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B6-0390/2008
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MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

2.9.2008

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 Ryszard Czarnecki, Jan Tadeusz Masiel, Adam Bielan, Ewa Tomaszewska, Konrad Szymański, Mieczysław Edmund Janowski, Hanna Foltyn-Kubicka
on behalf of the UEN Group
on Albino assassinations in Tanzania

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B6-0387/2008

Procedure : 2008/2625(RSP)
Stadium plenaire behandeling
Documentencyclus :  
B6-0390/2008
Ingediende teksten :
B6-0390/2008
Aangenomen teksten :

B6‑0390/2008

European Parliament resolution on Albino assassinations in Tanzania

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to its previous resolutions on the serious human rights violations,

–  having regard to the General Assembly’s of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 10 December 1948,

–  having regard to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights of 27 June 1981,

–  having regard to having regard to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which is binding and applied without exception,

–  having regard to Rule 115 of its Rules of Procedure,

A.  Whereas Albinos still face prejudice, ignorance and discrimination on a regular basis from the wider community;

B.  Whereas Albinos constitute a minority and should, therefore, be considered as vulnerable persons,

C.  Whereas out of a 39 million Tanzanian population there are about 270,000 people suffering from albinism, prejudicially known as the “Zeru Zeru” or ghosts,

D.  Whereas more than 20 albinos were killed between June and now, the last one of which was a seven-moth-old baby, in bizarre incidents blamed on witchcraft and sorcery and whereas most killings have occurred in the Lake Zone region, especially in Mwanza, Shinyanga and Mara, where the albinos are mostly concentrated,

E.  Noting that while 173 witchdoctors have been arrested since the crackdown, no legal action has been brought against them and they continue to operate;

F.  Noting that investigations done by BBC Swahili investigations shows that police is largely blamed for being part of the witchdoctors' clientele;

G.  Whereas Albino Society, non-profit advocacy group operates on less than $ 15.000 a year which not enough for the sunscreen, hats and protective clothing that could save lives; whereas it is no accident either that the Tanzania Albino Society's office is on the grounds of a cancer hospital since any of its members are ill;

1.  Welcoming the fact that the first Albino MP, Al-Shymaa Kway-Geer was elected;

2.  Deeply shocked by the violations of the human rights of persons with albinism, children with albinism have either been killed at birth or abandoned to die; also, women who give birth to children with albinism are either abandoned or divorced and left to fend for themselves and their children,

3.  Remains deeply concern about the lack of proper health care and education for albinos, most of whom die of skin cancer before the age of 30,

4.  Urges the authorities in country-regionplaceTanzania to educate the people against this cruelty which is mostly due to lack of education,

5.  Calls on Tanzanian government authorities to take measures to help ensure the fair treatment of albinos, who often find themselves victims of social discrimination;

6.  Calls on the Tanzanian authorities to mark this problem as a critical issue on the list of government's priorities,

7.  Calls on Tanzanian authorities to undertake immediate actions fostering social awareness by providing interpersonal and rich information related to albinism, and urges these actions to be implemented particularly in the rural areas where people tend to be less educated and more superstitious,

8.  Urges the President and the government of country-regionplaceTanzania to take legal actions against the killers who should be appearing before the courts and penalised accordingly,

9.  Calls on the European Union, United Nations to support establishing a pan-African Network, an umbrella that would work across the continents and that would help albinos get their rights to live in peace across placeAfrica,

10.  Asks the Commission and the Council to closely monitor the human rights situation in country-regionplaceTanzania,

11.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Governments of the PlaceNameMemberPlaceType States, the Government of Tanzania, the African Union, the country-regionplaceUS, the UN Secretary-General, the Co-Presidents of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly and the ACP Council.