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LETTER N° 8

From 18 to 24 FEBRUARY

18
Uruguay

Referendum. Results :

Comparing the percentage of registered voters on Feb. 18 to the votes won in October 1999 by the EP-FA, the only political force supporting the enforcement of the 13 artícles of the first emergency law, observers report about 53% of those voters who had chosen a left coalition a year and a half ago approved this referendum.

18
Gambia, The

Independence Day (18 February 1965).

Portuguese explorers reaching the Gambia region in the mid-15th cent. reported a group of small Malinke and Wolof states that were tributary to the empire of Mali. The English won trading rights from the Portuguese in 1588, but their hold was weak until the early 17th cent., when British merchant companies obtained trading charters and founded settlements along the Gambia River. In 1816 the British purchased Saint Mary's Island from a local chief and established Banjul (called Bathurst until 1973) as a base against the slave trade. The city remained a colonial backwater under the administration of Sierra Leone until 1843, when it became a separate crown colony. Between 1866 and 1888 it was again governed from Sierra Leone. As the French extended their rule over Senegal's interior, they sought control over Britain's Gambia River settlements but failed during negotiations to offer Britain acceptable territory in compensation. In 1889, The Gambia's boundaries were defined, and in 1894 the interior was declared a British protectorate. The Gambia achieved full self-government in 1963 and independence in 1965 under Dauda Kairaba Jawara and the People's Progressive party (PPP), made up of the predominant Malinke ethnic group. Following a referendum in 1970, The Gambia became a republic in the Commonwealth of Nations.

18
EYL

Official launch of the European Year of Languages 2001 in Lund, Sweden.

The European Year of Languages 2001.In 2001, the entire continent is celebrating the "European Year of Languages" (EYL). It is an open invitation to learn other languages and encounter other cultures. The EYL is organised jointly by the Council of Europe and the European Union. A wide range of activities are being organised in the 45 participating countries - by non-governmental organisations, local initiatives and individual citizens.

SEE

19
India

Byelections for 11 Assembly seats in 8 states. Results : Andhra Pradesh (123-Giddalur and 155-Badvel) ; Bihar (193-Asthawan) ; Chhattisgarh (24-Marwahi (ST)) ; Gujarat (67-Sabarmati) ; Jharkhand (23-Ramgarh) ; Rajasthan (103-Hindoli) ; Tripura (55-Kadamtala) ; Uttar Pradesh (399-Siwalkhas (SC), 414-Sarsawa, and 306-Bharthana).

20
Yemen

Municipal elections.

Referendum on a second chamber of parliament and longer electoral terms.

A majority of Yemenis have voted to extend the mandates of the president and MPs in a referendum and for the ruling party in the country's first local elections since unification, an official said. But opposition parties were quick to allege fraud and intimidation.

20
Colombia

Interior Minister Dr. Humberto de la Calle resigns.

22
Saint Lucia

Independence Day ( 22 February 1979).

Columbus may have sighted the island on his 1502 voyage. The British failed in their first attempts at colonization in the early 17th cent. The island was later settled by the French, who signed a treaty with the local Caribs in 1660. Thereafter Saint Lucia was much contested by the two European powers until the British secured it in 1814. It was part of the British Windward Islands colony, and joined the West Indies Federation (1958&endash;62) when the colony was dissolved. In 1967, Saint Lucia became one of the six members of the West Indies Associated States, with internal self-government, and in 1979 it gained full independence.

22
Bosnia and Hercegovina

Bozidar Matic is confirmed for the post of Prime Minister. the parliament has confirmed the nomination of Bozidar Matic, a Croat from the multi-ethnic Social Democrats - the largest single party in parliament.

23
Brunei

National Day (23 February 1984).

A native sultanate was established on Brunei in the 15th cent. At one time the sultan controlled nearly all of Borneo, but by the 19th cent. his power had declined and Brunei had become a haven for pirates. In 1888 the British established a protectorate over Brunei, administered by a British resident, although the sultan retained formal authority. The Japanese overran the area during World War II. In 1959 a written constitution went into effect. Under it, the sultanate remained and the protectorate was governed by a chief minister, council of ministers, and elected legislative council. Following elections won by an anti-monarchist in 1962, a state of emergency was proclaimed, and in 1970 the legislative council was made an appointed body. Following the signing of a treaty with the British in 1979, Brunei became fully independent in 1984.

