
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, May 11, 1990                   TAG: 9005110063
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

$250 MILLION CLAIM FILED IN PANAMANIAN DEATHS

A group of Panamanians filed a complaint Thursday seeking $250 million from the United States for 70 Panamanians who lost relatives or property during the U.S. invasion of Panama last year.

The complaint to the Organization of American States (OAS) charged that "countless numbers of civilian Panamanians not engaged in combat were indiscriminately killed" during the invasion that toppled Manuel Noriega.

In addition to $250 million in compensation for 70 Panamanians, it sought an OAS investigation of the full extent of injuries and deaths of civilians and their property loss to determine compensation for other victims.

There was no immediate reaction from the State or Justice departments, both of which have already asserted that the invasion, code-named "Operation Just Cause," did not violate international law.

The U.S. Army has charged three of its soldiers with murder in connection with the invasion, and the OAS, over the objections of the United States, has already adopted a resolution deploring the invasion. - Cox News Service

by CNB