MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation in South Sudan
13.1.2014 - (2014/2512(RSP))
pursuant to Rule 110(2) of the Rules of Procedure
Véronique De Keyser, Ricardo Cortés Lastra, Ana Gomes, Norbert Neuser, Tanja Fajon, Liisa Jaakonsaari, Pino Arlacchi on behalf of the S&D Group
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B7-0018/2014
The European Parliament,
– having regard to its previous resolutions on South Sudan, in particular that of 10 December 2013 on the efforts of the international community in the area of development and of ‘state building’ in South Sudan[1],
– having regard to the statements by EU High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the Commission Catherine Ashton of 2 January 2014 and 24 December 2013 on the situation in South Sudan,
– having regard to the Council conclusions of 22 July 2013 on Sudan and South Sudan,
– having regard to the local EU statement of 20 December 2013 by the European Union delegation,
– having regard to UN Security Council resolutions 2132 (2013) of 24 December 2013 and 2126 (2013) of 25 November 2013,
– having regard to the talks on the situation in South Sudan, called for by the African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC), notably at its Banjul meeting of 30 December 2013, and by the Summit of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) held in Nairobi on 27 December 2013,
– having regard to the Sudanese Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) of 2005,
– having regard to the Roadmap for Sudan and South Sudan set out in the communiqué issued by the African Union Peace and Security Council on 24 April 2012, which is fully supported by the EU,
– having regard to the press statement issued by the African Union on behalf of the Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, on 4 January 2014,
– having regard to the statement from the Executive Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) of 19 December 2013,
– having regard to the revised Cotonou Agreement,
– having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
– having regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,
– having regard to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights,
– having regard to Rule 110(2) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas armed conflicts between ethnic groups began in South Sudan on 15 December 2013 and violence has been increasing dramatically, leading to a deteriorating situation and a large-scale humanitarian crisis;
B. whereas the crisis erupted when President Kiir stated that soldiers loyal to Riek Machar, the former Vice-President dismissed from office in July, had launched a coup attempt; whereas President Kiir belongs to the Dinka ethnic group and Machar to the Lou Nuer, and the conflict has been increasingly marked by reports of ethnically targeted violence;
C. whereas according to the UN nearly 1 000 people have been killed and more than 200 000 civilians have been displaced by the conflict from four states, namely Central Equatoria, Jonglei, Unity and Upper Nile; whereas the number of South Sudanese seeking shelter in neighbouring countries has risen to around 22 610, some 13 000 of whom have crossed into Uganda since 15 December, while another 5 290 refugees have arrived in Ethiopia;
D. whereas already before the armed violence of December 2013, 3.1 million people were estimated to be in need of humanitarian assistance;
E. whereas the active hostilities pose the main access challenge for humanitarian response operations; whereas access to food remains limited for people around the country, and distribution of basic food and nutrition supplies is needed especially in Bor and Bentiu; whereas violence and displacement have resulted in loss of livelihood, particularly affecting food sources, and this may eventually result in a nutrition crisis;
F. whereas according to the UN, the relief supplies available for some 62 000 people who have found refuge in UN compounds in South Sudan are running low; whereas there are threats of cholera and measles and there is an urgent need for basic healthcare services, clean water and better sanitation conditions;
G. whereas the parties to the conflict in South Sudan initiated negotiations on 7 January 2014 in Addis Ababa, under the auspices of IGAD; whereas the cessation of hostilities, the opening of humanitarian corridors, the issue of political prisoners and the protection of civilians will form the main agenda of the talks;
H. whereas despite the ongoing peace talks the security situation remains alarming, with continuous fighting in a number of locations in South Sudan, including around Bor in Jonglei state and in areas of Unity and Upper Nile states;
I. whereas the UN Security Council has adopted a resolution under which reinforcements will be sent in the form of 5 500 troops and 440 police officers to increase the overall force levels of the UN mission in South Sudan;
J. whereas the Commission is supporting life-saving actions, with nearly EUR 160 million in humanitarian aid allocated in 2012/2013; whereas it is also making EUR 50 million available in 2014 to respond to the unfolding and intensifying humanitarian crisis in the country;
K. whereas the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has launched a consolidated appeal for USD 166 million to respond to the crisis and assist an estimated 628 000 people from January to March 2014;
L. whereas aid agencies launched the South Sudan Crisis Response Plan on 31 December 2013, seeking USD 209 million to meet the needs of the current crisis;
