&Kuwaitis
ttempt
o mend
~conomy
KUWAIT CITY (AP) - Gaso-
ine is free, but it's tough to find a
chocolate bar at any price. Un-
skilled Filipino laborers have sud-
Zenly become the subject of bid-
ing wars. In one of the world's
ichest countries, hardly anyone
has money.
Kuwait's once prosperous econ-
omy is now distinguished by
widespread shortages and quirks
;hat are bewildering Kuwaitis as
rey try to recover from the Gulf
'We don't know what the gov-
rnment is planning to do. We
W on't know how things are going to
wvork," said Mohammed al-Yahya,
general manager of the Commer-
cial Bank of Kuwait, the emirate's
second-largest bank.
- Insurance won't cover war
Josses. Banks say new loans are a
Oistant prospect. Most consumer
oods, from clothes to electronics
o cars, are not expected to reap-
*ear soon.
Some merchants have goods,
ut won't offer them for sale until
the government announces the
kuwaiti dinar-U.S. dollar exchange
rate.
"I have $5 million of stock
ready to go, but I'm not opening
intil I know the exchange rate,"
said Samid Samad Rahami, an
Iranian who runs Seven Sea
*keady-Made Garments. "I have to
buy everything in dollars."
The government is importing
gasoline from Saudi Arabia and
pumping it free at filling stations
that often have lines snaking for
several blocks.
,'Restoring the banking system is
essential for Kuwaitis, even
,wealthy ones, who are desperate
k ::rcash. Most banks have been
dosed since December, and
Kuwaitis who have currency are
likely to be holding Iraqi dinars
They were forced to use during the
occupation - money now consid-
)red largely worthless.
For now, U.S. dollars, Iraqi di-
iars, old Kuwaiti dinars and Saudi
'Arabian riyals all are in use.
Abdul Rahman al-Awadi, min-
*1ster of state for cabinet affairs,
said Sunday that Kuwait would
*issue its currency "within a max-
imum of 10 days."
He promised anyone who had a
bank account in Kuwait on Aug. 1,
1990, the day before the invasion,
would be entitled to the full
amount once currency was reis-
,s'ued.
The Michigan Daily -Tuesday, March 19,1991- Page 3
LSA gov't to hear proposal
condemning Women's Studies
by Purvi Shah
Daily Staff Reporter
The LSA Student Government
will hear a proposal today con-
demning the Women's Studies
program for denying a University
Activities Center (UAC) request to
sponsor Student Soapbox, the new
open forum.
UAC needed a letter of spon-
sorship in order to use Rackham
Auditorium, which is reserved for
graduate activities. The Commu-
nications department is now au-
thorizing the forum.
Although the Women's Studies
program denies the charge, UAC's
Viewpoint Lecture representatives
claim the department refused to
sponsor the forum on abortion be-
cause of speaker Phyllis Schlafly,
who is touted as the conservative
voice of America.
"We have a member of UAC
on the council and he was rather
upset because they told him that
the only reason they weren't going
to sponsor it was because Schlafly
was speaking," said LSA-SG Ex-
ecutive Council member Rob
Reilly.
Mark Bernstein, Viewpoint
Lectures co-chair, said, "The
whole University is so vigilant
about not taking away your rights,
but this is enforcing their views on
it."
Women's Studies Director
Abigail Stewart said the request
was refused because the Women's
Studies program was not involved
in planning the forum. She also
felt the forum was too polarized
and the lack of incorporation of
the opinions of women of color
was a "very serious omission."
LSA-SG Vice President Andy
Petrella and Reilly, the sponsors of
the proposal, fear only one side of
an issue will be presented if Uni-
versity departments sponsor pro-
grams based on the participants
involved.
"The University is here to edu-
cate us, not indoctrinate us. We
want to hear the women's side, but
they can't be hypocritical about
the situation," Petrella said.
"That's their right not to like her,
but at least allow her to speak."
Reilly said, "We're opposed to
the fact that any University de-
partment takes a stance on an issue
rather than presenting both sides
to students. We don't pay big
bucks to be told what we believe."
Reilly hopes to "raise aware-
ness to the trend on campus to ris-
ing P.C. (politically correct) think-
ing" by getting the proposal
passed.
Because Petrella views the fo-
rum as a way to increase student
participation and education on cur-
rent issues, he believes any Uni-
versity contingent should have
backed the program.
"I think that every department
would want to sponsor a program
like this," Petrella said. "They
should have been honored to have
been asked."
Representatives from the
Women's Studies program had no
comment on the new develop-
ments.
LSA sophomore Jarman Davis and Engineering sophomore Brian Grieser
study chemistry by the soapbox advertising Thursday's forum.
Students can no longer take'
by Stacey Gray,
Rape, pornography, prostitution,
homosexuality, romantic love, and;
transexuality are topics that will
no longer be discussed in Sociol-
ogy 102 - section 015 - when
the class is canceled after this
term.
The section "Sociology of
Love," which has been offered for
the past four winter terms, is taken
mostly by seniors because it closes
within the first few hours of
CRISP. This semester it registered
about 150 students with a waitlist
of 400, said TA Lori Keough.
