BANGKOK: -- Four Thai men were charged over an anti-coup protest
in a military court in Bangkok Monday, activists said, as dozens of
students rallied outside in defiance of martial law in the junta-ruled
nation.
Around 40 students chanted slogans in support of the accused outside the
court in the capital's historic heart to protest against the use of
military courts to try civilians.
Thailand has seen a rapid erosion of civil liberties since the army
seized power last May with the army banning political gatherings of more
than five people, censoring the media and arresting and detaining
opponents of junta rule.
The four men, including one student, were each charged with breaching
the ban on gatherings during a peaceful demonstration in Bangkok last
month, said Anon Nampa, one of the accused who also works for the Thai
Lawyers for Human Rights.
They face up to one year in jail and a 20,000 baht ($600) fine if convicted, he added.
"We have each been charged under the law against the gathering of more
than five people -- now we have been released," said Anon. The four must
next report to the court on 27 March.
Pro-democracy student activists rallied outside the court to support the
accused after mobilising at Bangkok's liberal Thammasat University,
holding placards saying "Civilians must not be tried in a military
court" and "No more dictatorship in Thailand".
"This is harming our human rights. We don't want people to be tried in a
military court," economics student Sukrid Peansuwan, 21, told AFP at
the campus rally.
A university lecturer who did not want to be named said she was
supporting the students as "Thailand has come too far to go back to
tyranny".
"Seeking democracy and justice is not a crime," she told AFP.
The four anti-coup protesters were arrested, and later released on bail,
after a Valentine's Day protest in central Bangkok where activists
handed out roses and copies of George Orwell's anti-authoritarian novel
"1984".
Amnesty International condemned the charges in a statement released Monday, saying they should never have been levelled.
"They should not be placed in front of a military court, where they will
not face a fair trial, and they should be permitted to freely express
their opinions and protest peacefully," said Rupert Abbott, Amnesty's
Research Director for Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
May's military coup was the latest twist in Thailand's decade-long
political crisis, which broadly pits a Bangkok-based middle class and
royalist elite -- backed by parts of the military and judiciary --
against urban working-class voters and farmers from the country's north.
The junta says it will hold fresh elections in early 2016 once reforms
to tackle corruption and curb the power of political parties are
codified in a new constitution.
But the draft charter has already raised deep concerns in the kingdom
and critics doubt whether it will bridge Thailand's deep political
divisions.
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Netanyahu Promises No Palestinian State If He Is Re-elected
JERUSALEM (AP) — In a frenzied last day of campaigning, Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday ruled out the establishment of a
Palestinian state and vowed to keep building east Jerusalem settlements
as he appealed to hard-line voters on the eve of Israel's closely
contested general election.
The moderate opposition, meanwhile, announced a dramatic last-minute machination of its own, removing one of its two joint candidates for prime minister.
Netanyahu, who has governed for the past six years and has long been the most dominant personality in Israeli politics, has watched his standing plummet in recent weeks.
Recent opinion polls show his Likud Party lagging behind Isaac Herzog's Zionist Union. Herzog, who has vowed to revive peace efforts with the Palestinians, repair ties with the U.S. and reduce the growing gaps between rich and poor, confidently predicted an "upheaval" was imminent.
Late Monday night, it was announced that Herzog's main partner, former Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, had given up an agreement to rotate the prime minister post with him if their alliance wins. It was widely thought that the unusual arrangement was driving away voters.
Tuesday's election caps an acrimonious three-month campaign that is widely seen as a referendum on Netanyahu.
While his comments Monday appeared to be election rhetoric, they nonetheless put him further at odds with the international community, boding poorly for already strained relations with the U.S. and other key allies if he wins a third consecutive term.
The hard-line leader has portrayed himself as the only politician capable of confronting Israel's numerous security challenges, while his opponents have focused on the country's high cost of living and presented Netanyahu as imperious and out of touch with the common man.
As Netanyahu's poll numbers have dropped in recent days, he has appeared increasingly desperate, stepping up his nationalistic rhetoric in a series of interviews to local media to appeal to his core base. Netanyahu has also complained of an international conspiracy to oust him, funded by wealthy foreigners who dislike him, and on Sunday night, he addressed an outdoor rally before tens of thousands of hard-line supporters in Tel Aviv.
The strategy is aimed at siphoning off voters from nationalistic rivals, but risks alienating centrist voters who are expected to determine the outcome of the race.
Speaking to the nrg news website, Netanyahu said that turning over captured territory to the Palestinians would clear the way for Islamic extremists to take control and attack Israel.
"Whoever ignores that is burying his head in the sand. The left is doing that, burying its head in the sand time after time," he said in the video interview.
When asked if that means a Palestinian state will not be established if he is elected, Netanyahu replied, "Indeed."
It was the latest — and clearest — attempt by Netanyahu to disavow his earlier support for Palestinian independence, which he first laid out in a landmark 2009 speech.
