MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
10 January 2005
by Mrs Christiana Muscardini
on behalf of the UEN Group
on Trafficking of children in Cambodia
B6-0042/2005
European Parliament resolution on Trafficking of children in Cambodia
The European Parliament,
- having regard to its previous Resolutions on the matter and specifically its resolutions of 11 February 2004 and 12 March 2003
- having regard to the co-operation Agreement between the European Community and the Kingdom of Cambodia
- having regard to the EC-Cambodia Strategy Paper
- having regard to the UN Convention on the Rights of Children, ratified by all Member States
- having regard to Rule 115(5) of its Rules of Procedure
A whereas child prostitution should be considered as a monstrous attack against the Fundamental Rights of Children,
B whereas this kind of prostitution is a social plague in the countries where it is practised as well as in those countries where sex tourism is prevalent,
C whereas on 7 December 2004, 83 girls, victims of human trafficking, were rescued from Chai Hour II, a massage and karaoke establishment in Phnom Penh, by the Police and referred to the SREY KHAN Center which is run by the AFESIP NGO; whereas 8 suspects were detained,
D whereas the following day the 8 suspects, who had been released without charge, accompanied by a group of 25 people, ambushed the SREY KHAN Center where they assaulted the staff and abducted the 83 girls along with 7 other residents; whereas the fate of these children and adults is at present uncertain and their lives potentially at risk,
E whereas this event clearly demonstrates that the issue of child prostitution in Cambodia is not being tackled with the necessary efforts, in spite of repeated commitments given by the Cambodian government,
1. Considers the sexual exploitation of children to be a monstrous crime which abnegates the fundamental Rights of those children;
2 Strongly condemns the all too frequent trafficking of children in Cambodia, as well as in other countries in this area, for the purpose of prostitution, forced labour, illegal adoption and trafficking of human organs;
3 Calls on the Cambodian authorities to guarantee the safety of people working in organisations who fight the sexual exploitation of children and who also help victims of this vile trafficking;
4 Calls on the Cambodian authorities to show political will, by adopting all necessary measures to put an end to these unacceptable abuses against children and in this specific case to make every effort to find these 91 abducted people, and to severely punish the perpetrators;
5 Condemns without reserve all sex tourism and sex tourists, in particular to some countries in South-East Asia and calls on the Member States to adopt as a matter of urgency all necessary measures to fight this scourge and eradicate it once and for all ;
6 Instructs its President to forward the present Resolution to the Council, the Commission, the government of Cambodia and the governments of the Member States of ASEAN.