Der Präsident. – Als nächster Punkt der Tagesordnung folgt die Aussprache über die Erklärung der Vizepräsidentin der Kommission/Hohen Vertreterin der Union für Außen- und Sicherheitspolitik zum systematischen Massenmord an religiösen Minderheiten durch den IS (2016/2529(RSP)).

  Federica Mogherini, Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. – Mr President, I apologise but it is dealing partially with what was discussed before on Moldova.

Let me first of all say that this debate touches on something that is particularly relevant and very much linked to other debates we held last night: the situation in the Middle East and sectarianism is one of the diseases of our age. For centuries, countless faiths and ethnicities have lived together in the Middle East – more than in any other parts of the world. Of course, sectarian conflicts have always existed, but the diversity of the Middle East has never ever been as vulnerable as it is today.

For too long, too many actors have fostered sectarian divisions in a struggle for regional power and this is what we are seeing now. Today, we see the devastating effects of such behaviour. Daesh has turned sectarian strife into a core theme of its propaganda and of its actions. They have used it as a tool for recruitment and as an excuse for claiming oil rich lands – not much to do with religion, but a lot about power.

Before I go into more detail on how to tackle the mass murder of minorities, let me be clear on one important thing: Daesh is not just a threat to minorities. A few days ago we learned that Daesh has allegedly killed more than 100 people and kidnapped hundreds in the Syrian city of Deir al—Zor. According to the first reports, all of them were Sunni Muslims. If you look at the numbers of victims in the current conflicts, the vast majority of them are Muslims. This is true in Syria and Iraq, as well as in Nigeria or in Pakistan, and also in Europe we have Muslim victims of terrorist attacks. All faiths, all peoples are victims and united in the fight against terror. This is I think the first duty we have: to send a signal, to send this message. We are all in this. We are all united in this.

Still, we cannot ignore that the plight of individuals belonging to religious minorities, including Christians, in Daesh-controlled areas of Syria and Iraq is dramatic. Christian communities, Kurdish cities, the enslavement of Yazidi women, Shabaks, Druze, Assyrians, we can forget none of them. Faced with terrible atrocities, we need more than condemnation. You can imagine my frustration every time that we come out with a statement condemning – we have to do that because it is a sign of constant attention, which these communities need. But on the other side, we all know very well that condemning is not enough. We need concrete support for these people, so let me focus on actions we have taken in defence of minorities in the Middle East.

First, financial support: we are providing very concrete financial support. The European Union and the Member States are the leading donors for Syria with over EUR 5 billion in assistance. We have been among the first to provide assistance to the Yazidis and Christians in Iraq – I visited some of them exactly last year at Christmas – and to the Kurds in Kobane.

The EU also remains the second largest donor to Iraq. Our funds are helping to bring life back to the regions liberated from Daesh, and we all know that this is central for making it possible for the pluralism of this society to survive. When we say that we must help minorities stay in their land, in the lands where they have lived for centuries, that is exactly what I mean. The European instrument for democracy and human rights supports civil society projects promoting freedom of religion or belief. This goes together with implementing legislation that safeguards the rights of persons belonging to minorities in both Syria and Iraq.

As the war still goes on, it can be difficult to look at the future and work on a post-war Middle East. I know that very well. Still, we need to always keep in mind that our long-term goal is that of a peaceful and inclusive democracy. We need to start investing in a peaceful future today if we want tomorrow to be a better one. Let me be completely sincere on this: the resources we have invested, although very important ones, are far from sufficient. Humanitarian response plans for Syria and Iraq were under-funded in 2015. This needs to change under the new humanitarian response plans for 2016, and we have worked on this. The European Union continues to contribute to humanitarian aid, and let me say I count very much on this Parliament’s support for our action to be strengthened this year. It will be important to commit to a strong pledge at the upcoming London Conference of Donors for Syria that will be co-hosted by the UK, Germany, Norway, Kuwait and the United Nations on 4 February this year.

Apart from financial support, we have other fields of action. The second one is guaranteeing that justice will be done – accountability. This is a crucial step towards peace and national reconciliation. This is why the European Union supports the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria, which collects evidence on the violations committed in view of future legal action. The EU also provides political and financial support to efforts from civil society to promote accountability in Syria. Our European Union has called for the UN Security Council to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court. As for Iraq, we are aware that minority groups, in particular the Yazidis, have demanded that the crimes committed against them by Daesh be considered genocide.

Third field of action – we are seeking the broadest engagement of relevant regional actors and of international organisations. This is because we believe that it is, for sure, a task for the European Union – but not for the European Union alone – to protect minorities in the Middle East. Since the beginning of the crisis, we have sought to involve our Muslim partners first and foremost on the solution of it. We are part of the global coalition countering Daesh and contribute to its objectives with non-military means, as you know.

Let me also stress that our condemnation of the crimes of Daesh will never be as powerful as those of the Muslim religious authorities. They are our best allies in this fight. We have, in particular, cooperated with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation an engagement which led us to the consensual adoption of a UN resolution on fighting religious intolerance. I have, in particular, in the last months upgraded our cooperation with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

The EU also supports the proposal by France and the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency Group that the Security Council develops a code of conduct whereby permanent members agree to refrain from using their veto with respect to those mass atrocities which the responsibility to protect seeks to prevent. We are happy to see that this proposal is gradually gaining more support within the larger UN membership.

The fourth field of action, maybe the most urgent one: we are on the front line of all diplomatic efforts to find a political solution to the war in Syria and join forces against Daesh and, let me add, supporting the work of the Iraqi authorities towards national inclusion and reconciliation.

We are finally getting to a stage in Syria where the Syrian parties can finally, hopefully, sit together and try to find their own way out of the war. After five years of bloodshed, reconciliation and peace will not be easy for sure, but is it possible – and more than possible, necessary. There is no other way to preserve the incredible diversity of the Middle East. Building up strong and inclusive societies – strong and inclusive democracies where all people have a say, where all rights are guaranteed, where living together is possible and it is safe and good for all.

Despite the hardships, minorities in the Middle East have not lost hope. Just one month ago, the Catholic community in Aleppo celebrated the beginning of the Catholic jubilee of mercy. They did so by opening a holy door in the local church of Saint Francis. Life goes on, faith goes on, and it is a powerful symbol of forgiveness, of faith and confidence in a better future. In a recent interview, the Catholic Bishop of Aleppo quoted an Islamic proverb which goes this way: ‘Allah provides even for a black ant on a black rock crawling in a dark night,’ and he continued, ‘we are not alone and the bells of our churches will keep tolling’.

These people have not lost hope. Personally, I am not a believer, but I am a strong believer in the rights of all to live in peace and respect. I am a strong believer in the value of diversity, in the richness of different communities sharing their identities, their stories, their wisdom, their past and their future, the hopes and aspirations, their lives. That is the strength of open societies: the capacity to live together, and this has been and is the strength of the European Union and of the Middle East. We cannot let them down, and the only way to make sure we do not let them down is to obstinately push for a political solution to the current crisis. We have discussed that yesterday night in this room – to reject all sectarianism, to keep working for a regional settlement of all disputes and for national reconciliation.

Our friends in the Middle East have not lost hope. If we care about them, we have to keep working for peace and let us not lose hope either.

(Applause)

  Lars Adaktusson, on behalf of the PPE Group. – Mr President, let me begin by thanking the High Representative, Ms Mogherini, for her important statement. Christians in Iraq and Syria are, on a daily basis, abducted, raped, tortured and forced to flee their homeland. The total number of Christians has dropped dramatically. Christianity, and its individuals, traditions and historic sites, are being wiped out. Let us be clear: it is absolutely imperative to stop Islamic State.

For some time, it has been reported that crimes against humanity are going on. Sadly, the situation is worse. ISIS is guilty of the most detestable, cruellest crimes defined in international law. A great number of the world’s leading lawyers affirm that the ongoing persecution is met by the strictest definition of genocide.

In December, the President of this Parliament, Mr Schulz, said that the persecution of Christians is undervalued and has not been properly addressed. We have to change that. For the sake of the victims, for the fundamental right of restitution and reconciliation, we have an historic obligation to call these evil …

(The President cut off the speaker)

  Josef Weidenholzer, im Namen der S&D-Fraktion. – Herr Präsident! In diesem Haus haben wir uns schon des Öfteren mit Da‘esh, mit dieser Todeskultur, der nichts heilig ist, beschäftigt. Da‘esh bekämpft alles, was nicht seinen rigiden Postulaten entspricht, radikal und total: Ungläubige, Schiiten, Sunniten, Aleviten, Christen und Jesiden. In zwei Entschließungen hat sich dieses Haus bereits damit beschäftigt, mit jesidischen Frauen und mit den assyrischen Christen. Gerade heute haben wir erfahren, dass Da‘esh ein 1400 Jahre altes Kloster, Sankt Elias, in der Nähe von Mossul dem Erdboden gleich gemacht hat.

Wir müssen diesen Kampf weiter führen, konsequent und unnachgiebig. Wir müssen die Ursachen und Hintergründe aufarbeiten, weil wir Bedingungen herstellen müssen, unter denen künftig wieder Demokratie, Religionsfreiheit, Menschenrechte möglich sind. Wir müssen jetzt schon beginnen, mit Versöhnungsarbeit anzufangen, um die Grundlagen für die künftige Entwicklung zu legen. Vor allem brauchen aber jene Menschen unsere Unterstützung, die immer noch in der Geiselhaft der Terroristen sind: Hunderte Christen, Tausende jesidische Frauen. Sie leiden und sie werden wie Ware behandelt, sie sind eine Einnahmequelle für Da‘esh. Jesidische Frauen werden verkauft auch in Länder, mit denen wir Wirtschaftsbeziehungen pflegen, wie Saudi-Arabien. Für die assyrischen Christen wird ein Lösegeld von 25 Millionen Dollar verlangt, und das soll abgewickelt werden über Banken, die ….

(Der Präsident entzieht dem Redner das Wort.)

  Charles Tannock, on behalf of the ECR Group. – Mr President, I am very disappointed that this Parliament has opted to use the title ‘systematic mass murder’ in what is clearly genocide. Last year I visited the Kurdistan region of Iraq and met with Iraqi Christian refugees. Their plight as well as that of the Yazidis and other minorities is clearly due to a concerted campaign by ISIS to systematically rid Iraq and the wider Middle East of all non-Sunni Muslims. Religious minorities have seen their communities in the areas controlled by ISIS or Daesh destroyed, as men have been systematically executed and women have been captured as sex slaves.

Yesterday’s report by the UNHRC highlighted these details in no uncertain terms and noted that such crimes, and I quote: ʻmay in some instances amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity and possibly genocideʼ. It is time for us now to take action that will remove such equivocation of labelling these crimes as such and put pressure on the UNSC and the P-5 to refer ISIS and its leadership under the terms of command responsibility to the ICC. I understand from my meetings with a KRG that the Iraqi Government is...

(The President cut off the speaker)

  President. – Mr Tannock...

(Mr Tannock continues speaking)

Colleague...

(Mr Tannock: ‘You cut me off every bloody time, Mr President, what’s wrong with you?’)

Mr Tannock, there is nothing wrong with me but every time the interpreters ask you to slow down, and I try to give a sign (bangs desk with gavel) – not to interrupt you – but you simply do not react; you even increase the speed. It is not possible to read out speeches where normal people need four minutes and you want to do it in two minutes. It is not possible to keep up the order in the House, otherwise the booths stop the service. If you do not check your speed, I will take the floor off you.

  Charles Tannock (ECR). – Mr President, you are abusing my privilege as an MEP to speak at the velocity I wish to speak at and deliver my speech in. I am very sorry, that is not your prerogative and I wish to appeal to President Schulz. It is the second time you have stopped me mid-track while I have been speaking on a very important topic. Most people here can perfectly well understand my English. Can I please complete my speech?

  President. – Mr Tannock, I will interrupt you more often if you want, and it is not true that you can speak as fast as you like. In the rules it is clearly laid down that if a booth stops interpreting then the whole session has to be interrupted and this is why you cannot speak as fast as you want.

(Mr Tannock: ‘There is no such rule, Mr President, you made it up!’)

  Javier Nart, en nombre del Grupo ALDE. – Señor Presidente, es imposible entender Oriente Próximo sin la presencia de diferentes comunidades. Es imposible entender Oriente Próximo sin la presencia de la comunidad judía —que ya ha desaparecido—, sin la presencia de las diferentes comunidades cristianas —caldeas, asirias, siriacas, católicas, maronitas—. El problema no es simplemente lo que está ocurriendo con el Estado Islámico. Los cristianos de Irak comenzaron a marcharse masivamente tras la invasión estadounidense.

En Israel y en la Palestina ocupada cada vez quedan menos cristianos, de forma que Belén, que era mayoritariamente cristiana, hoy tiene una rigurosa minoría cristiana. Se marchan. Y se marchan porque la vida es imposible vivirla y porque las diferentes comunidades necesitan protegerse a sí mismas en espacios cerrados. Y de esta forma nos vamos encontrando cómo los drusos se defienden de los demás; cómo los yazidíes tienen que autodefenderse; cómo los chiíes, cómo los suníes, los alauíes, los maronitas, las diferentes comunidades se convierten en islas estancas. Y esto es una tragedia.

Porque hay una necesidad para Europa. Si no tenemos espíritu solidario, por lo menos tengamos sano egoísmo. Nuestra necesidad es que en Oriente Próximo exista una potente comunidad cristiana, porque históricamente ha existido y porque significa la mejor referencia y el mejor puente de comunicación. Ya destruimos una comunidad islámica ejemplar en Bosnia por abandonarla y ahora hemos abandonado a las diferentes comunidades: yazidíes y cristianos. Dejémonos de retórica, necesitan defensa activa, no simplemente una condena metafísica. No les hemos dado nada, ni siquiera esperanza.

  Ангел Джамбазки (ECR). – Г-н Председател, за втори път проявявате неуважение към моя колега и го прекъсвате по време на важни речи. Настоявам да му се извините и ще уведомя Председателството за тази тенденциозна политика, която провеждате към моя колега.

  Der Präsident. – Sie brauchen nicht das Präsidium zu verständigen, das werde ich bereits tun.

Es gibt in dieser Geschichte eine lange Vorgeschichte und ich versuche immer, den Kollegen Tannock durch dieses Zeichen (der Präsident schlägt mit seinem Hammer auf das Pult) aufmerksam zu machen, dass er langsamer spricht.

Hier gibt es einen Notknopf, der leuchtet immer dann, wenn es den Kabinen zu schnell geht. Das ist keine tendenzielle Entscheidung. Wenn Herr Tannock auf diese Sache nicht reagiert, dann unterbreche ich ihn, und nachdem er sich so aufgeführt hat und nicht einmal zugehört hat, habe ich ihm das Wort gänzlich entzogen.

Das ist voll im Einklang mit der Geschäftsordnung und da stehe ich auch jede Präsidiumsentscheidung durch.

Es spricht jetzt Herr Kollege Le Hyaric.

(Zwischenrufe von Herrn Tannock.)

Ich werde über diesen Punkt, über die Geschäftsordnung heute Abend nicht mehr Ihnen diskutieren. Ich werde das Präsidium damit befassen.

  Patrick Le Hyaric, au nom du groupe GUE/NGL. – Monsieur le Président, Daech et ceux qui s'y rattachent sont la figure du rejet violent et criminel de toutes les valeurs humaines, de toutes les pensées, de la pensée elle-même, camouflée derrière le paravent d'une religion qu'ils salissent en torturant, massacrant, tuant, décapitant tout ce qui ne leur ressemble pas: les démocrates, les jeunes, les créateurs, les musiciens, les Kurdes, les minorités religieuses vivant sous leur talon de fer et de sang.

Chrétiens, yézidis, alaouites, coptes de Libye... N'oublions pas d'ailleurs que les principales victimes de ces mercenaires fascistes sont les musulmans. Il faut donc combattre sans merci ces monstres, ce qui ne doit pas nous exonérer d'une réflexion sur les sources qui ont permis de fabriquer ce terrorisme-fascisme: une certaine morgue occidentale, la culture de la loi du plus fort, l'odeur du pétrole et de l'argent, que Daech aime par-dessus tout, et les guerres.

Les institutions doivent agir sans faiblir pour protéger les minorités religieuses, faire reculer le nihilisme criminel de Daech et aider réellement les peuples à sortir de leurs difficultés, de la misère, en recherchant un nouveau cadre de partenariat euro-méditerranéen pour un codéveloppement humain.

