CINA

Protests spread across France today as thousands of students marched against controversial government reforms intended to reduce unemployment among young people.

University and high school students clashed with police in several cities as they demanded the repeal of a new law proposed by the prime minister, Dominique de Villepin, to give employers greater flexibility to sack young workers within their first two years of work.

Fearing the new contract erodes coveted employment protections, students renewed their protests today with marches in Paris, Marseille, Grenoble, Rennes and Bordeaux.

 

In Rennes, students wearing flowers and carrying the rainbow flag of peace lay down in front of police carrying riot shields and wearing full armour and helmets. About 100 students burst into the city hall and refused to leave. The university has been closed for six weeks as students boycott classes in protest. The university at Toulouse closed its doors after clashes between students who wanted to shut the school in protest and those who wanted to keep it open.

"You can't live with a knife at your throat," said 21-year-old film student Sophie Cojan, a student protesting at the Place d'Italie in southern Paris.

"Villepin, you're toast - the students are in the streets!" the students chanted.

Mr de Villepin proposed the idea as a way to help underprivileged youths find jobs following riots in poor urban areas across the country last October and November. According to the OECD's latest figures, unemployment among under-25s in France is 23%, compared with 11% in the UK, 12% in Germany and a European Union average of 16.5%.

Under current law, employers face a stringent test when they terminate contracts and risk fines, or being forced to make fixed-term contracts permanent if they fail to adequately justify the redundancy.

The new contract allows employers to take on workers aged under 26 who have not worked for six months on a two-year deal. The test for making the employee redundant during that period is less tough than under the existing law, but remains reasonably stringent, according to the Paris-based employment lawyer Florence Dupont.

"If young people don't want this system then it has no chance of reducing unemployment," she said.

The prime minister has refused to withdraw the jobs measure, but was today seeking ways to make it more palatable. Mr de Villepin's office said he was to meet tonight with university presidents, who have urged negotiations to end the standoff.

The employment minister, Gerard Larcher, defended the government's decision not to consult unions before devising the law, saying it was hurrying to respond to unemployment problems exposed by last year's riots.

 

 

Tomorrow, Sat., the next huge protests will be hald all across France...

Palestinian militants held in a Jericho prison surrendered tonight after a raid by Israeli troops that sparked widespread unrest and kidnappings of westerners in Gaza and the West Bank.

Those who surrendered included the main target of the raid - Ahmed Saadat, the head of the radical Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - who was being held in the West Bank for ordering the assassination of an Israeli minister.

The surrender came after a gun battle in which at least three people were killed. Dozens of Palestinian police officers have also surrendered to Israeli forces.

Earlier nine foreign nationals, including a US citizen, three Europeans and two Australians, were seized in apparent retaliation. Western banks were attacked in Gaza city, and the British Council offices set alight.

The attacks appeared to have been sparked by the withdrawal this morning of British human rights monitors from the Jericho jail, a move which preceded the Israeli raid by around half an hour.

Israeli troops entered the jail demanding the surrender of six prisoners wanted by Israel, five of them in connection with the assassination of the country's tourism minister, Rehavam Zeevi, four years ago. A gun battle ensued in which two Palestinian guards and a prisoner were killed.

By mid-afternoon, more than 150 prisoners and guards had surrendered, but around 30 prisoners were thought to remain inside. They had said they would rather die than surrender.

The events triggered a wave of violence and kidnapping in Gaza city. Two French women working for Médecins du Monde were taken hostage, a French foreign ministry spokesman said.

Gunmen kidnapped two Australian teachers employed at a US school in the city, security officials said, and a Korean national and a Swiss Red Cross worker were also reported to have been taken hostage.

Gunmen stormed the Gaza city offices of the German television network ARD, a Palestinian journalist working for the network said. University officials in the West Bank town of Jenin said a US teacher had been taken hostage. He was later released.

Foreigners from at least four countries took refuge at the Palestinian security headquarters in Gaza City.

In Jericho, tank shells were fired at the prison and bulldozers tore down some of the building's walls. Children threw stones at the Israeli soldiers and burning tyres were put in the roads.

Troops were later heard calling for all the prisoners and guards to come out. Dozens of inmates and guards emerged and were ordered to strip to their underwear, but the wanted men did not appear to be among them.

The raid on the jail was the most high-profile Israeli incursion into a Palestinian town in months and came just two weeks ahead of Israel's national elections.

British and US observers had been monitoring the prison since 2002, charged with ensuring that the treatment of inmates conformed to internationally accepted human rights standards, a Foreign Office spokesman said.

