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C V N ...TTS, PAGE 5
One-hundred-sixteen years of editorialfreedom
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www.michk-andaily.com
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Vol. CXVI, No. 103
o2006 The Michigan Daily
A2 native
Carroll
released
After 82 days in captivity in
Iraq, Christian Science Monitor
journalist released
BAGHDAD (AP) - Her room was tiny, with a
small adjoining bathroom and shower. She couldn't
hear any sounds from outside. And the windows
were frosted and covered with drapes.
On one occasion in Jill Carroll's 82 days in cap-
tivity, the kidnappers brought her a newspaper. On
another, they let her watch a little television. She had
little idea what was going on in the outside world.
Still, she says, "It's important people know that I
- was not harmed."
The 28-year-old Ameri-
can reporter's hostage
ordeal ended around mid-
day yesterday when she was
left on a Baghdad street
in front of a Sunni politi-
cal party office. Wearing
a green Islamic head scarf
and a gray Iraqi robe, Car-
roll walked inside.
Carroll She was then driven 20
minutes to party headquarters,
0' where she called her family and gave an interview
to Baghdad Television before being handed over to
U.S. authorities.
Carroll, a freelancer for The Christian Science
Monitor, appeared composed and eager to talk.
Although her captors issued televised threats
0 to kill Carroll if American forces did not release
women prisoners, she said: "They never said they
would hit me, never threatened me in any way."
Carroll, who grew up in Ann Arbor and attended
Huron High School, said she did not know who her
kidnappers were, where she was held or why she was
set free. Shortly before she was released, the jour-
nalist said, "They just came to me and said, 'OK,
we're letting you go now.' That's all."
The U.S. ambassador said there was no ransom
paid by the American embassy, but his remarks left
open the question of whether "arrangements" were
made by others. None of the kidnappers was cap-
tured, he said.
In the interview, Carroll seemed well and ani-
mated and spoke in a strong voice. She frequently
tucked her hair under her headscarf, and appeared
excited to be free nearly three months after she was
ambushed and her translator killed.
Carroll's father Jim, standing on the porch of his
home in Chapel Hill, N.C., said he was asleep when
the phone rang at about 6 a.m. "Hi, Dad. This is Jill.
I'm released," the voice on the other end said.
"Obviously we are thrilled and relieved that she
has been released," he said.
Near Chicago, the reporter's mother, Mary Beth
* Carroll, said she was trying to figure out travel
plans so she could hug her daughter again. "We're
thrilled,' she told The Associated Press.
Carroll's release came a day after her twin, Katie,
pleaded on Arab television for her freedom. Yester-
day, the sisters also spoke by phone.
"She called me because she remembered my
number. I was dreaming that this would be the way
I'd find out - that she'd call me in the middle of the
night like this," Katie said, according to the Moni-
tor. "She sounded great. I just want to thank every-
one who's prayed and given us support through this
time, and we're obviously looking forward to some
private time with Jill."
President Bush said he rejoiced at the news. "I'm
just really grateful she was released," he said. He
thanked those "who worked so hard for her release.
I'm glad she's alive."
With Carroll's release there are no more foreign
journalists held hostage in Iraq, but two Iraqi jour-
nalists kidnapped on Feb. I are still being held.
Carroll was abducted Jan. 7 in Baghdad's western
Adil neighborhood while going to interview Sunni
See CARROLL, page 7
2006 NIT FINALS - MICHIGAN 64
COCKBLOCKED
Coke
sets up
audit
Activists claim the
involvement of a Coke employee
in the organization investigating
nullifies its independence
By Jeremy Davidson
Daily News Editor
In an attempt to satisfy demands for a third-party
audit of its labor practices in Colombia, the Coca-
Cola Company has requested that the International
Labor Organization undertake an independent
investigation last week.
The ILO, an arm of the United Nations that
upholds internationally recognized human and labor
rights, has agreed to do the investigation.
Student and global activists, though, said the cred-
ibility of the investigation is dubious at best because
one of the ILO's members is a high-ranking Coca-
Cola employee.
Ed Potter, the U.S. employer representative to
the ILO, also serves as Coke's director of global
relations.
Terry Collingsworth, an attorney representing
the Colombian union workers, vehemently rejected
the credibility of the investigation in a written state-
ment, arguing that Potter's presence on the ILO is a
blatant conflict of interest.
"The U.S. employer representative is a very
powerful and influential position within the ILO,"
Collingsworth wrote. "In short, Coca-Cola won't
agree to any process it can't control."
Today marks the passing of one of the University's
original deadlines for the company outlined nine
months ago. Coke was supposed to have completed
an independent audit by today.
This was the first deadline since Dec. 31, when
Coke was supposed to have agreed in writing to an
independent audit. Because it didn't, the University
suspended purchasing of Coca-Cola products.