"If we get this guarantee for demilitarization and necessary security arrangements for Israel, and if the Palestinians recognize Israel as the state of the Jewish people, we will be willing in a real peace agreement to reach a solution of a demilitarized Palestinian state alongside the Jewish state," he said at the time.
Despite that pledge, two rounds of peace talks have failed and Netanyahu has continued to expand Jewish settlements.
Reaching a two-state solution to the Palestinian conflict has been a top foreign policy priority for President Obama.
U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki would only say on Monday that the U.S. will work with whoever wins the Israeli election.
The international community overwhelmingly supports the establishment of a Palestinian state in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip, areas captured by Israel in 1967, and opposes settlement construction. Netanyahu's tough new position is likely to worsen his already strained ties with his western allies if he is re-elected.
It also raises questions about what kind of vision he has for solving the conflict with the Palestinians. Most demographers agree that if Israel continues to control millions of Palestinians, the country will not be able to remain both Jewish and democratic.
Palestinian official Hanan Ashrawi said Netanyahu's comments were "dangerous" and could plunge the region into violence.
"This is the real Netanyahu," she said. "From the beginning, he was attempting to carry out a grand deception by pretending to be in favor of the two-state solution. But what he was actually doing on the ground is destroying the chances of peace."
Earlier, Netanyahu paid a last-minute visit to Har Homa, a Jewish development in east Jerusalem that Netanyahu helped build during his first term as prime minister in 1997. The sprawling district now houses more than 20,000 residents.
While Israel considers the area a part of its capital, the international community considers it an illegal settlement on occupied land. The Palestinians seek east Jerusalem as their capital.
"We will preserve Jerusalem's unity in all its parts. We will continue to build and fortify Jerusalem so that its division won't be possible and it will stay united forever," Netanyahu said, explaining that Har Homa was built to contain Palestinian development in the nearby West Bank town of Bethlehem.
There was no immediate comment from U.S. officials.
Netanyahu dissolved his government in December and ordered the new election, two years ahead of schedule, in the belief that he would cruise to a new term.
On Monday, it was Herzog, Netanyahu's chief rival, who appeared confident and upbeat.
Visiting his party headquarters, Herzog, a trained lawyer and scion of a prominent political family, talked about a "crucial" vote for the country and warned against splitting the anti-Netanyahu vote among the various centrist parties.
"Whoever wants an upheaval has to vote for us," Herzog said.
Yair Lapid, leader of the centrist Yesh Atid party, which has also focused on the plight of Israel's middle class, received a warm welcome at a campaign stop in the coastal city of Netanya. Supporters warmly embraced him and stopped him to take selfies.
He accused both Netanyahu and Herzog of working outside deals with special interest groups and said that only he was tackling the real issues facing the Israeli middle class.
Lapid has so far refused to commit to either Herzog or Netanyahu, though he is widely seen as a natural ally of Herzog's in a future coalition.
Exit polls are expected immediately after voting stops at 10 p.m. (2000 GMT) Tuesday night. But the true victor may not be known for several weeks.
Under Israel's electoral system, no party has ever won an outright majority in the 120-member parliament. Instead, the party with the best chance of forming a coalition — usually the largest party — is given the chance to form a coalition. That decision is taken by the country's president, Reuven Rivlin.
Since neither Likud nor the Zionist Union is expected to earn more than a quarter of the votes, Rivlin will meet with party leaders to determine who should be prime minister, followed by a lengthy period of negotiations to assemble a coalition.
A potential kingmaker could be found in the new centrist party of Moshe Kahlon, who is running on an economic platform that deals almost exclusively with bread-and-butter issues while putting Israel's diplomatic challenges on the back burner.
Kahlon, who broke off from Netanyahu's Likud, is demanding to become finance minister in the next government and has given no indication as to whom he would prefer as prime minister.
The son of Libyan immigrants, Kahlon is popular with working class Israelis, thanks to his Middle Eastern background, his modest upbringing and for reforming the local mobile-phone market.
The moderate opposition, meanwhile, announced a dramatic last-minute machination of its own, removing one of its two joint candidates for prime minister.
Netanyahu, who has governed for the past six years and has long been the most dominant personality in Israeli politics, has watched his standing plummet in recent weeks.
Recent opinion polls show his Likud Party lagging behind Isaac Herzog's Zionist Union. Herzog, who has vowed to revive peace efforts with the Palestinians, repair ties with the U.S. and reduce the growing gaps between rich and poor, confidently predicted an "upheaval" was imminent.
Late Monday night, it was announced that Herzog's main partner, former Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, had given up an agreement to rotate the prime minister post with him if their alliance wins. It was widely thought that the unusual arrangement was driving away voters.
Tuesday's election caps an acrimonious three-month campaign that is widely seen as a referendum on Netanyahu.
