Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 5, 1991)
Mpwc Di(xpcf ¥ w 4*3^ JBLma&sto%*»* k*jr Sr Edited by Jennifer O'Cilka Allied POWs experience taste of freedom After a Pepsi-and-cheescburger lunch, six Americans, three Britons and an Italian headed from Baghdad to Jordan and a real taste of freedom Monday, ending weeks as prisoners of war. In southern Iraqi cities, Islamic fundamentalists and others bent on ousting President Saddam Husscm were reported locked in street battles with Saddam’s loyalist Republican Guard in the angry aftermath of the Persian Gulf conflict. Gen. Colin Powell, in Washing ton, again made clear that the U.S. administration looks forward to a Saddam-less Iraq. “We hope a regime will emerge in Baghdad that is committed finally to living in peace with its neighbors,” the Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman told a Veterans of Foreign Wars con vention. The White House announced Presi dent Bush will meet one-on-one with allied leaders in the coming weeks to develop a blueprint for long-term stability in the Persian Gulf. - ti — We hope a regime will emerge in Baghdad that is committed fi nally to living in peace with its neighbors. Gen. Powell Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman -tf - Arab foreign ministers concluded one meeting in Saudi Arabia on Monday and planned another for Syria this week to set an Arab agenda for the peace. Secretary' of Slate James Baker will leave Washington Wednes day to visit Mideast capitals to dis cuss postwar issues with allied lead ers. American troops pressed on with cease-fire chores of locating and removing thousands of land and marine mines laid by the Iraqis. Other U.S. soldiers got down to tasks of clean up and pack-up preparatory for (lights home. Ten cx-POWs began their long journey home Monday from Baghdad, freed by the Iraqisasan initial gesture after Sunday’s cease-fire meeting between allied commander Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf and Iraqi gen erals. The six released Americans in cluded the only female allied soldier listed as missing in action — Army Spc. Melissa Rathbun-Ncaly, 20, of Grand Rapids, Mich. Shcand Spc. David Lockett, 23,of Fort Bliss, Texas, both transportation specialists, apparently were deliver ing equipment to front-line positions near the Kuwaiti border in Saudi Arabia when captured by Iraqi troops. The freed prisoners, clad in yellow jumpsuits bearing the letters “PW,” were turned over to Red Cross offi cers in Baghdad by Iraqi officers. Although some looked thin and haggard, Red Cross official Angelo Gnaedingcr told reporters in the Iraqi capita! that the 10 were in satislac tory good health.” “There she is. ... She looks so good,” Ralhbun-Ncaly’s father, Lee Rathbun, said in Michigan as he watched a CNN television report on the release. “My God, there she is.” After a lunch of burgers, cola and chocolates, they departed by road westward. Late Monday, they arrived in Jordan, where they were to be flown eastward to the gulf emirate of Bahrain, to be examined aboard a U.S. Navy hospital ship there. The Red Cross in Geneva identi fied the other Americans freed as Navy Lt. Jeffrey Norton Zaun, 28, of Cherry Hill, N.J.; Navy Lt. Robert Wetzel, 30, of Virginia Beach, Va.; Air Force Maj. Thomas E. Griffith, 34, of Goldsboro, N.C.; and Navy Lt. Lawrence Randolph Slade, 26, also of Virginia Beach were the other Americans released, the Red Cross in Geneva said. In January, in the early days of the air war, Zaun was brought before an Iraqi television camera and made a sinica, cicariy cocrcca statement criti cal of the allied offensive against Iraq. At that time, he looked bloodied and bruised from apparent beatings. On Monday, he showed no outward sign of injury'. The U.S. military reciprocated Monday’s prisoner release by announc ing that 300 Iraqi prisoners held by the allies would be freed Tuesday or Wednesday. Rathbun-Ncaly, Lockett and Wet zel had been listed by the U.S. com mand as missing in action. At least six Americans remain as prisoners, and 35 arc still listed as missing in action. The allies say they hold more than 63,000 Iraqi POWs. The Baghdad government declared an amnesty for deserters Monday, but U.S. officials said no Iraqi soldier would be repatriated against his will. Witnesses said violent protests occurred in at least eight cities, stretch ing from Iraq’s second-largest city, Basra, northward to the holy city of Karbala, 50 miles south of Baghdad. War-ravaged