The University said then it would resume its pur-
chasing of Coke if the independent investigations
got back on track.
Peggy Norgren, the University's associate vice
president for finance, said the investigation seems
credible to her.
The University is still considering whether to
accept the ILO review, she said.
Members of the Coalition to Cut the Contracts
with Coca-Cola voiced concerns over the legitimacy'
of the proposed investigation.
RC senior Ashwini Hardikar said she disagrees
with the investigation because of Potter's involve-
ment, and because it does not address Coke's alleged
violations in India.
Coca-Cola spokeswoman Kari Bjorhus defended
the investigation's credibility.
"I can't imagine another authority that is more
credible or has higher integrity than the Internation-
al Labor Organization of the U.N.;' Bjorhus said.
Coalition members plan to meet with Norgren today
to share their concerns about the investigation and dis-
cuss the University's future plans for dealing with Coke.
RC sophomore Adri Miller said communication
between students and the administration will be
vital to ensuring that Coke is held to the standards of
the Vendor Code of Conduct.
"We want to know what's been going on regard-
ing Coke and the administration," Miller said.
Miller emphasized that the student movement
would not end because of any action the company
takes short of remedying the wrongs it has perpetu-
ated around the world.
Hardikar echoed Miller's sentiments.
"Regardless of whether or not they agree on an
independent investigation, until the people in Tur-
key, Colombia, India and Indonesia themselves
feel that justice has been served, we don't think
the contracts should be renewed," she said.
FOREST CASEY/Daily
Daniel Horton almost loses the ball at last night's NIT final against the University of South Carolina Gamecocks at Madison Square
Garden in New York City. The Gamecocks defended the NIT championship crown with a 76-64 victory.
Gamecocks best Cagers
Seniors miss chance
to win second NIT in
three years
By Scott Bell
Daily Sports Editor
NEW YORK - The journey had
reached its final day, but like nearly
everything else the team has encoun-
tered, Michigan just couldn't finish the
way it wanted to.
"It's tough to come this far and not get
the win;' said senior Chris Hunter as he
sat in the nearly silent locker room with
his head down. "But at the same time,
it's tough to know that I won't be able to
compete with these guys again."
Hunter and his senior teammates had
a chance to end their careers on a high
note by winning their second NIT cham-
pionship in three years. But a roadblock
in the form of South Carolina ended all
hopes of a happy ending. The Game-
cocks' quickness and efficient shooting
proved to be too much for the Wolver-
ines, and South Carolina claimed its sec-
ond straight NIT Championship, 76-64,
in Madison Square Garden last night.
"I'm hurt, obviously - we lost a
championship game in a tournament
that was very important to us," said an
emotional Daniel Horton, who scored a
team-high 18 points in his final game for
Michigan. "I think we left it all on the
court as far as it being our last game. We
came up short, but like I've always said,
everything doesn't always go your way."
Michigan had been on a mission ever
since losing seven of its final nine games
to end the regular season. After his
team was left out of the NCAA Tourna-
ment, Michigan coach Tommy Amaker
See NIT FINAL, page 7
r 'U' construction given OK
Despite reports that
lawmakers might freeze some
construction, Legislature
approves three projects
By Kelly Fraser
Daily Staff Reporter
Dentist alum becomes missionary
Bay City dentist gives
up successful practice,
sells possessions
By Joolle Dodge
Daily Staff Reporter
BAY CITY - School of Dentistry
alum James King, now 56, wanted to
be a dentist since he was 12 years old.
He wrote reports on dentistry at school
and worked in several dentist's offices
in high school.
What he never imagined was living in
a developing nation, serving as a mis-
sionary dentist.
request for dentists in Kenya.
Kenya has all the necessary tools and
equipment, but not enough dentists. The
population of Kenya is 30
million, but it produces only A L U
12 to 16 dental students each
year.
King spent the next four
years doing dental work on
orphans across Kenya.
After graduating from the
University 1974, King spent
a year working as a clinical PROI
instructor and then started a
private practice in Bay City. Seve
King and his wife, Stepha- semet
nie, started attending Bible 8
and they had to pay their own way.
King said he knew it was God's plan
that he serve in Kenya because of how
quickly he and his wife
M N I were able to raise funds.
They began fundraising in
May of 1998 so they could
leave in August. They made
the deadline.
The Kings picked up
and moved to Africa. They
were based out of Nairobi,
1 E but King spent a lot of time
traveling to orphanages
th in a across the country, two of
er-long which were orphanages for
ies children with AIDS. He
Two tense weeks after reports that the state
Legislature's Joint Capital Outlay Committee
might halt several University construction proj-
ects, the committee approved three proposals
without incident yesterday.
The committee is cracking down on a law
dating back to the 1960s requiring state uni-
versities and colleges to submit proposals
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