Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 8 December 2000 — Page 7

' . • • m FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8,2000 THE IND1ANAPOUS RECORDER PAQEA7 ,:

International News

In Nigeria, emotions run high at human rights hearings ^AGOS (IPS) — Sighs, hisses, jefrs arid tears have marked the oj^ening public sessions of the nejvly-formed Human Rights AntiVjplation Investigation Commission, set up to look into reported abuses committed following the ippitary coup of December 1983. ^Headed by retired Supreme Court Judge Chukwudifii Oputa, commission is slated to hear m^re than 85 petitions during its session. f The commission, which also plans to sit in three other venues rojimd the country, began its work l^st month in Abuja, the nation’s capital. The public sittings end on March 9 of next year. President Olusegun Obasanjo testified during the Abuja session itf .a petition brought by his son Ctyenga. The younger Obasanjo is seeking justice and restitution horn the commission for the alleged “iinlawful conviction” of his father in the phantom coup against late delator Sani Abachain 1995. Seveptl other cases have been filed before the commission over the phantom coup attempt. A tearful Akinterinwa testified how her 52-year-old husband, a rear admiral who retired in 1992 after 30 years of military service, was gunned down by three men in tlipir home the presence of her teenage son. The 52-year-old mother of five alleged that a serving junior naval officer who was in her house prevrhted the quick evacuation of her husband for medical help. ‘ : “A111 want from the commisston is to confirm what I know: that tHfe people who killed my husband Wire government people,” she said between sobs. 0 “‘We heard that my husband was killed because the Abacha govemrrifent felt he was a member of NADECO and this is not true,” -r

Akinterinwa said. NADECO is the acronym for the National Democratic Coalition, the main opposition to the government at the time. “If a man like Rear Adm. Olu Omotenhinwa could be killed, I felt I was not safe. I didn’t want any more killings in my family. I had to protect my children,” she said. Charges of vote-rigging plague campaigns in Trinidad & Tobago PORT OF SPAIN (IPS) — Observers from the Commonwealth have arrived in this southern Caribbean country to monitor the Dec. 11 polls amid complaints from the main opposition party that the upcoming elections may be rigged. Already there have been allegations of irregularities in the electoral process. There have been police searches at the homes of senior ruling party officials. And a government minister has been dismissed amid ongoing investigations into alleged acts of corruption. Both the police and the Electoral Boundaries Commission (EBC) have refused to comment on claims by the opposition that it had uncovered a plan by the ruling party to shift voters from safe constituencies to the so-called five marginal seats. The police have raided and searched the homes and offices of a number of senior United National Congress (UNC) members, including that of Communications and Works Minister Sadiq Baksh, who is also the ruling party’s campaign manager. In addition. Foreign Affairs Minister Ralph Maraj was questioned after he admitted on a television show that “over-enthusias-tic” party supporters who were part of the plan to pad the voters’ list had approached him. In the midst of the allegations, the Jamaat A1 Muslimeen, a radi-

cal Muslim group that staged a bloody unsuccessful coup in 1990, released audio recordings of telephone conversations linking UNC party activists to the voter-padding scheme. Prime Minister Basdeo Panday himself has dismissed the allegations, agreeing with political scientist Dr. Hamid Ghany that there had to be collusion between the EBC and the UNC for the scheme to succeed. The EBC, for its part, has pointed to its own integrity even though newspaper reports indicate that it is “split over how to handle the allegation.” The final voters list for the polls was scheduled to be released Nov. 20.' But political analysts say the outcome of the polls, which Panday has termed “the mother of all battles,” is likely to mirror the results of the 1995 elections when the two major political parties won 17 seats each. The historic tie was eventually split when the National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR), with two seats, won in neighboring Tobago and joined the UNC to provide the country with its first IndoTrinidadian head of government. The election campaign so far has not featured issues likely to affect the country’s future socioeconomic conditions in a changing global environment, with many political analysts and newspaper columnists agreeing that race is the factor that will determine the outcome of the December polls. Trinidad and Tobago is almost evenly divided between the two major races here, with the IndoTrinidadian favoring the Indianbased UNC while the AfroTrinidadian will likely vote in support of the opposition PNM, which had ruled this country for 30 unbroken years until 1986.

