The New Nation - Internet Edition

CA urges youths: Take leadership for new struggle for nation building

UNB, Dhaka

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed Saturday urged the youth of the country to get ready to take the leadership in the new struggle for nation building.

"I make a clarion call to you all to play a pivotal role in establishing honest, patriotic and people-friendly leadership, good governance and justice," he said while inaugurating the National Youth Day 2008.

Terming the youths as the movers of change and the nation's future guides, the CA said the role of youth is vital in bringing qualitative changes in all sectors, including the family and society and politics.

Fakhruddin said the country's youth community has a record of glorious and courageous history and tradition, and extraordinary contributions to every movement, from the Language Movement to the Liberation War, for establishing democracy apart from their role in tackling natural disasters and providing humanitarian services.

The function was told that one third of Bangladesh's total population is the youth.

Department of Youth Development of Youth and Sport Ministry organized the event at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the morning, marking the Youth Day.

The slogan of this year's Youth Day is 'Jugupojugi Prashikhhan Jubo Bekarotta Nirashan' (Time-Befitting Training for Elimination of Youth Unemployment).

Presided over by Chief Adviser's Special Assistant for Youth and Sports Ministry Mahbub Jamil, the function was addressed, among others, by Secretary of the Ministry Golam Mostofa Talukder on behalf of best self-employed worker Hosnera Akter Lata and Shukur Salek on behalf of the best youth organizer.

Eight male and female youths were adjudged the best self-employed workers and two best youth organizers for the National Youth Award 2008.

The best self-employed workers are M Hasanuzzaman Sarker of Salidha, Narshingdhi, M Saiful Islam of Burichong, Comilla, Mahmuda Begum of Keranipara, Rangpur, Yasmin Nasim of Bagerhat, Rakib Mahmud Talukder of Durgapur, Barishal, M Moyezuddin of Fenchuganj, Sylhet, Hosneara Akter Lata of Pashchim Deowbhog, Narayenganj and Kolnis Chakma of Sukhi Nilganj, Rangamati. The two best youth organizers are Shukur Salek of Hazaribagh, Dhaka and Ferdous Alam of Golapganj, Sylhet.

Each award carries a prize bond of Tk 20,000, a crest and a certificate.

The Chief Adviser distributed the awards among the recipients.

Expressing her feelings after winning the award and the experiences of her struggle in becoming a self-employed woman, Hosneara said she started her journey of struggle taking the responsibility of their seven-member family after the death of her day-labourer father.

She said she had to face various obstacles as well as negative criticisms from her relatives when she started searching means of earning. "Defying those barriers, I attended a short training course on dressmaking at Youth Training Center in 2001 and started seeing the ray of hope," she told the function.

Hosneara said she set up Shoshi Handicraft project with a loan of Tk 25,000 taken from Youth Development, Narayanganj.

Hosneara, a successful small entrepreneur, told the function that she now earns Tk 2 lakh a month and over 1,000 women have so far received training from her institution and presently 250 women are receiving training from it.

She advised the youth, both men and women, not to waste their valuable time just looking for jobs and get self-employed taking different occupational trainings.

Advisers, Special Assistants to CA, young men and women from different organizations and youth organizers were present at the function.

Addressing the function, the CA said there is no alternative to involvement of youths for overall socio-economic development of the country and changing the fate of the people.

"The youth, the future policymakers and leaders, will have to be engaged in nation-building activities. So arrangements for good education and proper training have to be ensured alongside giving them proper guidelines," he said.

The CA said a well-organized youth community capable of establishing truth inspired with humanitarian service is today's expectation of all. All will have to put meaningful contributions from their respective positions to fulfill the aspiration.

Emphasizing the need for training and specialization, Dr Fakhruddin asked for recasting training programmes giving priority to technical, specialized education and training.

He said it has become imperative today to specifically identify which country has what kind of labour market and what type of demand for profession and workforce through intensive surveys and studies.

Describing this year's theme of the National Youth Day as very meaningful and appropriate, he said there is a serious shortage of skilled manpower in the country's industries, factories and specialized professions due to lack of necessary training and education.

Mentioning various government steps and efforts for grooming skilled manpower through updated training programmes in line with demand and the standard of labour market by involving private sector, the CA said he believes that the country will be able to generate employments for the labour market both at home and aboard through these activities.