While his comments Monday appeared to be election rhetoric, they nonetheless put him further at odds with the international community, boding poorly for already strained relations with the U.S. and other key allies if he wins a third consecutive term.
The hard-line leader has portrayed himself as the only politician capable of confronting Israel's numerous security challenges, while his opponents have focused on the country's high cost of living and presented Netanyahu as imperious and out of touch with the common man.
As Netanyahu's poll numbers have dropped in recent days, he has appeared increasingly desperate, stepping up his nationalistic rhetoric in a series of interviews to local media to appeal to his core base. Netanyahu has also complained of an international conspiracy to oust him, funded by wealthy foreigners who dislike him, and on Sunday night, he addressed an outdoor rally before tens of thousands of hard-line supporters in Tel Aviv.
The strategy is aimed at siphoning off voters from nationalistic rivals, but risks alienating centrist voters who are expected to determine the outcome of the race.
Speaking to the nrg news website, Netanyahu said that turning over captured territory to the Palestinians would clear the way for Islamic extremists to take control and attack Israel.
"Whoever ignores that is burying his head in the sand. The left is doing that, burying its head in the sand time after time," he said in the video interview.
When asked if that means a Palestinian state will not be established if he is elected, Netanyahu replied, "Indeed."
It was the latest — and clearest — attempt by Netanyahu to disavow his earlier support for Palestinian independence, which he first laid out in a landmark 2009 speech.
"If we get this guarantee for demilitarization and necessary security arrangements for Israel, and if the Palestinians recognize Israel as the state of the Jewish people, we will be willing in a real peace agreement to reach a solution of a demilitarized Palestinian state alongside the Jewish state," he said at the time.
Despite that pledge, two rounds of peace talks have failed and Netanyahu has continued to expand Jewish settlements.
Reaching a two-state solution to the Palestinian conflict has been a top foreign policy priority for President Obama.
U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki would only say on Monday that the U.S. will work with whoever wins the Israeli election.
The international community overwhelmingly supports the establishment of a Palestinian state in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip, areas captured by Israel in 1967, and opposes settlement construction. Netanyahu's tough new position is likely to worsen his already strained ties with his western allies if he is re-elected.
It also raises questions about what kind of vision he has for solving the conflict with the Palestinians. Most demographers agree that if Israel continues to control millions of Palestinians, the country will not be able to remain both Jewish and democratic.
Palestinian official Hanan Ashrawi said Netanyahu's comments were "dangerous" and could plunge the region into violence.
"This is the real Netanyahu," she said. "From the beginning, he was attempting to carry out a grand deception by pretending to be in favor of the two-state solution. But what he was actually doing on the ground is destroying the chances of peace."
Earlier, Netanyahu paid a last-minute visit to Har Homa, a Jewish development in east Jerusalem that Netanyahu helped build during his first term as prime minister in 1997. The sprawling district now houses more than 20,000 residents.
While Israel considers the area a part of its capital, the international community considers it an illegal settlement on occupied land. The Palestinians seek east Jerusalem as their capital.
"We will preserve Jerusalem's unity in all its parts. We will continue to build and fortify Jerusalem so that its division won't be possible and it will stay united forever," Netanyahu said, explaining that Har Homa was built to contain Palestinian development in the nearby West Bank town of Bethlehem.
There was no immediate comment from U.S. officials.
Netanyahu dissolved his government in December and ordered the new election, two years ahead of schedule, in the belief that he would cruise to a new term.
On Monday, it was Herzog, Netanyahu's chief rival, who appeared confident and upbeat.
Visiting his party headquarters, Herzog, a trained lawyer and scion of a prominent political family, talked about a "crucial" vote for the country and warned against splitting the anti-Netanyahu vote among the various centrist parties.
"Whoever wants an upheaval has to vote for us," Herzog said.
Yair Lapid, leader of the centrist Yesh Atid party, which has also focused on the plight of Israel's middle class, received a warm welcome at a campaign stop in the coastal city of Netanya. Supporters warmly embraced him and stopped him to take selfies.
He accused both Netanyahu and Herzog of working outside deals with special interest groups and said that only he was tackling the real issues facing the Israeli middle class.
Lapid has so far refused to commit to either Herzog or Netanyahu, though he is widely seen as a natural ally of Herzog's in a future coalition.
Exit polls are expected immediately after voting stops at 10 p.m. (2000 GMT) Tuesday night. But the true victor may not be known for several weeks.
Under Israel's electoral system, no party has ever won an outright majority in the 120-member parliament. Instead, the party with the best chance of forming a coalition — usually the largest party — is given the chance to form a coalition. That decision is taken by the country's president, Reuven Rivlin.
Since neither Likud nor the Zionist Union is expected to earn more than a quarter of the votes, Rivlin will meet with party leaders to determine who should be prime minister, followed by a lengthy period of negotiations to assemble a coalition.
