London reforms Ireland cops

The British government will move ahead with reforms to the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) in Northern Ireland. The force will be substantially reduced in size and seek to recruit Catholics—who currently make up 8 percent of this cop force—to its ranks. The RUC, along with the thousands of British troops stationed in the country, is organized to harass, intimidate, and victimize those fighting for a united, democratic Ireland and the withdrawal of British troops.

As Northern Ireland secretary Peter Mandelson announced the changes, cries of "disgrace" and "shame" rang out from the benches of the Conservative Party in parliament. David Trimble, a leader of the pro-British Ulster Unionist Party, warned, "Nothing this government says or does can dishonor the RUC and the men in it, this government can and does dishonor itself. "

The Unionists object to scrapping the 78-year-old force's royal title. "It's a proud name" agreed Mandelson, as he reluctantly announced plans to change it to the Police Services of Northern Ireland.  
 

Scandal rocks German party

In a deepening crisis in Germany's Christian Democratic party, former chancellor Helmut Kohl resigned his post as honorary chairman amidst a widening scandal into secret slush fund payments he had received while chancellor from 1982-1998. Kohl, who was also the leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) for 25 years until the party suffered an electoral defeat at the hands of the Social Democratic party in 1998, has refused to name anonymous donors who contributed some $1.2 million to him. Kohl retains his seat in the lower house of parliament, which shields him from criminal prosecution.

The current leader of the CDU, Wolfgang Schäuble, described these latest developments as "the worst crises of our [party's] history." Schäuble, who has himself admitted to accepting $52,000 in unauthorized funds, offered to resign his post. However, the party's executive committee urged him to stay on, saying otherwise they would all step down as well.

Meanwhile, a leading finance official of the CDU, Wolfgang Hüllen, committed suicide January 20. He left a note saying that he feared an audit of the party's finances, as he had transferred money from the parliamentary group's account.  
 

CIA raises Iranian A-bomb scare

A new CIA assessment claims Iran may now be able to make a nuclear weapon. According to the New York Times, this new "discovery" is not based on evidence Iran has built a bomb, but "on the fact that the United States cannot track with great certainty increased efforts by Iran to acquire nuclear materials and technology."

Behind these charges is increased concern in U.S. ruling circles about Washington's inability to weaken ties between Iran and Russia. A year ago, the Clinton administration imposed sanctions against two Russian scientific institutions, claiming they might be providing Iran with nuclear technology.

In a rebuff to Washington, Russia's defense minister, Igor Sergeyev, in a mid January meeting with Iran's Security Council secretary, Khasan Roukhani, reaffirmed Moscow's pledge to maintain its military and scientific ties with Tehran. The Russian government promised to continue its commercial nuclear cooperation with Iran, especially its program to help Iran complete two reactors that were damaged in the 1980s in the Iran-Iraq war.  
 

Bolivia: strikers protest water hike

Transportation workers in Cochabamba, southeast of the capital city of La Paz in Bolivia, called for an indefinite strike January 13 and joined the protests against the water utility's exorbitant price increase.

The executive secretary of the transportation federation of Cochabamba, José Luis Veizaga, said that the strike is effective, with barricades blocking highways to the outlying rural areas. A meeting between different civic organizations rejected a 35 percent rate hike for water consumption, which was adopted by local authorities. Police were deployed around bridges to prevent protesters from blocking public transportation.

"We hope the government provides concrete proposals. Otherwise we will increase the pressure," stated Mauricio Barrientos, president of the local civic committee.

In December, the government of President Hugo Banzer faced angry protests as public transportation unionists took to the streets to oppose increased gasoline prices. Many people were wounded, as police attacked the protesters.  
 

Indonesia: protesters shut plant

Protesters halted power for several days to a large industrial park on the Indonesian island of Bintan, which is close to Singapore. Several hundred villagers armed with knives and spears shut the plant that provides electricity to 27 factories in an estate operated as a joint venture between Singaporean, Japanese, and other foreign investors. The villagers are demanding more generous compensation for land taken away from them to build the estate and a nearby tourist resort.

"If the situation isn't resolved, there will be a loss of confidence in Indonesia's economic climate and local authorities," said Tay Siew Choon, managing director of Semb-Corp Industries, the Singapore firm that manages the Bintan Industrial Park.  
 

Fuel prices surge, inflation low

Energy prices surged 13.4 percent—the biggest annual increase since 1990—boosting overall consumer prices by 2.7 percent in 1999. Leading the way were fuel oil prices, which rose 30.9 percent last year, the largest gain since 1979. Gasoline prices were also up by 30.1 percent. Aside from energy costs, most other prices posted the smallest annual gain since 1965.

While Labor Secretary Alexis Herman hailed the low inflation rate as further proof of a booming economy, the Wall Street Journal pointed to a survey conducted by the National Association for Business Economics that it describes as "beginning to detect the first signs of gathering storm clouds."

"All of the precursors for a creeping, longer-term period of inflation are in place," said Diane Swonk, president of the organization. "You get a sense of straws mounting on the camel's back."

In other economic news, the Labor Department announced January 14 that wages—adjusted for inflation—averaged $13.24 an hour in 1999, up 3.6 percent from the 1998 average of $12.78.  
 

Prisoners win lawsuit against authorities for abuse

Some 2,100 inmates from Missouri won a $2.2 million settlement in class-action lawsuit filed against abuse by prison authorities. Videotaped shakedowns showed jail guards beating and kicking prisoners, who had been sent to private jails in Texas from 1995-97 because of overcrowding in Missouri.

The prisons were run by Capitol Corrections Resources Inc. The state of Missouri admitted no liability in the settlement, but agreed to a five-year moratorium on sending prisoners to jails run by this company, except under special circumstances. The inmates will share $1.12 million. The rest goes to cover lawyers' fees.

In a related development, the Supreme Court on January 18 upheld a lower court's ruling permitting Alabama prisoners to segregate hundreds of inmates who have tested HIV positive. They can be prevented from participating in educational programs and religious services where other prisoners congregate. Only Alabama, Mississippi, and South Carolina state prison systems enforce such a policy.

—BRIAN WILLIAMS  
 
 
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