Monday, August 11, 2003
NEWS
THE BATTALIO)
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#39
“The Last RBA”
-Yeah, that’s me with the backwards cap.
ByLFiom
Liberia
Continued from page 1
u
presidency.”
“They can call off their dogs now.” Taylor said.
“We can have peace.”
It was a goodbye that few would hear in his
desperate, war-divided capital — preoccupied in
the search for food, and without fuel to keep radio
or TV stations on the air.
Two months of rebel sieges have left well over
1,000 civilians dead in the capital, as insurgents
and Taylor’s forces dueled with the city of 1.3
million as its battlefield. The war has left Taylor
controlling little but downtown,
referred to derisively by rebels as
Taylor’s “Federal Republic of
Central Monrovia.”
West African leaders extracted
Taylor’s promises to leave
Monday, to be followed by exile in
Nigeria at some unspecified time
after.
At least three West African
heads of state, including South
African President Thabo Mbeki,
were expected for what Taylor’s
regime was trying to organize into
an hours-long formal resignation
ceremony.
Taylor recorded the farewell
If I were the
problem — which
you know and I
know I’m not — /
would... become the
sacrificial lamb.
— Charles Taylor
outgoing Liberian president
day scouting for food in markets that had little to
offer except leaves.
Others picked their way to churches in ragged
Sunday best along water-clogged streets, unre
paired since Taylor, then a rebel leader, launched
Liberia into civil war in 1989.
Fighting since then has left more than 100,000
Liberians dead. International aid agencies esti
mate virtually all of Liberia’s roughly 3 million
people have been chased from their home by war,
at one time or another, under Taylor.
His rag-tag forces, paid by looting, are accused
by rights groups and Liberia’s people of routine
raping, robbing, torture, forced labor and summa
ry killings. Rebels, to a lesser
extent so far, likewise are accused
of abuse.
Taylor made no apologies —
asking only forgiveness from any
he may have wronged, in what
have been his years of carnage.
He compared his departure
from the presidency to Jesus sub
mitting himself to the Romans.
“If I were the problem —
which you know and I know I’m
not — I would ... become the sac
rificial lamb,” Taylor said. “I
would become the whipping boy
that you should live.”
Perhaps crucially, Taylor made
speech for radio, at a desk behind shelves piled
high with folders. Lit by generators running on
fuel scrounged by the presidency, the scene was
recorded separately on scratchy audiotape.
By late Sunday, the speech had not been played
on local radio in the unlit capital, shattered by
shelling and littered with shrapnel, bullet casings
and rubbish from looting by Taylor’s forces.
The recording session came as at least one car
piled high with luggage pulled out of Taylor’s
high-walled private home.
Female members of Taylor’s party danced out
side to show support and maimed veterans of 14
years of conflict under Taylor stood by aimlessly.
Support stopped just across the street from the
former warlord’s home. “We’ve been praying to
Almighty God for this day,” said Theoway
Gayweh, among small crowds gathered across the
street to watch what they hoped would be the last
hours of Taylor’s regime.
Most in government-held Monrovia spent the
no direct mention of his promise to leave Liberia.
Closing his speech, he declared: “I will always
remember you wherever I am, and I say, God will
ing, I will be back.”
Taylor has accepted an offer of asylum in
Nigeria, but he has also hedged on when he will
go.* He has said that he would like to remain in
politics.
Rebel leader Sekou Conneh met in Nigeria’s
capital, Abuja, with Nigerian President Olusegun
Obasanjo, who has offered Taylor exile. Obasanjo
urged Conneh to support West African-led peace
efforts, Obasanjo spokeswoman Remi Oyo said.
Conneh, in turn, pledged to open Monrovia’s
rebel-held port quickly for humanitarian supplies
— but indicated that would come only after
Taylor’s departure.
On the rebel-held side of Taylor’s capital,
rebels were skeptical of that day coming.
“Until Taylor resigns, I won’t believe it,” said
Sekou Fofana, on turf patrolled by boys as young
as 10 guarded with AK-47s.
COLLEGE STATION POLICE DEPARTMENT BLOTTER
8/8/03 8:02 a.m. Traffic arrest,
Wellborn/Grove.
8/8/03 1:07 p.m. Burglary of
vehicle, 309 College Main.
Taken: guitars.
8/8/03 1:33 p.m. Warrant
arrest, 12677 FM 2154.
8/8/03 1:43 p.m. Evading
arrest, 1500 Holleman. One
arrest.
8/8/03 2:08 p.m. Warrant
arrest, 401 College Main.
8/8/03 2:23 p.m. Warrant
arrest, 430 Southwest Pkwy.
8/8/03 2:49 p.m. Warrant
arrest, 430 Southwest Pkwy.
8/8/03 7:20 p.m. Major acci
dent, Merry Oaks/Dominik.
Complaint of pain.
8/8/03 8:04 p.m. Solicitation,
915 Sun Meadow.
8/8/03 10:48 p.m. Driving
while license suspended, 2351
Earl Rudder Frwy. One arrest.
8/8/03 10:54 p.m. Major acci
dent, Texas/Brentwood.
Complaint of neck pain.
8/8/03 11:00 p.m. Driving
while intoxicated, 2500 Texas.
One arrest.
8/8/03 11:01 p.m. Driving
while license suspended, Park
Place/Texas. One arrest.
8/8/03 11:18 p.m. Possession
of dangerous drugs, Earl Rudder
Frwy/University.One arrest.
8/9/03 12:26 a.m. Driving
while intoxicated, 1910 Texas.
One arrest.
8/9/03 12:30 a.m. Possession
of controlled substance,
One
Driving
731
Glenhaven/Fernhaven.
arrest.
8/9/03 2:25 a.m.
while intoxicated,
University. One arrest.
8/9/03 4:33 a.m. False report
to officer, 2611 Texas. One arrest.
8/9/03 5:01 a.m. Burglary of
vehicle, 1501 Holleman. Taken:
checkbook, CDs.
8/9/03 7:37 a.m. Burglar of
vehicle, 1601 Holleman. Taken:
speakers, subwoofer, CD case,
200 CDs.
8/9/03 9:47 a.m. Runaway,
2611 Texas. Recovered.
8/9/03 12:13 p.m. Major acci
dent, Southwest Pkwy/Welsh.
Complaint of pain.
8/9/03 1:40 p.m. Major acci
dent, Harvey/Texas. Complaint
of neck pain.
8/9/03 8:03 p.m. Deceased
person, 8901 Driftwood.
8/9/03 8:03 p.m. Illegal gam
bling and contributing to
minors, 2403 Memorial.
8/9/03 8:04 p.m. Public intox
ication and contributing to
minors, 1209 Austin Avenue.
8/9/03 8:48 p.m. Runaway,
1200 Blk Airline. Recovered.
8/9/03 8:55 p.m. Warrant
arrest, 1401 Harvey.
8/9/03 9:05 p.m. Public intox
ication, SH 6/Greens Prairie.
One arrest.
8/9/03 11:26 p.m. Aggravated
assault, 1907 Dartmouth.
8/9/03 11:45 p.m. Possession
of marijuana and drug parapher
nalia, 1501 Harvey. One arrest.
8/10/03 12:52 a.m. Assault,
313 S College. One arrest.
8/10/03 3:07 a.m. Warrant
arrest, 100 Dominik.
“The main theme of his
speech is that it’s important
that you love what you do pro
fessionally, but that you make
an effort to give back to the
community in order to be a
well-rounded individual,”
Reyes said.
Psychology professor Ludy
T. Benjamin Jr. will receive the
University’s new Presidential
Professor for Teaching
Excellence Award during the 9
a.m. ceremony on Friday.
Stephenson said the award
includes a $25,000 stipend and
the recipient is chosen by A&M
President Robert M. Gates.
“These awards are the most
valuable awards of the teaching
kind in the nation,” Stephenson
said. “Two awards will be
given each year.”
Commissioning ceremonies
for the members of the Corps
of Cadets entering the military
will also be held Friday
afternoon.
Southerland
Continued from page 1
numbers of students.
“You often hear from (stu
dents) later, five years later, 10
years later that, ‘By the way, I
did such and such because (one)
day I had this interaction.’ Well,
that’s remarkable; it’s a remark
able opportunity,” he said. “And
I’ve accepted it as an opportuni
ty. I’ve understood that.”