A potential kingmaker could be found in the new centrist party of Moshe Kahlon, who is running on an economic platform that deals almost exclusively with bread-and-butter issues while putting Israel's diplomatic challenges on the back burner.
Kahlon, who broke off from Netanyahu's Likud, is demanding to become finance minister in the next government and has given no indication as to whom he would prefer as prime minister.
The son of Libyan immigrants, Kahlon is popular with working class Israelis, thanks to his Middle Eastern background, his modest upbringing and for reforming the local mobile-phone market.
New Constitution grants Too Much Power To The Senate
BANGKOK: -- A PARTICIPANT at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand's forum on "The Future of Thai Politics" last week raised an important point - that the all-appointed Senate under the new charter will have far too much influence.
The participant also noted that this is something National Reform Council (NRC) members remember when scrutinising the charter provisions, and Thai citizens should keep in mind when voting in a referendum.
Capacity to influence the choice of Cabinet members is one of many powers the new Senate will have. The charter's Provision 132 will give senators the power to dig into the background of Cabinet candidates and publicise their findings.
This implies that the Senate can tell the prime minister exactly which individuals they deem eligible, or not, for a minister's post, and possibly refuse to cooperate during legislative procedures if the PM ignores their "recommendations".
The notion that appointed senators have the authority to scrutinise and publicise ministerial candidates' profiles may seem absurd, but in reality it could manifest into something worse.
With this power in their hands, the Senate could force the prime minister to the negotiating table, and allow senators to handpick preferred candidates for certain ministerial seats in exchange for approving the PM's preferred nominees.
Obviously there will be a lot of wheeling and dealing behind the scenes before a cabinet satisfactory to both parties can be formed. But this wheeling and dealing can be a bit worrying, because not only will it damage the effectiveness of an elected government, it would also shift significant executive power to the privileged few from the upper-middle class and the elite who form the Senate.
As per the new charter, senators will be nominated from "five social groups", which could include former premiers, former House speakers, former Supreme Court presidents, former ministry permanent secretaries, former generals or supreme commanders, presidents of different professional associations or organisations, and academics. Nearly every member of these social groups hail from the upper-middle class based mainly in the capital.
Clearly, the framework to select the Senate does not connect in any way to the grassroots in rural Thailand because, as the charter drafters argue, senators cannot have the same electoral canvassers and support base as MPs in the House of Representatives.
The new charter will also give the Senate the power to propose bills.
With this, new senators will be able to negotiate with MPs, forcing them into "give-and-take" deals. Hence, not only will the new Senate have the power to influence the selection of ministers, it will also have the power to pursue its own legislative agenda.
Also, as all senators will be appointed from the pool of society's power players, they will have no fear of playing a game of legislative stalemate, in which they can force the PM to dissolve parliament. After all, "appointed" senators have very little to lose because unlike lower House MPs, they will have invested nothing in terms of energy, effort or funds on wooing voters.
An appointed Senate under the new charter will have an upper hand both in the executive branch as well as the Lower House - a point that needs to be closely reviewed by all stakeholders especially the NRC and the public.
UN And Russia Worry That Islamic State Is In Afghanistan
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The top U.N. envoy in Afghanistan said
Monday that recent reports indicate the Islamic State extremist group
has established a foothold in Afghanistan, a view echoed by Russia which
urged the Security Council to stop its expansion.
Nicholas Haysom told the council the assessment of the U.N. political mission in Afghanistan is that the Islamic State group hasn't stuck "firm roots" in the country. But he said the mission is concerned because of its potential "to offer an alternative flagpole to which otherwise isolated insurgent splinter groups can rally."
Russia's Deputy U.N. Ambassador Vladimir Safronkov said Moscow is worried about the rise of the terrorist threat in Afghanistan and the broadening of the Islamic State group's geographical activities which are "spreading a radical Islam."
In urging council action against the expansion of the extremist group, Safronkov said Russia is worried about "increasingly frequent reports of the worsening situation in the north of Afghanistan," in areas bordering countries which were once Soviet republics and remain "our friends and allies."
He said extremists in the once quiet north are actively engaging in propaganda activities and recruiting, and are setting up camp.
"The states of the region have legitimate concerns about this turn of events," Safronkov said. "Turning it into yet another safe haven for fighters and extremists is categorically unacceptable."
Afghanistan's U.N. Ambassador Zahir Tanin agreed that there are reports of the Islamic State group penetrating more areas including Afghanistan "but the main enemy we face is the Taliban that continue to fight against us." He added that there may also be "some splinter groups with more extreme orientations."
All three spoke at an open meeting where the Security Council voted unanimously to extend the mandate of the U.N. mission in Afghanistan until March 17, 2016.
The resolution adopted by the council calls on the Afghan government, with help from the international community, to continue to tackle threats from the Taliban, al-Qaida, other extremist groups and drug traders. It does not mention the Islamic State group by name.
