[Onthebarricades] Ethnoreligious and miscellaneous protests, October 2008

[global resistance roundup]

Protests focused on group conflicts, politically dubious protests and a 
few which don't fit anywhere else

* AUSTRALIA: Abortion protesters target safety event
* US: Portland - abortion opponents oppose new HQ
* US: Yellowstone Valley - 100 in "life chain" protest
* BANGLADESH: Train passengers protest ticket forgery
* CAMEROON: Shutdown in anti-banditry protest
* PAKISTAN: Crime increase protested
* INDIA: Maharashtra - doctors strike against assaults
* MANIPUR: Women march against militants
* PAKISTAN: Sindh - protest against shanty towns
* MANIPUR: Protest over attack on bus
* INDIA: Dharna against murders
* NEW ZEALAND: Protest to support shopkeeper who beat alleged shoplifters
* MONTENEGRO: Unrest after recognition of Kosovo
* KOSOVO: Serbs, Albanians clash in Mitrovica
* INDIA: Maharashtra - arrest of bigoted politician sparks protests by 
supporters
* TURKEY: Nationalists rally against Ergenekon trial
* INDIA: Congress supporters protest Tamils
* US: Protest over politician's affair
* CANADA: Harper faces Conservative protests, infighting
* HONG KONG, SINGAPORE: Lehman investors protest
* KUWAIT: Stock traders protest instability
* THAILAND: Beer listing protested
* SOUTH AFRICA: ANC activists target breakaway group
* IRELAND: Soldiers' relatives protest barracks closure
* ISRAEL: Protests over captured soldier continue
* SOUTH AFRICA: Clashes between supporters, opponents of boundary change
* BRAZIL: Police battle police
* BULGARIA: Rightist protest camp sparks political fallout
* SPAIN: Police protest over pay, conditions
* BANGLADESH: 50 injured in student group clashes
* INDIA: Factional clashes newsclippings
* NEPAL: Clash between youth factions
* SOUTH AFRICA: ANC, IFP clash
* BANGLADESH: Parties clash
* KENYA: Deaths, displacement in water clashes
* PAKISTAN: Deaths in hill ownership dispute
* PAKISTAN: Karachi - Robbery escalates into clashes across city
* PAPUA NEW GUINEA: "Stolen ciggie leads to tribal clash"
* NIGERIA: Farmers, herdsmen clash
* KENYA: Rivals fight over ranch
* UGANDA: Rival grouns in food raiding
* BANGLADESH: Fishermen clash
* UGANDA: 1 killed in herder-farmer clashes
* ASSAM: Ethnic clashes, police shootings kill dozens
* MEXICO: Punks, emos clash
* GHANA: Students injured in faction clashes
* BANGLADESH: Group clashes
* NIGERIA: Unrest grips Obajana
* GHANA: Rival parties clash
* NAMIBIA: Swapo supporters disrupt opposition event
* AUSTRIA: Street fight over tightrope event
* TURKEY: Anti-Kurdish unrest after van deaths
* CANADA: Prison guards protest for impunity
* INDONESIA: Muslims rally for "porn" bill
* INDONESIA: Islamists revolt after jailing of leader
* PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Clashes and payback raids over stolen cabbage










http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24564466-29277,00.html?from=public_rss

Abortion protest hijacks safety show
AAP
October 28, 2008 12:26pm
ABORTION protesters have disrupted a road safety campaign launch 
attended by grieving relatives in Melbourne.
About 10 protesters waved placards and posters of aborted foetuses at 
the launch of the road toll campaign at Federation Square.
The launch included moving testimonies of families who had lost loved 
ones in road smashes.
At one point, protesters compared the road toll to abortion statistics 
and accused Premier John Brumby of hypocrisy.
Mr Brumby had joined police and road safety officials for the launch of 
a Transport Accident Commission (TAC) exhibition.
The exhibition, Car Crash Reality Check, features two real car wrecks 
and stories from accident victims, their families and police.
The protesters yelled out as Mr Brumby addressed the media and were 
urged by his advisers and police to show some respect.
Mr Brumby was heckled as he made his way to his car.
Earlier this month, the Victorian Parliament passed the Abortion Law 
Reform Bill which decriminalises abortion, giving women open access to 
terminations up to 24 weeks.






http://www.katu.com/news/local/32630304.html

Clinic's groundbreaking draws crowd of protesters

YouNews™
Story Published: Oct 22, 2008 at 6:04 PM PST
Story Updated: Nov 21, 2008 at 3:22 AM PST
By Brian Barker KATU News and KATU.com Web Staff
Video
PORTLAND, Ore. – Planned Parenthood broke ground Wednesday on a new 
regional headquarters in northeast Portland, and more than 150 
protesters turned out with signs to crash the party.
Protesters say the new 40,000 square foot building, to be constructed 
near the intersection of Northeast Beech Street and Martin Luther King 
Jr. Boulevard, should not be built because it will offer abortion services.
They came from a group of religious organizations around the Portland area.
Organizers of the protest gathered hundreds of signatures to try to get 
the Portland Development Commission to deny the application to build on 
the site, which is on a piece of city-owned property.
Protesters said bringing abortion services to the neighborhood is a way 
of targeting the poor and African Americans. It also promotes a 
promiscuous lifestyle among young people, they said.
"We do not want Planned Parenthood building a facility where they are 
going to kill unborn babies in this town because … those babies are all 
innocent human beings," said protester Christina Degoede. "That's not 
acceptable for us."
But Planned Parenthood officials say they are building there to help all 
people who need preventative health care services.
"Abortion is a really small percentage of what we do, less than 5 
percent," said Liz Delapoer of Planned Parenthood. "Ninety-five percent 
of our services focus on preventative health care."
Planned Parenthood officials said they help 60,000 people a year in the 
northwest.
The new facility would be one of the biggest in the United States.
Planned Parenthood officials have said in the past that the organization 
supplies the so-called abortion pill to about 17 people per month in its 
current clinic in northeast Portland.
The new clinic is expected to open in early 2010.
And protesters say they will return to the site frequently.






http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2008/10/06/news/local/39-lifechain.txt

Life Chain brings 100 to busy intersection to protest abortion
By LAURA TODE
Of The Gazette Staff
More than 100 pro-life supporters gathered at one of Billings' busiest 
West End intersections Sunday for the annual Life Chain, sponsored by 
the Yellowstone Valley Christians for Life. They held signs with 
messages that drew attention to the issue of abortion, but the event at 
the intersection of King Avenue and 24th Street West was not to protest 
abortion, organizers said. Instead, it was intended to be an opportunity 
for prayer and to provide awareness.

"The Life Chain is key this year because it's an election year," said 
Grace Reif, president of Yellowstone Valley Christians for Life. "We're 
not a political organization, but it is important for people to be 
aware. The (political) parties are so different on this issue people 
need to know."

Concerns about the upcoming election brought Irene Snortland, a senior 
citizen, to the Life Chain event where she held a sign that said "Pray 
to end abortion." Snortland recently joined a group of women at the St. 
Benedict's Catholic Church in Roundup that prays the rosary for victims 
of abortion, women considering abortion and women who may be suffering 
the physical or emotional effects of abortion.

Although the Life Chain has been held in Billings for several years, it 
was the first time Snortland volunteered.

"I always wanted to get involved, but didn't know what I could do," she 
said.

Snortland was among a wide range of people at the gathering. There were 
pastors and priests from various local churches, families with young 
children and young people.

"We all work to defend life for different reasons," Reif said. "For as 
many people there are out here, there are that many reasons."

Isabella Sutton, 15, joined the Life Chain because she believes that if 
teenagers see other teenagers who are opposed to abortion they will 
realize abortion is not just an issue that is important to adults.

Sutton held a sign that said, "Life is the first inalienable right."

"I just want to speak out to other teenagers," she said.

Reif said there were more teenagers involved this year than she had seen 
in the past.

"They're our hope for tomorrow and they safely made it through that 
stage as an infant in the womb," she said.

The Life Chain, which is always held on the first Sunday in October, is 
one of three annual events hosted by the Yellowstone Valley Christians 
for Life. The organization also has a float in the Christmas parade and 
holds a March for Life on the January anniversary of the U.S. Supreme 
Court Roe v. Wade decision, which legalized abortion.

Every Wednesday, members of the Yellowstone Valley Christians for Life 
gather at Planned Parenthood on Wicks Lane to pray during the time 
abortions are performed at the clinic.

Throughout the hour-long Life Chain event, there were few encounters 
with rude motorists who disagreed with the messages supporters were 
carrying.

"Most people are happy and waving, which has been good," Reif said.






http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=58199

Published On: 2008-10-11
Metropolitan
Train passengers protest ticket forgery in Rajshahi
RU Correspondent

Padma Express, a Dhaka-bound train, left Rajshahi railway station 
yesterday one hour after the scheduled time following a demonstration 
staged by its passengers.

Sources said at least four passengers got into the train, scheduled to 
leave at 4:00pm, with the same ticket numbers for one seat.

The passengers demanded their own seats and at a one stage, a scuffle 
broke out among the same ticket holders. Later, they informed the ticket 
checker of the train about their ticket forgery.

The agitating passengers later re-organised and staged a demonstration 
inside the station compound, sources added.

Following the demonstration, a huge number of police and Rapid Action 
Battalion (Rab) personnel rushed to the spot and brought the situation 
under control.

Hafizul Islam, a passenger of the train, alleged that his ticket number 
is Cha-13881965 and he found four passengers of the same tickets for one 
seat.

General Manager of Rajshahi Railway Mushfiqur Rahman and other high 
officials rushed to the spot and assured the passengers of taking action 
against those responsible for the computerised ticket seller employees.

When contacted, the general manager told newsmen that some computerised 
ticket sellers might be involved in suck kind of phony acts.

“We have already formed a three-member probe committee to investigate 
the forgery. We also arranged an additional train for the rest of the 
passengers,” he added.







http://allafrica.com/stories/200810060495.html

Cameroon: Calm Returns to Bepanda after Protest
Effa Tambenkongho
3 October 2008
The youths were on strike after complaining of banditry and harassment 
in the neighbourhood.
The inhabitants of Bepanda were on a protest march on October 1, 
complaining of a lot of banditry and crime wave in the area. The 
inhabitants gathered with placards condemning banditry before the 
seventh Police Station in Bepanda. They called on the police to act 
because they are tired of seeing their daughters and wives being raped, 
their goods stolen, their young men wounded by armed bandits.
The population had complained on September 30th calling on the police to 
intervene and help them out. According to them no action was taken and 
they blamed the forces of law and order for laxity. They complained it 
is disheartening there is a police station in their neighbourhood but 
armed bandits stroll in and harm them and leave successfully.
The inhabitants gathered and had a discussion with the commissioner of 
Police and the Divisional Officer for Douala V. They came out with a 
Communiqué which was disclosed only to the striking population and 
signed by Ngounou Gabriel the Divisional Officer.
The Civil Administrator in a bid to reinforce security promised to 
reinstate local vigilante groups which had been dissolved and this time 
around will be reinstated after a scrupulous study of the lists of 
nominees proposed by the inhabitants to be in the groups.
It is worth noting that in the neighbourhood had been terrorised by 
armed men who apart from looting, battery, wounding the inhabitants also 
raped the women, and according to the inhabitants there was no response 
from the forces of Law and Order despite clarion calls by the 
inhabitants for police intervention.
The police represented by the Second Commander boss, decried lack of 
personnel, while calling on the population to collaborate by revealing 
the bandits and their hideouts. The striking inhabitants dispersed 
satisfied with the decision which was reached by the authorities.
It is worth remarking that some three ladies and goods worth more than 
FCFA three million, and human damages were registered in the area within 
the last five weeks.
(Cameroon Tribune)






http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=142357

Protest against sudden increase in crimes Wednesday, October 22, 2008
By our correspondent

NAUSHAHROFEROZE: Dozens of shopkeepers here on Tuesday staged a 
demonstration at the local press club to protest against the sudden 
increase in crimes in the jurisdiction of Kandiaro and Halani police 
stations.

The protesters said that law and order situation was poor in the 
jurisdiction of both police stations. They alleged that cases of 
plunder, abduction and theft were increasing in the jurisdiction of 
Kandiaro and Halani police stations but the local police were not taking 
steps to curb the increasing trend of crimes in the area.

The protesters were carrying banners and placards and demanded 
intervention by higher authorities. Meanwhile, DPO Naushahroferoze Nisar 
Ahmed Channa while talking to newsmen in his office on Tuesday claimed 
that police had arrested notorious dacoit Ghulam Shabir Depar who was 
wanted in 10 cases of looting, murder and abduction.







http://story.indiagazette.com/index.php/ct/9/cid/701ee96610c884a6/id/416767/cs/1/

Doctors in Maharashtra on strike to protest assaults
India Gazette
Friday 10th October, 2008
(IANS)
Private medical practitioners in Maharashtra observed a token strike 
Friday to protest the growing incidents of assaults on their fraternity 
members and the government's failure in enacting a law for their 
protection, an Indian Medical Association (IMA) spokesperson said.

Private practitioners kept their clinics and consultancies shut while 
hospitals refused to entertain cases in the out-patient departments or 
admit new cases except emergencies, IMA president-elect and state unit 
member Ashok Adhao told IANS.

Doctors in government hospitals have been urged to wear black badges on 
duty he said, claiming a 'fairly good' response to the association's appeal.

'Only a small number of cases of assaults on doctors get reported as the 
victims themselves are reluctant to make police complaints,' Adhao said.

Pointing out that it was only a token strike wherein care was being 
taken not to inconvenience patients or neglect emergencies, Adhao said 
the objective of the IMA was to highlight the members' plight to the 
society and the authorities.

While silent sit-in demonstrations were held in various cities, 
including Nagpur, Pune and Chandrapur, doctors took out a silent 
procession in Aurangabad.








http://www.newkerala.com/topstory-fullnews-32854.html

Women in Manipur protest against atrocities by militants
By L.C.K Singh, Imphal, Oct. 14: Women in Manipur were recently out on 
the streets to protest against the atrocities committed by the militants.
They took out a torch rally in west Imphal last week against militant 
groups. The women condemned the underground groups as criminals who were 
operating in the guise of revolutionaries.

The protestors said that the worst sufferers of militants' atrocities 
were women, as it is the women who suffer the most when the family's 
breadwinner loses his life.

They carried placards reading 'Humans should not torture humans' 'In the 
name of revolution, don't extort money'.

Meena Devi, one of the participants, said: "We are participating in this 
protest to express our grievances. We request the militants not to hurt 
innocent people. We are expressing our unhappiness through this."

Chanchan Devi, another participant in the street march, said: "We do not 
agree with the militants throwing bombs at local residents. They 
consider innocent people as worthless beings and this is not right. That 
is why we are protesting against them."

The women's protest march was carried out following a recent grenade 
attack on the house of Khamba Singh, an engineer working in the state's 
electricity department.

Militants here wish to keep people under control by arousing fear among 
them. Every one in Manipur is wondering why the militants attacked 
simple government servants, who are trying to work despite the limited 
resources available at their disposal.

Anita Devi, a local resident, said ;"Militants throwing bombs at an 
innocent civilian's house is not right and we are protesting to voice 
against such activities. We are taking this step to tell them to stop 
such activities."

Bimolini Devi, another woman, said: "If these things keep on happening 
frequently, it will be very difficult for us to live on. We want them to 
stop such activities as soon as possible. This is our urgent request to 
the revolutionaries."

The placards carried by the women protestors read : 'Does revolution 
means destroying peace', 'Torturing family members is not revolution'. 
The placards reflected the dislike of Manipuris in general of the 
underground groups.

Local residents are today well aware that the so called revolutionaries 
are basically extortionists and do not reflect the aspirations of the 
people of the state.
--- ANI






[NOTE: Katchi abadis are shanty-towns. I have no idea why local 
separatists are protesting against legalisation.]
http://www.dawn.com/2008/10/07/rss.htm#e3

Protests against Katchi Abadi regularisation NAUSHAHRO FEROZE:The 
activists of Jeay Sindh Mahaz took out a rally in Moro on Monday 
demanding of the Sindh government to withdraw its announcement about the 
regularisation of 450 katchi abadis in Karachi. JSM (J) activists led by 
their leaders, Mohammad Hashim Khoso, Ahmed Khan Chandio and Sikandar 
Jarwar, took out a rally from Shaheed Abdul Razzaq Soomro chowk and 
after marching through Shahi Bazaar, National Highway and other roads, 
reached opposite local press club where they observed token hunger 
strike. (Posted @ 04:32 PST)






http://www.newkerala.com/topstory-fullnews-37150.html

Bandh called to protest attack on passenger bus
Imphal, Oct 27 : The All Manipur Inter-State Bus Association today 
called a 12-hour Manipur bandh on October 29 to protest the torching of 
a tourist bus with passengers on board, leading to the death of two 
people, on October 23 at Lahorijan, Assam, by suspected Kuki militants.
President of the association Athokpam Budha Luwang said considering the 
frequent attacks on vehicles in Assam and Nagaland, it was decided to 
suspend all inter-state bus services.

The association said many militant groups on truce with the government 
were involved in extorting money from transporters from Manipur.

Besides huge monetary demands by militants, security personnel were also 
involved in illegal tax collection from passenger bus services 
transporting people of Manipur to Nagaland, Assam and Meghalaya, the 
association alleged.

The association and other organisations supporting the cause of the 
passenger bus services today submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister O 
Ibobi Singh urging him to ensure protection of the passengers especially 
on National Highways 39 and 53.

The Union Surface Transport Ministry and Union Home Ministry were also 
apprised of the frequent harassment of passengers on the highways.

The United National Liberation Front (UNLF), United Committee Manipur 
(UCM) and other organisations also condemned the killing of the two 
passengers, including a woman.
--- UNI






http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/16/stories/2008101656110300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Nellore

MRPS stages protest
Nellore: Activists of Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi (MRPS) on 
Wednesday organised a dharna in front of the Collectorate protesting the 
violence and the brutal killing of six persons in Bhainsa in Adilabad.
The protestors raised slogans demanding that the government book the 
culprits and take steps to bring normalcy in the area.
-Staff Reporter





http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/newsdetail1.asp?storyID=146765

Protest outside court for shop owner
24/10/2008 6:49:49
Supporters of an Auckland liquor store owner who want charges against 
him withdrawn are stepping up their campaign.
Virender Singh is charged with injuring with intent after a brawl 
outside his liquor store in Otara earlier this month with youths he 
suspected were shoplifting. Singh claims he was stabbed while holding 
down one of the youths.
Police say the law allows for shop owners to use reasonable force to 
defend themselves, but those who clearly exceed that force can expect to 
be arrested.
A protest by members of the Indian Central Association will take place 
outside the Manukau District Court at 10am, coinciding with Singh's 
appearance. Organiser Veer Khar is expecting a sizeable turnout. He says 
people are sick of being told how to run their lives and want 
reassurance they can walk the streets without being beaten up. Mr Khar 
says law and order is a national issue and not one pertaining to any 
particular community.





http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Montenegro-Dozens-Hurt-In-Clashes-As-Pro-Serbians-Protest-Against-Recogition-Of-Kosovo-Independence/Article/200810215120017?f=rss

Montenegro Protests Turn Violent
12:12am UK, Tuesday October 14, 2008
Police in Montenegro have used tear gas to disperse hundreds of 
demonstrators at a mass rally against a government decision to recognise 
the independence of Kosovo.

