vips

2002

LETTER N° 08

From 17 to 28 February

21
Australia

Former governor of New South Wales (1966-81) Sir Roden Cutler dies.

Profile : Sir Roden Cutler was born at Manly in Sydney, New South Wales, on 24 May 1916. He was educated at Sydney High School and the University of Sydney. He joined the Sydney University Regiment while a student and on 10 November 1939 was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Citizen Military Forces (CMF). Sir Roden Cutler was awarded the Victoria Cross, for exceptional courage against the enemy during the capture of the Syrian town of Merdjayoun in June 1941. A few weeks later, while moving forward against machine gun fire at Damour, he suffered severe wounds in a leg which was subsequently amputated. After World War II he had a successful career in the diplomatic service where he served as Ambassador to the Netherlands, Delegate to the United Nations. Consul General in New York, High Commissioner to Pakistan, Ceylon and New Zealand and other posts. From 1966 to 1981 he served as Governor of NSW.

21
Angola

Veteran Angolan rebel leader Jonas Savimbi is dead.

Profile : Jonas Savimbi was born in Munhango, Bie Province, along the Benguela railway. He is the son of a railway station master and Evangelical Church pastor, Loth Malheiro Savimbi, and Helena Mbundu Sakato. Jonas Savimbi did his primary school education in the center of the country. 1950 - He attends the Curie Institute of Dondi. 1955 - Jonas Savimbi continues his secondary school studies at the Marist Brothers College in Silva Porto (Bie). Recognized as "intelligent and hard working ", Jonas Savimbi is highly esteemed by his teacher, Brother Cordeiro, with whom he frequently met. 1958 - Jonas Savimbi leaves for Portugal. He concludes his studies at Passos Manuel Secondary School in Lisbon. Afterwards, he pursues medical studies for two years but decides to abandon this profession some time later. In Lisbon, Jonas Savimbi participates in the independence movement of Portuguese colonies. He is detained for 15 days at a PIDE (secret police) prison. He meets with Agostinho Neto, founder member of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) as well as with other Angolan nationalists. He was a founding member of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) in 1966. Savimbi was included in the interim independent government with Neto and Roberto in 1974 but returned to armed opposition when Neto's Marxist government was established. Aided by the United States and South Africa, he led a guerrilla war over much of Angola (1975-91) until a cease-fire was achieved. Running for president, Savimbi refused to accept his defeat in the 1992 elections, and UNITA resumed armed conflict with government forces, initially with much success. After reverses in 1994, however, UNITA signed a new peace accord; under it Savimbi was offered one of two Angolan vice presidencies, which he declined. With renewed warfare in 1998, the government said it would no longer recognize the 1994 agreement or deal with Savimbi, instead recognizing a splinter group, UNITA Renovada.

22
Madagascar

Marc Ravalomanana, who claims to have won the December presidential elections outright while official results gave him only a plurality, forcing him into a runoff with Pres. Didier Ratsiraka which the government postponed until March 24, declares himself president. On February 26 he names Jacques Sylla as his prime minister. In the other camp Foreign Minister Lila Ratsifandrihamanana resigns on February 28 and is replaced by Azaly Ben Marofo.

24
Laos

National Assembly elections.

All but one of the 166 candidates for Parliament are members of the sole legal party. Results are not expected for several days because of the difficulty of communications with the country's many remote and mountainous areas.

24
Punjab

(India)

The leader of the Congress party in the northern Indian state of Punjab, Captain Amarinder Singh, has been sworn in as the new chief minister.

Profile : Born on March 11, 1942. Education : Doon School, Dehra Dun ; National Defence Academy, Kharakvasla ; The Indian Military Academy, Dehra Dun. Employment : Commissioned into the 2nd Battalion of The Sikh Regiment. ADC to GOC-in-C, Western Command during the 1965 war, in whose theatre of operations the entire war was fought. Two terms in the Punjab Legislature during which he served as a Minister in the Punjab. government. Member of Parliament and member of the Parliamentary Defence Committee He is presently President of the Congress Party in the State of Punjab.

26
Moldova

President Vladimir Voronin appoints Zinaida Greceanii as finance minister to succeed Mihai Manoli, who resigned three weeks earlier. Interior Minister Vasile Draganel resigns on February 27 and is replaced by George Papuc.

27
Croatia

All cabinet members of the Croatian Social Liberal Party, including Defense Minister Jozo Rados, resign from the government.

