Casper Star-Tribune from Casper, Wyoming • 3

star Casper Area "Thursday, April 11, 1991 Star-Tribune, Casper. Wyo. A3 v. feels democracy can't miss' in South Africa "Z'rV" 1 1 i I tV'-r k'Z' 1 Lights out vestments in South Africa. Simpson initially voted for the legislation that contained the sanctions but President Ronald Reagan vetoed the bill.

Simpson later voted to uphold the President's veto but the bill passed anyway in an overw helming override vote. Under the law, the President can lift sanctions if he shows that five conditions have been met. The conditions'arc: release of all political prisoners from South African jails; lifting of the state of emergency that existed in 1986; legalization of democratic political parties and political participation; repeal of the Group Areas Act and Population Registration Act, which restricts where non-whites live and work; initiation of negotiations with black leaders for the abolition of apartheid and the.establishment of a democratic government. The President also can lift sanctions 30 days after showing that all political prisoners have been released and that three of the other four conditions have been met. Simpson said he thinks all of the conditions will have been met within a matter of months and that President Bush will lift the sanctions with minimal opposition from Congress.

The ANC last week threatened to withdraw from negotiations for a new South African constitution if de Klerk's government does not implement a list of demands aimed at ending violence between its own t. Lisa I.Umondson Slur-1 rihune Two "nostalgia" lamposts fell victim to vandalism at Nancy English Park earlier this week. The damage, which was estimated at more than $2,000, also included torn down cyclone fencing and a battered picnic shelter. Wyoming to open Democratic Leadership Council chapter By DAVID HACKETT 'tar-Tribune Washington bureau WASHINGTON Democracy 'can't miss" in South Africa, according to U.S. Sen.

Alan Simp-Jon, who said the U.S. should lift economic sanctions against the apartheid state to assist what he 'predicts will be a black majority government by 1994. Simpson, who traveled to South Africa last week with a delegation of senators, said he thinks President Bush may decide to lift the sanctions as early as June. Nelson Mandela, deputy president oX-ibe African National Congress (ANC). and other prominent black leaders, continue to oppose lifting sanctions against the white minority government of President Frederik W.

de Klerk. But Simpson said this week that piany of those leaders say they favor sanctions only to please their followers. Privately, he said, many of them favor improved economic relations with the U.S. "Like all people in politics and they're going to learn a lot about politics in the next few years they've locked themselves in a position where three years ago that was very appropriate but it isn't appropriate when now they're going to be taking over a government and they want it in its optimum or best functioning form," he said. "Speaker after speaker, all of them, black and white, said it is very important to the success of the new South Africa that it be economically sound," Simpson said.

"How can it be economically so'ind without the United States as 6ne of tie principal trading partners?" "When you get some of them (black lea aside in a social sit- -uation, t. ey say, 'we have to say do not remove the sanctions. We've been running on he said. "The commentary and the bluffing will go on just like here they're learning basic politics you know, poker politics." Congress voted to impose economic sanctions against South Africa in 1986. Imports of uranium, coal, steel, textiles, iron, sugar and other agricultural products from South Africa are banned.

American companies are prohibited from exporting petroleum products and weaponry to South Africa and may not make new in followers and members of the Inkatha Freedom Party led by Zulu Chief Mangosuthu Buthclezi. Among the demands was a call for the resignation of the South African Law and Order minister and Defense minister, as well as other police and military officers, whom it accused of organizing death squads. Ronnie Kasrils, the former military intelligence chief of the ANC who remains in hiding inside the country, also was reported to have accused the de Klerk government of intentionally delaying the release of political prisoners and the return of political exiles. Simpson, however, said he thinks the ANC's threats to withdraw from negotiations amount to more political posturing and that black leaders he spoke to said they fully expect political prisoners to be released. "The black leaders were telling us that these people will be coming out," he said.

"They know who they are. Nobody knows better." Mandela last week also called on the government to use more civilized methods of controlling crowds of blatk protesters and to stop using live ammunition against them. Simpson said Mandela reiterated the same concern to visiting senators last week. Simpson, however, said he thinks tremendous progress has been made in South Africa and that moderate black and white leaders will prevail in implementing democratic reforms, despite ongoing strife. Paraphrasing remarks made to him by a white anti-apartheid member of Parliament, Simpson said, "If de Klerk hadn't started what he is doing (Mandela) wouldn't even be here." "So, why spend time talking about the pace of things when if this hadn't begun, Mandela would still be in prison and a strong apartheid government would be in place," he said.