Riot police clash with protesters in Podgorica
At least 34 people, including 23 policemen, were injured and admitted to 
Podgorica's emergency medical centre, its manager, Vladimir Dobricanin, 
said.
Most of those hospitalised suffered slight injuries caused by stones or 
"direct clashes", he said.
Police said they had detained 28 people.
Earlier some 10,000 pro-Serb opposition supporters rallied to demand 
that the government of Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic revoke its 
recognition of Serbia's breakaway province.
But as the demonstration officially ended, some protesters broke the 
police cordon in front of the parliament building in central Podgorica, 
throwing stones and breaking windows, according to witnesses.
Police then fired tear gas and broke up the crowd. Several groups of 
hooligans continued running through the capital, breaking windows and 
setting fire to containers.

Kosovans celebrate independence
Police blocked Podgorica's main boulevard, Sveti Petar Cetinjski, and 
surrounding streets, cordoning off government buildings.
The situation calmed down in the evening but a major police presence 
remained.
Police said in a statement: "New protests will be banned considering 
violent behaviour at the rally."
Last week Montenegro recognised the unilaterally proclaimed independence 
of Kosovo, despite strong opposition from its former federal partner 
Serbia and pro-Serb opposition parties in Podgorica.
The protest, called by four opposition parties in favour of closer ties 
with Serbia, set a deadline of Wednesday at 11am for the government to 
revoke its "illegal decision" and for parliament to call a referendum on 
whether Montenegro should recognise the independence.
Protesters chanted "treason, treason" and "Kosovo is Serbia", as well as 
slogans against Mr Djukanovic, accusing him of "betraying Kosovo".
Bishop Amfilohije Radovic of the Serbian Orthodox Church said: "This is 
the most shameful decision in the history of Montenegro."
There is a strong Serb community in Montenegro, with more than 30% of 
the 650,000 population describing themselves as Serbian.
Montenegro separated from Serbia and proclaimed independence in 2006 
after a majority of Montenegrins approved the move in a referendum.
Kosovo proclaimed independence in February and has so far been 
recognised by 50 nations, including the UK, most EU countries and the 
United States.
The latest to do so were Serbia's neighbours bordering Kosovo, 
Montenegro and Macedonia, sparking an angry reaction from Belgrade, 
which in turn asked ambassadors of the two former Yugoslav republics to 
leave Serbia.






http://news.scotsman.com/latestnews/ProSerbia-protests-rock-Montenegro.4587647.jp

Pro-Serbia protests rock Montenegro

Published Date: 14 October 2008
By ANGUS HOWARTH
POLICE fired tear gas at thousands of angry pro-Serb Montenegrins who 
pelted state buildings with rocks and flares to protest their 
government's recognition of Kosovo's independence last night. At least 
34 people were injured.
The protesters chanted "Treason! Treason!" and "Kosovo is Serbia!" to 
condemn the government's decision last week to recognise Kosovo, the 
former Serbian province which declared its independence in February.

Eleven protesters and 23 police officers were injured during the running 
clashes in downtown Podgorica, Montenegro's capital, hospital officials 
said. Police said 28 demonstrators were arrested.

Earlier, about 10,000 protesters gave the country's pro-western 
government until tomorrow to withdraw its recognition of Kosovo, or they 
would try to topple it "by unparliamentary means."

"This is the biggest shame in Montenegrin history," Andrija Mandic, a 
leader of the pro-Serbian opposition in the parliament, told a rally in 
Podgorica.

He and other pro-Serbian officials demanded a referendum on Kosovo's 
recognition. About 35 per cent of Montenegro's population of 650,000 
declare themselves as Serbs.

After Montenegro and Macedonia, Serbia's neighbours, recognised Kosovo 
on Thursday, Belgrade expelled the two Balkan countries' ambassadors and 
threatened additional retaliatory measures. Serbia, Montenegro and 
Macedonia were once all part of Yugoslavia.

Montenegro, considered Serbia's closest ally, did not split from Serbia 
until 2006.







http://www.b92.net//eng/news/region-article.php?yyyy=2008&mm=10&dd=14&nav_id=54211

Podgorica peaceful after protests 14 October 2008 | 10:32 | Source: B92, 
Beta, Tanjug Belgrade, Podgorica -- The Montenegrin police arrested 28 
people during yesterday’s protest against Podgorica’s recognition of 
Kosovo independence.

Yesterday night's clashes in Podgorica (FoNet)
34 people were injured, according to police.

Following the violence, the police have decided to ban the next 
anti-Kosovo independence rally, scheduled by the opposition for October 16.

The rioting ended at about 21:00 CET last night, and the rest of the 
night was calm in Podgorica.

The injured included 23 police officers and 11 civilians. Cars were 
destroyed, along with shop fronts, state buildings, while all of 
Podgorica was covered in tear gas.

A video of the protest is being studied in order to identify some of the 
more serious trouble-makers and to establish the responsibility of the 
protest organizers.

The violence broke out at the end of the rally, when the last speaker, 
Serbian List leader Andrija Mandić, warned of violent demonstrations if 
the Montenegrin government did not revoke its decision to recognize 
Kosovo’s unilateral independence declaration by Wednesday.

“You remember what once happened when we went up to the government. 
There was a bit of tear gas and that was it, and then the people were 
declared terrorists. What we are standing for today is supported by 
two-thirds of Montenegro, and we will not allow tear gas to kill the 
will of the majority,” he said.

The violence broke out when several hundred younger demonstrators, their 
faces covered with hoods and caps, broke through a barricade and started 
throwing stones, flares and bottles at the police.

Mandić and Montenegrin Church official Afilohije Radović tried 
unsuccessfully to calm the crowd down.

Police fired tear gas at the hooligans, but then the violence later 
spread throughout the city, as windows on government buildings and store 
fronts were smashed all around the city, while the opposition and church 
leaders took cover behind the parliament building.

Before the violence, opposition leaders addressed some 10,000 people, 
who had come from all parts of Montenegro, calling on the government to 
revoke its decision to recognize Kosovo by Wednesday.

Chants of “betrayal” were heard and many Serbian flags could be seen, 
along with Chetnik iconography.

Police are expected to submit a detailed report of the events later in 
the day.

Mandić has also started a hunger strike in front of the Montenegro 
parliament, as he promised during the protest, after he was banned from 
doing so inside the parliament building or on parliament property.







http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/articles/2008/10/14/34_hurt_at_protest_over_kosovo_policy/

34 hurt at protest over Kosovo policy
October 14, 2008
Montenegro
PODGORICA - Police fired tear gas yesterday at thousands of angry 
pro-Serb Montenegrins who pelted state buildings with rocks and flares 
to protest their government's recognition of Kosovo's independence. At 
least 34 were injured. The protesters chanted "Kosovo is Serbia!" to 
condemn the government's decision last week. Eleven protesters and 23 
police officers were injured during the running clashes in downtown 
Podgorica, hospital officials said. (AP)







http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=97865

Montenegro Protesters Clash with Police over Kosovo
14 October 2008, Tuesday

Clashes with the police erupted in Podgorica at a rally against the 
government's decision to recognise Kosovo's independence. Photo by B92.net
Protesters in Podgorica have clashed with police at a rally against the 
government's decision to recognise Kosovo's independence.

Police have deployed tear gas against protestors after rioting broke out 
and least 20 people were injured. Policemen were also injured as stones 
and flaming torches were thrown at parliament buildings.

Last week Montenegro joined the US in recognising Kosovo's unilateral 
declaration of independence from Serbia, thus enraging the traditional 
ally, which responded by expelling the Montenegrin ambassador from Belgrade.

Opposition parties, which organized the protest against the government's 
decision, declared that by recognizing Kosovo, the authorities had cast 
shame on Montenegro and taken a decision that ran completely counter to 
the will of the people and Montenegro's historical and current interests.

The National Party (NS) labeled the act of recognition an "unscrupulous 
and unfriendly act towards Serbia."







http://www.b92.net//eng/news/crimes-article.php?yyyy=2008&mm=10&dd=31&nav_id=54632

Serbs, Albanians clash in K. Mitrovica 31 October 2008 | 10:17 | Source: 
Beta, Tanjug KOSOVSKA MITROVICA -- Five people have suffered minor 
injuries during clashes between Serbs and Albanians in northern Kosovska 
Mitrovica.

Dušan Petrović, a doctor at Kosovska Mitrovica hospital, told Tanjug 
that the patients were discharged after receiving treatment, and their 
lives were not in danger.

The town’s deputy Kosovo Police Service commander, Predrag Vasović, told 
Tanjug that the incident had been triggered when a group of Albanians 
crossed over to the northern Mitrovica with the intention of rebuilding 
their houses, that were destroyed in 1999.

"A group of Serbs gathered round and stood in their path, and that’s 
when the clashes broke out. They used crowbars and wooden bats,” Vasović 
said.

Immediately after the incident, that part of Mitrovica was cordoned off 
by UN police and KFOR.

Serb National Council President Milan Ivanović told Tanjug that ethnic 
Albanians had come to the northern part of the town with the clear 
intention of provoking an incident.







http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/oct/21raj5.htm

Raj's arrest sparks protests in Pune, Nashik

October 21, 2008 11:47 IST


Sporadic incidents of stone pelting at municipal and private buses were 
reported from Pune on Tuesday morning following the arrest of 
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray [Images] in Ratnagiri.
In Kothrud area, some alleged MNS activists damaged a company's bus that 
was taking its employees to workplace.

Elsewhere, a few Pune Municipal Transport buses were stoned by 
miscreants, police said.

Meanwhile, police have picked up around 100 MNS activists, including 
some corporators on Monday night as a preventive measure.

In Nashik, MNS activists set ablaze a truck near Public Works Department 
minister Chhagan Bhujbal's farm on Tuesday morning and also damaged 
another truck at Vilholi-Phata area, police said.

Incidents of stone pelting on Maharashtra State Road Transport 
Coporation buses and other vehicles were reported in some areas, the 
police said, adding vehicular traffic on the busy Mumbai-Agra-national 
highway was disrupted following the protest.

Also, police have rounded up 70 MNS activists in Nashik so far in 
connection with these incidents and security has been tightened in the city.

In Solapur, incidents of stone pelting on state transport buses around 
0630 hours has also been reported, the police added.







http://www.rediff.com/money/2008/oct/22mns.htm

Retailers bear the brunt of MNS protests

BS Reporters in Mumbai | October 22, 2008 09:48 IST

Protests following the arrest of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj 
Thackeray on Tuesday crippled retail businesses in and around Mumbai, 
the commercial capital of the country. MNS activists forced shopkeepers 
to shut down on Tuesday, barely a few days before Diwali, the busiest 
sale season, which could translate into serious financial loss for the 
retailers.
Leading retailers such as Kishore Biyani-controlled Big Bazaar, Mukesh 
Ambani-run Reliance [Get Quote] Fresh, Aditya Birla's More, among 
others, downed shutters during the day. Their cumulative loss could not 
be ascertained.
Big Bazaar, which runs eight stores in Mumbai, closed at least half of 
them in the city, which is expected to result in a loss of Rs 40-50 lakh 
(Rs 4-5 million), according to a company executive.
"When costs are fixed and business is not happening, it is a big blow to 
retailers. One day, they ask you to put hoardings in local language and 
another day, they force us to close stores. It is becoming difficult to 
conduct business here," said a chief executive of a leading electronics 
retail chain, who did not wish to be named.
Consumer durables retailers, who were already seeing slower sales 
because of an economic downturn, said sales have further plunged as 
customers stayed away from shops.
Vijay Sales, a consumer durables dealer chain, admitted to a 50 per cent 
drop in sales due to the tension-filled atmosphere in the city.
Sufi Electronics claimed a 75 per cent drop in sales on Tuesday as a 
result of the violence in the city. The dealer also admitted that this 
year, despite Dhanteras and Diwali, barely a week away, sales have 
remained poor compared with that a year earlier.
While BPO firms like WNS, Intelenet and others had regular attendance, 
some said firms were allowing employees in the second shift to leave early.
By and large, offices were well attended, even as stray incidents of 
violence were reported during the day. The suburban railway system and 
the bus service of Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport remained 
unaffected.
Bank branches were functioning normally, though there were fewer 
customers. Employees at public-sector establishments, including 
insurance firms, headed home early.






http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2008/10/23/2003426721

Three killed in riots after Indian politician’s arrest

AFP, MUMBAI
Thursday, Oct 23, 2008, Page 5
Three people were killed in overnight rioting in India’s Maharashtra 
state after the arrest of a firebrand politician accused of inciting 
violence against migrant workers, police said yesterday.
State police chief A.N. Roy said that the three died in clashes between 
supporters of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Raj Thackeray and 
what he called “outsiders” near the town of Kalyan, northeast of Mumbai.

Roy said that a “large” number of police officers had been deployed and 
he was confident they could contain the violence.

“We have made all preparations,” he said.

Thackeray was arrested on Tuesday and later released on conditional bail 
in connection with weekend attacks on northern Indians who had come to 
Mumbai to seek work on the railways.

His party strongly supports jobs for local people and promotes the use 
of the Marathi language and culture, which frequently puts it at odds 
with wider efforts to encourage a stronger national identity and a 
mobile workforce.

MNS activists claimed Maharashtrians were under-represented in the 
railways’ recruitment process and attacked examination centers and 
candidates.

On Sunday one northern Indian man died after falling off a train, 
allegedly after being attacked by MNS supporters, and northern Indians 
were also among the dead in the Kalyan clashes, media reported.

Some 2,000 people have been arrested in connection with the disturbances 
and as a preventative measure ahead of Thackeray’s high-profile court 
appearance in central Mumbai on Tuesday.

But stone-throwing crowds still clashed with baton-wielding police 
outside the court and across the state. Taxis, auto-rickshaws, buses and 
shops were attacked while attempts were made to burn other vehicles and 
set up roadblocks.

Thackeray was given conditional bail but still faces questioning on a 
number of separate charges in connection with the weekend violence, 
including inciting rioting, destroying public property and murder for 
the railway death.

His MNS is an offshoot of his uncle Bal Thackeray’s Shiv Sena party, 
which has pushed a similar “Maharashtra for Marathis” agenda since the 
mid-1960s. The party changed the former Bombay’s name to Mumbai in 1995.

Shiv Sena activists were also identified in a judicial report as being 
involved in the communal riots between Hindus and Muslims in Mumbai in 
1992 and 1993.






http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=155858

Neonationalist organizations set to protest Ergenekon trial

The trial of suspected members of Ergenekon is due to start on Oct. 20 
in the town of Silivri, where neonationalists have announced they will 
be to protest the trial, dubbed the most important case in the history 
of the republic by much of society.

The existence of Ergenekon, a behind-the-scenes network attempting to 
use social and psychological engineering to shape the country in 
accordance with its own ultranationalist ideology, has long been 
suspected, but the current investigation into the group began only in 
2007, when a house in İstanbul's Ümraniye district that was being used 
as an arms depot was discovered by police.
Nearly 90 suspects, more than half of whom are currently under arrest, 
are accused of having links to the gang. Suspects face accusations that 
include "membership in an armed terrorist group," "attempting to bring 
down the government," "inciting people to rebel against the Republic of 
Turkey" and other similar crimes. The indictment, made public in July, 
claims that the Ergenekon network is behind a series of political 
assassinations carried out over the past two decades, including the 
killing of journalist Uğur Mumcu in 1993 and a deadly attack on the 
Council of State in 2006.
A number of neonationalist civil society organizations who have either 
indirect links to Ergenekon leaders or who are merely sympathizers with 
similar worldviews announced a new campaign called "the Silivri 
meeting." These groups include the Solidarity Movement for the Republic, 
the Turkey Youth Union, the Workers' Party (İP), the National Awakening 
Program, Patriotic Citizens, the Support for Modern Life Association 
(ÇYDD) and the Grand Jurists' Union, the last of which is famous for 
countless cases filed against writers and journalists expressing 
opinions different from the state ideology with respect to the Kurdish 
question or Armenian allegations against Turkey.
The protestors will travel to Silivri from İzmir, which they will depart 
from at 10 p.m. on Oct. 19. In addition to the groups above, the İzmir 
Bar Association, the Chamber of Accountants, the İzmir Doctors' Union, 
the İzmir branch of the Education Personnel Union (Eğitim-İş), the 
Republican Women's Association, the National Education Platform, the 
first branch of the Highway Builders' Union (Yol-İş), the Turkey 
Administrators Union and the Food Sector Workers' union (Tek Gıda) are 
involved. The groups laid out their program for the beginning of the 
trial at the Dokuz Eylül University Rector's Hall in the past few days.
Bus rides to İzmir will be organized from other cities, including 
İstanbul and Ankara, by the İP. The protestors will meet in front of the 
Silivri Prison, where the trial will be held.
This is not the first time neonationalist groups have protested with 
hopes of influencing the judiciary. Similar groups have appeared at the 
trials of writers, including Orhan Pamuk and the late journalist Hrant 
Dink -- killed by a neonationalist teenager with possible links to 
Ergenekon -- when they were being tried for violation of Article 301 of 
the Turkish Penal Code (TCK), which criminalized the "denigration of 
Turkishness," before it was amended in response to criticism from many 
segments of Turkish society and the EU for its restriction of freedom of 
speech. Lawyer and Ergenekon suspect Kemal Kerinçsiz and his Grand 
Jurists Association are responsible for a large number of Article 
301-related cases filed last year.
Security will be tight in front of the courthouse in Silivri, police 
sources said.
Pamuk horrified by plans for his assassination
In a related development, Turkey's Nobel-Prize-winning author Orhan 
Pamuk said on a television program Sunday night that he was informed by 
police about the spine-chilling details of the Ergenekon gang's plan to 
assassinate him. Hearing the details was not only horrifying, but also 
repulsive and exasperating for the author.
Pamuk, speaking on the Şeffaf Oda (Transparent Room) program on Kanal D 
Sunday night, said the police had informed him that Ergenekon was 
plotting to kill him. "I saw their plans. The police had me listen to 
their phone conversations about my assassination," he said. He also 
expressed his anger toward those who do not take the Ergenekon 
investigation seriously. "These people [Ergenekon suspects] have killed. 
They have been involved in many incidents. I don't understand how some 
people can say 'nothing will come out of this investigation'," the 
famous author said.
"The police informed me about the details of an Ergenekon plot to kill 
me about eight months before the Ergenekon investigation fully started. 
The government assigned me a bodyguard. Now some papers understate this 
organization. I don't like talking about politics, but this is a 
reality. This organization exists. I have seen their plans; I have 
listened to their phone conversations about killing me."
Pamuk moved to New York last year after buying a house there for $ 1.8 
million, a move that was mostly interpreted as a response to the 
increasing number of assassination threats against him.
Ergenekon suspect İlsever undergoes surgery
Meanwhile, journalist and Ergenekon suspect Ferit İlsever, who was moved 
on July 29 from jail to a hospital due to health problems, underwent 
lung surgery at the Süreyya Paşa Respiratory Disease and Breast Surgery 
Research Hospital in İstanbul's Maltepe district yesterday morning. 
Medical information on the result of the operation was not immediately 
made available to the press.
Speaking to journalists a day ahead of his operation, İlsever had stated 
that he would not show up on the first day the Ergenekon case, scheduled 
for Oct. 20.
14 October 2008, Tuesday






http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/26/stories/2008102652550300.htm