Earlier, the CA opened the National Youth Day 2008 by hoisting national flag and releasing pigeons in the air.

Call to popularise breast-feeding

Staff Reporter

Speakers at a workshop yesterday laid emphasis on achieving cent per cent breast-feeding for infants to help them grow healthy and intellectually. They said it could also potentially save the country from importing powder milk in exchange of foreign currency.

“There is no alternative to breast feeding for infants that could help save million of infants lives annually,” they said at the workshop on “ Secure Nutritious Diet and Save Children’s Lives” jointly organised by Save the Children, UK and Eminence and online newspaper The Editor at the IDB Bhaban in the city.

Maskwaith Ahsan, editor of The Editor gave the welcome speech, while Prof MQK Talukder, child specialist and chairman, CWCH, presided over the programme.

Dr Khurshid Talukder, research coordinator, CWCH, Prof Soofia Khatun, general secretary, Bangladesh Breastfeeding Foundation (BBF), Prof Fatima Parveen, director, Institute of Public Health and Nutrition (IPHN), Dr Shamim Hayder Talukder, chief executive of Eminence, among others, took part in the discussion.

Speakers were of the opinion that media could play a significant role in creating mass awareness of the importance of breast-feeding and quality of diet and nutrition for saving millions of children lives annually.

They said that there is no problem of breastfeeding of mother who are even carrying Hepatitis B virus.

Prof Kurshid Talukder said the mother’s milk protects infants from diseases like pneumonia, renal failure and anaemia and above all it helps develop mother and infant’s health.

“Mother’s milk is much better than cow’s milk,” he mentioned. He said the holy Quran also urges us several times to breast-feed our infants.

Prof MQK Talukder said if we want to see our new born babies to grow healthy then we must ensure them proper nutrition and breast milk.

It is mentioned that about 14 lakh children die every year across the globe due to lack of awareness of breast-feeding.

The workshop also recommended to constantly breastfeed infants until six months of the age and to give homemade complementary food till the age of 2 years.

Demanding resignation of ECs a ploy to defer polls: Gen (retd) Ibrahim

UNB, Dhaka

Kalyan Party Chairman Maj Gen (retd) Syed Mohammad Ibrahim said Saturday that demanding the resignation of chief election commissioner and two commissioners is "nothing but a ploy to defer the date of election."

He said the Election Commission has almost completed the election process amid various limitations.

"When the people of the country have come close to the general election, a major political party demanded the resignations (of the election commissioners). This is nothing but an attempt to defer the date of election," Ibrahim said at a press conference at the party office this (Saturday) noon.

Earlier, on Friday evening, BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia at a meeting with a party delegation at her Gulshan office demanded resignation of the Election Commissioners, saying that free and fair elections are not possible under them. Replying to a question, Kalyan Party chief urged the Election Commission not to register Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami as a political party for their "anti-liberation role during the 1971 independence war."

He said war criminals must seek public apology for their anti-liberati1on role and they can do politics only if people of the country pardon. "A party of war criminals can't apply for registration by just renaming the party."

About the CEC's comment about holding the upcoming parliamentary election similar to that of 1970, Ibrahim said the Chief Election Commissioner, who holds a big institutional post, should have refrained from such comments that might confuse the people.

He urged the Election Commission and the caretaker government to publicly disqualify the convicted corrupt politicians from participating in any election. "Political parties should also boycott their corrupt colleagues for the sake of democracy," he said.

Asked whether they would join any alliance before the general election, the Kalyan Party chairman said they have informally talked about the matter with some major political parties and would decide later.

Party secretary general Abul Kalam Azad, vice-chairman Abdul Gaffar, joint secretary Sadek Ahmed Khan and press secretary Jahangir Alam, among others, were present at the press conference.

RU VC office vandalised

RU Correspondent

About two hundred adhoc employees of Rajshahi University (RU) on Saturday vandalised RU Vice-Chancellor's office and staged demonstration on the campus demanding regularisation of their jobs.

RU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Mamnunul Keramat was also confined at his office for two hours by class three and class four employees who pressed for regularisation of their jobs.

The employees of 544 series met with RU VC at 10.30 Am to know their fate.

Failing to receive any assurance from the VC, they demonstrated at the VC office and vandalised the VC room and later took position in front of his office and chanted slogans in support of their demands.

Later at about 12.30 PM they met with administrative high officials who gave assurance of regularisation of their jobs.