Southerland worked with
many student leaders during his
36 years.
Student Body President
Matt Josefy said Southerland
lives and breathes for A&M
and its students.
“Dr. Southerland’s legacy on
campus runs much deeper than
the honorary titles and the
numerous rewards he received,”
Josefy said. "Dr. Southerland’s
legacy is the lives of tens of
thousands of students who he
affected through the decisions he
made, but more importantly
through his personal relation
ships with them.”
Bryan Barton, Class of 2002,
knew Southerland during his
involvement with the A&M
Student Government
Association.
“He’s a great example of
what happens when someone
starts out at the bottom of an
organization and works their
way up,” Barton said. “He’s
done such a tireless service. He’
always tried to help students
achieve their dreams andhedid
all this often without receiviiu
seeking recognition.”
On April 13, Southerland
received an honorary Buck
Weirus Spirit Award from the
Association of Former Studert
The award is given to those4
display vision, character and
superior dedication to A&M.
“It has been my experienct
that there is really nonethatis
more important than your under
standing of your level ofintepi
ty,” Southerland said. "Withis
some self-confidence and your
set; you’re going to be okay,"
Israel
Continued from page 1
Video footage showed patches of blood left on a
concrete staircase.
The streets of the town were deserted by night
fall, with residents staying in their homes or in
bomb shelters. “We are very afraid,” said resident
Lara Elhai, 50. “Any moment, they could shoot at
us. It’s the summer holidays, and we can’t even
send our children to the pool.”
The last civilian death in such an attack along
the northern Israeli border happened June 24,
1999, when a Hezbollah rocket struck the city hall
of Kiryat Shemona, killing two men.
In response to the latest death, Israeli war
planes fired at least one missile near the village of
Teir Harfa, about two miles from the Lebanese-
Israeli border. No casualties were reported.
A senior Israeli security official, speaking on
condition of anonymity, said the warplanes hit the
Hezbollah artillery positions that fired at Shlomi.
Hezbollah said it had fired anti-aircraft shells at
Israeli fighter jets flying over southern Lebanon,
but Israeli security officials denied aircraft were in
the area at the time.
A senior military source said Israel’s inner
security Cabinet would meet to discuss a further
military response and that more strikes could be
expected. However, Raanan Gissin, a Sharon aide,
said that while Israel would not tolerate Hezbollah
attacks, it has “no intention of escalation.”
Hezbollah, which is on the U.S. State
Department’s list of terrorist organizations, led a
guerrilla war against Israel’s 18-year occupation
of a border zone in southern Lebanon that ended
in May 2000.
Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom kl
Lebanon and Syria — which dominates Lebm
policy-making — responsible for Hezbolli
actions.
“We say to Syria and Lebanon as responsil
parties ... that if Hezbollah activities continuea
constitute an undermining of security of the a
zens of Israel, we will have no choice but
defend ourselves,” Shalom said Sunday.
Israel’s ambassador to the United Nationssa
a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Ai
holding the Syrian and Lebanese govemmei
responsible for Hezbollah’s “acts of lenoi,
Foreign Ministry spokesman Yonatan Peledsi
Annan issued a statement condemning 4
shelling and urging “all governments th<
influence on Hezbollah” to deter it from
actions that could increase tension. He also m
Israel to exercise “utmost restraint.”
American diplomats also told Lebanon a
Syria that the administration was concernedata
the “calculated and provocative escalation”!
Hezbollah, State Department deputy spokesmsi
Philip T. Reeker said.
Hezbollah Deputy Secretary-General Site
Naim Kassem said Sunday that Hezbollah"
fully prepared and ready to respond in the prop
manner to any Israel aggression or threat.”
“This anti-aircraft fire is fired as a reactiont(
warplanes that regularly violate Lebanese air
space,” he said in an interview with the
based AI-Arabiya satellite station.
Syria’s state-run Tishrin newspaper chargelii
an editorial that Israel was trying “to expand*
circle of its aggression and deliberately provofe
and threaten more than one Arab countiy,”ir
hopes of slowing progress on the “road
peace plan with the Palestinians.
