January 1990

1/1/90

Ch. condemns Br granting residency rights to 50,000 HK families

Penn. will become 1st state to mandate warning labels on records w/explicit lyrics


1/2/90

Romania arrests whole ex-Politburo

The gov of Romania, called the Cmte of Nat Salvation, will run candidates, though claim not to be a party

Amnesty Int. believes Israel condoned or encourage killings of unarmed Palestinians
-Shamir rescinds expulsion of Weizman, but he resigns from inner cabinet


1/7/90

Panama takes over admin of the canal exactly on schedule, Jan. 1. Remember, I knew months ago that something would happen end Dec. when this would come up & US would be in violation of treaty.
-Wednesday, Noriega surrendered to US and has been arraigned here.

Czech will amnesty up to 3/4 (30,000) of its prisoners


1/8/90

Azerbaijanis have been trying to open the border w/Iran

Noriega was pressured by Vatican reps, who even threatened to move the embassy & leave him, or to end his sanctuary.


1/9/90

E Ger says it will keep W Ger Republican Party out.
-E Ger to reduce draft from 18 mos to 12 & soldiers also allowed to travel to W.

Charges against Noriega: accepting $4.6m from Colombian drug cartels, allowing smugglers to use Panama, protecting traffickers, laundering, allowing cartel to est operations in Panama after crackdown in Colombia
-US fed prosecutors pressuring other Panamanian co-defendants to testify against Noriega

Bush says his initiatives have resulted in progress in human rights in Ch. But only named allowing in a VOA reporter & not selling missiles in Middle East


1/10/90

US started a blockade of Colombia to interdict drugs, evidently forgot to get permission & turned it into “maneuvers.” Brilliant move at this time--like Peru, Colombia condemned Panama invasion.

E Ger New Forum will run candidates May, but not form a party. Claims 200,000 members.

Salvador admits military men killed 6 Jesuit priests, +, at U. Central America Nov 16. Like other such announcements, not followed by arrests.

Until 1869 the Cath Church believed a fetus formed only around 80 days

NATO rejects E Ger proposal for the Germanies to cut troops in half 1990, have all foreign troops out by 1999.

To mend fences w/Latin Am., Bush will send...Quayle...on a tour. He has already said will not apologize for the “liberation” of Panama & that Bush tried dipl solution first. When?

Sup Court allows warrantless eavesdropping on cordless phones (not cellular).

Sup Court says university tenure decisions can’t remain secret when challenged for discrimination

US claims only 220 Panamanian civilians killed in invasion (& 314 military). Obviously much higher than that, considering mass graves & such-like. Charges of higher numbers from Jesse Jackson & from Ramsey Clark, who may actually know what he’s talking about.

The Lithuanian CP leader says Gorbachev, who is coming to whip Lith. into line, will come as a foreign head of state.

Israeli defense min Rabin on beating & jailing a Palestinian w/out trial: “As to the beating of the man, it was only moderate enough to convince him to accept detention.”

Some time ago, Cristiani of Salvador wanted to make it illegal to document human rights abuses & communicate them abroad, end presumption of innocence & add a 10-yr statute of limitations, inc for murder of Archbishop romero & 1980 massacre of 6,000


1/11/90

Bush will certify Panama is cooperating w/US on drugs, to restore trade

CA state Fair Employment & Housing Commission’s report says the 1986 immigration law led to widespread discrim. When INS visited firms to educate employers on the law, followed by raids. Many of the fines based on not filling out all the lines

Sup Court 5-4 says illegally-obtained evidence may not be used to impeach defense witnesses (can be used against defendant who takes stand).

Sup Court 6-3: a defendant’s past criminal activities can be used, even if resulted in acquittal.

Gorbachev in Lithuania says Parl will draw up rules for secession
-Latvia voted to end leading role of CP, making it unanimous in Baltics

China lifts martial law, though it will make little difference. Bush praised them. A mass execution of 31 followed shortly.


1/12/90

E Ger forced to abandon plans for a new secret police, claimed needed against neo-Nazis
-Of the 85,000 Stasi members, 25,000 have retired, rest turned in weapons

Romania outlaws CP

USSR to upgrade PLO’s Moscow representation to embassy

Bush will support World Bank loans of up to $2b in 2 yr to Ch. for “basic human needs.”


