minority Chief Whip, said the decision was taken by the Minority Caucus in consultation with the Functional Executive Committee of the NDC at a meeting held in Accra on Monday.

"The Minority caucus has decided to call off its boycott of Parliamentary proceedings which we had earlier embarked upon in solidarity with our colleague, Dan Abodakpi, Member of Parliament for Keta," the statement said.

It said the Caucus meeting considered all the pleas to the Minority, especially that of Mr Abodakpi and all well-meaning Ghanaians.

"Accordingly, Members of the NDC Minority in Parliament will as from tomorrow, Tuesday the 20th of February, 2007, resume participation in parliamentary proceedings." GNA





Parliament unhappy with Mathe escape report
February 20, 2007, 16:30

Dennis Bloem, the correctional services Parliamentary Committee chairperson, says many questions into the escape of Ananias Mathe still remain unanswered and will need attention. The report into his escape was released this morning by a task team comprising of officials from the National Intelligence Agency, police and correctional services. It has been found that non-compliance by correctional officials was one of the reasons that could have led to Mathe's escape, and that internal disciplinary action be instituted. Bloem welcomes the report with reservations.

He says there are still questions but they will deal with those questions, but these people that were pointed out by the investigating team must be charged and they must be sentenced, "Finish, they must go to court," says Bloem. The ministerial task team appointed to probe the escape of Mathe from the Pretoria C-Max prison in November last year has placed the blame squarely on departmental officials.

Warders blamed for the escape
In its report presented to Parliament's correctional services committee today, the team said warders failed to conduct proper and regular visits to all sections and posts in the prison. It further found this had resulted in a delay in discovering Mathe's escape and raising the alarm, which could either have prevented the escape or led to his immediate arrest.






Parliament Rejects Agricultural Bank

BY LEKOPANYE MOOKETSI
CORRESPONDENT

The MP for Letlhakeng East, Gordon Mokgwathi has failed to convince Parliament on the need to establish an agricultural bank. Last Friday, Parliament rejected his motion calling on government to establish an agricultural development bank because the MPs felt that the services provided by the existing financial institutions could be reviewed to serve the sector.

Mokgwathi had argued that there is need for an agricultural bank because the existing financial institutions leave out a large number of people. He pointed out that the group of farmers that he is talking about are not catered for by the Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA) and the National Development Bank (NDB).

He called for a review of the existing financial institutions to make them
tailor- made for agriculture. He spoke amidst interruptions from MPs who sought clarifications while others felt that he was not presenting his motion in a proper manner. Some felt that he did not conduct an extensive research.

The MPs told Mokgwathi that initially, they could have supported his motion but they were disappointed by the sloppy manner in which he presented it.

The Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Baledzi Gaolathe, told Parliament that CEDA will be comprehensively reviewed and the terms of reference would cover some of the issues that Mokgwathi raised. The review, he said, would be looking at potential CEDA clients and agriculture in particular. Gaolathe requested the MP to defer his motion until the CEDA review is done. He said other institutions provide the same service at a cost effective rate, though there is a need for improvement. He said the government attaches great importance to agriculture and that is why budget allocation for the sector has increased over the years.

Gaolathe told Parliament that lending institutions like NDB, CEDA and the Botswana Development Corporation (BDC) have been financing agriculture.

He said the NDB has 1,800 accounts and more than half are held by clients from the agricultural sector. Even the NDB Act, he said, stipulates that one of the bank's functions is to finance agricultural undertakings.

"One is not necessarily saying NDB is doing a good job," he said. He added that if there were shortcomings, they should be addressed. He said in the past, the government introduced an agricultural guarantee scheme to assist farmers. He revealed that government is concerned by the number of parastatals and therefore it would not be advisable to start another one to finance agriculture. However, he said this does not mean that the government is against the establishment of an agricultural bank by the private sector or cooperatives. The Minister of Local Government, Margaret Nasha said Mokgwathi failed to advance reasons why the agricultural bank should be set up. She said the MP acknowledged that agriculture was a risky business.

