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WORLD NEWSThursday 3 December 2015

Program launched to reduce deadly cervical cancer in Haiti

DAVID McFADDEN half of them die from the launched by Zanmi Las- Dr. Jacklin St. Fleur, medi- gram in Rwanda.
Associated Press illness. But pointing to suc- ante, the Haitian program cal director of St. Nico- “This is a preventable dis-
ST. MARC, Haiti (AP) — A pi- cesses in developing coun- of the Boston-based non- las Hospital in St. Marc, a ease. If we work hard
lot program was launched tries in Africa and Asia, profit Partners in Health, commune in western Haiti and educate our girls and
Wednesday to battle physicians say improve- will screen 20,000 women where the pilot program women we can prevent
deadly cervical cancer in ments in cervical cancer for cervical cancer and will be focused, said he it,” St. Fleur said after giv-
impoverished Haiti, which prevention, screening and vaccinate some 6,000 girls hopes the political will is ing U.S. Ambassador Peter
has the world’s highest treatment can have a big against the strains of hu- there to expand the cervi- Mulrean a tour of the hos-
rate of the preventable impact in protecting girls man papillomavirus that cal cancer effort into a na- pital, the primary hospital
disease. and women in this hemi- most commonly cause the tionwide effort. In recent for Haiti’s Artibonite region.
Roughly 3,000 Haitian sphere’s poorest nation. illness. Prevention activi- years, the Haitian doctor The U.S. Agency for Inter-
women get cervical can- Expectations are that ties will also reach roughly directed a national cervi- national Development is
cer each year and about the two-year initiative 60,000. cal cancer prevention pro- supporting the program.q

Suriname high court says president’s murder trial to resume

Suriname President Desire Delano Bouterse observes a military parade in Paramaribo, Suriname. restored,” said Hugo Es- known journalists, lawyers
The high court in Suriname says the trial of Bouterse in the killings of 15 political opponents in sed, a lawyer for several of and union leaders but said
1982 must resume despite the adoption of an amnesty law in the South American country. the relatives who filed the he was not present when
challenge. “We expect the the executions took place.
(AP Photo/Ertugrul Kilic) attorney general to accu- Witnesses in the trial have
rately follow the instructions disputed that claim.
PIETER VAN MAELE court in the South Ameri- ney general to resume pro- he now has been given by Prosecutors argued that
Associated Press can country has ruled. ceedings. The plaintiffs an- the Court of Justice.” they could not resume the
PARAMARIBO, Suriname The Court of Justice nounced the verdict late Bouterse and 25 allies from trial without a ruling from
(AP) — A trial of President agreed with a challenge Tuesday. The ruling was is- his time as a military dicta- a Constitutional Court on
Desi Bouterse in the killings to the applicability of the sued Nov. 27 but not pub- tor in the 1980s avoided whether the amnesty law
of 15 political opponents in amnesty law filed by rela- licly released. trial until November 2007 amounted to a breach of
1982 must resume despite tives of the slain opponents “Our belief in the rule of on charges stemming the constitution. But the
an amnesty law, the high and it directed the attor- law in Suriname has been from the abduction and country has not had an
summary execution of 15 active Constitutional Court
prominent political oppo- since gaining indepen-
nents, an event known lo- dence from the Nether-
cally as the “December lands in 1975.
killings” that stunned the The Court of Justice said in
lightly populated nation its Nov. 27 ruling that it has
on the northern tip of South the authority to instruct the
America. attorney general to carry
The former strongman re- on with the case without
turned to power in 2010 a ruling from the Constitu-
when he was elected tional Court, and did so.
president by parliament. The acting attorney gen-
Two years later, lawmak- eral, who is appointed by
ers passed an amnesty law the president, has not said
and proceedings were put how he will respond to the
on hold in a decision that court order.
outraged human rights ac- The cabinet office of the
tivists. president declined com-
Bouterse, who was re- ment. Irvin Kanhai, the
elected by parliament ear- lawyer of Desi Bouterse,
lier this year, has accepted told The Associated Press
what he called “political only that he will “discuss
responsibility” for the killing the new situation” with his
by the military of the well- client.q

Dominican cardinal calls gay US official a ‘wife’ in spat

PANKY CORCINO against U.S. ambassador declined comment, but lice officers of threatening over their wallets,” Brewster
Associated Press James “Wally” Brewster in said Brewster would ap- and assaulting several U.S. said last week.
SANTO DOMINGO, Do- a meeting with reporters pear on a local TV news investors who were attend- Lopez also criticized Brew-
minican Republic (AP) — A late Tuesday following a program on Thursday. ing conference organized ster for saying that those
Dominican cardinal upset Mass. “That man needs to Brewster became the sev- by the local government. who feel the U.S. embassy
over comments that the go back to his embassy,” enth U.S. ambassador in “Imagine the horror I felt is too involved in Domini-
U.S. ambassador made he said. “Let him focus on history to be openly gay when I got a call from one can affairs should return
about corruption in his housework, since he’s the when appointed two years of them, telling me they their U.S. visa. He said he
country has said the open- wife to a man.” ago. Lopez’s comments had been stopped by a would be honored and
ly gay diplomat should fo- Lopez also accused Brew- come about a week after uniformed police officer, satisfied to do so.
cus on homemaking. ster of promoting a gay Brewster criticized corrup- that they had a weapon “I couldn’t care less,” Lo-
Cardinal Nicolas de Jesus rights agenda on Domini- tion in the Dominican Re- pointed at them and that pez said. “I’m not interest-
Lopez Rodriguez spoke out can soil. The U.S. Embassy public and accused po- they were forced to turn ed in traveling.”q