Motion for a resolution - B8-0387/2015Motion for a resolution
B8-0387/2015

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the killing of students in Kenya by terror group al-Shabaab

27.4.2015 - (2015/2661(RSP))

to wind up the debate on the statement by the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
pursuant to Rule 123(2) of the Rules of Procedure

Enrique Calvet Chambon, Petras Auštrevičius, Beatriz Becerra Basterrechea, Izaskun Bilbao Barandica, Dita Charanzová, Gérard Deprez, Marielle de Sarnez, Martina Dlabajová, José Inácio Faria, Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, Nathalie Griesbeck, Antanas Guoga, Ivan Jakovčić, Petr Ježek, Louis Michel, Javier Nart, Urmas Paet, Maite Pagazaurtundúa Ruiz, Jozo Radoš, Frédérique Ries, Robert Rochefort, Marietje Schaake, Pavel Telička, Yana Toom, Ramon Tremosa i Balcells, Johannes Cornelis van Baalen, Ivo Vajgl, Hilde Vautmans on behalf of the ALDE Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B8-0382/2015

Procedure : 2015/2661(RSP)
Document stages in plenary
Document selected :  
B8-0387/2015
Texts tabled :
B8-0387/2015
Debates :
Texts adopted :

B8‑0387/2015

European Parliament resolution on the killing of students in Kenya by terror group al-Shabaab

(2015/2661(RSP))

The European Parliament,

–       having regard to its previous resolutions on Kenya,

–       having regard to the second revised Partnership Agreement between the members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States, of the one part, and the European Community and its Member States, of the other part, signed in Cotonou on 23 June 2000 (‘The Cotonou Agreement’), in particular Articles 8, 11 and 26 thereof,

–       having regard to the statements of the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, on 23 November 2014 on the massacre of 28 civilian travellers, and on 3 April 2015 on the Garissa University butchery,

–       having regard to the press statement of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 497th meeting held on 9 April 2015, on the terrorist attack perpetrated in Garissa, Kenya,

–       having regard to the raid of the Kenyan Air Forces on al-Shabaab training camps in Somalia in response to the carnage at Garissa University,

–       having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,

–       having regard to the UN Declaration of 1981 on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief,

–       having regard to the African Charter of Human and Peoples’ Rights,

–       having regard to the EU Guidelines on International Humanitarian Law,

–       having regard to Rule 123(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.     whereas terrorist actions by jihadists have increased, lately targeting innocent civilian people, taking hostages, bombing and burning entire villages and towns, and conducting suicide attacks in markets and other populous places, defying the international community all over the world;

B.     whereas the latest terrorist attack in Garissa, Kenya, targeted young people, education, and therefore the future of the country; whereas young people represent promise and peace, and are the future upholders of the country’s development; whereas education is vital for the fight against violent extremism and fundamentalism;

C.     whereas protecting the rights of children and young people, and reinforcing skills, education and innovation, is essential to enhance their economic, social and cultural opportunities and to enhance the country’s development;

D.     whereas al-Shabaab has regularly targeted students, schools, and other education facilities, among which, in December 2009, a suicide bomber killed 19 people at a graduation ceremony of medical students in Mogadishu, and in October 2011, the terrorist group claimed responsibility for a bombing which killed 70, including students awaiting exam results at the Ministry of Education, also in Mogadishu;

E.     whereas Kenya has been facing increased attacks targeting civilians since October 2011, when its troops entered southern Somalia to take part in a coordinated operation with the Somalian military against an al-Shabaab-controlled area after the terrorist group took four hostages, three from Europe and one from South America (Marie Dedieu from France, Judith Tebutt from the United Kingdom, Mercedes Garcia from Spain and Pilar Bauza from Argentina);

F.     whereas since November 2011, Kenyan troops have been part of AMISOM (African Union Mission in Somalia), created by the African Union’s Peace and Security Council on 19 January 2007 and authorised by the UN Security Council on 20 February 2007 (Resolution 1744(2007)13), which has recently given the green light to the AU to continue its mission until 30 November 2015 (Resolution 2182(2014));

G.     whereas one of the main contributors to the fight against terrorist group al-Shabaab has been the Ethiopian army and, to a lesser extent, the Ugandan army;

H.     whereas the terrorist group al-Shabaab, complying with Al Qaida, regularly bombs and kills mostly civilians in Somalia, as well as in neighbouring countries, such as in Kampala, Uganda on July 2010, and very much more often in Kenya, where only the large-scale actions have gained international attention but smaller attacks have been a steady feature;

I.      whereas al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the raids conducted in July 2014 on the villages of Hindi, Gamba, Lamu and Tana River on the Kenyan coast, where more than one hundred people were executed, and for two attacks in Mandela county in late 2014, where 64 people were killed;

J.      whereas the African Standby Force (ASF) is not yet operational, and whereas the EU stated its willingness to support African peacekeeping capabilities as part of its Security Strategy for Africa;

K.     whereas according to Article 11 of the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement, ‘Activities in the field of peace-building, conflict prevention and resolution shall in particular include support for balancing political, economic, social and cultural opportunities among all segments of society, for strengthening the democratic legitimacy and effectiveness of governance, for establishing effective mechanisms for the peaceful conciliation of group interests, [...] for bridging dividing lines among different segments of society as well as support for an active and organised civil society’;

1.      Condemns in the strongest terms the deliberate terrorist attack perpetrated by al-Shabaab on 2 April 2015 in Garissa, assassinating 147 young, innocent university students and injuring 79 others; condemns forcefully all violations of human rights, especially when people are killed on the basis of their religion, beliefs and ethnic origin;

2.      Condemns once more the raids conducted by al-Shabaab during the summer of 2014 on several coastal Kenyan villages, including Mpeketoni, where 50 people were executed; condemns vigorously the foray in the Westgate Shopping Centre in Nairobi on 24 September 2013, where 67 dead bodies were discovered;

3.      Expresses its condolences to the families of the victims and the people and Government of the Republic of Kenya; stands by the people of Kenya in the face of these despicable acts of aggression;

4.      Acknowledges that the real answer must be organised around coordinated actions with other African countries, and calls on the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the Council to address security and terrorist threats in this regional area in cooperation with the African Union, in support of its crucial efforts to fight al-Shabaab through AMISOM;

5.      Calls for the EU to implement a military training mission programme in Kenya and to provide modern equipment, collaborating with and training Kenya’s military and police forces to fight terrorism and prevent the expansion of al-Shabaab;

6.      Urges the Kenyan Government to make all efforts to conform with the rule of law, human rights, democratic principles and fundamental freedoms, and calls for the EU to lead its international partner in this line, and pull together a financial contribution to enhance the existing governance programmes and implement military cooperation, in order to ensure national security and bring peace and stability to the country and the region;

7.      Calls on the Kenyan security forces to ensure lawful responses to counter the terrorist threat; calls on the Kenyan Government to ensure the security and protection of the refugee camps in its territory;

8.      Calls for the EU to develop its strategy for Kenya with a clear focus on peace and security aspects, which are essential for the development and prosperity of Kenya;

9.      Urges the European Union to strongly support the implementation of continental and regional mechanisms for conflict management, mainly the African Standby Force (ASF);

10.    Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Government of Kenya, the Institutions of the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the United Nations General Assembly, and the Co-Chairs of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly.