Civil Conflicts

INTERPRETIVE REPORTS
ON ETHNIC, RELIGIOUS AND INTER-NATIONAL CONFLICTS
WORLDWIDE

January, 1998 until the present

Click here for older Civil Conflicts articles.

Updated: Mon, 10 Jul 00 13:47:14 -0700 (PDT)

War Clouds Darken Southern Philippines
By Rene Ciria-Cruz
Date: 07-05-00
When the kidnapping of 21 people from a tourist resort in Malaysia last April 23 hit the headlines, the Philippine government seized the moment to launch an all-out offensive against a decades-old but little-known Muslim secessionist movement in Southern Philippines. The renewed fighting threatens to refuel ethnic hostilities. Rene Ciria-Cruz, an editor at Pacific News Service, is also the longtime editor of Filipinas magazine in San Francisco. This is the first of three stories. Photos by Rick Rocamora available, please e-mail slouie@pacificnews.org.
War Uproots Filipino Muslims, Christians From Their Homes
By Rene Ciria-Cruz
Date: 07-05-00
Many of the Philippines' poorest citizens live in the southern island of Mindanao, where the government is decisively trying to root out the foundations of a separatist Islamic state. The effort, so far, has disrupted the lives of hundreds of thousands of civilians. Rene Ciria-Cruz, a Pacific News Service editor, was also the longtime editor of Filipinas magazine in San Francisco. This is the second of three stories. Photos by Rick Rocamora available, please e-mail slouie@pacificnews.org.
Suing Multinational -- Asia's Oldest Insurgency Will Try Novel Legal Approach
By Rich Mercier
Date: 05-15-00
For more than 50 years, Karen people in Burma have been fighting for autonomy at great cost. That armed conflict continues, but may be opening a new front next week as representatives of the Karen seek to sue a multinational corporation for human rights abuses. PNS correspondent Rick Mercier is a freelance journalist based in Taipei.
Infant Killing Pressed By China, Nepalese Authorities Get Tough With Tibetans
By Mike McPhate
Date: 03-10-00
A demonstration marking the 1959 Tibetan uprising against Chinese occupation, held every year in Kathmandu, Nepal, where many Tibetans fled, has been met this year with a particularly violent response. This likely reflects China's unhappiness over the recent defection of a religious leader according to PNS commentator Mike McPhate. McPhate works with the Kathmandu Post in Nepal and studies journalism at the University of Wisconsin.
New York Mayor's War On Community Gardens Backfires
By Sarah Ferguson
Date: 02-21-00
Claiming the land is needed for affordable housing, New York City Mayor Rudolph Guliani has begun to destroy the community gardens which dot New York City. In the process, more than green space is lost writes PNS correspondent Sarah Ferguson, and now the Mayor's campaign has run into a wall of eco-protesters and political celebrities. The green spaces have become a global issue. Ferguson writes widely on issues of housing and eco-politics.
San Francisco's New Apporach To Homeless -- A Band Aid That Threatens TO Deepen The Wound
By Donal Brown
Date: 02-17-00
On March 7, voters in San Francisco will be asked to decide on an initiative proposal that would leave many welfare recipients with only about $1.50 a day in cash. The measure, purportedly designed to deal with the city's homeless population by forcing recipients to pay rent by issuing rent vouchers, threatens to make the situation worse. PNS correspondent Donal Brown taught journalism and English literature in California's public schools for 35 years.
University Struggle Likely To Resound In Mexican Presidential Elections
By David Bacon
Date: 02-14-00
The 70-year unbroken rule of Mexico's governing party, the PRI, is up for grabs, and its iron-fisted moves to end the university strike last week may not work in its favor -- at least in the Mexican capital. PNS associate editor David Bacon writes widely on immigrant and labor issues. Photos available upon request; e-mail pacificnews@pacificnews.org.
Andean Countries Fearful Of A Volcanic Eruption Of Race And Class
By Franz Schurmann
Date: 01-27-00
Ecuador, Peru, Colombia and Venezuela have been in the news recently for reasons as distinct and independent as the countries themselves. But these four nations -- with a landmass half that of the United States and more than 90 million people -- share a potentially dangerous mix of race and class within a rigid social structure. PNS editor Franz Schurmann, professor emeritus of history and sociology at UC-Berkeley, has traveled extensively and reads widely in the Asian, Russian and Arab media. His weekly column "Predictions" can be found on PNS' website New California Media online at www.NCMonline.com.
Specter Of Dirty War Hangs Over Mexico's Presidential Race
By Kent Paterson
Date: 12-27-99
As Mexico gears up for its 2000 presidential elections, opposition politicians in Guerrero state claim a new counterinsurgency campaign is underway to wipe out political dissidents. Spearheading it is the newly-created Federal Preventive Police (PFP) to which President Clinton recently offered FBI training and assistance. PNS correspondent Kent Paterson is a freelance reporter based in Albuquerque.
Wen Ho Lee Case: Whatever Happened To Due Process?
By George Koo
Date: 01-04-00
Even a mass murderer is accorded more humane treatment than Chinese American scientist Wen Ho Lee, who is accused of mishandling secret computer data, says PNS commentator George Koo. Koo is a member of Committee of 100, a national organization of prominent Chinese Americans.
Invisible VIctims -- In High Valleys Off The US Radar Screen, Chechnyans Fleeing Russian Fire Cross Into Georgia
By Thomas Goltz
Date: 10-19-99
Far from the capital city of Grozny -- indeed, far from anywhere -- people fleeing the Russian attacks on Chechnya are moving over the Caucasus Mountains into Georgia. The road is nearly impassable, the national and tribal borders complex, and it is clear that those coming this way must be driven by extraordinary fear. PNS correspondent Thomas Goltz, one of the few Americans familiar with this area, has been writing from the region for more than twenty years.
Coup Welcomed -- With Reservations -- In Pakistan
By Muddasir Rizui
Date: 10-13-99
Both political parties and individual citizens seem to support the military takeover in Pakistan -- with the important proviso that their stay should be temporary. All seem to have been unhappy with the regime of Nawaz Sharif, who withdrew troops from Kashmir and seemed to be tilting away from support of the Taliban in neighboring Afghanistan. PNS commentator Muddassir Rizvi is a Pakistani journalist specializing in development issues whose work appears in several weekly and monthly publications.
India Looks Across The Border -- With Some Envy
By Andrew Robinson
Date: 10-13-99
Fresh from their nastiest election in years, some Indians are openly questioning the merits of democracy - and concluding that there are more pressing issues in South Asia than whether or not people have the right to vote. PNS correspondent Andrew Robinson speaks several Indian languages and has been writing about South Asian affairs for over a decade.
Reactions Divided -- Many Korean Americans Fear No Gun Li Just Tip Of Iceberg
By Terry Lee
Date: 10-01-99
If there is one aspect of the No Gun Li massacre story on which Korean Americans across the age spectrum agree, it is that the U.S. government should launch a formal investigation into rumors of other mass killings of civilians by U.S. forces during and after the Korean War. Terry Lee reports on reactions within the Korean American community of northern California. Lee is an editor of New California Media, a collaboration of 100-plus ethnic news organizations founded by PNS whose web site address is www. NCMonline.com.
Warning To Russians -- Why Genocide Against Chechnya WIll Backfire
By Franz Schurmann
Date: 09-30-99
Russia's news media and even Russian think tank debates speak of "physical extermination" campaigns to solve their Chechen problem. But genocidal warfare, the most heinous of crimes, is not that easy to commit, nor does it necessarily deliver the anticipated outcome. PNS editor Franz Schurmann, professor emeritus of history and sociology at UC-Berkeley, is author of numerous books and articles on foreign politics.
Russia Goes Nuclear Over Chechnya
By Andrei Piontkowsky
Date: 09-28-99
A decade ago, no one in Russia would have dared speak of the physical extermination of a whole race. But today Russian strategists and journalists are seriously discussing using thermonuclear weapons against Chechnya. PNS commentator Andrei Piontkowsky, who holds a doctorate in applied math, heads the Center for Strategic Studies, a Moscow-based think-tank, and has written widely on nuclear security issues.
Why Didn't We Westerners Listen?
By Caty Greene
Date: 09-10-99
Some human rights monitors and activists who worked to facilitate a fair referendum in East Timor are now asking themselves, "why didn't we listen?" Warnings of the bloodshed that has engulfed the island in the wake of the pro-independence victory were everywhere. PNS commentator Caty Greene is an anthropologist who has lived in Indonesia for many years. She worked with the Carter Center as an observer of East Timor's election.
Future Of Indonesia At Stake In East Timor Crisis
By Peter Dale Scott
Date: 09-09-99
The horrific response to the vote for independence in East Timor has been widely reported. But the compelling pictures and accounts should not divert us from the vital underlying problem -- which involves the very future of Indonesia itself. PNS commentator Peter Dale Scott, a former Canadian diplomat, has authored numerous books and articles on U.S. foreign affairs.
North Korean Missile Crisis -- Pretext For Regional Arms Race
By Terry Lee
Date: 09-26-99
When arms races erupt there is usually a trigger -- like North Korea's test-firing of the Dae Po Dong-I missile one year ago. Today, fears that Pyongyang would resume testing at the end of August have ebbed, but the reason may be that the missile crisis has already achieved its purpose for all parties involved. Commentator Terry Lee monitors the Korean language media for PNS's New California Media project, a collaboration of ethnic news media that hosts the first inter-ethnic portal on the Internet at www.ncmonline.com.
Wen-Ho Lee--Chinese Americans Seethe Against "Racism"
By Shao Dan
Date: 08-27-99
Many Chinese Americans are vociferous in denouncing what they claim is racism in the case of Wen-ho Lee, the Chinese American physicist fired in March from Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico for security violations and accused of being a "Chinese spy." Nowhere is the anger deeper than in the Bay Area, where Asian American scientists and engineers account for 70 percent of Silicon Valley's professionals. Shao Dan is on the staff of the Sing Tao Daily, a Hong Kong-based Chinese-language newspaper which publishes a West Coast edition in South San Francisco. She wrote this piece for PNS's New California Media project whose web site is <www.ncmonline.com>.
Kansas Ruling On Teaching OF Evolution An Illusory Victory For Religious Right
By Kerry Tremain
Date: 08-16-99
Schools in Kansas are now free to teach biology without referring to evolution. The state board of education ruling has been hailed as a victory by the religious right, but a closer look at the people -- and traditions -- of the state suggest the victory is illusory at best. Kerry Tremain, who graduated from William Jewell, a Baptist college near Kansas City, is a contributing editor to Pacific News Service, and an editor for Blueprint: Ideas for a New Century.
Kansas Ruling On Teaching OF Evolution An Illusory Victory For Religious Right
By Kerry Tremain
Date: 08-16-99
Schools in Kansas are now free to teach biology without referring to evolution. The state board of education ruling has been hailed as a victory by the religious right, but a closer look at the people -- and traditions -- of the state suggest the victory is illusory at best. Kerry Tremain, who graduated from William Jewell, a Baptist college near Kansas City, is a contributing editor to Pacific News Service, and an editor for Blueprint: Ideas for a New Century.
Phony Charges Again Earn Media Respect In Abu-Jamal Case
By Linn Washington Jr.
Date: 08-11-99
A reporter who has followed the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal for nearly 18 years knew that the recent claim that Abu-Jamal had confessed was groundless. But he also knew that it would be accepted as gospel by the major media, in part of a disturbing but well-established pattern. PNS commentator Linn Washington Jr. is a journalism professor at Temple University and a graduate of the Yale Law Journalism Fellowship who writes extensively on inequities in the criminal justice system.
