McKay's Corner

(By MARGARET NEIGHBOUR)

PAKISTAN was teetering on the brink of civil war last night, following the assassination of Benazir Bhutto by suspected Muslim extremists.
Ms Bhutto was shot in the neck and chest by a suicide bomber who then blew himself up, moments after the former prime minister addressed supporters in the city of Rawalpindi. As condemnation poured in from around the world, opposition leaders in Pakistan – a key ally of Britain and the West in the war on terror – warned of a "very real danger" of rival factions tearing the country apart.Riaz Malik, of the opposition Pakistan Movement for Justice party, said: "The impact will be that Pakistan is in more turmoil – it will be the start of civil war in Pakistan." Ms Bhutto had returned to Pakistan from exile in October. She survived an assassination attempt on the day of her arrival and was campaigning ahead of next month's elections when she was killed along with at least 20 others.Pakistani opposition leader Nawaz Sharif yesterday said his party would boycott the 8 January poll and demanded that the president, Pervez Musharraf resign immediately.He added: "Musharraf is the cause of all the problems."The United States, which sees Pakistan as a key ally in its battle against al-Qaeda, had championed Ms Bhutto as a popular leader who might help to return the country to a civilian-led democracy after nearly a decade of military rule.George Bush, the president, said: "The United States strongly condemns this cowardly act by murderous extremists who are trying to undermine Pakistan's democracy. Those who committed this crime must be brought to justice."Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister, said Ms Bhutto "risked everything in her attempt to win democracy in Pakistan and she has been assassinated by cowards who are afraid of democracy".He added: "The terrorists must not be allowed to kill democracy in Pakistan, and this atrocity strengthens our resolve that the terrorists will not win there, here, or anywhere in the world."Pakistan put its paramilitary forces on red alert across the country in the wake of the assassination.The unrest was fiercest in Ms Bhutto's native Sindh province and its capital, Karachi. Tyres were set on fire on many roads, and stone-throwing and shooting were reported in many places. Most shops and markets shut down.At least 20 vehicles were set alight in the central Sindh town of Hyderabad.There were also small protests in Rawalpindi and the nearby capital, Islamabad.Protesters blocked roads with burning tyres and chanted slogans against Mr Musharraf in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani Kashmir in the mountainous north.MJ Gohel, executive director of the Asia-Pacific Foundation, said: "The ramifications are enormous. There will be more violence and if Musharraf imposes another state of emergency, there could be further crackdowns and protests."We are looking at a political vacuum if the elections don't take place. The radical Islamists could start occupying that vacuum and operating from within it. "Pakistan is home to al-Qaeda and the Taleban and is also home to nuclear weapons and long-range missiles… all of which have repercussions for the West and the world."Farzana Shaikh, an expert on Pakistan and an associate fellow at the Chatham House analysis group in London, said: "The electoral process has been stopped in its tracks. "There is a very real possibility Musharraf will decide the situation has got out of control and that he needs to impose emergency rule again."She said Pakistan was entering "uncharted waters", which could lead to instability in a region that has seen three wars fought between Pakistan and its nuclear-armed neighbour, India.Ms Shaikh added: "This is not the first crisis Pakistan has faced since its inception in 1947, but I would say it is the worst convergence of crises we have seen."Nicolas Sarkozy, the president of France, called the killing odious. He added: "France, like the European Union, is particularly attached to stability and democracy in Pakistan."The UN secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, called the assassination an "assault on stability", while the Security Council went into consultations to discuss the killing.Death must not derail the democratic processTHE assassination of Benazir Bhutto is a tragedy for her country and for all those who hope for greater democracy, peace and stability in the wider region of south and south-west Asia.Any development which threatens the stability of Pakistan is critical to the security of the region, and international peace and security, for at least three reasons.First, Pakistan is a nuclear weapons' state. The prospect of jihadi extremists seizing control of its nuclear facilities is a nightmare scenario. They might well attempt to reignite conflict with India and could try to use blackmail or pass expertise and nuclear materials to al-Qaeda.Second, closer international co-operation with Pakistan is crucial if the Taleban and its al-Qaeda allies are to be prevented from undermining the democratically elected government of Afghanistan.According to intelligence, the Taleban is able to move substantial amounts of weaponry and equipment, as well as recruits, across the border from Pakistan. If the extremists undermine the government in Pakistan, they would be able to provide far greater support for the Taleban, enabling them to wage a kind of proxy war against the international forces supporting Hamid Karzai, the Afghan president. Last, if extremists succeed in undermining the Pakistan government, this would give a huge boost for al-Qaeda's global jihad.All these concerns should concentrate the minds of UN Security Council members on seeking urgent measures to help the authorities in Pakistan to maintain internal security and hold genuinely free and successful elections. We should also work to encourage those who favour democratisation in Pakistan to continue their efforts, despite all the dangers. Benazir Bhutto's brave efforts to spread democracy and moderation should inspire others to follow her example.• Paul Wilkinson is Emeritus Professor of International Relations at the University of St AndrewsCOUNTDOWN TO CARNAGE
49 6 OCT: General Pervez Musharraf wins a new presidential term in a vote by legislators. Supreme Court holds off confirming legality of vote.• 19 OCT: Benazir Bhutto returns from eight-year exile.• 2 NOV: Supreme Court reconvenes to decide if Musharraf was eligible to stand for re-election while army chief.• 3 NOV: Musharraf imposes emergency rule, detaining thousands of opposition politicians and lawyers.• 11 NOV: Musharraf says election will take place on 8 January.• 13 NOV: Bhutto under house arrest for a week.• 22 NOV: Commonwealth suspends Pakistan.• 25 NOV: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif returns from exile.• 28 NOV: Musharraf hands command of the army to General Ashfaq Kayani and is sworn in as civilian leader the following day.• 15 DEC: Musharraf lifts state of emergency and restores constitution.

