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INTERNATIONAL
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Battle over cross reveals culture divide in Poland WARSAW: It's a plain wooden cross almost austere in its simplicity. But it is stirring passions in heavily Roman Catholic Poland that expose bitter divisions which make it seem like two separate nations sharing the same land and language. The pale wood cross about four meters high was erected in front of the presidential palace by Boy and Girl Scouts days after the April plane crash in Russia that killed President Lech Kaczynski, his wife and 94 others. It quickly became a spot for mourners to light candles, place flowers and pray. Now, with a new president installed and the country returning to normal, the question of whether the cross should stay or go has set off wider disputes that underscore the deep divisions between traditional and modern Poles, conservatives and liberals, and even rich and poor. "The
cross is a catalyst that has mobilized people who are fed up with the clericalization of Polish public life," said Jacek Kucharczyk, president of the Institute of Public Affairs, a Warsaw think tank. On one side are deeply nationalistic and religious supporters of the late president who want the cross to stay until a fitting memorial is built to the victims, among whom were top military brass and church leaders. Some of them cling to a conspiracy theory suggesting that Kaczynski's domestic political rivals and Russians conspired to kill him. On the other is an increasingly self-confident secular society that dismisses the conspiracy theory as lunacy and believes the religious symbol does not belong in front of such an important public building. This group argues that despite the country's Catholic influence, the con-
stitution guarantees a separation of church and state, and that the cross should move to a church. The "defenders of the cross" - as they are commonly called - are in the minority, with just dozens of them turning out at the cross most days. Yet they have shown a tenacity that sparked a much larger counter-protest last week of thousands of mostly young Poles mobilized by a Facebook appeal. The event took on the atmosphere of a street party, with the demonstrators playing with a plastic beach ball and even mocking their religious compatriots. One appeared at a balcony over the large crowd dressed in a pope costume - an act of irreverence rare in Poland, the native land of the much venerated late pontiff John Paul II. "We just want the cross moved. It doesn't belong in this place," said
Michal Buczynski, a 28-year-old economist at that rally. "I want to support a secular society. There is a vocal minority (defending the cross) and we want to push it back." They also returned over the following days in smaller numbers. On Sunday evening a small group of young Poles blared music from a boombox that drowned out the praying cross defenders and danced around them in a conga line. One held up a sign with an ironic appeal: "Let's tear down the palace. It's overshadowing the cross." With emotions high, each day brings a new, often disturbing development. Yesterday, police arrested a 60year-old man for threatening the cross supporters with an unarmed grenade. The day before, a 71-year-old man was arrested for using feces to defile a commemorative plaque to the plane victims near the cross. The plaque
was unveiled last week in an unsuccessful attempt to appease the cross defenders. The events reveal a deep cultural shift: 20 years ago, Poland threw off communism with the help of courageous priests who challenged a regime that tried to repress religious life by promoting atheism and keeping clergy under secret police surveillance. Crosses were then reinstated in many public places in what felt like an act of liberation to many. But today a younger generation of Poles that had no role in that struggle increasingly views the church as too powerful. John Paul's death in 2005 was a watershed event in this shift as it deprived the country of its guiding moral authority. The late pope also put a progressive stamp on the Polish church, and with him gone the Polish church has taken a more conservative turn, alienating the young further.
An attempt by authorities on Aug 3 to move the cross nearly sparked a riot by the cross defenders, with one woman tying herself to the cross, so authorities backed down and left it. But the scuffle raised the stakes and since then the cross defenders have camped out in front of the palace. Over the weekend, police and other security officials removed the defenders from the cross in the middle of the night, but left the cross in place. It now stands in its spot but is barricaded behind metal barriers and police guard. It's not clear what will happen next, but its defenders continue to gather across the street, praying and holding up small crosses and rosaries in defiance. "Our weapon is the rosary," said Barbara Grzegorzewska, a 50-year-old caretaker of preschool children who has joined the vigil at the cross off and
on. "Poland is a Christian country and we are defending the right to have the cross in public." She and others, however, list many grievances when asked why they are there; from meager salaries or pensions, to fears that EU will erode the Catholic identity of their nation - making it clear that the cross has also proven a way for socially marginalized Poles to vent their frustration. Some accuse the pro-EU government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk a rival of Kaczynski - of selling out the country to foreigners by privatizing state industries, a project undertaken to raise money and lower a ballooning deficit. They voice frustration that Russia is leading the investigation into the crash that killed Kaczynski - and express doubts into preliminary findings that the crash was caused by heavy fog and pilot error. —AP
Protesters block trucks from entering Melilla
Morocco halts fresh food shipments to Spanish city MELILLA, Spain: Truckers who transport food from Morocco to this Spanish enclave in North Africa suspended shipments of perishable goods yesterday amid a simmering dispute over alleged brutality by Spanish police. But the threat of a lengthy commercial blockade could be easing with a reported
agreement by Moroccan protesters to suspend it until the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The decision by truckers to stop hauling goods into Melilla came in response to demands by Moroccan protesters who blocked them from entering for a brief period Tuesday night.