"We do not think a new bank will bring any difference. We would rather review the existing structures," said Nasha. Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Olifant Mfa said he did not see any need for the opening of a new bank when there are existing establishments serving a similar purpose.

However, he conceded that the NDB interest rates are not affordable for rural communities. He said the NDB should cater for farmers who do not have security. The MP for South East North, Olebile Gaborone said it seems a decision has already been taken to oppose the motion because Gaolathe had a prepared speech.

"One of the things we have to appreciate is that farming is dynamic. We are lacking in terms of research. A bank like this one would have a research unit that would look at the welfare of the farmers," he said.

He accused some MPs of regarding the proposed bank as if it is meant to issue out loans only. He said that there are other aspects like research and insurance that the bank would cover. "We do not have banks or institutions that can do research to help farmers to cope with local conditions," said Gaborone who supported the motion. After the debates, the MPs voted and Mokgwathi's motion was defeated.

Meanwhile, the MP for Francistown West, Tshelang Masisi withdrew his motion calling for government to consider setting up an organ bank and the formulation of a policy for the assistance of citizens in need of organ transplants. Masisi said he was withdrawing the motion to make more consultations with stakeholders.






UK: Elected to Youth Parliament

YOUNG people in the county will have a national political voice, after two county teenagers were elected into the UK Youth Parliament.

The Youth Parliament, which was launched at the House of Commons in July 1999 currently has over 300 elected members who represent young people nationally, aged 11 to 18.

Sixteen year old Amber Williams from Ross-on-Wye was elected as member and 15-year-old Tim Alston also from Ross, as deputy member.
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Amber said: "'It's an honour to be representing Herefordshire and I look forward to working with the county's young people as Herefordshire enters the UK Youth Parliament for the first time."

Councillor Don Rule, cabinet member for children and young people, said: "This is a really exciting opportunity for young people in Herefordshire to get their voices heard nationally."





UK: MP vows to lead revolt against Parliament secrecy bill

By David Rose
Tuesday, 20 February 2007

An MP has pledged to lead a Commons revolt over a controversial attempt to exempt Parliament from the Freedom of Information Act.

A private members bill, introduced by former Tory chief whip David Maclean, would, if it becomes law, prevent journalists and others from using FoI requests to obtain information contained in MPs' correspondence with government departments and other public bodies.

But Norman Baker, the Liberal Democrat MP for Lewes, has vowed to oppose the bill when it comes before the Commons for its crucial Report Stage and Third Reading on 20 April.

Maclean's Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill has already been given an unopposed Second Reading and has been approved by 19-member committee drawn from MPs in all parties.

Opponents can attempt to block Private Members Bills at the Report Stage using filibustering tactics. To prevent Baker and other critics from talking out the two-clause bill, Maclean may be forced to muster 100 MPs in order to force a closure vote and secure the Commons' approval to be sent to the House of Lords.

Maclean has been impressed by the amount of support he has secured. Among the MPs who spoke up for the Bill in committee were Labour MPs George Howarth (Knowsley North and Sefton) Kevan Jones, (North Durham) and Fraser Kemp (Houghton and Washington East).

Liberal Democrat MP Nick Harvey (North Devon) also raised no objection.

Harvey, chairman of the House of Commons Commission, told MPs: "Requests under the FoI Act are becoming increasingly intrusive, particularly on issues such as t he additional costs allowance. In that respect, they are getting into very personal realms - they are going behind the front door into Members' homes."

While the Government insists the Bill must be decided on a free vote, Tony Wright, Labour chairman of the Commons Public Administration Committee, has accused the whips of collaborating to ensure the Bill gets approved.

Constitutional Affairs minister Bridget Prentice has also indicated where her own sympathies lie.

"We should not allow the 2000 Act to disrupt the vital relationship between and MP and his or her constituents, and the time has come to address the issue," she told MPs.

Baker told Press Gazette: "The Government is backtracking on the FoI Act.

"This is a throw back to the 1950s when Parliament was a private members' club.

"If this is passed we will have the absurd position of exempting from the legislation those people who passed the law."

Baker recently won a case before the Information Tribunal which forced the disclosure of more details of MPs' travel expenses.