The full article contains 1154 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
Last Updated: 27 December 2007 11:25 PM

"Death noted online before bodies found"

Harry R. WeberAP; Associated Press;

Associated Press
Atlanta GA - Investigators are looking into who altered an online encyclopedia's entry for Canadian wrestler Chris Benoit to mention his wife's death hours before authorities discovered the bodies of the couple and their seven-year-old son.
Mr. Benoit's Wikipedia entry was altered early Monday to say that the wrestler had missed a match two days earlier because of his wife's death.
A Wikipedia official, Cary Bass, said yesterday that the entry was made by someone using an Internet protocol address registered in Stamford, Conn., where World Wrestling Entertainment is based.
An IP address, a unique series of numbers carried by every machine connected to the Internet, does not have to be broadcast from where it is registered. The bodies were found in Mr. Benoit's home in suburban Atlanta, and it's not known where the posting was sent from, Mr. Bass said.
Mr. Benoit strangled his wife and suffocated his son on the weekend, placing Bibles next to their bodies, before hanging himself on the cable of a weight-machine in his home, authorities said. No motive was offered for the killings, which were found Monday.
Mr. Benoit's father, Michael, said yesterday that a private memorial service will be held in Canada for the wrestler, and services for his wife and son probably will be in Daytona Beach, Fla. He did not give a date.
Also yesterday, federal drug agents said they had raided the west Georgia office of a doctor who prescribed testosterone to Mr. Benoit.
The raid at Phil Astin's office in Carrollton began Wednesday night and concluded early yesterday, said agent Chuvalo Truesdell, a spokesman for the Drug Enforcement Administration. No arrests were made.
Hours before the raid, Dr. Astin told The Associated Press he had treated Mr. Benoit for low testosterone levels, which he said likely originated from previous steroid use.
Among other things, investigators were looking for Mr. Benoit's medical records to see whether he had been prescribed steroids and, if so, whether that prescription was appropriate, according to a law enforcement official speaking on condition of anonymity. Dr. Astin could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Mr. Benoit's page on Wikipedia, a reference site that allows users to add and edit information, was updated at 12:01 a.m. Monday, about 14 hours before authorities say the bodies were found. The reason he missed a match Saturday night was "stemming from the death of his wife Nancy," it said.
WWE attorney Jerry McDevitt said that to his knowledge, no one at the WWE knew Nancy Benoit was dead before her body was found Monday afternoon. Text messages released by officials show that messages from Mr. Benoit's cellphone were being sent to co-workers a few hours after the Wikipedia posting.
Category: National and International PoliticsUniform subject(s): Investigations; Internet, information technologies and multimediaSubject(s) - The Globe and Mail : Murder; SuicideName(s): Chris BenoitEdition: NationalLength: Medium, 381 words

