Asia Notes

Pull up your socks HabibieAmnesty international said on Saturday the Indonesian Government had lost sight of its commitment to human righ...

Pull up your socks Habibie

Amnesty international said on Saturday the Indonesian Government had lost sight of its commitment to human rights and urged President B.J. Habibie to allow political activists to operate free from fear. 8220;Amnesty calls on the Government to ensure that excessive and lethal force are not used against political activists,8221; the London-based rights group said in a hard-hitting eight-page report. It also urged Habibie to bring to justice members of the military who commit human rights abuses, and said his methods had a 8220;striking similarity8221; to those used by fallen strong man Suharto. In the six months since Habibie took over from Suharto, with 8220;a high profile agenda for political and human rights reform8221; including prisoner releases, the Government appeared to have 8220;lost sight of its commitments8221;. Despite positive initiatives, such as ratifying the convention against torture, 8220;the reality is that human rights continue to be violated,8221; said Amnesty.

Big Spendermeets his Maker

Cheng Tze-keung, once Hong Kong8217;s most wanted man who was executed on Saturday in China, was considered a likeable rogue with a heart of gold whose lavish ways earned him the nickname Big Spender8217;. Despite his notoriety, 43-year-old Cheung was also known for his generosity to followers and strangers alike. He was renowned for his love of the good things in life, including flashy cars, and that probably led him to a life of crime including armed robberies, murders and kidnapping at the head of a criminal empire. 8220;I haven8217;t the patience to work for a living. In this world, money is the most important thing,8221; Cheung reportedly confessed after his arrests. He was said to have made US 95.6 million in armed robberies, and some US 200 million in ransom money for masterminding the kidnapping of two Hong Kong tycoons. He showed no signs of remorse ahead of his death, although Hong Kong media said he was close to tears when visited by his two sons, aged four and seven, in jail. Cheung andfour of his gang members were executed Saturday.