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Politics : World Affairs Discussion -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: lorne who wrote (638)	7/20/2002 7:50:45 PM
From: Emile Vidrine	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 3959

IDF restricts media exposure of soldiers (They are aware that much of their behavior in the occupied territories qualifies as war crimes under the Geneva Convention) By Amos Harel Against the backdrop of the establishment of the International Criminal Court in The Hague on July 1, the Israel Defense Forces has begun changing its media policies. Following recent discussions, the IDF has decided to impose restrictions on the publication of identifying particulars of soldiers taking part in the fighting in the territories. Consultations on the matter have been continuing for a number of months and have involved representatives from the Justice Ministry, the office of the Judge Advocate General, the IDF Spokesman's Office and additional elements. Various measures, including a gag order on the publication of the names of senior officers in command of sectors in the territories, were considered; however, for now, the IDF has decided to take steps to protect rank-and-file soldiers. According to the new directives, soldiers who are interviewed in the media or appear in reports from the territories will be identified only by their first names. The reports will not carry the soldiers' surnames, places of residence or details on the exact role they are fulfilling. The restrictions come to protect the soldiers from the possibility, which the IDF deems unlikely at this stage, that they could be brought up on charges before the ICC in the future. Similar regulations will be adopted with regard to junior and middle-rank officers, while the senior officers will, for the meantime, remain "exposed" in the media. Proposals to reduce the number of appearances in the media by such officers have been considered. At this stage, it has been decided not to impose a ban on photographing or filming the faces of soldiers who are participating in operations in the territories. A few weeks ago, a television report drew harsh criticism from senior officers after it prominently showed the face of a soldier serving as a sniper in the Nablus area. The officers feared the exposure could be used against the soldier in the future. Military sources told Ha'aretz that the decision was "a precautionary measure" only. According to the sources, the future policies of the ICC are still an unknown and the decision has been taken both in light of fears that the Palestinians may choose to use the ICC as a public relations platform, and so as to protect the soldiers from possible legal entanglements.

To: lorne who wrote (638)	7/21/2002 9:26:27 AM
From: ChinuSFO	Respond to of 3959

Lorne, Islamic fundamentalism on the move in or on the move out? You judge for yourself. Malaysian voters stem Islamic tide 20.07.2002 - PENDANG - Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's ruling alliance showed signs of turning the Islamic tide in northern Malaysia, snatching one byelection victory on Thursday and only narrowly losing a second. After taking heavy hits in a 1999 vote coloured by the sacking and jailing of his former deputy, Anwar Ibrahim, the showing by Barisan Nasional (BN) in his home state of Kedah was sweet for Mahathir, who in June decided to retire late next year. "This shows Malaysia is a truly democratic country, where we can win one seat but lose another," he said on state television. Mahathir, among Asia's longest-serving leaders, has been in power for 21 years. Analysts said the results were likely to encourage investors. Both seats, one for Parliament and one for the Kedah state legislature, fell open after Fadzil Noor, leader of the Parti Islam se-Malaysia (PAS), died last month. Led by Muslim preachers, the conservative PAS dreams of turning multiracial Malaysia into an Islamic state although only just over half of its 23 million people follow the faith. One of the Islamic party's missions is to impose the religion's strict traditional laws, which prescribe punishments such as stoning and amputation for adulterers and thieves. PAS made heavy inroads in the Muslim Malay-dominated north three years ago and won two of Malaysia's 13 states, though it could not erase the BN's two-thirds parliamentary majority. Despite a surprise sympathy vote after Fadzil's death, PAS was unable to stop a swing in favour of the Government side. In the Anak Bukit state seat the PAS majority was cut to 508 from 1840 in 1999. In the bigger Pendang constituency the BN overturned a 2939 PAS majority to win by just 283 votes after a recount. In Pendang a crowd of more than 1000 PAS supporters dispersed quietly, watched by riot police with a water cannon, after hearing the result outside the election headquarters. "The market should react quite positively given that there was a significant swing to the Barisan," said P.K. Basu, regional economist at Credit Suisse First Boston in Singapore. "That the Barisan has wrested that seat suggests that the immoderate direction that PAS has taken since September 11 has not given it any additional ground." The hardline Islamic party's image suffered after the attacks as police began locking up suspected militants, among them PAS supporters accused of belonging to a group harbouring ambitions to set up a single Islamic state in Muslim-dominated parts of Southeast Asia. The turnout was a huge 84 per cent in Anak Bukit and 76 per cent in Pendang. - REUTERS nzherald.co.nz