Wednesday, September 22, 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section B · Page 7
Nation
Clinton urges U.N. to strengthen role in stopping mass killings
The Associated Press
UNITED NATIONS— President Clinton challenged the United Nations and countries in Africa, Asia and elsewhere yesterday to strengthen their ability to stop mass killings such as those in Kosovo and East Timor.
The United States cannot respond to every humanitarian catastrophe in the world, he told the General Assembly.
Clinton also urged the world body to engage in an all-out battle against poverty for the 21st century and to assure that weapons of mass destruction would not be used on children.
Clinton suggested the United Nations play an expanded role in preventing mass slaughter and dislocation.
"When we are faced with the deliberate organized campaigns to murder whole peoples or expel them from their land, the care of victims is important, but not enough," he said. "We should work to end the violence."
Among other things, Clinton said there was a need to train international forces to fill the gap between local police and military peacekeepers.
Clinton touched lightly on two contentious issues: a disagreement regarding Iraq and the failure of the United States to make more than $1 billion in delinquent U.N. payments
The Clinton administration is willing
to ease the sanctions only if Iraq agrees to allow U.N. weapons inspectors back into the country.
But the Security Council remains deadlocked. Russia, China and France — each wielding veto powers — have expressed sympathy with Baghdad's call for an immediate easing of the sanctions that have been in place since the Persian Gulf War in 1991.
Clinton: Suggested the United Nations play a role in preventing mass slaughter.
In nearly three hours of talks Monday night. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright failed to budge Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, a U.S.
"Despite all the obstacles Saddam Hussein has placed in our path, we must continue to ease the suffering of the people of Iraq," Clinton said. "At the same time, we cannot allow the government of Iraq to flout 40 — and I say 40 — successive U.N. Security Council resolutions and to rebuild his arsenal." Clinton also apologized for the U.S. deliquency on bank payments
official said.
The administration has pledged to make the payments, some dating to the 1980s, but has been blocked repeatedly by congressional conservatives.
If a sizable installment isn't made by year's end, the United States will lose its vote in the General Assembly. Its Security Council vote would not be affected however.
The U.S. tardiness in payments wasn't lost on other members, even allies.
Clinton proposed that the world community wage an unrelenting battle against poverty in the new millennium.
Despite quantum advances in technology and the globalization of the world economy, 1.3 billion people live on less than $1 a day, Clinton said.
Monks evacuate monastery because of threatening fire
The Associated Press
LUCIA, Calif.—Benedictine monks who maintain a vow of silence and bake fruitcakes to support their monastery were among the hundreds forced to flee wildfires that raced up the coastal mountains of Big Sur.
Given Big Sur's often-changing winds, firefighters said the blazes could climb a ridge and sweep down onto the property within hours.
Eight monks remained behind yesterday to help firefighters save their monastery, the New Camadoldi Hermitage, which is reachable only by a narrow, twisting road.
"If it comes up nice and slow, things will be cool," said Irene Kahn, a volunteer with the Big Sur Fire Department. "If it comes up in a firestorm, then things could be interesting."
Some of the monks who stayed behind were cutting brush, said the Rev. Romuald Duscher, acting superior for the 32 monks. He does not maintain a vow of silence. He said he thought he should stay, especially since some of the monastery's monks were elderly and didn't want to leave.
"This is our home," Duscher said. "Also, we feel we can help."
The monastery also caters to tourists seeking a refuge from the wired world, and is so popular that reservations have to be made months in advance.
Lightning-caused fires have burnt more than 78,000 acres in Northern California's forests in the past few days. Cooler weather yesterday helped fight some of the fires, but 28,000 acres of brush, sage, trees and chaparral had burnt in the Big Sur Los Padres National Forest.
Death penalty sought in dragging case
The Associated Press
BRYAN, Texas—A psychiatrist testified yesterday that a white supremacist convicted in the dragging death of an African-American man had failed to learn from past mistakes and remains a substantial risk to society.
Prosecutors seeking the death penalty for Lawrence Russell Brewer rested their case in the punishment phase of his capital murder trial after Edward Gripon, a psychiatrist, testified yesterday.
Jurors, rejecting the defendant's pleadings that he is not a racist and did not plan James Byrd Jr.'s death, returned a guilty verdict Monday for the June 7, 1998. killing.
Gripon testified that, based on Brewer's criminal history and a dysfunctional childhood, along with a
review of his writings and an interview a week ago that his life had not been one that has had positive aspects."
He also described Brewer as anti-social and as a person who did not learn from past mistakes.
"I think he would run a substantial risk," Gripon said. "Past behavior appears to be a significant indicator of future behavior."
1998.
Prosecutors said they thought Brewer — along with John William King, 24, and Shawn A. Berry, 24 — killed Byrd to promote their fledgling white supremacist organization — the Confederate Knights of America — and to initiate Berry into the group.
Brewer, sometimes sobbing, testified last week that he was with King and Berry when Byrd, 49, was chained by the ankles to the bumper of Berry's pickup and dragged for three miles on June 7.
According to Brewer, he climbed inside the truck cab, smoked a cigarette and didn't realize Berry had chained Byrd to the back of the truck until they began driving. Brewer said he was convinced Byrd had died earlier when Berry slashed his throat with a knife.
But DNA evidence showed Byrd's blood on the shoes of all three men. The jury requested both Berry's and Brewer's shoes during four hours of deliberation on Monday.
"I don't like the death penalty but that's what he deserves," said Jasper County District Attorney Guy James Gray. "The just punishment for this case and these facts and circumstances is death."
"Whatever they come up with, we will accept that, of course," said Byrd's sister, Mary Verrett. "I want to see the ultimate penalty."
linton says political aspiration wife played no part in cleme
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON—President Clinton denied yesterday that political considerations played a role in his decision to grant clemency to 14 Puerto Rican nationalists.
He also defended invoking executive privilege in refusing to provide a House inquiry with documents related to the decision and said the extremely lengthy sentences the prisoners were serving was a major factor in his decision.
The president spelled out his position in a letter to Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., as a House committee opened a hearing into the clemency grants.
Critics have suggested the clemency was aimed at boosting first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton's popularity among the 1.3 million
Puerto Ricans who live in New York, where she is contemplating a bid for the Senate in 2000.
But Clinton said the timing of the announcement was dictated by the promise of his former chief counsel, Charles F.C. Ruff, to finish the review of the clemency case before leaving the government.
"His recommendation and my decision were based on our view of the merits of the requests." Clinton wrote Waxman. "Political considerations played no role in the process."
Republicans, who control the House Government Reform Committee, are displaying a grainy videotape that purports to show one of the militants allegedly making a bomb. Republicans are trying to disprove Clinton's contention that none of those to whom he offered clemency had been involved in a violent crime.
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