The class is being canceled be-
cause of budget restraints, said
Mayar Zald, chair of the sociology
department. Zald said the budget
no longer allows for lecturers who
are not regular sociology depart-
ment faculty to teach sociology
classes, such as Sociology of Love
professor Luis Sfeir-Younis.
"Zald told me that for this class
he would have to ask for additional
money from the dean and at this
time he didn't think it was appro-
priate because of budget prob-
lems," said Sfeir-Younis. "I think a
course like this might be cut be-
cause classes with practical value
are not seen as intellectually
strong or sound."
Keough also questioned the
reasons behind the cancellation.
"The demand for the class is
incredible," she said. "It deals
with issues that need attention in
our society: rape, pornography,
gender role stereotypes... and how
these things restrict our freedom to
love and function as well-rounded
individuals."
Many others said the class has
taught them a lot about love and
related topics.
Business School senior Jim
Hechtman said, "I think it is a se-
rious mistake. I've learned more in
this class - information that is
pertinent to reality and life - than
in all my other classes."
"The change in many of my
students is amazing," said Susan
'Sociology
McDonald Black, another TA.
"They had never really thought
about issues like homophobia and
racism."j
Students in McDonald Black's
three sections are trying to keep
the class alive for their group
project.
"I think as a diversity class it is
very important," said Leigh Gal-
tand, a first-year LSA student. "It
seems a lot of people don't take it
seriously because it is about love
and intimacy and I. think that re-j
flects our society - it is some-
thing that should be taken seri-
ously - that is why we have so;
many problems."
of Love'
The section groups are writing
letters, contacting news and talk
shows, drawing up petitions, per-
forming skits, and hanging banners
in their attempt to keep the class
available.
Sfeir-Younis was flattered about
the projects but stressed that he
had nothing to do with originating
them.
Zald said the Sociology de-
partment tries to offer as compre-
hensive a program as it can under
its budget. "If we had a regular
faculty member who wanted to
teach it I would jump at it," Zald
said. "I've had students calling me
about it; they would like to see the
course taught."
Soviet voters support preserving federation
MOSCOW (AP) - Soviet
President Mikhail Gorbachev and
his maverick rival Boris Yeltsin
yesterday both emerged from the
first referendum in Soviet history
able to claim victory.
In the nonbinding election held
Sunday across the Soviet Union,
Gorbachev won overwhelming
support for preserving a renewed
federation with the majority of the
population.
But partial returns showed
Yeltsin winning on a question that
has been opposed by Gorbachev:
creating a strong presidency for the
Russian federation, and filling it
Both President Gorbachev and rival Yeltsin claim
victory after first referendum in Soviet history
by direct election.
Yeltsin was elected chair by
Russia's legislature in May.
Known as the Russian president,
he is in danger of losing that job.
The hard-line members of Russia's
Congress are planning a no-confi-
dence vote on March 28. Even if
Yeltsin lost that vote, he would be
strongly favored in a popular elec-
tion.
Gorbachev's referendum won by
margins of 70 percent to 95 per-
cent in seven of the 15 republics:
the Ukraine, Byelorussia, and in
the five republics of Central Asia:
Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tadzhik-
istan, Turkmenia and Kirgizia.
Six independence-minded re-
publics refused to hold the referen-
dum and the majority of their vot-
ers appeared to stay away from
polls held in Communist Party and
military bases.
Gorbachev first proposed the
referendum in December as a
means of pressuring leaders of the
15 Soviet republics into signing a
new Union Treaty to preserve cen-
tr4l control over politics and the''
economy.
The main referendum question
did not mention the Union Treaty
and was so vague that even Gor-
bachev's allies were not sure how
to translate an electoral victory
into policy.
Gorbachev campaigned heavily
in favor of the main referendum
question, and after casting his bal-
lot Sunday said he opposed
strengthening the Russian presi-
dency.
He called the Russian presi-
dency "dangerous," but said he
would "respect the opinion of the
Russians."
Yeltsin said Friday that
"introducing the post of president
of Russia will help strengthen the
sovereignty of the republic."
Gorbachev has avoided a popu-
lar election.
*Clarification
The decision to allow the Anti-Imperialist Action Caucus to run
candidates for executive officer positions on the Michigan Student
Assembly was made by the Central Student Judiciary. This information
was not clear in Friday's Daily.
a'THE LIST
What's happening in Ann Arbor today
Iraqi rebels clash with Saddam's troops
Meetings
Recycle U-M, weekly mtg. 1040
:Dana, 7 p.m.
Kaffeestunde, weekly German con-
versations. MLB third floor conference
room, 4:30-6.
German Club, weekly mtg. MLB,
;Rm. 2004, 7:00.
Anthropology Club, weekly mtg.
Dominick's, 7:30.
:Time & Relative Dimensions in
'Ann Arbor, weekly mtg. Call 971-
2072 for info. 2439 Mason Hall, 8:00.
:Ultimate Frisbee Club, weekly mtg.
