OPINION
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4
ARTS
Dancing days are here again
7
SPORTS
SMichigan hockey 'shafted' by
tournament committee
9
Congratulations to 'M' basketball teams
Ube Mdto u 3 BaIt!
Ninety-nine years of editorial freedom
Vol. C: No. 108 Ann Arbor, Michigan - Wednesday, March 14, 1990 The MhignDaiy
Soviets,
MOSCOW (AP) - The Congress of
People's Deputies approved yesterday
Mikhail S. Gorbachev's proposals for a mul-
tiparty political system headed by a powerful
president, to replace decades of absolute
Communist Party domination.
But opposition deputies charged that the
Soviet leader seriously violated parliamen-
tary rules in ramming the proposals through
a procedural muddle, and demeaned that the
issues be brought up for one more vote.
Failing that, they said the Congress
likely would balk later this week at naming
give
Gorbachev the new president
instead to face voters in the c
nationwide presidential election
Yesterday's vote, if upheld,
definitive movement of the1
from more than 70 years of pa
toward a more representativ
system closer to that of many
tions. It came five years afte
took over power in the Sovi
tenure marked by growing econ
ties and sometimes violent eth
Gorbachev
, forcing him also improved relations with the West. Gor
country's first is esser
. "I congratulate the Congress,' Gor- goes th
bachev said simply after applause greeted the disputes
will mark the vote of 1, 817-133 members of the nation's Hep
Soviet Union highest parliamentary body for establishing ing the
rty leadership the new post of president. Moments later, some o
e government the 2,250-member Congress voted 1,711- powers
Western na- 164 to approve wide-ranging bill striking the He
er Gorbachev Communist Party's leading role from the overrid
et Union- a Constitution, legalizing some forms of pri- a state o
nomic difficul- vate property and setting the presidential official
nic unrest, but powers. authori
more
bachev has said the strong presidency
ntial to hold the country together as it
rough economic troubles and ethnic
s.
picked up votes for his proposal dur-
day by offering a compromise on
f the most controversial presidential
>.
gave up the right to appeal a veto
e and promised that any bid to impose
of emergency would be preceded by an
warning and prior approval of local
ties.
power
Deputy Fyodor Burlatsky a top political
commentator, said Gorbachev probably
picked up 50 to 100 votes with the com-
promise.
Each piece of legislation required 1,501
votes- a two-thirds majority of all the
members of the Congress, present or not.
Gorbachev had been threatened by a boycott
from some Baltic legislators who consider
their republics independent, and opposition
from radical reformers who considered the
post of president too powerful and demanded
a direct election.
*SAPAC
proposed
rape law
* passes
by Mike Sobel
Daily Crime Reporter
Governor James Blanchard signed
a law yesterday restricting defendants
accused of rape from suing their ac-
cusers for libel until after the crimi-
nal trial has ended.
The law, the first of its kind in
the country, was proposed and drafted
by Julie Steiner, director of the Uni-
versity's Sexual Assault Prevention
and Awareness Center (SAPAC),
state Rep. William Van Regen-
morter (R-Jennison), and a Univer-
sity law student.
The new law amends Michigan's
Rape Shield law which prevents rape
defendants from bringing up the
sexual history of their alleged
victims during criminal proceedings.
Steiner, who came to the Univer-
sity after working as a lobbyist in
Washington for the American Civil
Liberties Union, called the new law
a "small technicality with a large
impact." She said it will prevent
rape defendants from using civil
suits to intimidate their accusers.
Steiner said a 1987 campus rape
trial prompted her to propose the
bill. During the proceedings against
him, University student Griffith Neil
sued the woman who accused him of
See LEGISLATIOn, Page 2
v
Bush
offers Panama
and Nicaragua aid
WASHINGTON (AP) - President George Bush
lifted trade sanctions against Nicaragua yesterday and
asked Congress to swiftly approve a $300 million down
payment for rebuilding the nation's ravaged economy
and speeding a transition to democracy.
Rushing to shore up the incoming government of
President-elect Violeta Chamorro, Bush also pledged he
will seek an additional $200 million in fiscal 1991
which begins Oct. 1.
Bush coupled the request for Nicaragua with a chal-
lenge to Congress to approve a stalled aid package of
$500 million for Panama, where the United States in-
stalled a new government after deposing Manuel Anto-
nio Noriega last December.
The president urged Congress to complete work by
April 5 on money for both countries. All the funds
would be diverted from the Pentagon's budget, perhaps
the first real "peace dividend" from the receding Cold
War.
"These nations need our help to heal deep wounds in-
flicted by years of strife and oppression, years of loss
and deprivation;" Bush said. 'And we must act and act
soon,"
Rep. David Bonior (D-Mich.), a member of the
House leadership and among the foremost foes of past
U.S. policy in Nicaragua, predicted Congress would ap-
prove the aid before recessing next month for Easter.