Tamil Nadu - Tirunelveli

Congress holds protest
Staff Reporter
— Photo: A. Shaikmohideen

UP IN ARMS: Congress cadres staging a demonstration in Tirunelveli on 
Saturday.
TIRUNELVELI: Protesting the damaging of Rajiv Gandhi statue in Chennai 
and demanding the arrest of the supporters of Liberation Tigers of Tamil 
Eelam (LTTE) under National Security Act, Congress functionaries staged 
demonstrations here on Saturday.
Led by the party’s Tirunelveli City district president Sundararaja 
Perumal, Congress functionaries raised slogans against LTTE supporters 
and demanded their arrest under NSA. They also condemned the vandalising 
of Rajiv Gandhi’s statue in Chennai.
Party office-bearers Mohan Kumararaja, Saravanan, Somu, Vaikuntaraja and 
others participated.
Another group of cadres staged a demonstration in front of the railway 
station here.






http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/local_news/epaper/2008/10/15/1015mahoneyprotest.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=76

Stuart protesters chant "Mahoney must go"
By CARA FITZPATRICK
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
STUART — Chanting "Mahoney must go" and "Where is Ma-phoney," about 20 
people stood today in front of U.S. Rep. Tim Mahoney's congressional 
office on Osceola Street, calling for answers about his alleged affair.
Many of the protesters held homemade signs that said, "Shame!" and 
"Cheater Tim!" and "Character Counts." Diane McKechnie, of Hobe Sound, 
yelled, "Come on Tim, come on out" and "Come on Tim, answer the 
questions" in the direction of Mahoney's office. The office was open, 
but had few workers inside.
Democrat Mahoney, running against Republican Tom Rooney for District 
16's seat, agreed to pay $121,000 to stop a lawsuit by a former staffer 
with whom he allegedly had an extramarital affair, sources familiar with 
the matter say. ABC News first reported the story Monday.
Nina Bechtel, who held up her sign for passing motorists, said she was 
offended by Mahoney's actions and his arrogance.
"I think Tim Mahoney misused his office. He misused funds by paying his 
mistress," she said.
State Rep. Gayle Harrell, who lost her bid in the primary for the 
Congressional seat representing District 16, joined the protesters, 
saying she was upset to see such a scandal when Mahoney ran on a 
platform of ethics and family values.
"I think this is totally inappropriate behavior and he should resign 
immediately," she said.





http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/CanadaVotes/News/2008/09/13/6756876-cp.html

Protest greets Harper in N.L. as he downplays rift
By Alexander Panetta, THE CANADIAN PRESS
2008-09-13

HARBOUR GRACE, N.L. - Stephen Harper cast the campaign against him by 
Newfoundland's premier as a one-man war Saturday and urged the 
province's residents not to follow Danny Williams.
The Conservative leader downplayed the bizarre confrontation that he 
finds himself in - fending off a sustained attack from a Conservative 
premier at election time.
As he arrived in hostile territory, Harper's campaign convoy was greeted 
by about a dozen protesters.
One man was detained by police when he tried attending the prime 
minister's speech without an invitation.
Other protesters honked horns, chanted unflattering slogans about 
Harper, or used nationalist symbols to voice their disdain as they waved 
Newfoundland's pre-Confederation tricolour flag along the highway.
Harper did his best to avoid escalating the federal-provincial 
Conservative family feud.
He said his election rivals in this campaign are the Liberals and New 
Democrats, not Williams, and that he doesn't take the premier's attacks 
personally.
He noted Williams also had his run-ins with the previous Liberal 
government, at one point lowering the Maple Leaf outside the legislature 
during a squabble over federal transfers.
But the point he stressed a number of times Saturday was that it's up to 
Newfoundlanders themselves - not their premier - to decide how they vote 
on Oct. 14.
"You are - as the slogan says - proud, strong, determined," the prime 
minister said to a crowd of about 150 people.
"I can't tell you how to vote. No one can tell a Newfoundlander or a 
Labradorian how to vote.
"Your vote is not about personality fights. Your vote is about your own 
best interests."
While his party may not win Williams' vote, the prime minister argued 
that his party has a solid case to make to the other half-million voters 
in the province.
He said his opponents would clobber Newfoundland's booming oil industry 
just when the province's long-languishing economy was finally taking 
flight.
He said the Liberal carbon-tax plan would damage the province's 
burgeoning energy sector, and NDP policies would harm the Alberta 
oilsands that employ so many Newfoundlanders.
He suggested only one thing wouldn't change after the next election - 
Danny Williams.
"Premier Williams didn't like the last government. He doesn't like this 
government," Harper said before boarding a flight to Newfoundland.
"And I don't think he'll like the next government - whoever that would be."
But Harper faces obvious hurdles in the province.
The Tories held three of its seven seats, and two of Harper's MPs have 
decided not to run again.
The choice of campaign destination Saturday was telling.
Until now, Harper has campaigned exclusively in ridings he does not hold 
and hopes to gain in his quest for a majority government.
But for the first time in this week-old campaign, Harper visited one of 
his own party's ridings Saturday in an effort to keep it from slipping 
away - that of Conservative incumbent Fabian Manning.
For one placard-waving protester, the party's fate in the province is 
practically sealed.
"In their two St. John's seats the Conservatives are going to run a 
distant third," said Jack Swinimer of Holyrood, N.L., a self-described 
20-year Conservative voter.
"You can lay money on it."
Ironically, it was Harper's election pledge in the 2004 campaign that 
prompted then-prime minister Paul Martin to copy his promise to reform 
federal equalization transfers.
During those negotiations with Martin's Liberal government, Williams 
stormed out of a first ministers' conference in Ottawa and returned home 
to an adoring crowd.
It was hardly a prelude to his spectacular flame war with Harper.
The two have clashed for two years over the equalization program. But 
Williams has escalated the feud and launched an all-out war to prevent 
the Tories from being re-elected.
In a vitriolic speech Wednesday, Williams warned that the federal Tories 
under Harper would stoop to any depths to implement their hidden 
"right-wing, Conservative-Reform" agenda.
"A majority government for Stephen Harper would be one of the most 
negative political events in Canadian history," Williams said last week.
Williams has repeatedly criticized Harper since he backed away from an 
election promise to fully remove oil revenues from a new equalization 
transfer formula.
The Conservatives gave Williams a choice: take the new equalization cash 
available to all provinces or forego the extra cash and get oil revenues 
excluded from the formula, to the province's long-term benefit.
He was told he couldn't have both.
Williams says the decision will cost his province $10 billion.
Harper disagrees with that calculation and says the province has 
benefited from Ottawa's revised equalization program.
Williams has adopted an "A-B-C" slogan for the campaign, urging the 
province to vote Anything But Conservative.
The prime minister turned it on its head Saturday, urging those same 
voters to also vote "A-B-C" - for Anything But a Carbon tax.
The Liberal Green Shift plan would place a tax on gasoline in exchange 
for personal income-tax cuts.





http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/09/21/asia/AS-Hong-Kong-Lehman-Protest.php

Hundreds of Lehman investors protest in Hong Kong

The Associated Press
Published: September 21, 2008

HONG KONG: Hundreds of angry Lehman Brothers investors rallied in Hong 
Kong on Sunday to demand the government help secure their money after 
the U.S. investment bank collapsed this past week.
The investors, many of them nearing or at retirement age, waved 
investment papers and chanted slogans outside the territory's government 
headquarters as they accused regulators of not doing enough to safeguard 
their interests.
"This is all my money," said Peter Wang, 62, a former furniture store 
owner who said his entire retirement savings, about 2 million Hong Kong 
dollars (US$256,000), was tied up in Lehman-backed bonds.
Albert Ho, head of Hong Kong's Democratic Party, which helped organize 
the rally, criticized the government for not taking more steps to 
educate investors in Lehman products, including complex bonds tied to 
the performance of the territory's equities market.
He and other organizers said about 800 people joined the demonstration; 
police did not offer an estimate.
Billions of dollars in souring debt forced Lehman Brothers Holdings 
Inc., once the fourth-largest investment bank in the U.S., to file for 
bankruptcy last Monday amid the world's worst financial crisis in decades.
Responding to growing public ire, Hong Kong regulators contacted Lehman 
management and met with investors in the bank's bonds over the weekend, 
the government said in a statement.
Regulators vowed to investigate complaints that local banks which sold 
Lehman Brothers investment products failed to properly disclose 
connections to the U.S. company. But they warned investors might recover 
"substantially less" than the original amount.
A message left with Lehman Brothers in Hong Kong was not immediately 
returned.
Brian Fong, 45, who works at a private security firm, said he invested 
about HK$1.3 million (US$167,000) saved over the last 20 years in a 
Lehman bond purchased through a local bank.
When news of Lehman's bankruptcy broke, he frantically called bank 
officials for answers. But he said the bank still hasn't said for 
certain what will become of his investment.
"I feel terrible. I'm afraid I will lose everything," said Fong, adding 
his wife will have to go back to work instead of caring for their 
10-year-old son if they don't recoup their money.
"We never expected this," he said. "I believed it was safe."





http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20081026-96312.html

500 protest lost savings

Sun, Oct 26, 2008
The Straits Times

By Gracia Chiang
For the third week in a row, about 500 investors gathered in Hong Lim 
Park eager to find out how they can seek redress for Lehman-linked 
financial products they claim were mis-sold to them.
Organised by former chief executive officer of insurer NTUC Income Tan 
Kin Lian, the rally was intended for those who had sunk their money into 
such products to band together and exchange suggestions.
Unlike the previous two Saturday rallies which saw mostly 
Mandarin-speaking and older investors, many who showed up on Saturday 
evening were those who did not fall into the 'vulnerable' group which 
financial institutions have said they would focus on when compensating 
investors.





http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/saudi/?id=28483

First Published 2008-10-27, Last Updated 2008-10-27 10:11:21

Stressful time for Kuwaiti traders

Kuwaiti traders stage new protest for third day

Panic keeps impacting on Gulf Arab stocks due to fears of global 
economic downturn.

KUWAIT CITY - Kuwaiti traders protested for the third day in a row on 
Monday as shares across the oil-Gulf region dropped amid a lull in 
trading because of fears over the global economic meltdown.
With the Kuwait Stock Exchange Index sliding below the 10,000-point mark 
for the first time since mid-March 2007, investors protested inside and 
outside the bourse building, urging the government to intervene to stop 
the losses.
The latest protest, for the third straight trading session, came despite 
a number of government measures aimed at shoring up the financial system.
On Sunday the government pledged to guarantee bank deposits after the 
Gulf Bank, Kuwait's second largest lender, incurred losses from trading 
in derivatives on behalf of a number of private investors who defaulted.
Trading in Gulf Bank shares remained suspended for the second day running.
The central bank said on Sunday that the government will submit urgently 
a draft law to parliament to guarantee bank deposits.
The cabinet also formed a task force headed by the governor of the 
central bank and given executive powers to deal with the fallout of the 
financial crisis on the oil-rich emirate.
The finance minister and the head of Kuwait Investment Authority, the 
emirate's sovereign wealth fund, were quoted by newspapers on Monday as 
conceding that Kuwaiti foreign investments have taken some losses.
Kuwait is estimated to have invested more than 260 billion dollars 
overseas, mainly in the United States and Europe. The officials were 
quoted as saying -- without elaborating -- that the losses were minimal.
The Kuwait Stock Exchange, the second largest in the Arab world, was 
trading down 2.6 percent at below the 10,000-point mark for the first 
time since March last year.
The leading banking sector was down 3.7 percent and investment firms 
shed 3.2 percent. Market leader telecommunications giant Zain shed 1.9 
percent.
Saudi Arabia's stock market, the largest in the Arab world, opened 
slightly higher but then immediately went into the red, dropping 3.8 
percent.
The Tadawul All-Shares Index (TASI), which shed about 11 percent over 
the past two days, was trading at 5,323 points, its lowest level in 
almost four and a half years.
The leading petrochemicals sector shed four percent and banks dropped 
5.3 percent.
The Dubai Financial Market which opened 0.26 percent higher, was trading 
down 1.9 percent as the market leader, property developer Emaar, dropped 
2.3 percent after rising in initial trades.
The decline came despite Emaar announcing plans to buy back about 
100,000 of its shares to shore up its prices.
Fellow UAE market the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange declined 1.74 
percent as the key real estate sector dropped four percent and banks 
fell by 2.8 percent.
The Doha Securities Market dropped 0.9 percent after initially rising, 
while the small Muscat Securities Market was down 7.3 percent. Bahrain 
Stock Exchange shed 2.8 percent.
The lower trend in Gulf markets came as world oil prices weakened after 
OPEC's decision to cut supply at a time of global financial turmoil seen 
as further hurting already weak energy demand.
Brent crude oil dropped below 60 dollars on Monday to 59.40 dollars.
New York's main contract, light sweet crude for December delivery, 
dropped 22 cents to 63.93 dollars a barrel.





http://www.canadianbusiness.com/markets/market_news/article.jsp?content=D942QPRO0

Protesters oppose plans to list Thailand's largest beer company on stock 
market
October 27, 2008 - 07:54 a.m.
BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - Hundreds of people demonstrated outside 
Thailand's stock exchange Monday to protest plans by the country's 
largest beer maker to list its shares on the market. They said the move 
would encourage drinking.
Thai Beverage PLC, which brews Beer Chang (Elephant Beer), the country's 
top seller, has applied for listing on the Stock Exchange of Thailand, 
Senior Vice President Ueychai Tantha-Obhas said earlier. It plans to 
complete the listing by the end of the year.
If successful, it would be the first alcoholic beverage company to list 
on the market in the predominantly Buddhist country.






http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/10/28/business/business_30086984.php

Protesters oppose listing for ThaiBev
By Siriporn Chanjindamanee,
Sucheera Pinijparakarn
The Nation
Published on October 28, 2008
More than 100 activists yesterday held a rally at the Stock Exchange of 
Thailand to protest the dual listing of Thai Beverage's shares.

ThaiBev, producer of Chang beer and a range of spirits, hopes to 
complete its listing by the year's end, according to its senior 
executive, Ueychai Tantha-Obhas. The company already lists on the 
Singapore exchange.
Kumron Chudecha, a protest leader, said the plan was being opposed 
because alcoholic drinks are bad for public health, society and the 
economy. In addition, the SET should not support the alcoholic beverage 
business, he said.
Kumron also said the listing plan appeared to have exploited the ongoing 
political conflict, since some of the key opponents who previously led 
the protest against ThaiBev's 2005 listing plan are now preoccupied with 
ousting the government.
Besides the SET, protesters will summit letters opposing the listing 
plan to the Finance Ministry and ThaiBev tomorrow.
While the government's tax collection on alcoholic drinks amounts to 
more than Bt72 billion per year, it is not worthwhile when considering 
the economic losses resulting from alcohol consumption, which are 
estimated to be Bt150 billion a year, said Kumron.
"Though Maj-General Chamlong Srimuang did not join the protest this 
time, we've decided to go ahead with our own plan to oppose the 
listing," said Kumron.
Naree Boontherawara, senior vice president of the SET, said the 
Securities and Exchange Commission would decide on ThaiBev's plan within 
30 days.
Meanwhile, Pongphan Apinyakul, head of research at Kim Eng Securities, 
said ThaiBev's listing would not do much to change investor sentiment at 
this juncture, even though it would be a big-capitalisation stock.
ThaiBev plans to float 80 million shares in its public offering on the 
SET. The offering will represent 0.3 per cent of the company's shares.
Suthathip Peerasub of Kim Eng Securities (Thailand) said the target 
price for the ThaiBev stock could be revised upwards from the previous 
estimate of 0.30 Singapore dollars.
Kosin Sripaiboon, research head at UOB KayHian Securities (Thailand), 
said the economic slowdown would affect sales of beverages and alcoholic 
products. "Therefore, ThaiBev is not as attractive as before. Moreover, 
the business and its ads are now regulated more tightly," he said.
An analyst at Trinity Securities said that even though ThaiBev would be 
a big-cap stock, it could be difficult to boost sentiment in the Thai 
market amid the global financial crisis.
Thai Bev, one of Southeast Asia's biggest brewers and distillers, first 
attempted to list on the SET in 2005, but a major protest movement 
derailed the plan. The firm then turned to the Singapore stock market 
for listing in May 2006.





http://www.capeargus.co.za/index.php?from=rss_Cape%20Argus&fArticleId=4684018

Back off, ANC warns anti-Lekota protesters
October 28, 2008 Edition 1
GAYE DAVIS and XOLANI MBANJWA
The ANC's national working committee has unequivocally condemned "acts 
of disruption" intended to interfere with Mosiuoa Lekota and Mbhazima 
Shilowa's breakaway convention movement, calling on members and 
supporters "to allow those with dissenting views to meet and proceed 
with their business without let or hindrance".
But it also warned that the ANC could not allow its structures to be 
used by "those who feel they can no longer be associated with the 
movement" to organise and mobilise membership in opposition to the ANC, 
saying such activity was "equivalent to actively disrupting the ANC in 
violation of the principles of freedom of assembly".
This comes as Shilowa announced the convention to be held from Friday to 
Sunday has been moved from Bloemfontein to the Sandton International 
Convention Centre because of the large number of people expected to attend.
The convention is expected to lead to the launch on December 16 of a new 
political party.
While the DA has said it will send a delegation of observers to the 
convention, UDM leader Bantu Holomisa cautioned against non-ANC members 
attending.
"We need to give Terror (Mosiuoa Lekota) and his group space because 
they made it clear in their founding statement that they want ANC 
members who are not happy with the way the ANC has handled the Freedom 
Charter," Holomisa said.
ANC president Jacob Zuma will be in Gauteng on Sunday as well, 
addressing a rally in Soweto's Jabulani amphitheatre.
Helen Zille said the DA will "see for ourselves what emerges and… have 
our say, if it is appropriate".
Zille agreed with Holomisa a coalition bid to keep the ANC out of 
government would have to wait till after next year's elections.
At its meeting in Johannesburg yesterday, the NWC found ex-defence 
minister Lekota and his former deputy, Mluleki George, both suspended, 
should be disciplined speedily.
It also appealed to "those in sympathy with the dissidents to take their 
activities outside the ANC where they have the right, like other 
opposition parties, to organise and mobilise support for their cause".
There is growing concern about the potential for violence in the run-up 
to next year's 2009 elections. Police have intervened to prevent clashes 
several times.
ANC MPs working in constituencies around the country have told the Cape 
Argus of high levels of political intolerance and militancy among 
members determined to prevent organisers of the new movement from 
mobilising support in their areas.
The NWC heard regional general council reports on the "new challenge" 
from across the country,

