MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

13 December 2004

tabled 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 Eoin Ryan
on behalf of the UEN Group
on the situation in the DRC

B6-0218/2004

European parliament resolution on the situation in the DRC

The European parliament,

–  having regard to the statements by the Presidency on behalf of the European Union of 14^th and 30^th April 2003,

–  having regard to the conclusion of the inter-Congolese dialogue on 9th April 2003,

–  having regard to UN Security Council Resolution 1468 (2003),

–  having regard to the resolution on Central Africa adopted by the fifth session of the ACP-EU Parliamentary Assembly in Brazzaville (Congo) on 3th April 2003,

A.  whereas in the course of the armed conflict in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, tens of thousands of women have been victims of systematic rape and sexual assault committed by armed factions,

B.  whereas the civilian population of Eastern DRC has been a victim of war crimes and grave human rights violations on a daily basis,

C.  whereas around twenty armed factions have been fighting for control of the land and resources in the Eastern part of DRC,

D.  whereas National and International law is no longer observed in Eastern DRC,

E.  whereas armed factions are perpetrating gross human rights violations with impunity,

F.  whereas there are reports that Rwandan forces have crossed into the DRC,

G.  whereas there is an incapacitated judicial system in the Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo,

H.  whereas millions of civilians are suffering in the DRC as a result of conflict and the lack of health care infrastructure,

I.  whereas the new power sharing Government which took office in July 2003 has

  made little effort to address the suffering of the civilian population traumatised by

  years of warfare,

J.  whereas by August 2003, the United Nations had estimated that 3.4 million

  Congolese where internally displaced as a result of armed conflict, the majority in

  Eastern DRC,

1.  Calls on the DRC Government to respond to the urgent medical needs of the people in the eastern part of the Congo,

2.  Calls on the DRC Government to implement an emergency medical programme for victims of sexual violence in the eastern part of the DRC,

3.  Calls on the United Nations Mission in the DRC known as MONUC to fully protect

  civilian populations under threat from Rwandan forces in the Eastern DRC,

4.  Calls on the international community to engage with the DRC Government to

  improve security in the Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

5.  Calls for immediate new training procedures to be put in place for Government army and police forces so that they can be in a position to disarm and disperse the competent groups operating in the Eastern part of Congo.

6.  Calls on the International Community to pressurise both the Ugandan and Rwandan Governments so as to stop both supporting armed political groups and militias operating in the Eastern part of the DRC in violation of international peace agreements.

7.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the United Nations, Governments of the EU Member States, the Governments of Uganda, Rwanda, South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo and to the ACP/EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly.