Voice of America, 96-12-26

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From: The Voice of America <gopher://gopher.voa.gov>

CONTENTS

[01] SERBIA / BAN (S) BY DOUGLAS ROBERTS (BELGRADE)

[02] SERBIA DEMOS / UPDATE / S BY DOUGLAS ROBERTS (BELGRADE)

[03] SERBIA / DEMOS (L) BY DOUGLAS ROBERTS (BELGRADE)

[04] TUESDAY'S EDITORIALS BY PHIL HAYNES (WASHINGTON)

[01] SERBIA / BAN (S) BY DOUGLAS ROBERTS (BELGRADE)

INTRO: THE SERBIAN GOVERNMENT HAS ANNOUNCED IT WILL NO LONGER TOLERATE OPPOSITION DEMONSTRATIONS THAT DISRUPT TRAFFIC IN THE STREETS OF BELGRADE AND OTHER CITIES. VOA'S DOUGLAS ROBERTS REPORTS THE ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE INTERIOR MINISTRY IS SEEN AS AN ATTEMPT TO HALT THE MASS PROTEST CAMPAIGN THAT BEGAN MORE THAN A MONTH AGO AFTER THE GOVERNENT ANNULLED OPPOSITION VICTORIES IN MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

TEXT: THE GOVERNMENT ORDER WAS BROADCAST ON SERBIA'S STATE-CONTROLLED TELEVISION LATE WEDNESDAY, JUST HOURS AFTER TENS OF THOUSANDS OF OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS STAGED THE LATEST IN SOME FIVE WEEKS OF DAILY ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTS IN THE STREETS OF BELGRADE.

THE INTERIOR MINISTRY STATEMENT SAID ANY FURTHER ATTEMPTS TO BLOCK TRAFFIC WILL BE DEALT WITH IN ACCORDANCE WITH ESTABLISHED PROCEDURES. THERE WAS NO ELABORATION, BUT ANALYSTS HERE SAID THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT THE AUTHORITIES ARE NOW PREPARED TO USE FORCE TO KEEP THE PROTESTERS OFF THE STREETS.

IN AN EARLIER BROADCAST, STATE TELEVISION DESCRIBED OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS AS A HANDFUL OF TERRORISTS INTENT ON PROVOKING BLOODSHED AND CIVIL WAR IN SERBIA.

VIOLENCE FLARED HERE TUESDAY WHEN PRO AND ANTI GOVERNMENT DEMONSTRATORS CLASHED AS SERBIAN AUTHORITIES ORGANIZED A RALLY IN SUPPORT OF PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC.

AN ESTIMATED FORTY THOUSAND PEOPLE ATTENDED THAT DEMONSTRATION, BUT A MUCH LARGER CROWD GATHERED FOR THE ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTEST. AFTER WEDNESDAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT HERE OPPOSITION LEADERS AGAIN VOWED TO CONTINUE THE CAMPAIGN UNTIL THE GOVERNMENT BOWS TO THEIR DEMANDS. (SIGNED)
NEB/DBR/KL
25-Dec-96 7:20 PM EST (0020 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] SERBIA DEMOS / UPDATE / S BY DOUGLAS ROBERTS (BELGRADE)

INTRO: SERBIAN RIOT POLICE WERE DEPLOYED IN THE STREETS OF BELGRADE THURSDAY TO ENFORCE A BAN ON PROTEST MARCHES BY ANTI-GOVERNMENT DEMONSTRATORS. BUT -- AS WE HEAR FROM V-O-A'S DOUGLAS ROBERTS -- THE PROTESTERS WERE LARGELY SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR ATTEMPTS TO DEFY THE BAN.

TEXT: AUTHORITIES MADE NO ATTEMPT TO BLOCK A PROTEST MARCH BY SEVERAL THOUSAND UNIVERSITY STUDENTS HERE EARLY THURSDAY. HOWEVER, SECURITY FORCES DID INTERVENE WHEN SUPPORTERS OF THE MAIN OPPOSITION POLITICAL PARTIES GATHERED FOR A SIMILAR MARCH LATER IN THE DAY.

RIOT POLICE WITH SHIELDS AND HELMETS PUSHED THE OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS AWAY FROM ONE OF BELGRADE'S MAIN AVENUES AND INTO A PEDESTRIAN AREA.

SEVERAL CORDONS OF POLICE, WITH CLUBS AND TEARGAS, SEPARATED TWO LARGE GROUPS OF PROTESTERS -- ONE OUTSIDE THE HEADQUARTERS OF SERBIA'S DEMOCRATIC PARTY, THE OTHER IN A MAIN SQUARE, ABOUT 100 METERS AWAY.

OPPOSITION LEADERS APPEALED TO BOTH THEIR OWN SUPPORTERS AND THE POLICE TO AVOID BLOODSHED.

DESPITE THE EVIDENT TENSIONS, THERE WERE NO SERIOUS INCIDENTS AND THE DEMONSTRATION BROKE UP PEACEFULLY, WITH OPPOSITION LEADERS VOWING TO STAGE ANOTHER RALLY, FRIDAY. (SIGNED)
NEB / DBR / WOD / WOD
26-Dec-96 12:45 PM EST (1745 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[03] SERBIA / DEMOS (L) BY DOUGLAS ROBERTS (BELGRADE)

INTRO: THE FIVE WEEK-OLD CONFRONTATION BETWEEN SERBIA'S GOVERNMENT AND OPPOSITION DEMONSTRATORS APPEARED TO ENTER A NEW PHASE THURSDAY, WHEN SERBIAN RIOT POLICE DEPLOYED IN THE STREETS OF BELGRADE TO ENFORCE A BAN ON PROTEST MARCHES. VOA'S DOUGLAS ROBERTS REPORTS OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS WERE LARGELY SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR ATTEMPTS TO DEFY THE BAN, AND THEY AGAIN VOWED TO CONTINUE THE PROTEST CAMPAIGN UNTIL THE GOVERNMENT RECOGNIZES OPPOSITION VICTORIES IN LAST MONTH'S MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

TEXT: SERBIA'S INTERIOR MINISTRY ANNOUNCED THE BAN LATE WEDNESDAY, SAYING DEMONSTRATIONS THAT DISRUPT TRAFFIC IN THE STREETS OF BELGRADE AND OTHER CITIES WILL NO LONGER BE TOLERATED.

BUT WHEN STRIKING UNIVERSITY STUDENTS BEGAN ASSEMBLING FOR THEIR DAILY MARCH AT NOON THURSDAY, THEY WERE IN A DEFIANT MOOD.

A POLICE COMMANDER APPEARED ON THE SCENE OUTSIDE THE COLLEGE OF PHILOSOPHY AND TOLD STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES THEIR MARCH WOULD NOT BE PERMITTED.

BUT THE POLICE MADE NO ATTEMPT TO INTERVENE, AS SEVERAL THOUSAND STUDENTS WALKED DOWN THE MIDDLE OF BELGRADE'S MAIN AVENUES, CHANTING ANTI-GOVERNMENT SLOGANS.

AT THAT POINT, IT APPEARED SERBIAN AUTHORITIES WERE BACKING DOWN. BUT THE SITUATION CHANGED DRAMATICALLY LATER IN THE DAY.

BUS-LOADS OF RIOT POLICE, WITH CLUBS AND TEARGAS, MOVED INTO BELGRADE. ONE OF THE MAIN BRIDGES OVER THE SAVA RIVER WAS CLOSED TO TRAFFIC, IN AN APPARENT ATTEMPT BY THE AUTHORITIES TO SEAL OFF THE CENTER OF THE CAPITAL.

AT MID-AFTERNOON, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF SUPPORTERS OF THE OPPOSITION ZAJEDNO COALITION GATHERED FOR THEIR DAILY MARCH. BUT THE POLICE INTERVENED, PUSHING THE PROTESTERS OFF A MAIN AVENUE AND INTO A PEDESTRIAN AREA.

OPPOSITION LEADERS USED LOUD SPEAKERS TO APPEAL BOTH TO THEIR OWN SUPPORTERS AND THE POLICE TO AVOID BLOODSHED.

THERE WERE SOME TENSE MOMENTS, AS CORDONS OF POLICE MOVED IN-BETWEEN TWO LARGE GROUPS OF PROTESTORS. BUT THERE WERE NO SERIOUS INCIDENTS. AS THE POLICE STOOD BY, THE DEMONSTRATORS WENT AHEAD WITH THEIR RALLY, AND THEN DISPERSED PEACEFULLY.

MILORAD PERISIC, DEPUTY LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION DEMOCRATIC PARTY, ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE SITUATION HAD GROWN MORE DANGEROUS, BUT HE SAID HE REMAINS CONFIDENT THERE WILL BE NO VIOLENCE, AND LEFT NO DOUBT THAT THE ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTS WILL CONTINUE.

ANOTHER OPPOSITION LEADER, MILAN BOZIC OF THE SERBIAN RENEWAL PARTY, SAID THURSDAY'S MOVE BY THE SECURITY FORCES INDICATES THAT PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC INTENDS TO GRADUALLY ESCALATE THE PRESSURE ON THE ANTI-GOVERNMENT CAMPAIGNERS. MR. BOZIC SAID THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE RESPONSE FROM THE OPPOSITION MOVEMENT.

WELL, THE STRATEGY IS TO PERSIST AND RESIST, BECAUSE THAT IS THE ONLY WAY.

THE PROTEST CAMPAIGN HERE IS NOW MORE THAN FIVE WEEKS OLD, AND IT SHOWS NO SIGNS OF WANING DESPITE THURSDAY'S POLICE ACTION AND THE GLACIAL WINTER WEATHER THAT NOW GRIPS THIS CITY. (SIGNED)
NEB/DBR/KL
26-Dec-96 2:38 PM EST (1938 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[04] TUESDAY'S EDITORIALS BY PHIL HAYNES (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: EDITORIALS IN AMERICA'S MOST WIDELY-READ NEWSPAPERS COVER A RANGE INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC CONCERNS THIS DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS. AMONG THE MORE NOTABLE TOPICS ARE, ISRAEL'S JEWISH SETTLEMENTS POLICY; HOW RUSSIANS HAVE FARED UNDER BORIS YELTSIN'S LEADERSHIP; SUGGESTONS THAT GREECE IS CODDLING A CONVICTED TERRORIST, AND A GROWING LANGUAGE CONTROVERSY AMONG AFRICAN AMERICANS. FOR DETAILS ON THESE AND OTHER ISSUES, HERE IS ______________________ WITH TODAY'S EDITORIAL DIGEST.

TEXT: AS ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIANS MOVE CLOSER TO A FINAL ACCORD ON THE STATUS OF THE WEST BANK TOWN OF HEBRON, THE NEW YORK TIMES SAYS THE UNITED STATES SHOULD FIRMLY OPPOSE ISRAEL'S LATEST JEWISH SETTLEMENTS POLICY.

VOICE: "IF PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON TRULY BELIEVES THAT ISRAELI SETTLEMENT POLICY WORKS AGAINST AMERICAN EFFORTS TO PROMOTE MIDDLE EAST PEACE, THEN HE SHOULD SEE TO IT THAT PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU PAYS A PRICE FOR BUILDING NEW HOUSING ON THE WEST BANK... [OPT] INCREASINGLY, THE PROBLEM OF SETTLEMENTS TESTS THE STRENGTH OF THE LONG-STANDING BOND BETWEEN ISRAEL AND THE UNITED STATES AS NO OTHER ISSUE DOES... [END OPT] THIS ISSUE IS PARTICULARLY VEXING NOW THAT (THE) OSLO (AGREEMENT) HAS LAID OUT A PATH THAT BOTH SIDES CAN FOLLOW TO LASTING PEACE. SETTLEMENTS MAY NOT BE THE ONLY OBSTACLE ALONG THAT ROAD, BUT IF OBSTACLES CONTINUE TO BE PLACED THERE, THEIR COST SHOULD NOT BE UNDERWRITTEN IN ANY FORM BY U-S TAXPAYERS."

TEXT: RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN IS BACK ON THE JOB AFTER MANY WEEKS OF CONVALESCENCE FOLLOWING CORONARY BY-PASS SURGERY. THE BALTIMORE SUN LOOKS AT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES FACING MR. YELTSIN AND THE RUSSIAN PEOPLE, AND FINDS VERY LITTLE TO CHEER ABOUT.