After the former Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, Muslim insurgents helped oust the Soviet military. The insurgents, many turned warlords, then turned their guns on each other which led to the Taliban taking control of Afghanistan and offering a haven for al-Qaida. The Islamic State is an offshoot of al-Qaida.
Haysom, Safronkov and Tanin all stressed the importance of reconciliation to bring peace to Afghanistan.
The Security Council resolution stressed the importance of an "Afghan led and Afghan-owned" political process to support reconciliation for all those who renounce violence, have no link to terrorist groups and respect the constitution including the rights of women.
Tanin said the peace and reconciliation process is the government's first priority, especially at this time "when violence affects increasing numbers of civilians and when the crippling triple threat of terrorism, extremism and criminality threatens to undermine the future of the Afghan people and the wider region.
Nicholas Haysom told the council the assessment of the U.N. political mission in Afghanistan is that the Islamic State group hasn't stuck "firm roots" in the country. But he said the mission is concerned because of its potential "to offer an alternative flagpole to which otherwise isolated insurgent splinter groups can rally."
Russia's Deputy U.N. Ambassador Vladimir Safronkov said Moscow is worried about the rise of the terrorist threat in Afghanistan and the broadening of the Islamic State group's geographical activities which are "spreading a radical Islam."
In urging council action against the expansion of the extremist group, Safronkov said Russia is worried about "increasingly frequent reports of the worsening situation in the north of Afghanistan," in areas bordering countries which were once Soviet republics and remain "our friends and allies."
He said extremists in the once quiet north are actively engaging in propaganda activities and recruiting, and are setting up camp.
"The states of the region have legitimate concerns about this turn of events," Safronkov said. "Turning it into yet another safe haven for fighters and extremists is categorically unacceptable."
Afghanistan's U.N. Ambassador Zahir Tanin agreed that there are reports of the Islamic State group penetrating more areas including Afghanistan "but the main enemy we face is the Taliban that continue to fight against us." He added that there may also be "some splinter groups with more extreme orientations."
All three spoke at an open meeting where the Security Council voted unanimously to extend the mandate of the U.N. mission in Afghanistan until March 17, 2016.
The resolution adopted by the council calls on the Afghan government, with help from the international community, to continue to tackle threats from the Taliban, al-Qaida, other extremist groups and drug traders. It does not mention the Islamic State group by name.
After the former Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, Muslim insurgents helped oust the Soviet military. The insurgents, many turned warlords, then turned their guns on each other which led to the Taliban taking control of Afghanistan and offering a haven for al-Qaida. The Islamic State is an offshoot of al-Qaida.
Haysom, Safronkov and Tanin all stressed the importance of reconciliation to bring peace to Afghanistan.
The Security Council resolution stressed the importance of an "Afghan led and Afghan-owned" political process to support reconciliation for all those who renounce violence, have no link to terrorist groups and respect the constitution including the rights of women.
Tanin said the peace and reconciliation process is the government's first priority, especially at this time "when violence affects increasing numbers of civilians and when the crippling triple threat of terrorism, extremism and criminality threatens to undermine the future of the Afghan people and the wider region.
UN: 24 Dead In Vanuatu After Cyclone Pam
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The United Nations reported
Monday that 24 people are confirmed dead and 3,300 have been displaced
by Cyclone Pam in the South Pacific archipelago of Vanuatu.
Radio and telephone communications with outer islands have not yet been established two days after what the country's president called a "monster" storm, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said.
It said 3,300 people are sheltering in 37 evacuation centers on the main island of Efate and in the provinces of Torba and Penama. "Basic emergency rations are being provided to evacuees, including water, rice, tinned fish or meat, coffee, tea, sugar, Milo, biscuits and other items," the report said.
Military aircraft from New Caledonia, Australia and New Zealand have been conducting aerial assessments of the damage.
The latest report came as Vanuatu's president rushed back to his country, which has repeatedly warned it is already suffering devastating effects from climate change with coastal areas being washed away.
Looking weary and red-eyed, Baldwin Lonsdale told The Associated Press that Cyclone Pam destroyed or damaged 90 percent of the buildings in the capital alone. Lonsdale was interviewed in Sendai, in northeastern Japan, where he had been attending a U.N. disaster conference when the cyclone struck.
"This is a very devastating cyclone in Vanuatu. I term it as a monster, a monster," he said. "It's a setback for the government and for the people of Vanuatu. After all the development that has taken place, all this development has been wiped out."
Lonsdale said because of a breakdown in communications infrastructure, even he could not reach his family. "We do not know if our families are safe or not. As the leader of the nation, my whole heart is for the people, the nation," he said.
Officials in Vanuatu were struggling to determine the scale of devastation from the cyclone, which tore through the nation early Saturday, packing winds of 270 kilometers (168 miles) per hour. Bridges were down outside the capital, Port Vila, making travel by vehicle impossible even around the main island of Efate.
