1 DECEMBER 2001

Taiwan, Politics

Parliamentary and mayoral elections were held. The Nationalists suffered a severe defeat at the hands of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and other parties.

Of the total of 225 parliamentary seats, 176 were directly contested by candidates and 49 were distributed according to the proportion of total votes. The DPP won 87 seats, up from 66 in the 1998 election. The Nationalists won 68 seats, down from 123 in the 1998 election. Some deputies had defected from the party last year, leaving it with 110. The People First Party (PFP), led by former Nationalist James Soong, won 46 seats, up from 20. The DPP won 36.6% of the vote while the Nationalists received 31.3%.

The Nationlists did better in the mayoral elections. There were 23 contested seats. The Nationlists won nine, up from eight seats in 1997; the DPP won nine, down from twelve (Reuters).

Israel

Two suicide bombers killed ten Israelis on or near the Ben Yehuda pedestrian street in Jerusalem. An Israeli government spokesman said, "As head of the Palestinian Authority, [Yasser] Arafat bears direct responsibility for what happened today in Jerusalem." The Palestinian Authority (PA) said it condemned the attack and would hunt those responsible (Reuters).

2 DECEMBER 2001

Israel

A suicide bomber boarded a bus in Haifa, killing 15 people. Hamas claimed responsibility for that and the previous day's attack. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was meeting US President Bush in Washington that day. The Palestinian Authority (PA) released a statement saying it "has decided to declare a state of emergency throughout the Palestinian territory." It reiterated its existing ban on the military wings of militant groups that failed to heed Yasser Arafat's cease-fire call, "particularly those who claim responsibility for these attacks and bombings against civilians in Israel." Security forces were ordered to detain "the planners and executors of these attacks so that they could face justice." But an Israeli official said, "We no longer harbor any expectations that Arafat will do anything -- so we will" (Reuters).

3-4 DECEMBER 2001

Israel

Israeli aircraft struck PA targets in Gaza City and the West Bank.

5 DECEMBER 2001

Diplomatic Affairs

The final ceilings for the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) I came into effect. The US and Russia each issued statements saying they had already reduced their forces below the treaty's limits of 1,600 strategic delivery vehicles and 6,000 strategic nuclear warheads per state (Reuters).

Afghanistan, Politics

Delegates to the talks in Bonn, Germany agreed to establish by 22 December an interim government under Pashtun tribal chief Hamid Karzai. The Northern Alliance is to control the foreign affairs, defense and interior ministries. An emergency Loya Jirga (national assembly) is to be convened within six months to establish a transitional regime to rule the country until elections can be held. Burhanuddin Rabbani, until now the nominal president of Afghanistan, will of course step down to make way for Karzai (Reuters, AP).

5-6 DECEMBER 2001

Israel, Gaza Strip

The PA put Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin under house arrest in Gaza City. Thousands of Palestinians clashed with PA police during and after the arrest (Reuters).

6 DECEMBER 2001

Sri Lanka, Politics

Ranil Wickremesinghe’s United National Party (UNP) won 114 seats in the 225-seat parliament; Wickremesinghe became Prime Minister. President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s People’s Alliance (PA) won 77 seats, down from 107. Wickremesinghe has advocated immediate peace talks with the LTTE rebels and free-market economic policies. Kumaratunga also favors a broad power-sharing arrangement with the Tamils but opposes lifting a ban on the LTTE before talks. She has associated herself with a relatively socialist approach to economic policy (Reuters).

7 DECEMBER 2001

Afghanistan

Anti-Taliban forces entered Kandahar. Taliban leader Mohammad Omar was not found and his whereabouts were unknown. Anti-Taliban forces, with US air support, were closing in on about 1,000 al-Qaeda fighers in the Tora Bora region of eastern Afghanistan (Reuters).

8-15 DECEMBER 2001

Afghanistan

Afghan forces, with US aircraft in support, brought organized resistance by al-Qaeda elements in the Tora Bora region to an end. Apparently, a significant proportion of the al-Qaeda fighters were able to escape toward Pakistan. According to US officials, in the next few days several hundred of them were arrested by Pakistani forces as they crossed the border (Reuters).

10 DECEMBER 2001

Venezuela

There was an extensive work stoppage to protest certain social and economic initiatives of President Hugo Chavez. Chavez seeks extensive land redistribution and greater state control of the oil industry. The strike was called by Fedecamaras, a private business association, and was joined by CTV, the main workers' union (Reuters).