On the town Floyd Edwards, Phyllis Bartleson and Bernetta Sloss-Tanner mingle during a reception during the Indiana Civil Rights Commission’s Hate Crimes Conference as singer Brenda Walls (I) grabs a bite to eat. (photo/Curtis Guynn).

Ask About Our SHARE MINUTES Plans!

MaaterPage MasterCam

■Keemo *ou w touch*

• Rockville & Raceway - 271-2229 • 10th & Lynhursl - 481-1003 • 96th & Allisonville - 578-0000 • 86th & Michigan - 875-9776 • 56th & Georgetown Rd - 293-6900 "• Greenwood - 882-4377 *k38th & Laf. Rd - 299-3399 $5841 Crawfordsville Rd - 241-6350 *• 10th & Shadeland - 359-6999 • 56th & Lafayette Rd - 388-8104

Limited time offer. • UNLIMITED WEEKENDS! • 200 Anytime Minutes for $29.99/mo. • NO activation fee! • FREE digital phone • FREE leather case FREE car charger

CELLULARONE

Digital Communication Service provided by CellularOne.

Prices do not include taxes, roaming, universal service tees, or other exactions. Wireless service is subject to credit approval, and early - (cancellation lees. Free Unlimited Weekends are from 10 p.m. Friday to 6 a m. Monday and are free tor length ot contract signed on select service plans only. Minimum 1 -year service agreement required. See store tor details. Otter expires 1/13/0t. Other restrictions may apply

gartering

NOW LOCATED IN THE MEADOWS 3830 MEADOWS DRIVE • 547-5900 Open For Business! 9:00 - 5:00 T\ies. - Fri. • 8:00 • 5:00 Sat. 'i Haircuts only

WE DO IT ALL: Tyht Jades ♦ Afros ♦ Designercuts ♦ Lines

Pre Kwanzaa Cultural Marketplace/Holiday Gifts

Saturday, December 9, 2000 12noon - 6pm Crispus Attacks Gym Sc Cafeteria 1140 Dr. Martin Luther King., Street ❖ African Centered Vendors ❖ How-to-do Kwanzaa workshops ❖ How-to-make Kwanzaa kits and crafts ❖ How-to-design Kwanzaa decorations ❖ Kwanzaa activities for Children ❖ Cultural Food IPS Parent Summit ~ 8:30am - 12:30pm Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu, Chicago — Guest Speaker ❖ FREE Admission

Come and share in this cultural experience of UJAMAA

For more information/vendor space call: 317.226.2430 or 926.3526

Sponsored by: The Indianapolis Kwanzw Cammittw fc ths flP$ Office of MuNcuRural Education

uppose a tree fell through your garage tonight... WHO WOULD COME THROUGH FOR YOU TOMORROW?

You’re inside your house, safe from the big storm. When, boom! Lightning strikes. Next thing you know, there’s a tree all the way through your garage roof. Taking care of claims like this is what American Family Insurance is all about. Over 70 years of experience means fast, efficient service and home protection you can trust. Life is unpredictable. That’s why it’s good to have a homeowners insurance policy you can count on. If a storm should put a tree through your garage tonight, it’s comforting to know you can depend on Family to come through for you tomorrow. Call one of our knowledgeable, friendly agents today. Or visit our website at www.amfam.com.

AMyiftAH FAMILY fOfr mAiTx in 'SlSZJ

Find out all the ways “Family” comes through for you!

All Your Protection Under One Roof. Check your locol directory tor the agent nearest you ceooo Anwtcan Family Mutu. Inuranc. CompOTy and *• SubaKkann. Hama ORica - MaOion. HI 53783 HomaOMoa Cofcjmbua. OH 43340 iwwam'amcom

} i »