================================================================== The BIRCH BARK BBS / 414-242-5070 ================================================================== THE NEW AMERICAN -- October 3, 1994 Copyright 1994 -- American Opinion Publishing, Incorporated P.O. Box 8040, Appleton, WI 54913 414-749-3784 ================================================================== ARTICLE: A Special Report From Cairo AUTHOR: William Norman Grigg ================================================================== William Norman Grigg, on assignment for The New American in Cairo, filed this report: "Consensus" Through Coercion The most frequently uttered shibboleth at the UN International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) was "consensus." The term received a particularly vigorous workout from Timothy Wirth (CFR), the Clinton Administration's Undersecretary of State for Global Affairs and leader of the U.S. ICPD delegation. At each of the U.S. delegation's press conferences, Wirth extolled the "broad consensus" which had been built around the proposed Cairo action plan. On September 9th, three American journalists discovered that the new world order creates "consensus" by silencing dissenting views. Following the U.S. delegation's September 9th press conference, Keith Tucci, Sharon Turner, and David Haddon were compelled to surrender their press accreditation cards to ICPD security personnel and escorted from the Cairo International Conference Center (CICC) under guard. According to Tucci's account, which was confirmed by the reports of three witnesses, the security officer who seized Tucci's card stated that he did so at Wirth's direction. Upon their exit the Americans were placed in detention by Egyptian Security personnel, as security protocols required all individuals in or near the CICC to present appropriate credentials. "It's a set-up," an associate of Tucci told The New American. "First they [the U.S. delegation] took their creden- tials away, then they had them arrested for not having proper credentials." The expulsion took place at approximately 8:00 p.m. Officials from the American Embassy arrived shortly before midnight after being informed of the Americans' plight by Congressman Christopher Smith (R-NJ), an unofficial U.S. delegate to the ICPD. At approximately 2:00 a.m. the next morning, the three Americans were moved from the conference center to a hotel near the Cairo International Airport, where they remained in the custody of security personnel while background checks were performed by both American and UN authorities. Tucci maintains that the expulsion came about in response to the intervention of a member of the U.S. ICPD delegation. "Yesterday [September 8th] a pro- abortion [activist] noticed me, and recognized me because of my pro-life activities," Tucci told The New American. "She grabbed my pass and said, 'What about this pass?' I said, 'I've got a legitimate pass. I'm here working as a correspondent with a newspaper in the states.' She said, 'Well, we're gonna get you.'" John Burton, the security guard who took Tucci's pass, later confirmed he did so at Wirth's direction. Tucci, an activist associated with Operation Rescue, confined his activities in Cairo to lobbying and free-lance journalism. Sharon Turner, an independent journalist and representative of the pro-family organization "The Real Majority," also has a background of pro-life activism. Haddon is a correspon- dent for the Spiritual Counterfeits Project Journal in Berkeley, California. Turner and Haddon were asked by Tucci to accompany him to the UN Security office as witnesses; without explanation their credentials were taken as well. According to Congressman Smith, who was involved in the negotiations to secure the freedom of the three expelled Americans, Tucci's name was given to UN Security by an unidentified American pro-abortion activist. General Fathy Tayel of Egyptian Security told Smith that UN Security had "received informa- tion that Tucci is believed to be behind the murder of two doctors in the United States," specifically that he had been "involved in some of the Miami shootings" -- a reference to the murders of abortionists David Gunn and John Britton. Operation Rescue, the pro-life protest group with which Tucci has been associated, has repeatedly and explicitly denounced the use of violence against abortionists. Pro-life activities at the Cairo conference have been confined to lobbying and pamphleteering, but these activities may have been construed by the pro-abortion contingent within the U.S. delegation as crimes against "consensus." Special Agent John Burton of the diplomatic security service was instructed by Wirth to check Tucci's credentials. Once the three Americans were expelled from the conference, Burton requested that a background check on Tucci be made by UN Security; at this point the accusation planted by the American pro-abortion activist was retrieved from the file, and Tucci was placed under the custody of UN Security official Fred Carrico. An FBI background check of the three Americans disclosed that none of the three had a criminal record. "The records of these people were absolutely clean," Congressman Smith told The New American. "What we would like to know is who made this false and malicious accusation that resulted in the expulsion and arrest of American citizens." Agents of Disinformation? At least one other journalist has had his accreditation revoked. Christian Wernicke, a correspondent for Die Zeit in Germany, was relieved of his press card following a sharp exchange on September 8th with Ayman El-Amir, the official spokesman for the ICPD. During that day's official press briefing, Wernicke provoked an ovation from the assembled correspondents when he com- plained about the "lack of transparency" that characterized meetings of the ICPD's main committee. Noting that journalists were unable to obtain access to the meetings and had to rely upon UN-approved accounts, Wernicke accused ICPD officials of trafficking in disinformation. Shortly after this exchange, Wernicke's press card was taken from him. "Here we talk about cooperation and transparency, and the UN itself is closing down the window," Wernicke complained to The New American. "There has been so much disinformation regarding this conference. It is in the interests of the delegates and