Rhetoric-Rattling Clouds Reality of Taiwan-China Relations
By Ling-Chi Wang
Date: 08-09-99
Taiwan's premier has stirred up a storm of words and bluster with his rejection of China's long-standing view of his country as province of the mainland. But despite the noise, according to PNS commentator Ling-Chi Wang , there is little chance of actual physical conflict. Wang chairs the Ethnic Studies Department at the University of California-Berkeley.
Hiroshima's Lessons Recalled by American Surviors
By Sanford Gottlieb
Date: 07-22-99
This August 6 marks the 54th anniversary of the atom bombing of Hiroshima. Yet some Americans are still living with the effects of that explosion. PNS commentator Sanford Gottlieb, who worked with the survivor committee in 1975, is author of "Defense Addiction: Can America Kick the Habit?" published by Westview Press, and has worked for over 30 years for private organizations in the field of international arms control.
Iran's Hardliners May be Reformer Khatami's Best Allies
By Gary Sick
Date: 07-12-99
Recent news from Iran brings to mind the events leading up to the ouster of the shah some 20 years ago. The situation is more complex than that, writes PNS commentator Gary Sick, but for the moment a reformer seems to be benefiting from an inept opposition. Sick, a former member of the National Security Council, teaches at Columbia University and is director of Gulf 2000, an international research project on policy developments in the Persian Gulf.
Chances Growing for Milosevic's End -- But Will It Bring Democracy to Serbia?
By Eric Gordy
Date: 07-06-99
Signs are that Serbian dictator Slobodan Milosevic will be pressured to quit, or be bodily removed from office, although he has survived serious challenges in the past and could again do so. However, even if he goes chances are not great that democracy could come to Serbia. PNS commentator Eric Gordy, professor of sociology at Clark University in Massachusetts, has lived in Serbia, speaks the language and researched its cultural scene for over a decade.
Declaration of Interdependence -- New Bill Offers Real Help to Foster Kids but Their Future Still Depends on All of Us
By Nell Bernstein
Date: 06-28-99
The house has just passed, by an overwhelming majority, the Foster Care Independence Act, designed to ease the transition to adulthood for those who reach age 18 in foster care. The law offers much needed help in housing, medical care and training -- but legislators, all of us, says PNS commentator Nell Bernstein, might benefit from listening to those they want to help. Bernstein is the Editor of YO! (Youth Outlook), a magazine by and about young people published by the Pacific News Service.
America's Growing Isolation on the Death Penalty and Juvenile Justice
By Michael Kroll
Date: 06-24-99
This month Trinidad and Tobago made headlines by carrying out the first execution in five years. But far more indicative of world trends, according to the Death Penalty Information Center, was Russia's commutation of the death sentences of some 716 condemned prisoners. It's a worldwide trend that is leaving the United States, the self-proclaimed champion of human rights, increasingly isolated. PNS associate editor Michael Kroll writes widely on death penalty issues.
Belgrade Diary-- Holes in the Conversation, Picking Chamomile, A General's Grudge and Going After the American
By Terence Sheridan
Date: 06-07-99
For an American reporter in Belgrade, every day brings more than its quota of irony -- sometimes tinged with more than a little hostility. PNS commentator Terence Sheridan, a former reporter for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, has been living and writing in the former Yugoslavia for the last eight years.
Minority Within a Minority-- For Ethnic Turks, Serbian War is Another Chapter in a 600 Year Old Story
By Thomas Goltz
Date: 05-20-99
A handful of the refugees from Kosovo have the choice of leaving overcrowded camps and reclaiming their Turkish heritage. Indeed, given the history of the region, their return to Turkey is only a part of a century-long trend. PNS correspondent Thomas Goltz has been traveling through eastern Europe and Asia Minor covering the effects of the NATO action. He is the author of "Azerbaijan Diary: A Rogue Reporter's Adventures in an Oil-rich, War-torn, Post-Soviet Republic" (M.E. Sharpe, 1998).
When "The Force" Turns out to Be a Farce
By Bruce J. Allen
Date: 05-18-99
The American people are about to open their wallets and part with colossal sums for "Star Wars -- The Phantom Menace," brought to you by the world's greatest fantasy factory. Commentator Bruce J. Allen is not referring to Hollywood but to Washington, DC. Allen is a San Francisco writer affiliated with Peace Action, the nation's largest grassroots peace and justice lobby.
Belgrade Diary-- Reporter Among Those Killed in Chinese Embassy
By Terence Sheridan
Date: 05-11-99
The missiles which destroyed the Chinese embassy in Belgrade also took the life of a young reporter and his wife. On the streets of the city, a reporter finds signs of hope and fear. PNS correspondent Terence Sheridan, a former reporter for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, has been living and writing in the former Yugoslavia for the last eight years.
Chinese Language Dailies -- Fear of "Long Nights and A Lot of Dreams"
Translated by Franz Schurmann, Edited by Sandy Close
Date: 05-10-99
On May 8 three Chinese language newspapers, all with key bureaus in the Bay Area and circulated widely in the United States, ran editorials on the NATO bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade. Two use the same expression -- "long nights and a lot of dreams" -- to convey their fears of more troubled times to come. The Sing Tao Daily, headquartered in Hong Kong, condemns the NATO decision to opt for a military solution in Kosovo and calls for a major U.N. role in resolving the crisis. But the World Journal, headquartered in Taiwan, argues that NATO had no choice and worries that a U.N. role will "shove NATO aside." They explain, however, that China's opposition to the NATO bombing reflects its fear that Yugoslavia could become a model eventually used by Western powers against China itself. The New York based China Press runs a long excerpt from a Beijing based Journal arguing that the U.S. is implementing a globally hegemonic "Two Ocean Strategy," one in the Euro-Atlantic and the other in the Asia Pacific.
"Unintentional" Bombing Repeats a Familiar Pattern
By Peter Dale Scott
Date: 05-10-99
NATO forces and President Clinton have expressed regret over the fact that the Chinese embassy in Belgrade was destroyed just as there was word of a possible peace initiative, calling the incident unfortunate and unintentional. But the timing and nature of the bombing brings to mind a number of similar actions during the Vietnam War era. PNS contributor Peter Dale Scott, a former Canadian diplomat, has authored numerous books and articles on U.S. foreign affairs.
Belgrade Diary -- A Word From Beneath the Bombs
By Terence Sheridan
Date: 05-06-99
What is it like to live under the NATO bombs and missiles, especially if you are an American? PNS correspondent Terence Sheridan, who has lived in Belgrade since 1992, shares some pages from his diary recorded at the end of April. Sheridan is a former reporter for the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Nervous Neighbor -- NATO Newcomer Hungary Looks Fearfully Over Its Shoulder at Troubles Next Door
By Thomas Goltz
Date: 05-05-99
The only NATO member country that actually borders Yugoslavia is Hungary, which is also the organization's newest member. The combination of proximity and uncertainty about the requirements of membership have some Hungarians very worried indeed. PNS correspondent Thomas Goltz has been traveling through eastern Europe covering the effects of the NATA action. He is the author of "Azerbaijan Diary: A Rogue Reporter's Adventures in an Oil-rich, War-torn, Post-Soviet Republic" (M.E. Sharpe, 1998).
Imprisoning A Million Nonviolent Offenders -- Expanding Use of Prisons Serves Neither Justice Nor Society
By Vincent Schiraldi
Date: 04-30-99
With a million people in prison for nonviolent offenses -- a new record -- it may be time for a good look at the idea that imprisonment cuts crime. In reality, we've filled our prisons with less violent offenders and the state most vigorously imprisoning its citizens, California, has seen a much smaller fall in the crime rate than states with less punitive policies. PNS commentator, Vincent Schiraldi, is the executive director of the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice, a non-profit public policy organization based in San Francisco and Washington, D.C.
Threatened By Flood of Refugees, Fragile Macedonia Does Its Best to Ignore the War Next Door
By Thomas Goltz
Date: 04-28-99
Only about half of the two million people living in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia are "true" Macedonians, and the arrival of hundreds of thousands of Albanian refugees threatens to change the demographic landscape radically. The need to survive in close relation to Serbia on one side and Greece on the other has created extraordinary tensions. PNS correspondent Thomas Goltz is the author of "Azerbaijan Diary: A Rogue Reporter's Adventures in an Oil-rich, War-torn, Post-Soviet Republic" (M.E. Sharpe, 1998). THIS IS THE FIRST OF A TWO PART SERIES BY GOLTZ.
NATO'S Achilles Heel-- In Greece, Anti-NATOism and History Make a Volatile Blend
By Thomas Goltz
Date: 04-28-99
In northern Greece -- which was to be the staging area for NATO military action -- anti-NATO and anti-U.S. feeling is running high. Graffiti, protest marches, and some odd alliances reflect widespread suspicion firmly grounded in the history of this century. PNS correspondent Thomas Goltz is the author of "Azerbaijan Diary: A Rogue Reporter's Adventures in an Oil-rich, War-torn, Post-Soviet Republic" (M.E. Sharpe, 1998). THIS IS THE SECOND OF A TWO PART SERIES BY GOLTZ.
After Kosovo, We Will Probably See More of the Same Without a Dedicated U.N. Standby Force
By Stanford Gottlieb
Date: 04-26-99
The events in Kosovo reflect, among other things, an inadequate system for resolving conflicts among and within nations, and there is little sign of any change. PNS commentator Sanford Gottlieb suggests that thoughtful implementation of a section of the U.N. Charter might be one solution to this problem. Gottlieb is author of "Defense Addiction: Can America Kick the Habit?" published by Westview Press, and has worked for over 30 years for private organizations in the field of international arms control.
East Timor's Massacres Could Become Another Kosovo
By Peter Dale Scott
Date: 04-22-99
Militias acting with the encouragement of Indonesia's army are attacking villages in East Timor, hoping to prevent a vote for independence in the long-contested island. Washington, unlike Australia, has yet to use its influence to tilt the Indonesian army away from violence. PNS contributor Peter Dale Scott, a former Canadian diplomat, has authored numerous books and articles on U.S. foreign affairs.
A Peasant Philosopher Looks at the War From His Kosovo Farm
By Terence Sheridan
Date: 04-16-99
To escape the lunatic war on Serbia, an American reporter decides to drive to Kosovo where he talks with a 72 year old Serbian farmer about America, cigarettes and dancing bears. PNS corespondent Terence Sheridan, a former reporter for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, has been living and writing in the former Yugoslavia for the last eight years.
Geopolitics, Not Compassion -- It May Be A New Style War, But It's Being Fought for the Same Old Reasons
By Michael T. Klare
Date: 04-15-99
The U.S.-NATO bombings and missile attack on Serbia have been explained with a great deal of talk about protecting human rights. But a close look at the situation shows that the U.S. policy is more concerned with protecting markets than with refugees. PNS commentator Michael T. Klare is a professor of peace and world security studies at Hampshire College in Massachusetts and author of "Rogue States and Nuclear Outlaws."
India's Missile Test -- The Newest in Technolgoy in the Service of the Oldest of Objectives
By Andrew Robinson
Date: 04-14-99
India's most recent example of missile-rattling has produced a predictable response from Pakistan, which promises to send a comparable missile aloft, and at home, from Indians hailing their country's technological prowess. In reality, says PNS commentator Andrew Robinson, this is no demonstration of expertise but a desperate move by a threatened political party. Robinson, a freelance writer, worked as a consultant on Internet-related issues in Bangladesh and India for three years.
Genocide Day -- Rwandans Struggle to Come to Terms With Murderous Past in Building a New Country
By Farah Stockman
Date: 04-12-99
With the word "genocide" back on front pages, many commentators have contrasted U.S. moves in Serbia with U.S. inaction in Rwanda five years ago. In that country, the return of exiles has created an ethnic mix resembling the situation before the massacres, and there is talk, sometimes tentative, of national unity. PNS correspondent Farah Stockman, a journalist who works with Internews, reports from Kigali.