Paolo Malatu, coordinator for Vanuatu's National Disaster Management Office, said officials had dispatched every plane and helicopter they could to fly over the hard-hit outer islands.
"The damage to homes and infrastructure is severe," Malatu said. "The priority at the moment is to get people water, food and shelter."
The damaged airport in Port Vila has reopened, allowing some aid and relief flights to reach the country. Lonsdale said a wide range of items were needed, from tarpaulins and water containers to medical supplies and construction tools. Those on the ground pleaded for help to arrive quickly.
The city's hospital was overwhelmed with patients, and some beds were moved outside due to fears the building is no longer safe.
"The wards have all been evacuated because of structural damage," surgeon Richard Leona told Australia's Channel 7. "We are badly needing this help. We need to get an urgent drug supply and food and also set up a mobile hospital to deal with the influx of patients coming in."
In Port Vila, smashed boats littered the harbor, and sodden piles of household belongings tangled among twisted tree branches lay where some homes once stood.
Many of the city's residents spent Monday clearing away downed trees and cleaning up what was left of their houses. Those left homeless were generally staying with loved ones whose houses had withstood the storm, or sleeping in temporary shelters provided by aid agencies, said UNICEF spokeswoman Alice Clements.
Access to food and water is an urgent concern, said Clements, who is in Port Vila. Much of the city's water supply has been tainted, so residents are boiling water to drink.
Clements said she spoke to a woman who is nine months pregnant and lost her home in the storm. The woman's situation, along with many others, is growing desperate, Clements said.
"She has no water, no food, no power," she said. "This is an incredibly dangerous time."
Some commercial flights have resumed, although services are limited. Georgina Roberts, New Zealand's High Commissioner to Vanuatu, said two defense force planes were sent to retrieve about 100 stranded New Zealand tourists.
In Sydney, shaken Australian tourists returning from Vanuatu greeted loved ones with hugs and terrifying tales of the storm's wrath.
"I've never seen or heard anything like that noise," Ralph Scott said after arriving at Sydney's airport. "It was frightening, it was supersonic, it was terrible."
Scott said the aftermath of the storm was "utter devastation."
"Houses, roads washed away," he said. "People walking around like zombies."
New Zealand radio journalist Frances Cook and her husband traveled to Vanuatu for their honeymoon two days before the cyclone struck. She said they knew a storm was coming but figured from the forecasts it wouldn't be too bad.
"It's been exciting," she joked.
Instead of zip-lining through the jungle and looking at active volcanoes as planned, Cook has been reporting back home on the devastation. She said a lot of stranded tourists were desperate to leave and some were afraid for their security.
"It's a glorious place and the people are so lovely," she said. "It's quite upsetting to see this happen."
Vanuatu has a population of 267,000 people spread over 65 islands. About 47,000 people live in the capital.
Hannington Alatoa, head of the Vanuatu Red Cross Society, said flyovers by New Zealand and Australian relief teams showed much of the country had been "flattened." At least half of the population has been affected, Alatoa said in Sendai.
"No trees, no foliage, no iron structures standing on the western part of Tanna (island)," Alatoa said. "People are in great need of water."
The World Health Organization said it was sending health and emergency response workers and supplies, and coordinating with UNICEF and regional governments.
Scientists say it's impossible to attribute single weather events like Cyclone Pam to climate change.
"Climate change is contributing to the disasters in Vanuatu," President Lonsdale said. "We see the level of sea rise. Change in weather patterns. This year we have heavy rain more than every year."
The cyclone also caused damage to other Pacific islands, including Kiribati and the Solomon Islands. Some homes were evacuated in New Zealand on Monday to escape flooding as the weakening storm moved past North Island.
___
Kurtenbach reported from Sendai, Japan. Associated Press writers Kristen Gelineau in Sydney and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report.
Radio and telephone communications with outer islands have not yet been established two days after what the country's president called a "monster" storm, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said.
It said 3,300 people are sheltering in 37 evacuation centers on the main island of Efate and in the provinces of Torba and Penama. "Basic emergency rations are being provided to evacuees, including water, rice, tinned fish or meat, coffee, tea, sugar, Milo, biscuits and other items," the report said.
Military aircraft from New Caledonia, Australia and New Zealand have been conducting aerial assessments of the damage.
The latest report came as Vanuatu's president rushed back to his country, which has repeatedly warned it is already suffering devastating effects from climate change with coastal areas being washed away.
Looking weary and red-eyed, Baldwin Lonsdale told The Associated Press that Cyclone Pam destroyed or damaged 90 percent of the buildings in the capital alone. Lonsdale was interviewed in Sendai, in northeastern Japan, where he had been attending a U.N. disaster conference when the cyclone struck.
"This is a very devastating cyclone in Vanuatu. I term it as a monster, a monster," he said. "It's a setback for the government and for the people of Vanuatu. After all the development that has taken place, all this development has been wiped out."