23
Guyana

Republic Day (23 February 1970).

Guyana became a republic in 1970, embarking on a socialist path that ultimately led to economic ruin. The boundaries with Venezuela and Suriname continued to be a matter of dispute, with Venezuela still laying claim to some 60% of Guyana's territory.

23
Tuvalu

Parliament elects Faimalaga Luka prime minister. He is sworn in the next day.

23
Sudan, The

Sudan's president name a new Cabinet oamid heightened political tensions following the arrest of a leading opposition leader and more than 20 of his supporters. The new 31-member Cabinet includes two women, two lawyers and six army generals.

SEE NEW GOVERNMENT

24
Estonia

Independence Day (24 February 1918).

Estonia suffered bloody reprisals for its important role in the Russian Revolution of 1905. In the aftermath of the 1917 Russian Revolution, Moscow appointed a puppet Communist regime under Jaan Anvelt to rule Estonia; its authority, however, failed to extend beyond Tallinn. An Estonian proclamation of independence in Feb., 1918, was followed shortly by German occupation. After Germany surrendered to the Allies in Nov., 1918, Estonia declared itself an independent democratic republic and repulsed the invading Red Army.

24
Montenegro

Montenegro's pro-Yugoslavia Socialist People's Party (SNP) elected a new leader on Saturday to replace a former ally of ousted Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic. The main opposition SNP, formerly in a coalition with Milosevic's Socialists and now partner to Serbia's reformer DOS bloc that ousted him, elected Predrag Bulatovic as its new president at a party congress in the Adriatic resort of Bijela.

This week on our VIPS-GOVsite, there are some others governments of the E.U, including :

ITALY - UNITED KINGDOM - SWEDEN - IRELAND

THIS WEEK'S STORY

1582
February 24

Pope Gregory XIII Decreed Calendar Reform

Pope Gregory XIII issued a Papal Bull to drop ten days from the calendar. In Italy, Spain, Portugal, Poland, and other major Roman Catholic countries, the day following October 4, 1582 was to be October 15, 1582. To better and approximate the length of the astronomical year in order to make more accurate calculation of saints' days and other religious events, the Julian calendar, which had been in effect for 1600 years, was to be replaced by the Gregorian calendar, the fruit of careful research and calculation by a group of mathematicians and scholars assembled by the Vatican. The removal of ten days was meant to correct the error accumulated since A.D. 1, and to bring the date back in line with the seasons.

Most Roman Catholic countries quickly adopted the new calendar, but Protestant countries at first refused to make the change decreed by a pope. It wasn't until 1701 that the Protestant cantons of Switzerland, the Netherlands, and the greater part of Protestant Germany made the switch, and England didn't move to the Gregorian calendar until 1752, with Sweden coming on board the following year. By that time, 11 days had to be added instead of the original 10. Even more resistant than the Protestant nations were the Eastern Orthodox countries. It took the Bolshevik revolution of 1918 to make the change in Russia, and the Greeks didn't go Gregorian until 1923.

