European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 19, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday May 19, 1991 the stars and stripes b Page 7mexico prison Battle leaves 18 dead Matamoros Mexico a anti terrorist troops were locked in a standoff saturday with inmates at a state prison where a bloody Battle Between rival drug gangs left 18 people dead and at least eight Hurt. The troops surrounded Tamaulipas prison where officials said fighting broke out. Friday night after a prisoner apparently tried to kill another inmate described As a colombian drug lord. They said prisoners fought for three hours with guns knives and Molotov cocktails. Silvio Brussolo Torres an official with the mexican Federal judicial police said authorities had planned to enter the prison saturday but did not elaborate. The police called in an elite anti terrorist group known As the zorros foxes said sheriffs it. . Garcia from Cameron county across the Border in Texas. The zorros violently put Down a Mutiny at another mexican prison in 1989. At least five mexican Navy platoons army troops and state and Federal police were also dispatched to the prison which is in a residential area on the Western Edge of Matamoros. But the authorities made no immediate move to seize the facility by Force. The prison was Calm saturday and no additional violence was reported. A a the feeling is that there is not enough food inside to hold out for a Long time a said Don Wells the . Consul in mat Amoros which is just across the Rio Grande from Brownsville Texas. . Officials were monitoring the Situ police officials escort an injured Man from the prison in Matamoros. Action said Wells about 30 americans Are in the prison on drug charges two believed to be women he said. . Officials were not being allowed inside the prison Cameron county sheriff Alex Perez and his deputies were stationed on both International Bridges from Matamoros to Brownsville to keep possible escapees from entering the United states. Mexican authorities in Matamoras said the trouble began Friday evening after one prisoner German Yepez tried to shoot another prisoner reputed drug lord Olivero Chavez Araujo 33. The assailant was killed immediately by Chavez a armed bodyguards a also in mates a and his body was impaled Orr a Post and hoisted for display in the prison courtyard. The Cameron county sheriff s department reported from information gathered by radio dispatches from Mexico. A doctor allowed inside the prison saturday said Chavez who was grazed in the jaw with a Bullet did not want to leave the prison for a Hospital. Itt the fighting that followed the a hooting inmates Sef part of the crowded prison on fire and battled with weapons Rangit Grom knives to machine guns. The jail was designed for 150 people but holds about 1.201 male and female prisoners. Jesus Urquiza. Prison director said in addition to mexicans the prison a also holds americans. Salvadorans and colombians among others. Officials said most of those who were slain died of beatings or knife wounds. The body of one victim viewed at a in Cuil funeral Home by a reporter was burned beyond recognition. The authorities said Yepez was apparently retaliating for the deaths of his brother and sister in Law. William and Judith Botero in Brownsville last week. The boteros had just been released from Tamaulipas prison after serving two year drug sentences. Brownsville area police told reporters that the deaths were believed to be pare of drug turf Battles Between Chavez and rival reputed drug Baron Juan Garcia Abrego. They said Chavez was believed to be running a drug ring from inside the prison using a cellular  notices of missing children appearing in Italy Naples Italy apr last year pasqualino Porfidia left his House to play video games and never came Home. Today the boys smiling face shows up on milk Cartons in the Naples area along with the plea a help us find  a similar Campaign started in the United states inspired the initiative. The 10-year-old, from a Village near Naples is the first in a series of missing children cases whose photos will appear on milk Cartons. The Naples area where the italian Campaign took off has Many of the 2,00q missing children cases reported nationwide last year. In Campania the Region where Naples is the principal City 414 children were reported missing. Other italian regions Are expected to adopt the milk Carton notices which include a toll free number to report information on a Case. The notices also include a demand that a special police unit for missing children be set up. There is fear that some of the missing children May have ended up the victims of various vice rings including child prostitution especially in the Naples and even the illegal traffic of organs for transplant operations. Canadian official takes aim at tougher gun control Laws Toronto apr facing a Rise in violent crime and growing Public support for action Justice