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Politics : About that Cuban boy, Elian -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: X Y Zebra who wrote (6880)	6/2/2000 8:23:00 PM
From: jhild	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 9127

Elian grandmothers lead huge protest The two grandmothers of Elian Gonzalez have led thousands of women on a march through Havana to protest against a delay in allowing him to return to Cuba from the US. Fidel Castro joined the marchers, who took more than an hour to stream noisily past a US diplomatic building. The protest came a day after a US Appeals Court decision allowed six-year-old Elian to return to Cuba with his father - but not for at least two weeks. The delay is to allow the boy's Miami relatives to appeal against the court's ruling that Elian should not have a political asylum hearing. The relatives want him to stay in the US. The boy has been the subject of a long-running custody battle since he was rescued off the Florida coast in November. His mother and 10 others drowned while attempting to flee from Cuba. 'Kidnappers' The announcement of the new delay in Elian's return sparked an angry reaction in Havana, where the women gathered in response to a government call, waving banners and chanting slogans. Children, some the same age as Elian, addressed a rally nearby. Some denounced the US diplomats in the building as kidnappers and imperialists. One child received a bearhug from President Castro after delivering an emotional speech. "This is the will of the people, this is the true protest of the people," said one grandmother, Clara Lopez, wearing an Elian T-shirt and waving a Cuban flag. The Cuban Government described the delay in the US as an act of vengeance by "the Miami Mafia". It also suggested US authorities were trying to bribe Elian's father, Juan Miguel Gonzalez, to stay in the US. Elian's relatives in the US say they will use the 14 days to try to keep him in the US, including a possible appeal to the Supreme Court. 'Brainwashing' "Our reaction is our fear and concern that when returned to Cuba Elian will be subject to brainwashing and persecution by the dictator of that country," said lawyer Spencer Eig, who represents Elian's great-uncle Lazaro Gonzalez. "To protect Elian from that, we intend to pursue every possible appeal until we have achieved victory," he said. The US government says Elian can return to Cuba seven days after the 14-day period ends, if no new appeals are filed. Mr Gonzalez, who has now urged the Miami relatives to abandon their legal battle, has expressed concern at the delay. "I would hope that this would come to an end and I can finally go back home together with my son and my whole family, and that this delay does not continue unnecessarily," he said. The family's enforced wait has been criticised even by members of a American congressional delegation visiting Havana. "It seems like the family in Miami will just want to drag this on," said Democrat Bennie Thompson. "I don't understand it. It's clear that the child should be in the custody of his father." Elian was reunited with his father on 22 April after being snatched from the home of his Miami relatives by armed federal officers. http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/americas/newsid_774000/774480.stm

To: X Y Zebra who wrote (6880)	6/3/2000 2:02:00 AM
From: X Y Zebra	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 9127

The risks of doing business in foreign lands... Bunjie Jumping in Old M‚xico Zeke and Zak decided to build a Bungee Jumping tower in Mexico to see if it would make them some money. After they got it set up, they noticed that the crowds gathered around but nobody was buying tickets. Zeke said to Zak, "Maybe you should demonstrate it to them so they get the idea." After Zak was strapped on he jumped and fell almost to the ground before springing back. As he came back up Zeke noticed that Zak's clothes were torn and wondered what that was all about. Zak went down again and this time when he came back up Zeke noticed that he was bleeding. Zeke thought, "Wow, what's going on here." Zak went down a third time and this time when he came back up Zeke noticed that he had blood, contusions and cuts all over his body. Zeke pulled Zak in and said, "Zak, what happened?" ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' Zak groaned, "I don't know, but what's a pi¤ata??