update from local Rota newspaper
George DeForest
http://www.tribune.co.mp
Saipan Tribune Online
賎lobal Country's intentions unclear'
By Jayvee Vallejera
Staff Reporter
The organization Global Country of Peace evidently has a different
understanding of what sovereignty means but, at this point, nothing in
what they have been saying poses any legal question for the CNMI.
[CNMI = Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands; for a nice map,
see Lycos "Lonely Planet" at:
http://lonelyplanet.lycos.com/pacific/northern_mariana_islands/map.html
]
Attorney General Robert T. Torres stressed this point Thursday, adding
that, for all intents and purposes, the members of this organization
are just tourists, enjoying the scenery and serenity of Rota Island.
When asked to explain sovereignty from a legal standpoint, Torres
said: "Obviously, I need to consult [and] do some legal research on it
but apparently, the Global Country of World Peace has different
notions of sovereignty."
Torres added, though, that the more critical question is, what is the
relevance of the sovereignty issue at this point in relation to the
group's interests?
"The short answer is: There is no concern right now because we don't
know what is their intention and until the matter becomes relevant and
ripe enough for us to consider the issue of their sovereignty, then
the question of what sovereignty means is not on the table," he said.
As was indicated by the Legislature, Torres said that, at this time,
Global Country's real intentions remain to be seen. "From a legal
standpoint, until that [intention] is set forth in more concrete
terms, then we can know what are the legal issues being raised."
"At this point, there really is nothing that they have articulated
that raises any legal concern or of any legal consequence for the
Commonwealth, other than them saying how good and beautiful Rota is.
Those in and of themselves have no legal bearing," he added.
The Global Country of Peace預 proponent of transcendental
meditation揺as expressed interest in leasing about 40 hectares of
public land at the tip of Rota Island, where they plan to put up a
"Garden of World Peace" and a "University for World Peace" that would
be open to foreign students.
In exchange, they are asking the CNMI to grant them "sovereign"
status, creating a "state" within the CNMI that will establish its own
currency, immigration laws, and its own government, among others.
The group's legal counsel, a certain Mr. Nevitt, had explained during
a legislative hearing that he had told the Global Country leaders that
sovereignty exists on three levels in the Commonwealth: the municipal
level, the CNMI-wide level, and the federal level.
"And I have told them that if they really want sovereignty in a very
real and complete sense of the word, they have to secure the approval
of all three levels, not just the Mayor of Rota," Nevitt had said.
story from Saipan Tribune at:
http://www.tribune.co.mp/Local.cfm?Display=yes&ID=18920
Bob Brigante
> Monday 01 April 2002
> http://www.tribune.co.mp
> Saipan Tribune Online
>
> 賎lobal Country's intentions unclear'
>
> By Jayvee Vallejera
> Staff Reporter
>
> The organization Global Country of Peace evidently has a different
> understanding of what sovereignty means but, at this point, nothing in
> what they have been saying poses any legal question for the CNMI.
>
> Attorney General Robert T. Torres stressed this point Thursday, adding
> that, for all intents and purposes, the members of this organization
> are just tourists, enjoying the scenery and serenity of Rota Island.
There's no way that the Global Country is going to get sovereignty
over their little 100 acres-- read the editorial in the same edition
of the Saipan paper:
http://www.tribune.co.mp/editorial.cfm
After the U.S. Civil War, the slogan for freed slaves was "40 acres
and a mule" -- now for the Global Country it's "100 acres and some
jackasses."
Bob Brigante
http://mumbull.com
George DeForest
> After the U.S. Civil War, the slogan for freed slaves was
> "40 acres and a mule" -- now for the Global Country it's
> "100 acres and some jackasses."
it seems strange, from where we sit. However, it is possible
that it all could happen anyway, due to the internal
politics and benefits to the island, Rota, and its mayor.
