Oil wealth likely to keep Gulf calm

Despite a rare protest in Oman and cash and food being doled out in Kuwait, experts say the region will remain quiet. Last Modified: 18 Jan 2011 10:31 GMT

The Saudi government welcomed ousted Ben Ali, ushering him to a heavily guarded palace in Jeddah [Reuters] About 2,000 Omanis have staged a rare protest demanding higher wages and salaries and a curb to rising prices and the high cost of living, the Associated Press news agency said. Other media outlets said the gathering was much smaller. The demonstration on Monday, a rarity in the usually calm sultanate, was called for by the civil society groups and publicised on websites. Protesters gathered in the district housing most government ministries under close watch by police. The demonstration ended peacefully. One demonstrator said the march was a request to Sultan Qaboos to personally intervene against the greed of the merchants and raise government employees salaries including those in the police and the army. Banners held by the demonstrators read "no to high prices" and "no to the merchant greed". Free food and cash Meanwhile, the ruler of Kuwait announced on Monday the distribution of $4bn and free food for 14 months to all citizens. Each of the 1.12 million native citizens will get 1,000 dinars ($3,572) in cash as well as free essential food items until March 31, 2012, Kuwait's emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah was reported to have said. The Gulf state, whose financial assets top $300bn, will next month mark the 50th anniversary of independence, 20th anniversary of liberation from Iraqi occupation and the fifth anniversary of the emir's ascendance to power. The 2.4 million foreign residents of Kuwait, mainly workers from south Asia, are excluded from the grant and the free food. Golden bargain Experts say that the oil wealth of Saudi Arabia and its neighbours could prevent any poverty-driven unrest, similar to that which ousted Tunisia's Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, from spreading to the Gulf. They say that Gulf Arab rulers have struck a golden bargain with their people to trade political quiescence for relative affluence. "I know there is a lot of talk about the ripple effect. I think the epicentre is still very much Tunisia and in the immediate region in north Africa I would say," Salman Shaikh, director of the Brookings Doha Centre, said. "With regard to the Gulf leaderships directly, to be fair they are focused on a vision ... which is about developing their societies," he added. The Gulf Arab states' massive oil wealth fuelled a development boom that lifted much of the region into prosperity even as other Arab countries struggle to raise living standards. "I think the Gulf states are a little bit more secure than some of the other states that have been mentioned such as Egypt and Jordan and Algeria. So I don't see it spreading to here," Theodore Karasik, a Dubai-based security analyst, said. Saudi Arabia was widely criticised for inviting Ben Ali and his family after France, among other places, refused to host him. But some say the decision to host a deposed Arab ruler in the shape of Ben Ali has been more sensitive, as it highlights the lack of democracy in the kingdom itself. Riyadh is keen to avoid any hint of political parallels with Tunisia. Prominent Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who is close to key Saudi princes, said: "I myself was not happy about it and I'm sure most Saudis are not happy about it. "We would not like our country to be the destination for dictators but again we are trapped by traditions."

Source: Agencies

US welcomes Hariri indictment

Prosecutor for UN tribunal investigating the 2005 assassination of ex-Lebanon PM submits indictment against suspects. Last Modified: 18 Jan 2011 00:38 GMT

