Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Judge dismisses Elian lawsuit by Alex Veiga Associated Press Miami — A federal judge Tuesday re fused to block the U.S. government from sending 6-year-old Elian Gonzalez back to his father in Cuba, saying the court has no right to second-guess the attorney gen eral on matters of asylum. Twelve days after hearing arguments in the case, U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore dismissed the lawsuit filed by Elian’s great-uncle in Miami. The judge said that “each passing day is another day lost between Juan Gonzalez and his son. ” Elian’s Miami relatives said they will appeal, while in Washington, Attorney General Janet Reno said she will consult with other Justice Department officials on how to reunite Elian with his father in a prompt and orderly way. But she did not set any deadline. Justice Department officials have made clear that they want to avoid any steps that would traumatize the boy or provoke a confrontation with Miami’s large Cuban exile community. “It has been four months since Elian has been separated from his father and lost his mother,” Reno said in a statement. “It is time for this little boy, who has been through so much, to move on with his life at his father’s side.” Elian’s fate has been debated since he was found clinging to an inner tube off Florida on Thanksgiving. His mother and 10 other Cubans drowned when their boat capsized during an attempt to reach the United States. Since then, he has been living with relatives in Miami’s Little Havana sec tion and has been the subject of heated protests there and in Cuba. In early January, the Immigration and Naturalization Service, in a decision ap proved by Reno, ordered Elian returned to his father. The Miami relatives re sponded with the lawsuit. “The determination to grant asy lum is a matter within the discretion of the attorney general,” the judge wrote, adding that he found “no abuse that would warrant a contrary conclusion.” Lawyers for Elian’s Miami relatives said they filed a notice of appeal with the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in At lanta. The appeal will focus on a provi sion of U.S. asylum law that says any alien has a right to apply for asylum, attorney Kendall Coffey said. Euan see page e ‘We’re not talking about the family or the govern ment or the politics, but they need to look at what this 6-year-old wants.' Marisleysis Gonzalez Elian’s cousin BMW, Michelin get caught in flag debate by Leigh Strope Associated Press Two of the state’s largest and best-known companies are getting caught in the middle of the debate about the Confederate flag flying atop South Carolina’s Statehouse. Signs popped up Tuesday at busy intersections in Columbia, uiging mo torists to boycott BMW cars and Miche lin tires, there was no indication who paid for the signs, which were about five feet wide by about three feet high. Michelin issued a statement Tues day calling for the quick resolution of the fl^g issue and condemning the sign. “Michelin recognizes the Confed erate flag situation as a very sensitive issue that affects many people through out the sate,” the company’s statement said. Michelin has supported moving the flag to “an appropriate place of dis play.” " That could make the two compa nies targets of fltg supporters, who last week stopped just short of calling for their own boycott of businesses who support taking down the flag. Heritage Coalition Executive Di rector Chris Sullivan said his pro-flag group did not post the sign. However, both Michelin, which employs more than 6,000 at several plants across the state and at its North American headquarters in Greenville, and BMW, which employs 2,000 peo ple at a plant in Greer, have been men tioned as possible targets for an ex panded boycott by. the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, because they are such high-profile manufacturers. But the Flag see page 6 Clinton presses case for stronger U.S.