the UN system itself to allow journalists to have more direct access. If you cannot have information firsthand you have to rely on 'inter- ested' information," Wernicke declared. "Unless a journalist has primary access, he is at the mercy of sources with a partisan position." Wernicke reports that he was able to regain access to the conference by registering as a representative of a German Non-Governmental Organization (NGO). Pattern of Intimidation? Some pro-life delegates and activists insist that the detention of the three Americans fits into a "pattern of intimidation" visible at both the Cairo conference and the UN "PrepCom" held in New York City last April. Miguel I. Prado, an adviser to the Peruvian delegation, told The New American, "This is how things operate here, and it's how they were in New York. Caucuses that are supposed to be open are closed to pro-lifers." Prado had been told that the U.S. delegation was collecting names of American pro-life activists at the Cairo conference and was vetting the names with the White House. Even as The New American was asking Prado to substantiate this report, news became available regarding the seizure of Tucci's press card. Some American pro-life activists in Cairo have described the arrest of Tucci, Haddon, and Turner as a manifestation of the Clinton Administration's latent "Waco gene." On the basis of a malicious anonymous accusation, an American pro-abortion activist was able to have political opponents detained under UN authority. This is an ominous precedent worthy of contemplation as the Clinton Administration and the UN work to extend "access to abortion" worldwide. What Is "Consensus"? The Cairo Conference, like every other significant UN assembly, is essentially an exercise in ratifying a pre-ordained conclusion. Even before a single syllable had been uttered in the conference plenary sessions, ICPD officials were proclaiming that a "consensus" had been achieved. Yet nobody has been able to define exactly what the term "consensus" means. During a September 6th press briefing, an ICPD spokesman assured reporters that the Cairo report "will be adopted by consensus." Asked if this means a simple majority, the spokesman said "consensus is unanimity." When it was pointed out that the report's provisions on abortion, family planning, and other matters would hardly be accepted by all of the delegations, the spokes- man rejoined that "nations may sign the document with reservations" -- meaning that there can be "unanimity with reservations." The spokesman also made it clear that the report would be signed and put into effect despite objections, and that it would not be defeated even by a majority vote, as "that is not how things have historically been done at the UN." However, during a press conference held the very next day, U.S. delegation leader Timothy Wirth stated that "consensus is not unanimity" but that "consensus" had been achieved despite the intractable disagreements over abortion and other issues. Wirth-less on the Constitution The Clinton Administration's most notable spokesmen continue to flunk tests of basic constitutional literacy. During the U.S. delegation's September 7th press conference, Timothy Wirth was asked by The New American to identify the constitutional provision which grants authority for U.S. involvement in global population control efforts of any kind. Wirth replied: "I think the Constitution very clearly says that the powers are left to the government except that which is in interstate and foreign commerce, and in the issue of foreign commerce, the Congress has clearly over and over again authorized funding for this...." Obviously, Wirth either hopelessly misunderstands -- or deliberately misrepre- sents -- the concept of reserved powers (i.e., the Ninth and Tenth Amendments). He apparently believes that the purpose of the Constitution is to reserve all powers to the federal government, except those specifically given to other entities. But leaving that matter aside, Wirth contradicted his own premises by saying that U.S. involvement in global family planning is justified in the name of "interstate and foreign commerce" -- which is supposedly among "those powers [not] left to the government"! Global Governance "Our Global Neighborhood," the report of the Commission on Global Governance, will be released next February in preparation for the celebration of the UN's 50th anniversary. According to Commission co-chairman Sir Shridath Ramphal in remarks made at the ICPD, "What we are talking about requires, as a starting point, a new vision of the world." That new vision will be captured in at least two new catch-phrases: "Global Neighborhood" -- which will supplant the "global village" -- and "global governance," rather than world or global government. Notes Ramphal, "We will be saying in the report that we have ceased to be the world of nation-states that we once were." The Commission was inaugurated in 1992 to study ways of revising the "UN system" and to "explore opportunities for global cooperation in the post cold war environment." Commission members include Co-Chair Ingvar Carlsson (former Prime Minister of Sweden), UNCED Chairman Maurice Strong, and former EC President Jaques Delors. According to Ramphal, the Commission may suggest a substantial expansion and revision of the UN's mission and assumptions. "How are we going to manage the affairs of the planet in the coming years?... How are we going to distribute power in the world?... We cannot do this intelligently unless we get right the values, the principles, the ethics, the mission that must govern the world in the future." Among the reforms mentioned by Ramphal are a reconfiguration of the UN Security Council and a strengthening of the mechanisms of "international law," including the International Court of Justice. Ramphal insisted that "These are issues of governance -- not issues of world government, because the Commission has set its face against the concept of government -- but of governance in its broadest sense." This distinction, which would elude all but the most devoted eristics, will be repeatedly invoked by those who seek to "empower" the UN with additional attributes of a government -- legislative and law enforcement powers, an independent military, etc. It must be remembered that "governance" is a less specific -- and therefore more