Fuller Park, lower fields, 5 p.m.
Take Back the Night, weekly mtg.
League, Conf. Rm 4/5, 7:30-9:30.
Phi Alpha Delta, pre-law fraternity
:mtg. League, rmn D, 7:30.
Asian American Association, work-.
shop mtg. Trotter House, 7 p.m.
Speakers
"Just and Unjust Uses of Power,"
Peter Boeve, president, Interfaith
Council for Peace and Justice. Inter-
national Center, noon.
"Ring-Slippage Mechanisms and
Kinetics of Ligand Substitution of
Organometallic Complexes," Fred
Basolo of Northwestern University.
Chem Bldg, rn 1640, 4 p.m.
"The Pink Triangle: Gays Under
nor Coon. Rackham Amphitheater, 4
p.m.
Bert Hornback, reading the poetry
of William Butler Yeats. University
Club Terrace, 8 p.m.
Furthermore
Safewalk ,nighttime safety walking
service. Functions 8-1:30 a.m. Sun.-
Thurs. Call 936-1000 or stop by 102,
UGLi. Also at the Angell Hall Com-
puting Center 1-3 a.m. Sun. - Thurs.
Call 763-4246 or stop by the court-
yard.
Northwalk, North Campus nighttime
walking service. Functions 8-11:30
Sun.-Thurs. Call 763-WALK or stop
by 2333 Bursley.
ECB Peer Writing Tutors available
Sunday-Thursday, Angell/Haven
Computing Center, 7-11; 611 Church
Computing Center 7-11.
Free Tax Preparation. Sponsored by
VITA until April 15. Union, 3rd floor,
9-5.
The Yawp literary magazine.
Submissions accepted until 3/22 in
the box at 1210 Angell.
U of M Women's Rugby Club,
Tuesday practice. Call 995-0129 for
more info. Sports Coliseum, 8-10 p.m.
U of M Taijiquan Club, weekly
practice. Cube, 5:15.
NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) - Kur-
dish rebels said yesterday the Iraqi
army was using virtually every
weapon it has to try to break the
back of the rebellion in northern
Iraq.
Spokespersons for Shiite Mus-
lims also fighting to topple Presi-
dent Saddam Hussein maintain their
fighters are holding off a three-
pronged assault by Iraqi troops on
the southern cities of Basra, Karbala
and Tannuma.
Iraq's government-controlled
newspapers claimed the army crushed
the revolt in the south, despite at-
tacks from Shiite rebels that had left
cities in ruins. Kuwait's Crown
Prince disputed that, saying Iraqi re-
sistance was winning in the north as
well as in southern Iraq near Iran.
Officials of the Shiite and Kur-
dish rebel groups in Damascus and
London charged Iraqi forces were us-
ing napalm and phosphorus bombs,
to try to put down the twin revolts
against Saddam.
None of the claims could be in-
dependently verified.
Refugees fleeing Basra told re-
porters with U.S. troops in southern
Iraq that rebels still held parts of the
city and were being pounded by Iraqi
artillery.
Tehran radio, monitored by the
BBC in London, said 12,000 to
16,000 people were reported killed
on the highway between the Shiite
holy cities of Najaf and Karbala in
the Iraqi south. It gave no source for
the figure.
In Washington, State Department
deputy spokesperson Richard
Boucher said there was heavy fight-
ing between Iraqi forces and Kurdish
dissidents in northern Iraq.
He said the dissidents "now ap-
pear to be in control of large por-
tions of predominantly Kurdish areas
of northern and northeastern Iraq."
Fighting is also continuing in
the south along the lower Tigris and
Euphrates rivers and in the vicinity
of Shia holy cities, he said, adding
that there had been damage to holy
shrines.
In Kuwait City, Crown Prince
Saad Abdullah al-Sabah told U.S.
congress members the Iraqi resis-
tance has the upper hand in northern'
Iraq and in southern Iraq along Iran's
border.
Based on intelligence reports, al-
Sabah said Iraqi forces "have not
been able to control the situation,
especially in the northern part of
Iraq."
"In the southern part of Iraq, es-
pecially the areas that are in the bor-
derline between Iran and Iraq, this is
some sort of no-man's land. It is not
under control of either the Iraqis or
the Iranians," he said.
"There are a number of groups
that are facing the armed forces and
the authorities of Iraq. They have
been able to take control of some of
the police centers and the govern-
ment buildings," he said, without
specifying locations.
It was the first high-level confir-
mation that the Iraqi opposition was
controlling the border area.
In Damascus, Sami Abdul Rah-
man of the Kurdistan People's
Democratic Party said Kurds fighting
in the north retained control of a
wide swath of territory along the Ira-
nian and Turkish borders.
He said they controlled all or part
of the districts of Kirkuk,
Suleimaniyah, Erbil, Dehok, Jalaul4
and Knanagin.
"Gen. (H. Norman) Schwarzkopf
received daily satellite pictures, but
no one is supplying us with such
pictures," Abdul Rahman said. "We
know that a substantial part of Sad;
dam's army is still there. It may not
have been a match for the allies."