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Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Lane3 who wrote (11326)	4/14/2001 12:02:07 PM
From: epicure	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 82486

If we have a period of domestic instability handgun sales will increase- any kind of rioting, for example, increases handgun sales. But right now with violent crime falling for demographic reasons people feel safer. It's all cyclical. Probably a good time to buy handgun stocks if you wanted to invest in that sort of thing.

To: Lane3 who wrote (11326)	4/14/2001 12:06:07 PM
From: Lane3	Respond to of 82486

APRIL 14, 10:57 EST Worries About Suspected Slave Ship By GLENN McKENZIE Associated Press Writer COTONOU, Benin (AP) — U.N. and government officials worried Saturday that children stranded on what was believed to be a slave ship lacked food and water as the boat, turned away from two ports, remained in waters off Africa. The Nigerian-registered MV Etireno was thought to have left Benin's commercial capital, Cotonou, clandestinely about three weeks ago. Government officials said they were only informed about the ship Wednesday when port officials in Douala, Cameroon, turned it away because they suspected child trafficking. Officials in Libreville, Gabon, had previously refused to allow the boat to dock for the same reason. ``UNICEF is concerned about the health, nutrition and psychological welfare of these children,'' said Nicolas Pron, program manager for the U.N. children's agency in Benin. ``They are very likely in unsanitary circumstances. We don't know about food. We don't know about water.'' While the boat was able to refuel before leaving Cameroon waters Thursday for Benin, it was unclear how long the fuel would last, Pron said. The trip from Cameroon to Benin typically takes two days, but U.N. and government officials were concerned the boat might attempt to dock in another country to avoid arrest. It was unclear how many children were aboard — reports ranged between 100 and 250 — but government officials thought most came from Benin and neighboring Togo. Despite international efforts, child trafficking remains a serious problem in West and Central Africa, where aid workers say desperately poor parents in countries such as Mali, Benin and Togo give up their children for as little as $14 to smuggling rings who promise to educate them and find them jobs. Boys are then typically resold to cocoa, cotton and other plantation owners for as much as $340 in countries such as Gabon and Ivory Coast. Girls often end up as domestic workers. Conditions are harsh. The children — some less than 10 years old — work up to 12 hours a day, are paid little or no money and are rarely heard from by their parents again, aid workers say. It was unclear when — and if — the boat would arrive in Cotonou, where UNICEF has set up health facilities to receive the children at the harbor. A number of rehabilitation centers exist in Benin where former child slaves are cared for while attempts are made to reunite them with their families. The government, while reluctant to refer to child trafficking as slavery, says it takes the issue seriously and has promised to pursue those responsible. ``We are waiting to punish those who deserve to be punished under the article of the law,'' Communications Minister Gaston Zossou said.