1/13/90

Romania will have a referendum on the death penalty. Also on outlawing CP.


1/14/90

S Korea rejects NK proposal for free travel

In Romania, the military took over in Timisoara, where the revo against Ceausescu began. Beginning of military rule? The “Nat Salvation Front” running the country shows little sign of real democracy


1/15/90

Bulgarian CP leading role ended

Shamir urging emigration of Soviet Jews (they claim 300,000 will come in 3 yrs) to claim need to settle in W Bank, Gaza

WaPo says a classified DOD study told Bush in May that USSR military spending in decline, though he, Quayle & Cheney told us & Congress the reverse until Nov.

KPFK in offensive against FCC attempts to extend “indecency” rules to 24 hrs. Said its enforced self-censorship inc of Satanic Verses.


1/16/90

Evidently Wm Casey, who met Noriega at least 6X, argued for keeping him on payroll. Casey was instructed to warn N. that drug deals jeopardized relations but, “officials” say, didn’t (blame the dead guy).

There is major Armenian/Azeri fighting in the 2 republics. Gorbacheve has sent in troops, w/US support. US supports use of military, but says nothing about desirable outcome, exc vague comments of self-determination. Soviet foreign min spokesman said it was “almost civil war.” Considering many are veterans of Afghanistan...


1/17/90

Barbara Ehrenreich writes in the 12/19/89 “Perestroika USA” issue of Village Voice that democracy = choice. Comments that after Romania banned abortion 1966, by 1983 birth rate was down to 1966 level. What rose was maternal mortality, which doubled


1/18/90

Sup Court rules unan. that relig organizs do not have a const right to tax exemption (CA sales tax in this case).

Romanian alleged gov changed mind again, cancelled referendum on banning CP & death penalty, as a decision made “under the pressure of the crowd.”

US vetoes UN resolution that US violated internat law by search of Nic. ambassador’s residence

China says officials in HK after 1997 will not be allowed to live abroad & residents w/Br passports won’t be allowed to seek Br consular protection. “Subversive groups” will be outlawed.

Ch. CP will expel members for illicit sex, making false accusations, etc

“President” Endara of Panama was for 10 yrs top aide to 3-time elected & deposed president Arnulfo Arias Madrid, identified as fascist by US intelligence in 1940 & who promulgated racial laws & expelled all W Indians

Village Voice 1/2/90 suggests the Exxon Valdez spilled 27m gallons of oil rather than 11m. The company Alaska hired for this is employed by Exxon & thus refuses to document its figures, but fines will be based on it. Exxon refuses to disclose where went the oil it claims to have recovered--claimed to have recovered more than was actually lerft on the Valdez


1/19/90

Zhivkov of Bulgaria under house arrest for inciting ethnic hostilities & misuse of gov prop & money

When the priests were killed in El S, US embassy called for informants, to be protected. In fact, gave the name of the officer who came forward to his superiors. He is now under arrested for denying it. US says it’s his fault. 9 soldiers charged, all fairly low level

Bush urges airlines to stop telling passengers of bomb threats.

Republican Party said candidates can be pro-choice, just not women

Prosecutors have intimidated witnesses for Noriega’s co-defendant, sending INS to check their legal status.


1/20/90

Ch. rule allows it wide authority to control foreign journalists

A Br local Tory party deselected Sir Anthony Meyer, who made a quixotic challenge to Thatcher’s party leadership

Soviet troops moved into Azerbaijan, many dead. Had to stop callup of reservists because of protests--the “Afghanistan syndrome.”


1/21/90

In order to protect democracy, Haiti has beaten & arrested opposition leaders & dec state of siege. Will reinstate Duvalier’s use of entry visa to screen returning Haitians. Has exiled opposition leaders

E Ger CP expels Egon Krenz & other ex-Politburo members. Also mayor of Dresden & a vice chairman have left on own, saying CP not good enough. It may fall apart before elections. Half its members have quit

US will not oppose Br forcible repatriation of VN refugees if waits 1 yr


1/23/90

Sup Court rules 5-4 that blacks could be excluded from jury of a white rapist because race had nothing to do w/the legal issue. Ruled the jury pool, not the jury has to be a fair cross-section (!).