27
Mexico

A former Tabasco state governor with presidential ambitions appeared to have won a narrow victory in the former ruling party's contentious internal elections, according to final state-by-state tallies. Roberto Madrazo received 1.52 million votes compared with 1.47 million cast for Beatriz Paredes, a 1.6 percentage point difference, according to results posted at the Institutional Revolutionary Party's national headquarters.

Profile : Born on July 30,1952. A professional lawyer, in 1974 he received his degree with honors from the Law Faculty at the National Autonomous University of México. He served in the civil service since he was 19. His first public assignment as a people's representative was in 1976, when he won the election as a Federal MP for Tabasco Second Constituency. During the períod (88-91) he served as a Senator of the Repúblic. he is the father of 5 : Gerardo, María Fernanda, Ximena, Federico and Daniela. He married a Psycopedagogue, Isabel de la Parra Trillo.

28
Hong Kong

(China)

With the Chinese government and local tycoons standingfoursquare behind him, Hong Kong's chief executive, Tung Chee-hwa, won a second term in an election in which nobody dared to challenge him. Tung, a former shipping magnate with firm ties to Beijing, was declared the winner after the nomination period expired with no other names put forward.

Profile : Born in Shanghai on May 29, 1937, the first child of shipping businessman Tung Chao Yung and Koo Lee Ching. Mr Tung has a brother and three sisters. born in Shanghai on May 29, 1937, the first child of shipping businessman Tung Chao Yung and Koo Lee Ching. Mr Tung has a brother and three sisters. In 1947 the Tung family moved to Hong Kong. After completing secondary school in Hong Kong, Mr Tung studied in the United Kingdom and graduated from the University of Liverpool in 1960 with a Bachelor of Science degree in marine engineering. Mr Tung then worked for General Electric and the family business in the United States before returning to Hong Kong in 1969 to join the family group business. On December 11, 1996 Mr Tung won by a wide margin in the first election to the post of the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Adminsitrative Region (HKSAR) of the People's Republic of China (PRC). He was formally appointed by the Central People's Government on December 16, 1996 and assumed office as the first Chief Executive of the HKSAR on July 1, 1997 for a five-year term. Mr Tung is married to Betty Chiu Hung Ping. They have three children and seven grandchildren.