-India ties by Terence Hunt Associated Press New Delhi, India — Pleading for re straint, President Clinton won India’s as surance Tuesday that “there is no threat of war” with Pakistan despite crackling tensions between the two countries and new bloodshed in Kashmir. But India re jected Clinton’s call to slow its nuclear weapons program. The president was pressing his case for stronger ties with India in an address before a joint session of Parliament, his last appointment in the capital before heading into farther reaches of this vast land. “We have neglected this relationship for more than two decades,” Clinton said after talks with Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. “It is too impor ( tant to ever fall into disrepair again.” In dia aligned itself with the Soviet Union during the Cold War while the United States tilted toward Pakistan. The president joined Vajpayee in de nouncing the massacre of dozens of Sikhs in Kashmir and promised to press the point to Pakistani leaders — as he has to India—that violence is not the solu tion to their dispute over the Himalayan territory. Although India is one of the poorest countries in the world, Clinton was not exposed to the gritty side of New Del hi. Looking out from his armored lim ousine, he saw instead a city of tree-lined boulevards and lush gardens and foun tains, gated mansions and colonial palaces. He also stopped to pay respects and drop rose petals at a marble memorial to Mohandas Gandhi, the revered pacifist and freedom leader. Leaving New Delhi, Clinton begins three days of sightseeing. He will tour the Taj Mahal, go tiger watching in a game preserve and perhaps ride an elephant at a historic palace. Vajpayee called the killing of 40 vil lagers in Kashmir an act of “ethnic cleans ing” and said: “We have the means and the will to eliminate this menace.” India blamed the massacre on Pakistani-backed separatist oiganizations; those groups de nied involvement. Clinton said he would urge mili tary-ruled Pakistan to respect the line of control that separates the portions of Kashmir held by India and Pakistan, to show restraint and to “stand against vio lence, restore the dialogue.” Pakistan has asked the United States Clinton seepages Now Leasing! For Fall... •Washers and dryers in every apartment. •Individual leases. •Fully equipped kitchen. •Student service area with computers, faxes and copy availability. •Fully furnished two and four bedroom apartments. •Only one mile from USC. •Swimming pool and hot tub. •Alarm systems in each bedroom. •Lighted tennis, basketball and volleyball courts. •Clubhouse with recreation and weight rooms. •Pool tables and foosball. •And many more amenities... UNIVERSITY Office Hours Mon - Fri 9-5; Sat 10-4; Sun closed 939-0444 800 Alexander Road Cayce, SC 29033 (Located adjacent to Parkland Plaza) www.capstone-dev.com --+ Undergraduate Position Available Student wanted for part-time position in on-campus office. Must have excellent communication skills and strong experience in Microsoft Office ‘97 (Word, Access, Excel, PowerPoint) and Adobe Pagemaker 6.5. Salary commensurate with experience. Contact A. Dawn Ward at (803) 777-0311 I for more information. EPSCoR The University of South Carolina is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. t . * ■ " . . • ............... News Briefs ■ Penn State baseball team protests flag Rock Hill (AP)—Pennsylvania State University’s baseball team will not play another regular-season game in South Carolina as long as the Confederate flag flies over the Statehouse, Nittany Lions players and coaches say. The Nittany Lions wore red armbands in both their games against Winthrop Uni- % versity during the weekend to protest the flag. Perm State won Saturday’s game, 4 3, and lost Sunday, 9-8. The team said it would only come to South Carolina again if it had to play a postseason game. “This isn’t about the North and the South,” said George Everly, a Penn State freshman outfielder, who is black “It has nothing to do with the university or the players. It is a statement against racism.” The Confederate battle flag has flown atop the South Carolina Capitol since the early 1960s, when it was raised to com memorate the 100th anniversary of the start of the Civil Whr. ^ ■ Dutch government, Jews reach Holocaust settlement The Hague, Netherlands (AP) — The Dutch government said Tuesday it had agreed to give the Jewish communi ty $ 180 million to compensate for injus tices they suffered in Holland after re turning from Nazi death camps. The settlement followed protests from Dutch Jews that an earlier offer of $ 114 million, which the government called its “moral obligation,” fell far short of real redress for misappropriated Jewish assets. C The government also earmarked $ 114 million for Dutch victims of Japanese Wrrld War II prison camps in the former East Indies colony, now Indonesia, and $ 14 million for Dutch Gypsies persecuted by the Nazis, the Finance Ministry spokesman said. “We are happy that this settlement has been reached,” said Ronni Naftaniel, a spokesman for the Central Jewish Coun cil, which negotiated the settlement with Finance Ministry officials. read it. live it. be it. UChOMSamtock « rthis sort of thing sometimes happens to people who travel with us. I 1-800-CONTIKI www.contiki.com -*-1-i_