dangerous -- concept than "government"; it is less susceptible to limits and constitutional guidelines. Those who preside over the UN or a successor organization could theoretically increase their powers at any time in the name of "governance" while still maintaining that they are not creating a formal "government." Furthermore, the ICPD -- like the "Earth Summit" in Rio -- has made great use of the "NGO Community," a transnational collection of activist groups which provide "grass-roots" ratification for UN decisions and policies. Ramphal maintains that these unaccountable private groups are creating a new "global civic culture," the management of which will be the concern of global governance. Asked by The New American if the new global regime (however it may be designated) would respect the rights and wishes of nations that wished to preserve their independence -- perhaps by withdrawing from the UN -- Ramphal avoided a direct answer. He characterized as "mistaken" the idea that a "structured world government" is in formation and insisted that "This is not the time to be talking about world government." Said Ramphal, "I don't believe that the world is going to retreat into a situation where people are going to run away from this global neighborhood we've become, because there are no sanctuaries left -- there's no place to run to." Ramphal's words offer an eerie echo of Gibbon's description of the world- spanning and tyrannical Roman Empire: "The empire of the Romans filled the world.... The world became a safe and dreary prison for [the Empire's] enemies.... To resist was fatal, and it was impossible to fly." One World Now! Flanking the Commission on Global Governance to the left is a new group called "One World Now!" which calls for immediate reform of the UN and a formalized world government. "We believe the changes have to be immediate and comprehensive.... There has to be a system of global government that is democratized and empowered," One World Now! founder Brenton Musslewhite told The New American. The organization intends to "reform the present UN system and charter to give it the power to act, to pass laws that are binding on world citizens." The group plans to complete a proposed draft of a revised UN charter in November and to present its proposal to the UN General Assembly for the 50th anniversary celebration next year. "Queen" Fonda vs. Population. "The Queen of Aerobics Takes On The World's Population" was the headline of the September 8th edition of ICPD Watch. On September 7th Jane Fonda delivered a speech entitled "Cairo -- The Citizen's View" and spoke at a closed briefing held by the International Planned Parenthood Federation. During her address, the UN's Goodwill Ambassador for Family Planning competently read a carefully scripted summary of the UN's preferred themes. Fonda contended that radical readjustments in life-style are inevitable: "If we make [changes] now they can be humane and good and not too jarring. If we don't, the adjustments are going to be made for us by nature and they will be brutal and pitiless." She also said that "We mustn't permit our development policies to be dictated ... by altruism" -- suggesting that "humane" considerations are hardly a priority of the population planners. Fonda also pointed out that the mass media, including the entertainment media, must use its power to alter human behavior in a way compatible with "sustain- able development" and population control. "We particularly need the help of the world's media. It's true that changing our laws and our institutions can alter human behavior. But to alter people's consciousness and to do it fast the media will have to play its role. We've all experienced the media's power to change things." Fonda's husband, CNN mogul Ted Turner, is a devoted partisan of radical population control. Atwood: Everything Must Change According to USAID director J. Brian Atwood (CFR), the pursuit of "sustainable development" and the implementation of the ICPD program will require nothing less than a comprehensive revision of institutions, practices, and attitudes on the part of every human being. Speaking at a September 5th panel discussion sponsored by the American University in Cairo, Atwood said that the conflict over population control is "historically typical" of the tensions that "arise whenever religious and cultural norms confront social change and new techno- logy." Atwood declared that we "must reconcile our convictions with new realities, reconcile our dogmas with technological change, reconcile our humanitarian concerns with the stark demographic picture that we face." In short, "we will all be changed by this global discussion." According to Atwood, opponents of the ICPD's assumptions and designs will eventually submit: "In time, individ- uals will change their outlook. Societies will change their mores. Religions will interpret their beliefs differently.... And governments will change their policies." Atwood: America Can Learn From Egypt During his September 5th speech, Atwood stated that "Egypt is, in many ways, a test case for sustainable development. We believe that there is much we can learn here that is transferable to other countries, including our own." This puts the concept of "sustainable development" into a rather dismal light. Egypt, the largest Arab state, is one of the poorest nations in the region, with a per-capita income of a little more than $600 a year. Egypt is second only to Israel in foreign aid received from the U.S.; its economy struggles beneath suffocating regulation and taxation. Egyptian consumers wrestle with shortages, inflation, and inefficiencies. Nor have Egyptians benefited from the country's aggressive population control program: Between 1990 and 1992, per-capita income declined by ten percent. The "lessons" referred to by Atwood must have to do with the supposed need for "downward harmonization" in the American standard of living. END OF ARTICLE ================================================================== THE NEW AMERICAN -- October 3, 1994 Copyright 1994 -- American Opinion Publishing, Incorporated P.O. Box 8040, Appleton, WI 54913 SUBSCRIPTIONS: $39.00/year (26 issues) ATTENTION SYSOPS: Permission to repost articles from The New American may be obtained from the above address. ==================================================================