In a message dated 1/26/00 12:22:30 PM Central Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

Hi Folks,

 Could this [see below] happen in an African country?

 Madiba.

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 BBC NEWS

 Wednesday, 26 January, 2000, 07:08 GMT
 Pakistan's top judge fired

 The chief justice of Pakistan has been dismissed for refusing to swear a new
 oath of allegiance to the military government.
 Chief Justice Said-uz Zaman Siddiqi and five other judges at the Supreme
 Court refused to swear the new oath. A new chief justice, Irshad Hassan
 Khan, has been appointed.

 The chief justice was due to hear a case next week on whether the military
 government that seized power last year is legitimate.

 His dismissal came as lawyers for the ousted former prime minister, Nawaz
 Sharif, opened his trial by demanding an immediate adjournment.

 They argued that it should not proceed until the case involving the
 government's legitimacy is resolved. The judge is yet to give a ruling.

 Mr Sharif - standing trial on charges of hijacking, attempted murder and
 terrorism - is accused of plotting to prevent a plane carrying General
 Pervez Musharraf, the new military ruler, from landing. He denies the
 charges.
  >>
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Well Madiba, let me ask a question. Are the members of our judicial ssystem
free to make unbiased, uncoerced rulings? Do all of you believe that this was
the case in say, the case involving Citizens FM?

Jabou Joh

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