11 DECEMBER 2001

Diplomatic Affairs

China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) (Reuters).

Israel, Gaza Strip

Israeli forces struck a Palestinian security facility in Beit Hanoun (Reuters).

12 DECEMBER 2001

Israel, West Bank & Gaza Strip

The al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade claimed responsibility for an attack on a bus near Immanuel that killed ten Israelis. Israeli aircraft struck several PA targets (Reuters).

13 DECEMBER 2001

Diplomatic Affairs

The US provided the required six month notice that it would withdraw from the 1972 ABM Treaty. Russia’s response was restrained, with President Putin saying the US decision "does not pose a threat to the national security of the Russian Federation" (Reuters).

India

Five gunmen entered the parliament complex in New Delhi. They were stopped before they could enter the chamber where most of India’s government and lawmakers were gathered. The five attackers and six guards were killed. Pakistan condemned the attack (Reuters).

Argentina

The three largest unions called a nationwide strike to protest President Fernando de la Rua’s austere economic policies (Reuters).

14 DECEMBER 2001

India, Foreign Policy

External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh said the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba guerilla group, which is waging a separatist campaign in Indian-controlled Kashmir, was responsible for the previous day's attack on the Indian parliament. Singh called on Pakistan to halt the operations of Lashkar-e-Taiba and another Kashmiri separatist group, Jaish-e-Mohammed, to freeze their assets and to arrest their leaders. Lashkar-e-Taiba denied involvement in the attack (Reuters). In the following weeks and months, a major confrontation developed as India mobilized its armed forces and deployed major elements near the India-Pakistan border; Pakistan was obliged to do likewise. The demand that Pakistan stop military activity across the Line of Control in Kashmir would become a consistent theme of India's foreign policy statements.

Europe, Diplomatic Affairs

The EU held a summit in Brussels. Members discussed the upcoming Convention on the Future of Europe, the January 2002 launch of euro notes and coins, participation in a UN peacekeeping force for Afghanistan, and other issues. About 8,000 people protested 'globalization', some violently (Reuters).

15 DECEMBER 2001

Pakistan, Foreign Policy

President Pervez Musharraf warned India not to cross the Line of Control in Kashmir, saying "Any adventure would be met with force". He said he would act against any Pakistan-based group proven to be involved in the 13 December attack (Reuters).

16 DECEMBER 2001

Asia, Diplomatic Affairs

Indian police said they had evidence that the Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba groups were involved in the 13 December attack, that Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI) was "connected with" the attack, and that the five attackers were Pakistani citizens. Pakistan said it wanted a joint investigation of the incident (Reuters).

Madagascar, Politics

President Didier Ratsiraka faced Marc Ravalomanana in a presidential election. After months of violence, there was still no agreement between the two on who had won. In May 2002 a recount was conducted, which Ravolomanana won (see 26 June 2002) (Reuters).

17 DECEMBER 2001

Haiti

About 30 armed men attacked the National Palace but were fought off by security forces (Reuters).

18 DECEMBER 2001

Yemen

Military forces attacked the al-Jalal tribe in Marib province when it refused to hand over several individuals suspected of links to al-Qaeda (Reuters).

19-20 DECEMBER 2001

Argentina

There was widespread looting and rioting in Buenos Aires and in the northeast part of the country owing to popular discontent with the government's austerity measures. On the 20th, President Fernando de la Rua resigned. Senate chief Ramon Puerta of the opposition Peronists was left in charge of the state (Reuters).

20 DECEMBER 2001

Afghanistan

The first British troops arrived in Kabul as part of a peacekeeping force to be led by the British (Reuters).

20-21 DECEMBER 2001

Israel, Gaza Strip

There were clashes between PA police and Hamas members in Gaza (Reuters).

22 DECEMBER 2001

Afghanistan, Politics

Hamid Karzai was sworn in as leader of the interim government (Reuters).

23-24 DECEMBER 2001

Argentina

San Luis province Governor Adolfo Rodriguez Saa became interim president on the 23rd. The next day, he declared a moratorium on the country's $32 billion debt and called new elections for 3 March (Reuters).

29 DECEMBER 2001

Zambia, Politics

A presidential election was held. President Levy Mwanawasa of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) defeated Anderson Mazoka. Mwanawasa received 28.7% of the vote; Mazoka, 26.7%. The opposition and some foreign observers said there were irregularities (Reuters).

30 DECEMBER 2001

Argentina, Politics

President Rodriquez Saa announced his resignation (Reuters).