From: David Sangurima <sangu@igc.apc.org>
Newsgroups: soc.culture.latin-america
Date: 05 Nov 92 17:48 PST
Subject: IPS:Panama:US Troops Warned
Nf-ID: #N:cdp:1473800373:000:3035
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!sangu    Nov  5 17:48:00 1992


From: David Sangurima <sangu>
Subject: IPS:Panama:US Troops Warned

/* Written 12:18 am  Nov  5, 1992 by newsdesk@igc.apc.org in igc:ips.englibrary */
/* ---------- "PANAMA: U.S. TROOPS WARNED TO STAY " ---------- */
Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Reference: North America
Title: PANAMA: U.S. TROOPS WARNED TO STAY OUT OF CAPITAL AT NIGHT


panama city, nov. 2 (ips) -- the u.s. southern command, which is
based along the panama canal, monday warned its troops to keep
out of the panamanian capital after dark, and not to visit the
city's night clubs.

a southern command advisory notice explained, there had been
''an increase of violence in panama city's metropolitan area.''
the warning would remain in force until nov. 16, the day after
the plebiscite on the abolition of the panamanian armed forces.

the warning was issued following a statement by the so-called
'esteban huertas national liberation front' (flneh), threatening
to carry out violent actions against the government of president
guillermo endara this month.

flneh is made up of former military personnel and civilians
opposed to the dec. 20, 1989, u.s. invasion of panama.

the invasion, launched in the small hours of the morning,
overthrew general manuel antonio noriega and the administration
of provisional president francisco rodriguez, of the
revolutionary democratic party (prd).

the southern command issued radio and tv warnings to the
10,000 u.s. troops along the canal about the perils involved
in visiting night clubs and bars in panama city, or travelling
through it after dark.

an explosion in one of panama city's night clubs in 1990
killed one u.s. soldier and wounded 15 more.

sixteen panamanian civilians were also wounded in the same
bomb blast, attributed to the '20th of december movement' (m-20),
another pro-noriega group.

there have been many attacks against u.s. personnel since,
including the assassination of two u.s. soldiers near panama
city jun. 11, 1992--the day before president george bush arrived
in for a brief official visit.

the key issue to be decided at the nov. 15 plebiscite is
whether the panamanian constitution will be amended to abolish
the armed forces. (more/ips)


panama: u.s. (2)

favouring the abolition is the ruling adoc coalition, headed
by endara, and the christian-democratic party (pdc) of
vice-president ricardo arias calderon. jointly they have more
than 50 seats in the 68-seat legislative assembly (parliament).

opposing the constitutional reforms is the prd, overthrown
together with noriega during the u.s. invasion.

it has only 10 seats in the parliament. but also opposing the
reforms are several newly-formed political groups unconnected
with the country's traditional parties.

most public opinion polls held in the last half of october
suggested that the 'no' vote--against the endara government--
was likely to win in the plebiscite.
(ends/ips/tr/sp/np/ip/dc/cs/it)




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