minister Kim Campbell is preparing another attempt to strengthen the nations already strict gun control Laws. Campbells first bid to change the 1978 gun codes was diverted to a House of commons committee last year after Hunters marksmen and others mounted protests with conservative parliament members Many from the Rural West. The measure died with the end of the parliamentary session. But a recent nationwide poll indicates 79 percent of canadians think existing gun to Witrol Laws should be made More restrictive. The climate parallels that in the United states where most americans favor gun control but Congress has been heavily lobbied by the National Rifle association to defeat restrictive legislation. In a signal of change recently the House of representatives approved the so called Brady Bill which requires a seven Day waiting period to buy a firearm. The Canadian government is considering proposing a 28-Day waiting period and a ban on automatic weapons and sub machine guns among other measures. The new Canadian Law which Campbell can file at any time will Likely pass if it comes up in the House of commons where conservatives hold 159 of the 295 seats. A a it a just a matter of finalizing the proposals a said Rick Mosley the Justice ministry a senior general counsel for criminal Law policy. Compared with its Southern neighbor the crime problem in this nation of 26 million people is dwarfed. There were about 23,600 murders in the United states last year an average of 65 a Day according to Fri figures. In Canada there were 637 homicides last year Down 213 from 657 in 1989. In metropolitan Toronto which has a population of about 3 a million there were 55 homicides in 1990, including six by handguns three by a other guns five people were killed by rocks. Quot but handgun related offences Rose from 1,093 in to so to 1,820 in-1990 armed robberies were up from 337 to 648. Assaults with a weapon increased from 43 to 62. A compared with the United states the situation is night and Day a said Mosley. A in the ., handgun homicides Are a serious problem. They Are much less so Here a he added. A never since we adopted the gun control program in 1978 there has been a steady decline in total number of firearms homicides As w Ell As handgun  handguns in Canada already Are under heavy control. It is difficult to get a permit and even harder to transport it anywhere. For example a special permit is needed just to carry a handgun from the shop to the police station to Register it. But under the present Law anybody 16 or older can buy a gun if he obtains a certificate unless a police Check reveals a criminal or violent  Breaks off Reform talks with de Klerk Johannesburg South Africa up a the african National Congress called off its anti apartheid talks with the South african government demanding that president Frederik de Klerk Deal with the problem of Black on Black violence the group announced saturday. A until such time As Progress is made in regard to these demands the Anc will not involve itself in constitutional discussions with the government a Anc Secretary general Alfred no said in a prepared statement. No said the Anc will still talk with de Klerk on the problem of violence. A these discussions will continue with a View to securing firm commitments from the government a he said. A spokesman for de Klerks office declined immediate comment on the Ancus decision to Stop Reform talks and said a government statement would be released later. The decision to suspend talks came after the expiration of two Anc deadlines for the government the release of All political prisoners in South Africa a step agreed to by de Klerk last year when he launched his racial reforms and the resignation of the two ministers who Are responsible for Security investigations into police conduct and the Banning of weapons in Black townships. More than 750 people have died in vendetta killings Between the Anc and its chief rival the mainly Zulu inkatha Freedom party. The Anc accuses the government of doing nothing to Stop the fighting. Ano said the decision to suspend talks came Friday during a meeting of the Ancus National executive committee the South african communist party and the Congress of South african Trade unions. Although de Klerk recently agreed to a number of measures aimed at curbing violence notably Banning Large numbers of weapons from townships and prohibiting Public gatherings he did not meet a key Anc demand for the Banning of traditional Zulu Spears and Battle axes. Anc Deputy president Nelson Mandela gave de Klerk seven Davs from thursday to act on the Spears an Issue that the government is Loath to tackle because of the cultural symbolism or the weapons to the Zulu nation. 1 he groups also decided Friday not of attend a conference on violence called by de Klerk for May 24-25, no said. He said the meeting supported i recent Church initiative to Convene a separate conference on violence