country Kuwaiti leaders return KUWAIT CITY - Kuwait’s gov emment-in-exile, headed by Crown Prince Saad Al-Sabah, returned Monday from seven months of exile in Saudi Arabia to a country wrecked by war. Dressed in (lowing robes trimmed with gold, the prince dropped to his knees in prayer moments after step ping from a Saudi C-130 military transport aircraft. A government spokesman said virtually all 22 government ministers had returned to Kuwait, but no dale has been announced for the arrival of Emir Jaber al-Ahmcd al-Sabah, the country’s ruler. A senior Cabinet minister, Abdul Rahman Al-Awadi, told reporters that security had to be insured before the emir could return. ‘‘The place is not safe, the streets are not safe, there are so many munitions,” he said. Small numbers of Iraqi soldiers, probably trapped by the swift allied drive on the city, have been rooted out in recent days. There is also some concern about clashes between Ku waitis and pro-Iraqi collaborators, particularly members of the large Palestinian community. “We hope of course that this will be the start of a new era to rebuild Kuw ait,” Abdul Rahman said shortly before the crown prince Hew into Kuwait’s international airport from Dhahran in northeastern Saudi Ara bia. C' Cities were / demonstration V have been K -o Baghdad ; reported. • IRAN \ 1 / I \ 1 } ; Shail-al 5, Arab K. ■■ \ 'ey' ■* 100 miles Kuwait City 100 km SAUDI ARABIA \ AP Republican Guard cracks down on protesters against Saddam SAFWAN, Iraq - Iraq’s Republi can Guard launched a fierce crack down on protesters demanding the overthrow of Saddam Hussein and the establishment of an Islamic re public in Iraq, witnesses said Mon day. The Guard was reported to be turn ing some of its remaining tanks and guns on the demonstrators, who arc apparently disgusted with Saddam’s handling of the gulf warand sense that he may be vulnerable. There were reports of protesters killing government officials, includ ing the mayor of Basra, a governor and a son of Saddam. Witnesses said demonstrations had erupted in at least eight Iraqi cities, stretching from Iraq’s second-largest city, Basra, to the holy city of Kcrbala in central Iraq. They said that in some places the Iraqi troops were shooting women and children. “The special forces arc destroying everything in front of them. If any body shouts from a building they knock it down,” said Mahar Hakawati, 24, a Jordanian photographer who came to Kuwait from Basra. Hakawati said he saw Republican Guard tanks moving through the streets of the southern Iraqi port town. He said the military had surrounded the city. Many people in Basra appeared to have guns taken from police stations and rumors that Saddam lied the country sparked celebrations in the city, he said. Gunmen riddled portraits of the Iraqi president with bullets, he said. Bush says first POW release ‘progress’ WASHINGTON - President Bush welcomed the release of a first group of allied prisoners Monday as “prog ress in our journey from war to peace” but said Iraq must keep moving and set free all prisoners of war and de tained Kuwaitis. Bush said that the allied coalition still intends to hold Iraq to all U.N. resolutions and that compliance could help the allies move beyond the sus pension of hostilities to a “more per manent and stable cease-fire.” He declared, “We have a lot to do to heal the wounds.” Administration officials said Bush soon would embark on a scries of face-to-face meetings with leaders of the anti-Iraq coalition to discuss maintaining peace in the Middle East in the postwar period. Presidential spokesman Marlin Fitzwaicr said Bush would meet with Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mu Ironcy in Ottawa on March 13 and with French Prime Minister Francois Mitterrand the following day on Martinique, a French island in the Caribbean. Bush also will meet with British Prime Minister John Major “at a western hemisphere location yet to be determined,” Fitzwaicr said. Secretary of State James Baker leaves Wednesday for a postwar dip lomatic mission to the Middle Hast and the Soviet Union. Bash, in a speech to veterans, hailed the victory over Iraq as “a triumph” and said it was a time to be “fiercely proud” of U.S. and allied troops. But he and other officials also said it was not a time to let Baghdad off the hook. Filzwatcr said the administration was collecting war-crimes evidence that could be used at a tribunal in Kuwait City to prosecute Iraqi tor mentors. And Gen. Colin