Addressing a rally, the employees blasted the authorities' dilly-dallying attitude regarding the regularisation of their jobs in the last four years. They called for regularising their jobs by calling a syndicate meeting immediately.

The University Administration in 2004 had appointed 544 employees against 255 permanent posts allegedly on political consideration on daily payment basis without issuing any recruitment notice.

The university authority had already regularised the jobs of 300 employees till February last year (2007) by publishing notice. But the fate of the rest still remained unclear, which angered the employees who have been long agitating to press home their demands.

When contacted, the RU Vice Chancellor Prof. Mamnunul Keramat told the New Nation that they were trying their level best to regularise their jobs.

Allegation refuted: Govt committed to hold free, fair polls: Adviser

UNB, Dhaka

Commerce Adviser Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman yesterday refuted all allegations brought against them and said their caretaker government is committed to holding the national elections in a free, fair and nonpartisan manner.

He reaffirmed the government position responding to a volley of questions from reporters at his Commerce Ministry office after his meeting with visiting Indian State Minister for Commerce and Power Jay Ram Ramesh.

The adviser, a spokesman for the caretaker government in dealing with political parties, said that the present government is now focusing on the facts coming up in the electoral process. "We are not interested to give comments against comments."

He once more said that the government is firmly committed to holding election on December 18 and hoped that the Election Commission would declare the election schedule as the government is heading towards the election.

The journalists jostled for answers to questions cropping up over the EC failure to announce poll schedule today pending cases against the delimitation of parliamentary constituencies, missing the deadline for registration of political parties as per the reformed politico-electoral rules, and immediate-past PM Khaleda's demand for resignation of the election commissioner.

Against an allegation of the interim regime's partiality towards a certain quarter, he said, "We are totally neutral."

He observed that the allegations brought against them could be resolved through dialogue. "It'll not derail us from our goal," he said.

Hossain Zillur disclosed that the government is monitoring each and every single development in the process of preparation for the polls for transition from the interim regime and paying more attention to a particular crisis that arises.

WB approves $350m to increase power supply

Staff Reporter

The World Bank has approved for Bangladesh a $350 million international development association (IDA) credit to increase power supply during peak hour in the country.

The Siddhirganj Peaking Power Project will utilise the fund to finance the construction of a 300-megawatt gas turbine power plant at Siddhirganj, according to WB sources.

Under the project, the WB will also finance a 60-km natural gas pipeline from Bakhrabad to Siddhirganj. The pipeline will improve the reliability of gas supply to the Siddhirganj power plant and an 11-km electricity transmission line to distribute power among consumers from the plant.

The Siddhirganj Power Plant is expected to begin operation in 2011.

The project will also help strengthen the institutional capacity of three implementing agencies -- Gas Transmission Company Limited (GTCL), Electricity Generation Company of Bangladesh (EGCB) and Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB).

"Bangladesh is now in the midst of a serious power crisis," said Xian Zhu, World Bank Country Director for Bangladesh.

"Power generation has failed to keep pace with demand and in the last two years increasing shortages of natural gas as the primary fuel used in power generation have added to the sector's woes. This project is expected to make a major contribution to meeting peak demand for power and bolster the capacity and reliability of the gas and power transmission networks," he added.

Ershad hopeful of polls on declared date

Barisal Correspondent

Jatiya Party Chairman Hussain Muhammad Ershad yesterday said that despite fear in some quarters he had no doubt about the holding of the national election on December 18 under emergency.

He at the breath expressed doubt about the holding of the upazila election on the declared dates.

Ershad, who came to Barisal city to attend the marriage ceremony of the son of JP secretary general Ruhul Amin Howladar, was talking to journalists at the Circuit House here.

He pointed out that at least four national elections were held under military government and martial law between 1970 and 1991. It was worse than present Emergency Power Rule (EPR). The recent local government polls were held peacefully and fairly and over 80 percent people cast their votes in the polls without fear due to EPR, he claimed.

He opposed the demand of BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia for the resignation of the chief election commissioner saying that notwithstanding some lapses here and there both the present government and the EC have done many good jobs. He credited the EC with the preparation of national identity cards, voter list with photo and demarcation of constituencies and said that successes of the present government outweigh their failures.

The JP chairman said that his party would support the demand for barring the war criminals from participating in the general election.