M. whereas 11 politicians have been imprisoned in South Sudan; whereas those detained without charge include Pagan Amum, former Secretary-General of the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement;
N. whereas the International Criminal Court has issued two arrest warrants against President al-Bashir, accusing him of responsibility for war crimes, crimes against humanity and acts of genocide committed by Sudanese forces and their allied Janjaweed militia in Darfur, Sudan;
O. whereas South Sudan lacks basic services such as safe water, sanitation facilities and health services; whereas one in seven children die before reaching the age of five and one pregnancy in six results in the mother’s death, while more than 20 % of the population are undernourished, and deadly epidemics are frequent and spread easily; whereas food insecurity is a threat to over one million people each year;
P. whereas state-building and overcoming fragility require a long-term perspective and a solid, predictable and stable engagement on the part of the international community;
Q. whereas South Sudan is highly dependent on oil production and is currently entirely dependent on Sudan in terms of exports, a situation which is not only economically unviable but also serves as a tool to exert pressure on the new country, thereby causing additional tensions;
R. whereas South Sudan’s oil production fell by 45 000 barrels per day to 200 000 bpd after oilfields in its northern Unity state were shut down as a result of fighting;
1. Expresses its deep concern at the recent escalation of violence in South Sudan, which is having serious humanitarian, security, political, economic, and social consequences in a country that is already fragile and volatile, and could destabilise the whole East African region;
2. Strongly condemns the latest outburst of fighting in South Sudan and calls on all parties to lay down their weapons and to immediately end the violence which has caused deaths, injuries and damage among the civilian population and has displaced more than 200 000 people since the beginning of the crisis in December 2013;
3. Urges all parties concerned to respect international humanitarian and human rights law, as well as to accord access and protection to humanitarian agencies coming to the assistance of the suffering civilian population and to open humanitarian corridors for the delivery of supplies and equipment; calls on all the warring parties in the country to allow flights to resupply its bases;
4. Fully supports the ongoing negotiations in Addis Ababa for an immediate ceasefire and finding a way to lasting peace and stability; calls on the government and the rebel sides to engage in unconditional, inclusive and holistic political talks in good faith for the successful conclusion of the negotiations; welcomes the efforts of the African Union and IGAD in promoting inclusive dialogue and mediation;
5. Encourages all neighbours of South Sudan to work closely together in order to improve the security situation in the region;
6. Calls on all parties immediately to end all human rights abuses, including those affecting refugees and displaced persons, women and people belonging to vulnerable groups, as well as journalists, and calls for those responsible for human rights violations, including sexual violence, to be held accountable;
7. Welcomes the decision of the African Union’s Peace and Security Council to establish a commission to investigate human rights violations and other abuses and recommend ways and means to ensure accountability, reconciliation and healing among all communities;
8. Stresses the importance for a renewed effort by the Government of South Sudan and its international partners to follow through with the disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration of armed groups and to undertake broader security sector reform;
9. Regrets the decision taken by the EU High Representative to terminate the mandate of the EU’s Special Representative for Sudan/South Sudan, given the severe political unrest in Sudan and the armed conflicts; considers that without a designated EU Special Representative for Sudan/South Sudan, the EU will be left on the sidelines of international negotiations and efforts; calls, therefore, on the High Representative to reverse this decision and extend the mandate of the Special Representative for Sudan/South Sudan;
10. Calls on the international community to honour its funding commitments to South Sudan and the region, and in particular to address the severe deficiencies affecting food aid, emergency shelter and protection;
11. Stresses the need to make major investments in infrastructure, the provision of basic services and agricultural development in South Sudan;
12. Urges the Government of South Sudan to introduce the necessary political and economic reforms in order to provide solutions to the country’s problems of mismanagement, chronic poverty, rising levels of corruption and insecurity;
13. Urges South Sudan to ratify the Cotonou Agreement between the EU and the ACP states, in order to permit the long-term commitment of the EU to South Sudan’s development;
14. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Government of South Sudan, the Human Rights Commissioner of South Sudan, the National Legislative Assembly of South Sudan, the African Union’s institutions, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and the UN Secretary-General.
- [1] Texts adopted, P7_TA(2013)0546.