Tuesday, June 26, 2007, p. A15
http://www.globeandmail.com

Canadian wrestler found dead along with wife, son
Matt Hartley And Unnati GandhiAP CP; With reports from Associated Press, Canadian Press
Chris Benoit, one of the most accomplished Canadian professional wrestlers of all time, was found dead in his suburban Atlanta home alongside his wife Nancy and seven-year-old son Daniel, according to a statement released yesterday by World Wrestling Entertainment.
Police said they were investigating the deaths as homicides. Lieutenant Tommy Pope of the Fayette County Sheriff's Department said results of autopsies on Mr. Benoit's wife and son were expected today.
Reached at her Edmonton home yesterday, the wrestler's mother, Margaret Benoit, was distraught. "Please. I can't talk right now. Not right now," she said between heavy sobs.
Mr. Benoit has two other children, Megan and David, but it was not clear where they were yesterday.
Police refused to comment further, saying only that an investigation is continuing.
Despite a working WWE storyline that was supposed to see WWE chairman Vince McMahon die, the wrestling outfit acknowledged that Mr. Benoit's death was decidedly not fictional. The WWE cancelled its live "Raw" wrestling card Monday night in Corpus Christi, Tex.
"We at the WWE can only offer our condolences to the extended family of Chris Benoit," Mr. McMahon said in a TV tribute, eyes welling with tears and voice cracking. "The only other thing we can do at this moment is pay tribute to Chris Benoit."
Mr. Benoit was scheduled to compete at the WWE's "Vengeance" pay-per-view event in Houston on Sunday night, but withdrew due to "personal reasons."
A fierce but respected competitor, Mr. Benoit, 40, grew up in Montreal and later moved to Edmonton, where he attended Archbishop O'Leary High School, according to his WWE biography. In the mid-1980s, he was a member of the iconic Calgary-based Stampede Wrestling organization run by Stu Hart, a famous trainer of professional wrestlers and the father of former WWE Champion Bret (Hitman) Hart.
Mr. Benoit also spent time wrestling in Japan before catching on with Extreme Championship Wrestling, and eventually the WWE in the United States.
The news of Mr. Benoit's death was the top story on local Edmonton television newscasts yesterday.
Known as "The Canadian Crippler" and later dubbed "The Rabid Wolverine," Mr. Benoit was beloved by fans for his blue-collar work ethic and hearty smile, missing tooth and all.
Although sometimes criticized for a lack of personality on the microphone, Mr. Benoit's proficiency in the ring earned him a reputation as one of the great technicians in pro wrestling history. His signature moves included a flying headbutt from the top rope and a shoulder-straining submission hold known as the "Crippler Crossface."
A veteran of the squared circle for more than 20 years, Mr. Benoit was a former WWE World Heavyweight Champion, tag team and Intercontinental Champion.
In what was arguably his most famous match, Mr. Benoit defeated Triple H and Shawn Michaels to capture the WWE World Championship in the main event at Wrestlemania XX at New York's Madison Square Garden.
Category: National and International PoliticsUniform subject(s): Sports and leisureSubject(s) - The Globe and Mail : Wrestling; MurderName(s): Chris Benoit; Nancy Benoit; Daniel BenoitCompany(ies) - The Globe and Mail : World Wrestling EntertainmentStory type(s): IllustrationLength: Medium, 398 words
© 2007 The Globe and Mail. All rights reserved.
Doc. : news·20070626·GM·0WRESTLER26

Robert Mugabe has let Zimbabwe slip into crisis, with schoolchildren forced to queue up for food and hundreds of thousands left homeless. Photograph: Getty

