A selected chronology of events in Tanzania during 2004 compiled by IRIN
January
30 Jan: Defence lawyers at the UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) in Arusha, Tanzania, suspend a three-day strike after receiving assurances from the tribunals registry that some of their demands would be met and “serious” negotiations would begin.
February
10 Feb: The European Commission (EC) announces that it has approved a humanitarian aid package worth 15 million euro (19 million US dollar) for vulnerable displaced populations in Tanzania
10 Feb: The African Development Bank (ADB) and the government of Tanzania sign an agreement for a 22,98-million US dollar grant for a rural a water-supply project in the northeastern district of Monduli.
25 Feb: The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approves a 4,2-million dollar loan in support of Tanzanias poverty reduction programme.
27 Feb: Women, lacking power, resources and education because of Tanzanias patriarchal society, are bearing the brunt of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the country, the Tanzania Media Womens Association (TAMWA) reports.
March
2 Mar: The government of Japan announces it has waived 1,2 billion yen (11 million US dollar) worth of debt that Tanzania had incurred with the Japan Bank for International Cooperation over a period of up to 20 years.
8 Mar: Police in Zanzibar begin investigations into the possible link between protestors who clashed with them and the main opposition party, the Civic United Front (CUF).
11 Mar: An estimated 3,5 million Tanzanians will need food aid before the end of May, but better rains and the impending harvest mean the food situation is improving in some parts of the country, humanitarian workers said.
26 Mar: Following a turbulent month in Zanzibar, disagreement continues over who is behind a recent spate of bombings and attacks and what their motives might be. While the Tanzanian government says the violence is politically motivated, the police maintain they cannot rule out extreme religious groups.
30 Mar: A human rights body expresses concern over the high level of corruption in the country, which it says is continuing unabated and is curtailing people’s human rights. However, in its 2003 report, the Legal and Human Rights Centre says there has been some steps taken to tackle graft, notably in the strengthening of the Prevention of Corruption Bureau and the prosecution of some government officials.
June
16 Jun: Tanzania announces plans to destroy its last remaining 3.177 anti-personnel landmines.
22 Jun: The UNs refugee agency, UNHCR, announces the opening of a fourth crossing on the Burundian and Tanzanian border to help in the repatriation of some 300.000 Burundian refugees.
July
21 Jul: Tanzania begins producing 115MW of electrical power from natural gas.
August
31 Aug: President Benjamin Mkapa announces that the government will start distributing anti-retroviral drugs free to HIV/AIDS patients from October.
September
9 Sep: Tanzanias government receives a favourable report card from the IMF on its poverty reduction strategy, even though the country remains near the bottom of the UN Development Programmes Human Development Index.
October
22 Oct: Crop failures from poor rains in the Northern Highlands region have left some 180.000 people in need of food aid, while thousands more require seeds for the upcoming planting season to help avert further food shortages.
November
20 Nov: A declaration of commitment to end conflict in Africas Great Lakes region is signed in Dar es Salaam by 11 heads of state.
December
1 Dec: Police shoot dead a primary school student at a voter registration centre in Pemba, the second largest island of Zanzibar.
Kilde: FN-bureauet IRINnews