  Bodil Valero, för Verts/ALE-gruppen. – Herr talman! Angreppen mot religiösa minoriteter i världen har ökat markant den senaste tiden – mot kristna, mot shiiter, mot yazidier och mot andra religiösa grupper. Daesh attackerar blint alla som inte tror på detsamma som dem. De flesta offren är muslimer, men Daesh har också dödat tusentals kristna och tvingat hundratusentals att fly sina hem. De har förstört över hundra kristna kulturella och religiösa kulturarv, bl.a. i Nineve och Palmyra.

I Sverige finns idag en av världens största diasporor av assyrier, syrianer och kaldéer, och den har vuxit snabbt till följd av Daesh etniska rensning i Mellanöstern. Hundra år efter folkmordet 1915 ser vi hur historien återupprepar sig när samma folk återigen fördrivs och mördas. Syriens kristna befolkning har minskat till mindre än en tiondel och därmed är en religion som existerat i regionen i över 2 000 år allvarligt hotad.

Det är viktigt att vi därför benämner det som sker idag som ett pågående folkmord och brott mot mänskligheten och det är oerhört viktigt att vi agerar innan de har fullbordats. För tidigare krig i religionens namn har varit förödande för vår region, och jag menar att EU kan och borde göra ännu mer för att få de krigande parterna att upphöra med den svälttaktik som vi ser – vi har sett fruktansvärda bilder kablas ut i media den senaste tiden – men också för att häva blockaden av humanitärt bistånd till norra Syrien, där olika religiösa och etniska minoriteter lever. Alla religiösa och etniska minoritetsgrupper ska ha rätt att leva i sina historiska och traditionella hemländer i värdighet, jämlikhet och trygghet.

  Margot Parker, on behalf of the EFDD Group. – Mr President, I would like today to raise the tragic issue of the persecution of Christians in refugee camps. After escaping the horrors most people only see on their TV screens, many Christians face targeted persecution because of their faith in UN-registered camps right across the Middle East. Perhaps even more shockingly, this behaviour has been witnessed in Germany, with families returning to Iraq rather than suffer the continued persecution they face by radical Islamists here in Europe. This is for those Christians that are lucky enough to make it to Europe.

The persecution in these camps means that many Christians are forced to leave. It is from these camps that legitimate refugee cases are processed. The situation they face is so bad that only a tiny percentage of Christians are processed by the UN. This is scandalous at a time when they are at their most vulnerable and are supposed to actually be in a safe haven; surely these people should not have to continue to suffer in this way.

  Georg Mayer, im Namen der ENF-Fraktion. – Herr Präsident! Nahezu täglich vernehmen wir inzwischen schon Gräueltaten des IS, und wir diskutieren hier, ich weiß nicht zum wievielten Mal schon, über diesen IS. Ich kann Ihnen nur sagen: Die Terroristen lachen sich krumm über Diskussionen, die wir hier führen. Wir diskutieren darüber, ohne wirklich etwas in der Hand zu haben, ohne wirklich den Menschen, die vor Ort Hilfe brauchen würden, helfen zu können. Vor wenigen Tagen erst wieder sind 300 Menschen in Dair az-Zaur getötet worden.

Aber nicht nur Mord steht auf der Tagesordnung dieser Terroristen, systematische Vergewaltigung und Versklavung von Menschen gehören ebenso zu deren Gewaltherrschaft. Und besonders hart trifft es – und das ist ja das Thema – Andersgläubige, die diesem Terror ohne Schutz ausgesetzt sind. Mossul etwa, eine Stadt mit einer 1 600 Jahre alten christlichen Tradition, ist seit 2014 christenfrei. Damit rühmt man sich auch noch vor Ort. Dies ist passiert durch Mord und Vertreibung der ansässigen Christen.

Machen wir uns keine Illusionen, geschätzte Kollegen: Der IS wird auch vor Europa nicht Halt machen. Er hat auch vor Europa nicht Halt gemacht, wie uns das vergangene Jahr gezeigt hat. Sein erklärtes Ziel ist es, den Westen christenfrei zu machen. Diesem Massen- und Völkermord müssen wir mit aller Härte entgegentreten. Worte allein werden da nicht genügen.

  Diane Dodds (NI). – Mr President, I welcome this debate in the House tonight. It is absolutely right that we in this Parliament, who enjoy the benefits of peaceful representative democracy in our Member States, should stand united in condemning the mass murder of religious minorities by Daesh. Weekly, we here often see images of mass killings, beheadings, gang rapes, hangings, and endless other barbaric acts perpetrated by fanatical jihadists.

However, this Parliament should go further and recognise this barbarity for what it is: genocide and war crimes directed against Christians and other religious minorities. This afternoon I was pleased to attend the presentation by Open Doors of their watch list of those countries where Christians are most persecuted. I was struck by the simple fact that persecution against Christians is rising year—on—year.

They estimated that, before the war in Syria, 400 000 Christians were in Aleppo. Today there are 6 000 …

(The President cut off the speaker)

  Michèle Alliot-Marie (PPE). – Monsieur le Président, Madame la Haute représentante, dans la convention du 9 décembre 1948, l'ONU qualifie de génocide tous les actes qui sont commis dans l'intention de détruire, en tout ou en partie, un groupe national, ethnique, racial ou religieux. Nous sommes bien, avec les crimes qui sont commis à l'encontre des chrétiens, pas seulement des chrétiens – je suis d'accord avec vous –, mais à l'encontre des chrétiens particulièrement, dans le cadre d'un génocide. Il est indispensable que notre Parlement demande à l'ONU que ce soit reconnu. Pourquoi, me direz—vous? Ce n'est pas un mot comme les autres: génocide est un mot qui a une portée juridique et un sens juridique, et, en même temps, c'est un mot qui a une portée psychologique et diplomatique importante. C'est la raison pour laquelle il est indispensable que nous prenions cette initiative.

Aujourd'hui, bien entendu, ce n'est pas simplement par le droit que l'on peut lutter contre Daech. Il faut des armes et de la diplomatie, mais il faut aussi utiliser le droit. C'est un signal fort donné à l'égard des chrétiens et de l'ensemble des minorités, mais surtout des chrétiens, car – ne l'oublions pas – ils sont très seuls. Et nous, qui nous réclamons des racines chrétiennes de l'Europe, nous avons un devoir particulier à leur égard.

  Afzal Khan (S&D). – Mr President, let me start by thanking the High Representative for her statement in this matter. People in Iraq and Syria are consistently being raped, tortured or killed on a daily basis by the so-called Islamic State. According to the Qur’an, ‘whosoever kills a soul, it shall be as if he had killed all humanity and he who saves a life, it shall be as if he had given life to all humanity’. ISIS destroys places of worship, mosques, churches and other places of cultural heritage, but the Qur’an teaches that the places of worship are supposed to be not only respected, but protected and defended. ISIS eradicates the ethnic and cultural minorities who have coexisted for centuries, as they do not subscribe to their twisted beliefs.

While the Qur’an reads that there is no compulsion in faith, the Islam that I and the millions of Muslims in Europe and around the world follow rejects the inhumane methods of ISIS. But rejecting it is not enough. We must act. Whether in Europe or the Middle East, communities are stronger when they work together to combat terrorist propaganda and to administer programmes that celebrate diversity and empower minorities. Everyone has a right to fundamental freedoms and respect of their human rights, regardless of their beliefs or ethnicity. It is our duty to stand in solidarity with the oppressed.

  Ryszard Antoni Legutko (ECR). – Mr President, the concept of systematic mass murder is suitable in journalism, not in official political statements. The right word is genocide. The law does not know the concept of systematic mass murder, whereas genocide is a clearly defined concept in law; it has legal weight. So use this concept, Madam High Representative: if you use it once, use it more often, use it all the time in this context. Who are the victims of the genocide? Yes, religious minorities – Muslims to be sure – but primarily Christians. Why not say it over and over and over again, Madam High Representative? Many thousands of Christians are being murdered every year. There have been several genocides in the past. The amazing thing is that each time they were perpetrated they were not called genocide out of fear of political expediency – the identification came later, and that is a shame. Are we going to do this shameful evasion today? Yes: there is genocide of Christians today.

