Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 28, 1992)
• \fpWS Dicrpcf Associated Press JL ^ V VV VJ L/ lCLVIJi Edited by Roger Price Moderate Afghan Muslims near victory Interim leaders coming by road from Pakistan KABUL, Afghanistan — Rival Muslim guerrillas battled to a stand off Monday over the southern ap proach to Kabul and ignored a re ported cease-fire agreement as they fought for control of the Afghan capi tal. A convoy carrying members of a guerrilla-led interim government that supported more moderate factions left Pakistan for the 120-milc journey over rugged roads to Kabul. The rebel leaders planned to formally replace the fallen regime of President Najib ullah. A truce that Pakistan’s govern ment said was agreed to between the leaders of radical fundamentalists and more moderate guerrillas went un heeded. Red, green and yellow tracer bullets and flares illuminated the sky above Kabul into the night. Roughly 90 percent of the city was under the control of a coalition com manded by Ahmed Shah Masood. It failed to dislodge the radical fighters of his bitter rival, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, from their strongholds. Both sides fought with tanks, rock ets and machine guns. Masood’s fight ers were supported by soldiers and even a warplane from Najibullah’s military. lviaMjuuauu ncMiiaiyar ooui warn to establish an Islamic state, but they differ on how strict the theocracy should be. In Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, Javed Hussein, said the leaders agreed to a truce. He did not release any details, but Pakistan’s state news agency said the agreement was medi ated by Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and senior Saudi Ara bian officials. The 50-mcmbcr interim govern ing council originally had planned to fly to Kabul on a Pakistani military plane. The leaders decided to go overland because Hekmatyar’s troops threatened to shoot at any plane ap proaching the capital. In Washington, State Department spokeswoman Margaret Tutwiler said Masood’s forces seemed to have fared best in fighting that began Saturday after rebels advanced into the capital. “Hekmatyar seems outclassed militarily and isolated politically,” she said. She said the A fghans should seek a political solution involving a broad based transition government. U.N. Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali met in Tehran with Iranian leaders to seek help in slop ping the fighting. U.N. special envoy Bcnon Sevan planned to return to Kabul on Wednes day, U.N. officials said. The civil war has claimed an esti mated 2 million lives and driven 5 Control of Afghanistan Major rebel factions and the provinces they claim to control. Q Jamlat-e-lslaml Moderates commanded by Ahmed Shah Masood, an ethnic Tajik. ^ Hezb-e-lslaml Radical fundamentalists led by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, an ethnic Pathan and bitter enemy of Masood. Both groups favor an Islamic state but differ on how strict the theocracy should be. g Hezb-e-lslaml (breakaway) Faction headed by Vunis Khalis [~~| Councils Comprised of either elders from dominant tribes or multiparty commanders ^ Jamll-ur-Rehman Ultra-orthodox Muslims 100 miles 100 km PAKISTAN Kunar Kapisa Laghman" ^ Nangarhar \ Logar Q ( PaMa Islamabad v Competing factions battle for control. •Commanders' council lad by Jamiat-e-lslaml. “Claimed by more than one group. 1 million people from their homes. Monday was the 14th anniversary of the Marxist coup that touched off the Muslim uprising. Fighting was concentrated on two hilltops facing across the highway leading south from Kabul. Scattered skirmishes also flared in the city center and in other pockets held by Hekmatyar’s troops. In the heaviest fighting, Hckmalyar’s fighters withstood bombing by a Soviet-built fighter bomber piloted by a Masood loyalist as well as tank barrages and an infan try assault against their position on Martyrs’ Hill. Hekmalyar’s tanks behind the Muslim cemetery on the hill repeat edly bombarded Masood’s forces in Bala Hissar. Black smoke billowed from inside the fort’s mud walls and brilliant flames shot up as the shells hit. Regulators paid large bonuses WASHINGTON — Thiriy-ninc senior employees of the agency regu lating credit unions divided nearly half a million dollars in bonuses last year. Many already earned six-figure salaries. Every eligible employee received a bonus and all but one re ceived the maximum possible. The bonuses, paid last year by the National Credit Union Administra tion but suspended this year, arc draw ing questions from the chairman of the House Banking Committee and protests from a credit union trade organization. Credit union officials arc upset about the bonuses because the NCU A budget is financed entirely by the 12,800 non-profit credit unions it regulates. “Payment of bonuses lo selected individuals based on merit is a laud able management practice, but giv ing a maximum bonus lo everyone eligible is only a subterfuge for pay ing higher salaries than arc warranted,” said Kenneth L. Robinson, president of the National Association of Fed eral Credit Unions. In a letter to the agency, Rep. Henry B. Gonzalez, D-Texas, called the bonuses “extraordinary” and demanded a justification by May 15. According to agency documents, the bonuses were either 20 percent or 15 percent of salary, depending on the position. They averaged SI 2,300. The largest, $26,000, went to Donald Johnson, the executive director of the agency. NCUA bonuses and salaries were made publ ic earlier this month by the Credit Union Information Service, which publishes an independent newsletter. In a telephone interview, Johnson said the bonuses were part of the agency’s effort to make its salaries comparable with those at four other agencies that regulate banks and sav ings institutions. NCUA executives arc the lowest paid among the five agencies. This year, its general counsel and supervi sion director make 11 percent less than the average at the other agen cies. Regional office directors make 21 percent less than their counter parts. The other agencies also pay bonuses. Nebraskan Editor Jana Pedersen 472-1766 Managing Editor Kara Walls Assoc News Editors Chris Hopfensperger Kris Karnopp Opinion Page Editor Alan Phelps Wire Editor Roger Price Copy Desk Editor Wendy Navratll Sports Editor Nick Hytrek Assistant Sports Editor Tom Clouse Arts & Entertain ment Editor Stacey McKenzie Diversions Editor Dionne Searcey Photo Chief Michelle Paulman Night News Editors Adeana Leftln John Adklsaon Wendy Mott Tom Kunz Art Director Scott Maurer General Manager Dan Shattll Production Manager Katherine Pollcky Advertising Manager Todd Sears Sales Manager Eric Krlngel Classified Ad Manager Annette Sue per Publications Board Chairman Bill Vobelda 472- 2566 Professional Adviser Don Walton 473- 7301 FAX NUMBER 472-1761 The Dally 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 6 a m. and 5 p m. Monday through Friday. The public also has access to the Publications Board For information, contact Bill Vobejda. 