All the reports confirmed the NWC's assessment that the ANC as a 
movement "remains stable and that despite the activities of a number of 
dissident members who are unreconciled to the outcomes of the Polokwane 
national conference last year, the overwhelming majority of the ANC's 
support base remains loyal to the movement and its objectives".
The NWC said all South Africans had the "untrammeled right" to join and 
form any political organisation they wished, provided such a body acted 
in line with the constitution and its supporters' rights had to be 
respected in law and by other political players".
"This includes the right to convene and hold public meetings without 
fear of disruption by others who hold a contrary view," the statement said.
"The NWC therefore condemns unequivocally any acts of disruption that 
interferes with or impairs the rights of others to assemble peacefully."
The NWC said it had urged the ANC's national disciplinary committee to 
convene hearings against Lekota and George "as speedily as possible so 
that the matter can be disposed of".
It said Lekota and George would be "expected to respond to the charges 
laid against them in the manner prescribed by the ANC constitution", but 
gave no date for the hearings.
The NWC encouraged ANC members "to express their views freely in letters 
to editors as well as on radio talkshows. It is the ANC who is the 
champion of freedom of speech".
The statement also hit out at the SABC for alleged bias in its coverage 
"of an entity with no political name, nor a constitution to guide its 
utterances and actions".
It said this exposed the public to " exhibitions of rhetoric that are 
blatantly emotional, often without fact and intended to be divisive. 
Lekota and his ilk even publicly declare that they will endeavour to 
have an alternative labour formation".
The NWC said the ANC, "as a political formation with a long record of 
fighting for and defending human rights" could not allow the breakaway 
movement "to employ its structures to organise and mobilise its own 
membership in opposition to the ANC".
"Such activity, undertaken with whatever motive/s, is equivalent to 
actively disrupting the ANC in violation of the principles if freedom of 
assembly."
The ANC would not allow itself to be distracted from its programme of 
action to mobilise members and supporters for a voter registration drive.
This would focus on attracting "new voters, the youth and working people 
of all races and creeds", it said.






http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/1023/army.html

Soldiers' relatives protest over closures
Thursday, 23 October 2008 22:41
Family members of soldiers serving in Longford, who have been 
demonstrating against the closure of the local barracks, have accused 
the Government of walking on the people of the area.
However, during a visit there this afternoon, the Chief of Staff, Lt Gen 
Dermot Earley, said he listened to the concerns of troops, their 
families and public representatives. However, he said the closure would 
have to go ahead.
Up to 80 wives, partners and children of Longford soldiers picketed 
Connolly Barracks during the visit of the Chief of Staff.
Advertisement
The 130 soldiers based in Longford will be redeployed to Athlone at the 
end of January. Barracks are also being closed in Donegal and Monaghan, 
involving more than 650 redeployments in total.
The army wives and partners are angry because the soldiers will now face 
long commutes to their new places of work, or families may have to sell 
their current homes to move closer to their new workplaces.
The women also said some troops serving in Chad at the moment are angry 
that the closures were announced while they are on peacekeeping duties 
abroad.
The deputy Mayor of Longford town, Peggy Nolan, estimated that the 
closure would mean an annual loss of €6m to the town.
General Earley said he hoped to help the troops in dealing with their 
concerns but he insisted that the closures would proceed.
The soldiers' relatives have taken out a full page advertisement in 
their local newspaper criticising the closure.
A march through Longford town is planned for Saturday afternoon as the 
next step in their campaign to keep the barracks open.






http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/1024/1224715116100.html

October 24, 2008
Barracks closures will hurt towns and families of soldiers, say protesters
Locals in Longford town protest yesterday over the planned closure of 
Connolly Barracks. The decision to close four barracks was announced in 
last week's Budget speech.
Photograph: Willie Farrell
MARESE McDONAGH in Longford
ARMY RELATIVES protested yesterday as the Chief of Staff of the Defences 
Forces insisted that the planned closure of four Army barracks would go 
ahead at the end of January.
Lieut Gen Dermot Earley travelled to Letterkenny, Lifford, Longford and 
Monaghan to address soldiers who are to be relocated as part of the 
measures announced on Budget day.
Families who plan to hold a demonstration outside the Dáil next 
Wednesday complained that they learned of the plan when it was flashed 
on television screens during the Minister for Finance's Budget speech. 
They said that colleagues serving in Chad learned that their jobs were 
being moved when they received text messages from relatives watching 
television at home.
While no jobs are being lost under the plan, an estimated 650 military 
and 40 civilian personnel are being transferred, including 130 who will 
move from Longford to Athlone.
A newly formed lobby group in Longford who complained that the 
Government was "walking on the people" said the proposals would mean the 
loss of €6.5 million to the local economy. They are also holding a 
protest in the town tomorrow and say they are adamant that the plan must 
be reversed.
Sheila Shields, whose husband is an Army sergeant based at Connolly 
Barracks in Longford, said the reaction of families had been of 
"devastation and humiliation".
Séamus Keaveney, a former vice-president of soldiers' representative 
association PDforra who joined more than 50 women and children picketing 
the barracks during Lt Gen Earley's visit, said men who had spent 120 
hours a week doing Border duty in difficult times had learned of their 
fate when watching television.
Ms Shields pointed out that rumours about the planned closure of 
Connolly Barracks had persisted for 23 years but they had repeatedly 
been given assurances that it would not happen.
She did not accept that the extra 100km round-trip to Athlone seemed 
small compared to distances covered by some commuters. "You are talking 
about people who in some cases do 24-hour straight shifts," she said.
Lieut Gen Earley said the change would be "disruptive and difficult" but 
it must go ahead. He said the Army would help the soldiers and their 
families in every possible way. The measures will mean the transfer of 
135 personnel from Rockhill, Letterkenny, and a further 125 from Lifford 
in Co Donegal to Finner camp, Ballyshannon. An estimated 200 personnel 
will move from Monaghan to Aiken Barracks in Dundalk.






http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=249049&version=1&template_id=37&parent_id=17

Thousands of Israelis protest failure to free captive soldier

Women hold pictures of Palestinian prisoners during a protest in the 
West Bank city of Jenin yesterday calling for their release from Israeli 
jails
KEREM SHALOM, Israel: Thousands of Israelis yesterday protested their 
government’s failure to recover a captured soldier near the site where 
he was seized on the edge of the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.
Three thousand demonstrators gathered at the site, according to Israeli 
police, with many of the demonstrators wearing shirts bearing the 
portrait of the 21-year-old reservist and the caption “Gilad Shalit is 
still alive.”
The crowds held banners reading “Gilad Shalit, we have been waiting for 
you for two years,” and “No more Ron Arad, free Gilad,” referring to an 
Israeli airman who disappeared in south Lebanon in 1986.
Protesters began gathering at the nearby Kerem Shalom crossing - one of 
the main goods terminals supplying the besieged Gaza Strip - in the 
early hours, burning tyres and forced the army to delay the crossing’s 
opening.
The crossing was eventually allowed to open, allowing some 80 trucks to 
bring food and medical aid into the impoverished territory of 1.5mn 
people, which has been ruled by the Islamist Hamas movement since June 
2007.
Defence Minister Ehud Barak told Israeli army radio every effort is 
being made to bring Shalit home but warned that such demonstrations 
could “raise the price of his release” by encouraging Hamas to increase 
its demands.
Hamas wants the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in exchange 
for Shalit, who was seized by Gaza militants in a deadly cross-border 
raid in June 2006.
Noam Shalit, father of the missing soldier and the public face of the 
campaign for his release, rejected Barak’s comments.
“The government had almost two and a half years to bring Gilad back 
without demonstrations and without protests, but failed to do so,” 
Shalit told the Ynet news service on his way to the rally.
Israel has sealed Gaza off to all but limited humanitarian aid since 
June 2007 when Hamas seized power after routing forces loyal to 
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
The blockade has remained in place despite a four-month truce that has 
virtually halted the near-daily rocket attacks Palestinian militants 
used to launch on Israeli communities near the Gaza border. - AFP






http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?from=rss_Politics&set_id=1&click_id=6&art_id=nw20081017063155187C345161

Shops burnt, bullets fired in protest

October 17 2008 at 06:42AM

A march in support of Matatiele's inclusion in the Eastern Cape 
degenerated into clashes on Thursday, with police firing rubber bullets 
in a bid to gain control over factions for or against incorporation from 
KwaZulu-Natal.

Two shops had been burnt down and nine people were arrested after 
clashes between residents and people who were allegedly bussed in for 
the march in support of the municipality's incorporation.

Police spokespeson Superintendent Mzukisi Fatyela said he expected the 
number of people arrested to increase as police tracked down those 
involved in the looting of shops, including the two that were burnt down.

He said extra officers had been deployed to the town to restore calm.

Eastern Cape health spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo said 11 people were 
admitted to the Taylor Bequest Hospital with injuries, most sustained as 
a result of the rubber bullets.

Three people with serious injuries had to be referred to hospitals in 
Mthatha and Pietermaritzburg.

The Matatiele-Maluti Mass Organising Committee (Maoc) was "highly 
disappointed" that Safety and Security Minister Nathi Mthethwa had 
failed to respond to a request to intervene in Thursday's march, said 
the organisation's chairperson Mandla Galo in a statement.

Galo said the march was organised by the Matatiele Municipality and the 
ANC in the Eastern Cape.

He said one of those arrested was Fundiswa Njobe, the Matatiele 
secretary of the South African Communist Party.

Kenny Biggs, chairman of the Cedarville and District Farmers 
Association, said that there had been "a substantial confrontation" 
after locals saw "foreigners" marching in support of the region's 
incorporation into the Eastern Cape.

"It is surprising that the march was allowed. There was a stakeholders' 
meeting where they (the Matatiele municipality) were told of the dangers 
of a march. We were trying to avoid that (violence) at all costs. People 
are being provoked," he charged.

There were unconfirmed reports that one person was shot in the shoulder.

Apparently when an Eastern Cape ambulance arrived to pick up the injured 
person, it was sent away. A KwaZulu-Natal ambulance was demanded instead.

Matatiele mayor Ntai Sello's cellphone went unanswered.

Maoc filed papers with the Constitutional Court in August this year to 
argue against the district's incorporation into the Eastern Cape.

In August last year, the Constitutional Court ruled the re-demarcation 
of KwaZulu-Natal's boundaries invalid as procedures had been 
inconsistent with the Constitution.

While the Eastern Cape had held public hearings on the re-demarcation of 
Matatiele, KwaZulu-Natal had not. It was found there had been 
insufficient public participation.

On November 1 the KwaZulu-Natal legislature voted by a narrow margin in 
favour of the controversial Constitution 13th Amendment Bill.

Matatiele was incorporated into the Eastern Cape on February 28, hours 
before voting started in the 2006 local government election.

Similarly the Umzimkulu region was incorporated into KwaZulu-Natal from 
the Eastern Cape.

The African National Congress has been accused of ignoring the wishes of 
the district's residents. More than 8 000 residents attended public 
hearings last year at the town's soccer stadium.

More than 5 000 submissions against the district's incorporation into 
the Eastern Cape were received. According to the Democratic Alliance 
there were only 80 submissions in favour of incorporation, including one 
from mayor Sello. - Sapa






http://www.witness.co.za/index.php?showcontent&global[_id]=14970

Gruesome injuries in Matat riot
17 Oct 2008
Bheki Mbanjwa

One person had a rubber bullet stuck inside his nose, another inside an 
ear, and a third person had one lodged in a thigh.

These were some of the injuries reported after rioting in Matatiele on 
Thursday, the spokesman for the Eastern Cape Health Department, Sizwe 
Kupelo, told Weekend Witness.

He said one person was moved from Taylor Bequest Hospital to a hospital 
in Pietermaritzburg and the other two to a hospital in Umtata. They were 
said to be in a stable condition.

A total of 11, and not three people as police earlier reported, were 
injured, as police fired rubber bullets at a crowd in the centre of the 
town on Thursday as two opposing groups clashed over the demarcation of 
the town.

Police said they used rubber bullets and stun grenades after they were 
pelted with stones by a group of protesters who in support of the 
re-incorporation of the town into KZN.

It is believed that the group tried to disrupt a march organised by a 
pro-Eastern Cape grouping.

The Matatiele Maluti mass action organising committee (Maoc) said the 
executive will explore the possibility of taking legal action against 
the police as they feel police acted improperly during the riots.

Mandla Galo, the convenor of Maoc, said that apart from the people 
injured by rubber bullets, one person was injured after police fired 
live ammunition, an allegation that was denied by the police.

He was speaking after the Maoc held a mass meeting yesterday to take 
stock of the previous day’s events.

“We are very sad because the police provoked people, they never even 
warned them,” said Galo.

He alleged that politicians, including councillors in Matatiele, funded 
the march by the pro-Eastern Cape grouping. “The municipality used 
taxpayers’ money to pay for buses that were used to bus people to 
Matatiele for the march,” he said.

Ntai Sello, the mayor of Matatiele, rubbished Galo’s claims.

“These allegations are very far from the truth and malicious, to say the 
least. We had nothing to do with that march and we as the municipality 
will never fund any march. We just do not do that.”

Sello warned “those fomenting violence” that such behaviour will only 
serve to destabilise the town.

The ANC in the Eastern Cape’s Alfred Nzo region dismissed Galo’s 
assertions that the marchers were bussed in from towns outside Matatiele.

The regional leadership also denied allegations that the march was used 
to drum up support for an ANC breakaway party.








http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-10/17/content_10208700.htm

Brazilian military police clash with civil police protestors, leaving 23 
people injured

RIO DE JANEIRO, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's military police clashed 
with striking civil police officers in Sao Paulo Thursday afternoon, 
leading to a shooting and at least 23 people were injured.
The conflict started when at least 500 civil police officers, who have 
been on strike for a month, decided to protest in front of the 
Bandeirantes Palace, the state government building, and were stopped by 
the military police.
Officials said the turbulence occurred after the strikers were informed 
that Sao Paulo State Governor Jose Serra would not meet them to 
negotiate a 15-percent wage rise.
The injured included a cameraman from a local TV station and one of the 
strike leaders.
Dozens of police cars, as well as buses, were used to prevent the 
strikers from reaching the Bandeirantes Palace. Tear gas bombs were also 
thrown at the strikers.







http://www.buzzle.com/articles/230504.html

Brazilian Riot Police Clash With Striking Colleagues
São Paulo police striking for better pay fight pitched battle with 
colleagues in city streets
Brazilian police who are striking for better pay fought a pitched battle 
with colleagues in riot gear in São Paulo yesterday, leaving 13 people 
wounded and the reputation of the city's force in tatters.

Local television broadcast live images of violent mayhem when hundreds 
of plainclothed detectives tried to break through a phalanx of riot 
police to reach a state government palace.

Baton rounds, tear gas and stun grenades were used during the melee in 
the heart of Brazil's commercial capital, a metropolis that bills itself 
a safe alternative to crime-ridden Rio de Janeiro. Police on horseback 
failed to restore order.

The governor of São Paulo, José Serra, played down the significance of 
the clash. "I want to make it clear there is no police war in São Paulo. 
Security is guaranteed."

He said the strikers represented a politically motivated minority of the 
force and that many of protesters were not police but members of other 
unions and political groups.

Yesterday was the fourth protest in a month by detectives who are 
seeking a 15% pay rise for this year and 12% for the next two years.

They also want the post of commissioner general to become an elected 
one, a change in the system of promotions, a 40-hour working week and 
pension rights after 30 years' service.

André Dahmer, a strikers' leader, accused the authorities of inflaming 
the situation.

"This government does not want dialog, it wants war," he said.

The detectives, who form a branch of the state police, were marching 
towards Palácio de los Bandeirantes, the headquarters of the city 
government, to demand to speak to the governor when they were blocked by 
barriers and lines of colleagues from the military police, who were 
decked out with riot shields and helmets. Shoving and tugging turned to 
punches and swiftly escalated into a battle.

The Albert Einstein hospital said in a statement yesterday that it 
treated 13 people who were injured in the clash, but none seriously. The 
hospital did not specify whether the injured were riot police or 
detectives.

© Guardian News & Media 2008






http://www.chinapost.com.tw/international/americas/2008/10/18/179213/Striking-police.htm

October 18, 2008 11:07 am TWN, AP
Striking police battle state troopers in Sao Paulo protest
SAO PAULO, Brazil -- Striking police investigators in Sao Paulo clashed 
violently with state troopers deployed to contain their protest march on 
Thursday.
Brazilian television news showed the melee between hundreds of state 
police in riot gear and the plainclothes investigators after the 
protesters tried to break through a barrier protecting the state 
government palace.
Officers fired shots, tear gas and shock bombs.
The Albert Einstein Hospital, located a few blocks from the government 
palace, said in a statement it treated 13 people who were injured in the 
clash, none seriously. It did not say whether they were state police 
officers or investigators.
Brazilian states have two separate law enforcement groups — a uniformed 
police force in charge of maintaining public order, and the so-called 
civil police who are plainclothes investigators. In some cities there 
are also municipal guards in charge of protecting public property.
Investigators in Sao Paulo state have been striking for a month to 
demand better pay.






http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=97952

Bulgaria President, Sofia Mayor Fall out over Protesting Extremists
16 October 2008, Thursday

The extreme right Ataka party is holding a permanent protest camp in 
front of Bulgaria's Presidency disrupting meanwhile a number of the 
official meetings and ceremonies taking place there. Photo by Kameliya 
Atanassova (Sofia Photo Agency)

A conflict has emerged between the Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov 
and the Sofia Mayor Boyko Borisov over the permanent protest by 
activists of the extreme nationalist Ataka party.

On Thursday the head of the President's cabinet Nikola Kolev had a harsh 
conversation with the Mayor Borisov because in his words the rightist 
extremists were constantly disrupting official ceremonies and meetings 
of the President.

In his capacity as the Sofia Mayor, at the beginning of August Borisov 
allowed the extreme right opposition party to set up a "People's 
Parliament", a permanent protest camp some 30 meters away from the 
building of the Bulgarian Presidency.

Ever since the Ataka activists have desecrated Bulgarian and foreign 
national symbols including the national anthems of the USA and Russia 
during the ceremonies when the President welcomed the new ambassadors of 
the two countries.

The Sofia Municipality reacted quickly to the complaints by the 
President's administration and warned the Ataka activists to turn down 
the volume of the songs and speeches by their leader Volen Siderov that 
they are constantly playing.

The extremists were threatened their permit to protest might be repealed 
unless they keep the public peace and order.

As the informal leader of the most popular Bulgarian opposition party 
GERB, the Sofia Mayor Borisov has supported protest campaigns, including 
those of the Ataka party, against the present socialist-led government 
and the socialist president.

However, Borisov said he would not succumb to the pressure of the Ataka 
leader Siderov, who asked him to declared himself either an opposition 
leader, or an associate of the ruling socialists, and would force his 
protesters to obey the public order regulations.







http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/10/18/europe/EU-Spain-Police-Demo.php

Spanish police protest poor pay, conditions

The Associated Press
Published: October 18, 2008

MADRID, Spain: Hundreds of Spanish national police and Civil Guards are 
demonstrating in Madrid to protest poor pay and conditions.
United Civil Guard Association representative Alberto Moya says unarmed 
law and order workers from around the country are marching in civilian 
clothes to central Colon square, where they will hold a rally.
The officers' main complaint is that regional and local public safety 
workers are paid about €500 (US$670) more per month than their national 
counterparts.
Men and women of both services are carrying placards saying "(Interior 
Minister Alfredo Perez) Rubalcaba, raise our pay," and "Equality."
Saturday's march is going ahead despite Interior Ministry warnings that 
participants could be sanctioned.






http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/50-injured-in-students-clashes-in-dhaka_100111758.html

50 injured in students’ clashes in Dhaka
October 26th, 2008 - 4:11 pm ICT by IANS -
Dhaka, Oct 26 (IANS) Over 50 students of rival bodies were injured in a 
clash at a cultural function at a university campus, adding to the 
tension as Bangladesh prepares for parliamentary elections in December. 
Leaders and activists of Islami Chhatra Shibir, student front of the 
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, the country’s largest islamist party, 
Saturday attacked a cultural function of Udichi Shilpi Goshthi on the 
Jagannath University campus.
Witnesses said that the clash took place when the Shibir activists, 
joined by outsiders, attacked the Udichi programme with hockey sticks, 
iron rods and cricket stumps, New Age newspaper said Sunday.
Awami League student wing Chhatra League leaders and activists aided by 
other students countered the Shibir attack.
While the Chhatra League leaders said 20 of their members were injured 
in the clash, Chhatra Shibir said that 30 of their members had been injured.
Both the groups equipped with sticks, cricket bats, stumps and iron rods 
attacked each other. They also pelted each other with stones.
University Vice-Chancellor Abu Hossain Siddique said: “The cultural 
programme was postponed after the clash. We are looking into what 
actually happened.”
The clash came even as the protests by cultural organisations continued 
against removal of Baul statues and sculptures on the road leading to 
Zia Intentional Airport.
There has been no response from the government to the demand by 
protesters from across the country that these statues, removed allegedly 
under pressure from Islamist bodies, be restored.






http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/23/stories/2008102353030300.htm

Karnataka - Bellary

Congress, BJP workers clash; two injured
Staff Correspondent
BELLARY: Two persons, one each from either side, were injured in a clash 
between Congress and BJP activists in Hadagali town here on Wednesday.
According to information reaching the district headquarters, officials 
of the Public Works Department went to perform ‘bhoomi puja’ on land 
donated by M.P. Prakash, former Deputy Chief Minister, for construction 
of a Government First Grade college. By then, some BJP activists, who 
came there, objected to the puja in the absence of local MLA Chandra Nayak.
On coming to know of the objections raised by the BJP, Congress 
activists came to the spot and entered to a verbal tussle with the BJP 
workers. Later, two persons Rudresh and Jayagouda sustained injuries. 
Timely intervention by the police prevented the situation from going out 
of control.






http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/22/stories/2008102251490300.htm

Kerala - Kozhikode

Clashes leave Balussery tense
Staff Reporter
Area committee office of the CPI (M) attacked
________________________________________
Attackers threw country bombs at the police
Shops remained closed for hartal called by BJP
________________________________________
Kozhikode: A tense situation prevails in Balussery in the district 
following clashes between activists of the Communist Party of 
India-Marxist (CPI-M) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the past 
couple of days.
Several persons belonging to both the groups have been injured in the 
series of clashes. In the latest incident, the area committee office of 
the CPI (M) was attacked, allegedly by BJP workers, in the early hours 
of Tuesday. The attackers also hurled country-made bombs at a police 
team that attempted to thwart the attack on the office.
No casualty has been reported. Two BJP activists were taken into custody 
in connection with the attack, the police said.
Meanwhile, the BJP observed a dawn-to-dusk hartal in the Balussery 
Assembly constituency on Tuesday in protest against the attack on the 
offices of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the BJP on Monday. 
No untoward incidents were reported during the hartal period.
However, shops and commercial establishments at Nenmanda, Kakoor, 
Chelanoor and Cheekilood remained closed.
The situation in the town and adjoining areas remains volatile after the 
CPI (M) workers took out a march in the evening against the attack on 
its area committee office. A large posse of policemen has been deployed 
to avert further clashes. Vadakara Superintendent of Police K. Natarajan 
and Thamarassery Deputy Superintendent of Police C.T. Tom are camping in 
the area.
Clashes erupted in Balussery after three CPI (M) activists were 
assaulted at Thiruthiyad on Sunday night. The injured were admitted to 
Kozhikode Medical College Hospital here.
The CPI (M) had called a hartal on Monday in protest against the incident.
The protesters then attacked the BJP and RSS offices during the hartal. 
Two BJP activists waiting at a bus stop were also attacked. The police 
had to resort to lathi-charge and fire teargas shells to disperse a 
violent mob that gathered in the town.
The BJP-CPI (M) clashes started from a youth festival at the higher 
secondary school at Kokkallur last week. Two houses of CPI (M) activists 
and the house of a BJP worker were attacked after the incident.
District CPI (M) leaders allege that the BJP and RSS were behind the 
violent incidents at Balussery. They have demanded that the culprits be 
brought to book.





http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/22/stories/2008102253170300.htm

Other States - Haryana

Groups clash over candidate selection
Sonepat: Two groups of Congress workers clashed with each other over the 
issue of selection of candidate for Lok Sabha seat from Sonepat.
The clash took place in the presence of Rajni Patil, a Central observer 
of the AICC, after she arrived here on Monday evening to know the party 
workers’ choice for the possible candidate for the Sonepat Lok Sabha seat.
While a large number of workers favoured Krishna Gahlawat, former 
Haryana Minister another group harped for Jatinder Singh Malik, MLA and 
a close associate of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. The agitating 
workers also raised slogans in favour of their candidate.





http://story.indiagazette.com/index.php/ct/9/cid/701ee96610c884a6/id/421203/cs/1/

Shiv Sena, LJP activists clash in Delhi
India Gazette
Tuesday 21st October, 2008
(ANI)
New Delhi, Oct 21 : A violent brawl broke out between the activists of 
Shiv Sena and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) here today as the two parties 
took to streets to protest against militant attacks and atrocities of 
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) on North Indian students in Mumbai.

The Sena activists were protesting against the recent militant attacks 
in the country when the LJP activists reached the site to stage a 
demonstration against the MNS atrocities in Mumbai.

On the other hand, the Sena activists accused the LJP workers of 
disturbing their peaceful rally.

"Shiv Sainiks had gathered here in thousands. Our MP Mohan Rawale was 
with us. In between this some traitors who are sympathetic towards the 
militants attacked us but we are proud that we managed to defend 
ourselves. We have beaten them with cane sticks and in future we would 
ensure that nobody escapes," said Sandeep Kulkarni, a Shiv Sena activist.

While referring to the recent attacks on students from outside 
Maharashtra the LJP accused the Sena activists of hampering the unity of 
the country and demanded registration of cases against them.

"They are beating our people, making them apologise and move out. They 
can do anything. They are trying to disrupt the unity of the country. 
That is why our party has demanded a case of anti-national activities 
against them," said Ram Chandra Paswan, an LJP member.

The reason of the clash is yet to be ascertained.

Police was deployed in large numbers to control the situation and 
prevent a violent outbreak.

On Sunday, the MNS activists in Mumbai had beaten students, particularly 
from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, and disrupted the Railway recruitment 
examinations.

Earlier today, MNS chief Raj Thackeray was produced before the Bandra 
Metropolitan Magistrate court where his bail plea was rejected.





http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/08/stories/2008100858020300.htm

Tamil Nadu - Thanjavur

Demonstration
THANJAVUR: A section of people of Kovilacherry village near Kumbakonam 
in Thanjavur district staged a demonstration in front of the Revenue 
Divisional Office in Kumbakonam on Tuesday demanding the arrest of the 
people involved in the reported murder of Veerachamy (45), an 
agricultural worker belonging to Scheduled Caste community. The body of 
Veerachamy was found with cut injuries in Kovilachery village on Monday 
and a section of villagers refused to take the body on Monday. Following 
an assurance by the police and revenue officials that the culprits would 
be booked, the villagers gave up the agitation and took the body for 
cremation.





http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/05/stories/2008100551800300.htm

Karnataka - Gulbarga

Students stage demonstration
Special Correspondent
GULBARGA: Students of different colleges here staged a demonstration on 
Friday under the aegis of the All-India Mahila Samskrutika Sanghatane 
(AIMSS) protesting against the Karnataka High Court ruling allowing 
women to be employed in bars and restaurants. They held the 
demonstration at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Chowk for more than an 
hour. They said the decision to allow women to work in bars would give 
room for sexual abuse and harassment. They appealed to the Government to 
move the Supreme Court and bring a stay on the High Court order.





http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/18/stories/2008101861600300.htm

Kerala - Kochi

Two students held after clash on campus
Staff Reporter
KOCHI: Two students of the Government Law College were injured in a 
clash between activists of the Students Federation of India (SFI) and 
Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishath (ABVP) on Friday.
Two students were arrested in connection with the clashes. Those 
arrested were Rohit, 23, of Eroor and Ansu, 22, Neyyattinkara, both SFI 
activists, on charges of assault.
Aneesh, and Ramanunni, activists of the ABVP, were admitted to City 
Hospital.
The skirmish followed the SFI strike call to protest against the clash 
between two groups at Maharaja’s College on Thursday.






http://newsblaze.com/story/20081019082746nava.nb/topstory.html

Published: October 19,2008
Send to a friend
Group Clashes Shock Northeast India
By Nava Thakuria

India, October 19 - Group clashes that erupted in middle Assam, 
Northeast India, during the first week of this month shocked the entire 
populace of the country. Violence broke out in Udalguri district of the 
State on October 3 and elongated for almost a week to snatch away the 
lives of over 50. Moreover, the hostility between the Bodo tribespeople 
and immigrant Bangladeshis in four districts of Assam(Udalguri, Darrang, 
Baksa and Chirang) left hundreds wounded and thousands of families with 
women and minor children in the relief camps.
The incident was surprising because nobody outside the localities under 
the Bodo territorial council knew about it. Not to speak of common 
people, the police and intelligence department also failed to understand 
and predict the growing intolerance between the two communities since 
August. The Bangladeshi settlers were angry with local Bodos in some 
areas of Udalguri and Darrang, as they opposed an agitational program, 
sponsored by the Muslims, during the middle of August.
The violence this time erupted with a small incident of stealing of 
cattle by the Bangladeshi settlers from a Bodo village. The flame of 
communal violence rapidly engulfed the adjacent areas and finally it 
spread widely in four districts of the Bodoland Territorial (Autonomous 
District) Council.

Cartoon by Nituparna Rajbongshi
The BTC was formed after the Bodoland Tiger Force made a peace agreement 
with New Delhi in 2003. The leaders and members of BLT later gave birth 
to Bodo People's Front to join the electoral process. Now the BPF is an 
ally of the Congress government led by Tarun Gogoi.
The government tried hard to get the situation under control. Thousands 
of police, army and paramilitary troops were deployed in the strife torn 
areas. The army and paramilitary forces continued to stage flag marches 
in the affected areas over many days. Army choppers were also engaged 
for air surveillance. Even a curfew was enforced for more than a week, 
though it was relaxed during day time as the situation started improving.
The Assam Tribune, the oldest English daily in the Northeast, commented 
in an editorial that 'the ethnic riots in Udalguri and Darrang districts 
expose the failure of the State government to maintain law and order and 
provide security to the people living in sensitive areas'. It also 
added, "It is unfortunate that the State government led by Tarun Gogoi, 
miserably failed to anticipate the situation and allowed the mayhem to 
continue for several days. It also made the situation more complicated 
by issuing off the cuff remarks by the Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and 
the government spokesperson, Minister Himanta Biswa Sarmah."
The State chief minister Gogoi was quick to blame the National 
Democratic Front of Bodoland militants for the violence. He found a 
supporting voice in his loyalist minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's comment. 
The State Health and Family Welfare minister Sarma visited some affected 
areas and later addressing the local media at Mangaldai, he termed the 
act as a systematic ethnic cleansing perpetrated by the NDFB militants. 
He even warned the militant outfit, which is under ceasefire agreement 
with New Delhi, to review the truce.
The BTADC chief Hagrama Mohilary also accused the NDFB as being involved 
in the killing. But the NDFB general secretary Govinda Basumatary 
refuted the allegation promptly. Amazingly the State police chief RN 
Mathur also revealed that there was no evidence of NDFB's involvement in 
the violence of Udalguri and Darrang districts.
The minister's comment about 'ethnic cleansing' was not digested by 
many. The Bodo Women Justice Forum president Anjali Daimary also 
condemned the minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for his irresponsible 
comments. Addressing the media persons at Guwahati Press club, Ms 
Daimary even held the minister responsible for the recent carnage in 
Udalguri and Darrang districts. She also asked the young minister 'not 
to meddle in the internal affairs of the Bodo people' any more.
The main opposition party of Assam, the Asom Gana Parishad asked Gogoi 
to resign as he failed miserably in both ways, as the head of the 
government and also the Home minister of the State. After visiting the 
riot affected areas, the party's newly elected president, Chandra Mohan 
Patowary also demanded an impartial inquiry to find out whether 
Pakistani flags were hoisted in the violence affected areas. Patowary, 
also the leader of the opposition in the State Assembly asked the Gogoi 
government not to take the issue lightly.
Gogoi earlier tried to clarify that the flag, which was seen by many 
people including some journalists at Mohanpur under Udalguri district, 
was associated with the festival of Eid and did not symbolize Pakistan. 
The Assam government spokesman Sarma also rubbished the report that 
there were Pakistani flags in the conflict ridden areas. Of course, the 
local television channels telecast the visuals of Pakistani flags flying 
at Sonaripara and Mohanpur village. Many Guwahati based newspapers also 
published photographs of the Pak flag on the front page.
The All Assam Students' Union and the All Bodo Students' Union 
representatives expressed their annoyances that 'the indigenous people 
of Assam were forced to leave their residences to take refuge in the 
relief camps'. After visiting the affected localities, the AASU adviser 
Samujjal Bhattacharya alleged that Gogoi had compromised national 
security by protecting those involved in the incident.
Worried New Delhi asked the State government to take all possible means 
to restore normalcy in the violence hit localities and rehabilitate the 
victims. The central government also suggested Gogoi to maintain 
adequate security and food at the relief camps. Soon after paying a 
visit to the affected areas, E. Ahmed, the Union minister of state for 
External Affairs met Gogoi and informed him about New Delhi's thoughts 
on the matter.
Even the Asom Sahitya Sabha president Kanaksen Deka blamed Gogoi for his 
inefficiency in handling the situation. Earlier the Bodo Sahitya Sabha 
criticized Gogoi for not 'visiting the violence-hit areas (even though 
less than 200 km away from Dispur) to assess the situation'. The BSS 
president Dr Kameswar Brahma blamed Gogoi as he failed to take prompt 
actions to save the lives and property of the victims even though he 
holds the Home portfolio.
Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission (of India) has accepted 
the incidence of group clashes seriously. Taking suo moto cognizance of 
the media reports regarding the violence, the commission has already 
issued notices to the state government to submit a report in the matter. 
The NHRC also decided to send a team to assess the situation in the 
affected areas.
Earlier facing the increasing heat of criticism, Gogoi visited the 
affected areas on seventh day of the violence. He initiated a judicial 
probe into the incidences of violence after his visit to the location on 
October 9. Lately Gogoi opted for a CBI probe into the incidence of 
hoisting of Pakistan flags with an aim to punish those involved.
Nava Thakuria is an independent journalist based in Guwahati, Northeast 
India, whose main interest is in socio-political developments of 
Northeast India and neighbouring Bhutan, Burma and Bangladesh.





http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/31/stories/2008103154080500.htm

Kerala - Kalpetta

Mananthavadi town tense after CPI(M)-BJP clashes
A Correspondent
Hartal called by trade unions passes off peacefully
KALPETTA: Tension prevailed at Mananthavadi town in the district 
following clashes between CPI(M) and BJP workers on Wednesday night .
A peace committee was called by A. Anil, RDO in-charge, on Thursday. But 
violence broke out again and two vehicles were damaged in attacks.
The office of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) at Chootakkadavu and 
two houses of BJP activists at Kammana and Valliyoorkavu were partially 
damaged.
A house of a BJP activist was set on fire at Chootakkadavu on Wednesday 
night after a CITU worker was hacked by a four-member masked gang at 
Kozhikode Road in the town.
A hartal called jointly by trade unions at Mananthavadi town on Thursday 
went off peacefully. The hartal was called in protest against the attack 
on the CITU activist.
Shops and business establishments remained closed but vehicular traffic 
was not disrupted. A.K. Babu, Circle Inspector, Mananthavadi, said that 
a case had been registered in connection with the incidents.
A strong police force is camping in the town.




http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/27/stories/2008102759831000.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Guntur

TDP groups clash
Staff Reporter
GUNTUR: The differences between warring groups in the Telugu Desam Party 
came to the fore again on Sunday after leaders of a Backward Class group 
clashed with each other at the ‘Yuva Garjana’ venue in the presence of 
the party’s polit bureau member Yanamala Ramakrishnudu and other senior 
leaders.
The incident was a setback to the party that is trying to revive itself 
in the district by organising a massive show of strength on November 5. 
It took a turn for the worse when partymen thrashed mediapersons 
covering the fistfights. A videographer of Tv9 channel, Phanindra, was 
injured and rushed to the NRI Hospital, while three others received 
injuries.
Mediapersons and journalists associations condemned the attack and 
staged a sit in in front of the TDP district party office and submitted 
a representation to Superintendent of Police Mahesh Chandra Laddha who 
assured that he would arrest the main accused, Kolli Lakshmaiah 
Chowdary, Navuluru sarpanch. TDP president Nara Chandrababu Naidu 
assured the management of Tv9 that necessary action would be taken 
against the guilty.





http://news.indiainfo.com/2008/09/17/0809171807_30_arrested_for_rioting_in_chennai_suburb.html

30 arrested for rioting in Chennai suburb Wednesday, September 17, 2008 
18:03 [IST]
Chennai: At least 30 people were arrested Wednesday following clashes 
between two armed groups having allegiance to the ruling and the 
opposition political parties over a prime piece of property in a 
northern suburb here, the police said.
Conflicting claims over 3.5 acres of prime land in Red Hills north of 
here led to the clash in which over a dozen people sustained minor 
injuries late Tuesday.
The arrested include "Gym" Karuna of the ruling Dravida Munnetra 
Kazhagam along with eight of his supporters and 21 supporters of an All 
India Anna DMK leader Muniyandi, official sources told IANS.
Trouble arose when a former AIADMK leader pitched tents over the land 
proclaiming it "Dr Ambedkar Manram". He tried to sell it to real estate 
speculators to which a ruling party supporter Karuna staked a rival 
claim a few days ago.
Karuna's supporters allegedly forcibly stopped the car owned by 
Muniyandi's brother Tuesday night and apparently took away valuables and 
Rs.250,000 cash after smashing the vehicle's windscreen.
Those arrested were charged with rioting and attempt to murder, police 
sources added.
Karuna's boss, "Vellai" Ravi, a criminal, was shot dead in a police 
shoot-out a few months ago.