VOICE: "RUSSIAN IS AN IN-BETWEEN COUNTRY. IT HAS ADOPTED MANY OUTWARD TRAPPINGS OF DEMOCRACY. BUT THIS THIN LAYER OF LEGALITY OFTEN SEEMS TO BE MERE 'POKAZUKHA,' A PUT-ON INTENDED TO IMPRESS THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW BETTER... AS THE NEW YEAR APPROACHES AND MR. YELTSIN RESUMES WORK, TWO THINGS SHOULD BE UPPERMOST ON HIS AGENDA. UNLESS THE GOVERNMENT SWIFTLY MOVES TO PAY MILLIONS OF RUSSIANS, WHO HAVE NOT RECEIVED ... WAGES FOR UP TO SIX MONTHS, 1997 IS LIKELY TO SEE A WAVE OR SERIOUS UNREST... THE ARMED FORCES COULD BE THE NEXT, UNLESS THE OFFICERS ARE PAID ... AND STEPS ARE TAKEN TO RESTORE SOME DIGNITY TO THE MILITARY. THE RESILENCE OF ORDINARY RUSSIANS HAS BEEN THEIR SALVATION OVER THE CENTURIES. BUT TEMPERS ARE GROWING SHORT. DESPERATE PEOPLE SOMETIMES ARE DRAWN TO DESPERATE SOLUTIONS."

TEXT: THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE ALSO COMMENTS ON THE POOR RUSSIAN CONDITION, BUT SUGGESTS THAT WHATEVER THE OUTCOME, HISTORY WILL VIEW BORIS YELTSIN IN A GOOD LIGHT.

VOICE: "RUSSIANS HAVE BEEN PATIENT WITH (PRESIDENT) YELSTIN'S RECOVERY. BUT HE MUST MOVE QUICKLY TO PAY BACK WAGES TO WORKERS, STIMULATE THE ECONOMY AND RESOLVE TENSIONS IN CHECHNYA. PERHAPS YELTSIN, A SIBERIAN FOX, HAS A 100-DAY PROGRAM TO UNVEIL, MUCH LIKE ANY NEWLY-ELECTED PRESIDENT. IF SO, HE MAY BE FORGIVEN A LATE START. HISTORY WILL LITTLE CARE. WHATEVER SUCCESS YELTSIN WILL FIND IN THIS, HIS FINAL TERM AS A PUBLIC OFFICIAL IN RUSSIA, HE WILL BE REMEMBERED AS THE MAN WHO STOOD ATOP A TANK TO THWART A COUP AND THEN, FIVE YEARS AGO THIS WEEK, LOWERED THE HAMMER AND SICLE FROM THE KREMLIN TO OFFICIALLY DISMANTLE THE SOVIET UNION."

TEXT: THIS MONTH, A GREEK COURT ORDERED THE RELEASE OF CONVICTED TERRORIST MOHAMMED RASHID AFTER HE HAD SERVED ONLY EIGHT YEARS OF A 15-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE. RASHID WAS CONVICTED OF PLANTING THE BOMB THAT EXPLODED ABOARD A PAN AM JUMBO JET IN 1982, KILLING A JAPANESE TEENAGER AND WOUNDING 15 OTHER PASSENGERS. TODAY'S WASHINGTON POST RAISES SEVERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RASHID RELEASE, SAYING IT "CAN ONLY ENCOURAGE THE NEXT TERRORIST."

VOICE: "WHAT IS IT WITH THE GREEKS, ANYWAY? THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THEY HAVE DEALT WITH TERRORISM BY SOMETHING HARDLY MORE THAN A WINK AND A NOD. WHY ARE THEY SO SQUISHY SOFT ON TERRORISM IN AN EGREGIOUS CASE LIKE THIS ONE? WHY DO THEY TEND TO ROMANTICIZE ACTS THAT OTHERS RIGHTLY CONSIDER COLD BRUTALITY? THEIR POLICY CAN ONLY GIVE A THRUST TO SPECULATION ABOUT WHETHER SOME ECONOMIC OR POLITICAL QUID IS EXPECTED FOR THE QUO OF A FAVOR TO THE COMPANY OF TERRORISTS..."