Here is 2 more press report from the region:
http://www.tribune.co.mp/search.cfm?Display=yes&ID=18820
Country of Peace baffles legislators
By Jayvee Vallejera
Staff Reporter
Questions over the intent of the Global Country of Peace to establish
a "sovereign" state within Rota has left the Legislature with
conflicting opinions about the organization, including unanswered
questions whether it is a religion, a cult, or a legitimate scientific
group.
Most lawmakers interviewed after the presentation of the organization
at the House of Representatives chamber expressed concern not so much
with the doctrines and practices of the group or their plans to
establish projects on Rota but on the political issue of sovereignty
and the group's request to be granted such.
The group's leader, whom they called His Majesty King Raja Nader Raam,
led about 15 members of the group to the legislative presentation,
where they were asked questions by lawmakers as to the group's
philosophy, intentions, and plans for Rota.
Dressed in a flowing white robe and wearing a golden crown and gold
necklaces, King Raja Nader Raam, whose civilian name is Dr. Tony
Nader, was accompanied by his Prime Minister, Dr. Emmanuel Schiffgens,
and Dr. Bevan Morris, president and chairman of the Board of Trustees
of the Maharishi University of Management.
Although quite affable and articulate, some of the questions were so
pointed as to prompt Nader to say at one point that it seems like they
are before a court.
Responding to a question posed by Rep. William S. Torres, Nader said
they are asking for a special relationship with the Commonwealth where
his group will be sovereign within the area that they will be
occupying on Rota.
"The kind of relationship we are seeking is where we are sovereign.
This is very clear; we are not hiding," he assured.
He cited as examples the relationship between the U.S. government and
the United Nations in New York, between Italy and the Vatican in Rome,
and between Holland and the International Court of Justice.
"It exists in different kinds of situations and...we would like you to
give us that special quality and that is, of course, by ways of
bilateral relations. We'll be respecting each other and respecting the
relationship, so that is what we are seeking," said Nader.
When asked if Commonwealth laws would apply to the group, Nader said
an agreement would have to be forged between Global Country of World
Peace and the Commonwealth government outlining the extent of the
application of local statutes to the group.
"Even private companies have their sovereignty within their own
organization. But we do want a status of importance. We are all over
the world; it's not a piece of land that we are looking for suddenly,
somewhere, at the end of the world. What we want is a special status
and, in exchange for that special status, we will put our energy, our
power, our international relations to give you a Center for World
Peace that we hope you would find useful for Rota," he said.
This has, however, prompted one lawmaker to ask: "What is that—a state
within a state?"
Rep. Frank DLG. Aldan stressed that he has no problems with the group
leasing land for projects or investing on Rota "but if they want us to
give them property and then, in return, recognize them as a country
within the boundaries of our country and then give them sovereignty,
we cannot do that."
Aldan said this will not only be against the CNMI Constitution but it
would also jeopardize the Covenant and the CNMI's relationship with
the United States and other countries.
"In the first place, under the Covenant, only the federal government
has the authority to handle foreign affairs, so we could not be in any
position to grant them that sovereign status," he said.
Aldan added the group's demands would also create a number of problems
for the Commonwealth. "First, they are asking to be treated as a
country within a country. And then, they will be asking for diplomatic
immunity, waiver of immigration requirements, and then pretty soon,
they're going to ask for a 200-mile economic zone."
Rep. Daniel O. Quitugua, however, appealed for a more open-minded and
sober approach to the whole issue.
"In my understanding, the sovereignty they are talking about is
sovereignty within their organization. The CNMI government will not
just award sovereignty without defining the relationship. So it is not
an exclusive request. It is a desirable mechanism that they would like
to have but relationships have to be established, ground rules have to
be established and definition of that sovereignty also has to be
established," said Quitugua.
Rota Mayor Benjamin T. Manglona reiterated the statement he made in a
prior press briefing, pleading that Rota be given this chance to host
the group and earn revenue for the municipality, thus becoming a
contributing member of the Commonwealth.