Source : IANS






http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/04/stories/2008100453520300.htm

Kerala

Three injured in clashes
Staff Reporter
Private bus workers strike work
KASARAGOD: Three persons were injured in separate clashes between 
Congress and CPI (M) workers at Cheruvathoor and Cheemeni areas in 
southern part of the district on Thursday.
The injured are P. Narayanan (43) a Congress worker and driver of a 
private bus service based at Cheruvathoor; Babu (34) a CPI (M) worker 
who works as cleaner of a private bus operating between Cheemeni and 
Cheruvathoor and Mohanan (33) a head load worker at Cheemeni and a 
member of INTUC. The clashes began after Mr. Narayanan was attacked by a 
group of people.
Private buses plying between Cheemeni and Cheruvathoor did not operate 
on Thursday following a strike call by unions of bus workers to protest 
against attack on bus workers.
Tension continues in the area.




http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/04/stories/2008100451800300.htm

Kerala - Thrissur

DYFI-RSS clash
THRISSUR: Three Democratic Youth Federation of India workers and two 
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh activists were injured in clashes at 
Pazhanji on Friday. The injured have been admitted to hospitals.







http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/26/stories/2008102651360300.htm

Tamil Nadu - Salem

Congress cadres stage demonstrations
Staff Reporter
SALEM: Cadres of the Congress party staged demonstrations in various 
parts of Salem and Namakkal districts on Thursday and Friday condemning 
the damage to Rajiv Gandhi statue in Kodunkaiyur in North Chennai.
In Salem city, cadres attempted to block the traffic on Five Roads 
demanding the arrest of those who were responsible for the act. State 
Pradesh Congress Committee member K. Mariappan led the protest. Police 
arrested 44 cadres.
Another group of party cadres demonstrated in front of the old 
Collectorate. State secretary Susheendrakumar led the protest. Members 
of the youth wing of the party staged a similar a demonstration in front 
of the Rajiv Gandhi statue here. State Youth Wing deputy president S. 
Selvam led the protest. Similar agitations were held in Siddhar Koil, 
Attur and Namakkal.






http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/26/stories/2008102653860400.htm

Tamil Nadu

Congress workers stage demonstration
Tiruvannamalai: Congress workers staged demonstrations at various places 
here on Saturday, protesting against the damage caused to the Rajiv 
Gandhi Statue in Chennai.
A faction headed by P.S.Vijayakumar, Polur MLA and district president of 
congress party, held demonstration in front of a taluk office, while 
another group headed by former district congress committee president 
Subramanian staged demonstration in front of a Gandhi statue. — Staff 
Reporter





http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/27/stories/2008102758860300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Guntur

TD, PR supporters clash
GUNTUR: Clashes broke out between supporters of Telugu Desam Party and 
Praja Rayjam on Sunday evening while the latter were taking out a rally 
on Donka Road leading to the venue of public meeting at Arundelpet, 
which was to be addressed by K. Naga Babu. The supporters armed with 
soda bottles clashed sparking tension.
The Arundelpet police rushed to the venue and chased the supporters, SP 
Mahesh Chandra Laddha said.





http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/2008/oct/oct27/news01.php

Dozen injured in YCL-YF clash
Around one dozen cadres of Unified Marxist Leninist (UML)-affiliated 
Youth Force (YF) have been injured in a clash with Maoist-affiliated 
Young Communist League (YCL) in Gorkha district on Sunday evening.
The local UML leadership has said that following the clash that occurred 
in Arutar of Aruchanaute VDC, the whereabouts of five of their cadres 
are still unknown.
The YCL leadership has said that the clash occurred after YF cadres made 
accusations against their party.
Even though the Maoists and UML have joined hands to build a coalition 
government at the center, the clashes between their youth cadres in 
various districts have remained routine. nepalnews.com sd Oct 27 08





http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?from=rss_Politics&set_id=1&click_id=6&art_id=vn20081027054411683C812608

ANC, IFP clash during campaign in KZN

October 27 2008 at 10:40AM

By Jeff Wicks & Sipho Khumalo

A man was taken to hospital after being injured in an apparent stand-off 
between IFP and ANC campaigners in Umlazi, Durban on Sunday.

ANC Kwazulu-Natal secretary Senzo Mchunu blamed IFP members, saying they 
were responsible for the "rampage".

"I heard about physical attacks on ANC members in Umlazi. One man was 
injured and was taken to hospital by a senior member of the ANC leadership.

"The IFP had a rally in the area and we had our door-to-door campaign in 
the vicinity. Apparently when the IFP members saw the ANC campaigners, 
they went on a rampage, attacking them as they moved from home to home. 
I am told that all the residents came out of their homes and it was a 
very ugly scene."

IFP eThekwini regional chairperson Mdu Nkosi blamed the ANC for the 
confrontation and denied that the situation had turned violent.

"We were busy with our visibility campaign and we wanted to go to the 
hostels. The ANC supporters blocked the way and we couldn't get in. 
Nothing bad happened and we understood the situation and we backed down."

Police Superintendent Vincent Mdunge said an ANC supporter had opened a 
case of assault.

"I am aware that there was a slight problem at M section and an ANC 
member has opened a case of assault. Whether he was assaulted by someone 
from the IFP is unknown."

Political parties deployed senior officials throughout KZN at the 
weekend as they upped their electioneering tempo ahead of the 2009 
elections.

The ANC focused on the North Coast and northern parts of the province, 
where leaders including Tokyo Sexwale, treasurer-general Matthews Phosa, 
Safety and Security Minister Nathi Mthethwa and Intelligence Minister 
Siyabonga Cwele addressed rallies and conducted door-to-door campaigns. 
The ANC's campaigning will culminate in the party's provincial executive 
committee meeting in Richards Bay on Monday.

The IFP intensified its voter registration campaign at the weekend with 
party chairperson Zanele kaMagwaza-Msibi taking the campaign to the 
eThekwini metro area.

The African Christian Democratic Party President, the Reverend Kenneth 
Meshoe, spoke at a party dinner in Durban.

This week, ANC President Jacob Zuma will venture into the IFP 
strongholds of Mtubatuba, St Lucia, Manguzi and Newcastle.







http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=60591

Published On: 2008-10-27
Metropolitan
DU SM Hall
5 BCL activists hurt in intra-party clash
DU Correspondent

Five activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), student wing of Awami 
League (AL), were injured in a factional clash at Salimullah Muslim (SM) 
Hall of Dhaka University (DU) yesterday.

Of them, two activists Saikat and Shafin were critically injured and 
rushed to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital.

Later, Saikat was shifted to Orthopedic Hospital in the city.

Sources said Sumon and his group attacked Saikat and his men with iron 
rods, wood sticks and machete in front of the hall gate at around 7.00pm.

Sumon, an alleged fake student of the university, and his men brutally 
beat Saikat with machete.

They cut the veins of Saikat's leg and left hand with machete, sources 
added.

A conflict between Sumon, known as a supporter of BCL DU unit President 
Sohel Rana Tipu, and Saikat, a fellow of DU unit General Secretary 
Sajjad Saqib Badsha, had been continuing over the hegemony of the hall 
compound.

Last week, fellows of Sumon and Saikat were engaged in a clash over the 
allocation of rooms among their supporters in the hall.

Four bombs also exploded after the clash.

Tension was prevailing on the hall compound as of filing this report at 
9.30 last night.







http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/50669/story.htm

Clashes Over Water Kill Four In Drought-Hit Kenya
Date: 20-Oct-08
Country: KENYA
Locals said the death toll was higher after two days of clashes between 
the Murulle and Garre clans in Elwak, Mandera District.
"We have confirmed the killing of four people. Two are missing and we 
got a fresh report about the injury of four police officers," Red Cross 
spokesman Titus Munga told Reuters.
Police in the remote area could not immediately be reached for comment.
Dozens of people have been killed in other parts of northern Kenya in 
recent months as communities clash over water sources and pasture for 
livestock in a region ravaged by drought.
(Reporting by Noor Ali; Writing by Daniel Wallis; Editing by Janet Lawrence)







http://kenvironews.wordpress.com/2008/09/13/thirteen-dead-in-mandera-clashes-over-water/

Thirteen Dead in Mandera Clashes Over Water
Posted on 13 September 2008. Filed under: Development, Public Health |

Photo: Neil Thomas/IRIN

The clash was over water
NAIROBI, 12 September 2008 (IRIN) – At least 13 people have been killed 
in inter-clan clashes over water in the north-eastern region of Mandera, 
a humanitarian official has said.
“The two clans clashed over the ownership of a borehole,” Titus Mung’ou 
of the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) told IRIN. The clashes broke out 
on 7 September between the Murule and Garre clans.
“The borehole, which was destroyed in the fighting at Alongo, was an 
important water source for thousands of people and livestock for the two 
clans,” Mung’ou said. Alongo is located along the border of Mandera 
Central and Mandera East districts.
The total number of people injured as well as those displaced remains 
unclear, according to Mung’ou. “The fighters retreated with their 
injured while those living in the affected area are now with relatives,” 
he said.
A police post was also targeted and two police officers were among the 
dead. “This was criminal activity,” Eric Kiraithe, the police spokesman, 
told IRIN.
The motive of the attack was to allow the criminals to escape, Kiraithe 
said. A police vehicle was also badly damaged, he said.
Inter-clan clashes are common in the north-eastern region over scarce 
resources. “What is different is the audacity in directly assaulting the 
police,” said Kiraithe.
He said activities aimed at recovering illegal weapons were ongoing in 
the area.
Security has also been intensified although no arrests have been made, 
he said.
Meanwhile, the KRCS has mobilised personnel, relief and medical supplies 
to the area, according to Mung’ou.
There are plans for relief food distribution, which will target at least 
30,000 people, he said. Water trucking is also ongoing.





http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportID=80981

KENYA: Clan clashes add to plight of displaced in northeast

Photo: Melvin Chibole/ActionAid

Pastoralists water their livestock in Mandera: Clan clashes in the 
region are adding to the plight of those displaced by recent flooding
NAIROBI, 17 October 2008 (IRIN) - At least two people have been killed 
and scores wounded amid fresh inter-clan fighting in the northeastern 
region of Mandera, a month after clashes there over water displaced 
hundreds.

"Fighting broke out on 16 October between members of the Garre and 
Murule clans over land that people displaced by flooding in Mandera town 
had settled on temporarily," Titus Mung'ou, a Kenya Red Cross 
Communications Officer, said.

At least 10,000 people have been displaced after heavy rains this week 
in the region and in parts of neighbouring southern Somalia.

"Two people have been confirmed dead," Mung'ou said. Scores of people 
have also been injured. Fighting has also been reported at Gari Hills, 
130km from Mandera town. Four people are feared dead, said the KRCS.

The clashes have disrupted distribution of aid to about 1,000 households 
displaced by floods, said KRCS. "Some of the people affected by the 
flooding had earlier been displaced by drought," he said. The region has 
suffered recurrent drought in the past.

Among the affected are also households that fled clashes between the two 
clans in September. "They are facing multiple problems," he said.

Some traders have been forced to abandon their businesses after 
receiving threats from rival clans, said a resident of Elwak town, 
Muktar Elmoge.

Security patrols in the area have been stepped up while local leaders 
have held peace meetings to facilitate humanitarian access. Thousands of 
people in the area are facing extreme food shortages and are reliant on 
food aid.

An official at Mandera district office said police escorts were being 
provided to aid workers and transporters after some of them threatened 
to withdraw their services over insecurity. This was after five vehicles 
were carjacked by people suspected to be from Somalia.

Mandera town remains tense. "Roadblocks have been erected on either side 
of town by members of the two communities," said KRCS.

On 15 October a herdsman was killed in the neighbouring district of Tana 
River, "in what is believed to be a recurrence of conflict between the 
Wardey and Oromo communities" in the region, said the KRCS.

The herdsman was killed in an attack in the local Wayam Oro area, which 
has not received rainfall for several months. Inter-clan clashes over 
scarce resources are common in the northeast region.

na-aw/am






http://www.dawn.com/2008/10/15/rss.htm#23

Six killed in Khuzdar clash over hill ownership QUETTA: Six people were 
killed and eight others injured in a gunbattle between two groups of 
Jatak tribe in the Mula area of Khuzdar district on Tuesday. Police said 
the clash was caused by a dispute over the ownership of a hill. The 
firing started in the morning and both sides used rockets, machine-guns 
and other weapons. (Posted 11:20 PST)






http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=141713

Robbery bid gone wrong sparks clashes across city Saturday, October 18, 2008
By our correspondent

Karachi

A robbery attempt gone wrong, in which a victim lost his life, sparked a 
retaliatory attack, claiming another life, which ultimately lead to 
fierce clashes and high tension in different parts of the city on Friday.

As per reports, it all started when two armed men intercepted Danish, 
21, son of Shamsuddin, near the Kala School situated in New Karachi in 
the Bilal Colony police area.

The outlaws ordered him to hand over the valuables. When he resisted, 
the armed men opened fire upon him. As a result, he died. The police 
said the deceased was an activist of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). 
A little while later, a Sunni Tehreek (ST) activist was gunned down and 
three others sustained bullet wounds in sniper firing in the Bilal 
Colony police limits.

Irfan, 24, Hammad, 18, Faiaz, 22, and Junaid Khan, 17, sustained bullet 
wounds, when unidentified people opened fire on them in New Karachi 
situated in Sector 5/E in the Bilal Colony police jurisdiction, while 
they were sitting near Babu Pan Shop. The armed men, after spraying 
bullets on them, managed to flee from the scene.

The police took the injured to the Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK) in a 
critical condition. However, Irfan died on way.

The police said the deceased and injured were activists of the ST. They 
were of the view that unknown assassins attacked the young men to take 
revenge for Danish’s murder earlier in the day in a robbery bid gone wrong.

When ST activists heard of the death of Irfan, they came onto the 
streets and closed shops in the New Karachi, Azizabad, Gulshan-e-Iqbal 
and Gulistan-e-Jauhar police limits.

They started aerial firing in various parts of the city. The mob pelted 
stones on vehicles and torched tyres on main roads. After the incident, 
personnel of the Rangers and police controlled the situation.

Gun shot victims were brought in to JPMC from Orangi Town No. 4, where 
firing by unknown assailants resulted in the injury of two people, Lines 
Area, (one injured), Golimaar, where a bus was set on fire but no one 
was injured, and unknown people were terrorising the streets by firing 
in the air. Reports said there was firing in Dalmia area, along with 
Lyari, but no injuries were reported. In Shah Faisal Colony No. 1, shops 
were forecfully shut down, and there was aerial firing.






http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24493887-38196,00.html?from=public_rss

Stolen ciggie leads to tribal clash
 From correspondents in Port Moresby, PNG
AAP
October 14, 2008 10:03am
PORT Moresby police have used tear gas to break up pitched battles 
between rival tribesman sparked by a stolen cigarette.
About 200 Goilala tribesmen stormed the city's main downtown Koki Market 
yesterday after Tari tribesmen retaliated to an early morning 
confrontation with two Goilalas.
Police said a Goilala had stolen a single smoke from a Tari cigarette 
seller who was attacked with a bottle when he protested and demanded 
payment.
The bashed seller told PNG's Post-Courier newspaper: "When I got hit I 
was shocked and stood there with blood running down my head.
"My mates who sell cigarettes and other relatives close by chased the 
two men towards their village,'' he said.
Local police said the incident sparked on-going fights, rock throwing 
and two stabbings.
Police said the fighting, which lasted all day, was result of an 
accumulation of incidents in recent days, including the Taris trying to 
stop Goilalas selling at Koki market.
Police closed several roads around the market and dispersed the crowds 
with tear gas.





http://allafrica.com/stories/200810131284.html

Nigeria: Sokoto - Causes of Farmers/Herdsmen Clashes Identified
Rakiya A. Muhammad
13 October 2008
Sokoto — The frequent clashes between farmers and herdsmen have been 
blamed on lack of adequate grazing reserve and encroachment into cattle 
routes.
Speaking during an awareness campaign for farmers and herdsmen in Sokoto 
yesterday, Chairman Miyetti-Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Sokoto 
State branch, Alhaji Muhammad Bello Wamakko, said almost all cattle 
routes in the state have been turned to farms.
The chairman also said about 80 percent of the herdsmen have migrated to 
southern parts of the country to rear their cattle, and therefore called 
on the state government to address the problems. Also speaking, the 
Public Relations Officer All Farmers Association in the state, Murtala 
Gagadu, said the association was poised towards ensuring peaceful 
coexistence between the two groups. He urged farmers and herdsmen not to 
take laws into their own hands, but instead should report any grievances 
to appropriate authorities. He also said plans are on to organise a 
sensitization workshop for herdsmen and far-mers on the importance of 
peaceful coexistence. On his part, the Director, Livestock, Ministry of 
Forestry and Animal Heath, Alhaji Bello Raba, said the ministry set up a 
reconciliation committee for both farmers and herdsmen to address the 
problem of encroachment into cattle routes and clashes between the two 
parties.
(Daily Trust)






http://allafrica.com/stories/200810130922.html

Kenya: Man Arrested After Rival Groups Clash Over Ranch
12 October 2008
Nairobi — Several people were on Sunday injured when two rival groups 
clashed over the controversial 28,000-acre South-Ngariama ranch in 
Kirinyaga District.
A man lost his tooth while another sustained serious lip injury during 
the incident.
Police had to move in fast to quell the fight, which disrupted business 
in the area as villagers abandoned their work to witness the drama.
Led by the area deputy police boss Patrick Oduma, the officers lobbed 
teargas canisters at the violent groups, forcing them to disperse.
A man was arrested and locked up at Kerugoya Police Station for 
interrogation over the fight.