Dems approach 2-week marker
By Natalie Gott
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. —
Sen. Leticia Van de Putte of San
Antonio had just finished her
second legislative session as a
state senator when her 10
Democratic colleagues chose
her to lead their caucus.
Less than two months later,
she led those same lawmakers in
a historic boycott of the Senate
chamber in protest of a
Republican effort to redraw the
state’s congressional districts.
The boycott hits its two-
week anniversary on Monday.
“They are strong. They are
strong,” Van de Putte says of her
Democratic colleagues who are
holed up with her at a New
Mexico hotel.
But Van de Putte, a mother of
six, also has been strong, getting
the Democrats to New Mexico
and standing firm as their leader.
The boycott has stopped
business in the Senate chamber
because without the 11
Democrats, there are not enough
senators present for the 31-
member chamber to take up
business.
The Democrats say there is
no reason for legislators to take
up redistricting since a plan is in
place. Lawmakers failed to
agree on a map during the 2001
legislative session, when they
were scheduled to take up the
issue, so judges drew the map of
the current congressional dis
tricts. Democrats have a 17-15
advantage in the delegation.
Some Republicans, led by
U.S. House Majority Leader
Tom DeLay of Sugar Land, say
voting trends show Texas should
have more Republicans repre
senting the state in Washington.
Two attempts to pass a redis
tricting bill, however, have
failed this year.
Republican Gov. Rick Perry
called a second special legisla
tive session to try again, but if
the Democrats can stay gone
from the Capitol until the ses
sion ends, the effort will have
failed a third time.
The Democrats face another
challenge this week as the Texas
Supreme Court considers a case
filed by Perry and Republican
Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst that
seeks to order the Democrats to
return.
“If the goal was intimidation,
I guess they just don’t under
stand our resolve. It’s like
adding fuel to the fire,” said Van
de Putte, not known to back
down from a challenge.
She proudly shows off a
scar on her knee, noting it is
the result of an injury she
received while playing intra
mural football.
When
a woman once
harassed Van de Putte and her
grandmother outside a voting
precinct. Van de Putte dial-
lenged the woman and the two
ended up on the ground in a
fight until a pregnant Van de
Putte prevailed.
“You hurt my kids, you hurt
my grandma, who is, you know,
in a wheelchair, I’m sorry. I'm
coming after you,” Van de Putte
said.
Van de Putte grew up in San
Antonio and followed in her
grandfather’s footsteps, becom
ing a phamiacist. She married
Pete Van de Putte, whose family
owns Dixie Flag, opened her
own phannacy and over nine
years, had six children.
She was active in the com
munity, serving on the Parent
Teacher Association and other
groups.
Then, in 1990, the political
bug hit. She was serving as a
precinct chair and because there
was a vacancy in a state repre
sentative post between the pri
mary and the general election,
the precinct chairs chose who
would be the candidate, Vande
Putte said.
None of the contenders, how
ever, won her over so Van de
Putte threw her name into the
ring and won. Before winning.
Van de Putte talked to her chil
dren, about how a win would
affect the family.
Student Counseling
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Answer to previous puzzle
Are you a good listener? Do you want to help others?
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Brochure & application - Room 104 of Henderson Hall.
For more information call Susan Vavra at 845-4470 ext. 133 or visit
www.scs.tamu.edu/emergency/volunteer.asp
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[Stressed out over grades?
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Has a relationship got you down?
Call us...845-2700 (v/tty)
Available 4 PM to 8 AM weekdays, 24 hours a day on weekends
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8/12/03
THE BATTALION
True Brown, Editor in Chief
Dallas Shipp, Managing/Sports Editor Elirabtth Webb, Gp) r /DesJnDi* a,
Melissa Sullivan, News Editor Ruben Ddairu. Graphic Edm
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George Dciitach, Opinion Editor Drandie Liflid. Radio Produce
Jason Ritterbusch, Webmaster
THE BATTALION (ISSN #1055-4726) is published dally, Mwday throughFMaydunj*
fall and spring semesters and Monday through Thursday during the summr ns*
(except University holidays and exam periods) at Texas A&M University. PWcdxis W#
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Subscriptions: A part of the Student Services Fee entitles each Texas A&M studaWB P
iingle copy of The Battalion. First copy free, additional copies 251. Nansutos**
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