  Gerard Batten (EFDD). – Mr President, ISIS’s genocide of religious minorities raises two questions: why, and what can be done about it? The cause is ideological. Some say that ISIS represents a perversion of Islam. In fact, it represents a literalist interpretation of the Qur’an. The Qur’an speaks of making war on infidels, killing infidels and striking terror into the hearts of infidels. The Qur’an endorses beheadings, crucifixions and slavery. Even the systematic rape of non-Muslim women is justified by the verse that says: ‘Those you have taken with your right hand you may possess’. ISIS represents a revival of the original ethos of the Mohammedan cult that conquered its way up to France before being driven back in the 8th century. Thank God, not Allah, most Muslims do not follow this literalist interpretation.

How can ISIS be defeated? A military defeat needs a coalition between the West and those Islamic countries that do not want to live under the barbarism of ISIS. ISIS’s funding and supply lines must be terminated. The civilised world has to realise that literalist Islam has no place in liberal democratic society. We should end mass immigration from Islamic countries and set about integrating those Muslims already here. And why do the leaders of the Christian churches not recognise a recruitment opportunity and launch an ideological crusade to convert European Muslims to Christianity?

  Andrzej Grzyb (PPE). – Panie Przewodniczący! Wiele razy zabierałem głos w sprawie prześladowanych chrześcijan. Według Open Doors ponad 100 milionów chrześcijan jest prześladowanych w świecie z powodu wiary. Ginie od 105 do 170 tysięcy chrześcijan rocznie. Dane te dają podstawę, by twierdzić, że najbardziej prześladowaną grupą religijną na świecie są właśnie chrześcijanie, choć giną również i inni przedstawiciele mniejszości, ale sytuacja nabrała jeszcze bardziej okrutnego wymiaru wraz z wybuchem okrucieństw Daisz i innych ekstremistycznych grup na Bliskim Wschodzie, jak również w Afryce.

Tu nie możemy mówić o prześladowaniu, tu musimy mówić już o ludobójstwie. Chrześcijanie są atakowani. Niszczone jest ich mienie, ich miejsca kultu. Są okaleczani i zmuszani do zmiany wyznania. Są również przedmiotem handlu. Ich organy są używane w handlu. Takie dochodzą do nas stamtąd informacje. Te informacje są również przedmiotem rejestracji ze strony różnych organizacji, w tym również kościelnych i pozarządowych. Trudno nie nazwać tej sytuacji po imieniu, że to jest po prostu ludobójstwo. Ale cierpią również inne mniejszości religijne: muzułmanie, mniejszości muzułmańskie, jazydzi i inne mniejszości. Musimy w tej sprawie zrobić więcej niż do tej pory. To jest konieczne. To jest obowiązek cywilizowanego świata.

  Pier Antonio Panzeri (S&D). – Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, numerosi rapporti indicano che le violenze commesse contro le minoranze religiose in Iraq e in Siria, cristiani, yazidi, turkmeni e altre piccole comunità, sono aumentate drasticamente nelle aree sotto controllo dello Stato islamico. Nei territori occupati dall'Isis questi mette in pericolo l'esistenza stessa delle persone appartenenti alle minoranze, divenute vittime di omicidi di massa, stupri, schiavitù e traffico di organi. Per proteggere la loro vita e non doversi convertire all'Islam coloro i quali riescono a evitare le uccisioni di massa decidono di fuggire. Le uccisioni di massa e i tentativi di fuga stanno mettendo i gruppi più fragili a rischio di sterminio e non credo si sia sbagliato usare questo termine, anche con le conseguenze che può avere sul piano del diritto internazionale.

L'Unione europea deve continuare a condannare le violazioni dei diritti umani commesse nello Stato islamico contro le minoranze religiose irachene e siriane. È necessario, inoltre, che la Commissione rinforzi il suo impegno umanitario in risposta alla crisi e contribuisca a una maggiore sensibilizzazione su questo problema. Come lei ha detto, signora Mogherini, al pari dei processi migratori anche la violenza nei confronti delle minoranze religiose potrà essere adeguatamente affrontata se i conflitti oggi aperti nella regione mediorientale troveranno una risposta unitaria e univoca e un impegno comune dell'Unione europea e dei suoi Stati membri. In attesa di questo, però, si faccia tutto quanto è possibile per difendere davvero le minoranze.

  Bas Belder (ECR). – Momenteel wordt de christelijke Syrische stad Sadad direct bedreigd door IS. Achtergebleven mannen verdedigen dus vandaag de dag deze stad. Zij en andere christelijke zelfverdedigingseenheden in de regio - het gebeurt ook op andere plaatsen - verdienen alle, ja alle concrete Europese steun, ook om ze militair te trainen.

Treurig genoeg leert juist de stad Sadad nog een andere les. Jaren eerder, in oktober 2013, richtten de strijders van het Free Syrian Army en Jabhat al-Nusra onder de inwoners van Sadad een waar bloedbad aan. Tientallen doden, om niet te spreken van martelingen. Kortom, religieuze minderheden worden in Syrië door alle milities beschouwd als aanhangers van Bashar al-Assad en zijn derhalve hun leven niet zeker.

Het is meer dan tijd dat de EU en haar lidstaten zich het lot van religieuze vluchtelingen aantrekt, in de regio zelf en binnen de eigen grenzen. Aan christelijke bijstand zal het daar en hier echt niet ontbreken.

  György Hölvényi (PPE). – A kérdés az, hogy mit tehetünk? A kérdés az, hogy mit tehetünk, és hogyha ezt tesszük föl, akkor azonnal válaszolni is kell rá. A realitásból, a valóságból kell kiindulni, és a valóság az, hogy itt genocídiumról van szó. Ezt meg kell tanulnunk, sajnos el kell fogadnunk. De ez cselekvésre kell, hogy késztessen. Nekem – megmondom őszintén – elegem van abból, hogy az elmúlt időszakban több mint tízszer foglalkoztunk keresztény és más kisebbségek ügyeivel, késztettünk különböző beadványokat, de a tettek ehhez képest, amekkora probléma van, egyáltalán nem követték. Ezért én nagyon fontosnak tartom, magam is tapasztaltam Irakban, hogy az Unió humanitárius programokkal példásan az üldözöttek mellé áll.

És megmondom őszintén az Ön őszintesége is igen megkapó volt. Mégis azt kérdezem ma a Bizottságtól: milyen módon tudunk jobban együtt dolgozni a lokális megoldásokért? Milyen lépéseket kíván tenni a Bizottság egy kétezer éves őshonos keresztény közösség maradékának a megtartásáért? Maradékról beszélünk már, hisz gyakorlatilag több mint egymillió ember eltűnt. Melyek a stratégiai tervek az elvándorlás feltartóztatására? Nagyon sokat beszélünk a pénzekről, de közben elfelejtkezünk arról, hogy a különböző egyházak, felekezetek képviselői közvetlenül nem tudnak ma se európai uniós támogatásokhoz hozzájutni. A térségben minden egyes látogatásom alátámasztotta, hogy semmi más nincs. Valóságon alapuló európai cselekvésre van szükség. Ebben kérjük a Bizottság szerepvállalását és partnerség… (Az elnök megvonta a szót a képviselőtől.)

  Ana Gomes (S&D). – A inação internacional na Síria, no Iraque e na Líbia deixou iazidis, cristãos, curdos, xiitas, sunitas, amazighs, tubus e outras minorias religiosas e étnicas completamente à mercê da violência bárbara do Daexe e outras organizações terroristas. Nada me custou mais do que ouvir, no Curdistão iraquiano, jovens iazidis que haviam conseguido escapar ao Daexe e precisavam de ajuda para se recuperarem e para libertar os mais de 4000 ainda escravizados por esta banda assassina.

É incompreensível que a União Europeia ainda não tenha tomado a iniciativa de pedir ao Conselho de Segurança da ONU que refira o genocídio dos iazidis e outros crimes do Daexe contra a humanidade ao Tribunal Penal Internacional, como pede o governo do Curdistão iraquiano. Mas como nos disseram os patriarcas cristãos de Dohuk e Erbil, se queremos defender as culturas e as minorias pré—islâmicas no Médio Oriente, temos de as ajudar a ter condições de segurança para ficarem nas suas casas e terras, e não para fugirem para a Europa. Temos de fazer mais e melhor, articulando ajuda humanitária e desenvolvimento para que tenham condições para ficar e sobreviver. Mas sobretudo temos que nos organizar e coordenar na luta contra o Daexe e outras cabeças da hidra terrorista, e contra quem a apoia na vizinhança, na nossa vizinhança, e também dentro da própria União Europeia.

