Iraq

There was an increase in attacks on occupying forces this month; 134 Americans were killed in action. There was an uprising by Shi'ite militia in several cities in the south (see 4-12 April). The unrest in Shi’ite areas was accompanied by increased attacks on US forces in the ‘Sunni Triangle’ west of Baghdad. There was fierce fighting between US troops and guerillas in and around Falluja and Ramadi. The situation at Falluja was stalemated by the middle of the month (see 19 April) (Reuters).

By around the end of the month, it was becoming widely known that abuses had been committed against Iraqis being held by US forces at Abu Ghraib prison and perhaps elsewhere. This appeared to inflict further damage on America’s image in the region. Opinion of the Americans among Iraqis was apparently already in decline. An opinion poll conducted by the Iraq Center for Research and Strategic Studies this month, before the prisoner abuse scandal broke, showed that seven percent of Iraqis viewed US troops as liberators, down from 45 percent six months before.

APRIL-MAY 2004

Nigeria

It appeared that a long-standing conflict between Christian and Muslim tribes in Plateau state escalated into major fighting in April. By early May many Muslims in the area had been killed. By mid-May there were anti-Christian riots in Kano. At least a thousand Nigerians probably died in the violence. On 18 May President Olusegun Obasanjo assumed emergency powers to govern Plateau (Reuters).

India, politics

From 20 April to 10 May, parliamentary elections were held in four stages. The India National Congress was the surprise victor over Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). However, Congress narrowly failed to win an outright majority in the 545-seat Lok Sabha. Former finance minister Manmohan Singh became Prime Minister. On 20 May, Singh said fighting poverty would be his top priority. He promised to continue economic reforms, saying, "We need reforms and we will push forward reforms, but reforms with a human face -- those reforms that provide relief, a ray of hope to India's common people..." Singh said he would continue efforts to improve relations with Pakistan. On 23 May, P. Chidambaram, well regarded by the business community, was named finance minister (Reuters).

Peru

There was unrest in and around Ilave. Demonstrations against Mayor Cirilo Robles were followed by his killing by a mob on 26 April, which led to the government deploying troops and more police (Reuters).

1 APRIL 2004

Taiwan, foreign policy

In a newspaper interview published on this date, President Chen Shui-bian urged the US to take a "more active, constructive" role in encouraging dialogue between Taiwan and China. He said, "We will not draw any country, especially the United States, into a conflict in the Taiwan Strait" (Reuters).

Argentina

At least 135,000 demonstrators in Buenos Aires called on the government to do more to fight violent crime (Reuters).

2 APRIL 2004

Sri Lanka, politics

In general elections, President Chandrika Kumaratunga's United People’s Freedom Alliance (PA) won 105 of the 225 seats in parliament, up from the 77 it won in the December 2001 elections. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's United National Party (UNP) won 82, down from 109. Later, Mahinda Rajapakse was appointed prime minister (IFES, Reuters).

Kumaratunga wanted a tougher approach to negotiations with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE) rebels. The LTTE recently dropped its demand for a separate Tamil state in favor of autonomy, but prospects for an agreement have been complicated by a split in the group (Reuters).

France

An operation jointly organized by French and Spanish police and intelligence captured three senior ETA members. Felix Alberto Lopez de la Calle, believed to be ETA's military mastermind, and Maria Mercedes Chivite Berango were arrested together in southwest France. Felix Ignacio Esparza Luri, accused of being ETA's top logistics organizer, was also arrested in France (Reuters).

3 APRIL 2004

Slovakia, politics

In the first round of a presidential election, former Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar won 32.7% of the vote; Ivan Gasparovic won 22.3%. Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda’s ally Eduard Kukan won 22.1% and was eliminated. The second round was planned for 17 April (Reuters, IFES).

Spain

Tunisian Serhane ben Abdelmajid Farkhet, suspected by the government to be the ringleader of the Madrid bombings, and three or four other bombers killed themselves in the course of a police raid in the Madrid suburb of Leganes (Reuters).

Taiwan

About 60,000 people demonstrated in Tapei against President Chen Shui-bian’s election victory on 20 March (Reuters).

4-12 APRIL 2004

Iraq

On the 4th, the 'Mehdi Army', a militia loyal to Shi’ite Islamic cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, attacked coalition forces in Baghdad’s Sadr City area and in Kufa. Similar battles ensued within days in Nassiriya, Kerbala, Najaf and Kut. According to the US commander in Iraq, Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, as of the 9th the Mehdi Army controlled Najaf and Kut. On the 12th he said US forces had taken control of Nassiriya and Kut. An aid to al-Sadr said on the 6th that his demands included a withdrawal of coalition forces from populated areas and the release of prisoners (Reuters).

6 APRIL 2004

Pakistan

Police announced the arrest in Karachi of nine members of the Harkat-ul Mujahideen al-Alami militant group, including its leader, Syed Sohail Akhtar or ‘Mustafa’, on suspicion of involvement in the mid-2002 attacks on the US consulate and the Sheraton Hotel there (Reuters).

8 APRIL 2004

Algeria, politics

In a presidential election, President Abdelaziz Bouteflika was reelected. He was backed by a coalition including the Society of Peace Movement (MSP) and the National Democratic Assembly (RND) and received 85% of the votes. Five other candidates split the rest. The government reported turnout as 57.8%. Foreign observers seemed to believe the election was fair. Bouteflika said he would work to improve the daily lives of Algerians (IFES, Reuters).

Iraq

US Secretary of State Colin Powell, speaking of the interim Iraqi government that is to assume power on 1 July, said, “They will be sovereign, but I think as a result of agreements, as a result of hopefully resolutions that are passed, there will be some constraints on the power of this sovereignty.” The next day however, State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said, "it's not our intention to create an Iraqi government that's operating with one hand tied behind its back. The intent is to create an Iraqi sovereign government that is fully capable and fully empowered to run the affairs of the country” (Reuters).

10 APRIL 2004

Taiwan

Police estimated about 120,000 people took part in a rally in Taipei demanding an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding President Chen Shui-bian’s reelection. Some protesters were violent (Reuters).

11 APRIL 2004

Rwanda

The army said Evariste Murenzi, a senior leader of the Army for the Liberation of Rwanda (ALIR), an ethnic-Hutu militia based in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), had crossed into Rwanda from Goma in the DRC and surrendered to authorities (Reuters).

14 APRIL 2004

United States, foreign policy

President Bush endorsed Israel’s claim to parts of the West Bank, and he endorsed the Israeli position rejecting the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes inside Israel (Reuters). While there had long been a recognition on all sides that these concessions would probably have to be made by the Palestinians during negotiations with the Israelis in order to reach an agreement, America’s endorsement of Israel’s positions on these issues outside of negotiations was unprecedented. It appeared that the US wanted to strengthen Israeli Prime Minister Sharon’s hand as he tried to win approval of a plan to withdraw Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip. Numerous Arab political leaders expressed dismay at the US move, saying it would reduce prospects for a political settlement between Israelis and Palestinians and increase anti-American sentiment in the region.

14-28 APRIL 2004

Macedonia, politics

A presidential election was held. In the first round, Prime Minister Branko Crvenkovski of the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) won 42.5% of the vote, Sashko Kedev of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity (VMRO-DPMNE) won 34.1%, Gzim Ostreni of the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) won 14.8%, and Zidi Xhelili of the Democratic Party of the Albanians (DPA) won 8.7%. In the second round on 28 April, Crvenkovski defeated Kedev 62.7% to 37.3%. Crvenkovski has said he will seek EU membership for Macedonia (Reuters).

15 APRIL 2004

Al Qaeda

Al Arabiya and Al Jazeera Arab television channels broadcast a tape purportedly from Osama bin Laden offering a truce with European allies of the US. "I offer a truce to them with a commitment to stop operations against any state which vows to stop attacking Muslims or interfere in their affairs", the message said. European leaders indicated they would continue cooperating in efforts against al Qaeda (Reuters).

South Africa, politics

General elections were held. The ruling African National Congress (ANC) won 279 seats in the 400-seat National Assembly. The Democratic Alliance won 50 seats; the Inkatha Freedom Party won 28 (Reuters).

