But his departure follows a series of behind-the-scenes arguments on priorities in economics policy, most of which he has lost.According to a source close to Mr Madelin, his resignation was requested “in order to restore the coherence of the government”. This appeared to be shorthand for saying that at the current stage, when sweeping reforms of social provision are being mooted, neither President Chirac nor his prime minister could afford to alienate the powerful public sector or the trade unions. He is Jean Arthuis, Minister of Economic Development and Planning, but his stature and following are nothing like that of his predecessor.The immediate reason for Mr Madelin’s resignation was a series of remarks he had made the previous day about the need to re-examine the privileges accorded to public sector workers in France, remarks which were met with fury yesterday by one trade union after another. He had also asked whether it was “normal” that a couple with two children on benefits should receive more than a similar couple on the same landing who “get up early in the morning and get home late in the evening after a hard day’s work at the minimum wage”.
MARY DEJEVSKY
Paris
The three-month old French government appeared to be in turmoil last night after the Prime Minister, Alain Juppe, requested – and got – the resignation of Alain Madelin, the Finance Minister and number three in his government. But after more than a year in camps partly controlled by Hutu hardliners, the people fear the Tutsis will wreak revenge if they return.Refugees said extremists in camps claimed that returnees would be choked to death in containers in prison.. People need security assurances,” said Ivan Sturm, a UNHCR repatriation officer.Zaire began forced expulsions on 19 August, saying it could no longer cope with 1 million Hutu refugees who have damaged the environment, driven up food and fuel prices and are blamed by local people for increased crime.The expulsions, in breach of international treaties, were halted on Thursday and the UNHCR agreed to repatriate the refugees willing to go home.The UNHCR’s Agatashya radio station is telling refugees it is safe to go back. The convoy of seven half-empty trucks drove past impassive soldiers of the Rwandese Patriotic Army, the former rebels who swept to power last July after a genocide campaign and civil war.”Everyone’s waiting for everyone else to go It’s a slow start. In Kibumba camp, with 200,000 people the largest in the Goma region of eastern Zaire, only 100 Rwandans – mostly women and children – volunteered to go home.Looking shaken, the refugees clutched straw mats, blankets and pots and pans. They will kill us if we go back.”At least 100,000 refugees had fled to the mountains near Uvira in the past few days to escape a forced expulsion operation mounted by Zairean troops.About half emerged from hiding yesterday, the day after the operation was halted, and returned to their camps, spokesmen for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said.But only about 200 refugees crossed the border during the first day of UN voluntary repatriation. One Congress parliamentarian, S S Ahluwalia, described the widow’s remarks as “a cry for justice” over Rajiv’s murder “Sonia Gandhi is not alone, the entire nation wants justice.
No political motive should be attributed to her statements.”. ELIF KABAN
Kibumba Camp, Zaire
Thousands of Rwandan refugees came out of hiding from Zairean troops and returned to their camps yesterday but only a few accepted a United Nations offer to escort them back to their homeland.In Kibumba camp, adjacent to Rwanda’s mountainous north-western border with Zaire, one refugee pointed to the nearby hills and said: “The Rwandan army is waiting for us. Rivalry among party bosses is so fierce that they may never agree on a successor to Mr Rao, who is suffering from heart trouble.Mrs Gandhi’s intentions remain enigmatic. Many inside Congress claim a stronger candidate is needed, somebody who can do battle against the rightwing Hindus in the coming elections. One possibility is that some Congress strongmen – Sharad Pawar, the ex-chief minister of Mahrashtra, Mahdurao Scindia, Minister of Human Resources, and S B Chavan, the Home Minister – might use her tirade as an excuse to force Mr Rao to step down. The downtrodden, lower-caste Hindus have forsaken Congress, preferring other smaller, regional parties that vow to fight for their rights.