  Marek Jurek (ECR). – Panie Przewodniczący! Nie byłoby tej tragedii albo miałaby znacznie mniejsze rozmiary, gdybyśmy od lat pamiętali prostą zasadę, że bezpieczeństwo i wolność wspólnot chrześcijańskich na Bliskim Wschodzie powinny być zasadniczą przesłanką naszej polityki. Być może nie jedyną, ale taką, którą zawsze bierzemy pod uwagę przy podejmowaniu decyzji i wtedy, kiedy definiujemy przeciwników i sojuszników.

Oczywiście jeżeli chodzi o pogranicze syryjsko–irackie, w tej chwili widzimy ten dramat, w związku z którym musimy stosować pomoc humanitarną i wszystkie środki, o których dzisiaj mówiliśmy. Natomiast możemy wyciągnąć wnioski. Zdecydowanie popieram wniosek, który pierwszy chyba zgłosił Lars Adaktusson, o uznanie za ludobójstwo tego, co się tam dzieje. Apeluję też, żebyśmy zaczęli potępiać nienawiść antychrześcijańską i pogardę antychrześcijańską, która przemilcza akty nienawiści antychrześcijańskiej.

  Tunne Kelam (PPE). – Mr President, last year more than 7 000 Christians were murdered purely because of their belief. Two years ago this number was 2 000. The Iraqi Christian population has declined fourfold in 12 years.

Christians are clearly the most persecuted and devastated religious group in the world. Last year can be seen as a year of spillover, in which a trend of dominating intolerance has become central. We have to face this intolerant racism which refuses to co-exist and whose acts need finally to be qualified not only as terrorist deeds, but as crimes against humanity and, on several occasions, as genocide.

What has to be done? First, we must actively mainstream freedom of religion in relations with third countries and, through EU Member States and the UN, refer crimes against Christian and other religious minorities to the International Criminal Court. Second, EU foreign policy needs a crucial change of attitude. We need to understand that safeguarding freedom of religion in real terms brings about an added value because freedom of religion in action is a powerful contribution to neutralising extremism. Third, EU foreign policy in the Middle East should stress above all religious equality. This will pave the way to a solution in which the EU is interested. Return home the masses...

(The President cut off the speaker)

  Silvia Costa (S&D). – Signora Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, è vero, stiamo assistendo oggi nei territori occupati dal Daesh a una sequenza di omicidi di massa sistematici e a persecuzioni, ma verso le comunità cristiane in Siria, in Iraq, in Gingeria e in altri paesi si tratta di un vero e proprio crimine di genocidio, secondo la definizione dell'ONU, perché i cristiani costituiscono il gruppo religioso più perseguitato, come è stato ricordato, con quasi 100 mila vittime ogni anno e la fuga di milioni di cristiani da alcuni paesi africani e del Medio Oriente. Dobbiamo riconoscerlo ufficialmente in sede ONU e pretendere coerenza dalla comunità internazionale.

C'è una tragica coerenza tra questi omicidi di massa e l'accanimento sistemico dei terroristi del Daesh contro i simboli del patrimonio culturale e religioso in Siria e in Iraq. Ultimo il monastero di Sant'Elia a Mosul, che rappresenta un vero e proprio, come è stato detto, genocidio culturale. Riconosco, cara rappresentante Mogherini, il suo forte impegno, coerente sul fronte di aiuti umanitari concreti, sul fronte del dialogo che sta promuovendo, sulla prevenzione e sul possibile – come dire – ripristino di condizioni di pacificazione, ma penso che dobbiamo di più difendere, ovunque, il diritto di religione come il diritto di culto.

  Branislav Škripek (ECR). – Mr President, today we are focusing again on the systematic mass murder of religious minorities by ISIS. Why do we not call it what it is: a genocide? This is the same question as my colleagues have asked. Christians in Syria are killed or displaced because of their faith. Only half of the 1.25 million Christians remain, and in other regions 80% or more have been eradicated. Without action, no Christians will remain there, and situation of Yazidis is very similar.

Many churches are destroyed or turned into mosques. This happens in Syria and Iraq, but also in Turkey. I call upon you, Madam High Representative, to present concrete steps that the Commission will implement to stop this. Moreover, this threat is here in the EU as well. We have seen Christians in the refugee camps in Europe being attacked by other refugees because of their faith. What action will the Commission take?

If we want to stop this systematic mass murder and give these religious groups hope, we must recognise them as genocide and help the democratic self—administration in northeastern Syria, in the Rojava canton, with both weapons and aid.

  Antonio Tajani (PPE). – Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, le previsioni ci dicono che nel 2020 in Iraq e in Siria non ci saranno più cristiani, né ci saranno più yazidi. Non possiamo rimanere indifferenti a quello che sta accadendo, ha ragione l'ex segretario di Stato americano, Hillary Clinton, quando parla di vero e proprio genocidio. Noi non possiamo, come Europa, non associarci alla presa di posizione di una delle grandi protagoniste della politica americana, probabile futuro presidente degli Stati Uniti.

L'Europa ha il dovere di far ascoltare la propria voce. Ben vengano tutte le iniziative umanitarie, ben venga tutto il sostegno a chi soffre in questo momento, ben vengano iniziative politiche, ma l'Europa deve far ascoltare la propria voce in maniera forte. Alla violenza si reagisce con la forza! È in ballo la difesa dei nostri valori!

L'Europa esiste perché crede nella centralità della persona, nella libertà religiosa, nella libertà di espressione. È il trattato che ci impone di difendere anche al di là dei confini dell'Unione i nostri valori. E difendere la libertà religiosa, definire genocidio ogni giorno la persecuzione nei confronti dei cristiani e degli yazidi, in quella parte del mondo, deve essere una priorità, perché, ripeto, è in ballo la difesa dei valori fondanti la nostra Unione. Se rinunciamo alla difesa dei valori avremo un'Europa sempre più debole e limitata a occuparsi di banche e poco altro.

  Neena Gill (S&D). – Mr President, Daesh has been systematically killing, torturing, kidnapping and sexually enslaving members of minority groups, including Christians and Yazidis, in Iraq and Syria.

Only this week, 400 people were killed or kidnapped by them in Syria, and today it was confirmed that the oldest Christian monastery in Iraq was razed to the ground. But we should also have other areas – like Pakistan and Afghanistan, where the Taliban have been rebranding into Daesh – on our radar. The EU and the UN must take urgent action to protect the Shias, Sikhs, Hindus, Muslims, Christians and other minority groups there from extremist attacks.

My West Midlands colleague Rob Flello MP has been pressing the UK Government to call on the UN to treat the Daesh atrocities against religious minorities as a genocide. I urge you, High Representative, to back this initiative. Many voices at the UN speak louder than one, and this will help send a clear message to members of Daesh that they will face justice for the atrocities that they are committing now.

  Mirosław Piotrowski (ECR). – Panie Przewodniczący! Chrześcijanie są najbardziej prześladowaną mniejszością religijną na świecie. Jak odnotowano w ubiegłorocznej rezolucji Parlamentu Europejskiego, ofiarą zabójstw pada każdego roku ponad 150 tysięcy chrześcijan. Od dłuższego czasu systematycznie i planowo, w sposób barbarzyński chrześcijanie mordowani są przez bojowników Państwa Islamskiego, którzy także niszczą ich świątynie, obcinają chrześcijanom głowy, palą żywcem bądź topią.

Działania ISIS możemy określić jako ludobójstwo. Już w ubiegłym roku zakwalifikowania mordów chrześcijan przez ISIS jako ludobójstwo domagało się w Stanach Zjednoczonych wielu kongresmenów. Inicjatywa ta jednak utknęła. Po dzisiejszej debacie widać, że są w Parlamencie Europejskim posłowie, i to z największej grupy politycznej, którzy chcieliby, abyśmy my jako pierwsi nazwali zbrodnie Państwa Islamskiego po imieniu, czyli ludobójstwem. I uważam, że tak właśnie powinniśmy zrobić.

  Francisco José Millán Mon (PPE). – Señor Presidente, en 2015 este Parlamento ya se pronunció varias veces sobre los crueles ataques contra las minorías religiosas en Oriente Próximo y África. Nuestra Resolución del pasado abril decía que los cristianos son hoy el colectivo religioso más perseguido del mundo, lo que también se repitió en conferencias celebradas en esta Casa en julio y en diciembre.

