DRAFT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

12 December 2005

with request for inclusion in the agenda for the debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
pursuant to Rule 115 of the Rules of Procedure
by Luisa Morgantini, Vittorio Agnoletto, Umberto Guidoni and Feleknas Uca
on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group
on Ethiopia

B6-0663/2005

European parliament resolution on Ethiopia

The European Parliament,

• -Having regard to its June and October 2005 resolutions on the situation in    Ethiopia,
• -Having regard to the European Union Election Observation Mission    preliminary report of 25 August 2005
• A.Disturbed by recent news on large scale human rights abuses following a massive and unprecedented crackdown where political leaders, human rights defenders, independent journalists, NGO workers and young people were arrested in Addis Ababa and in different parts of the country,
• B.Whereas the political detainees include Hailu Shawel, president of the CUD, Professor Mesfin Woldemariam, former chair of the Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRCO), Dr. Yacob Hailemariam, former UN Special envoy and former prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, Ms Birtukan Mideksa, former judge and Dr. Birhanu Nega Mayor-elect of Addis Ababa,
• C.Whereas according to some information thousands of youths arrested in Addis Ababa, were taken to the Dedessa River (South West of Ethiopia) are being held in an open field in a malaria-infested area,
• D.Seriously disturbed by the information received from World Organisation Against Torture according to which the young people detained in Dedessa do not have shelter and that food and drink is not easily available, and by reports that a number of youths have been tortured and killed,
• E.Disturbed by a "wanted" for treason list which includes members of parliament, journalists, aid workers, members of NGOs and artists,
• F.Worried by the crackdown on the dependent press and the collapse of the independent press resulting from the arrest of several journalists, by the fact that scores put on the government's "wanted for treason" list have gone into hiding and also by the cancellation of media licences and confiscation of property; alarmed that journalists will face treason charges,
• G.Welcoming the release of about 8000 people but worried that this figure by itself shows the massive scale of detention; worried that the government has not so far disclosed the total number of people actually in detention and still less their whereabouts,
• H.Recalling that the European Union has deployed an important long term election observer mission in Ethiopia and its preliminary report was made public on 25 August 2005,
• I.Whereas the European Union has made an important effort to solve the post-election crisis by democratic, transparent and peaceful political means,
• J.Whereas Ethiopia is a signatory of the Cotonou agreement which enshrines in its article 96 that respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms are essential elements ACP-EU cooperation,
• 1.Strongly condemns the Ethiopian government for the violations of human rights and calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners including party leaders, journalists, human rights defenders, youths, NGO workers,
• 2.Opposes the possible charge of treason against the detainees including Hailu Shawel, president of the CUD, Professor Mesfin Woldmariam, former chair of the Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRCO), Dr. Yacob Hailemariam, former UN Special envoy and former prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, Ms Birtukan Mideksa, former judge and Dr. Birhanu Nega elected Mayor of Addis Abeba,
• 3.Calls on the Ethiopian government to disclose the total number of persons detained throughout the country and to allow all the detainees access to their families, legal counsel and the medical care that their health situation may eventually require,
• 4.Calls on the government to guarantee that detainees shall not be subject to torture, ill treatment or forced disappearance in conformity with international conventions on Human rights,
• 5.Calls for the establishment of an independent international commission of inquiry under UN responsibility to investigate on the human rights abuses and identify and bring those responsible to justice,
• 6.Considers that, despite the political dialogue between the EU and the Ethiopian government under Article 8 of the Cotonou agreement, the latter has failed to fulfil its obligations with respect to human rights, democratic principles and the rule of law,
• 7.Calls on the Commission and the Council to take a coordinated stance in line with article 96 of the Cotonou agreement,
• 8.Calls on the Ethiopian government to respect the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on civil and political rights which include freedom of opinion, the right to hold peaceful demonstration, to organise political meetings,
• 9.Considers that freedom of expression and information, including the right to seek, receive and impart information, is a fundamental and inalienable human right and an important component of the democratisation process
• 10.Calls on the Ethiopian government to put an end to the state media monopoly and to allow the independent press to function by releasing all arrested journalists and returning confiscated property; calls for a code of conduct for the press to be put in place,
• 11.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Ethiopian government, the two main opposition parties and the African Union.