Lonsdale said because of a breakdown in communications infrastructure, even he could not reach his family. "We do not know if our families are safe or not. As the leader of the nation, my whole heart is for the people, the nation," he said.
Officials in Vanuatu were struggling to determine the scale of devastation from the cyclone, which tore through the nation early Saturday, packing winds of 270 kilometers (168 miles) per hour. Bridges were down outside the capital, Port Vila, making travel by vehicle impossible even around the main island of Efate.
Paolo Malatu, coordinator for Vanuatu's National Disaster Management Office, said officials had dispatched every plane and helicopter they could to fly over the hard-hit outer islands.
"The damage to homes and infrastructure is severe," Malatu said. "The priority at the moment is to get people water, food and shelter."
The damaged airport in Port Vila has reopened, allowing some aid and relief flights to reach the country. Lonsdale said a wide range of items were needed, from tarpaulins and water containers to medical supplies and construction tools. Those on the ground pleaded for help to arrive quickly.
The city's hospital was overwhelmed with patients, and some beds were moved outside due to fears the building is no longer safe.
"The wards have all been evacuated because of structural damage," surgeon Richard Leona told Australia's Channel 7. "We are badly needing this help. We need to get an urgent drug supply and food and also set up a mobile hospital to deal with the influx of patients coming in."
In Port Vila, smashed boats littered the harbor, and sodden piles of household belongings tangled among twisted tree branches lay where some homes once stood.
Many of the city's residents spent Monday clearing away downed trees and cleaning up what was left of their houses. Those left homeless were generally staying with loved ones whose houses had withstood the storm, or sleeping in temporary shelters provided by aid agencies, said UNICEF spokeswoman Alice Clements.
Access to food and water is an urgent concern, said Clements, who is in Port Vila. Much of the city's water supply has been tainted, so residents are boiling water to drink.
Clements said she spoke to a woman who is nine months pregnant and lost her home in the storm. The woman's situation, along with many others, is growing desperate, Clements said.
"She has no water, no food, no power," she said. "This is an incredibly dangerous time."
Some commercial flights have resumed, although services are limited. Georgina Roberts, New Zealand's High Commissioner to Vanuatu, said two defense force planes were sent to retrieve about 100 stranded New Zealand tourists.
In Sydney, shaken Australian tourists returning from Vanuatu greeted loved ones with hugs and terrifying tales of the storm's wrath.
"I've never seen or heard anything like that noise," Ralph Scott said after arriving at Sydney's airport. "It was frightening, it was supersonic, it was terrible."
Scott said the aftermath of the storm was "utter devastation."
"Houses, roads washed away," he said. "People walking around like zombies."
New Zealand radio journalist Frances Cook and her husband traveled to Vanuatu for their honeymoon two days before the cyclone struck. She said they knew a storm was coming but figured from the forecasts it wouldn't be too bad.
"It's been exciting," she joked.
Instead of zip-lining through the jungle and looking at active volcanoes as planned, Cook has been reporting back home on the devastation. She said a lot of stranded tourists were desperate to leave and some were afraid for their security.
"It's a glorious place and the people are so lovely," she said. "It's quite upsetting to see this happen."
Vanuatu has a population of 267,000 people spread over 65 islands. About 47,000 people live in the capital.
Hannington Alatoa, head of the Vanuatu Red Cross Society, said flyovers by New Zealand and Australian relief teams showed much of the country had been "flattened." At least half of the population has been affected, Alatoa said in Sendai.
"No trees, no foliage, no iron structures standing on the western part of Tanna (island)," Alatoa said. "People are in great need of water."
The World Health Organization said it was sending health and emergency response workers and supplies, and coordinating with UNICEF and regional governments.
Scientists say it's impossible to attribute single weather events like Cyclone Pam to climate change.
"Climate change is contributing to the disasters in Vanuatu," President Lonsdale said. "We see the level of sea rise. Change in weather patterns. This year we have heavy rain more than every year."
The cyclone also caused damage to other Pacific islands, including Kiribati and the Solomon Islands. Some homes were evacuated in New Zealand on Monday to escape flooding as the weakening storm moved past North Island.
___
Kurtenbach reported from Sendai, Japan. Associated Press writers Kristen Gelineau in Sydney and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report.
Baht Weaker But Stable After Rate Cut
BANGKOK: -- THE BANK OF THAILAND's 25-basis-point cut in the policy interest rate last week has depreciated the value of the baht by 0.5 per cent and taken the government bond yield curve to the lowest point in six years.
The decline in the bond yield has had the effect of lowering the cost of investment, and the central bank has urged businesses to take advantage of this.
The baht weakened from around 32.30 to nearly 33 against the US dollar after the BOT's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) cut the benchmark rate from 2 per cent to 1.75 per cent. The yield for government 10-year bond dropped from 2.74 per cent as of March 11 to 2.49 per cent after the cut.