On Edge -- In Belgrade, Even the Lucky Old Hands Keep Looking Over Their Shoulders
By Terence Sheridan
Date: 04-08-99
For journalists, life in Belgrade has become a chancy business at best, squeezed between government expulsions and NATO explosions. Even the old hands are genuinely nervous, though as PNS commentator Terence Sheridan reports, a little humor sometimes helps things along. Sheridan, a former reporter for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, has been living and writing in the former Yugoslavia for the last eight years.
The View From Next Door-- NATO Attacks Draw Critical Eyes in Italy
By Jeff Israely
Date: 03-29-99
In Italy, criticism of the NATO bombing of Serbian targets has come from every side. Some of this reflects judgments of the situation, but much of the criticism reflects the history of relations between the U.S. and Italy over the last 60 years -- and this suggests that it's time for the U.S. to reconsider its role in Europe. PNS correspondent Jeff Israely, a former staff reporter at the Oakland Tribune, is a freelance writer based in Rome.
NATO Bombs Will Encourage Repression
By Eric D. Gordy
Date: 03-26-99
President Clinton has emphasized humanitarian concerns as a prime rationale for the NATO bombing of Serbia. In fact, the Serbian regime will only use the bombing as an excuse to step up repression and consolidate its power. Given this pattern one might even ask whether the U.S. views Milosevic as an enemy or as a partner. PNS commentator Eric D. Gordy is a sociologist at Clark University who has lived and worked in Serbia.
Italians Discover Giulianismo -- New York Mayor's "Zero Tolerance" May Be the Newest Example of Globalism
By Jeff Israely
Date: 03-23-99
New York's tough-talking mayor has become something of a hero in Italy -- at least in some circles -- but it seems unlikely his "zero tolerance" policy will travel well. A danger on both sides of the Atlantic, notes PNS commentator Jay Israel, is the decision about just who is tolerated and who is not. Israel, a former staff reporter at the Oakland Tribune, is a freelance writer based in Rome.
China Spy Scandal Taps Reservoir of Racism
By Ling-Chi Wang
Date: 03-18-99
In a front page article, the New York Times reported on March 6 that China had made "a leap in the development of nuclear weapons" by stealing secrets from the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Two days later, in a leak to the paper, Chinese American computer scientist, Wen Ho Lee was identified as the suspect, and under intense media and Republican pressure was summarily dismissed. No evidence against Lee has been produced to date, nor has he been arrested or charged. PNS associate editor Ling-Chi Wang chairs the Ethnic Studies Department at the University of California-Berkeley.
U.S. Closes Door to Jews and Evangelical Christians From Former USSR Despite Evidence of Persecution
By Joshua Phillips
Date: 03-17-99
In the former Soviet Union, there are abundant signs of growing prejudice against Jews and evangelical Christians -- ranging from graffiti to new legislation. At the same time, the U.S. has been making it far more difficult to qualify for refugee status on grounds of religious persecution. PNS corespondent Josh Phillips lives in San Francisco.
Hunger Haunts Orange Cove as Effects of Freeze Idle Citrus Workers
By David Bacon
Date: 03-03-99
As disasters go, the freeze in California's citrus country did not offer much in the way of photo opportunities -- no flooded towns or buried houses, and the damage to the fruit is invisible from the outside. Those most damaged by the freeze, the workers who pick the fruit, also seem to be invisible, yet their needs are real and their sources of relief sparse. PNS associate editor David Bacon writes widely on immigrant and labor issues.
Big-Time Embarrassment-- Newly Opened Files Show Kissinger Privately Promised Pinochet Support While Publicly Decrying Human Rights Abuses
By Lucy Komisar
Date: 03-01-99
Although he is usually considered to have played a major role in the coup which brought General Augusto Pinochet to power in Chile, former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger always kept his distance from Pinochet in public. A newly declassified memo about the only meeting between the two suggests that if secret files on Chile are opened -- as they will be if Pinochet is tried in Spain -- they will be extremely embarrassing to Kissinger. PNS correspondent Lucy Komisar, a New York journalist, is working on a book about U.S. foreign policy and human rights in several countries, including Chile, in the 1970s and 1980s.
The Whole Story -- King May Be Guilty of Jasper Killing, But All of Us Are Responsible
By Michael A. Kroll
Date: 02-24-99
The verdict from Jasper Texas was swift and predictable: John William King was found guilty of murdering James Byrd, Jr. But this gruesome crime must also be seen as the effect -- the predictable effect -- of a criminal justice system based on violence. Michael Kroll, an associate editor of Pacific News Service, specializes in criminal justice and death penalty issues.
Crying Wolf or Crying Bear? LIttle Azerbaijan Comes in from the Cold
By Thomas Goltz
Date: 02-12-99
An invitation to the U.S. military to establish a base is not all that common, but nothing is quite as it seems in Azerbaijan, which did the inviting. In a report that he is uniquely qualified to provide, PNS commentator Thomas Goltz traces the convoluted history of this invitation. Goltz is the author of "Azerbaijan Diary: A Rogue Reporter's Adventures in an Oil-rich, War-torn, Post-Soviet Republic" (M.E. Sharpe, 1998)
Fearing Secret Weapons Tarnsfers -- Dutch Parliament Investigates Deadly 1992 Crash of El Al Jet
By Yoichi Clark Shimatsu
Date: 02-11-99
In a saga that could have been scripted by the X-Files, Dutch journalists have been investigating the 1992 crash in Amsterdam of an El Al cargo jet on its way from New York to Tel Aviv. Now the Dutch parliament is taking up their charges that the jet carried a secret Israeli military shipment of weapons-grade plutonium and the chemical ingredients for sarin. As many as 2,000 local residents and firemen reported health complaints they believe were caused by the crash. Meanwhile, the El Al cargo jet flights continue to stop over at Schiphol, raising fears that the commercial airport is a hub for secret weapons transfers. PNS associate editor Yoichi Clark Shimatsu is an investigative reporter and former editor of the English-language Japan Times Weekly in Tokyo.
Home View of King Hussein Does Not See a Kindly Democrat
By As'ad AbuKhalil
Date: 02-08-99
The death of Jordan's King Hussein has brought an outpouring of praise from world leaders and editorialists. But a look at the history of his reign suggests the King was neither the popular leader nor the democrat discussed in the eulogies. PNS commentator As'ad AbuKhalil, a research fellow at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at UC-Berkeley, teaches political science at California State University, Stanislaus.
GOP's "Fatal Attraction" To Bedroom Politics
By Peter Y. Sussman
Date: 02-04-99
For the Grand Old Party the ultimate wedge issue has turned out to be the impeachment of President Clinton -- only it's the republicans who are being driven apart. Peter Y. Sussman, a Berkeley Ca. writer and editor is the co-author of "Committing Journalism" (W.W. Norton).
Pinochet Ball in Reno's Court
By Andrew Reding
Date: 01-14-99
The focus for the newest phase of the legal drama for Augusto Pinochet now opens in the U.S. Department of Justice. Janet Reno must decide whether or not to file charges against the former Chilean dictator for a 1976 car bombing in the District of Columbia that killed a U.S. citizen. While there is ample evidence of Pinochet's direct involvement, filing charges could further expose the United States' complicity in the 1973 coup that brought him to power. Pacific News Service associate editor Andrew Reding is senior fellow for hemispheric affairs at the World Policy Institute.
Pinochet Ball in Reno's Court
By Andrew Reding
Date: 01-14-99
The focus for the newest phase of the legal drama for Augusto Pinochet now opens in the U.S. Department of Justice. Janet Reno must decide whether or not to file charges against the former Chilean dictator for a 1976 car bombing in the District of Columbia that killed a U.S. citizen. While there is ample evidence of Pinochet's direct involvement, filing charges could further expose the United States' complicity in the 1973 coup that brought him to power. Pacific News Service associate editor Andrew Reding is senior fellow for hemispheric affairs at the World Policy Institute.
U.S. Increases Quotient of Suffering on Iraq
By As'ad AbuKhalil
Date: 12-22-98
The long road to democratic rule in Iraq remains elusive as long as the U.S. insists that it, and it alone, knows what is in the best interests of the Iraqi people. The U.S. should leave Iraq alone and let the international community devise a formula for lifting sanctions. PNS commentator As'ad AbuKhalil, a research fellow at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at UC-Berkeley, teaches political science at California State University, Stanislaus.
A Culture at War With Itself
By Richard Rodriguez
Date: 12-21-98
The bitterness of a civil war becomes more intense when members of one family find themselves on opposite sides. Amid the multiple ironies of recent weeks, it may be helpful to keep that in mind. PNS editor Richard Rodriguez is author of "Days of Obligation" and the forthcoming "The Color Brown." He is a regular essayist for the News Hour with Jim Lehrer and the Los Angeles Sunday Times.
Impeachment a Battleground in the War at Home
By Larry Everest
Date: 12-16-98
The impeachment debate is stirring deep fears among many on the left about the possibility of a right wing takeover. PNS commentator Larry Everest is a Marxist journalist whose work has appeared in the LA Times, Newsday, The Nation and other publications.
Congress Chills Efforts to Fight Global Warming
By Susan C. Strong
Date: 12-03-98
Congress has not only refused to acknowledge that there is, in fact, such a thing as "global warming" but actively opposed attempts to remedy the situation. A steadily growing body of evidence suggests this attitude will be costly for all of us. PNS commentator Susan C. Strong is co-founder of the "Who's Counting" project and a writer whose work has appeared in papers across the United States.
Indonesia-- Political Reform and Stability: Tradeoff or Possibility?
By Peter Date Scott
Date: 11-24-98
Indonesia's ruling elite appears increasingly divided over whether it can combine stability and respond to the growing popular pressure for democratic reform. Without consensus at the top, turmoil in the country is bound to increase. PNS commentator Peter Dale Scott, a former Canadian diplomat is a professor at the University of California, Berkeley.
Thai Citizan's Execution Stayed -- The Whole World is Watching
By Michael Kroll
Date: 11-18-98
As the United States once again increases the volume of its call for human rights across the world, governments and organizations elsewhere are more and more willing to criticize U.S. practices toward its own citizens, especially with respect to capital punishment. The case of a Thai man, recently granted a stay of execution, illustrates some aspects of this attitude. Michael Kroll, an associate editor of Pacific News Service, specializes in criminal justice and death penalty issues.
What Emergency? Pentagon Gobbling Ever Larger Chunks of Tax Dollars
By Sanford Gottlieb
Date: 11-06-98
Midterm elections may have brought some slight shift in the makeup of congress, but this will not alter the rapid rise in military spending. A hungry Pentagon, pork-barreling, a complaisant President, are combining to push budgets to Reagan-era levels. PNS commentator Sanford Gottlieb is author of "Defense Addiction: Can America Kick the Habit?" published by Westview Press, and has worked for over 30 years for private organizations in the field of international arms control.
Why Some Employees Can't Protest Slave Wages
By David Bacon
Date: 11-03-98
Despite considerable talk of an "immigration crisis," studies show that undocumented immigrants are net contributors to the economy, especially in California. In fact, employers have used immigration laws intended to protect most workers as a way to stop the undocumented from organizing or even receiving their legally mandated minimum benefits. PNS associate editor David Bacon writes widely on immigrant and labor issues.
Psychological Terror in Java -- Is the Army Behind It?
By Peter Dale Scott
Date: 10-29-98
Some Western reports on the wave of killings terrorizing parts of Java have implied that only Indonesia's armed forces can restore order. But there are ominous signs the current killings--like the Army-instigated terror campaign of 1965 that killed half a million people--might have been instigated by the Army itself to justify its continued control of Indonesia's civilian life. PNS analyst Peter Dale Scott, a former Canadian diplomat and professor emeritus of UC Berkeley, has written numerous books on U.S. and foreign politics.