TEXT: THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER SAYS NOW THAT THE UNITED STATES HAS SUCCEEDED IN ITS CAMPAIGN TO ELECT A NEW U-N SECRETARY GENERAL, WASHINGTON MUST "PUT UP ITS SHARE OF DUES AND VISION."

VOICE: "NOW THAT THE UNPLEASANT STRUGGLE TO FIND A NEW U-N SECRETARY GENERAL IS OVER, AND THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY HAS APPOINTED THE RESPECTED KOFI ANNAN OF GHANA, IT'S TIME FOR THE UNITED STATES TO RETHINK WHAT IT WANTS THE WORLD BODY TO DO. [OPT] THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION ENGINEERED THE OUSTER OF FORMER SECRETARY GENERAL BOUTROS BOUTROS-GHALI BECAUSE IT SAID HE WASN'T WILLING TO RESTRUCTURE AND DOWNSIZE THE ORGANIZATION... [END OPT] IF THE WHITE HOUSE IS REALLY INTERESTED IN AN EFFECTIVE UNITED NATIONS, IT WILL HELP MR. ANNAN REVAMP U-N FUNCTIONS AS WELL AS PROCEDURES. AND IF CONGRESS WON'T PAY ITS DEBTS, THE PRESIDENT SHOULD GO DIRECTLY TO THE PUBLIC AND EXPLAIN WHY AMERICA'S INTERESTS ARE HURT BY BANKRUPTIING A WORLD BODY WITH A NEW LEADER AND RENEWED POTENTIAL."

TEXT: SEVERAL NEWSPAPERS HAVE SPOKEN OUT ABOUT A DECISION BY THE OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, SCHOOL BOARD OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZING BLACK ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE CALLED "EBONICS." THE SCHOOL BOARD REASONED THAT BY TREATING EBONICS AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE, IT WOULD HELP BLACK STUDENTS BRIDGE THE GAP TO STANDARD ENGLISH. MOST EDITORIAL COMMENT HAS BEEN SHARPLY OPPOSED TO THE IDEA. THE ORGEONIAN IN PORTLAND, OREGON, IS AMONG THEM:

VOICE: "THE COMBINATION OF THE WORDS 'EBONY' AND 'PHONICS' DENOTES WHAT SOME ACADEMICS CONTEND IS A DISTINCT DIALECT SPOKEN BY THE DESCENDANTS OF SLAVES WHO CAME TO AMERICA FROM WEST AFRICA. IN DOING THAT, THE (OAKLAND SCHOOL) BOARD ALSO OFFICIALLY CONDESCENDED TO, INSULTED AND PATRONIZED BLACK STUDENTS. IN AN ATTEMPT TO DESTIGMATIZE THEM, THE BOARD DID THE OPPOSITE -- CREATING A BOGUS SEPARATE CATEGORY AND DUMPING THEM INTO IT."

TEXT: THE NEW YORK DAILY NEWS SUMS UP ITS THOUGHTS WITH THIS EDITORIAL HEADLINE: "DON'T GET HOOKED ON EBONICS."

VOICE: "EBONICS IS A CRUEL JOKE. A HYBRID OF 'EBONY' AND 'PHONICS,' IT IS PURPORTED TO BE ACCEPTABLE 'BLACK ENGLISH.' SUPPORTERS CLAIM IT DESERVES THE KIND OF 'SECOND LANGUAGE' TREATMENT IN SCHOOL THAT CHILDREN GET IF THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE IS SPANISH, SAY, OR CHINESE OR RUSSIAN. IN ANY LANGUAGE, THIS IS RUBBISH. AT BEST, EBONICS IS STREET SLANG. AT WORST, IT DEMEANS AFRICAN AMERICAN CHILDREN BY TELLING THEM THEY'RE NOT SMART ENOUGH TO LEARN STANDARD ENGLISH."

TEXT: THOSE THOUGHTS FROM THE NEW YORK DAILY NEWS CONCLUDES TODAY'S LOOK AT SOME OF THE EDITORIAL TOPICS DEALT WITH IN LEADING U-S NEWSPAPERS
NEB/PCH/NES
26-Dec-96 1:15 PM EST (1815 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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