Elections confirm South Korea’s commitment to democracy

Last week’s stunning victory by the liberal Uri Party in South Korea’s parliamentary elections proves that the country’s democratic system has grown deep roots and has shaken off its conservative past, say analysts.

The Uri Party, which won 152 seats in the 299-seat parliament with almost all the votes in the Apr. 15 poll counted, is composed of politicians mostly in their thirties and forties. It advocates liberal reforms, supports trade unions and a more independent stance from allies like the US, positions that are quite different from traditionally conservative parties in the country.

Analysts say the victory came after opposition parties made the mistake of impeaching President Roh Moo-hyun, who is affiliated with the Uri Party, on Mar.12, creating widespread public resentment against what many critics called a corruption of democracy. (IPS)

Spanish socialists to pull troops out of Iraq

Spain’s new socialist Prime Minister, José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, honored his pledge to withdraw Spanish troops from Iraq Apr. 18, making the order his first public action. The withdrawal would take place “in the shortest time and in the greatest safety possible,” Zapatero said. Analysts predict a timetable of 15 days.

The move, which came just hours after Zapatero’s cabinet had occupied their ministries, risks unnerving other coalition members at a time when violence against Allied troops has begun to spread across Iraq. (Independent Digital (UK))

Former rebels surrender weapons for money

The 15,000-strong UN troops in Liberia last week resumed a six-month campaign to disarm tens of thousands of fighters. The $15 million exercise is designed to end the country’s 14-year brutal civil war.

The process started in December 2003 but was stalled after militias rioted in the capital in demand for $300 as their resettlement benefits. The peacekeepers – who numbered only 5,000 and were deployed in a single cantonment site – found themselves overwhelmed with hundreds of combatants lining up at Camp Schefflin, 30 miles east of the city, to surrender their weapons in return for money.

Now the United Nations Mission in Liberia has constructed four cantonment sites around the country to disarm some 60,000 militias who fought most of the country’s civil war. (IPS)

Drugs found on Colombian flagship

A large cache of cocaine and heroin worth millions of dollars has been found on the Colombian navy’s flagship just as Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo was to tour the ship during an official visit. The pride of the national fleet was also due to visit the US and Europe to try to promote Colombia’s image abroad.

The incident is the latest in a series of scandals dogging the Colombian security forces. President Alvaro Uribe called the incident a stain on the nation’s honor and ordered the entire 75 crew members suspended. (BBC)

A third of Brazilians live on $1 per day

One-third of Brazil’s population, some 58 million people, live on less than $1 dollar a day, says the “Map of Hunger” report. Written by the Getulio Vargas Foundation, the report says poverty has increased greatly in cities over the past decade.

Brazil’s President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, had promised to eliminate hunger by the year 2007 when he came to power last year. But there has already been criticism of the lack of results.

The foundation’s report, released on Apr. 15 , contained detailed information only on Rio de Janeiro, Brazil’s second-biggest city. The statistics on the drought-stricken northeastern areas, where the concentration of poor people is the largest, are due to be released later. (BBC)

Zanzibar outlaws homosexual acts

Zanzibar’s parliament has passed a bill that outlaws homosexuality and lesbianism. The bill imposes stiff penalties, including up to 25 years imprisonment for those in gay relationships.

The overwhelmingly Muslim Indian Ocean island is a key tourist destination on the East African coast.

The attorney-general said they were determined to prevent Zanzibari culture from being corrupted. The president is expected to approve the bill into law. (BBC)

Hundreds of corpses fill Haiti morgues

The National Lawyers Guild of America (NLG) recently sent a delegation to Haiti to meet with death squad victims’ families, witnesses, and grassroots leaders. Attorney Tom Griffin of the delegation says he saw hundreds of corpses being dumped by morgues in Haiti and describes bodies coming in with plastic bags over their heads and hands tied behind their backs, piles of corpses burning in fields and pigs eating their flesh.

The NLG denounced the US government for its role in the forced removal of President Aristide, demanding a Congressional investigation into the role of the US government in the deliberate destabilization of the Haitian government and the implementation of the coup; an immediate end to the repression and daily attacks on those demanding the return of President Aristide; and support for Haitian refugees. (Democracy Now!)

Apartheid’s National Party voted out

The National Party of South Africa was once proud and powerful, ruling Apartheid South Africa with a whip in one hand and a Bible in the other. Last week it stumbled towards the political wilderness, deserted by its supporters and led by a chubby-faced academic known derisively as “kortbroek” (short pants).

With 95 percent of votes counted in the third democratic election, support for the New National Party — its post-Apartheid reincarnation — had crumbled to 1.7 percent and its fate remains uncertain.

In contrast, the African National Congress surged towards its most decisive victory yet. President Thabo Mbeki’s party won 69 percent of votes, leaving its nearest opponent, the Democratic Alliance, with 13 percent. (Independent Digital (UK))

Protesters close Shell facility

More than 200 protesters from a Niger Delta village forced Royal Dutch Shell to close a major oil pumping facility Apr. 13, demanding the multinational company keep its promise to rebuild the road that links it to the outside world and expressing anger at their poverty despite living in an area rich with oil.

The unarmed protesters — including men, women, and children — have set up camp inside the facility located 25 miles north of Warri, and say they will remain at the facility until Shell gives the community an undertaking to rebuild the road, described as their only link with the rest of Nigeria and vital for moving agricultural produce out of the farming community.

The villagers had resorted to protest action after Shell failed to respond favorably to a 90-day ultimatum to repair the road. (IRIN)

Army clears Guantanamo chaplain

The US army has dismissed convictions against Captain James Yee, a Muslim chaplain initially accused of spying at the US detention camp in Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. Yee, who spent 76 days in custody when the spying allegations were first made, now has a clean military record.

General James Hill, who dismissed the charges last month, said it had been necessary to keep Captain Yee in custody because of security purposes. (BBC)

Record poppy crop in Afghanistan

Afghani President Hamid Karzai’s promise of a “jihad” against opium, with a claim that 25 percent of the opium harvest in Afghanistan would be destroyed, has proven to be ineffectual.

Last year, the harvest provided three quarters of the world’s heroin. This year a record harvest is expected. Robert Charles, a narcotics expert from the US State Department, said that 300,000 acres of opium poppies will be harvested, 30 percent more than the previous highest. Already 10 million people worldwide are addicted to Afghan opiates.

At a conference in Berlin this month, US Secretary of State Colin Powell linked the aid package of $2.3 billion pledged to Afghanistan for 2004-2005 to the destruction of the opium harvest. It was then that Karzai called on farmers to fight opium production with the same commitment as they would a holy war.

Anger at the destruction of the harvest has led to thousands-strong demonstrations by farmers. The fact that the central government did not work out which plots were to be destroyed earlier has passed control of the destruction to local authorities, who say they do not have enough resources to deal with the eradication of opium.

In Afghanistan, an acre of wheat is worth $120 while an acre of poppies, which produces about 12 kg of opium, is worth over $2,500. Each district of 50 villages faces losing more than $1.5 million. (Independent Digital (UK))

Pakistan law enshrines army role

Pakistan’s Senate has passed a new law to institutionalize the role of the armed forces in civilian politics for the first time in the nation’s history, something Pakistan’s powerful armed forces have been trying to do for nearly two decades.

The law creates a 13-member National Security Council with four top military figures who will sit alongside top civilian leaders. The council will advise the government on security matters and other issues of national interest.

Opposition MPs condemned the bill; calling it “permanent martial law.”

President Pervez Musharraf, the army chief who seized power in a coup five years ago, argues the Council will help build a better relationship with the government and prevent direct military intervention in the future. (BBC)