News Timeline: March 2009

 

March 2 — North America/Middle East: UNITED STATES/EGYPT/ISRAEL/PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES

U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton arrives in Egypt on her first visit to the Middle East as a representative of the Obama administration. She will participate in a donors’ conference in Sharm-al-Sheikh for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, which suffered great destruction as a result of the recent Israeli incursions. Clinton will also visit Israel and the Palestinian Territories to discuss how to move the peace process forward.

March 4 — Africa/International Organizations: SUDAN/INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT

The International Criminal Court in The Hague issues an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Sudan’s region of Darfur. Thousands of people died in the conflict where pro-government Arab militias have been carrying out ethnic cleansing against the non-Arab people.

March 9 — North America: UNITED STATES

U.S. President Barack Obama lifts the ban on federal funding for stem cell research. The move meets approval from researchers, who say stem cells can help understand and cure some of the most devastating diseases, and criticism from conservative and religious groups who consider it unethical.

March 9 — South Asia: SRI LANKA

The Sri Lankan government appoints former deputy leader of the Tamil Tiger rebels Colonel Karuna minister of national integration and reconciliation. He split from the rebels in 2004 with more than 6,000 insurgents, causing a major setback to the movement. (March 10): The Tamil Tiger rebels launch suicide bomb attacks on Sri Lanka’s southern city of Akuressa, about 100 miles from the capital, Colombo, killing 14 people and wounding another 35. The Sri Lankan government says it has made progress in encircling the rebels in a small area. However, heavy fighting continues, with 218 people killed and 1,205 injured since the beginning of March.

March 9 — Latin America/North America: BOLIVIA/UNITED STATES

Bolivia expels U.S. diplomat, Francisco Martinez, accusing him of having contacts with Bolivian opposition groups. Six months ago, U.S. ambassador to Bolivia was also ordered to leave the country over similar accusations.

March 11 — North America/Latin America: UNITED STATES/CUBA

U.S. Congress eases some of the economic restrictions on Cuba. Cuban-Americans will be allowed to visit Cuba once a year and send back more money. It also lifts some of the restrictions on sending medicines and food.

March 16 — Latin America: EL SALVADOR

Mauricio Funes from El Salvador’s former Marxist rebel party, Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN), defeats the country’s conservative president of the last 18 years, Rodrigo Avila, in presidential elections. Funes vows to respect the country’s democratic institutions and maintain good relations with the United States. He also faces a difficult task of repairing El Salvador’s failing economy.

March 16 — Africa: MADAGASCAR

Madagascar’s military seizes the presidential palace, ousts democratically elected President Marc Ravalomanana, and grants full presidential powers to an opposition leader, Andry Rajoelina. Rajoelina has led several-month long popular protests against President Ravalomanana. Although Ravalomanana has introduced successful market reforms and opened the country to foreign investment after decades of socialism, most of the Madagascar’s population still lives in dire poverty. (March 17): Ravalomanana announces his resignation. The international community condemns the coup. (March 18): Madagascar’s Supreme Court approves the handover of power. (March 20): The African Union suspends Madagascar’s membership and the United States stops non-humanitarian aid to the country. The European Union condemns the coup. (March 31): The Southern African Development Community (SADC) suspends Madagascar and calls for Rajoelina to step down. In defiance, Rajoelina announces his new cabinet. He also promises a new constitution and general elections within the next two years.

March 17 — Europe: RUSSIA

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev unveils a comprehensive military rearmament and modernization plan beginning in 2011. During the time leading to 2011, Russia plans to purchase $140 billion worth of arms.

March 17 — Europe/International Organizations: FRANCE/NATO

The French parliament approves President Nicolas Sarkozy’s decision to change France’s membership status in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to a full one. The move reverses the 1966 decision by President Charles de Gaulle to pull France out of NATO’s military command, claiming it undermined France’s independence.

March 19 — North America: UNITED STATES

The U.S. state of New Mexico passes legislation that abolishes the death penalty, making it the 15th state in the union that has done so. The state’s governor, Bill Richardson, says the DNA evidence has shown that innocent people were sentenced to death in the past.

March 21 — Europe: HUNGARY

Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany announces his resignation amid Hungary’s economic problems. His popularity significantly declined after he approved raising taxes and spending cuts, and after it was revealed that he lied about the poor state of the country’s financial situation to win reelection. Last year, Hungary received a $25 billion bailout loan from the IMF to avoid economic collapse. (March 30): The governing coalition approves Economy Minister Gordon Bajnai to become Hungary’s next prime minister.

March 23 — Middle East: IRAQ

A suicide bombing in the northeastern Iraqi province of Diyala kills at least 25 people. Although it is believed that violence in Iraq has been the lowest since 2003, the country still is experiencing deadly attacks on daily basis, including attacks on police recruitment places and markets.

March 27 — Africa: ZIMBABWE

Zimbabwe’s new prime minister, Morgan Tsvangirai, says that further confiscation of the white farmers’ land is illegal and it will be prosecuted. President Robert Mugabe, however, insists that the government will continue this policy as part of the land reform. The continuation of the policy has been the main part of the power-sharing agreement.

March 28 — East Asia: CHINA

China celebrates the Serfs Liberation Day with festivities, which marks the beginning of the country’s rule over Tibet in 1959. China says that by taking over the region, it liberated it from Buddhist theocracy and brought progress and prosperity. The critics, however, say Tibet has not benefited from China’s economic growth.

March 30 — Europe: RUSSIA

A prominent former Chechen separatist leader and an opponent of the pro-Russian Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov, Sulim Yamadayev, is assassinated in the United Arab Emirates’ capital of Dubai. He is the fourth prominent Chechen to be killed in recent months. President Kadyrov has been accused of systematic elimination of his opponents.

March 31 — Africa/Europe

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) says that more than 200 African migrants are feared dead when a boat carrying 250 people overturned off the coast of Libya. From North Africa, migrants cross the Mediterranean Sea to the Italian island of Lampedusa. In 2008, more than 30,000 African migrants reached the island.