In Oil-Rich Azerbaijan, Old-Style Election Games Should Not Mask New Realities
By Thomas Goltz
Date: 10-14-98
At first glance, the recent elections in Azerbaijan look like more of the same -- an autocrat voted in by a huge majority, of interest to outsiders only because this country will play a crucial role in exploiting vast quantities of oil and gas. But for those on the ground, it is clear that at least a determined breeze of change is sweeping over the former Soviet republic. PNS contributor Thomas Goltz is author of the acclaimed "Azerbaijan Diary" published by M.E. Sharpe, Armonk, NY.
A Quiet Dissident From China Sees Hope for Reform in Prison Labor Camps
By A. A. Quong
Date: 10-08-98
Can a "quiet dissident" accomplish more to improve prison conditions in his homeland than militants who target the country and its government as a whole? Fan Shidong thinks so -- and has dedicated his life to informing the public in both the United States and China about prison conditions without entering into what he described as "extremism." PNS correspondent A. A. Quong is a freelance journalist.
End of Thatcher's Road? German Elections Mark a Major Sea Change
By Andrew Reding
Date: 10-05-98
Election results in Germany have significance far beyond that country's borders. A shift away from the conservatives there, according to PNS associate editor Andrew Reding, signals all of Europe will turn toward core social democratic ideas. Reding, born in Switzerland and raised in Belgium, is a dual citizen of the European Union and the United States. He directs the North America Project of the World Policy Institute.
Do Loose Chips Sink Ships? Internet Horror Stories Stress Out the Pentagon
By William M. Arkin
Date: 10-02-98
Pentagon information warriors have convinced themselves -- and the defense leadership -- that adversaries such as Iraq can use the Internet and other information to do harm to the United States. But anti-information is a dangerous course. PNS commentator William M. Arkin explores the growing debate over the dangers to national security stemming from the Web. Arkin (warkin@igc.org) is author of "The U.S. Military Online: A Directory for Internet Access to the Department of Defense" (Brassey's, 1998).
Germany Grasps at Hope -- Seeking a Healer for Social and Cultural Malaise
By William O. Beeman
Date: 09-28-98
On Sunday, September 27, Germans did something extraordinary -- for the first time since World-War II, they voted a sitting Chancellor, Helmut Kohl, out of office. However, this was not so much a true victory for the winning Social Democratic Party, according to PNS commentator William O. Beeman, as the action of a wounded society grasping at hope. Beeman, who teaches anthropology at Brown University, lived and worked in Chemnitz, Germany, an important industrial city in the Eastern state of Saxony from 1996 to 1998. He is currently writing a book about his experiences there.
Why an Iranian Strike at Afghanistan Might Succeed
By William O. Beeman
Date: 09-16-98
Iran appears to be mobilizing for a military strike on Afghanistan in retaliation for the murder of Iranian diplomats and journalists -- an incident largely ignored by the international community. Whether or not the U.S. approves, a "sharp blow" by Teheran at the Taliban may succeed and reshape the politics of the region for some time to come. PNS associate editor William O. Beeman is an anthropologist at Brown University specializing on Iran where he lived and worked for seven years.
Snapshots from a Mercilessly Simple War
By Terence Sheridan
Date: 09-04-98
The conflict between Serbian government forces and Albanians in the province of Kosovo in Yugoslavia is an almost-war, for the moment. The ground is quiet enough to allow a reporter to provide sketches of a world waiting for trouble. PNS correspondent Terence Sheridan, a former reporter for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, has been living and writing in the former Yugoslavia for the last eight years.
How the "War of the Future" Looks to the Third World Media
Compiled by Franz Schurmann, Andrea Quong and Alfonso Serrano
Date: 09-03-98
Less than a decade after the end of the Cold War against global communism, the United States has again declared itself at war on a global front -- this time against terrorism. Dubbed the "war of the future," this new kind of battle raises a host of questions. Where and how will this war be fought? Who are the enemies and why do they hate the U.S.? Finally, how do people in other parts of the world -- especially those living in countries suspected of sympathizing with or even supporting terrorists -- view this kind of war? This is the first in a series of periodic Digests focused on how Third World media and ethnic media in the U.S. are reporting covering the U.S. War on Terrorism in the wake of the August 20 missile strikes.
Money, Politics, Garbage and School Lunch
By Michele Simon
Date: 08-25-98
The words "school lunch" may not evoke pleasant memories, but we tend to assume the menu will be a healthful one. Indeed, that is the law -- but a combination of forces, including the federal government, seems to work in ways that provide students with something less than they deserve. PNS correspondent Michele Simon, an attorney with a background in public health, has published several articles on food policy and has been researching the National School Lunch Program for the past year.
Follow the Oil Trail-- Mess in Afghanistan Partly Our Government's Fault
By William O. Beeman
Date: 08-24-98
The twists and turns of U.S. involvement in Central Asia are worthy of spy fiction, but it is clear that our continued support for forces opposed to Iran has led to some uncomfortable alliances. And these must be recognized, according to PNS commentator William O. Beeman, in any analysis of the bombings of U.S. embassies and the reprisal raids that followed. Beeman, anthropologist specializing in the Middle East at Brown University, is currently conducting research in Islamic Central Asia.
The Two Kenyas
By Percy C. Hintzen
Date: 08-11-98
The bombing in Nairobi reveals that the dazzling, skyscraper capital of Kenya is vulnerable, like any city -- but tells us very little about Africa or Africans. The real Kenya can be found in rural areas, away from the reach of the capital, where the people have, on their own, embarked on a model development plan. PNS contributing editor Percy C. Hintzen is chair of African American Studies at University of California, Berkeley and recently returned from an extended visit to East Africa.
U.S. Keeps Silent About Persecution of Ethnic Chinese in Indonesia
By Peter Dale Scott
Date: 07-30-98
The U.S. government has spoken freely about human rights violations in Asia, especially in China and Burma (Myanmar). Yet extremely serious violations in Indonesia have gone un-remarked, notes PNS commentator Peter Dale Scott, despite the fact that the U.S. plays a significant role in that region. Scott, a former Canadian diplomat is a professor at the University of California, Berkeley.
Flint Faces the World -- GM Strike Brings Auto Worker's Concerns to a New Level
By David Bacon
Date: 07-29-98
The just concluded strike pitting United Auto Workers' locals against General Motors marks a basic departure from past strike activity in the industry. This time, the focus of attention was not so much pay or conditions as it was GM's corporate investment strategies. PNS associate editor David Bacon writes widely on immigrant and labor issues.
Despite $2 Million Inquiry, China's "Nuclear Threet" More Fantasy Than Reality
By Sanford Gottlieb
Date: 07-20-98
In their effort to discredit the Clinton administration, Republicans are still pushing the question of whether China was allowed to acquire advanced weapons technology. However, even a cursory comparison of the two countries in terms of nuclear forces shows that China poses no threat to the United States. PNS commentator Sanford Gottlieb is author of "Defense Addiction: Can America Kick the Habit?" published by Westview Press, and has worked for over 30 years for private organizations in the field of international arms control.
Return of the "Wild West" -- Plans for New Border Policy Would Rely on Untrained Civilians
By Alfonso Serrano F.
Date: 07-17-98
The U.S. and Mexico have announced a $5000 bounty for information leading to arrest of people trying to cross the border illegally -- a move both governments say aims to reduce the rising death toll of illegal border crossers. But critics view the new-national measure as a reversion to the worst abuses of the old west. PNS Associate Editor Alfonso Serrano F. is formerly the editor of El Mensajero, a bilingual weekly published in San Francisco.
Targeting Defectors -- CNN Mea Culpas Obscure Role of U.S. Killer Teams
By Douglas Valentine
Date: 07-14-98
CNN's sensational claim that U.S. Special Forces dropped sarin nerve gas on a village in Laos at the height of the Vietnam War has now been discredited. But in all the hand wringing, CNN's equally disturbing allegation -- that the raid was intended to seek out and eliminate American deserters -- has largely been ignored. This issue deserves further exploration. PNS commentator Douglas Valentine is the author of a book-length study of the activities of the Special Forces in Vietnam, entitled "The Phoenix Program," published in 1990. FIRST OF A TWO PART SERIES.
After the War -- America's Quite Campaign to Eliminate Defectors
By Douglas Valentine
Date: 07-14-98
The fate of U.S. defectors during the Vietnam War remains a mystery and the nature of U.S. government efforts to insure they would remain invisible remain a mystery. PNS commentator Douglas Valentine is the author of a book-length study of the activities of the Special Forces in Vietnam, entitled "The Phoenix Program," published in 1990. SECOND OF A TWO PART SERIES.
Why Detargeting Accords Make No One Safer
By William Arkin
Date: 06-29-98
President Clinton's trip was expected to produce nuclear fireworks about India and Pakistan's new capabilities and China's position at the center of the south Asian arms race. Instead, the administration has declared itself satisfied with an agreement between the U.S. and China to not target each other's countries -- a wholly symbolic measure that skirts all the difficult questions as the United States continues to build up its nuclear forces. PNS commentator William M. Arkin is a columnist for the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists and consultant to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).
Condemned in Texas -- When Innocence Doesn't Matter
By Michael Kroll
Date: 06-24-98
Henry Lee Lucas, condemned to die on June 30, is not a man who elicits pity or sympathy. However, he has come to symbolize an issue of vital importance -- whether or not the state can, by following correct procedures, execute someone for a crime he did not commit. Michael Kroll, an associate editor of Pacific News Service, specializes in criminal justice and death penalty issues.
Who Will Guard the Guards? State Official Charged With Watching the Watchers Looks the Other Way
By Dan Macallair and Vincent Schiraldi
Date: 06-24-98
It's an old question, but far from obsolete -- who will protect us from the people we hire to protect us? In one critical setting, those who are supposed to answer that question seem more concerned with silencing the questioners. PNS commentators Dan Macallair and Vincent Schiraldi are with the Justice Policy Institute, a research and public policy organization located in San Francisco and Washington, D.C.
Sounds of High Purpose and Hope Offer No Help on City Streets
By Lonny Shavelson
Date: 06-10-98
The just-concluded UN conference on drug control was filled with resounding pledges of cooperation and determination offered with the best of intentions. Drug users seeking treatment however are more likely to hear words of rejection from underfunded programs. PNS commentator Lonny Shavelson is a physician and writer based in Berkeley, California and author of "A Chosen Death."
News From Ghana -- When Kids Pay for Poverty
By Samuel Sarpong
Date: 05-28-98
State visits and World Bank decisions seem to make up the lion's share of news that reaches us from Africa. Here PNS correspondent Samuel Sarpong reports on matters a little closer to everyday life, and in a way that reminds us that there is more than one understandable English in the world. Sarpong is a journalist who writes for a variety of publications from Accra, Ghana.
Coping with Reality -- India's Nuclear Tests Carrt an Important Lesson About the Future of Nonproliferation
By Michael T. Klare
Date: 05-27-98
India's recent nuclear tests have elicited righteous reactions from leading political figures. That response, says PNS commentator Michael T. Klare, reflects a policy of willful ignorance about nuclear proliferation -- a policy that stands in the way of creating a less dangerous world. Klare is a professor of peace and world security studies at Hampshire College in Massachusetts and author of "Rogue States and Nuclear Outlaws."
Indian Nuclear Blasts Designed to Rattle an Enemy That Isn't Listening
By Batuk Vora
Date: 05-27-98
Although they may have had some payoff in terms of domestic politics for India's ruling coalition, the recent nuclear tests are widely seen as a sort of warning finger pointed at China. But an examination of China's actions over the last decade or so indicates that it sees India as insignificant, at least in terms of nuclear strategy. PNS commentator Batuk Vora writes for newspapers and magazines from New York to Hong Kong. He lives in Advadam, Gajurat, India.
