European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 3, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse Page8 the stars and stripes parliament to study curb on Britain s prying press Koo Stark strolls to London libel trial in november. London a Britain s racy tabloids hit by huge libel awards to pop Star Elton John novelist Jef Frey Archer and Prince Andrew s sex Girlfriend a postmark face a new Hazard a proposed Law to curb intrusions into private lives. But even those who believe the Protection of privacy Bill would be unworkable or would undermine pres Freedom acknowledged that some newspapers have gone a headline too far with some of their stories. The Bill sponsored As a non government measure by legislator John Browne of the governing conserva Tive party is Likely to be debated in january. It would copy some Western european countries by giving All citizens a Legal right to privacy and comple ment libel Laws by allowing actions for damages for breaches. A newspaper will have to show its disclosures were for the Public an englishman s Home is his Castle said Browne 50. I m seeking to put some water in the similar Bills put Forward without government sup port have failed to get to a vote. But in today s seemingly More hostile climate toward the press expert said Browne s Bill stands a reasonable Chance of be coming Law. Another measure that May come before parliament would oblige newspapers to publish a wronged per son s rebuttal. Politicians by and Large Are always very Happy to legislate against the press because they like to control it said Tony Loynes editor of us press Gazette Trade weekly. But we be played into their hands there s no question of Loynes said Browne s Bill May place another impediment before journalists who already face the official secrecy shrouding Many matters of state. Journalists already suffer enough inhibitions to proper journalistic inquiry Loynes added. It ingoing to be extremely costly in the it already is. In december the Sun Britain s top Selling daily with a circulation of 4.2 million paid $1.82 million to John who sued it for publishing allegations about his private life. They settled out of court with the Sun admitting that the allegations were wholly false. Last month a jury ordered another newspaper the people to pay Stark an american actress about $546,000 for falsely implying that she had resumed he relationship with Prince Andrew in 1985, a year after she married. She also collected apologies and undisclosed dam Ages from the news of the world daily Mirror an sunday Mirror All tabloids that had repeated the Story. The previous biggest libel award was about$800,000 against the tabloid Star 9ver a Story last year that Archer gave Money to a prostitute. He said he had never met her. We be gone too far and i include myself in that Lloyd Turner Star editor at the time said recently. Turner edited a new daily tabloid the Post which publisher Eddy Shah billed As the one with Breeze without it went bust in december after 33 issues and sales that Seldom topped 100,000. The six daily tabloids circulating nationally sell a total of 12.3 million copies. Critics see a disproportion Between libel awards and Accident awards. The big libel sums usually go to the Rich who can afford the Legal costs while a recent award to a Schoolboy run Over by a bus and confined to a wheelchair came to about $ 105,600. Browne acknowledged that difficulties exist in Defi Ning privacy. But recent cases frequently cited by pro privacy advocates include English Cricket Captain Mike Gatting who was dismissed after tabloid revelations that he met a barmaid in his hotel room and princ Andrew s father in Law maj. Ronald Ferguson who had to quit As Secretary of Prince Charles Polo club Over stories that he frequented a Massage parlor. The watchdog press Council which hears complaints orders newspapers to publish Adverse judgments and they usually comply. But it has no Powers of punishment. Browne himself has made headlines by successfully suing his wealthy sex wife for a huge Alimony settlement but he insists that in t the motivation for his Bill. He says his primary concern is to protect such peo ple As families of hostages from the Glare of the rough guidelines he said courts. I decide on a will Al Salvador mired in death Heads toward election san Salvador Al Salvador a this Long suffering nation has embarked on a presidential Campaign played out against a backdrop of surging political killing. The Winner s prize inthe balloting March 19 is a stalemated civil War. Each passing week lengthens the list of dead maimed and displaced in the 9 year old guerrilla War but provides no prospects for resolving the insurgency through either negotiations or Force. The result is a tiredness of spirit among the country s 5.5 million people especially the two thirds who eke out living raising Corn and Beans on Small main contenders for the presidency Are Alfredo Cristiani of the nationalist Republican Alliance the resurgent right Wing group known As Arena an Fidel Chavez Mena of the incumbent Christian democratic party. Cristiani a Coffee grower and businessman has a narrow Lead in the latest reliable poll but far from a trounced the flagging Christian democrats in municipal and legislative elections in March winning a majority in the 60-seat unicameral legislature. One new Factor is the political left which is running candidates for the first time since the mid-1970s. Leftist Leader acknowledge they have no Chance of win Ning but say they Hope to drum up sup port for negotiations. Arena citing its own polls says it haste election wrapped up. But Sigifredo Ochoa a retired army colonel legislator and one of Arena s top leaders charged recently that some Sec Jose Napoleon Duarte tors in Washington intend to impose Chavez Mena As president. Arena claims the United states which has provided Al Salvador with More than $3 billion in Aid this decade helped Rig elections in 1984 and 1985 to ensure Christian democratic victories. If Arena is deprived of its rightful Victory Well someone asked me if redid not win the election would we resort to nationalist guerrilla warfare. And i Saya frustrated people could do just that Ochoa said. The Christian democrats As Well a local and International human rights groups say Arena was closely linked to death squads that killed thousands of suspected leftists in the Early 1980s.Arena denies the charges. The Christian democrats popularity has been drastically eroded by nearly five years of unfulfilled promises economic stagnation and the widely held perception of official corruption. They have not been Able to make an Progress toward ending the War which has pitted about 7,000 marxist led guerrillas against the 56,000-member, . Backed armed forces. President Jose Napoleon Duarte a staunch . Ally has what doctors say i terminal liver cancer but chemotherapy appears to have arrested its spread. He fervently Hopes to be Able to personally hand Over Power to his successor june 1. Duarte 63, continues to work. But his prestige and influence Are greatly diminished. He is not Only a lame Duck he has no Power to do anything said Ignacio Martin Baro a roman Catholic priest and vice Rector of the Central american University. No one envisions peace negotiation with the leftist guerrillas before the next administration takes Over. Three rounds of negotiations between1984 and 1987 proved fruitless. The opposing positions have not changed significantly and there is Little besides in creased War weariness to hold Hope of breakthrough. Arena says it will talk with guerrillas but Ochoa said such discussions be negotiations. He added that if in Power Arena would propose a National plan drawn up with comments from outside the party. Ochoa contends that the armed forces have had their hands tied by human rights concerns and other factors and that they could win in about two year without restraints. But the guerrillas have been persistent and apparently have the moral and mate rial support of Many people in the Countryside. Even . Military advisers in san Salvador Call the rebels thoroughly War s stalemate apparently has contributed to this year s Steep Rise i politically motivated killings summary executions by the army death squad Sand the guerrillas. The roman Catholic Church s Legal Aid office has counted 169 such killings 90 by the army 46 by death squads and 33 by the rebels in the first nine months of 1988, a 70 percent increase Over the same period in 1987."there is growing frustration in the armed forces said Martin Baro of Cen trial american University. How Are they not going to be frustrated if they be received from the United states All c9n-Ceivable Aid for eight years everything they wanted and More but still can defeat the outnumbered and badly equipped guerrillas the guerrillas have condemned every previous election this decade As a farce designed to further what they Call a . Sponsored counterinsurgency Venc Eremos their Clandestine voice said recently organized an combative struggle is the alternative to the electoral the rebels have not overrun a significant military Post in 18 months. Army offi cers say the guerrillas Are concentrating on soft targets indicating rebel weakness relative to a year or so ago