http://allafrica.com/stories/200810130126.html

Uganda: Bagisu, Bagwere Clash
George Bita and Daniel Edyegu
11 October 2008
Kampala — LIKE a thief expecting to get caught any time, Ayub Barasa 
glances over his shoulder as he hurriedly harvests rice from his garden 
in Namatala wetland.
He stuffs the harvest into a sisal bag he drags behind him, ready to 
flee at the first sign of danger. In his haste, he spills some of his 
precious harvest, ending up with more on the ground than in the bag. His 
face is covered in sweat, blinding his eyes, but he ignores it, just as 
he does the simmering midday sun, as he focuses on the task at hand. He 
can't ignore the nagging feeling that his life is in grave danger.
Barasa is one of many Bagwere farmers with gardens on the eastern side 
of Namatala River, who live in constant fear of deadly raids from their 
Bagisu neighbours who live on the western side of the river.
The bone of contention is the Namatala wetland, where for years the two 
tribes peacefully worked side by side, growing yams, rice and sugar cane.
But recently the wetland has become a battlefield, as the two neighbours 
accuse each other of trespassing.
Barasa, a subsistence farmer from Nyanza village, Kamonkoli Parish, 
Budaka District, has to harvest his crops before they mature because, if 
he doesn't, the Bagisu will come and forcibly take them away.
According to Barasa, the bad blood between the two tribes started 
flowing in 2004, when the Bagisu, who in the past used to be friendly, 
turned hostile and started raiding the Bagwere's gardens.
"They would raid our fields after we had left, filling their sacks with 
potatoes, yams and cassava, which they would sell in Mbale. One thing 
led to another and before we knew it, they were claiming the whole area 
on the Bugwere side of Namatala wetland," Barasa says.
Bagwere farmers believe peace would exist in the wetland if the Bagisu 
had not decided to go on the war path.
According to the Bagwere, the Bagisu hire ruffians to terrorise them. 
These are armed with deadly weapons like several sharp pangas welded 
together.
"They strike you from a distance, giving you no chance to defend 
yourself," laments a Mugwere survivor of the Bagisu's 'long-range machete'.
According to Bagwere elders, Namatala stream, flowing from Mt. Elgon, 
has always served as a natural boundary between their district, Budaka, 
and Mbale. The Bagisu have been accused of tampering with the natural 
boundary by trying to divert the course of the river. But the 
fast-moving water body always reverts to its original course, leaving 
the artificial channels dry.
Nyanza LC1 chairman Nyende Mujasi recalls that at Uganda's independence 
in 1962, the railway line near Doko in Namatala, a suburb of Mbale town, 
served as the boundary between the Bagisu and Bagwere.
"There are maps to prove this. However, in 2004, the Bagisu claimed they 
owned the wetland. When we objected, they invaded the area, attacked the 
Bagwere farmers and killed some," Mujasi said.
But in spite of the harassment, the Bagwere are unlikely to surrender 
the wetland to their more aggressive neighbours. Mujasi explains that 
there are many Bagwere families with ancestral burial sites in the 
wetland, which makes them treasure it very much. The fact that a number 
of their tribesmates have perished there has only strengthened the 
Bagwere's attachment to the swamp.
In March 2007, Saidi Balikoowa was tending to his yams when a gang of 
Bagisu pounced on him and dismembered him. His decomposing body was 
recovered two weeks later. His widow, Aisha Logose, who now has to fend 
for their four children, tearfully recalls how for days she kept calling 
her husband's mobile phone but got no response.
"He was taking too long to get back home, and yet some people had told 
me about an attack in Doko Zone where our garden is. Two people were 
killed that day. My husband's body was only discovered a fortnight 
later," she narrates.
Although Logose has four mouths to feed, she cannot risk going back to 
the garden in the wetland which is now overgrown with bushes. She and 
the children are surviving on the goodwill of neighbours and friends.
"Several farmers here in Kamonkoli can longer cross into Namatala 
wetland for fear of being killed like my husband was," Logose says. 
Abdullah Kakyo and James Watala, both survivors of the Bagisu-Bagwere 
clashes, bear ugly scars on their bodies. Kakyo was attacked on 
September 18, 2006 and his hand was almost cut off. Although he has a 
wife and 10 children to look after, he has never gone back to his 
cassava garden.
Watala was attacked on January 6, 2007, and sustained a deep cut on the 
shoulder, which rendered his right hand useless. Like Kakyo, Watala 
today fears going anywhere near the swamp.
He is still trying to figure out a way of fending for his two wives and 
seven children without his garden and one of his hands. Watala says the 
Bagisu are struggling for the wetland because of the rich volcanic soils 
washed down from the Mt. Elgon slopes.
"Most crops grow well here and result in a bumper harvest. When the 
Bagisu realised this, they came to force us out. If this doesn't explain 
it, where were they when our forefathers farmed here?" he asks.
According to the Bagisu, it is the Bagwere who first provoked them. 
Ahmed Wamimbi, the LC1 information secretary of Kibiniko village on the 
Mbale side of the wetland, attributes the current clashes to provocation 
from the Bagwere. He has facts to back up his claims. "On January 1, 
2007 a group of Bagwere armed with spears, slings and machetes attacked 
Kibiniko village, injured two residents, Rashid Musoke and Muzamiru 
Lungiso, and afterwards retreated to their side with their loot - 23 
goats, three cows and 10 iron sheets," he says. Wamimbi also argues that 
the stream can no longer serve as the boundary between the two districts 
because its course has changed a number of times.
"In 1992, for example, when road works on Tirinyi Road were going on, 
engineers diverted the water flow to allow the bridge under construction 
near Kamonkoli to dry properly. Afterwards, they never corrected the 
course of the river," he says.
However, Mujasi argues that the area Police could be siding with the 
Bagisu since those arrested are usually charged with flimsy counts and 
released soon afterwards on Police bond.
"More than a year since Balikoowa and other farmers were killed, the 
Police are yet to track down the people responsible. In both cases, the 
suspects were released, prompting the Bagwere to accuse the Police of 
taking sides," he said.
However, Idi Ssenkumbi, the regional headquarters Police spokesman 
refutes claims that they have taken sides.
"Those people are violent and we're not on any side. Take, for instance, 
the September incident. We were informed at about 10:00am and we rushed 
to the scene to find both sides armed to the teeth with spears, machetes 
and sticks. Our work was simply to calm the situation," Ssenkumbi 
explains. He argues that there was no incriminating evidence to 
prosecute the two Bagisu suspects earlier arrested over the violent 
murders of Bagwere farmers in the wetland.
"We called people from both tribes to give us evidence and no 
implicating evidence came up. Our hands were tied. We make charges 
bearing in mind that there is a court judge to convince," Ssenkumbi says.
Relevant Links
• East Africa
• Uganda
However, the local government minister, Maj. Gen. Kahinda Otafiire, 
criticised the Police over the way they handled the conflict and the 
Bagisu aggressors.
"As a government, we can't tolerate people who kill others and just walk 
away scot free. Those suspects should be charged with murder, prosecuted 
and hanged," Otafiire stated, after touring the disputed wetland and 
listening to the warring parties.
Otafiire said the Police should have preferred charges against the 
arrested people as a deterrent to the rest of the invaders. He also 
called on the lands ministry to demarcate the district boundary afresh, 
to stop further bloodshed.
Otafiire warned that any escalation of the conflict would force the 
Government to ban both tribesmen from the government-owned wetland.
(New Vision)






http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=58225

Published On: 2008-10-11
Metropolitan
12 injured as fishermen clash in Bhola
Unb, Bhola

At least 12 fishermen were injured in an attack by their rival group in 
the river Meghna yesterday.

Witnesses said fishermen of Babul group of Daulatkhan attacked and 
hacked 12 fishermen of Sayed group in the morning when they went there 
for fishing.

The attackers also threw some 10/12 fishermen into the river who were, 
later, rescued by the fellow fishermen, said the injured.

The injured fishermen were admitted to Bhola Sadar Hospital.






http://allafrica.com/stories/200810100364.html

Uganda: One Killed in Fresh Kasese Land Clash
Michael Karugaba and Kagyenda Bwebale
10 October 2008

One person was killed and two others injured following renewed land 
clashes between the Basongora pastoralists and Bakonzo cultivators in 
Kasese District.
The District Police Commander, Mr Felix Ebong, told Daily Monitor on 
phone that the incident happened on Wednesday afternoon in Kayanja 
Village Kitswamba Sub-county after the Basongora attacked the 
cultivators accusing them of encroaching on their land.
The Police publicist for western region, Mr Elly Maate, identified the 
dead as Ezekiel Bingibyaghire, 50, a cultivator and a resident of 
Bigando Village Kitswamba Sub-county. The injured are both cultivators 
whose identities could not easily be established by press time. They 
were rushed to Kilembe Mines Hospital in critical condition.
During the clash, close to 40 houses belonging to the pastoralists were 
burnt by enraged cultivators and property worth millions was reduced to 
ashes.
The clash, which started from Kayanja, later spilled to Bigando Village 
about 10km away where several houses were burnt and three cows belonging 
to Mr Nicodemus Mbuba were killed. But the DPC denied knowledge of any 
dead cow and said only the cultivators wanted to take them alive but the 
Police prevented them from doing so. The Police have since increased its 
presence in the area to avert more clashes.
However Daily Monitor saw two carcasses with some parts chopped. The 
pastoralists accused the Police of siding with the cultivators, 
participating in the burning of some houses and attempting to shoot 
those who tried to defend their properties. But Mr Maate denied any 
Police involvement in the clashes. "I don't think that can happen," said 
Mr Maate in a phone interview.
Police has since arrested over 20 pastoralists on charges of murder and 
are currently being held at Kasese Police Station. Mr Maate identified 
some of the suspects as Mr Abel Mulindwa, Mr Robert Rukundo, Mr Amos 
Rwakabana and Mr Amos Karangwa. The clashes come less than three months 
when another cultivator was killed during a bloody clash between the two 
sides in Munkunyu Sub-county.
There have been bloody clashes between the two sides since October last 
year when the pastoralists were chased from Queen Elizabeth National 
Park and resettled on some parts of government land.
(The Monitor)







http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/northeast-tribal-bodies-want-assam-ethnic-clashes-to-be-stopped_100106151.html

Northeast tribal bodies want Assam ethnic clashes to be stopped
October 11th, 2008 - 8:39 pm ICT by IANS -
Agartala, Oct 11 (IANS) Parties representing tribals in the northeast 
Saturday urged the central government to take stern action to stop 
ethnic clashes in Assam.The Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura 
(INPT), North-East Students’ Organisation (NESO), National Conference of 
Tripura (NCT) and United Democratic Alliance (UDA) have expressed 
serious concern over the recent ethnic clashes in Assam.
“If the central and Assam governments fail to take stern action, the 
situation would go out of control,” said INPT general secretary Rabindra 
Debbarma.
“Unchecked infiltration from across the border is the root cause of 
these ethnic violence,” Debbarma, a former Tripura minister, told 
journalists.
At least 55 people were killed and more than 100 injured in violent 
clashes between tribal Bodos and migrant Muslims settlers and subsequent 
police firing last week in two Assam districts, Udalguri and Darrang.
Influential organizations like the NESO, the NCT and UDA, a 
conglomeration of various Mizoram-based tribal parties, have also asked 
the governments to take steps to prevent recurrence of such ethnic clashes.
NESO vice-chairman Upendra Debbarma said: “Tribal and non-tribals in the 
northeast should live together with communal harmony.”
NCT general secretary Animesh Debbarma said: “Infiltration alone cannot 
be the reason for the clashes. Fundamentalist elements are also 
responsible for such type of ethnic violence.”






http://janamejayan.wordpress.com/2008/10/06/bodo-bangladeshis-clashes-kill-30/

Bodo-Bangladeshis clashes kill 30
By janamejayan
Syed Zarir Hussain | Udalguri (Assam)
400 houses torched; curfew, shoot-at-sight ordered in Assam
The death toll in three days of clashes between two communities in Assam 
has mounted to 30 and more than 100 injured, besides about 30,000 people 
displaced, officials said on Sunday.
“According to updated figures, 30 people were killed so far, 14 of them 
died in separate incidents of police firing, including four on Sunday,” 
an Assam Home department statement said.
A Government spokesman said police and paramilitary troopers on Sunday 
opened fire on three different locations to disperse armed mobs trying 
to set ablaze villages of a rival community in the northern district of 
Udalguri, about 120 km from Assam’s main city of Guwahati.
“At least four people were killed when police opened fire on armed 
miscreants trying to set ablaze a village,” a senior police official 
said requesting not to be named.
All the four victims belonged to the minority Muslim community.
“Miscreants on Sunday also managed to set ablaze a cluster of homes in 
the violence-torn district of Udalguri. The violence has spread to the 
adjoining districts of Darrang and Baksa,” the official said.
The two districts of Udalguri and Baksa are near the Bhutan border.
Violence erupted after village officials belonging to the tribal Bodo 
group were attacked by Muslims on Friday, police said.
Other groups in the violence-torn districts joined the clashes, with 
mobs armed with machetes, spears and homemade guns targeting rival 
communities.
“Now the violence is not just confined to the tribal Bodos and the 
Muslims, even indigenous Assamese and tea garden workers called as the 
Adivasis are also caught in the clashes,” the official said.
Troops were instructed to shoot at sight in two districts of the State 
where a curfew has been imposed since Friday, police said.
“About 400 houses have been torched,” the official said. About 30,000 
people have fled their homes and are living in State-run relief centres.
Police and locals blamed militants of the National Democratic Front of 
Bodoland (NDFB), a tribal rebel group currently on a ceasefire with New 
Delhi, of attacking and torching villages belonging to the Muslim community.
“We have also got such reports of the NDFB instigating the violence and 
if such reports are found to be true then we shall have no options other 
than calling off the ceasefire,” Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi told 
newsmen on Sunday.
Community leaders and opposition political parties blamed the State 
Government for failing to control the violence.
“Despite the Government issuing curfew and shoot-at-sight orders, 
violence is continuing and there are complaints that there are no 
security forces present in several vulnerable areas,” former Assam Chief 
Minister and leader of the Asom Gana Parishad-Progressive, Prafulla 
Kumar Mahanta, said after visiting the violence-hit districts.
In August, the area witnessed similar clashes between two communities in 
which about 10 people were killed and several injured.






http://story.indiagazette.com/index.php/ct/9/cid/701ee96610c884a6/id/415405/cs/1/

Toll in Assam ethnic clashes mounts to 49
India Gazette
Monday 6th October, 2008
(IANS)
The toll in ethnic clashes in Assam during the weekend has mounted to 49 
and more than 100,000 people have been displaced, officials said Monday, 
adding that the situation was limping back to normal.

'As many as 49 people have died since violence broke out Friday, 15 of 
them in police firing, and the rest in incidents of clashes,' Assam 
government spokesman and Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told 
journalists.

Eight of the injured died in hospitals, while nine more bodies were 
recovered from various parts of the violence-hit districts of Udalguri, 
Darrang, Baska, and Chirang in northern Assam Monday.

An additional 2,000 paramilitary troopers were deployed Monday to quell 
clashes between Muslim migrants and tribal groups that forced an 
estimated 100,000 to flee their homes as a result of the violence that 
broke out Friday and swiftly spread through three districts of the 
northeastern state, officials said.

'Curfew is still in force with shoot-on-sight orders issued to the 
security forces. The situation is gradually returning to normal with no 
fresh incidents of violence reported,' Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said.

The clashes, between members of the Bodo tribal group and Muslim 
settlers originally from Bangladesh, have witnessed raids on numerous 
villages by groups armed with bows and poison-tipped arrows, spears and 
machetes.

'They set fire to a large a number of homes in my village,' said Dipali 
Basumatary, who had taken shelter with her two children in a 
government-run relief camp.

Although there have been cases of tension between indigenous and 
immigrant communities in Assam, violence on such a scale is very rare, 
and some state officials accused local separatist groups of fuelling the 
unrest.

Health Minister Sarma said the root cause of the trouble was a programme 
of 'ethnic cleansing' implemented by the National Democratic Front of 
Bodoland (NDFB), a rebel group fighting for an independent tribal homeland.

'They want to drive out all non-Bodos from the area... it's a systematic 
pogrom,' Sarma told IANS.

The NDFB, which is a largely Christian outfit, entered into a ceasefire 
with the Indian government in 2005, and renounced its demand for 
independent homeland, union home ministry official disclosed Sep 30 on 
condition of anonymity.

'We are investigating reports of the involvement of the NDFB in the 
clashes and, if proved, we shall be forced to call off the ceasefire,' 
the chief minister said.

'Army helicopters are conducting aerial surveillance over the 
violence-hit districts, besides round-the-clock patrol by security 
forces,' Assam police chief R.N. Mathur said.






http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/breaking-news/world/asia/police-clashes-kill-14-in-india-13993503.html

Police clashes kill 14 in India
Sunday, 5 October 2008
14 people have been killed in India in violent street clashes with the 
police.
At least 30 people have been killed in three days of ethnic conflict, 
with about 25 thousand villagers fleeing their homes.
Most of the people have been killed by police, who have been given the 
authority to shoot anyone fighting in the streets.
The fighting began on Friday when a group of young ethnic Bodo men were 
attacked by Muslim settlers after they finished patrolling their villages.






http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7653481.stm

Sunday, 5 October 2008 15:36 UK

Deadly clashes break out in Assam

Some of the worst violence has been in Udalguri district
At least 25 people have been killed in several days of violence in 
north-east India's Assam state, officials say.
Police opened fire to disperse rioting groups and killed 14 people, a 
state government spokesman said.
The clashes broke out on Friday between Bodo tribespeople and Muslim 
settlers from Bangladesh in Udalguri district, and have spread to nearby 
areas.
The groups have been fighting with bows and arrows, machetes and guns 
and several villages have been set on fire.
Long-running tension
Police have imposed a curfew and have orders to shoot rioters on sight.
On Sunday four people were killed when police shot into a group setting 
houses on fire in Dhola village in Darrang district said Assam state 
government spokesman, Dinesh Deka.
Police also opened fire at several groups on Friday, killing another 10 
people.
There have been long-running tensions in Assam state between indigenous 
peoples and settlers.
Thousands of people have fled their homes in the latest wave of 
violence, seeking shelter in camps set up by the police.
"The picture is hazy and compilation of casualty figures has become 
difficult because of the continuing arson," said another state 
government spokesman, Himanta Biswa Sarma.
"We are mobilising all resources to control the situation."
Over the last two months, members of indigenous communities such as the 
Bodos have been targeting immigrant Muslims of Bengali descent, 
describing them as "illegal infiltrators" from Bangladesh, says the 
BBC's Subir Bhaumik in Calcutta.
The Muslim leaders say most of their people came to Assam before 
Bangladesh came into existence in 1971 and obtained Indian citizenship 
legally, adds our correspondent.






http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/7412629.stm

Wednesday, 21 May 2008 12:44 UK
Punks and Emos clash in Mexico
Riot police have been deployed in a number of Mexican cities to break up 
the fighting between Punks and Emos.
Duncan Kennedy reports.






http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=151441

General News of Sunday, 12 October 2008

Five KNUST students injured during clashes
NEW. Watch live television from Ghana plus the latest Ghanaian movies 
plus OBE TV.
Kumasi, Oct. 12, GNA - The 40th hall week celebrations of the Unity Hall 
of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and technology in Kumasi 
turned violent on Saturday morning when members of the hall clashed with 
their counterparts from the University Hall (Katanga).

Four students from Unity Hall and one from University Hall were injured 
and were treated and discharged at the University Hospital. Several 
vehicles belonging to students, lecturers and visitors were damaged 
during the clashes which lasted for about 20 minutes. The students also 
vandalized property belonging to the University Hall and women who sell 
food and other items in front of the hall. It was through the 
intervention of the police personnel who had been detailed to protect 
the processors and tutors from the two halls who helped to control the 
rampaging students. Mr Mark William Adoriwuni, Senior Tutor of the Unity 
Hall, was manhandled by the students from University Hall when he 
attempted to calm down tempers.

No arrest had been made and a source at the security section of the 
university said investigations were ongoing. An eyewitness told the 
Ghana News Agency that the clashes ensued when some students from the 
University Hall threw stones and other missiles at their counterparts 
from Unity Hall who were going on procession on the university campus as 
part of the week celebrations. The source said when the procession of 
the students of the Unity Hall reached Kantanga Hall some members of the 
hall had mounted a road block but was removed by six police from the 
Bufalo Unit in Kumasi who were detached to protect the processors.

He said students of Unity Hall armed themselves with sticks and stones 
and stormed University Hall but because the main door was locked they 
vandalized anything on sight before moving away to continue the 
procession. The source said the police personnel who were not carrying 
any riot control equipment looked on helpless while the students 
attacked each other.
Source:
GNA






http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=57879

Published On: 2008-10-09
National
20 injured in Pabna clash
Our Correspondent, Pabna

At least 20 people were injured in a clash between people of two 
villages at Kailtola village in Bera upazila on Tuesday.

A motorcycle was also damaged during the clash. The clash ensued 
following previous enmity between chairmen of Kaitola and Natun Varenga 
villages, sources said.

Equipped with iron rods and bamboo sticks, both the feuding groups 
locked in clash in front of Bera Kaitola pump station.