"My message today is to ask our leaders to please give Rota a chance
to develop. We want to assure you that it is our intention to be able
to develop our island so that we, too, can become a participating
partner in raising revenue for our Commonwealth and we hope someday
that Rota will be in a position to contribute, rather than just be
given subsidy by the Commonwealth," Manglona said.
second article:
http://www.tribune.co.mp/search.cfm?Display=yes&ID=18853
Peace country's chances thin out
Proposal solicits mixed views from govt. officials
By Jayvee Vallejera
Staff Reporter
Gov. Juan N. Babauta remains noncommittal over the administration's
official position toward the Global Country of Peace organization,
besides merely saying he will come out with an official position on
the matter once Rota Mayor Benjamin T. Manglona deigns to present
these people to him.
"The administration has no official position until the Mayor of Rota
himself comes to us and present to us these people," Babauta said
yesterday.
House Speaker Heinz S. Hofschneider, however, was more emphatic about
the matter, saying, "No, no, no! " when asked if he is agreeable to
the group's proposal to set up a "sovereign" state on Rota.
As if he couldn't be more assertive than that, Hofschneider said that,
although he does not want to prematurely second-guess the stance of
the other members of the House of Representatives, "as a Speaker, I
think that this issue should be put to rest once and for all. I will
do my best to convince them that this issue is closed."
The Global Country of Peace—a major proponent of transcendental
meditation—was founded by the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and is currently
led by a King Raja Nader Raam, whose civilian name is Dr. Tony Nader.
The group has expressed interest in leasing about 40 hectares of
public land at the tip of Rota Island facing Saipan, where they plan
to put up a "Garden of World Peace" and a "University for World Peace"
that would be open to foreign students. In exchange, they are asking
the CNMI to grant them "sovereign" status.
Babauta said that, inasmuch as these plans would directly affect the
people of Rota, it would be best to solicit the opinion of the people
on the island whether they agree to them or not.
"You know, the media has been very balanced in reporting this issue,
taking everyone's position on the matter, including that of Bishop
[Tomas] Camacho himself. However, it would be better if you could go
to Rota and ask the people themselves how they feel about this group,"
Babauta said.
At the same time, he said this would be an opportune time for people
to step back and assess the kind of future that the Commonwealth
people would like for themselves.
"That's the critical issue, that's the critical question that needs to
be answered—what kind of a community do we want for the future and I
think it would be good to ask the people of Rota that," he said.
Babauta quickly added, though, that the matter is not merely a Rota
issue but also an issue that concerns the entire Commonwealth.
"You know, this is not just a Rota issue; this is a CNMI issue. We're
all one Commonwealth and questions should be asked in that fashion,"
he said.
Hofschneider said that, however noble and unique the group's
intentions are, their plans for Rota are not desirable for the
Commonwealth.
"I doubt if what this group is bringing in can be called investments.
It's not an investment; it's a establishment. Their desire is to
establish, not to invest, in Rota. This is not the kind of investment
that we want. We say thank you for considering the Commonwealth but no
thanks," said Hofschneider.
The Speaker said the group's proposal poses a number of Constitutional
and Covenant questions that would have to be settled. More
importantly, though, he pointed out that even Catholicism, which has
been in the CNMI for the last 200 to 300 years, has never asked for
any special privilege.
"Why would this non-faith denomination be requesting such a
sovereignty request. It makes you wonder as to their real intent and
their purpose of wanting to be a sovereign nation within the
Commonwealth," he said.
The House Speaker said he is pretty sure the federal government would
not consent to that "because of some obvious reasons, such as national
security and the original intention of the Covenant, which is to form
a democratic government in the CNMI."
© 1998 all rights reserved Saipan Tribune
Email : editor....@saipan.com
Petrus
"George DeForest" <george....@usa.net> wrote in message
news:54fbbe7f.02040...@posting.google.com...
>
> Attorney General Robert T. Torres stressed this point Thursday, adding
> that, for all intents and purposes, the members of this organization
> are just tourists, enjoying the scenery and serenity of Rota Island.
>
That sums it up folks. They are just tourists...