"For years we've been hearing speeches about what
America could do if only Noriega and Ortega were
gone," said Senate Minority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kan.),
referring to the former Panamanian ruler and to
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega who lost the elec-
tion to Mrs. Chamorro last month. "Well, Ortega and
Noriega are history. It's time for Congress to deliver."
Bush announced his requests in a 41-minute news
conference, during which he also fielded questions on
topics ranging from the budget and foreign policy to
baseball's labor dispute that threatens to delay the sea-
son's opener.
Opening his news conference, Bush announced he
had lifted the five-year-old economic embargo against
Nicaragua, one of the tools used by the United States to
undermine the government of Ortega.
While acknowledgeing some concern about the reluc-
tance of the U.S.-backed Contra rebels to demobilize in
Nicaragua, Bush said, "I'm less concerned thatn I was
about the peaceful transfer of power, including the mili-
tary.
'
community
critiques Bush,
aid proposal
by Mark Katz
Daily MinorityIssuesReporter
President George Bush's proposal yesterday request-
ing Congressional approval of aid packages to
Nicaragua and Panama elicited mixed responses from
campus leaders and community members.
Reactions to the proposal varied from wholehearted
support for Bush to adamant disapproval of the presi-
dent's request.
Bush said the $300 million for Nicaragua and the
stalled $500 million for Panama would be the first
"peace dividend" from the melting Cold War. In addition
to the aid, which would be attained by diverting funds
See REACTIONS, Page 2
Enjoying the scene
Business school senior Ian Campbell takes advantage of the spring-like
weather and relaxes on the diag.
First female president in
Haitian h
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP)
- President Ertha Pascal-Trouillot
pledged at her inauguration yesterday
"to clean the face of Haiti" with a
provisional civilian government that
will lead the country to its first free
elections.
Passscal-Trouillo, who took a
leave of absence as Supreme Court
justice, is the first female president
in the 186-year history of this im-
poverished Caribbean island nation.
She was sworn in a day after mil-
itary ruler Lt. Gen. Prosper Avril
fled following a week of violent
demonstrations against his 18-month
istory takes office
regime that left at least 24 dead in and Creole.
the streets of Haiti. "Mrs. President of the Republic,
"I have accepted this heavy task the armed forces of Haiti are at your
in the name of Haitian women." she command," said Maj. Gen. HerarI
told hundreds of political and civic Abraham, who led a caretaker gov-
leaders, diplomats and army officers ernment for 72 hours after Avril re-
at the Natiional Palace ceremony. signed Saturday. "The army is re-
"My government will be what you turning and staying in the barracks."
want it to be." The audience wildly cheered Abra-
Pascal-Trouillot, will govern ham's words.
along with an 19-member advisory After the ceremony, thousands of
council until elections are held, pos- Haitians outside the domed, white-
sibly in three to six months." stone palace filled vast Chamo de
"In the short time I have, I will Mars Plaza and cheered when she
work to clean the face of Haitil," she came outside, saluted by an army
promised speaking in both French band on the palace lawn.
Ready & Set
'M' women eager for first
ever tournament date tonight
by Theodore Cox
Daily Basketball Writer
It's time to stop celebrating and get down to business for the women's
basketball team tonight. After obtaining its first ever NCAA tournament
bid, Michigan (19-9 overall, 11-7 Big Ten) will take on Oklahoma State in
the first round of the Midwest Regionals this evening in Stillwater,
Oklahoma.
The first item on the agenda for coach Bud VanDeWege this week was to
find out just who the heck Oklahoma State is.
"All I know is they are in the Big Eight," senior forward Tempie Brown
said.
Well that's a start.
But to the players, it doesn't matter. Whoever they play, they feel they
can win. "I don't know anything about Oklahoma State, but we don't care,"
Powell said. SeeNCAA, Page 10
Trouillot
A strike and fear had left this cap-
ital city of 1 million people deserted
for days.
Shamir fires Peres,
coalition, dissolves
JERUSALEM - Prime minister
Yitzhak Shamir yesterday dissolved a
political alliance with the Labor
Party in a crisis brought to a head by
President Bush's comments on the
status of Jerusalem.
Shamir fired Vice Premier Shi-
mon Peres, the Labor leader, and the
10 other Labor ministers submitted
their resignations after an impasse
was reached on whether to accept
U.S. nrnosals gfor talks in Ca~irn
which has ruled Israel through two
stalemated elections since 1984.
Avi Pazner, Shamir's spokesper-
son, said that "as long as there is life
there is hope, but I really am not
very optimistic about a compro-
mise."
Peres, who also held out little
hope for patching up differences,
raised the possibility of avoiding
new elections by forming a Labor-
It-A ,rn~rnman t with il trn-..C'rt hrinr
Gorbachev
rejects
Lithuanian
freedom
MOSCOW (AP)- Soviet leader
Mikhail S. Gorbachev rejected
Lithuania's declaration of indepen-
dence and ruled out talks with the
rebellious republic yesterday, but
lawmakers from the region said they
NOMM