BNI ANSER, Morocco: Moroccan activists wave Moroccan flags during a brief demonstration on Tuesday night at the border crossing between Bni Anser and Melilla in a dispute over alleged police violence and racism against Moroccans entering the city. – AP
Sudan to deport foreign NGO workers KHARTOUM: Sudan's government confirmed yesterday it will expel a number of international aid workers from the restive western region of Darfur, without specifying how many. UN officials earlier had said six staffers from international aid groups had been told by local Darfur officials that their security could no longer be guaranteed and were asked to leave West Darfur. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press, said it was a verbal order. Those expelled worked International Committee of the Red Cross, the Food and Agriculture Organization and the UN's refugee agency. Expulsion orders from local officials is a new phenomenon for aid groups working in Darfur and the latest sign of rising strains between the international organizations and the government. Foreign Ministry spokesman, Muwaia Khaled told AP the aid workers were being deported individually, and the deportation does not reflect on the organizations they
work for. "Any organization that abides by the regulations and code set will be respected," Khaled stressed. "There are indeed some violations committed and this is the reason why they were expelled." He did not elaborate on the nature of the offenses and said the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs would disclose more later. At a recent gathering, Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir told local Darfur officials that they can act independently "to expel and order out any international organization or agency or any quarter that exceeds its stipulated mandate or tries to obstruct the work of the local authorities." The UN has said constraints on aid agencies operating in the vast Darfur region have been steadily increasing since March 2009, when 11 international aid organizations were expelled following an indictment of the Sudanese president for crimes against humanity in Darfur by the International Criminal Court. Samuel Hendricks, spokesman for the
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Sudan, said the recent orders have larger implications than just the state of international staffing. "It's not about the individuals or the organizations, the point is these people are working in a humanitarian capacity and trying to help the population of Darfur," he said. Fighting in Darfur began with a 2003 rebellion by groups who accused the government of neglecting the desert region. The ongoing conflict has left up to 300,000 people dead and forced 2.7 million to flee their homes, according to UN figures. Several rebel groups have negotiated peace agreements with the government but two major armed groups, the SLA and the Justice and Equality Movement, have refused. The UN Security Council on July 30 called for an immediate halt to the escalating violence in Darfur and demanded that all rebel groups to join peace talks. — AP
Russia boosts military presence in Armenia
MOSCOW: Police officers patrol Moscow’s Red Square yesterday, a day after a car bombing in southern Russia. — AFP
YEREVAN: Russia will extend its military presence and guarantee Armenia's security under a new defence deal, Armenia's foreign minister said yesterday, boosting Moscow's clout in the strategic Caucasus region. Under a far-reaching deal to be signed this week during a visit by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, Moscow will extend its lease on a military base in Armenia to 2044 and upgrade the mission of the estimated 3,000 Russian troops stationed there, Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian told the Russia 24 news channel. The move is likely to raise alarm bells in neighbouring Azerbaijan, which is locked in a long-simmering conflict with Armenia over the disputed Nagorny Karabakh region. "The contract was previously concluded for a period of 25 years but will now be effective for 49 years, starting from 1995," Nalbandian said. Under the deal, he said, "the Russian military base, along with providing for the interests of the Russian Federation, will with the armed forces of Armenia provide for the security of Armenia." Nalbandian said the deal also commits Russia to "assist Armenia in securing arms and modern military equipment." Armenian officials said the deal will deter Azerbaijan from launching a new conflict over Karabakh. "It will protect not only the borders of Armenia, but also Armenia's security and exclude the possibility of Azerbaijan trying to resolve the Karabakh conflict by force," Eduard Sharmazanov, a spokesman for the ruling Republican Party, told AFP. Analysts said it was unclear, however, whether Russia would in fact intervene in a new war in the region, since the conflict would likely unfold in Karabakh and surrounding territories that are not part of Armenia. — AFP
