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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 14, 1990)
® ATAT II % dj" dpi C* Associated Press NelSaskan 2 1 VV £9 J—^ 1£|V J i Edited by Brandon Loomis Wednesday> February 14,1990 Hundreds flee Dushanbe to escape ethnic clashes Influx of Armenians spreads violence to Tadzhikistan _l-_ __ A A_r.__ • MOSCOW - Armenians by the hundreds have fled the Tadzhikistan capital of Dushanbe to escape ethnic rioting that has killed at least seven people and injured more than 100, news reports said Tuesday. Soldiers in tanks and armored personnel carriers were reportedly in control of the central Asian city 1,600 miles from Moscow, but violence was spreading to the suburbs, said Ana toly Larenok, a correspondent for the national newspaper Vozdushny Trans port. “There arc tanks guarding key buildings in the center of the city, and the riots have moved to the suburbs,’ ’ he said. Violence broke out in Dushanbe on Monday after rumors spread that thousands of Armenian refugees -- already fleeing ethnic clashes with Azerbaijanis in the Caucasus -- were being given preference for scarce new housing. There is a chronic housing short age in Dushanbe for Tadzhik fami lies, which traditionally are large. Television news Tuesday evening said the ethnic attacks were continu ing, and showed film footage of bloody clashes between rioters and rows of police, smashed vehicles and shat tered storefronts. Larenok said at least 300 Armeni ans had fled the city aboard special flights to Yerevan, the Armenian capital, and many others had left on regular flights. About 30 people were arrested for taking part in the violence, the report said. Zaniddin Nasreddinov, an editor at the Tajiktass news agency, reported another rally in the center of Dushanbe Tuesday morning, but said there was no violence. Communist Party lead ers spoke to the crowd and assured them that all Armenian refugees had left the city, he said. The demonstrators elected a com mittee of 12 to represent the public in negotiations with authorities on is sues such as the current ethnic strife, housing and unemployment, Nasred dinov said. Interfax, a publication of official Radio Moscow, said the crowd de manded the deportation of all Arme nians from Tadzhikistan, the closure of an ecologically dangerous alumi num plant, the return to the republic of all proceeds from cotton produc tion, and the resignations of the Communist Party and government leadership. The official lass news agency, contradicting the TV report of con tinuing attacks, said Dushanbe was calm Tuesday but “still very tense.” A state of emergency was declared Monday and a 10 p.m.-6 a.m. curfew was imposed, Tass said. The curfew remained in effect Tuesday night. Tass said precise casualty figures were unavailable, but preliminary reports showed that at least seven people had died in the rioting and 108 were injured when young Tadzhiks stormed the Communist Party head quarters and went on a rampage. The news agency said a small crowd that had gathered in front of the build ing Monday morning swelled to a rally of at least 4,000 later in the day. Communist Party First Secretary Kakhar Makhkamov and other mem bers of the government told the crowd tiiai uiiij auuui iciu^va/3 in Dushanbe, and they were living with relatives, Tass said. “No one believed them, and sev eral members from the rally attempted to enter the building,” Tass said. “Interior Ministry troops blocked entrances to the building and soldiers fired into the air, but this did not stop the extremists.” Shots were fired at the troops from the crowd and stones were thrown at them, Tass said. Rampaging youths broke the ground floor windows and set fire to the building, it said. Larenok reported that the rioters then attacked apartments belonging to Armenians across the city. “A jewelry store, shops, a railway station and several kiosks were broken into and smashed,” he said in a telephone interview. AMERICA'S No.l COMEDY NITE CLUB ^ Romance with Laughter Bring Your Sweetheart to the Funny Bone Direct from Showlime... Roger Naylor From Cin nnati Paul Gilmartin from Dallas Mike Robins from Philadelphia - Ask about our Dim*/ Show Packaga with Showtimes: Hilton Haymarkat Wed., Thurs. & Sun. 8:30 .^'SSXT'SSlfSL, Fri.lSrt.aMm | DIAL-A- «1 COMMENT 472-7431 COMPLAINTS? CONCERNS? COMMENTS? The UNL Health Center Student Advisory Board wants to hear your health concerns. WHAT? We have installed a new 24-hour open phone line for you to call in and tell us your concerns about your care and service received at the University Health Center. HOW DOES IT WORK? Dial 472-7431 and leave your message. If you would like us to respond, please leave your name and return number or address. A representative of the Health Center will be happy Germanys agree to begin formal talks BONN, West Germany - The Germanys agreed Tuesday to begin formal talks on making the West German mark the official currency of East Germany, a move that could lay the economic foundation for reunifi cation. In Ottawa, meanwhile, British Foreign Secretary Douglas Hurd said Tuesday that the Western allies and the Soviet Union arc close to agree ing on a way to unite the Germanys. The announcement referred to a U.S. plan to have East and West Germany work out procedures for a merger immediately after East Ger many holds national elections on March 18. The allies of World War II - the United Stales, Britain, France and the Soviet Union — then will discuss security questions, including whether a reunified Germany would be a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The Soviets want a neutral Ger many, while the United States is press ing for NATO membership. Hurd made the announcement during an East-West summiton aerial surveillance. Deep problems exist between the -1 government or west German Chan cellor Helmut Kohl and the rickety Communist coalition of East German Premier Hans Modrow. Their brief summit produced an agreement to set up a joint commis sion next week to devise a way to make the West German mark the official currency of both nations. The opposition groups want all important decisions on economic recovery put off until after March 18 elections. But some West German officials who arc championing reunification I warn that East Germany’s economic state is so dire that it could be bank- ( ruot even before the elections. Modrow pressed for immediate steps after March 18 to join the Ger- 1 man economies, but made clear that no action could be taken before then. The premier instead appealed for $9 billion in “solidarity aid” to tide over East Germany. West German Finance Minister Thco Waigel said massive loans could not be made when so little detail of East Germany’s financial profile has been made pub lic. Modrow claimed his nation has much to contribute to a unified Ger many, declaring that national wealth totals $850 billion, more than half the gross national product of the wealthy West German state that is three times larger. Nebraskan Editor Amy Edwards 472- 1768 Professional Adviser Don Walton 473- 7301 The Daily NeDraskan(USPS 144-080) is published by the UNL Publications Board. Ne braska Union 34, 1400 R St.. Lincoln. NE. Monday through Friday during the academic year, weekly during summer sessions Readers are encouraged to submit story ideas and comments to the Daily Nebraskan by phoning 472-1763 between 9 a m and 5 p m Monday through Friday The public also has access to the Publications Board For information, contact Pain Hein, 472-2588 Subscription price is $45 for one year . Postmaster Send address changes to the Daily Nebraskan, Nebraska Union 34,1400 R St .Lincoln, Nt 6858*0448 Second class postage paid at Lincoln, NE ALL MATERIAL COPYRIGHT 1990 DAILY NEBRASKAN This Valentine's Day * visit Danielson Floral I and say ^ "I Love You" with a flower bouquet! 1 | 127 So. 13th 476-7602 STUDENTS MEET YOUR STATE SENATOR FOR LUNCH* Wed., Feb. 14th at 12 pm Wick Center - YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE! •Lunch will be provided by GLC $10.00 off R 12 visits Reg. $42 Offer good through February Centrum 474-0281 Gateway North 467-3625 I LING S A L O