21 Australia		Former governor of New South Wales (1966-81) Sir Roden Cutler dies. Profile : Sir Roden Cutler was born at Manly in Sydney, New South Wales, on 24 May 1916. He was educated at Sydney High School and the University of Sydney. He joined the Sydney University Regiment while a student and on 10 November 1939 was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Citizen Military Forces (CMF). Sir Roden Cutler was awarded the Victoria Cross, for exceptional courage against the enemy during the capture of the Syrian town of Merdjayoun in June 1941. A few weeks later, while moving forward against machine gun fire at Damour, he suffered severe wounds in a leg which was subsequently amputated. After World War II he had a successful career in the diplomatic service where he served as Ambassador to the Netherlands, Delegate to the United Nations. Consul General in New York, High Commissioner to Pakistan, Ceylon and New Zealand and other posts. From 1966 to 1981 he served as Governor of NSW.
21 Angola		Veteran Angolan rebel leader Jonas Savimbi is dead. Profile : Jonas Savimbi was born in Munhango, Bie Province, along the Benguela railway. He is the son of a railway station master and Evangelical Church pastor, Loth Malheiro Savimbi, and Helena Mbundu Sakato. Jonas Savimbi did his primary school education in the center of the country. 1950 - He attends the Curie Institute of Dondi. 1955 - Jonas Savimbi continues his secondary school studies at the Marist Brothers College in Silva Porto (Bie). Recognized as "intelligent and hard working ", Jonas Savimbi is highly esteemed by his teacher, Brother Cordeiro, with whom he frequently met. 1958 - Jonas Savimbi leaves for Portugal. He concludes his studies at Passos Manuel Secondary School in Lisbon. Afterwards, he pursues medical studies for two years but decides to abandon this profession some time later. In Lisbon, Jonas Savimbi participates in the independence movement of Portuguese colonies. He is detained for 15 days at a PIDE (secret police) prison. He meets with Agostinho Neto, founder member of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) as well as with other Angolan nationalists. He was a founding member of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) in 1966. Savimbi was included in the interim independent government with Neto and Roberto in 1974 but returned to armed opposition when Neto's Marxist government was established. Aided by the United States and South Africa, he led a guerrilla war over much of Angola (1975-91) until a cease-fire was achieved. Running for president, Savimbi refused to accept his defeat in the 1992 elections, and UNITA resumed armed conflict with government forces, initially with much success. After reverses in 1994, however, UNITA signed a new peace accord; under it Savimbi was offered one of two Angolan vice presidencies, which he declined. With renewed warfare in 1998, the government said it would no longer recognize the 1994 agreement or deal with Savimbi, instead recognizing a splinter group, UNITA Renovada.
22 Madagascar		Marc Ravalomanana, who claims to have won the December presidential elections outright while official results gave him only a plurality, forcing him into a runoff with Pres. Didier Ratsiraka which the government postponed until March 24, declares himself president. On February 26 he names Jacques Sylla as his prime minister. In the other camp Foreign Minister Lila Ratsifandrihamanana resigns on February 28 and is replaced by Azaly Ben Marofo.
24 Laos		National Assembly elections. All but one of the 166 candidates for Parliament are members of the sole legal party. Results are not expected for several days because of the difficulty of communications with the country's many remote and mountainous areas.
24 Punjab (India)		The leader of the Congress party in the northern Indian state of Punjab, Captain Amarinder Singh, has been sworn in as the new chief minister. Profile : Born on March 11, 1942. Education : Doon School, Dehra Dun ; National Defence Academy, Kharakvasla ; The Indian Military Academy, Dehra Dun. Employment : Commissioned into the 2nd Battalion of The Sikh Regiment. ADC to GOC-in-C, Western Command during the 1965 war, in whose theatre of operations the entire war was fought. Two terms in the Punjab Legislature during which he served as a Minister in the Punjab. government. Member of Parliament and member of the Parliamentary Defence Committee He is presently President of the Congress Party in the State of Punjab.
26 Moldova		President Vladimir Voronin appoints Zinaida Greceanii as finance minister to succeed Mihai Manoli, who resigned three weeks earlier. Interior Minister Vasile Draganel resigns on February 27 and is replaced by George Papuc.
27 Croatia		All cabinet members of the Croatian Social Liberal Party, including Defense Minister Jozo Rados, resign from the government.
27 Mexico		A former Tabasco state governor with presidential ambitions appeared to have won a narrow victory in the former ruling party's contentious internal elections, according to final state-by-state tallies. Roberto Madrazo received 1.52 million votes compared with 1.47 million cast for Beatriz Paredes, a 1.6 percentage point difference, according to results posted at the Institutional Revolutionary Party's national headquarters. Profile : Born on July 30,1952. A professional lawyer, in 1974 he received his degree with honors from the Law Faculty at the National Autonomous University of México. He served in the civil service since he was 19. His first public assignment as a people's representative was in 1976, when he won the election as a Federal MP for Tabasco Second Constituency. During the períod (88-91) he served as a Senator of the Repúblic. he is the father of 5 : Gerardo, María Fernanda, Ximena, Federico and Daniela. He married a Psycopedagogue, Isabel de la Parra Trillo.
28 Hong Kong (China)		With the Chinese government and local tycoons standingfoursquare behind him, Hong Kong's chief executive, Tung Chee-hwa, won a second term in an election in which nobody dared to challenge him. Tung, a former shipping magnate with firm ties to Beijing, was declared the winner after the nomination period expired with no other names put forward. Profile : Born in Shanghai on May 29, 1937, the first child of shipping businessman Tung Chao Yung and Koo Lee Ching. Mr Tung has a brother and three sisters. born in Shanghai on May 29, 1937, the first child of shipping businessman Tung Chao Yung and Koo Lee Ching. Mr Tung has a brother and three sisters. In 1947 the Tung family moved to Hong Kong. After completing secondary school in Hong Kong, Mr Tung studied in the United Kingdom and graduated from the University of Liverpool in 1960 with a Bachelor of Science degree in marine engineering. Mr Tung then worked for General Electric and the family business in the United States before returning to Hong Kong in 1969 to join the family group business. On December 11, 1996 Mr Tung won by a wide margin in the first election to the post of the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Adminsitrative Region (HKSAR) of the People's Republic of China (PRC). He was formally appointed by the Central People's Government on December 16, 1996 and assumed office as the first Chief Executive of the HKSAR on July 1, 1997 for a five-year term. Mr Tung is married to Betty Chiu Hung Ping. They have three children and seven grandchildren.