Failure to Arrest Serial Killer Sparks Row in USA

Failure to Arrest Serial Killer Sparks Row in USA

From our correspondent in New York

A row is growing in the USA over how to deal with a serial killer who has been active for 22 years and is thought to have killed thousands of people across the country.

Relatives of the victims and many NGOs are demanding that police investigate the crimes committed by the serial killer, with a goal of arresting and prosecuting him. In addition to murder, crimes committed by the serial killer are thought to include rape, arson, torture, mutilations, paedophilia, kidnappings and theft.

However, police forces in the US are divided over how to approach the serial killer, with none even publicly admitting that what is taking place are crimes that require police to intervene.

Some police forces argue that as the killings have taken place inside the killers home, it is a private matter and they cannot intervene, even though police standing outside the house while killings are taking place can hear victims screaming for help.

Other police forces argue that investigating and imprisoning the killer would be counter-productive, and instead a less confrontational approach should be taken, befriending the killer.

"It is possible that the killer has no friends, and feels lonely, we should let him join local social clubs, said one police force in the same area as the killer."Once he has made friends with more normal people, maybe some normality will rub off on him.”

However, one ex-police officer, who now claims to be an expert on serial killers, blamed the victims and their friends for the ongoing crisis, saying how they responded to the killings, demanding justice, is the real problem. "The killer is forced to keep killing because people keep saying he must stop. My personal view is that taking the killer on holiday would pretty much solve the problem."

The killer’s confidence that he can act with impunity seems to have grown in recent years, leading to an increase in the murders he carries out. Bodies of victims, some with brutal injuries and even beheaded, are left in the killer’s front garden for all to see, but still police have failed to act.

In desperation, NGOs have been conducting their own investigations, compiling evidence in the hope that presented with the facts police will feel compelled to act. So far however, police have ignored the evidence.

NGOs believe that the evidence they have compiled, even with their limited resources, is more than enough to justify a full scale investigation. Many crimes have been committed which break local and national laws.

"Unlike some serial killers, who prefer a particular type of victim, this killer is more indiscriminate, but clearly has a preference for ethnic minorities," said one NGO worker.

Federal police, who some argue have a legal duty to investigate the killer, have also avoided intervening in the case. They say that it would take a Council Committee vote before they can intervene.

NGOs express frustration at this, saying friends and neighbours of the killer are on the council, and that these neighbours even have joint business investments with the killer.

NGOs are now calling on US President Obama to intervene and show leadership, but so far he has remained silent.

While the debate over who should do what and when continues, so do the killings, several victims in the past month have been children.

National League for Democracy Appeals to Next Generation of Activists

From our correspondent in Rangoon

Burma’s National League for Democracy (NLD) has announced new reforms that they hope will bring in a new generation of activists working for the restoration of democracy to Burma.

The new reforms come as a critical time for the organisation, which won 82 percent of seats in an election held in 1990, but was never allowed to take power. The party now faces being banned on May 7th after deciding not to register as a party under new election laws, which they claim are unjust.

“We will continue our struggle, whether or not the election commission declares us an illegal party, we will still be here,” said party spokesman Nyan Win Oo. “Therefore we continue the reforms that began with the new Central Committee. In order to appeal to our younger people we are lowering the minimum NLD membership age from sixty to fifty. Now young people will be able to play a fuller role in the struggle.”

However, the radical reforms have caused controversy among some members, who argue that having such young and inexperienced members could cause problems for the party. “Hot-headed youths could get us into trouble, we need calm people who respect authority and will wait and see what happens,” said one leader speaking off the record from his sick-bed.

Others have welcomed the reform as long overdue. “We must be practical,” said one CC member. “When the SPDC allowed us to reopen some offices it caused us major problems as in several places the local members were too old and ill to physically get to the office.”

Burma’s Isolationalist Regime Launches International TV Station

From our correspondent in Rangoon

Burma’s notoriously isolationalist dictatorship has launched a new 24 hour English language TV station, Myanmar International TV. The station replaces MRTV3, which has been broadcasting globally for many years.

The new TV station features foreign presenters, including one who is apparently English and, perhaps embarrassed by her new employers, only gives her name as Sophie.

Early features on the new TV station included a visit to Burma by the Vietnamese Prime Minister, and a planned Burmese delegation visit to India. As well as news, the station also broadcasts several programmes promoting tourism to Burma, as well as business investment and trade. Programmes also featured the recently expanded international airport in Rangoon, which has two million passengers a year and is served by 16 international airlines. Pop music video’s feature Rangoon’s busy port docks as a backdrop.

China Central Television (CCTV), Cable Networks News (CNN) of the USA, and the Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) are providing news items for the channel.

Chinese news agency Xinhua reported: “MITV beams reach North America, Europe, Australian, New Zealand, China, India and Indochina regions and arrangements have been made for its round-the-clock programs to cover the whole world.”

Analysts cited the station as yet more evidence of the futility of western and other foreign countries attempting to put pressure on Burma’s generals, who have used foreign investment and trade to double the size of Burma’s army, and who have at least $5bn hidden in bank accounts in Singapore.

“A 24 hour English language TV station being broadcast worldwide via satellite at great expense demonstrates once again that Burma’s generals don’t care about world opinion, and that only uncritical engagement will make a difference,” said one analyst.

Aung Myint Oo, an American author who has visited Burma on many occasions, and who claims that western sanctions reinforce the generals ‘default position’ of isolationalism, was not available for comment.