En todas las instituciones europeas debemos prestar especial atención a la dramática situación de los cristianos y ayudarles. Y especialmente grave —como se ha dicho— es el comportamiento cruel del Dáesh y otros grupos terroristas con los cristianos y otras minorías religiosas. Conocemos bien las denuncias de los arzobispos de Mosul, Kirkuk y Bagdad sobre la persecución de los cristianos en Irak y la destrucción de sus iglesias y lugares de culto. Hoy hemos sabido de la destrucción del monasterio de San Elías, al lado de Mosul. Un dato que me parece elocuente de la disminución de los cristianos en la región es que actualmente suponen el 4 % de la población de Oriente Próximo, mientras que hace un siglo eran en torno al 20 %. Lógicamente, la derrota del Dáesh y la solución del conflicto de Siria contribuirían a mejorar este estado de cosas.

En los últimos meses, muchas voces, señora Mogherini, desde muy diversas y prestigiosas instancias, reclaman que estas acciones de violencia se califiquen de genocidio. A mí me gustaría conocer su punto de vista y el del Consejo, o si no se ha pronunciado, o si va a hacerlo. En todo caso, creo que los crímenes del Dáesh no pueden quedar impunes y que tenemos que reclamar que las Naciones Unidas se involucren muy activamente en este tema.

  Elisabetta Gardini (PPE). – Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, dobbiamo riconoscere che oggi le forme di totalitarismo islamico hanno preso il sopravvento. In tanti luoghi del mondo per i cristiani la scelta è tra convertirsi, essere messi a morte o scappare. Solo in Siria 700 mila cristiani hanno abbandonato il loro paese. Significa che il 56% dei cristiani se n'è andato dalla Siria e anche in Iraq sono più che dimezzati. Solo piccoli e pochi dati perché tutti i dati sono univoci nel dirci che i cristiani sono la comunità più perseguitata al mondo.

In alcune regioni, come è già stato ricordato, nemmeno gli aiuti delle Nazioni Unite arrivano ai cristiani perché i campi profughi, dove ci sono gli aiuti dell'ONU, sono evitati dai cristiani che hanno paura di recarsi addirittura nei campi profughi gestiti dalle Nazioni Unite. Noi siamo rimasti tutti sconvolti dalle immagini delle decapitazioni dei cristiani copti dall'Isis, ma continuiamo a sottovalutare questo genocidio. E come dobbiamo chiamarlo? Come volete chiamarla una persecuzione di tali dimensioni, per cui, in Bosnia, per esempio, dal 1991 in dieci anni il numero dei cristiani è calato del 92,2%? E guardate che il genocidio – porre la questione non è porre una questione linguistica – è già stato detto, ma soprattutto parlando di genocidio noi inseriamo il fenomeno in un quadro giuridico più forte, che prevede una strategia d'azione internazionale molto più forte.

  Bogdan Brunon Wenta (PPE). – Panie Przewodniczący! Kilku kolegów już wspominało o zniszczeniu przez dżihadystów z Państwa Islamskiego kolejnego zabytku kultury – pochodzącego z VI wieku klasztoru Świętego Eliasza w Mosulu. Tak zwane Państwo Islamskie jest odpowiedzialne za zniszczenie setek obiektów religijnych i zabytków. ISIS niszczy wszystko, co uważa za sprzeczne z ich interpretacją islamu. Mniejszości etniczne i religijne na opanowanych przez nich terenach są stopniowo unicestwiane. Chrześcijanie są torturowani i mordowani. Niszczone jest ich dziedzictwo kulturowe. Odbiera im się ich cały dobytek. Sytuacja ta prowadzi do dramatycznego spadku liczby chrześcijan, którzy zamieszkiwali te tereny od wieków. Z około 2,5 miliona ich liczba spadła do 800 tysięcy. W ciągu kilku lat może dojść do całkowitej zagłady tej mniejszości. Akty przemocy wymierzone są także przeciwko innym: jazydom, Turkmenom czy Kurdom.

Społeczność międzynarodowa musi podjąć zdecydowane kroki. Należy zapewnić przestrzeganie prawa do wolności wyznania, posiadania własnego światopoglądu oraz pielęgnowania własnej kultury, a czyny popełniane przez ISIS powinny być rozpatrywane w kategoriach zbrodni przeciwko ludzkości oraz ludobójstwa.

  Agustín Díaz de Mera García Consuegra (PPE). – Señor Presidente, las minorías perseguidas necesitan también justicia y reparación. El martes, el Alto Comisionado de las Naciones Unidas para los Derechos Humanos identificó estos crímenes como genocidio y, como es de dominio público, están tipificados claramente en el Estatuto de la Corte Penal Internacional.

Por eso, señora Mogherini, comparto las cuatro acciones a las que usted se ha referido en su intervención: fondos, justicia, compromiso internacional y diplomacia. Pero a mi juicio, además de la reparación, la justicia es la «A» de este abecedario. ¿Por qué? Pues porque cuando acabe el terror, y acabará, no puede haber impunidad y los terroristas deben saber que serán perseguidos por la Corte Penal Internacional, que serán juzgados y que serán condenados por sus crímenes. Esa es también una tarea de usted, señora: impulsar la acción de la Corte Penal Internacional.

  Андрей Ковачев (PPE). – Г-н Председател, геноцидът срещу християни, язиди и други малцинства от страна на „Ислямска държава“ в Сирия и Северен Ирак доведе до прогонването на стотици хиляди по време на т. нар. „кампания по налагане на исляма“. В същото време в Ирак поради репресиите и убийствата от 2003 година до днес християнското население е намаляло шест пъти – до 275 000, а в Сирия от 2011 година две-трети са по-малко – до 500 000.

Отговорът и отговорността за ужасната ситуация, която носи не само сирийското правителството, но и международната общност, която в Съвета за сигурност не успя да постигне съгласие за навременна интервенция в страната. Това можеше да ограничи и масовото желание за преселение към европейските граници от засегнатите региони.

Г-жо Могерини, за да се справим успешно с тероризма, мигрантската криза, радикалния ислям, първо страните членки трябва да изпълняват своите поети ангажименти, които не изпълняват, особено финансовите. И второ, европейското сътрудничество в сферата на сигурността и отбраната трябва да бъде засилено чрез създаване на европейска разузнавателна и отбранителна структура. В интерес на хората там, но и в наш интерес е да спрем варварите.

  Ramona Nicole Mănescu (PPE). – Mr President, I would first like to congratulate my colleague, Mr Adaktusson, and thank Commissioner Mogherini for her support on this. I shall now switch to my own language.

Domnule președinte, pe întreg teritoriul controlat de Daesh se comit atrocități care țintesc minoritățile yazidi, șiită și creștină. Uciderea lor, sclavia sexuală și tortura sunt realități trăite de minoritățile religioase și reprezintă crime împotriva umanității care trebuie declarate drept genocid. Nu trebuie să ne fie teamă să acceptăm realitatea. De la declarația lui al-Baghdadi care spune că este imposibilă coexistența cu evreii și creștinii și până la graffituri-le din Suedia care amenință:„Convertiți-vă sau muriți!”, acțiunile Daesh arată intenția clară de a distruge, parțial sau în totalitate, un grup național etnic, rasial sau religios. În Irak, numărul creștinilor a scăzut de la 1 400 000 la 275 000, iar în Siria cu peste 50 % în ultimii 5 ani.

Recunoașterea oficială a genocidului, alături de implicațiile legale, va genera o acțiune mai fermă a comunității internaționale. După recunoașterea genocidului de la Srebenica, când numărul victimelor a fost de 20 %, comunitatea internațională a promis: Never again! Ce mai așteptăm?

  Teresa Jiménez-Becerril Barrio (PPE). – Señor Presidente, en este Parlamento, Señorías, se nos llena la boca a la hora de hablar de toda clase de libertades, pero a mí me gustaría escuchar más voces que hablaran alto y claro de la libertad religiosa. Libertad para creer, para poder hacer la señal de la cruz y no morir por ello. No hablo solo como cristiana, que lo soy y estoy orgullosa de serlo, sino como una defensora de los derechos humanos que no puede tolerar más los sistemáticos asesinatos de cristianos en Oriente Próximo a manos de terroristas del Estado Islámico. Aquí están los precios de las yazidíes y de las cristianas que son vendidas: las mujeres se venden por cincuenta euros; las niñas de diez años, por cien euros. Los cristianos solo tienen tres salidas: convertirse, huir o morir.