18 Uruguay		Referendum. Results : Comparing the percentage of registered voters on Feb. 18 to the votes won in October 1999 by the EP-FA, the only political force supporting the enforcement of the 13 artícles of the first emergency law, observers report about 53% of those voters who had chosen a left coalition a year and a half ago approved this referendum.
18 Gambia, The		Independence Day (18 February 1965). Portuguese explorers reaching the Gambia region in the mid-15th cent. reported a group of small Malinke and Wolof states that were tributary to the empire of Mali. The English won trading rights from the Portuguese in 1588, but their hold was weak until the early 17th cent., when British merchant companies obtained trading charters and founded settlements along the Gambia River. In 1816 the British purchased Saint Mary's Island from a local chief and established Banjul (called Bathurst until 1973) as a base against the slave trade. The city remained a colonial backwater under the administration of Sierra Leone until 1843, when it became a separate crown colony. Between 1866 and 1888 it was again governed from Sierra Leone. As the French extended their rule over Senegal's interior, they sought control over Britain's Gambia River settlements but failed during negotiations to offer Britain acceptable territory in compensation. In 1889, The Gambia's boundaries were defined, and in 1894 the interior was declared a British protectorate. The Gambia achieved full self-government in 1963 and independence in 1965 under Dauda Kairaba Jawara and the People's Progressive party (PPP), made up of the predominant Malinke ethnic group. Following a referendum in 1970, The Gambia became a republic in the Commonwealth of Nations.
18 EYL		Official launch of the European Year of Languages 2001 in Lund, Sweden. The European Year of Languages 2001.In 2001, the entire continent is celebrating the "European Year of Languages" (EYL). It is an open invitation to learn other languages and encounter other cultures. The EYL is organised jointly by the Council of Europe and the European Union. A wide range of activities are being organised in the 45 participating countries - by non-governmental organisations, local initiatives and individual citizens. SEE
19 India		Byelections for 11 Assembly seats in 8 states. Results : Andhra Pradesh (123-Giddalur and 155-Badvel) ; Bihar (193-Asthawan) ; Chhattisgarh (24-Marwahi (ST)) ; Gujarat (67-Sabarmati) ; Jharkhand (23-Ramgarh) ; Rajasthan (103-Hindoli) ; Tripura (55-Kadamtala) ; Uttar Pradesh (399-Siwalkhas (SC), 414-Sarsawa, and 306-Bharthana).
20 Yemen		Municipal elections. Referendum on a second chamber of parliament and longer electoral terms. A majority of Yemenis have voted to extend the mandates of the president and MPs in a referendum and for the ruling party in the country's first local elections since unification, an official said. But opposition parties were quick to allege fraud and intimidation.
20 Colombia		Interior Minister Dr. Humberto de la Calle resigns.
22 Saint Lucia		Independence Day ( 22 February 1979). Columbus may have sighted the island on his 1502 voyage. The British failed in their first attempts at colonization in the early 17th cent. The island was later settled by the French, who signed a treaty with the local Caribs in 1660. Thereafter Saint Lucia was much contested by the two European powers until the British secured it in 1814. It was part of the British Windward Islands colony, and joined the West Indies Federation (1958&endash;62) when the colony was dissolved. In 1967, Saint Lucia became one of the six members of the West Indies Associated States, with internal self-government, and in 1979 it gained full independence.
22 Bosnia and Hercegovina		Bozidar Matic is confirmed for the post of Prime Minister. the parliament has confirmed the nomination of Bozidar Matic, a Croat from the multi-ethnic Social Democrats - the largest single party in parliament.
23 Brunei		National Day (23 February 1984). A native sultanate was established on Brunei in the 15th cent. At one time the sultan controlled nearly all of Borneo, but by the 19th cent. his power had declined and Brunei had become a haven for pirates. In 1888 the British established a protectorate over Brunei, administered by a British resident, although the sultan retained formal authority. The Japanese overran the area during World War II. In 1959 a written constitution went into effect. Under it, the sultanate remained and the protectorate was governed by a chief minister, council of ministers, and elected legislative council. Following elections won by an anti-monarchist in 1962, a state of emergency was proclaimed, and in 1970 the legislative council was made an appointed body. Following the signing of a treaty with the British in 1979, Brunei became fully independent in 1984.
23 Guyana		Republic Day (23 February 1970). Guyana became a republic in 1970, embarking on a socialist path that ultimately led to economic ruin. The boundaries with Venezuela and Suriname continued to be a matter of dispute, with Venezuela still laying claim to some 60% of Guyana's territory.
23 Tuvalu		Parliament elects Faimalaga Luka prime minister. He is sworn in the next day.
23 Sudan, The		Sudan's president name a new Cabinet oamid heightened political tensions following the arrest of a leading opposition leader and more than 20 of his supporters. The new 31-member Cabinet includes two women, two lawyers and six army generals. SEE NEW GOVERNMENT
24 Estonia		Independence Day (24 February 1918). Estonia suffered bloody reprisals for its important role in the Russian Revolution of 1905. In the aftermath of the 1917 Russian Revolution, Moscow appointed a puppet Communist regime under Jaan Anvelt to rule Estonia; its authority, however, failed to extend beyond Tallinn. An Estonian proclamation of independence in Feb., 1918, was followed shortly by German occupation. After Germany surrendered to the Allies in Nov., 1918, Estonia declared itself an independent democratic republic and repulsed the invading Red Army.
24 Montenegro		Montenegro's pro-Yugoslavia Socialist People's Party (SNP) elected a new leader on Saturday to replace a former ally of ousted Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic. The main opposition SNP, formerly in a coalition with Milosevic's Socialists and now partner to Serbia's reformer DOS bloc that ousted him, elected Predrag Bulatovic as its new president at a party congress in the Adriatic resort of Bijela.