"The three British monitors were withdrawn around 0730 GMT today," the spokesman said.

"We decided we were no longer able to ensure their safety. On March 8, we wrote to [the Palestinian president Mahmoud] Abbas and pointed this out, and that unless the situation improved we would withdraw them."

The foreign secretary, Jack Straw, told the Commons this afternoon that the British and US governments had been aware the Israelis might try to take control of the prison, and that demonstrations in Gaza City were possible.

He also said British Council staff had been withdrawn in case of demonstrations in Gaza City, and that all monitors and staff were safe.

Shortly after the raid began, some 300 demonstrators, including dozens of gunmen, marched on the British Council building in Gaza City. After a brief battle with the gunmen, police protecting the building left, and the building and the cars of people who worked there were set alight.

Gunmen also broke into the European commission building and stormed the offices of Amideast, a private organisation that provides English classes and testing services.

"We don't want to see any Americans here," one of the gunmen shouted when Palestinian police approached the Amideast office.

The Foreign Office warned British nationals to stay away from the West Bank. Britons are already advised against travelling to Gaza.

Sir David Green, director general of the British Council, said the building had been "very badly damaged".

"Mid-morning Gaza time a group of masked gunmen came into the building and started firing shots in our information centre," he told the BBC. "We called military operations and within three minutes a large group from the presidential guard arrived to take charge of the situation and, in fact, get the situation under control."

Among the six targets of the prison raid was Ahmed Saadat, head of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a radical PLO faction. Saadat was elected to the Palestinian legislature in January.

Palestinians condemned the prison raid as a campaign stunt for the coming Israeli elections, and Mr Abbas blamed the US and British governments for it.

"President Abbas strongly condemns this Israeli attack and holds the American and British sides fully responsible for any harm that befalls Saadat and his colleagues," the Palestinian leader's office said.

In addition, to the five PFLP prisoners, Israel was also demanding the surrender of Fuad Shobaki, the alleged planner of an illegal weapons shipment to the Palestinian Authority several years ago.

· Israel's acting prime minister, Ehud Olmert, today told residents of one of the largest West Bank settlements that their town would eventually become part of Israel. He told a campaign rally in Ariel that the settlement would be within his planned permanent borders for Israel.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,,1730633,00.html

A Seven Party Alliance (SPA) leader involved in secret negotiations with Maoist rebels in New Delhi said on Sunday that the alliance leaders are hopeful about positive outcomes of the talks, which would be made public in about four days' time.

"Let me not disclose the technicalities of the talks and the persons involved, but all I can say is that talks are going in the positive direction," CPN-UML leader Jhala Nath Khanal said. "Both sides are currently working to uphold the 12-point understanding the SPA and the CPN-Maoist reached in November."

He added that the SPA negotiators have also urged the rebels to withdraw indefinite blockade and Nepal Bandh and declare ceasefire to pave the way for peaceful movement for the restoration of democracy. However, the Maoist leadership, whose high command is understood to be discussing the proposals, has not responded yet.

Khanal, who was flanked by UML heavyweight Bam Dev Gautam and leader Pramesh Hamal at the Nepal Center, Yusuf Sarai, Sunday morning, also said the mission of the SPA was to find a "consensual and peaceful exit to the conflict bedevilling the nation". "We are working very hard, and the outcomes should be there in the next three-four days," he said.

Gautam, who is also suffering from back pain, didn't want to comment on the ongoing negotiations, but concurred with Khanal.

Beside the three UML leaders, other SPA negotiators who are currently in Delhi include: Nepali Congress leaders Krishna Sitaula, Mahantha Thakur and Jana Morcha Nepal leader Amik Sherchan. CPN-Ekta Kendra Masal leader Narayan Kaji Shrestha 'Prakash' is also reported to be here.

It was not immediately clear who all are representing the CPN-Maoist in the negotiations, but unconfirmed reports suggested Maoist negotiators included Dr Baburam Bhattarai, Krishna Bahadur Mahara and Top Bahadur Rayamajhi. Given that most of the SPA leaders are scattered and are shying away from media interviews, the talks appear to be going on over the telephone and "otherwise" as well.

Kantipur wrote 3.12

http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=68019

 

NepalNews wrote on the same day

Talks on with Maoists to strengthen 12-point pact: leaders

 

 

Govt warns journalists reporting on Maoists

Home Minister Kamal Thapa on Sunday warned of action against journalists reporting on the effects of Maoist activities and disseminating Maoist information.

Govt offers rewards to surrendering Maoists

 

The government on Monday announced a cash reward of Rs. 1 million to the central-level Maoist leaders who surrender to the security forces.