"What would be solved by that? This is the kind of stuff that makes you knock on your head. "So, it seems to me, you have to give de Klerk some credit for starting to dismantle this ghastly system, which he's doing. It's irreversible. It cannot be turned back but I'm sure there will be a lot of boasting and political threats" along the way. SZ zZ I I -Zj "-f 1 if all of a sudden turn around issues on a national scale for Wyoming's benefit I don't expect that, but I think it will give us another forum for discussion." People who want to join the state chapter will be charged $50 annually, with $35 of that going toward the national organization and 1 5 to the state chapter.

Karpan said the new organization would not compete ith the state Democratic Party, but rather complement it's efforts to boost Democratic membership and promote the party's issues and concerns. In promoting the DLC, its executive director on the national level compared its agenda to Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal. "Like the New Deal, at the heart of our new choice is a reaffirmation of an old belief the animating principal of the Democratic Party since the days of Andrew Jackson that the promise of America is equal opportunity for all, not equal outcomes or special privileges," Al From said. Macy said. The two argued after the ictim asked the suspect to get cleaned up, Macy said.

The suspect became angry and allegedly hit his father on the arm with a candlestick, according to the lieutenant. Police are also investigating a report that a 40-year-old man allegedly assaulted his ex-wife in the parking lot of a local bar in the 500 block of South Center on April 6. The victim reported to police on Monday that she was holding an item in her hand that the suspect wanted and he allegedly pushed her arm back and squeezed her hand, forcing her to drop the item. Macy said. 'Citizen Bee' competition set CHEYENNE (AP) Secretary of State Kathy Karpan has been named to moderate Wyoming's second "Citizen Bee" high school competition on American studies.

Students from 12 high schools are to participate in the competition at Casper College on April 20. During the competition, Karpan will ask students questions about government, history, geography, economics and current events. During the first half of the contest, each student will answer three questions. Those answering two questions correctly will move on to the second round, where students who miss one question will be eliminated from the contest. The first place winner will receive $300 and the second place winner will receive $200.

Both will be given free trips to Washing-, ton, D.C. to compete at the nation-; al level. Snowmobile trail grooming stopped CASPER The Natrona' County Parks Department has stopped grooming snowmobile, trails for the season. For more information, call Troops find booze in the desert despite restrictive Saudi customs SEN. ALAN SIMPSON Sanctions should be lifted British or Americans who had been living there "already had their little stills." Some U.S.

soldiers got to sample the local spirits at parties and other occasions from time to time, Morgan added. All in all, though, Morgan said there were very few problems with U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia, despite the tremendous differences between the two cultures. "The stereotype of the G.l. that they'll find women and alcohol no matter where they are" just doesn't hold, Morgan said.

Compared to the U.S. troops of a few years ago, Morgan said, the personnel that served in the Gulf were "better educated, more informed, and maybe more grown up." Perhaps the behavior of female wake of Walter Mondalc's loss in the 1984 presidential race when some southern Democrats, such as U.S. Sens. Sam Nunn of Georgia, Al Gore of Tennessee, Chuck Robb of Virginia and Clinton, decided the party must get back "on the political mainstream," she said. "We have not done a good job of listening to the mainstream American public," the secretary of state said.

The DLC wants to form a national network to develop an agenda that includes restrained government spending, progressive taxation and welfare reform. Sullivan described the DLC as "a group to provide some moderate viewpoints to the party that has a mainstream context to it and to give views such as those of the West an opportunity for more exposure." "I hope that it will give us a focus for additional organization and additional opportunity to discuss Democratic issues," the governor said. "If I were to say it's going to Beatty and the winning assistant principals from the other states have been invited to take advantage of a free trip to a conference on "the working student" May 5-7 at McDonald's headquarters in Oak Brook, Illinois, according to the association's announcement. USDA commodity giveaway changed CASPER The program for giving out surplus United States Department of Agriculture commodities in Natrona County has been modified, according to a press release from the Central Wyoming Food Coalition. The coalition is the receiving agency for the county for the various foods, which formerly were distributed every three months.