Daniel Moynihan proposes to cut Soc Sec tax. It won’t happen but he’s highlighting the nonsense of the Soc Sec “surplus.” In the 1980s, fed taxation steady at 20% GNP. While corporate tax share of tax fell 23%, income tax, 6%. Soc Sec up 23%. Counting the employer contrib, 3/4 of Amers. pay more in Soc Sec than income tax. The $60b surplus goes to the nat debt (which no one notices is irresponsible from the fiduciary standpoint. Half of income tax pays interest on debt accumulated during RR Admin.

Noriega estimated to have amassed $300m

FBI finally got DC mayor Marion Barry for drug possession. An awful lot of work for a misdemeanor. US Atty says will look favorably on a plea bargain if resigns as mayor

Azerbaijan Parl rejected the state of siege imposed here by Moscow, threatened to hold referendum of secession unless troops withdraw. Passed unan.
-No foreign reporters have been let in yet.
-Troops sealed the border w/Iran

The Yug. CP votes to end monopoly on power (gov had said it would do so whatever CP did). Then Slovenians walked out & meeting ended, possibly forever. The party has virtually ceased to exist.
-The dinar is now tied to the W Ger mark & is fully convertible. 100% foreign ownership now allowed

The gov wants Noriega et al lawyers to sign a non-disclosure agreement w/CIA


1/24/90

House overrode Bush veto on Ch. students’ visas 390-25.

Richard Secord gets suspended sentence for lying to Congress in Iran-Contra

Pres. Endara said holding elections or a plebiscite would go “against the will of the Panamanian people.” And Latin Am. criticisms of his gov are childish.

What US military claimed was cocaine in Noriega’s house wasn’t. Actually tamales

Haiti imposed censorship. Foreign broadcasts prohibited, advance approval.

Bush broke pledge to begin negotiating w/USSR on nuclear testing

Romania reimposed limits on street demonstrations (24-48 hrs notice)

Czech will end arms exports

W Ger Christ. Dems to support in E Ger elections an alliance of opposition groups


1/25/90

Br 30-yr documents. There is a cmte that screens Whitehall proposals to keep documents back, but the documents are too secret (this yr inc the Duke of Norfolk’s views on televising the opening of Parl) for the cmte to see, so they agree on everything.

Ch. CP says revolutionary outlook rather than ed. or competence is most important criterion for choosing & promoting CP officials

Asst sec state Aronson on Salvadoran army: “I don’t think it indicts the armed forces if a unit commits an atrocity. I don’t think this is the norm.”

Tenn. proposes a law fixing a max fine of $1 for beating anyone who burns an Amer. flag

Sen. upholds 62-32 Bush on Ch. students

RR admin lied about study of benefits of the Women, Infants & Children food program while trying to kill it.

Nelson Mandela confirmed ANC commitment to nationalization

One of the little parties in E Ger coalition gov will withdraw from Cabinet (Christ. Dem Union), pressuring gov to inc opposition

Bush promises $1b to Panama


1/26/90

Noriega’s lawyers want POW status for him

Benazir Bhutto had a baby--the 1st head of state to give with

Bulgaria abolishes CP units in military


1/27/90

Opposition joins E Ger gov, but want Cabinet members to renounce party ties.


1/29/90

Ch. uses electrodes to “cure” homosexuals. Or induce vomiting.

Bush defense budget involves firing people, not programs. Star Wars still to increase (cut after inflation of 2%). Congress says it’s really an increase
-Medicare, college loans to decline

Polish CP dissolved itself & divided in 2.

Budget Director says budget won’t be balanced by 1993.

Peres de Cuellar says Israel tightening grip on “security zone” in Lebanon. Has given Christian militia a leading role in “civilian” admin. Controlling mvmt into rest of Lebanon, imposing internal passports, car licenses.

Nelson Mandela has been negotiating his release. He is imposing terms for it.


1/30/90

Bush: “One cannot be America’s president without a belief in God.”


1/31/90

Gorbachev did not rule out Ger re-unification, but no rush

Fed district judge orders RR to turn over priv diaries to Poindexter

Bush wants to create some sort of phony Soc Sec “Debt Reduction Fund.” This would use surplus for purpose after budget balanced in 1996 (!), & prevent increase in Soc Sec benefits or reduction in tax & force spending cuts in budget generally

Romanian “Nat Salvation Front” gov will split into 2 groups, one to govern, one to run in elections in May

Cheney said nothing the USSR could do would justify stopping “strategic modernization” plan