Who's Meaner Than Mean Kids? -- Adults Bent on Retaliation
By Robin Templeton
Date: 05-22-98
From Jonesboro, Ark, to Springfield, Or., a handful of problem children are arming themselves with guns and going on shooting sprees against their fellow-students. Mean kids, they've been called in the media. But meaner still are the measures adults are pursuing in the name of combating crime -- including proposed legislation to execute 11 year olds. PNS associate editor Robin Templeton, a youth advocate and prison reform activists, is writing a book about how young people are responding to the punitive legislation of the 1990s.
A Manifesto for Ethnic Chinese -- Time to End the Silence on Imperiled Indonesian Chinese
By Edward Liu
Date: 05-21-98
For an ethnic Chinese, coverage of the Indonesian crisis, both before and after Suharto's resignation, is striking for what it does not say -- that much of the violence is directed not at the government or the army but at "nonnative" Indonesians. Especially for those who remember the events of 1965, when the current president took power, the silence is threatening. PNS commentator Edward Liu, an ethnic Chinese born and raised in the Philippines, is a practicing attorney in San Francisco.
India-China War of Words -- Titans Joskey for Power in South Asia
By Sanjoy Banerjee
Date: 05-19-98
For a decade China and India have been steadily improving ties, despite an undercurrent of tension marked by weapons tests and exchanges. India's nuclear tests now threaten to end that friendship as each side seeks to shore up its power position in South Asia. PNS commentator Sanjoy Banerjee, a specialist on South Asia, teaches political science at the Institute for International Relations at San Francisco State University.
Unless Congress Acts -- U.S. Will Back A New Military Regime In Indonesia
By Peter Dale Scott
Date: 05-18-98
Reassuring buzzwords like "restraint," "reform," and "dialogue" make it clear that at least some U.S. officials think Indonesian President Suharto resignation will stabilize the situation there. But without strenuous leadership from Congress, the U.S. will find itself supporting a military dictatorship, possibly disguised behind a new civilian face. PNS analyst Peter Dale Scott, a former Canadian diplomat, has authored numerous books and articles on U.S. foreign affairs.
America's High-Tech Hypocrisy on Nuclear Testing
By Bruce Allen
Date: 05-18-98
Hypocrisy is the word that springs to mind as our government professes shock and outrage over India's nuclear weapons tests yet forges ahead with a vast new multibillion dollar weapons program of its own. PNS commentator Bruce Allen is a writer and activist with Peace Action.
Australia the Latest Flashpoint -- A Worldwide War on the Wharfies
By David Bacon
Date: 05-08-98
Whether liberal or conservative, governments worldwide have embraced the policy of privatization of their ports in the name of enhancing their competitive edge in the global economy. But dockers in many ports are fighting back, nowhere more fiercely than in the ports of Australia. Downunder they call it "the war on the wharfies." PNS associate editor David Bacon is a former labor organizer who writes widely on issues of labor and immigration.
America's Rwanda -- Guatemala Still Reels From Legacy of Genocide
By Andrew Reding
Date: 04-30-98
The assassination of Bishop Juan Gerardi is a wake-up call to Washington and to the United Nations Mission to Guatemala (MINUGUA), which has been dismissing the ongoing killings in Guatemala as "common crimes." On the contrary, they are the legacy of crimes against humanity for which the Guatemalan military and its allies have yet to be called to account. PNS editor Andrew Reding directs the North America Project of the World Policy Institute.
Mexico to Rest of the World: "Stay Out of Our Business"
By Julie Reynolds
Date: 04-28-98
Mexico's recent expulsions of Americans can be seen as just a countermeasure to the U.S. Immigration service's expulsion of Mexicans. But seen in context, these actions combined with new restrictions on foreign journalists, indicate a serious message to the world. PNS Correspondent Julie Reynolds has written from Mexico for nearly a decade.
Kosovo -- An Island of Nonviolent Hope in a Troubled Sea
By David Hartsough
Date: 04-27-98
The Albanian community of Kosovo, in southern Serbia, lives under a rule of terror. Despite this, Albanians at every level -- students, doctors, homemakers -- have maintained a consistent and firm nonviolent stance. Their remarkable movement could dissolve, according to commentator David Hartsough, unless it receives recognition from the international community. Hartsough is the Executive Director of PEACEWORKERS based in San Francisco. He was recently jailed for three days while on his fourth fact-finding and peacemaking mission at the invitation of the non-violent student movement.
Murder in the Cathedral-- Guatemala's Peace Process Takes a Major Step Backward
By Mary Jo McConahay
Date: 04-27-98
In 1980, the murder of Archbishop Oscar Romero signaled a new level of incivility in El Salvador's long civil war. Now, in Guatemala, the brutal murder of Bishop Juan Gerardi strikes a similar chord, creating serious doubts about the durability of that country's new peace process. PNS Central America editor Mary Jo McConahay has reported from Latin America for National Catholic Reporter, Choices, Mother Jones and other publications for over a decade.
When Perfect is Not Enough -- How to Level the Playing Field at Post-Affirmative Action Berkeley
By Ronald Takaki
Date: 04-23-98
The most recent figures on the number of minority students admitted to the University of California show a startling drop -- a drop administrators say they cannot act to correct under an anti-affirmative action initiative passed by California voters. But the existing grounds for admission do in fact discriminate, writes PNS commentator Ron Takaki, who suggests a way to ensure more diverse admissions that stays within the law. Takaki is Professor of Ethnic Studies at UC Berkeley, and author of "A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America."
Too Insane to Die? Old Law Allows California Jury To Spare Condemned Man
By Michael Kroll
Date: 04-07-98
Even proponents of the death penalty have usually been willing to make an exception of those who were "insane" at the time they committed the crime. But what of those who become insane after they are convicted and sentenced? This, writes PNS commentator Michael Kroll, is the issue before a California jury which must act within a few days. Kroll, an associate editor of Pacific News Service, specializes in criminal justice and death penalty issues.
Palestinian Issue Losing Its Global and Ideological Edge
By Rami Khouri
Date: 03-27-98
Once the touchstone for the Middle Eastern anti-colonial struggle, the issue of Palestine more and more is turning into one of purely local and material dimensions. This fact helps explain Palestinians' unwavering support for the peace process despite the fact that the ground rules are written by Israel and the U.S. PNS commentator Rami G. Khouri, former editor of The Jordan Times and a widely publicized author and commentator, lives and writes from Amman, Jordan.
Baku Bubbles With Oil Boom and Fractious Politics
By Thomas Goltz
Date: 02-26-98
The new hot spot in the oil business is Baku in Azerbaijan, which hopes to profit considerably from the enormous reserves of oil in the Caspian Basin. One of the few American journalists who really knows the area is Thomas Goltz, who has been filing dispatches in his distinctive style from the region for many years. PNS will offer his pieces from time to time as interest in the region grows. Goltz is the author of "Azerbaijan Diary: A Rogue Reporter's Adventures in an Oil-rich, War-Torn, Post-Soviet Republic" due out in March from M.E. Sharpe of Armonk, New York.
Can It Happen Again? Suppressed Army Memo Reveals Many Gulf War Soldiers Unknowingly Exposed to Harmful Radiation
By Dennis Bernstein
Date: 02-18-98
New revelations about the 1991 Gulf War -- detailed in a report kept from public view for nearly seven years -- suggest that U.S. soldiers were exposed to dangerous radioactivity at levels known to cause physiological damage. The substance involved was not from enemy action, but "Depleted Uranium" used in U.S. shells. PNS correspondent Dennis Bernstein is a producer for Pacifica Radio and an award winning investigative reporter.
Big Risk in Iraqi Strike -- Losing Pax Americana
By Peter Dale Scott
Date: 02-17-98
President Clinton's decision to launch a campaign against Saddam Hussein, whether or not it translates into real firepower, indicates that one key lesson of the last 50 years has yet to be learned -- when the U.S. acts alone its efforts more often serve to prop up dictators than to topple them. PNS commentator Peter Dale Scott, a former Canadian diplomat, is a professor at the University of California, Berkeley.
A Black Viewpoint-- African-Americans Fear Consequences of Sex Scandal
By Earl Ofari Hutchinson
Date: 01-29-98
The possibility that the president will be seriously damaged politically by�the sex scandal has created considerable anxiety in the African American community. PNS commentator Earl Ofari Hutchinson explores the reasons for the president's high standing among blacks, and finds solid reasons for that anxiety. Hutchinson is the author of The Assassination of the Black Male Image. (email: ehutchi344@aol.com)
Costly Delay -- Kaczinski Plea a Year Late
By Michael Kroll
Date: 01-28-98
California could have saved millions of dollars if it had accepted Ted Kaczynski's plea a year ago, when it was first offered. Studies of cases prosecuted since capital punishment was restored in 1973 show that the state pays millions of dollars more when it pursues the death penalty rather than life in prison. PNS associate editor Michael Kroll specializes in criminal justice and death penalty issues.
Some Familiar Faces Reappear in MonicaGate
By Peter Dale Scott
Date: 01-26-98
Lucianne Goldberg, the book agent who suggested that Linda Tripp record her conversations with Monica Lewinsky, and then took the tapes to the FBI, has had a career of digging up sexual dirt on Democrats. PNS commentator Peter Dale Scott uncovers some of Goldberg's past efforts along these lines, and reveals some intriguing connections. PNS commentator Peter Dale Scott, a former Canadian diplomat is a professor at the University of California, Berkeley.
Children as Scabs -- Filipino Dockers' Union Loses Ground to 10 Year Olds
By David Bacon
Date: 01-19-98
On one dock in a port in the Philippines, workers trying to get a living wage have been stymied by their employers' decision to use children, boys aged 10 to 17. Although this is clearly illegal, the government has refused to move because it wants to attract global investors with cheap labor. PNS editor David Bacon writes about the winners and losers in the new global economy.
Zedillo is No LBJ-- Mexico City's Spin Control on Massacre Gets it Wrong
By Andrew Reding
Date: 01-05-98
The latest spin control coming out of Mexico City on the massacre of 45 Tzotzil Indians depicts President Zedillo as Mexico's Johnson or Kennedy, bent on solving Mexico's race problem but hampered by racist members of his own party in the south. But far from being a reformer utilizing Mexico's military to pressure intransigent governors, Zedillo has deployed the army throughout the south to reinforce his party's rule and terrorize civilians through paramilitary groups. PNS associate editor Andrew Reding, a political scientist who has worked and traveled widely in Mexico, directs the North America Project of the World Policy Institute.
Seeing the Siege of Sarajevo Through Two Lenses
By Terence Sheridan
Date: 12-26-97
Movie-goers who see "Welcome to Sarajevo" -- the first English-language film about the three-year siege of the Bosnian capital -- will learn more about what it was like to be an American correspondent there than to be a citizen survivor. And even the depiction of the "hell" of the Holiday Inn foreign journalists endured bears little resemblance to the reality, according to one such survivor. PNS correspondent Terence Sheridan is a free-lance journalist.
CIA Report Fans More Conspiracy Theories
By Earl Ofari Hutchinson
Date: 12-23-97
The CIA did itself a favor last week by clearing itself of any involvement in drug trafficking in black neighborhoods of Los Angeles. But the agency also almost certainly guaranteed that the ranks of those who still believe it was involved will swell even more. PNS commentator Dr. Earl Ofari Hutchinson is the author of "The Assassination of the Black Male Image" and the forthcoming "The Crisis in Black and Black." (email: ehutch344@aol.com)
Round Three-- Air War on Radio Rebels Escalates
By Travis Lea and A. Clay Thompson
Date: 12-17-97
In a fine example of Catch-22ism, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has argued in court that a citizen cannot claim the FCC has denied his right to broadcast because he has not applied for a license which the FCC has refused to issue. This is only the latest twist in a long-term struggle which pits low-power "rebel" radio broadcasters against the agency and the broadcast industry, according to PNS correspondents Travis Lea and A. Clay Thompson. Lea is a producer at YO! Radio which airs on radio stations across the country; Thompson is a writer based in San Francisco.
