MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

11.01.2005

tabled for the debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
pursuant to Rule 115(5) of the Rules of Procedure
by Cecilia Malmström
on behalf of the ALDE Group
on the trafficking of women and girls in Cambodia

B6-0035/2005

European parliament resolution on the trafficking of women and girls in Cambodia

The European parliament,

-  having regard to its previous resolutions on Cambodia, and in particular those of 11 February 2004, 12 March 2003 and 2 June 2003,

-  having regard to the 1999 Cooperation Agreement between the European Community and the Kingdom of Cambodia,

-  having regard to the 2000-2003 EC-Cambodia Strategy Document and the 2000-2004 Indicative Strategy Programme,

-  having regard to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, ratified by all EU Member States,

-  having regard to the Treaty on the International Criminal Court as well as the 2002 Common Position of the Council on the Statute of the International Criminal Court,

-  having regard to the EU directives on the Protection of Human Rights Activists approved by the European Council in July 2004,

-  having regard to Rule 115(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.  whereas child prostitution is an attack on the rights of boys and girls,

B.  whereas child prostitution is a serious social problem, not only for the countries where it goes on, but also for sex tourism countries,

C.  having regard to the attack on the Srey Khan Centre of the AFESIP Association (Agir pour les Femmes en Situation Précaire), where 91 women and young girls were staying, 84 of whom had been freed the day before, by officials working for the Department for Trafficking in Human Beings and Juvenile Protection, from a hotel where prostitution of minors was being practised,

D.  whereas these 91 women and young girls are now listed as missing persons,

E.  whereas 7 people were arrested during the police operation and freed the following day, and preoccupied by the fact that the people, mainly Europeans, who commit sexual abuse on minors, go unpunished,

F.  having regard to the death threats received by Somaly Mam, an activist working for children forced into prostitution and for whom the Cambodian government cannot guarantee protection,

G.  whereas Cambodia has ratified the Treaty setting up the International Criminal Court,

H.  whereas efforts still need to be made in the fight against organised crime and the trafficking in human beings,

I.  haaving regard to the creation of an Interministerial Committee by the government of Cambodia which will investigate the attack on the AFESIP Centre,

1.  Denounces the sexual exploitation of minors as a crime "erga omnes" and an attack on the fundamental rights of children;

2.  Stresses its preoccupation with child prostitution in Cambodia and with the trafficking in human beings, both to and from Cambodia, with the objective of using them for forced labour, prostitution, begging and illegal adoptions;

3.  Recalls the principles of the Charter of Human Rights and especially the rights of young girls, in the case of sexual exploitation of minors in Asia;

4.  Condemns the sex tourism industry and requests that Member States create and apply the legislation needed to bring to justice all those involved in sex tourism;

5.  Requests that countries where there is child prostitution support the human rights organisations working to help and protect the victims of sexual exploitation, as well as guarantee the safety of their workers;

6.  Insists that the Commission take into account the rights of children in the programming of its human rights policy, within the framework of the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights;

7.  Requests that the Commission support the human rights activists organisations in Cambodia, and especially organisations dedicated to the protection of victims of trafficking and sexual exploitation;

8.  Is confident of a positive and fair result from the Interministerial Committee which has just been set up; reiterates its request that the Cambodian authorities take all the necessary steps to bring an end to trafficking in women and child prostitution, as well as to bring to justice all those responsible for these kinds of activities;

9.  Calls on the Cambodian authorities to guarantee the safety of child protection organisations, especially those working to help young victims of trafficking and sexual exploitation;

10.  Calls on the Cambodian authorities to guarantee the safety of Somaly Mam, whose life is in danger;

11.  Calls on the EU Member States to act together in the fight against organised crime and the trafficking in human beings, especially the trafficking of minors;

12.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the government of Cambodia, and the governments of the ASEAN member states.