Under new procedures, the commodities will be available once a month. Families that meet the low-income requirements of the USDA can obtain the items from any of the following agencies: Salvation Army, 234-2452; Holy Cross Center, 577-1041; Poverty Resistance, 577-0664; Powder River. 472-7922. Further information is available from the Central Wyoming Food Coalition, 235-0900. Family violence cases reported CASPER Casper police recently received three reports of family violence, reports show.

A 36-year-old man was arrested Sunday night after he allegedly assaulted his live-in girlfriend at a residence in the 100 block of South Jackson, Lt. Jack Macy said. The suspect allegedly hit the victim, 24, causing her to sustain a cut over an eye and a bruise on her arm, Macy said. In another incident, a 30-year-old man was arrested after he allegedly assaulted his father, 62, early Tuesday morning at a residence in the 1000 block of East 5th CHEYENNE (AP) Wyoming Democrats, looking for a means to exert greater influence on national issues and positions formulated by the party, are opening a state chapter of the Democratic Leadership Council. Gov.

Mike Sullivan and Secretary of State Kathy Karpan will co-chair the chapter, which will be officially recognized Friday when Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton comes to Cheyenne for a news conference. "It will be a state-based vehicle for regeneration of the party and development of issues from the ground up," Karpan said Tuesday. Wyoming Democrats want to affiliate with the DLC because there's a feeling that the council is not "as attuned to Western issues as we would like," she said. Via the DLC, the Wyoming Democrats will be able to exchange their views and positions with Democrats in other parts of the country, Karpan said.

The DLC got its start in the Murder, rape on rise in Wyoming CHEYENNE (AP) The number of murders committed in Wyoming more than doubled from October to December last year compared to the same period in 1 989, but the state's overall crime rate dropped 3.5 percent. Twelve murders were committed in those three months in 1990 compared to five in 1989 for a 140 percent increase, according to the state Division of Criminal Investigation. Most violent crimes increased during the fourth quarter, while property crimes decreased, according to the crime index. Violent crimes as a group registered a 5.7 percent increase during the period, with reported rape and rape attempts up 8.3 percent, from 36 to 39. Aggravated assault reflected a 5.2 percent increase, while robbery dropped 21.7 percent with 18 reported compared to 23 for the same period in 1 989.

Property crimes as a group decreased 4.2 percent from 1989, with motor vehicle theft down 14.6 percent, larceny-theft down 4.2 percent and burglary down 2. 1 percent. Roughly one-third of all reported offenses, or 1,342, were resolved, according to a DCI news release. Arson dropped 29.2 percent as 34 instances were reported compared to 48 in 1989. Administrator wins NASSP award CASPER A Casper school administrator was recently named Wyoming's assistant principal of the year, as part of the first year of a national program sponsored by the National Association of Secondary School Principals and McDonald's restaurants.

The association announced this month that Wyoming's winner is Natrona County High School Assistant Principal Wayne Beatty. By HUGH JACKSON Star Tribune staff writer CASPER The clash between Saudi Arabian customs and American military tradition was not the rout we've been led to believe, as U.S. soldiers did manage to find a bit of bootleg liquor during the war in the Gulf. That's what security police from F.E. Warren Air Force base who were stationed in the Saudi Arabia told the Casper Chamber of Commerce's Military Affairs Committee Wednesday.

Capt. Terry Morgan, whose unit helped guard an air base about twenty miles north of Riyadh, noted that much of the Saudi work force has been made up of foreigners for years. U.S. forces arrived to find that some of the Filipinos or troops should be commended the most, added Master Sgt. Mark Galvin.

American women had to show a great deal of patience in a society where women are not allowed to drive and still sit in the back of the bus. One Chamber of Commerce member asked Morgan about media reports of disgruntled troops, and if they were much of a problem for the security police. "If you went to Saudi Arabia looking for a bad attitude, you could find one," Morgan answered, adding that some of the media seemed to be looking for just that. But the vast majority of American troops in the Gulf "knew why they were over there," and Morgan said that such reports of low morale were overstated. Lisa tdmondsonStar-t ribune i- TSL r-esiJkf ZZ' mmr iiM iiimi a.

lYlll Dust storm Construction worker Roberto Escamilla crosses in front of a dust storm created by heavy machinery on Beech Street between 1st and A streets in downtown Casper Wednesday..