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14. US Media Ignores Humanitarian Aspects of Famine in North Korea Sources: Alexander Cockburn (alexandercockburn@ asis.com) and Jeffrey St Clair (sitka@ home.com), "Aftermath of Amchitka", Counterpunch, Summer 1999, Terrain, Fall 1999; Jeffrey St Clair, "Thirty Years After: The Legacy of America's Largest Nuclear Test", In These Times, 8 August 1999. As a food crisis of staggering proportions develops in North Korea, the US media are focusing on the threat posed by North Korea's continuation of nuclear testing. US media have used the North Korean famine for political propaganda and have failed to cover the huge disaster from an humanitarian perspective. Nowhere is there an outcry like the one developed by media worldwide for Ethiopia. The German Red Cross estimated there were two million deaths in 1997 due to starvation; the South Korean Buddhists Sharing Movement reported an estimated three million deaths; and the New York Council of Foreign Affairs reported an estimate of one million North Korean deaths due to famine. Source: Yuh Ji-Yeon (j-yuk@nwu.edu), "Dangerous Communists, Inscrutable Orientals, Starving Masses", Peace Review, June 1999. Set opto pron 12. Evidence Indicates No Pre-War Genocide in cover the huge disaster from an humanitarian perspective. Kosovo and Possible US/KLA Disinformation Plot Nowhere is there an outcry like the one developed by media According to the New York Times, the "turning point" in worldwide for Ethiopia. NATO's decision to wage war on Yugoslavia occurred on 20 The German Red Cross estimated there were two million deaths January 1999, when US diplomat William Walker led a group of in 1997 due to starvation; the South Korean Buddhists Sharing news reporters to discover a so-called Serb massacre of some 45 Movement reported an estimated three million deaths; and the Albanians in Racak, Kosovo. This story made international head- New York Council of Foreign Affairs reported an estimate of one lines and was later used to justify the NATO bombings. million North Korean deaths due to famine. The day before the "massacre", Serb police had a firefight with Source: Yuh Ji-Yeon (j-yuk@nwu.edu), "Dangerous Communists, KLA rebels that was covered by an AP film crew. At the end of Inscrutable Orientals, Starving Masses", Peace Review, June day, the village was deserted. William Walker arrived at noon 1999. with additional journalists and expressed his outrage at a "genocidal massacre" to the world press. 15. Early Puberty in Girls may be Linked to Chemicals Walker's story remains shrouded with doubt. "What is disturb- _in the Environment and Increases in Breast Cancer ing," remarked war correspondent Renaud Girard, "is that the pic- Endocrine disrupters may be responsible for young girls matur- tures filmed by the AP journalists radically contradict Walker's ing faster, thus creating an increased risk of breast cancer. A accusations." Belorussian and Finnish forensic experts were later | University of North Carolina cross-sectional study of girls unable to verify that a massacre had actually occurred at Racak. between the ages of three to 12 years, found that girls are devel- Sources: Mark Cook (dejsaba@ aol.com), "William Walker: oping pubertal characteristics at younger ages than is suggested ‘Man with a Mission'", Covert Action by standard paediatrics textbooks. Quarterly, Spring/Summer 1999; Sam The study found that, on average, Smith (news@prorev.com), "My African-American girls begin Multinational Entity, Right or Wrong", The so-called Serb massacre of puberty between eight and nine The Progressive Review, June 1999; . . years of age, and white girls by 10 Pablo Ordaz, "Spanish police and foren - some 45 Albanians in Racak, years of age, which is six months to a year sooner than previous sic experts have not found proof of geno - Kosovo, which made international cide in the north of Kosovo", El Pais, 23 headlines and was later used to data suggests. Although it is September 1999. . . . unclear what is causing this earl p justify the NATO bombings, onset of puberty, environmental 13. US Agency Seeks to Export is now classed as part ofa exposures have been implicated. Weapons-Grade Plutonium to a F F Breast cancer risks include the Russian Organisation with Crime US disinformation campaign. early onset of puberty that is Links brought on by the release of natur- The Washington-based Non- al oestrogens in the body. Women Proliferation Trust (NPT) proposes that the who go through puberty early US sell nuclear waste to Russia. NPT's plan would make Russia have longer exposure to these oestrogens and therefore may be at the world's dumping ground for nuclear waste, including greater risk of developing breast cancer. weapons-grade plutonium. NPT's partner in this endeavour is Sources: Marcia E. Herman-Giddens, Eric J. Slora, Richard MinAtom, Russia's Ministry of Atomic Energy. Wasserman, Carlos Bourdony, Manju V. Bhapkar, Fary Koch, NPT is headed up by Daniel Murphy (former Deputy Director Cynthis Hasemeier, "Secondary Sexual Characteristics and of the CIA), Bruce Demars (former head of the US Navy's nuclear Menses in Young Girls Seen in Office Practice: A Study from the program) and William Webster (former Director of the CIA and — Pediatric Research in Office Settings Network", Pediatrics, vol. FBI). Although NPT is set up as a non-profit organisation, its 11, no. 3, December 1998. principals stand to make huge profits from consulting and sub- contracting. On the list of potential subcontractors is Halter 16. Media Distort Debate on Affirmative Action Marine, in Gulfport, Mississippi—a company to which US The US media oversimplified the debate on affirmative action Senator Trent Lott has close links. and deliberately misled the American public. Media coverage at Yevgeny Adamoy, the head of MinAtom, estimates that the the national level presented the controversy as a conflict primarily operation could produce US$150 billion in revenue, making it the between African-Americans and whites, minimising the place of most lucrative operation in Russia. MinAtom is also alleged to Latinos and Asian-Americans in the affirmative action debate. have links to corrupt government officials and the Russian Mob. In 1995, headlines, visuals, highlighted quotes and storyline Sources: Jeffrey St Clair (sitka@home.com), "Hot Property, Cold emphasis demonstrated unavoidable conflict of interest between Cash: The Plan to Turn Russia into the World's Nuclear Waste Whites and Blacks. The media portrayed African-Americans pur- Dump", In These Times, 17 October 1999; Jeffrey St Clair and portedly gaining at the direct expense of whites. The continued Alexander Cockburn (alexandercockburn@ asis.com), "The use of the buzzword "preferences", in conjunction with affirma- MinAtom Conspiracy", Counterpunch, vol. 6, no. 16, 16-30 tive action, intensified the emotional context of the issue. The September 1999. news reinforced racial antagonism, while perpetuating the idea justify the NATO bombings, is now classed as part of a US disinformation campaign. 13. US Agency Seeks to Export Weapons-Grade Plutonium to Russian Organisation with Crime Links 16. Media Distort Debate on Affirmative Action The US media oversimplified the debate on affirmative action and deliberately misled the American public. Media coverage at the national level presented the controversy as a conflict primarily between African-Americans and whites, minimising the place of Latinos and Asian-Americans in the affirmative action debate. In 1995, headlines, visuals, highlighted quotes and storyline emphasis demonstrated unavoidable conflict of interest between Whites and Blacks. The media portrayed African-Americans pur- portedly gaining at the direct expense of whites. The continued use of the buzzword "preferences", in conjunction with affirma- tive action, intensified the emotional context of the issue. The news reinforced racial antagonism, while perpetuating the idea 20 - NEXUS JUNE — JULY 2000 The so-called Serb massacre of