MURDO MACLEOD
THE first shots of Argentina's invasion of the Falklands were being fired as Lord Carrington, the British foreign secretary, drew up the letter asking Edinburgh University to consider giving Robert Mugabe his honorary degree.
According to documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, Carrington wrote to the university's then principal, Dr John Burnett, on April 2, 1982, asking Edinburgh whether it would consider bestowing a degree on the Zimbabwean leader.
Carrington, who had met Mugabe during the Lancaster House negotiations on the future of the African country, and who had visited Harare, then called Salisbury, wrote: "I was struck by the intensely high regard that Mr Mugabe holds for our ancient institutions in the field of learning."
The foreign secretary added that Mugabe was a scholar in his own right, having gained a degree from London University by correspondence and having taught university classes. He continued: "Despite our divergence of view on a number of matters, [I] respect him for his intellectual qualities and stature as the leader of his country."
That letter was one of Carrington's last actions as foreign secretary, resigning two days later in the wake of the failed intelligence that led to the Falklands invasion. But his successor, Sir Francis Pym, continued to follow up the issue - even while war in the South Atlantic was raging - and Edinburgh University's Senate agreed unanimously to award the degree for his services to education, in Africa.
So it was that on July 20, 1984, Mugabe arrived in Edinburgh for the conferring of his degree, of doctor honoris causa. A fortnight later, the Foreign Office wrote to the university to say that their man in Harare had reported that: "Mr Mugabe was delighted by the dignified ceremony at the university and by the flattering laudation which he received."
It now seems incredible that Mugabe, the former guerrilla leader renowned around the world for brutal repression of opponents, was ever awarded the honorary degree that will be finally withdrawn by the university this week.
But, at the time, the university and the UK Foreign Office were merely part of the wave of enthusiasm for the newly established Zimbabwean democracy. In contrast to the chaos of countries such as Mozambique and Angola, and the internationally shunned apartheid regime in South Africa, Zimbabwe was a country where whites and blacks seemed to be working together, despite the legacy of a brutal civil war.
However, the euphoria has since evaporated as the true face of the Mugabe regime has become clear to the outside world. Mugabe's dismal record on human rights, along with his calamitous mishandling of the Zimbabwean economy, bringing hunger and poverty to the former breadbasket of Africa, have led to a growing clamour for the degree to be revoked.
Last March, Scotland on Sunday launched its campaign to have the degree officially withdrawn following a new series of carefully orchestrated attacks by Mugabe supporters against peaceful opposition events.
His police attacked and broke up a prayer rally which had been banned from convening. They arrested activists of the Movement for Democratic Change including party leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who was severely beaten while in detention, suffering a fractured skull.
Scotland on Sunday's online petition attracted support from across the world. Meanwhile, a number of prominent graduates and recipients of honorary degrees backed the campaign. Two of them, composer James MacMillan and writer Liz Lochhead, threatened to return their degrees in protest if the university failed to act speedily.
The campaign moved to the Westminster Parliament when Edinburgh South MP Nigel Griffiths tabled a motion, asking for the degree to be revoked, in the House of Commons. At the university itself, students - along with the current and former rectors, Mark Ballard and Robin Harper, both Green MSPs - led calls for Mugabe to be stripped of his degree.
Behind the scenes, the university authorities changed their own rules to allow a degree to be removed, after first checking whether they had the legal authority to do so. In April, the university's Academic Senate commissioned three of its own professors, including a legal expert, to examine whether there were grounds for removing the award.
The "three wise men" will this week report to the Senate that information about Mugabe, which was not to hand in 1984, has since become available. Their report links Mugabe and his regime to brutal purges in the south-west of the country against the minority Matabele people in the early 1980s.
At the time of the incidents, many observers defended the regime, claiming the killings and beatings were the result of a lack of control over an army fighting against South African subversion and struggling to control opponents intent on murdering white farmers and destabilising the country. Many believed, moreover, that the accusations were the result of propaganda from Apartheid-era South Africa.
But firm evidence of the scale of the mass killings, and the Mugabe government's role in the atrocities, began to emerge during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Authoritative reports from Catholic missionaries said that Mugabe's regime had been behind the killing of about 20,000 of his fellow countrymen. By 1996, Mugabe was well on his way to becoming an international pariah.
In 2000, the seizure of white-run farms led to the deaths of 11 white farmers and 115 black farm workers. A further 200,000 black farm workers are estimated to have lost their homes during the attacks, which were condemned by the UK and the European Union.
The 2002 election was widely condemned for irregularities, including obstruction and intimidation of opposition members.
In 2005, Mugabe's regime began to demolish unauthorised shanty houses in slum areas of the country with the government claiming the move was aimed at illegally built, disease-rife shacks. However, the move was widely seen as an attack on opposition strongholds and condemned by the United Nations, which estimated that 700,000 Zimbabweans had been made homeless.
The plight of Zimbabwe under Mugabe remains an international sore. Prime Minister Tony Blair, who has been vocal in his criticism of Mugabe in the past, came under attack from one of his own backbenchers last week for his failure to speak out over Zimbabwe during his visit to Africa. Blair instead confined himself to voicing support for the mediation efforts of South African president Thabo Mbeki, who has in turn been criticised for his policy of quiet diplomacy towards the Zimbabwean dictator.
Attention will now switch to next year's Zimbabwean elections, which observers predict will be marred by intimidation, massive vote-rigging and a skewed media. However, while local media are likely to ignore the decision to strip Mugabe of his university degree, it will receive massive coverage in the South African media, which is eagerly consumed in Zimbabwe.
Bruised and bloodied by Mugabe's thugs, the Zimbabwean opposition will also be energised by the knowledge that they are not alone in their condemnation of the dictator.
Sir Nicholas Winterton, the vice-chairman of the Zimbabwe All-Party Parliamentary Group, said: "Removing his degree will have an impact. Mugabe will no doubt dismiss this as 'colonialism' as he always does. But it will have an effect on the people of Zimbabwe and I believe on more moderate members of his party and government, who will realise that the world is not ignoring or forgetting the plight of the people of Zimbabwe."
Related topic
Zimbabwehttp://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=155
This article: http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=867712007
Last updated: 02-Jun-07 00:52 BST
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