472-2588. Subscription price Is $50 for one year. Postmaster: Send address changes to the Dally Nebraskan, Nebraska Union 34,1400 R St ,Lincoln, NE 66586-0446. Second-class postage paid at Lincoln, NE. ALL MATERIAL COPYRIGHT _1662 DAILY NEBRASKAN Progress made in peace talks WASHINGTON — Midcast peace talks resumed Monday with Israel offering to hold elections among Palestinians in the territories and Syria making the conciliatory gesture of lifting restrictions on its Jewish com munity. Israeli spokesman Benjamin Ne tanyahu called the offer of “pilot mu nicipal elections” on the West Bank and Ga/a “the largest experiment in democracy in the Arab world.” Palestinian spokeswoman Hanan Ashrawi said this lime there was a “distinct possibility” of progress. The talks will be held through Thursday and should be resumed in Rome within a few weeks, Netanyahu, acloscaidc to Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir, told reporters. “Today we began a real discussion," he said. The State Department said it ex pected no quick breakthroughs on Palestinian self-rule or other issues in the fifth round of talks. “This is going to be a hard, step by-step process," spokeswoman Margaret D. Tulwilcr. Palestinian spokeswoman Ashrawi said her delegation had received, and would study Israel’s proposal to be gin municipal elections among the 1.7 million Palestinian Arabs. The idea is to choose leaders to work out arrangements for Palestinians to take control of their own day-to-day eco nomic, judicial, educational and other affairs. Shuttle Endeavour’s first flight delayed to take off in daylight CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA on Monday delayed next week’s scheduled launch of the new shuttle Endeavour by three days so the space ship can take off in daylight. Endeavour was to have embarked on the satellite-rescue mission at 8:34 p.m. EDT Monday. Liftoff is now set for 7:06 p.m. EDT on May 7; En deavour has until 7:55 that evening to gel off the ground. NASA’sacling associate adminis trator for space (light, Tom Ulsman, said officials reviewed the criteria and decided il would be “prudent" to delay the flight so detailed photo graphs and documentation could be made for analysis. NASA spokesman Mark Hess could not explain why officials didn’t opt for a daylight launch in the first place. Mission managers settled on a Mon day launch just last week. “There was some discussion of launching in the daylight" at Wednes day’s flight readiness review, Hess said. Top executives did not raise any objections at the meeting, he said. Clinton attacks Bush, totally ignores Brown Governor wants to be activist president PHTSBURuH — Bill Clinton wrapped up the Pennsylvania pri mary campaign Monday by attack ing President Bush as the candi date of “economic decline” and ignoring Democratic rival Jerry Brown. Jesse Jackson retreated from an apparent call to be named Clin ton’s running mate. Clinton’s focus was all Bush as theall-but-ccr tain Demo cratic nominee campaigning in Harrisburg, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia a day before the Pennsylvania primary. Polls showed Clinton the strong favorite in the state. The Arkansas governor offered himself as an activist president who would bring national health care, improved schools, safer streets and a tax code that encourages invest ment in American workers and plants. On each of these issues, Clinton said, “You won’t get it unless you change presidents.” “The Democratic Party has to give the American people not the promise that we can go back to the good old days but that the future is bleak unless we change,” Clinton told a crowded lunchtime rally in Pittsburgh. Former California Gov. Brown returned to Philadelphia’s Independ ence Hall and said he would con tinue his calls for political reform “whether it takes six months or a year or a generation.” “We’re going to surprise the cynics,” Brown said. “We will win this campaign. Whatever my own fortunes I’ve seen enough popular discontent to know that our move ment, our cause, will continue.” • There were 169 delegates at stake in Pennsylvania’s Democratic pri mary. Going into the primary, Clin ton had 1,388 delegates to 271 for Brown, with 2,145 needed to clinch the nomination. On the eve of the primary, Jackson backpcdalcd on sugges tions he should be offered the vice presidential slot on the Democratic ticket. Anita Hill controversy will influence many facets in the upcoming elections WASHINGTON — She’s not on any ballot, but Anita Hill seems to have become a force in the poli tics of 1992. Her treatment at the hands of the Senate Judiciary Committee last October during hear ings on Clar ence Thomas’ nomination to the Supreme Court still resonates. In Pennsylvania, Illinois and Iowa, women are seeking seals in the Senate as a result — two of them hoping to oust members of the Judiciary panel. Political scientist James Foster believes the hearings one day may be regarded as pivotal, comparable to the Supreme Court’s school desegregation decision of the 1950s or the civil rights struggle of the 1960s. “I saw a group of pampered privileged while men closing ranks against a black woman,” says Fos ter, who teaches classes in gender and politics at Oregon State Uni versity. “The hearings look on a symbolic significance for issues of race and gender that cut to the heart of American society.” Harriett Woods, president ol the National Women’s Political Cau cus, calls the hearings “a moment of truth when a connection is made between private lives and public policy.”_