Unabomber Trial-- Putting Politics as Well as Violence on Trial
By Scott Corey
Date: 12-16-97
The ultimate irony in the trial of Theodore Kaczynski, accused of the Unabomber crimes, may be that it subverts the American tradition of avoiding any semblance of trying people for their political beliefs. Recent anti-terrorism legislation and his own maneuverings may force the prosecution to prove that his political beliefs are sound. PNS analyst Scott Corey, a political scientist specializing in political violence and revolution, is a freelance writer covering the trial.
Notes From a Journal Part II- Life in Post-Affirmative Action America-- The College Culture
By Caille Millner
Date: 12-15-97
In the world after affirmative action what are young people finding to be the major sources of inequity in their personal lives and how are they overcoming them? Caille Millner, an 18-year-old African American from San Jose, Ca., is keeping a journal on her experiences as she navigates her way through Harvard University where she is completing her first semester. Here are the second two entries in her journal. Millner writes for YO! (Youth Outlook), a newspaper by and about young people published by Pacific News Service.
Young People To Clinton-- Get Real if You Want to Talk About Race
By Josh Parr
Date: 12-05-97
President Clinton hopes that last week's town meeting to discuss race relations will jump start similar conversations among America's youth. But for one multiracial group in their early 20s who tuned into the Akron, Ohio event at the San Francisco office of YO! Youth Outlook, it was clear from the outset that the script had been written well in advance-- that the government isn't interested in what they have to say except as a backdrop.
UN Sanctions-- Weapon of Mass Destruction Against Iraq
By Ramsey Clark
Date: 11-21-97
The American people hear very little about the suffering of Iraq's civilian population caused by UN sanctions, in part because the Security Council has imposed a travel ban on Iraqi officials. But seven visits to that country by former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark have revealed a mounting human disaster from malnutrition and deteriorating sanitation -- both directly attributed to the sanctions. Clark's latest trip occurred just before the latest confrontation over U.S. personnel on UN weapons inspection teams.
Drug War in Columbia-- US Aid Will Support Death Squads Once Again
By Andrew Reding
Date: 11-17-97
A $50 million aid package, ostensibly marked for the Colombian military in the "war against drugs," is in reality part of a program to suppress the oldest and largest insurgent group in Latin America. Talk of "narcoguerrillas" and charges that the insurgents are antidemocratic, writes PNS associate editor Andrew Reding, are deliberate distortions to win support for a program that threatens the credibility of the Clinton administration's stance toward Latin America. PNS associate editor Andrew Reding directs the North America Project of the World Policy Institute in New York.
Hate Crimes-- Good Intentions Alone Cannot Relieve the Fears of African-Americans
By Earl Ofari Hutchinson
Date: 11-14-97
Though "hate crimes" are now recognized as a distinct category, and the government has devoted some attention to them, African-Americans continue to live in terror of such actions. Behind this fear, writes PNS commentator Earl Ofari Hutchinson, is the reality of a growing white supremacist movement, which has changed its rhetoric but not its ideology. Earl Ofari Hutchinson is the author of "Beyond OJ: Race. Sex and Class Lessons for America." His e-mail address is <ehutchi344@aol.com>.
Pawns or Catalysts for Greater Equity-- Asian Americans Debate Impact of New Clout
By Hellen Zia
Date: 11-13-97
As Chinese immigrants discover their political voice in San Francisco and beyond, veteran Asian American activists are debating how to use the community's growing political leverage. Some predict that the new situation could galvanize whites to view themselves as the new minority in need of stronger civil rights protections. PNS commentator Helen Zia is a former editor of Ms. Magazine, a freelance journalist and activist.
Asian Americans-- Now Predominantly Immigrants-- Don't Look to Affirmative Action to Get Ahead
By Andrew Lam
Date: 11-12-97
Asian Americans in California are today overwhelmingly first-generation immigrants. This explains why few look to government -- "the system" -- to remedy past injustices. So when the Supreme Court let stand Prop 209, most Asian Americans barely batted an eye. PNS editor Andrew Lam, born in Vietnam and raised in California, reflects on how Asian American immigrant communities view getting ahead in post-affirmative action America. Tomorrow, Helen Zia reports that some veteran Asian American activists believe white Californians may become the biggest proponents of affirmative action -- for themselves. (This is part of an ongoing PNS series on remedies for inequity in post-affirmative action America. If you would like us to resend any of the previous articles, call George Gundrey at 415-243-4364).
End of Affirmative Action is a Call for True Expansion of Opportunities
By Joan Walsh
Date: 11-10-97
Events since the passage of California's Proposition 209, ending affirmative action, have shown Asian-Americans benefiting more from the change than the whites who overwhelmingly supported the initiative. These gains, writes PNS commentator Joan Walsh, are neither surprising or sinister, but they should stir a reexamination of the idea of educational opportunity. PNS associate editor Joan Walsh, a Bay Area based journalist, authored a recent report for the Rockefeller Foundation entitled "Stories of Renewal: Community Building and the Future of Urban America." This is the forth in a series of articles on post affirmative action America. If you want us to resend any of the others in the series, please call George Gundrey at 415-243-4364.
Death of Affirmative Action May Breathe Life Into New Black Nationalism
By Michael Datcher
Date: 11-10-97
The end of affirmative action can be seen as a call for an internalized program of action by, within and for the African American community. This "neo-black nationalism," writes PNS commentator Michael Datcher, recalls earlier efforts of other national groups but faces very special problems of its own. Datcher is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer and co-editor of "Tough Love: The Life and Death of Tupac Shakur". This is the fifth in a series of articles on post affirmative action America. If you want us to resend any of the others in the series, please call George Gundrey at 415-243-4364.
Black America "Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired"
By Linn Washington, Jr.
Date: 11-7-97
The rest of America may have decided that the discriminatory deprivations of institutional racism are no big deal, but the daily indignities many African Americans experience have now produced a quiet rage. PNS commentator Linn Washington Jr. is a journalism professor at Temple University who writes frequently on race related issues. This is the third in s series of articles on post affirmative action America. Next in the series: perspectives by Michael Datcher, Helen Zia, Andrew Lam, Franz Schurmann and Joan Walsh. If you want us to resend either of the first two of the series (by Richard Rodriguez and Caille Millner), please call George Gundrey at 415-243-4364.
Finding New Remedies in Post Affirmative Action America-- The Issue is Class
By Richard Rodriguez
Date: 11-06-97
Americans have argued for decades about affirmative action, but only lately have we bothered to notice that most of its black and brown and female beneficiaries are middle class. It still doesn't occur to many that affirmative action might be unfair to poor whites, insofar as poor whites do not constitute an officially recognized minority group. As we look for new remedies to address inequities in the culture, we need at the least to begin acknowledging the importance of social class. PNS editor Richard Rodriguez, author of "Days of Obligation," is a writer and essayist who contributes regularly to the Los Angeles Times Sunday Opinion, Harper's, and The News Hour with Jim Lehrer. This is the first in a series of perspectives on finding new remedies for inequity in post-affirmative action America.
Life in Post Affirmative Action America-- The College Culture
By Caille Millner
Date: 11-05-97
In the world after affirmative action what are young people finding to be the major sources of inequity in their personal lives and how are they overcoming them? Caille Millner, an 18-year-old African American from San Jose, California, is keeping a journal on her experiences as she navigates her way through Harvard University where she has just begun her freshman year. These are the first two entries in her journal. Millner writes for YO! (Youth Outlook), a newspaper by and about young people published by Pacific News Service
Nightmare Case Now a Legend-- Filipino Workers Challenge Silicon Valley's "Clean Industry"
By David Bacon
Date: 11-04-97
Although the electronics industry is generally thought of as relatively non-polluting, it does face a continuing problem with disposing of solvents used in manufacture. The problem was brought into focus dramatically by a Filipino immigrant worker who barely survived a near-fatal accident. His case, now a legend, prompted a lawsuit that will be heard early next year. PNS associate editor David Bacon writes widely on labor and immigration issues.
Rankism on Trial-- The "N" Word of the 90's is "Nobody"
By Robert Works Fuller
Date: 10-24-97
Attorneys defending Sgt. Major McKinney -- the US Army's highest ranking enlisted man -- contend their client was charged only because he is not a full-fledged officer. This prompts PNS commentator Robert Fuller to note that, whatever the outcome of McKinney's trial, "rankism" is so pervasive in our society that "nobody" may become the "n" word of our time. Robert Fuller, past president of Oberlin College and currently Chairman of the Board of Internews, is working on a book about "somebodies" and "nobodies" and the rankism that divides them.
Georgia Vies for a Bigger Piece of the Pipeline Pie
By Thomas Goltz
Date: 10-16-97
Vast oil deposits beneath the Caspian Sea have made the regions of Georgia and Azerbaijan the focus of heated interest since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. One area of dispute -- even though oil will not start to flow in quantity until 2004 -- is the path of the pipeline required to bring the precious stuff to market. Second of two articles by Thomas Goltz explaining the stakes involved for American oilmen, regional powers and strategic thinkers. Goltz is the author of "Azerbaijan Diary: A Rogue Reporter's Adventures in an Oil-rich, War-Torn, Post-Soviet Republic" due this winter from M.E. Sharpe of Armonk, New York.
The Caspian Oil Sweepstakes -- A Great Game Replayed
By Thomas Goltz
Date: 10-15-97
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the vast oil deposits beneath the Caspian Sea have made the regions of Georgia and Azerbaijan the focus of heated interest. The United States prizes the region as an alternative source of energy, Russia regards it as its own strategic reserve, other countries -- Iran, Turkey, even China -- have a stake in control of the oil, where it goes, and how. This is the first of two articles by Thomas Goltz explaining the stakes involved for American oilmen, regional powers and strategic thinkers. Goltz is the author of "Azerbaijan Diary: A Rogue Reporter's Adventures in an Oil-rich, War-Torn, Post-Soviet Republic" due this winter from M.E. Sharpe of Armonk, New York.
Peasant Unrest Threatens Communist Rule in Vietnam
By Thi Lam
Date: 10-10-97
Long the backbone of support for Vietnam's communist rulers, peasants are now staging violent protests in some areas of the country. The threat of rural unrest may finally force Hanoi to rethink its strategies and follow the lead of its long-time ally China. PNS commentator Thi Lam, a former army general in the Republic of South Vietnam and author of "Autopsy: The Death of South Vietnam," is working on his memoirs.
Top Manager's Special Savvey as a Bridge-Maker Suggests a Better Way in and Out of the Ballpark
By Joan Walsh
Date: 10-09-97
The National League Manager of the year has shown a special kind of savvy that may have significance far past the playing field. But this can be hard to see as long as press coverage of sports (and everything else) focuses on what goes wrong instead of what works. PNS associate editor Joan Walsh, a Bay Area based journalist, authored a recent report for the Rockefeller Foundation entitled "Stories of Renewal: Community Building and the Future of Urban America."
Young Offenders Being Exiled to a Land Thet've Never Seen
By Lyn Duff
Date: 10-08-97
It sounds like a nightmare, but it's all too real: some young offenders who have agreed to plead guilty to a charge in exchange for moderate treatment, have found themselves deported to a "homeland" they have never seen. In the wake of new immigration reform laws, the government is attempting to remove felons, particularly drug offenders, from US soil altogether. PNS correspondent Lyn Duff talked to two deportees on a recent visit to Haiti. Duff is a reporter for YO! Youth Outlook, a monthly newspaper by and about young people published by Pacific News Service.
