Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - July 3, 1997, Winnipeg, Manitoba July t99 grits ripped Over Somalia reply by Dan Lett dismissing report wont fix military problems critics Ottawa the Sears of the 1993 Somalia Mission will never heal unless Canada addresses problems within its military opposition members said within minutes of the release of a two year inquiry into the conduct of Canadas critics accused Ottawa of contributing to the deceit and coverup that allowed the military to go out of the opposition zeroed in on the Liberal decision to Cut Short the inquiry work and then miss its findings contained in a Page the inquiry found that Canadas military has a crisis at senior Levels and that it suffers from Telic problems in Mission preparedness and problems peaked in 1993 while on a humanitarian Mission in Canadian soldiers tortured and killed somali government is guilty of the same offences that senior officers committed in the Somalia said Reform party defence critic Art hang Hanger said it is Clear that the truth hurts and the Liberal government is satisfied to blow off the commission report and leave Many major questions progressive conservative Leader Jean Charest said the governments handling of the Somalia inquiry has been disgusting and insulting to the rank and file of the who Are left to shoulder the blame for crimes committed by senior As Long As the allegations Are in the there will be forever a Cloud Over the department of National Charest while agreeing that mistakes were made in defence minister Art Eggleton said he does not believe a House cleaning of senior military ranks is me allowed that the com Mission performed a lot of Good but added that Many of the suggestions it has made for reforming operation of peace keeping missions have already been the Federal minister was particularly concerned that the commission accused senior officers of lying to the As Long As allegations Are in the will be forever a Cloud Over Thi department of National conservative Leader Jean Charest inquiry about the events of Eggleton said the commission should have detailed the evidence to support such an commission chairman Gilles Letourneau said the evidence exists in the pages of transcript from the inquiry hearings adding commission ers did not have enough time to Orga Nize it into specific he said there is abundant evidence to pursue senior officers for military duet and Letourneau also dismissed Eggle tons suggestions that reforms have already taken place calling them largely cosmetic changes that do not Deal with the fundamental and systemic problems in the Letourneau said the of Cojei Al govern ment knew aspects of the Somalia affair subsequent coverup would not be properly investigated when it decided to but off the inquiry work earlier this he said commissioners were unable to fully investigate the 1993 death of somali prisoner Scidane who died following a brutal beating at the hands of Canadian he said that it is now up to the Federal govern ment to take on the responsibility of pursuing additional investigations of these officers and the soldiers the commission had requested a deadline Extension until the end of this year to Complete its in particular allegations that senior military and political officials were involved in a systemic coverup of the Somalia in the troops Are still seen As heroes by Kim Guttormson staff reporter our love affair with the Canadian military wont be washed away by the damning report from the Somalia a Cross Sec Tion of Manitoban said yes in the province that called Canadas military heroes and threw parades in their honour for their efforts fighting the flood of the people said the rank and file should remain a scarred by the actions of a few during the troubled 1993 african humanitarian the Guys Here were Fantas i dont care what anybody John whose marys Road Home was saved when the military boated in sandbags during the the scathing report released yesterday puts the blame squarely on the shoulders of military leaders who had accused lower ranked soldiers for their own and then tried to cover up the dishonoured the lessons of the Somalia runs to almost pages of charts and the distillation of two years of investigation of the Canadian airborne regiments ill fated african Mission in concluded that Ordinary soldiers in a very real victimized by the systemic and leadership failures that plagued the Soma Lia said Gilles the Federal court of Appeal judge who led the Threeman Manitoban agree that the foot soldiers who sandbagged their Way into our hearts two months ago cant be blamed for the actions of i dont think a bad report can Lessen How people feel about the military Winnipeg mayor Susan Thompson said give credit where credit is i think what the flood did is give balance and i think it was certainly a reminder to All of us not to form an opinion based on one Kenny said theres no Point burning the whole Forest for bad of is people questioned on the 11 said yesterday their impression of the Mili tary was More positive than flood won out Over Robert a psychology professor at the University of said personal Contact which there was plenty of during the flood is a powerful thing and leaves a stronger impression in Peoples minds than what they read or see on Contact with the rank and file soldiers during the flood will help avoid the verge Neil Aliza Tion that May happen else he the positive Contact wit each other puts us in a better Posi Tion to judge Canadian soldiers Florent the Reeve of the pm of said the Somalia affair was never an Issue in his i Haven heard anybody before the flood blasting the army for Somalia is not a not in the View of our ship with those 1 Michel Minst with Esprit de said Manitoban Learned first hand Canadas soldiers Are a class but added the com missions report that those same soldiers bereft of solid Leader f your Luck just changed Assiniboia Downs is the Only professional sporting event in Manitoba to offer this much exciting entertainment for free its the provinces most thrilling As Well f As the most affordable Post time Friday saturday pm sunday free Gene admission free parking 3975 Portage Avenue at the perimeter Downs information 8853330 commissioners blast military leadership Canadian press Ottawa highlights from the Page Somalia commission released yesterday we reached one general conclusion the response of the Chain of command to the and disciplinary problems manifested in the March 4th operation was untie and unbecoming the military leadership that our soldiers deserve and the Cana Dian Public integrity and courage were subordinated to personal and institutional it is our that the failure of leadership immediately to address and remedy the problems revealed by the March 4 incident May have made possible the torture death of a somali youth 12 Days q q q we must record with regret that on Many occasions the testimony of wit Nesses was characterized by Inconis selective half and Plain on some issues we encountered what can Only be described As a Wall of when Sev eral witnesses behave in this the Wall of silence is evidently a strategy of calculated q q q we continue to believe that important facts concerning the deployment and its aftermath Are not yet known or remain we because of its pub Lic the government also believed that it was and in the interests of the Canadian military and its to and Analyse the facts publicly and in an nonpartisan a Xvi Pussy we were mistaken As the govern ment abandoned its earlier declared interest in holding to account senior Lead ers officials who participated in the planning and execution of the Mission and responded to the problems that once history repeats in that Only the lower ranks have been made to account for the marked failures of their a o o number of factors contributed to the disciplinary problems in the Canadian airborne regiment specifically in 2 prior to including periodic Lack of commitment on the part of cars Parent regiments to ensure their Best members were sent to the car the inferior Quality of some Junior officers and on a scale of 1 to How much allergy Relief do you get from antihistamines allergy triggers such its Follen cume watery eyes and a Runny the Root of Yaw problem with allergies is nasal antihistamines dont always address the whole at the Onset of your allergy histamine and other substances Are you experience itchy a Runny and provide partial Relief from these allergy attacks can also stuff you you experience swelling in your unfortunately antihistamines Are not designed to completely relieve that for you keep additional help to reduce nasal there Are approaches that ease nasal learn All you can about and about your everything from healthier lifestyle choices to different medications is explained in the free allergy education kit offered order yours today because knowledge is the Best weapon against by 1800 888 7215 please Call i lie allergy 1 due Avion a registered nurse will be Happy 10 Lake your Eal ;