Powell, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a conference of the Veterans of For eign Wars that the United Stales would vigorously pursue the return of pris oners of war and troops missing in action. “I make this pledge: In this war, it won’t be over until wc get a full and immediate accounting of all our POWs and MI As,” Powell said. Two dec ades after the Vietnam War, some American troops remain unaccounted for. Bush made a direct reference to Vietnam, paying special homage to the Vietnam veterans in the audience and saying, “h is long overdue that we kicked the Vietnam syndrome.” He said veterans of that war “did not receive the proper acclaim” when they returned home. “So somehow, when these troops come home, 1 hope that message goes out to those who served this country in the Vietnam War that we appreciate their service as well,” he said to loud applause. Bush and Vice President Dan Quayle arc expected to visit military installations around the country to welcome returning units. However, Sig Rogich, special assistant to the president for special events, said no plans were set. Bush said he was glad Iraq was living up to its promise to begin re leasing prisoners of war. "But I’ll tell you, I don’t think any of us, particularly in this room, can relax at all until every single one of I those prisoners is home and every single missing is accounted for to the I best of the ability of the Iraqi forces.” I He also said that remains of dead Americans must be returned and all Kuwaiti detainees freed, “every single K one of them.” Iraqi military leaders agreed at a meeting Sunday to free all prisoners taken in the six-week war. Iraq on Monday released 10 allied |i POWs, including six Americans. The w U.S. Central Command in Riyadh, | Saudi Arabia, said the first 300 of the : estimated 60,000 to 70,000 captured § Iraqi soldiers would be freed on Tucs- s day. | The administration said six U.S. I. prisoners of war remain in Iraq and 35 L arc listed as missing. Nebraskan Editor Eric Planner Assistant Photo Chief Al Schaben 472-1766 Night News Editors Pat Dinslage Managing Editor Victoria Ayotte Cindy Wostrel Assoc News Editors Jana Pedersen Art Director Brian Shelllto Emily Rosenbaum General Manager Dan ShaltII Editorial Page Editor Bob Nelson Production Manager Katherine Policky Wire Editor Jennifer O'Cilka Advertising Manager Loren Melrose Copy Desk Editor Diane Brayton Sales Manager Todd Sears Sports Editor Paul Domeier Publications Board Arts & Entertainment Chairman Bill Vobejda Editor Julie Naughton 436-9993 Diversions Editor Connie Sheehan Professional Adviser Don Walton Photo Chief William Lauer 473-7301 The Daily Nebraskan(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 Bill Vobeida, 436 9993. Subscription price is $45 for one year Postmaster. Send address changes to the Daily Neb askan, Nebraska Union 34, 1400 R St Lincoln NE 68588 0448 Second class postage paid at Lincoln, NE ALL MATERIAL COPYRIGHT 1991 DAILY NEBRASKAN_ Nine die in retirement home blaze I COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - A fire raced through a retirement home and killed nine people on Monday, as neighbors and employees helped res cue residents by pushing them to safety in wheelchairs. Eight residents died in the blaze, and another died later at a hospital, said Colorado Springs Police Lt. Ron Resling. Seven people were hospitalized, including one in critical condition, most suffering from smoke inhala tion. Eight others were treated, in cluding four firefighters. An employee of the Crystal Springs Estate retirement home discovered the blaze about 12:30 a.m. in a room where smoking was allowed, leading officials to speculate that the fire stalled there. But Fire Capt. Ron Culp said the I ire’s cause would not be determined until investigators finished searching through the debris. The quick-moving fire caught the residents asleep, and the two employ ees on duly had to break down the doors lo the private rooms to evacu ate them. Crystal Springs docs not house people who need medical care and is considered a “residential care facility” for people aged 70 to 98. 1 ricia Hightower, the home’s cook, lived nearby and was awakened by a phone call from another employee. She and her husband ran over to the burning building where firefighters were lifting residents out of their beds, put them in wheelchairs and raced them across the street. wyo neb COLORADO Denver O V) | Colorado Springs I COCO iTEXAS N.M. j_ 150 mlle» AP