Low-Intensity Street Wars in Europe -- Fas Versus Antifas
By A. Clay Thompson
Date: 09-29-97
Stories of violence directed at immigrant workers in European countries have pretty much disappeared from the media, to be replaced by accounts of right-wing fringe groups making gains at the ballot box. But in fact, a low-intensity war continues in most of northern Europe, with terrorist activities and, occasionally, open battles on the streets. PNS associate editor A. Clay Thompson, a former activist in the squatter movement, has just returned from a 2-month trip to Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Holland researching autonomous political movements. This is the first of several articles on the politics and culture of youth in Europe.
Don't Ask, Dont Tell- Effort to Crack Intelligence Budget Balked on Many Fronts
By Todd R. Lowery
Date: 09-24-97
Since they were first established some 50 years ago, U.S. intelligence agencies have been able to conceal their workings -- including the amounts spent on different programs -- from almost all eyes. With the end of the Cold War, this secrecy has been challenged on several fronts, but none of these efforts seem likely to pay off in the near future. PNS correspondent Todd R. Lowery is a graduate student in International Relations at the University of Chicago and writes regularly on U.S. foreign policy and the intelligence community.
Landmine Decision-- The President Draws a Line - But Not On the Ground
By William M. Arkin
Date: 09-22-97
In refusing to sign the politically popular treaty against land mines, President Clinton explained that his action was based on military necessity. But the necessity he had in mind, according to PNS commentator William M. Arkin, had more to do with Pentagon politics than with national security. William M. Arkin is author of ten books on military matters and a consultant to the Human Rights Watch Arms Project
End of BART Strike May Be a Cease Fire But Brings No Peace
By David Bacon
Date: 09-15-97
San Francisco commuters had a miserable time last week as striking workers closed BART, the area's subway system, forcing people onto inadequate bus lines and already choked highways. At the heart of the dispute were important issues affecting the future of life in the Bay Area but newspaper coverage ignored this and focused on angry citizens instead. PNS associate editor David Bacon is a former union organizer who writes widely on labor and immigration.
AFL-CIO's Foreign Policy -- Labor Finds a New Public Enemy Number One
By Sanford Gottlieb
Date: 08-28-97
The AFL-CIO, long and loudly identified with anti-communism, seems to have identified a new threat in some forms of capitalism. This has led to a striking shift in the unions' "foreign policy" -- a quiet, long-term effort that is just beginning to show slight signs of success. PNS analyst Sanford Gottlieb, the author of "Defense Addiction" (Westview Press), worked for five unions in the 1950s.
Death Penalty Monolith Begins to Crack
By Michael Kroll
Date: 08-20-97
It has been twenty years since Gary Gilmore said "let's do it" to a Utah firing squad, in effect opening a new a era of the death penalty. While public support for the penalty remains high, a growing understanding of the reality of its application -- particularly where prosecutors conceal or remove vital information -- has some people changing their minds. Michael Kroll is an associate editor for PNS specializing in criminal justice issues.
Some in Arab World Wonder -- Is U.S. Growing Bored with Mideast Peace Process?
By Rami Khouri
Date: 08-13-97
Even if Dennis Ross has succeeded in convincing Yasser Arafat of the need to curb Palestinian terror against Israelis, his mission has only deepened the rut in which the peace making process is stuck, argues Arab commentator Rami Khouri. Writing from Washington rather than his home base of Amman, Jordan, what strikes Khouri is the relative nonchalance with which the U.S. now views the troubling triad of hard-line rhetoric, violence and ineffectual diplomacy.
New Arms Race in Both Europe and Asia Means Big Payoff for Major US Firms
By Thi Lam
Date: 07-30-97
As NATO expands in the West and ASEAN expands in the East, both regional security blocs are setting off a race for new arms -- and generating windfall profits for the US defense industry. PNS commentator Thi Lam is a former general in the Republic of South Vietnam and the author of "Autopsy: The Death of South Vietnam" (1985).
History of Popular Engagement Offers Hope for Troubled Kenya
By Steven Were Omamo
Date: 07-23-97
Kenya, generally considered one of Africa's most steady and peaceful countries, has been rocked by disturbances in recent weeks. Protesters are intent on constitutional changes which the government of Daniel Arap Moi, president for 19 years, has steadfastly resisted. For PNS commentator Steven Were Omamo, the situation is very much a product of economic modernization, and the solution is very much dependent on the country's history. Omamo is a writer and agricultural economist based in Nairobi, and a Rockefeller Foundation Social Science Research Fellow at the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute.
Islamophobia on the Golf Course -- Turkish Secularists May Be Pushing Anti-Islamist Line Too Hard
By Thomas Goltz
Date: 07-09-97
The struggle between secular and Islamic forces, very much in evidence throughout the middle east, has taken some unusual turns in Turkey -- including a golf course that excludes Muslims and a cookie boycott. At the level of national politics, however, these efforts seem to have benefited the party most closely associated with an Islamist position. Thomas Goltz was a finalist for the Rory Peck Prize for independent camera work for his documentary on the town of Samashki in Chechnya, and is author of an upcoming book on Azerbaijan ("Requiem for a Would-Be Republic," to be published by ME Sharpe in the U.S.)
Double Pyrrhic Victory for Turkey's Military -- Defeating Islamists and PKK
By Thomas Goltz
Date: 06-20-97
Turkey's military claims to have stayed the course against a rising Islamist tide and a Kurdish insurgency headquartered in northern Iraq. Instead of victory, however, Turkey may well be on its way towards becoming the new "Algeria" of the Middle East, engulfed in Islamist versus secular civil strife. Thomas Goltz was a finalist for the Rory Peck Prize for independent camera work for his documentary on the town of Samashki in Chechnya. His book on Azerbaijan, "Requiem for a Would-Be Republic," will be re-issued by ME Sharpe (USA) in early 1997.
Clinton Missed a Golden Opportunity to Include American Indians
By Dr. Joseph Giovannetti
Date: 06-19-97
President Clinton neglected to include an American Indian on his special seven member commission to spearhead dialogue on race in America. The omission is particularly unfortunate, according to PNS commentator Joseph Giovanetti, because America's Indians have a unique history and a unique standing. Giovanetti is an enrolled member of the Smith River Rancheria of Howenquet Indians (CA) and a lecturer in federal Indian law at Humboldt State University.
Clinton's Words, Clinton's Deeds
By Michael A. Kroll
Date: 06-18-97
In a "major" speech President Clinton spoke in ringing terms about his Administration's commitment to remove the stain of racism from our country -- suggesting both the possibility of apologizing for past wrongs and an active effort to improve the situation today. Two commentators, from different perspectives, find reason to doubt the depth of the president's convictions. Kevin Weston observes that the president is joining a movement that has already moved past his formulations. Michael Kroll points to inequalities in the criminal justice system that Clinton could change if he chose to do so. Weston is an associate editor of YO! (Youth Outlook) and an editor at the New Bay View, a weekly black newspaper in San Francisco. Michael Kroll is an associate editor for PNS specializing in criminal justice issues.
Clinton Isn't Leading, He's Following
By Kevin Weston
Date: 06-18-97
In a "major" speech President Clinton spoke in ringing terms about his Administration's commitment to remove the stain of racism from our country -- suggesting both the possibility of apologizing for past wrongs and an active effort to improve the situation today. Two commentators, from different perspectives, find reason to doubt the depth of the president's convictions. Kevin Weston observes that the president is joining a movement that has already moved past his formulations. Michael Kroll points to inequalities in the criminal justice system that Clinton could change if he chose to do so. Weston is an associate editor of YO! (Youth Outlook), and an editor at the New Bay View, a weekly black newspaper in San Francisco. Michael Kroll is an associate editor for PNS specializing in criminal justice issues.
Geronimo -- No Longer the Last Man Standing
By Earl Ofari Hutchinson
Date: 06-13-97
As America's last major political victim of the 1960s, Elmer "Geronimo" Pratt has haunted the legal establishment for close to thirty years. For some his release from prison suggests a rebirth of left radicalism. In fact, it severs the last tie with the radical movement of the 1960s. PNS commentator Earl Ofari Hutchinson is the author of "Beyond OJ: Race. Sex and Class Lessons for America." His e-mail address is <ehutchi344@aol.com>.
Lessons of the Shabazz Tragedy -- Rising Above Anger Into the Thinking of God
By Ladie Terry
Date: 06-06-97
A young woman reflects on the troubles of Betty Shabazz's 12-year-old grandson Malcolm. Like Malcolm Shabazz, the author grew up filled with anger and only began to learn how to control it at the age of 22, when she went to the Nation of Islam. Ladie Terry, now 23, attends City College of San Francisco and works as the office manager at Pacific News Service.
Lessons of the Shabazz Tragedy -- A New Generation Hears a Call to Restore the Home
By David Gaither
Date: 06-05-97
Accounts suggesting that the fire which gravely injured Betty Shabazz, the widow of Malcolm X, was deliberately set by her grandson have had a particular impact on young African Americans. For one young man raised to think of Malcolm's words as a major source of empowerment -- and, like Malcolm's family, living through the confusion of a fragmented family life -- the lessons are straightforward. This is the first of two perspectives by young African Americans. PNS commentator David Gaither is a senior at Howard University.
More Than Military Assessment-- Pentagon Budget Reflects Political and Economic Choices
By Sanford Gottlieb
Date: 05-21-97
Defense spending seems immune from serious cuts, even in a time of budget-balancing. In part, this is because support for the military is based on economic, not military, choices, and reflects Congress members' desire to keep funds flowing into their districts. This desire is so strong that the $250 billion defense budget -- half of all spending that Congress controls -- has been "off the table" in budget negotiations for several years. PNS commentator Sanford Gottlieb is author of "Defense Addiction: Can America Kick the Habit?" published by Westview Press, and has worked for over 30 years for private organizations in the field of international arms control.
It Takes a Mother to Raise a Village
By Grace Manning-Orenstein
Date: 05-07-97
Historically mothers have gotten most of the blame when things go wrong with their children, and very little recognition when things go well. Now, the notion that it takes a village to raise a child, though well intended, again makes the role of mothering invisible, argues Grace Manning-Orenstein, Ph.D., a family therapist in Albany, California. THIS IS THE FIRST OF TWO ARTICLE ON MOTHERS DAY. SEE "PNS-MOM"
Time is Running Out for North Korea
By Thi Lam
Date: 05-06-97
News of widespread hunger, and of potential famine, in North Korea has brought new tension to relations between the two hostile halves of that country. Both seem to have struck immovably hard postures -- the South unwilling to provide needed food aid without political concessions; the North refusing to ask for anything. PNS commentator Thi Lam suggests that even in the short run the North will have to undergo basic changes if its people are to survive. Lam, a former general in the Republic of South Vietnam, is the author of "Autopsy: The Death of South Vietnam" (1985).
As Crime Drops Experts Backpedal -- Where Have the "Super Predators" Gone?
By Vincent Schiraldi and Mark Kappelhoff
Date: 05-02-97
Recent Justice Dept. figures showing a distinct drop in juvenile crime have evidently surprised some experts who predicted a new wave of superpredators would sweep through the country in a "bloodbath of teen violence." Their sudden change of tone would be amusing -- except that their rhetoric has served, and is still serving, to justify particularly harsh treatment of young offenders. Vincent Schiraldi is director of the Justice Policy Institute in Washington, DC. Mark Kappelhoff is legislative counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union.