"The baht depreciated because the majority of the market believed that the MPC would maintain the policy interest rate," said BOT spokesman Chirathep Senivongs Na Ayudhya. "But the currency has stabilised now and there is currently no irregularity regarding fund flows ahead of the US Federal Reserve's statement this week."
The Federal Open Market Committee, which sets the US policy rate, is to conclude a two-day meeting tomorrow.
"The current [BOT policy] rate is very supportive, while the interest rate for the government's 10-year bonds is one of the lowest in the region," Chirathep said. "Therefore Thailand's monetary cost is very low … We urge the private sector to invest now when you can get a 10-year loan at an interest rate of around 2.5 per cent, since this an opportunity to expand and increase your competitiveness."
So far two commercial banks, Siam Commercial Bank and Bangkok Bank, have lowered their lending rates after the policy-rate cut.
Land & Houses managing director Adisorn Thananum-Narapool said the lower policy rate was a challenge to the company's plan to issue a new debenture this year. This will cut its interest rate to below 4 per cent.
The company plans to issue half of the Bt10-billion debenture in the first half of this year, and the rest in the second half, he said.
Pruksa Real Estate, which plans to issue a debenture worth Bt3 billion this year, also expects it to carry a lower interest rate than last year, chief operating officer Lersak Chuladesa said.
This is also good news for home-buyers, who will be able to get lower interest rates on their mortgages, he added.
Thai Bond Market Association forecasts Thai companies will issue debentures worth totalling between Bt520 billion and Bt540 billion in this year, dropping 1.8 per cent from last year.
Meanwhile, SCB might consider adjusting its minimum lending rate if other major banks trim their MLRs by only 0.125 percentage point, less than SCB's recent rate cut.
SCB on Thursday became the first bank to lower its MLR and its fixed deposit rate by 0.20 percentage point. On Friday, Bangkok Bank also cut its MLR and fixed deposit rate, but by just 0.125 percentage point.
Krungthai Bank and Kasikornbank, the second and fourth largest banks by assets, have remained quiet over the rate cut.
Arthid Nanthawithaya, senior executive vice president of SCB, said yesterday that if several banks decided to trim their MLRs by only 0.125 percentage point, less than SCB did, the bank would consider adjusting its rates in line with the market.
However, he noted that the policy rate could be cut further as the real interest rate is high and the baht remains strong compared with the currencies of other countries in the region.
He said it was clear to SCB that the Thai economy is still struggling, which has had an impact on retail, small and medium-sized enterprises, and some corporate clients. The bank agrees with the BOT that the rate cut should be a tool to help those sectors.
Italian Navigator Rescued After Being Shipwrecked In The Atlantic
ITALY (eTN) - Matteo Miceli was rescued in the Atlantic Ocean
after being thrown from his Eco 40 boat. He was about 600 nautical
miles from Brazil when the incident occurred, and was left to drift on
the emergency raft in the Atlantic Ocean.
Rescue operations were coordinated by the National Center Relief Coast Guard of Rome. After receiving the distress call and locating the raft, the Brazilian maritime competent authorities flagged the merchant Aranon that was in the Marshall Islands to divert its route to provide relief to the stranded navigator.
Upon arrival of the merchant Aranon, the lone sailor was found aboard the raft in good health. Miceli is currently onboard the Aranon which is heading towards the port of Salvador in Brazil, where it will arrive on March 17.
Matteo began his journey on October 19, 2014 from the port of Riva Trajan in the province of Rome for his round-the-world solo trip aboard his new Eco 40 boat - a class 40 self-sufficient craft that he built completely by himself.
The Eco 40 boat was equipped with two hens - a Blonde, who died while in the Indian Ocean, and a Mora (brown feathered), who was lost at sea. The craft was also equipped with a biodynamic garden with sprouts, as well as a board generator that was powered by wind and solar panels.
Rescue operations were coordinated by the National Center Relief Coast Guard of Rome. After receiving the distress call and locating the raft, the Brazilian maritime competent authorities flagged the merchant Aranon that was in the Marshall Islands to divert its route to provide relief to the stranded navigator.
Upon arrival of the merchant Aranon, the lone sailor was found aboard the raft in good health. Miceli is currently onboard the Aranon which is heading towards the port of Salvador in Brazil, where it will arrive on March 17.
Matteo began his journey on October 19, 2014 from the port of Riva Trajan in the province of Rome for his round-the-world solo trip aboard his new Eco 40 boat - a class 40 self-sufficient craft that he built completely by himself.
The Eco 40 boat was equipped with two hens - a Blonde, who died while in the Indian Ocean, and a Mora (brown feathered), who was lost at sea. The craft was also equipped with a biodynamic garden with sprouts, as well as a board generator that was powered by wind and solar panels.
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