It was the second time in a week that Melilla faced shortages of fish, fruit and vegetables. Spanish media reported that the protesters had reached a deal with traders who sell the food in the city of about 70,000 to allow the trucks to resume shipments today, putting off the prospect of a long-term blockade until September. A spokesman for Spain's Interior Ministry in the city confirmed that no trucks carrying food or fish had arrived at the Moroccan side of the border with Melilla yesterday. He said some 20 protesters gathered at the Moroccan side were only allowing empty trucks to pass through. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity in keeping with ministry policy, said that after a brief blockade Tuesday night, dozens of trucks carrying construction materials had been allowed in. Morocco supplies the Spanish enclave with perishable products, and about 35,000 Moroccans cross daily into Melilla to work or shop. Morocco claims the city and another North African enclave of Spain, Ceuta, as its own, and the protesters backing the blockade also want Spain to cede control of the cities to Morocco. But Spain rejects any talk of giving them up. Morocco has made five complaints over the past month alleging Spanish police mistreatment of, and racism against, Moroccans crossing into Melilla. Moroccan officials also accused the Spanish coast guard of finding, then abandoning, a group of ailing migrants in a boat off the Moroccan coast. Spain has denied the claims. Spain and Morocco are key allies, cooperating closely on fighting terrorism and preventing illegal immigration. Relations between the two countries have been generally good in recent years, despite periodic bouts of tension. The most serious break came in 2002, when the nations edged close to armed confrontation after a handful of Moroccan soldiers occupied a rocky Spanish island off the Moroccan coast inhabited by goats. The conservative government of then Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar sent in Spanish commandos to oust the Moroccan troops, and ties between the two nations plunged. Aznar flew to Melilla on Wednesday to tour the city amid claims by his opposition Popular Party that Spain's ruling Socialist Party has bungled efforts to reduce tensions between Spain and Morocco over Melilla and halt the commercial blockades. But the Socialist Party said Aznar's visit could end up hurting Spanish-Moroccan relations just ahead of a visit Monday by Spain's Interior Minister to the Moroccan capital, Rabat, aimed at defusing the tensions and discussing bilateral issues like terrorism and immigration. "His presence does not help and he knows his presence does not help," Spanish Development Minister Jose Blanco told reporters. Blanco added that Spain's government is "working on the problem and it will be sorted out very soon, despite the Popular Party." — AP
WARSAW: Soldiers pass a wooden cross in front of the Polish presidential palace that has turned into the focus of a fierce dispute in recent weeks on Tuesday. – AP
Rebels kill three Indian peacekeepers in Congo KINSHASA: Suspected rebels hacked to death three Indian UN peacekeepers in their camp in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the Indian and Congolese armies said yesterday. A further seven Indian troops were injured in the attack in Kirumba, which the Indian military and local officials blamed on the Mai-Mai, a Congolese tribal militia. The head of the UN mission in DR Congo, Roger Meece, said it was "a very sad loss," but added that his forces would continue their efforts to beat the threat of armed groups. "At about 1:50 am (2350 GMT), under the cover of darkness, the Unit's Company Operating Base at Kirumba was approached by five innocent looking civilians," the Indian army said in a statement. "They asked the post for assistance. While they were engaging the guard on duty with conversation, a group of approximately 50-60 rebels probably Mai-Mai rebel group - attacked the periphery of the post, from the surrounding jungle," the statement said. "This lasted for approximately five minutes. The rebels merged into the forest, taking advantage of darkness. In the ensuing incident, Indian troops suffered three fatal casualties and seven injured." General Vainqueur Mayala, commander of the 8th military region of the DR Congo army, said the motive for the attack was unclear. "They did not use firearms, but knives and machetes, and they