Yo no quiero formar parte de ese silencio cómplice y pido a la Comisión, a este Parlamento, a las Naciones Unidas, que hagan lo posible y lo imposible para frenar este genocidio. Las víctimas miran hacia nosotros y nosotros tenemos que actuar por ellas.

¡Y hagámoslo ya!

  Marijana Petir (PPE). – Gospodine predsjedniče, ubojstva, mučenja, progoni, zabrana kršćanskih simbola, uništavanje crkava... Kršćani na Bliskom Istoku suočeni su s jednim jedinim izborom: ostati kršćani i dovesti svoj život u pitanje ili se odreći kršćanstva kako bi preživjeli.

Nad kršćanima se provodi zločin nad svim zločinima. No trebaju li kršćani u potpunosti nestati s prostora Bliskog Istoka da bismo se složili da ISIS nad njima provodi genocid?

Prije 1. Svjetskog rata bilo je 20 % kršćana na Bliskom Istoku. Danas ih je svega 4 %. U posljednjih 10 godina broj kršćana u Iraku pao je s 1,4 milijuna na oko 300 000 dok je u Siriji pao s 1,25 milijuna na 500 000. U Mosulu nema više niti jedne od 45 kršćanskih crkava. Oko 140 crkava je uništeno u Siriji.

Najstariji kršćanski samostan u Iraku preživio je 1400 godina da bi postao hrpa prašine. U središnjem dijelu Sirije je buldožerom razrušen samostan iz 5. stoljeća. Kršćane se ubija i progoni s namjerom da se cijela jedna religija u potpunosti uništi.

Kako drugačije shvatiti upozorenje ISIS-a: „Osvojit ćemo vaš Rim, uništit ćemo vaše križeve i zatočiti vaše žene. Ako to ne uspije nama, uspjet će našoj djeci i djeci naše djece i prodat će vašu djecu u roblje.” To su riječi ISIS-a.

Kršćani su najprogonjenija religija na svijetu. Nad njima se provodi genocid. Budimo hrabri priznati to i poduzmimo konačno nešto da se taj strašni zločin (predsjedavajući je zastupnici uzeo riječ)

  Stanislav Polčák (PPE). – Pane předsedající, já si myslím, že ta debata ukázala, že skutečně jde o téma, které si zasluhuje naši soustředěnou pozornost. Rád bych ve svém vystoupení upozornil, že náboženské menšiny nemají mnohde nejen šanci vést uspokojivý život, ale skutečně mnohde ani vést svoji existenci, žít svůj život. Například v Číně se s výraznou diskriminací právě potýkají křesťané.

A nelze odhlížet ani od skutečnosti, že přímo v Evropě se cítí velmi nekomfortně například zdejší židé. To, že se objevují informace, že právě židé opouštějí Evropu, to také není dobrá vizitka. Ale nikde není povaha těch zásahů do života náboženských minorit tak zřejmá a má takový genocidní charakter, jako právě na území ovládaném Dá'iš. Já jsem přesvědčen o tom, že násilnosti, které se na obětech dějí pro jejich náboženskou víru, zde odmítáme všichni, to vyplynulo z diskuse. A chtěl bych vyzdvihnout model, na který se propracovala naše civilizace, to znamená, tolerance, nediskriminace, možnost poklidného soužití nábožensky odlišných kultur. Ve jménu těchto principů, ale také v zájmu mezinárodní spravedlnosti musíme dění na Blízkém východě odsoudit, ale nejen to, měli bychom důsledně podpořit pokračování a prohloubení akce mezinárodního společenství. Pokud tomu napomůže označení zvěrstev páchanými Dá'iš za genocidu, tak má toto označení moji podporu.

  Der Präsident. – Wir kommen nun zum Catch-the-eye-Verfahren.

Liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen, wir sind erheblich zu spät dran und ich habe wieder doppelt so viele Wortmeldungen wie ich berücksichtigen kann. Ich habe mich jetzt entschlossen, das so zu machen, dass ich aus jeder Fraktion, aus der sich Kollegen gemeldet haben, einen Kollegen drannehme und dabei denjenigen berücksichtige, der auch nach den Informationen der Dienste bisher noch nicht so oft zu Wort gekommen ist.

Catch-the-eye-Verfahren

  Anna Záborská (PPE) – To, čo robí Dá´iš, musí tento Parlament aj Európska Komisia oficiálne nazvať pravým menom – genocída. Zároveň musíme dôrazne žiadať, aby Bezpečnostná rada OSN prijala uznesenie, aby sa násilnými skutkami teroristov tzv. Islamského štátu začal zaoberať medzinárodný trestný tribunál.

Vraždenie a násilie zamerané na kresťanov a ďalšie náboženské menšiny, ktoré sa odohráva na území Iraku a Sýrie, je porovnateľné s vyvražďovaním v Srebrenici a Rwande. Kresťania, ktorí tu žijú, čakajú na medzinárodné uznanie ich utrpenia, čakajú od nás solidaritu a spravodlivosť. Ak pravdivo pomenujeme tieto hrozné skutky ako genocídu, budeme zároveň vedieť lepšie ochrániť sýrskych a irackých kresťanov pred násilím, ktoré je páchané radikálnymi salafistami priamo v európskych utečeneckých táboroch.

  Ангел Джамбазки (ECR). – Г-н Председател, уважаеми колеги, уважаема г-жо Комисар, няма никакво съмнения и безспорен факт е, че „Ислямска държава“ избива в Север Ирак и в Сирия десетки хиляди язиди, християни, кюрди и представители на шиитски малцинства. Това всички ние го знаем и това е казвано много пъти в тази зала поне една година.

Само че от всичките изявления в тази зала в тази една година не произлезе абсолютно нищо. Искам да споделя с Вас следното разсъждение: „Ислямска държава“ не се бори с декларации, не се бори с разисквания, не се бори с много витиевати, но за сметка на това празни приказки. Не се бори със заобикалянето на проблема. Не се бори, когато се стремим да избегнем думата „ислямски“, обясняваме как една религия била мирна, а друга не била. Не се бори, когато се опитваме да прикрием факта, че съседната ни държава, Турция, подпомага „Ислямска държава“, финансирайки я, организирайки я, лекувайки я, снабдявайки я с оръжие.

Всички тези неща трябва да се кажат, да бъдат ясни, защото иначе няма да постигнем нищо от това, за което си говорим. Това, което трябва да се случи, уважаема г-жо Могерини, е да се постигне споразумение с цялата международна общност за сухоземна операция.

  Νεοκλής Συλικιώτης ( GUE/NGL). – Κύριε Πρόεδρε, η τραγική κατάσταση που έχουν δημιουργήσει οι συνεχείς δολοφονίες και οι μαζικές εξοντώσεις μελών θρησκευτικών μειονοτήτων από το ISIS προσλαμβάνει ανεξέλεγκτες διαστάσεις. Οι Χριστιανοί, oι Γιαζίντι, οι Δρούζοι, οι Ασσύριοι, τα μέλη άλλων θρησκευτικών μειονοτήτων απειλούνται καθημερινά. Το ISIS έχει στόχο να τους εξαφανίσει. Μιλούμε για γενοκτονία. Γι' αυτό δεν αρκούν τα ευχολόγια. Πρέπει να μιλήσουμε με ειλικρίνεια και να πάρουμε αποφασιστικά μέτρα. Η Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση δεν είναι άμοιρη ευθυνών για τα όσα συμβαίνουν. Με την ανοχή της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης, τόσο η Γαλλία όσο και η Γερμανία εξόπλιζαν τους τζιχαντιστές, ενώ μέχρι σήμερα η Ένωση παραμένει ουραγός των ΗΠΑ και των σχεδίων της για επαναχάραξη των συνόρων της ευρύτερης Μέσης Ανατολής, συμβάλλοντας έτσι στην αποσταθεροποίηση της περιοχής. Φτάνει πια η υποκρισία. Είναι επιτακτική ανάγκη να αντιμετωπιστούν άμεσα οι αιτίες που δημιούργησαν και ενίσχυσαν το ISIS, να τερματιστούν οι ξένες επεμβάσεις και οι πόλεμοι στον αραβικό κόσμο και να στηρίξουμε έμπρακτα πρωτοβουλίες για ειρήνευση στη Μέση Ανατολή.