Five Years After L.A. Riots-- Fear of Police Still Haunts Black America
By Michael Datcher
Date: 04-29-97
It is five years since four Los Angeles police officers were found not guilty of charges connected with the Rodney King case, a verdict which sparked the worst civil unrest seen in the United States in a century. Since then little has changed in the forces underlying that disturbance, forces well explained in this account of life as a black man in the Los Angeles area. PNS commentator Michael Datcher is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer and co-editor of "Tough Love: The Life and Death of Tupac Shakur."
A Letter From the Future -- Fifty Years After the L.A. Riots
By Richard Rodriguez
Date: 04-28-97
How will the L.A. riots of 1992 be remembered fifty years from now? PNS editor Richard Rodriguez writes from the vantage point of 2042 that the riots marked a turning point in how the city understood itself. Rodriguez, the author of "Days of Obligation: An Argument with My Mexican Father" (Viking), is a regular contributor to the Los Angeles Times opinion pages.
Peruvians Should Beware Coming Repression
By Andres Tapia
Date: 04-28-97
A Peru-born journalist in the United States, who travels regularly to his home, warns that Peru's military hawks have won the day. The Lima raid marks the opening of a campaign designed to remove any elements that threaten Peru's flourishing economy. PNS associate editor Andres Tapia writes regularly on Peru.
Peruvian State Terror Dwarfs That of the Terrorists
By Andrew Reding
Date: 04-25-97
The success of last week's raid on the Japanese Embassy in Lima is prompting praise from hemispheric leaders -- including President Clinton -- for President Alberto Fujimori's "decisive leadership." A closer look suggests that the Peruvian government applied a level of state terror that only reinforces the accusations made by the terrorists. PNS associate editor Andrew Reding is senior fellow for hemispheric affairs at the World Policy Institute.
Five Years After Riots -- LAPD Back to Square One
By Earl Ofari Hutchinson
Date: 04-25-97
When two motorists -- one white, one black -- squared off last month at a Los Angeles traffic light, neither knew the other was a 10 year veteran of the LAPD. The incident left the black motorist dead, and many black officers and black urban residents wondering just how far the city's troubled police department has come in the five years since America's worst urban riots this century. PNS commentator Earl Ofari Hutchinson is the author of "Beyond OJ: Race, Sex and Class Lessons for America." His e-mail address is <ehutchi344@aol.com>.
Rebellion in Zaire-- Former Cuban Comrades Cast Doubts on Kabila's Rebel Image
By Jean Damu
Date: 04-23-97
The leader of rebel forces in Zaire, Laurent Kabila, is often identified in terms of his history of fighting with popular opposition movements for more than 30 years into the past. But interviews with some of those where close to the situation at the time suggest that picture is seriously flawed. Jean Damu is a San Francisco-based freelance writer who is researching a book on the Cuban military brigades in African over the last three decades.
Why Arabs Feel Demeaned by Peace Process
By Rami Khouri
Date: 04-14-97
When many in Jordan and the Arab world weigh the seemingly small gains of the peace process -- and watch the Israeli bulldozers working in Jerusalem -- they do not just see a frightening vision of the future. They see the failed ghosts of their demeaning pasts. PNS commentator Rami Khouri, former editor of the Jordan Times, writes a regular column from Amman.
Blink, Please, Grandma, Blink
By Andrew Lam
Date: 04-09-97
For one immigrant family -- legal, hardworking moderately successful, taxpayers and citizens -- the future hangs on the blink of an eye or the nod of a head. Their story illustrates the cruel effects of the changes in immigration law, a cruelty which is the inevitable result of turning our backs on our own history. PNS editor Andrew Lam is a short story writer and journalist who lives in San Francisco.
It Can't Happen Here-- Union Representation Election Mocks the Democratic Process
By David Bacon
Date: 04-08-97
From grade school on, Americans are encouraged to understand and participate in the democratic process on one level or another, and it is our proud boast that we live in a country where people are free to choose. This may make it hard to understand the undemocratic corners of our society -- to see just how difficult and risky it is to exercise choice in some situations. A recent union representation election at a videotape factory provides an excellent case in point. PNS associate editor David Bacon writes on immigration and labor issues.
"The Kiss" -- Why We Love to Hate
By Nell Bernstein
Date: 03-18-97
A new book, a memoir, has been denounced with extraordinary scorn by a number of reviewers and commentators. The strength of these reactions to "The Kiss" by Kathryn Harrison says a great deal about the critics, and about our view of human weakness -- in others and in ourselves. PNS Associate Editor Nell Bernstein writes for national magazines on women's issues and edits YO! (Youth Outlook), a magazine by and about young people published by the Pacific News Service.
Labor Joins Environmentalists -- California's Teachers Battle Fund Managers Over Forest's Fate
By David Bacon
Date: 02-14-97
When California's teachers joined the anti-apartheid divestment campaign a decade ago, they learned an important lesson about the political leverage of pension funds. Today they are seeking to use the power of their multi-million dollar pension fund investments to help prevent the logging of one of California's last remaining old-growth redwood forests. PNS associate editor David Bacon is a Bay Area writer specializing in labor and immigration issues.
O.J. Trials -- The Last Great Conversation Between White and Black America
By Richard Rodriguez
Date: 02-10-97
White America is strangely flattered by the black and white dialectic that has dominated the debate over the O.J. Simpson trials. If black resentment forces whites to be responsible for sins of generations past, black obsession with white racism also places whites at the center of the racial paradigm. But we live in complicated times, much more complicated than the white-and-white description of our nation suggests. PNS editor Richard Rodriguez, author of "Days of Obligation: An Argument with my Mexican Father," writes regularly for the Los Angeles Times Sunday Opinion, Harper's, and The News Hour with Jim Lehrer.
The New American City According to Rappers and Rock Bands -- Color it Black and Brown
By Ruben Martinez
Date: 02-05-97
Two years of O.J. Simpson media coverage has largely ignored the growing Latino presence in cities like Los Angeles. But rappers and rock musicians -- from Tupac to Sublime to Bruce Springsteen -- celebrate the new American urban identity even as they warn of what will happen if the lingering cultural misunderstandings are not addressed. PNS associate editor Ruben Martinez, author of "The Other Side" and a performance artist based in Los Angeles and Mexico City, is working on a new book on the borderlands.
Peru's Fujimori -- A Latin American Pinochet with an Asian Face
By Andrew Reding
Date: 01-30-97
Japan's Prime Minister is meeting with the president of Peru, Alberto Fujimori, in a bid to resolve the hostage crisis in Lima. But those in and out of government who hope for a meeting of minds based on a common heritage have not understood who Fujimori is -- a Latin dictator in the tradition of Pinochet or Peron. PNS associate editor Andrew Reding directs the North America Project of the World Policy Institute in New York.
Church Stands Firm -- Anti-Gay Is Still the Rule of Law in Romania Despite Pressure from European States
By Paul Hockenos
Date: 01-29-97
Gay is dangerous in Romania -- those few who are out of the closet must face every sort of harassment from an elbow in the ribs to raids by gangs of thugs with little hope of protection from police. The country's laws on homosexuality, long the toughest on the continent, have changed little since the overthrow of the communist regime in 1989. Despite pressure from other European states, a report from the capital shows that the issue has become a major focus of controversy, with the Orthodox church coming forward to take a political stand for the first time since the events of 1989. PNS correspondent Paul Hockenos is a freelance writer based in Berlin who has been writing on East and West Europe for the last decade.
Burma's Dictatorship of Drugs
By Dennis Bernstein and Leslie Kean
Date: 01-24-97
After fifty years of civil war involving at least 15 different hill country minorities, peace of a sorts has finally come to Burma. But the price Burmese, Americans and people throughout the world are paying is more, better and cheaper heroin. PNS associate editor Dennis Bernstein and correspondent Leslie Kean report on how and why Burma has become the world's leading exporter of illicit heroin. A longer version of this article appeared recently in The Nation.
Koreans Strike to Level the World's Economic Playing Field
By David Bacon
Date: 01-09-97
The South Korean general strike is fast moving toward a turning point. As union after union joins the strike, President Kim Young-san has decided to crush it by arresting union leaders now holed up in the Myongdong Catholic cathedral. Whatever the outcome, the Korean unions have already shown the general strike can be a powerful weapon to resist the wave of downsizing now washing away hard-won worker benefits throughout the advanced industrial world. PNS associate editor David Bacon writes widely on labor and immigration issues.
A Global Network -- Tupac Amaru Guerrillas Linked to Japanese Red Army Faction
By Yoichi Clark Shimatsu
Date: 01-03-97
The consensus of the world's elites is that the Tupac Amaru hostage seizure in Lima is the last gasp of 60s-style domestic insurgencies. In fact, the group commands an international network that includes Japan's notorious Red Army Faction and feeds off the global drug trade. PNS associate editor Yoichi Clark Shimatsu is a Tokyo-based investigative reporter and former editor of the English-language Japan Times Weekly.
Escandalo De Espionaje Chino Se Alimenta De Las Reservas De Racismo
By Ling-Chi Wang
Date: 03-22-99
En su artículo de portada del 6 de marzo, el New York Times reportaba que China había dado "un salto en el desarrollo de armas nucleares" al robar secretos del laboratorio nacional Los Alamos. Dos días después, en una filtración al periódico, el científico informático chino-americano Wen Ho Lee era identificado como sospechoso, y bajo intensa presión republicana y de los medios de comunicación fue sumariamente absuelto. Hasta hoy no se ha producido evidencia alguna en contra de Lee, quien tampoco ha sido arrestado ni acusado. El editor asociado de PNS Ling-Chi Wang dirige el Departamento de Estudios Etnicos de la Universidad de California-Berkeley.
Regreso Del "Oeste Salvaje" -- Planes De Nueva Polí Fronteriza Recaería En Civiles Inexpertos
Por Alfonso Serrano F.
Date: 07-20-98
Estados Unidos y México anunciaron una recompensa de $5.000 por información que conduzca al arresto de personas tratando de cruzar la frontera ilegalmente - una movida que, afirman ambos gobiernos, apunta a reducir el creciente peaje mortal de quienes intentan cruzar la frontera ilegalmente. Pero los críticos ven la nueva medida nacional como una reversión hacia los peores abusos del viejo oeste. Alfonso Serrano F., editor asociado de PNS, fue anteriormente editor de El Mensajero, periódico semanal biling�e publicado en San Francisco.
¿Quién Es Más Malévolo Que Los Adolescentes? -- Los Adultos Obsesionados Con Represalias
Por Robin Templeton
Date: 06-01-98
Desde Jonesboro, Ark, a Springfield, Or., ciertos adolescentes se están armando y disparando a compañeros de clase. Han sido categorizados como niños malévolos por los medios de comunicación. Pero aún peor son las iniciativas de adultos creadas para combatir el crimen -- incluyendo legislación que, si se aprueba, ejecutaría a niños de once años de edad. Robin Templeton, editor de PNS -- y partidaria de jóvenes y activista para el mejoramiento de prisiones -- está escribiendo un libro sobre cómo la juventud está respondiendo a la legislación punitiva de los 90.
Las Abejas-- Un Destello De Esperanze en el Afligido Estado de Chiapas, México
Por Mary Jo McConahay
Date: 02-09-98
Los reportajes acerca de los 45 indígenas masacrados en diciembre en el Estado de Chiapas, México, no tomaron en cuenta el hecho de que las víctimas estaban afiliadas con las "Abejas." Esta notable organización de 7 años de existencia se mantiene apegada a las premisas de neutralidad y de no violencia en un lugar donde ninguna de las dos parece ser posible. Mary Jo McConahay, editora en Centro América para PNS, ha hecho reportajes desde América Latina para el National Catholic Reporter, Choices, Mother Jones y otras publicaciones durante más de una década. (Para solicitar material fotográfico de McConahay llame a George Gundrey al 415/243-4364)

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