killed three Indians and critically injured another three," the general told AFP by telephone from Kinshasa. The victims all served with the United Nations' Organisation for Stabilisation in Democratic Republic of Congo, abbreviated to MONUSCO. "I can only reiterate the shock I felt, the sadness for the loss of our soldiers," Meece said at his weekly press conference in Kinshasa. "It's a very sad loss but I can assure you that we will pursue our efforts ... against the threats posed by the various armed groups, including the group which launched the attack this morning." Kirumba is around 140 km north of Goma, capital of the volatile Nord-Kivu province. An Indian peacekeeper was shot and killed in Nord-Kivu in May this year, and another was killed in a gun battle in the province in 2005. The head city official of Kirumba, Egide Karafifi, told AFP the attackers were wearing civilian clothes, had raphia palm coverings on their heads and were singing MaiMai songs. The mission, earlier known by its French acronym MONUC, has been present in DR Congo since late 1999 and its new mandate to consolidate peace runs until June 30 next year. The Mai-Mai are just one of a number of armed groups fighting each other and the army in the east of the country. They were integrated in the Congolese army but control their own territory in Sud-Kivu province and are intent on overturning the military command in the area. — AFP
Model Macedonian school aims to bridge ethnic divide PRELJUBISTE, Macedonia: Macedonia's only bilingual school stands in a bucolic mountainous area that still bears the scars of an ethnic conflict that threatened full-blown civil war nine years ago. The clashes are the reason the Fridtjof Nansen elementary school was created: to teach Macedonian and Albanian children to understand each other and overcome the differences that drove their elders to fight. "Maybe we are different sort of fishes, but in this school, we all swim together," reads a bold motto in the hall of the pioneering school, which believes it is a model for Europe. The Albanian insurgency against government forces gripped the area for less than a year in 2001, with only a few dozen people killed on each side, but there were fears it would erupt into the kind of wars that engulfed Kosovo and Bosnia. Western intervention secured a ceasefire that saw Macedonian authorities agree to more recognition of the mostly Muslim Albanian minority, which makes up a quarter of the largely Christian 2.2 million population. But language has been a stumbling block to entente, with few Macedonians or Albanians taking the trouble to learn each other's language. Not at this school, close to the border with Kosovo and about 45 km west of the capital Skopje. "I can say some things in Albanian now," seven-year-old Macedonian Ace tells AFP proudly. "It is interesting, we are friends," the boy says of his Albanian classmates. When the school opened its doors in 2008, "not a single Albanian kid understood Macedonian, nor did the Macedonian children understand a word of Albanian," says programme coordinator Veton Zekolli. But now the 50 or so pupils, aged six to eight, have the basics of each other's language. Classes are run by two teachers who simultaneously translate everything into both languages. "After having classes in their mother tongues, the chil-
dren play together, draw, learn mathematics and crafts," Zekolli says. The aim is "dialogue and reconciliation", he says. In a craft class children in grey uniforms fold paper horses while repeating the word for the animal - "konj" in Macedonian and "kali" in Albanian. In another class room first graders are having a language lesson. Laughter fills the air and when visitors enter the children shout out "good afternoon" in both languages - "Dobar den" in Macedonian and "Merdita" in Albanian. "It's nice here, we play and we learn," says six-year-old Nisa in Albanian as she has not yet mastered Macedonian. The children live in various Macedonian- or Albanian-majority villages around the school, which is in Preljubiste, an ethnically mixed village about 20 km from the border with Kosovo. Tensions still dog the sensitive area, which this month marked the ninth anniversary of the Ohrid agreement that ended the insurgency. In the worst incident since the agreement, Macedonian police in May killed four people as they tried to stop a van suspected of transporting illegal arms. Days earlier they seized a large cache of weapons, ammunition and explosives. The area is a notorious smuggling route and recently there have been fears that some insurgents may be re-arming. The tensions spilled over into education in January when the government's imposition of Macedonian language classes for Albanian first graders sparked boycotts in Albanian-dominated areas. When the schools reopen in September the Albanian first graders will have to take obligatory Macedonian language classes although they will not be graded on their work. There is no requirement for Macedonian school children to learn Albanian as Albanian is only recognised as an official second language in several areas which have more than 20 percent strong Albanian minority.— AFP