He was also hopeful about the participation of Awami League in the upcoming general election under the banner of the grand alliance and leadership of Sheikh Hasina.

Indian minister offers to export 1000MW power

Staff Reporter

Visiting Indian State Minister for Commerce and Power Jairam Ramesh yesterday said Indian conglomerate Tata group did not totally abandon its plan to invest in Bangladesh.

Tata's stepping back from its billion dollar investment plan does not necessary mean pronouncement of "tin talak," or the last warning rather it is "Ek talak" or a first warning, the Indian minister told a press conference in Hotel Radisson in the city.

"We want to see Indians are investing in Bangladesh while Bangladeshis in India, as FDI from Bangladesh is no longer in negative list of his country," he said.

The Indian minister offered Bangladesh to buy electricity of around 1,000 megawatt as they have started a mega-plan to produce 30,000 MW in next 10 years in Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and Sri Lanka.

"We can have an agreement to export 1,000 MW power," he said.

He also proposed that Bangladesh could be their partner in constructing a 750 MW power project in Tripura and get 10-15 per cent share from it.

He also said that if they want, Bangladesh could buy electricity from the Tripura power plant as demand for power in the Indian state is only 250 MW.

The Indian Minister proposed it to his Bangladeshi counterpart Dr Hossain Zillur as the ministers had a discussion on boosting bilateral trade between the two close neighbours.

The Indian Minister also proposed Bangladesh to grant it transit permit for consignments for the 726.6 MW gas-based power project, from Haldia port in Kolkata to the project site here via Ashuganj in Bangladesh and Akhura Land Customs Station on the India-Bangladesh border in Tripura, it is learnt.

Jairam Ramesh in the press conference highlighted a number of steps taken by India unilaterally to facilitate Bangladesh narrow the trade gap.

He said during seven years from 2001 to 2008, India's export to Bangladesh went up three folds while Bangladesh's export to that country went up seven times.

Presently Bangladesh exports goods worth Tk 350 million to India against its import of 3.50 billion from the neighbouring country. In 2001 the export volume was only 50 million.

In April this year Indian parliament ratified an agreement allowing Bangladesh to export eight million pieces of garments without any duty or restriction. Though according to its trade policy, India put garment import in its negative list, the facility was offered especially for Bangladesh.

Recently Bangladesh proposed India to drop 101 items from its negative list of 744 products while importing from Bangladesh. India agreed to exclude 50 products from the list.

Bangladesh, along with the other lest developed countries (LDCs) in SAARC, will enjoy duty free export facility to India for all the exportable items, as the country would reduce its import duty for the SAARC LDCs to zero level under SAPTA agreement.

Replying to a question, Ramesh said right now India has a under construction project in Tripura to generate 750 MW while Indian companies have got permission to install power plants in Nepal to generate 1,400 MW power to import back to India.

Similarly, he said, India is now pursuing a plan to generate a total of 30,000 MW power in next 10 years in the countries surrounding Bangladesh like Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and Sri Lanka.

He said the power sector cooperation could take place through a South Asian power grid, but the real issue would be how that grid could be reached. A bilateral approach could take place faster.

Row over 27th BCS: Unsuccessful candidates began fast-unto-death

DU Correspondent

The candidates of the 27th BCS examination, who became unsuccessful after a second viva voce examination, following the annulment of the gazetted result, began fast-unto-death yesterday demanding government jobs and the removal of PSC Chairman Dr Saadat Hussain.

The candidates along with their parents began their programme at the premises of Central Shaheed Minar at 3.30 pm.

Challenging legality of the second phase of the results, they demanded immediate cancellation of the second phase results and appointment of the candidates who were successful the previously published results. The candidates also demanded a judicial investigation into what they said scandal created in publishing the results.

The candidates alleged that the 2nd phase result was not free from corruption but the meritorious candidates suffered for the irregularities. They also alleged that the children of the freedom fighters and the candidates from the minority communities were deprived of the BCS results in second time.

They alleged that Dr Hussain is fulfilling the interest of a specific group in order to save himself from the corruption charges.

Meanwhile, the successful candidates in the 2nd phase result of the 27th BCS held a rally at the premises of Aparajeyo Bangla of Dhaka University yesterday demanding their recruitment in the government job saying the second phase result was fair and credible.

Interfaith dialogue: Call to uphold religious values

Staff Reporter

Leaders of different religions yesterday at an interfaith dialogue emphasised the need for upholding the religious values among human beings to ensure peace and tranquility in the society.