The indictment came less than a week after the government of prime minister Saad Hariri collapsed [AFP] US President Barack Obama has welcomed the submission of an indictment for the 2005 murder of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq al-Hariri, saying the move was key to ending an "era of impunity" but urging calm amid rising tensions in the country. A prosecutor for the UN tribunal investigating the 2005 assassination of the former Lebanese prime minister filed the body's first indictment against suspects in the case on Monday. The confidential documents were handed to the registry, the tribunal said in a statement. The details of the suspected named and the charges against them were not released. In a statement, Obama said he "welcomed" the announcement, adding that it was "a significant and emotional time for the Lebanese people, and we join the international community in calling on all leadersa and factions to preserve calm and exercise restraint". On Monday, Ali Shami, the Lebanese foreign minister, cautioned the US to stop interfering in Lebanese affairs, summoning Maura Connelly, the American ambassador, to explain why she had met with Nicolas Fattouch, a key undecided lawmaker, on the weekend. After the meeting, Connelly's office said the meeting was part of routine meetings with "personalities from across Lebanon's political spectrum". Hezbollah indictments expected Daniel Fransen, the pre-trial judge, must confirm the charges in the indictment before any arrest warrant or summons to appear can be issued. The tribunal is widely expected to indict members of Lebanon's Hezbollah, a move many fear could rekindle violence in the country. Al Jazeera's Zeina Khodr, reporting from the Lebanese capital, Beirut, said the tribunal has been a source of tension in the country. "It is widely believed to point the finger at Hezbollah members. Hezbollah has called it a US tool, and ... has alleged it is politicised. It has questioned the way [the tribunal] conducted investigations," she said. "We heard the secretary-general of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, say yesterday that the group will reject any accusation and it will work to defend its reputation as well as its dignity and it will confront it. "But he stopped short of saying exactly what kind of action the group would take." Collapsed government The indictment announcement came less than a week after 11 ministers allied with Hezbollah resigned from the government of Saad al-Hariri, the Lebanese prime minister, forcing it to collapse. The lawmakers withdrew from the unity government last Wednesday over the prime minister's stance on the tribunal. IN DEPTH Profile: Rafiq al-Hariri Timeline: Al-Hariri investigation Focus: Lebanon simmers as Hezbollah braces Focus: Split remains over Hariri tribunal Inside Story: Hezbollah talks tough Talks scheduled for Monday to name a new Lebanese prime minister have been postponed until next week. Lebanese politicians said that the consultations on a new government could be delayed because of a summit in Damascus on Monday where the leaders of Syria, Qatar and Turkey met to discuss Lebanon's political crisis. But Nasrallah said late on Sunday that his party would refuse to back al-Hariri, Lebanon's caretaker prime minister, in forming a new government. Hezbollah, which has a political bloc in parliament as well as a powerful military wing, commands strong support in Lebanon's Shia Muslim community. Lebanon's crisis is the result of long-simmering tensions over the UN tribunal's probe of the death of Rafiq al-Hariri, a former Lebanese prime minister and the father of Saad al-Hariri. Hezbollah has several times denounced the Netherlands-based tribunal as a conspiracy by the US and Israel. On Monday, the group's al-Manar television said the US was behind the release of the draft indictment as part of a bid to sabotage efforts to solve Lebanon's crisis. It also accused the US of "pushing the indictment ahead to light the fuse to blow up the bridges for a solution", adding that the "Americans control the indictments in form and content". Hezbollah had demanded that Saad al-Hariri's government reject the court's findings even before they come out. But though he offered some concessions, al-Hariri refused to end co-operation with the tribunal, prompting Hezbollah's walkout.

Source: Al Jazeera and agencies

Ex-president Duvalier back in Haiti

Jean-Claude Duvalier makes surprise return from exile in midst of political vacuum left by disputed polls. Last Modified: 18 Jan 2011 02:07 GMT

Duvalier's partner suggested their return was prompted by the devastating earthquake a year ago [Al Jazeera] Former Haitian president Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier, has met with a string of confidantes at his Port-au-Prince hotel, as speculation continues regarding his surprise return to Haiti in the midst of a political vacuum left by disputed presidential elections. Henri-Robert Sterlin, Duvalier's spokesman, said the former president could hold a press event on Tuesday. Returning to his homeland after 25 years in the political wilderness, most of them spent in exile in France, Duvalier did not explain the reason for his return on Sunday, simply saying: "I've come to help". The US has expressed its shock at the move, with PJ Crowley, the state department spokesman, saying: "We are surprised by the timing of Duvalier's visit to Haiti. It adds unpredictability at an uncertain time in Haiti's election process." Duvalier's partner, Veronique Roy, described to the AFP news agency how he bent to his knees and kissed the ground as he set foot on home soil for the first time since his violent ouster in 1986. Roy suggested the couple's return had been prompted by the devastating earthquake almost exactly a year ago that killed nearly a quarter of a million Haitians. "That was the trigger," she told AFP. "It's so emotional. We were not expecting this welcome." A delegation of former officials who had served as cabinet ministers under Duvalier awaited his arrival at the airport and a few hundred supporters were gathered outside. Popular revolt Duvalier was ousted by a popular revolt after his family and supporters were accused of plundering tens of millions of dollars of state funds during his 15-year reign. Duvalier's unexpected return also came as the country wrestled with the results of a November 28 election that sparked deadly riots over allegations of vote-rigging by the current ruling party. Jose Miguel Insulza, the head of the Organisation of American States (OAS), met with Rene Preval, the Haitian president on Monday, saying that his group's report that evaluated the election results,was not binding. "The technical mission can only make recommendations. It did so with as much clarity as possible. It is now up to Haiti's Provisional Electoral Council to determine the electoral results," he said. A leaked draft of that report appeared to suggest that Jude Celestin, Preval's protege, should step aside after alleged fraud in the first round of voting. Human rights groups outraged Duvalier had earlier told a Florida radio station he was not returning as a presidential candidate, saying: "This is not the order of the day." In 2007, Duvalier called on Haitians to forgive him for the "mistakes" committed during his reign. Haitian authorities have accused Duvalier of diverting more than $100m out of the desperately poor country under the guise of social work during his reign. Human rights groups criticised his return on Monday, saying he should be arrested and prosecuted. "Duvalier's return to Haiti should be for one purpose only: to face justice," Jose Miguel Vivanco, the Americas director of Human Rights Watch, said. "Under the presidency of Duvalier and his Tonton Macoutes, thousands were killed and tortured, and hundreds of thousands of Haitians fled into exile. His time to be held accountable is long overdue. "Haiti has enough troubles without Duvalier. Duvalier's presence - unless he is immediately arrested - is a slap in the face to a people which has already suffered so much."