South Korea, politics

Parliamentary elections were held. The Uri party, formed in late 2003 by former members of the Millennium Democratic Party (MDP), won 152 seats in the 299-seat National Assembly. The Grand National Party (GDP) won 121. The MDP won only a handful of seats (IFES).

16 APRIL 2004

Colombia

Former United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) chief Carlos Castano disappeared from his ranch in the north under mysterious circumstances. In September 2006 his body was found in northern Colombia. He was believed to have been killed by rivals in the AUC (Reuters, AP).

17 APRIL 2004

Slovakia, politics

In the second round of the presidential election, Ivan Gasparovic defeated Vladimir Meciar 59.9% to 40.1% (IFES).

17-18 APRIL 2004

Israel, Gaza Strip

On the 17th, an Israeli airstrike killed senior Hamas leader Abdel-Aziz al-Rantissi in his car in Gaza City. The next day, hundreds of thousands attended his funeral in Gaza (Reuters).

19 APRIL 2004

Iraq

The US administration in the country said a ceasefire had been agreed between guerillas inside Falluja and US forces surrounding the city, conditional on their turning in heavy weapons. There were about 2,000 US Marines surrounding an estimated 1,000-2,000 fighters. A similar siege continued around Najaf against the 'Medhi Army' (Reuters).

21 APRIL 2004

United States, foreign policy

President Bush, speaking of Iran, said, "It would be intolerable to peace and stability in the Middle East if they get a nuclear weapon, particularly since their stated objective is the destruction of Israel....The development of a nuclear weapon in Iran is intolerable. And a program is intolerable. Otherwise they will be dealt with, starting through the United Nations” (Reuters).

Also, Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly warned Taiwan against declaring independence from mainland China. He noted China’s past statements about using force to prevent Taiwanese independence and said, "We in the United States see these risks clearly and trust they are well understood” by Taiwan. While the US strongly disagrees with China’s approach, "it would be irresponsible of us and of Taiwan's leaders to treat these statements as empty threats," Kelly said. "A unilateral move toward independence will avail Taiwan of nothing it does not already enjoy in terms of democratic freedom, autonomy, prosperity and security....We look to President Chen to exercise the kind of responsible, democratic and restrained leadership that will be necessary to ensure a peaceful and prosperous future for Taiwan," he said. But Kelly also said that if China moved militarily against Taiwan, the US would keep President Bush’s promise to defend Taiwan (Reuters).

Diplomatic affairs

The US relaxed economic sanctions on Libya. Most commercial transactions were allowed to resume. However, some Libyan government assets in the US remained frozen and air travel remained restricted (Reuters).

Iraq

There were suicide bombing attacks on police stations in Basra (Reuters).

Saudi Arabia

There was a suicide bombing attack on a security forces building in Riyadh. A group called the Al Haramain Brigades claimed responsibility (Reuters).

24 APRIL 2004

Cyprus

A referendum on union between the Greek and Turkish sections passed in the Turkish sector but was defeated overwhelmingly in the Greek area (Reuters).

25 APRIL 2004

United States

Perhaps about one million people demonstrated in Washington against President Bush’s abortion policies (Reuters).

27 APRIL 2004

Israel, Gaza Strip

Around 50,000 Israelis demonstrated in the Gush Katif settlement bloc against Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip (Reuters).

28 APRIL 2004

Diplomatic affairs

The UN Security Council adopted a resolution requiring all UN members to adopt and enforce laws to prevent non-state actors, such as terrorist groups and black marketeers, from being able to "manufacture, acquire, possess, develop, transport or use nuclear, chemical or biological weapons and their means of delivery" (Reuters).

30 APRIL 2004

Diplomatic affairs

The UN Security Council approved a peacekeeping force for Haiti, the U.N. Stabilization Mission in Haiti, to include up to 6,700 troops and 1,622 police to replace the 3,700 US troops already there. The UN force will have a six-month mandate which will probably be renewed. Its mission will be to assist the transitional government with disarming paramilitary groups, restructuring the police force, and other tasks. This is to provide a stable environment for the holding of elections as soon as possible (Reuters).