Being informed, police rushed to the spot and controlled the situation. 
Police arrested 14 people from the spot, Bera Police Station duty 
officer Md Ashraful Islam said.






http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=57471

Print Friendly Version
Published On: 2008-10-06
Metropolitan
One beaten dead, 40 hurt in clash over trifle
Our Correspondent, Kushtia

One person was killed and at least 40 people, including some women, were 
injured in an attack by a group yesterday after a cow ate some plants in 
a paddy field at Sundha village in sadar upazila yesterday.

Sixty year-old Jamsed Mondol was beaten dead on the spot allegedly 
because his cow ate plants of the paddy field owned by Momtaj.

Five of the injured were admitted to Kushtia Gneral Hospital and one of 
the injured menHasmatwas shifted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital in 
critical condition.

Police said the local community police called an arbitration meeting 
quell the tension but the group led by Momtaj refused.

All of a sudden, men belonging to Mamtaj group attacked the house of 
Jamsed in presence of community police leader Year Ali.

The attackers beat Jamsed dead. About 40 people were injured in the clash.

Local people claimed that the incident took place only 600 yards from 
the Sundha police camp but police did not take any step during the 
incident.

“The clashes have worsened the humanitarian situation for the 
population, which was already depending on monthly food rations,” he said.







http://allafrica.com/stories/200810010364.html

Nigeria: Obajana Clash
1 October 2008
editorial
On Sunday, September 7, 2008 Obajana , a sleepy town in Kogi State 
witnessed a most gory violence involving drivers of haulage trucks and a 
group calling itself the Oworo boys.
When the dust settled, over 10 people had lost their lives, shops and 
houses looted and several vehicles burnt.
While the fracas lasted all manner of dangerous weapons were used 
including dane guns, machetes, spears, arrows and other wooden 
projectiles. The bedlam so created caused a major thorough fare [Lokoja 
Kabba Express way] , used by many to be closed for several hours, 
thereby impeding free movement of people and goods.
The immediate cause of the incident, according to accounts, had to do 
with the haphazard and disorderly manner the truck drivers, who were 
waiting to lift cement at the Obajana Cement Factory packed their trucks 
which as alleged, obstructed free flow of traffic and periodically 
caused accidents. Ostensibly, the real reason for the disturbances 
however was that the Oworo boys wanted some concession by the Obajana 
Cement Factory to buy and sell cement and the violence was just a way to 
force the hand of owners of the factory to accede to their quest.
Easily, the first issue that needs to be addressed is the disorganized 
way trucks are parked at the vicinity of the factory such that it 
constitutes a veritable obstacle to free flow of traffic. It is in the 
interest of the Obajana Factory authorities to ensure that orderliness 
is maintained. To enforce this, the Kogi State Police command should 
detail its personnel to the factory to ensure long haulage trucks 
waiting to evacuate cement do not constitute a hindrance to smooth 
traffic flow. Long haulage drivers can sometimes be irritable due to the 
long distance they have to cover, the delay in loading and the sense of 
loafing engendered which is usually aggravated by the incessant 
hectoring of the owners of the vehicles. The factory authorities and the 
Police command in conjunction with the community leaders should work 
together to build a friendly relationship between the drivers and the 
host community.
The factory authorities should realise that frequent accidents resulting 
in deaths cannot be a good advertisement for their business. Therefore 
helping to organize crisis free evacuation of cement could create the 
needed conducive atmosphere for smooth undertaking of business. Indeed 
that could constitute a major corporate responsibility, including of 
course, contributing to the development of the Obajana community through 
helping to provide needed amenities. It surely could be a way out to 
douse the smoldering anger of the natives, acted out by the Oworo boys 
in the resulting violence. It may also be wise to look into the demand 
for concessions involving the transaction of the cement, of course 
within plausible business limits.
It cannot be gainsaid that long haulage drivers provide essential 
service in oiling the wheels of the economy as they transport goods - 
petroleum products, cement, foodstuff etc- needed for both domestic and 
industrial uses. Their importance is not noted until they withdraw their 
services. Still, they should realize that they cannot always behave as 
if they are above the law. In an earlier piece we drew attention to the 
danger lack of organization on their part constitutes to the public. 
Accidents in Tafa, Shagamu, Mararaba, Ogere and many other places are 
due to their anarchic road sense with no thought for the safety of other 
road users. This attitude should not be allowed to stand. It is the duty 
of both the road traffic and the law enforcement authorities to ensure 
that traffic laws are obeyed. But again it is the duty of the 
communities in which they operate to provide them with suitable places 
to park their vehicles. Such places should be well removed from major 
roads so as not to cause accidents.
(Daily Trust)






http://allafrica.com/stories/200810021113.html

Ghana: After NDC, NPP Clash At Berekum
Michael Boateng
2 October 2008
Berekum — The National Organizer of the NDC, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo has 
visited victims of the bloody political clash between supporters of the 
NPP and the NDC to express his personal sympathy and that of the party 
to the injured.
Mr. Ofosu Ampofo claimed he had been assigned by the NDC to ascertain 
what led to the clash, and described the incidence as very unfortunate. 
He said Ghanaians should live beyond lawlessness to protect the peace of 
the country.
The National Organizer of the NDC noted that the 2008 elections should 
not be seen as a do or die affair, to the extent that people have to 
shed blood instead of sticking to the democratic principles of elections.
According to him, media reports on the incidence have portrayed the NDC 
as the cause of the clash, due to the hasty manner in which the NPP 
organized a press conference to cover-up their acts of intimidation 
against supporters of the NDC.
Mr. Ofosu Ampofo added that the NDC believes in democracy, therefore 
they belief in the principle of losing or winning in any election, and 
would not resort to violence to scare its political opponents, but would 
rather abide by the democratic rules of elections to ensure peace 
before, during and after the elections.
He revealed that there have been several reports of provocation against 
the NDC by the NPP, but the National Executives of the NDC has advised 
its members to remain calm and resolute to support the campaign in 
peace, and to secure political victory come December 7.
The NDC National organizer stated that members of the party could have 
reacted to the recent "Shit Bombing" at the Berekum Constituency offices 
of the party, but due to the advice given by the national executives, 
the Constituency resorted to the appropriate agency for investigations.
He, however, stated that being a calm party did not necessarily mean 
cowardice, and that sometimes self-Defence was needed when provocation 
gets out of control. He assured that as peace loving people, the NDC 
would do its best to restrain its members from any acts of violence.
Hon. Ofosu Ampofo visited the family of a 23-year old victim of the 
incident, Salifu Musah, a third-year student of the Accra Training 
College, who sustained multiple knife injuries on his face, chest and 
the arms.
He donated an amount of GH¢50 to the victim and assured the family that 
the party would offer the needed assistance to ensure the recovery of 
Musah, for him to get back to school.
The mother of the victim Mariamma Musah expressed her happiness to Mr. 
Ofosu Ampofo and the NDC for not betraying the son after the incident, 
and assured that the family would forever support the party to victory.
The NDC National Organizer and his entourage, made up of the NDC 
Parliamentary Candidate for Berekum, Lord Oppong Stephen and some 
regional and Constituency Executives of the party visited other victims 
of the clash. Mr. Ofosu Ampofo had wanted to visit the District Police 
Commander, ASP Charles Koosono, who was injured during the clash, but he 
was out of town at the time of his visit.
The NDC national organizer therefore visited the Divisional Police 
Commander, ASP Lord Obeng Mensah to thank them for controlling the 
situation.
According to Mr. Ofosu Ampofo, the police should exercise their duty 
professionally to avoid unnecessary accusation of bias during the 
electioneering period. He said, though the police did well, the NDC 
still doubted the credibility of the investigations conducted before 
preparing nine NDC supporters for court, whilst only one NPP member was 
arrested.
Mr. Lord Obeng Mensah reacted that the police would always remain 
neutral as well as exercise their duty professionally and fairly without 
any political, religious and ethical bias, to ensure peace in the 
country. He suggested that for the interest of peace, the leadership of 
the two political parties should have met to settle the matter out of 
court for the followers to know that politics is not about war.
The Gyaasehene of Berekum Traditional area, Nana Okofo Darteh, has 
meanwhile withdrawn the case involving supporters of the NPP and NDC who 
were allegedly engaged in the Berekum bloody clash.
According to Nana Okofo Darteh, it was prudent to call for an out of 
court settlement of the case, since the culprits were all royals of 
Berekum, despite their political affiliations.
He therefore, assured that he would settle the matter with the support 
of other opinion leaders in the area, without any prejudice, to ensure 
peace and unity among the people of Berekum traditional area.
(The Chronicle)






http://allafrica.com/stories/200810201314.html

Namibia: Rally Riot a Sign of Anarchy - NSHR
20 October 2008
THE National Society for Human Rights has condemned the "signs of 
anarchy" and breakdown of law and order which manifested itself near the 
'One Nation' section of Windhoek's Katutura suburb on Saturday.
A group of Swapo Party supporters defied repeated Police instructions to 
clear an area where a rival party, the Rally for Democracy and Progress 
(RDP), was to hold a rally.
Swapo Party supporters came together at the spot and, when instructed by 
the Police, refused to move.
The NSHR said some of the members of the group allegedly provoked the 
Police by shouting obscenities and insults at them.
Human rights monitors claimed to have overhead some Swapo leaders 
encouraging their supporters to confront the Police and to "stay put" 
and "never allow RDP to hold their meeting here".
Swapo Party supporters claimed that the area was a "no-go area" to the 
RDP as "this is our turf".
"This riotous conduct, on the part of certain, not all, members of the 
ruling Swapo Party, is not at all a spontaneous one. One must not look 
elsewhere for an answer. This behaviour is part of the clearer and more 
ominous manifestations of what has been happening in this country since 
the fateful meeting Swapo Party Politburo on April 3-4 2004," said NSHR 
executive director Phil ya Nangoloh.
At that meeting former Namibian President Sam Nujoma said he will not 
run for a fourth term of office.
The NSHR claimed that Nujoma was forced to step down.
"These riotous behaviours by conservative and opportunistic Swapo Party 
members are reflective of the fact that clearly there are now two rival 
factions with the ruling party," said Ya Nangoloh.
One faction, he claimed, supported Nujoma and was hard at work to ensure 
that the country becomes ungovernable "supposedly because of the 
ineptitude and incompetence on the part of President Hifikepunye Pohamba 
and Prime Minister Nahas Angula".
He said Namibians must wake up and realise "these dangerous machinations 
by the former President".
"Hence, as long as former President Nujoma is allowed to implicitly or 
explicitly involve himself in active party politics at the expense of 
taxpayers' money, there would be no peace and stability in this country, 
let alone the much-talked-about socio-economic development", Ya Nangoloh 
said.
(The Namibian)







http://www.austrianews.co.uk/2008/10/15/tightrope-walker-show-ended-in-massive-riots/

Tightrope walker show ended in massive riots
A tightrope walker show of a German artist group in a little Styrian 
village ended in riots and many casualties. The exceptionally gifted 
artists wanted to dance on a high wire in the centre of the village.
A 18-year-old local inhabitant was not happy about such an attraction in 
his home village. He started to organize a protest and attacked members 
of the artist group with fists and empty beer bottles.
His first victim was the cashier of the artists. She was hit by a 
construction site plate, and collapsed in the middle of the street. More 
casualties followed in a street fight between the artist group and local 
inhabitants.
During the savage street fight the locals got into defensive and escaped 
into the next pub. They started a second raid out of the pub with empty 
beer bottles. Even little children were involved in the riots. Finally 
police units had to come and finished the worthless outbreak of violence.
At the end the locals won. The artist group was not allowed to do their 
tightrope walker show. Everday life is going to continue in this little 
village without any special attractions. Locals prefer the calm and 
melancholic country life instead of artistic shows on high wires.






http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?from=rss_Europe&set_id=1&click_id=24&art_id=nw20081002123654686C377735

Driver sparks riot in Turkey

October 02 2008 at 01:13PM

Ankara - Nearly 40 people were arrested in a town in western Turkey 
after riots triggered by the death of two men who were deliberately run 
over by a Kurdish van driver, news reports said on Thursday.

Police fanned out across the coastal resort town of Altinova on the 
Aegean sea, where Kurdish-owned homes and shops were attacked and Kurds 
stoned after Wednesday's incident.

The trouble started when a Kurd crushed two men to death with his van 
shortly after becoming embroiled in a fight with the pair.

An angry crowd of about 3 000 took to the streets of the 
Turkish-majority town, brandishing Turkish flags and screaming: 
"Altinova belongs to us," the Vatan newspaper reported.

Security has been beefed up in the area, the Sabah daily said.

Kurdish rebels from the PKK have been waging a bloody 24-year campaign 
for self-rule in southeast Turkey, which is Kurdish dominated. The PKK 
is listed as a terrorist group by Ankara and much of the international 
community.

According to figures recently released by the Turkish army, the campaign 
had cost the lives of 32 000 Kurdish rebels, 6 500 members of the 
security forces and 5 500 civilians. - Sapa-AFP






http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/story/2008/10/14/guards-demonstration.html?ref=rss

Jail guards demonstrate outside justice offices
Last Updated: Tuesday, October 14, 2008 | 5:05 PM AT Comments5Recommend12
CBC News
Dozens of corrections officers took their concerns to the street 
Tuesday, a week after 12 guards were disciplined following an 
altercation with an inmate.
The unionized guards demonstrated outside Justice Department offices in 
downtown Halifax.
They're outraged that three part-time guards were fired and nine 
suspended without pay after they tried to restrain a prisoner at the 
Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in Dartmouth in August.
The suspensions run from two days to one week.
The Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union, which represents 
correctional officers, says an inmate punched a guard in the face, and 
then a number of guards answered a call for help.
The union says guards used reasonable methods to restrain the inmate.
"It's my understanding that nothing was done out of the ordinary and the 
offender sustained no real injuries," said Jim Gosse, president of NSGEU 
Local 480.
The union has filed grievances.
Justice officials have promised to expedite those hearings so they take 
place in a matter of weeks.
However, the head of Nova Scotia's correctional system, Fred Honsberger, 
said the discliplinary action was justified because the guards used 
excessive force.
He said the proof is on a videotape of the incident, which he said he 
can't release for privacy reasons. He wouldn't describe what was on it.
"What we saw on camera was disturbing to us in terms of the level of 
force that was used on the offender. The concern on our part prompted 
the discipline that was taken," Honsberger said.
The union says the demonstration was also an attempt to draw attention 
to what guards say continue to be overcrowded and understaffed 
conditions at the Dartmouth jail.







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Indonesian Muslims rally to support anti-porn bill

Reuters - October 23, 2008

Jakarta -- At least 500 Muslims from an Islamic
party marched through the Indonesian capital on
Thursday to push legislators to pass a
controversial anti-pornography bill.

The supporters of the bill from the United
Development Party, or PPP, said the anti-porn bill
would save the nation from moral destruction and
called to protect the nation's morals through bills
based on sharia or Islamic law.

They marched to parliament with their party's green
flags and banners that read "Pass anti-pornography
bill immediately."

The bill, which aims to shield the young from
pornographic materials and lewd acts, is being
pushed by a small group of Islamist parties in
predominantly Muslim, but officially secular,
Indonesia.

The plan to pass the bill has been condemned by
minority groups in the country, including the
Balinese, who are Hindu, as well as Christians.

Lawmakers have so far stopped short of passing the
bill, which has been watered down from its original
version after concerns that it could be misused
against minority groups. (Reporting by Olivia
Rondonuwu; Writing by Telly Nathalia; Editing by
Sugita Katyal and Sanjeev Miglani)

---------------------------------------------------






---------------------------------------------------

NTB residents rally for pornography bill

Jakarta Post - October 27, 2008

Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara -- Hundreds of people
grouped under the Anti-Pornography Generation
Alliance staged a rally at the West Nusa Tenggara
(NTB) governor's office Friday in support of the
anti-pornography bill.

The demonstrators carried a 100-meter-long cloth,
asking residents to write their signatures on it to
show their support for the bill now being
deliberated at the House of Representatives.

Speaking before the demonstrators, Governor Zainul
Majdi said he supported the demonstrators approval
of the bill.

"Let's not make noise about anti-pornography, then
secretly enjoy porn materials. It's hypocritical,"
Zainul said. He added his signature to the cloth
prepared by the demonstrators.

He said the bill was important because of the
omnipresence of pornographic materials in the
country, including in his province.

---------------------------------------------------






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FPI members clash with police after Rizieq verdict

Jakarta Post - October 31, 2008

Jakarta -- Hundreds of members of the Islam
Defenders Front (FPI) clashed with police outside a
Central Jakarta court and attempted to force the
closure of a nearby Ahmadiyah mosque after their
leader, Rizieq Shihab, was sentenced to 18 months
in prison.

The FPI members, stationed outside the Central
Jakarta District Court, were outraged at the guilty
verdict handed down to Rizieq for his role in
instigating an attack on religious freedom
activists at the National Monument park on June 1.

After a shoving match with police officers securing
the courthouse on Jl. Gajah Mada, the FPI members
headed to the Al Hidayah mosque, run by the
Ahmadiyah community, on Jl. Balikpapan, Gambir, to
close it down.

They were stopped 50 meters shy of the mosque by
the police, leading to a scuffle between the two.
It ended when the FPI members dispersed.

No one was detained during the clash, but Central
Jakarta Police deputy chief Heri Wibowo said there
were elements inciting the crowd. Some 1,500 police
officers had been deployed in anticipation of the
hard-liners' reaction to the verdict.

Rizieq's supporters inside the court were also
outraged. Several shouted and swore at the judges,
but were asked to restrain themselves by their
leader. Rizieq's wife and children were crying.

Rizieq and his subordinate Munarman, commander of
the Islam Troop Command, were both given 18-month
sentences for their role in the attack on members
of the National Alliance for the Freedom of Faith
and Religion, rallying for the Ahmadiyah community
after it had been declared heretical by the
Indonesia Ulema Council (MUI).

The presiding judge at both trials, Manusunan
Harahap, said Rizieq had been proved guilty of
instigating violence, and Munarman of committing
violence. Both men protested the verdicts, claiming
they were handed down based on dubious evidence.

Both said they would appeal, and Rizieq maintained
his calls for anti-Ahmadiyah actions. "Even if we
risk breaking the law... even if I'm thrown in jail
or die, we will never stop our efforts to disband
Ahmadiyah," Rizieq said after the sentence was read
out.

There was a visible sense of relief among police
officers outside the courthouse after a police car
carrying Munarman, whose sentencing followed
Rizieq's, left the compound. The officers had
frequently been engaged by the FPI in clashes
throughout the trial. (mri)

---------------------------------------------------







http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/667474

Man killed over cabbage patch clash
AAP
Last updated 14:42 10/10/2008

A stolen cabbage sparked fights that left one Papua New Guinea man dead 
and several injured.
A Western Highlands man in his late 20s was killed and his brother 
seriously injured after their tribe attacked another in a row over the 
contested vegetable
Reports said one of their tribesman had been caught stealing a cabbage 
from a local school garden in the Nebilyer district of Western Highlands 
province.
The school's deputy principal hit the thief, who had threatened school 
staff members with a bush knife, after being caught red-handed with the 
cabbage, police told Papua New Guinea's the Nation newspaper.
The next day the thief's relatives attacked the deputy principal while 
he was playing darts in a village market.
In a payback raid, the deputy's tribe killed the rival tribesman, 
injured several others, and brought about the demise of a pig.