Source: Al Jazeera and agencies

Puntland shuns Somali government

Autonomous region says it is breaking away from the federation until 'legitimate' one is put in place. Last Modified: 18 Jan 2011 10:07 GMT

Fighting between rebels and the federal government has forced people to flee to Puntland [EPA] The autonomous region of Puntland in Somalia has announced that it will break with the federal government based in the embattled capital, Mogadishu. After a special meeting of Abdirahman Mohammed Farole's presidential cabinet on Sunday, the government issued a statement saying that the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) "does not represent Puntland in international forums" and that the United Nations Political Office for Somalia should "reconsider its position and support for the TFG at the expense of other Somali stakeholders." Puntland, unlike the breakaway region of Somaliland to the west, does not consider itself an independent country. Until now, it had supported the federal government, which is backed by the international community but has been greatly weakened by an ongoing war against rebels who are seeking its overthrow. The statement, read by Daud Mohamed Omar, the planning and international cooperation minister, criticised the Mogadishu government for its "unwillingness to actively support federalism for Somalia in violation of the TFG charter," according to a report by Radio Garowe, a community radio station based in Garowe, the Puntland capital. Losing Puntland is a blow to the government in Mogadishu, which is led by 45-year-old president Sharif Ahmed and exerts very little control over Somalia, relying on military support from Western governments, such as the United States, to keep rebels from the Al-Shebab movement from overrunning the capital. Al-Shebab has declared that it is fighting to overthrow the federal government and institute sharia, Islamic law. Miffed In its statement on Sunday, the Puntland government complained that Ahmed had left it out of the recent UN-led Djibouti Peace Process, which laid out the terms of cooperation between the federal government and other groups within Somalia. "Puntland shall not cooperate with the TFG until a legitimate and representative federal government is established and agreed upon by the legitimate stakeholders in Somalia," the statement said, adding that Puntland also opposed any extension in the TFG's authority, which is set to expire this year. Puntland is regarded as one of the most stable areas inside Somalia. Many people displaced from the southern parts of the country have moved to Boosaaso, a major port on its north coast. Puntland also recently organised and hosted a national football tournament, the first of its kind in Somalia in 23 years.

Source: Agencies

US senators for tough stand on yuan

Call echoes previous moves to pressure China to stop what they see as currency "manipulation". Last Modified: 18 Jan 2011 09:33 GMT

Beijing has responded to US criticism by saying it as taken steps towards flexible exchange rate policy [AFP] US senators have pressed Congress to get tough on China over what it sees as its continued policy of "manipulating" its currency, ahead of a scheduled visit to Washington by president Hu Jintao. The latest sparring over the yuan (RMB) underlines tensions over trade before Hu arrives in Washington on Tuesday for talks expected to focus on a host of sensitive issues, from rebalancing the global economy to dealing with North Korea. On Monday, a group of senators, held talks over a proposed bill to pressure China on the yuan. They said it was vital for the US to pass legislation to punish China if it fails to allow its currency to rise in value rather than manage the rate, giving it an unfair advantage in global trade. "There's no bigger step we can take to preserve the American dream and promote job creation, particularly in the manufacturing sector ... than to confront China's manipulation of its currency," Charles Schumer, a Democratic senator, said on Monday. The message to Hu is "we are fed up with your government's intransigence on currency manipulation. If you refuse to play by the same rules, we will force you to do so." Any significant progress in Congress on passing a currency bill, however, may prove difficult given the White House preference to negotiate and Republican leaders who have voted against it in the past. Both the Senate and the House of Representatives would have to approve the bill, and Obama sign it, for it to become law. Congressional supporters claim wide support for the measure, but previous efforts to pass currency legislation directed at China have failed over concerns it could trigger retaliation by Beijing, the biggest foreign holder of US government debt. According to analysts, Hu's visit to Washington is the most important by a Chinese leader in 30 years given China's growing military and diplomatic clout and its emergence as the world's second largest economy after the United States. In a written interview with The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal, Hu responded to US criticism by saying the country had taken steps toward a more flexible exchange rate policy and appeared to reject arguments that Beijing should let its currency appreciate faster to help rein in domestic inflationary pressure. The yuan has risen nearly 3.5 per cent against the dollar since Beijing ended its peg to the dollar in June, much less than demanded by critics in the United States. US concerns over China's huge trade surplus, a high US unemployment rate and Obama's goal to double exports - which could be fostered by a stronger yuan - indicate anger over the yuan is likely to linger long after Hu's visit.

Source: Agencies

Al-Turabi arrested in Khartoum

Opposition leader arrested by government security forces from his home after calling for a 'popular revolution'. Last Modified: 17 Jan 2011 22:34 GMT

Security forces in Sudan have arrested opposition leader Hassan al-Turabi from his home in Khartoum, al-Turabi's Popular Congress Party spokesman told Al Jazeera. Monday's arrest comes a day after al-Turabi's party called for a "popular revolution" if the Sudanese government did not reverse price increases. "He has been arrested ... with five other members of the group, and we don't know the reasons, because when they come to arrest him they don't give any reason," Bashir Adam Rahma, told Al Jazeera. "Whenever this regime has a crisis ... they will capture Dr Turabi at first. I think they are afraid of him that he might instigate some kind of uprising because ... in Sudan there are no freedoms," Rahma said. "This is a very bad situation economically, and due to the winds of freedom coming from Tunisia, any dictator in the region is looking to see from where the danger will come. "If they arrest people, they think they can stay in power." 'Popular uprising' Earlier, al-Turabi said an uprising in north Sudan, similar to recent developments in Tunisia, was "likely". "This country has known popular uprisings before," Turabi said in an interview to the AFP news agency. "What happened in Tunisia is a reminder. This is likely to happen in Sudan ... If it doesn't, then there will be a lot of bloodshed. The whole country is armed. In the towns, it will be a popular uprising, but in Darfur, and in Kordofan as well, they have weapons." Turabi has been in and out of jail since he left President Omar Hassan al-Bashir's ruling party in 1999/2000.

Source: Agencies

Taiwan missiles 'miss targets'

President disappointmented as several missiles miss their targets in major military exercise. Last Modified: 18 Jan 2011 08:18 GMT

Questions have been raised regarding the readiness of Taiwan's military against regional threats [File: Reuters] Taiwan's military has test fired 19 surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles, but a quarter of them missed their targets, raising questions about Taiwan's readiness to defend itself against a possible Chinese attack. The exercise followed last week's successful test flight of China's next generation J-20 stealth aircraft, a system expected to further widen its growing edge over Taiwan's own equipment-starved air force. Ma Ying-jeou, the president, visited the base in the country's south on Tuesday, to demonstrate his commitment to the maintenance of an effective Taiwanese deterrent, but the poor performance disappointed him. "I'm not satisfied with the results," he told reporters when the test was concluded. "I hope the military will find out the reasons and improve its training." The missile test was the first to be held in full view of the press for almost a decade. According to Ma, it was meant "to bring more transparency into military affairs and allow the public to view the military's readiness". But five of the missiles failed to hit their targets, including one RIM-7M Sparrow, which cascaded into the South China Sea less than 30 seconds after launch. Other missiles tested included the Sky Bow II, which have a range of 200km, MIM-23 Hawks and FIM-92 Stingers. War 'less likely' Following China's well-publicised test of the J-20 last week, the normally pro-government United Daily newspaper questioned Ma's policy of shifting the military's main mission away from national defence and toward disaster relief, commenting that "the more important mission for the military is to defend (Taiwan) against threats". The shift in military priorities, unveiled in the immediate wake of a devastating typhoon in August 2009, reflects Ma's belief that his continuing efforts to lower tensions with China - the main theme of his administration - make war across the 160km wide Taiwan Strait less likely than ever before. The two sides split during civil war in 1949, and since then Beijing has reserved the right to invade the island of 23 million people if it moves to make its de facto independence permanent - a move Ma has said he opposes. Wang Kao-cheng, a defence expert at Tamkang University in Taipei, told the Associated Press news agency that one purpose of Tuesday's missile test may have been to encourage the US to sell Taiwan the 66 relatively advanced F-16 jet fighters that top its military wishlist. Washington says it is considering the request, but continued Chinese opposition to the deal has delayed its implementation for more than two years. "The Taiwan government may be using this exercise to send a message to the US that its air defence is facing mounting pressure as China continues to develop the new generation of fighter jets," Wang said. Taiwanese military analysts also say the main function of the missiles tested on Tuesday is to deter Chinese aircraft from entering the island's self-proclaimed defence zone on the eastern side of the north-south median line dividing the Taiwan Strait.

Source: Agencies