  Tim Aker (EFDD). – Mr President, I wish we could discuss blasting ISIS back to the Stone Age where their barbaric ideology belongs, but instead we are reaping the consequences of a shocking foreign policy. We are left with harmful Tory government defence cuts from an administration that prefers foreign aid to strong armed forces, and we have a leader of the Labour Party who would negotiate with these ISIS animals. Britain can do so much better than this, and it is time for us to reassert ourselves and say to these animals who threaten our freedom and our way of life: you will never win.

  Franz Obermayr (ENF). – Herr Präsident! Ich habe eine grundsätzliche Frage, wie ich Sie künftig interpretieren darf, bei aller Wertschätzung Ihrer sonst sehr guten Vorsitzführung. Sie sagten doch eben – und das habe ich noch im Ohr –, dass jede Fraktion berücksichtigt wird. Ich sehe hier niemanden aus meiner Fraktion, der sich zu Wort gemeldet hat. Sie haben natürlich auch noch das Problem, dass ein Fraktionsloser sich zu Wort gemeldet hat. Ich verstehe daher nicht, dass Sie etwas ankündigen, was Sie als Sitzungspräsident dann nicht halten. Da würde ich Sie ersuchen, Ihre traditionell sehr korrekte Geschäftsführung auch weiterhin anzuwenden und darauf zu achten, ob sich jemand zu Wort gemeldet hat. Denn sonst kann man nicht nachvollziehen, was Sie ankündigen.

  Der Präsident. – Vielen Dank, Herr Obermayr. Ich meine, mich auch dieses Mal korrekt verhalten zu haben. Sie haben sich vorher gemeldet und ich dachte, Sie wollten eine „blaue Karte“ zeigen, wo ich doch darauf hingewiesen habe: no blue cards.

(Zwischenrufe von Herrn Obermayr.)

Herr Obermayr, ich erteile Ihnen das Wort.

  Franz Obermayr (ENF). – Herr Präsident! Ich möchte mich in vieler Hinsicht anschließen.

Es ist ganz besonders wichtig, dass wir heute diese Massenmorde an Christen und Jesiden und die Verbrechen der IS besprechen und auch dementsprechend thematisieren. Leider bleibt es ja viel bei Worten und das ist doch zu wenig. Wir müssen aber auch in Erinnerung rufen, dass die Attacken gegen die betroffene Bevölkerungsgruppe, diese Religionsgruppe, leider Gottes auch bei uns in unseren Aufnahmezentren weitergehen, und da ist eine besondere Solidarität vonseiten der aufnehmenden Länder angebracht.

Es ist – und es wurde heute schon gesagt: Völkermord. Da heißt es natürlich auch, dass Europa gefordert ist, die Länder, die das dulden, fördern oder wegsehen, auch dementsprechend in die Verantwortung zu nehmen. Ich denke an Saudi-Arabien, ich denke an die Emirate, die hier offensichtlich lange Zeit zugesehen haben und vielleicht auch noch zusehen.

Wir dürfen uns in Europa nicht verhöhnen lassen. Wir müssen hier Aktivitäten setzen. Der Westen muss auf Seite der Unterdrückten und insbesondere unserer christlichen Brüder stehen.

(Ende des Catch-the-eye-Verfahrens)

  Federica Mogherini, Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs. – Mr President, let me start with the issue of the definition of genocide. It was not through reticence that I did not address this issue in my opening remarks, but because a definition of genocide depends on very precise legal criteria. This work is ongoing in the competent institutions, namely in the United Nations in the appropriate framework.

The only reference so far to genocide in UN documents is the one made on 13 March 2015 in the report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on the human rights situation in Iraq and in the light of abuses committed by the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, and associated groups. This report compiles information about acts of violence perpetrated against civilians on account of their affiliation, or received affiliation, to an ethnic or religious group. This report concludes that some of this violence, considering the overall information, may constitute genocide in the case of the Yazidis, and other violence may amount to crimes against humanity and war crimes in relation to Christians, Turkmen, Sabaean Mandaeans, Kaka’e, Kurds and Shia.

This is – if we want to be precise and consistent with the legal framework we are dealing with, because many of you made reference to the fact that it is not just a word but has legal implications – this is the legal framework in which we are acting.

You can be sure that we are working – as you know very well, the European Union as such does not have a seat in the United Nations, but we can open this debate next time if you want to – and following these developments within the appropriate frameworks, which are those of the United Nations. But let me also stress that, in parallel to that, we have to act concretely and not just take a principled approach: that is indeed extremely relevant because the region is looking to us and the minorities are looking to those who can defend them with words, which are important, but also with acts.

Let me start with something that was mentioned in a very concrete way by one of you, namely the issue of justice and accountability. As I mentioned before, but let me underline it again, the European Union supports the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria, which collects evidence on the violations committed. This is extremely relevant in view of future legal actions, and the European Union – as was underlined by one of your interventions – has indeed called for the UN Security Council to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court.

Let me make these two points very clear. And let me also stress in conclusion – because I am also aware that we are running late, and I do not want to contribute too much to us being even later – that there are three or four things that are absolute a priorities for us to do in order to protect religious minorities in the Middle East.

First, liberate the areas that have been occupied by Daesh in Iraq and Syria in particular, and make them safe, returning these areas to normal life. This is where our humanitarian assistance comes in – in Iraq because we have more access and we can support more access there and, hopefully more and more, in Syria.

Second, create the conditions for inclusive communities and societies in these countries. I would say recreate the conditions, because we are talking, as many of you have underlined, of societies that for centuries, if not thousands of years, have been living together in peace and understanding, living together, finding their differences as a source of the richness of their societies.

And this is a point that is particularly relevant to me, more so even than from a political point of view, but from a human point of view – and I am surprised this did not come up today in the debate because this is, as far as I have heard, for instance from the Christians in Erbil last year, the issue that they are debating the most – which is whether it is safer and better for us to stay in the Middle East or to leave, with all the debates about preserving or recreating the plurality in the societies of the Middle East. This is a debate that in particular the Christian communities in the regions that were occupied by Daesh in Iraq are posing themselves. This is a debate that I believe we have first of all to respect and to follow carefully in our own debate, but I believe that we also have the duty to offer them the possibility to have the option to create safe conditions to leave these areas.

This goes back to what some of you have underlined, namely to support refugees – all refugees, including the ones from minority backgrounds – and to protect their rights, wherever they are, in whatever place in the region they are, and also to create the conditions for them to stay or to return to their communities if they wish to do so in order to preserve or restore the plurality of societies in the Middle East. I personally believe that this is in itself a value because that is one of the places in the world where different backgrounds, different religions, different communities and different ethnicities have been living and showing the world how it is possible to live together. Then we have to do the big thing: end the conflicts. Because at the end of the day that is what allows minorities to go back.

An additional point concerns what comes afterwards, and sometimes also not in places where conflicts are but in places that are on the verge of major crises, which means investing in the openness of societies, in the democracy of the institutions, in the respect for human rights and the rule of law, and in pluralism and inclusiveness in countries all around the world, not only in the Middle East.

Now we are talking about a specific case, that of Daesh, but, as many of you mentioned, this is something that is happening everywhere in the world – in Africa and Asia, and not forgetting Libya, where we had victims who were Christians of different origins, in Ethiopia and Egypt where people were killed only recently. We have to look at the bigger picture and act immediately with first of all our humanitarian support, work on the conditions for the respect of minorities and pluralism and inclusiveness in the immediate term and in the long term, and put all our diplomatic efforts into putting an end to the crisis and defeating what in this case is the great source of problems for the religious minorities in the Middle East, namely Daesh.

  Der Präsident. – Die Aussprache ist geschlossen.

Die Abstimmung findet während der nächsten Tagung statt.

Schriftliche Erklärungen (Artikel 162 GO)

  Csaba Sógor (PPE), in writing. – All around the cradle of Christianity, the Middle East, Christians have for long been facing continuous persecution, the result of which is that Since the beginning of the 20th century until today, the Christian population of the Middle East has dropped from approximately 14% to 4% today.

However, the violence, mass killings and executions carried out by the Islamic State in the last years go beyond what we ever thought could be possible. In Syria IS systematically abducts hundreds of Christians, demands exorbitant ransoms for the prisoners or executes them. In Northern Iraq – in former times home to tens of thousands of Christians – Christians who do not convert or flee also face the threat of execution. In 2014 Mosul was already cleared of Christians, now there is a threat that they may disappear altogether from the country. This barbaric onslaught claiming thousands of innocent lives and erasing the region’s diverse heritage is nothing short of genocide and we are not doing what we could and should to stop it.