They observed that every religion protects rights of female since civilization cannot be sustained without women folk.

"Anti-corruption drives and law enforcement will not be required to check corruption and control law and order if we can inspire religious values in the society," said Adviser for Law and Justice AF Hassan Ariff while addressing as chief guest an interfaith dialogue at the conference room of the Islamic Foundation in the city.

The Dhaka Divisional interfaith dialogue organised the dialogue on Womens' Rights in Religion and the Present State," under UNFPA funded project titled "Involvement of Religious Leaders in Human Resource Development (HRD).

Religious leaders from different religions including Muslims, Hindus, Christians and Buddhists attended the daylong programme.

Referring to an international survey, the Law Adviser said Bangladeshi people are the happiest across the globe due to their religious faiths.

He said human being lost their human qualities because they are going stray.

Presided over by Md Fazlur Rahman, Director General of Islamic Foundation, the inaugural function was also addressed by project director AHM Afzal Hossain. Secretary of Religious Affairs Ministry Muhammad Ataur Rahman, among others, attended the function.

In the working sessions moderated by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, four keynote papers were presented by Dr Md Mujahidul Islam, Chairman of Finance and Banking Department, Prof Nironjon Adhikari, a DU teacher, Dr Jinbodhi Bhikhu and Father Benjamin Costa, Principal of Notre Dam College.

Hasina will return home Nov 10

Staff Reporter

Former Prime Minister and Awami League (AL) chief Sheikh Hasina will return home on November 10 ahead of the parliamentary polls likely to be held on December 18 after around five months of staying abroad for treatment.

Talking to The New Nation, Sheikh Hasina's press secretary Abul Kalam Azad yesterday said that she would arrive at Zia International Airport by an Emirates flight at 8:00 am.

Sheikh Hasina, facing five separate graft cases, was released on June 11 on parole under an executive order of the government on medical ground and flew to the US on June 12 to seek medical treatment.

During the last few months the time limit of her parole was extended on several times, which will end on November 6.

Sheikh Hasina has obtained bail in two cases, as the High Court had ordered not to arrest or harass her in a further two graft cases, but she was denied bail on last Thursday in a fifth case. Sheikh Hasina was arrested on July 16 last year.

Air chief sacked as he says Japan was not aggressor in WWII

BBC Online

The head of the Japanese air force is to be sacked after saying the country was not an aggressor in World War II, Japan's defence minister said.

Yasukazu Hamada said Gen Toshio Tamogami's views, written in an essay, ran counter to the government's position on the war.

"Therefore it is inappropriate for him to remain in this position and I will swiftly dismiss him," he said.

The general's views are likely to anger many of Japan's neighbours.

China, North and South Korea and other Asian nations still have traumatic memories of Japan's aggression and colonial rule.

Japan expressed remorse for its wartime actions in 1995, and then gave another apology 10 years later.

Hamada said that by acting swiftly against the general, the Japanese government was making it clear that it did not share his views which, he said, could stir controversy in Asian nations.

"What he said was inappropriate for an air chief of staff," Hamada told a news conference.

"He should not remain in the job." Gen Tamogami, 60, is chief of staff of Japan's Air Self-Defence Force.

Ships burn in attack on Pearl Harbor. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 brought the US into World War II

In his essay on the theme of "true views of modern history", he wrote: "Even now, there are many people who think that our country's 'aggression' caused unbearable suffering to the countries of Asia during the Greater East Asia War.

"But we need to realise that many Asian countries take a positive view of the Greater East Asia War.

"It is certainly a false accusation to say that our country was an aggressor nation."

World War II in the Asia-Pacific region is referred to as the Greater East Asia War by those who saw it as Asian nations seeking independence from Western powers.

Gen Tamogami said that Japan's military action in China in the early 20th century was based on treaties, and that the Korean peninsula had been "prosperous and safe" under Japan's 1910-1945 colonial rule.

He also argued that Japan was drawn into World War II by then US President Franklin D Roosevelt.

Human catastrophe awaits Congo

Displaced people walk on the road as they return
home, on Friday, near Kibati just north of Goma in eastern
Congo.AP Photo

BBC Online

Fears are growing for the safety of thousands of civilians forced to flee their homes by fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

The UN refugee agency said it remained concerned for some 50,000 people who fled refugee camps it believes were burned and looted.

Meanwhile, European diplomats are in DR Congo to seek a negotiated solution to the country's conflict with rebels.

More than 250,000 people have fled their homes during months of violence.

According to BBC a ceasefire around the city of Goma appears to be holding, but the situation for refugees in the city is increasingly desperate.

Reports say some are trying to return to their homes, journeying on foot through territory now controlled by the forces of renegade Gen Laurent Nkunda.

The general - who says he is protecting his Tutsi people against the Hutus linked to the 1994 genocide in Rwanda - has halted his troops close to the city of Goma.

Some 35,000 to 40,000 people have entered Goma to flee the fighting, but aid has been slow to reach the city amid a poor security situation.

As aid agencies battled to reach those most in need, senior diplomats from the European Union arrived in DR Congo in an effort to broker a diplomatic solution.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband were due to meet the president of DR Congo, Joseph Kabila, and President Paul Kagame of neighbouring Rwanda, later on Saturday.

The Rwandan and Congolese presidents have already agreed to attend a regional summit in the coming weeks to try to end the fighting.

European Union Development and Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Louis Michel said agreement on the prospect of a regional summit was reached after two days of talks in the Congolese capital, Kinshasa, and the Rwandan capital, Kigali.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has also called leaders in Africa, Europe and the US to urge them to "do all they can to bring the parties to a neutral venue for negotiations".

Senior African Union (AU) officials said the summit could be held in Tanzania, or in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, where the AU is based, but according to BBC the meeting is likely to be staged in Nairobi, Kenya.

Supplies of food, water and medicine are low in Goma and many international relief workers have pulled out in the wake of reports of widespread rape and looting by retreating Congolese troops.

The BBC's Orla Guerin witnessed scenes of chaos at a refugee camp in Kibati, outside Goma, as desperately hungry people surged towards aid distribution points.

Dhaka dismisses: Indian media reports on Assam bombings

UNB, Dhaka

A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry Saturday outright dismissed some reports in the Indian media alleging involvement of a Bangladesh-based extremist group in the recent Assam serial bombings.

"The allegations are totally baseless and, as in the past, have no evidence to back them up," the spokesman said.

He said Bangladesh has adopted the strictest measures against terrorists and would never allow her territory to be used to aid attacks on other countries.

"This is no time for finger-pointing without proof. Instead, all efforts should be directed at apprehending culprits and bringing them to justice. Bangladesh has strongly condemned these acts of cowardice, and shares the pain of the people of India at this sad horror," the spokesman said.

Obama 'unaware of illegal aunt BBC Online

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has said he was not aware that he had an Kenyan aunt living illegally in the United States.

The Associated Press news agency says Zeituni Onyango lost a bid for asylum four years ago.

The Obama campaign issued a statement: "Senator Obama has no knowledge of her status but obviously believes that any and all appropriate laws be followed."

According to AP, Ms Onyango is the half-sister of Mr Obama's late father.

She has been living in public housing in Boston, it adds.

AP says its information about Ms Onyango, 56, is based on two separate sources, one of them a federal law enforcement official.

Ms Onyango, referred to as "Auntie Zeituni" in Mr Obama's memoir, was instructed to leave America by a US immigration judge who had denied her asylum request, a "person familiar with the matter" told AP late on Friday.

The source spoke on condition of anonymity because "no-one was authorised to discuss Onyango's case".

According to AP, Ms Onyango has not been mentioned in the presidential candidate's speeches and "is not someone who has been part of the public discussion about his personal life".

Mr Obama's father grew up in Kenya herding goats but gained a scholarship to study in Hawaii where he met and married Mr Obama's mother, who was living in Honolulu with her parents.

Barack Obama Senior left his son when he was two years old and lived most of his life in Kenya, where he fathered six other sons and a daughter with three other wives. He died in a car crash in 1982.

The presidential hopeful first met his father's side of the family when he travelled to Africa 20 years ago.

Describing the visit in his memoir, he talks of "Auntie Zeituni" being "a proud woman".

Mr Obama's campaign was quoted by AP as saying he had seen her a few times since that meeting, beginning with a return trip to Kenya with his future wife, Michelle, in 1992.

Ms Onyango visited the family in Chicago on a tourist visa at Mr Obama's invitation about nine years ago, the campaign added, stopping to visit friends on the East Coast before returning to Kenya.