DRAFT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
14 November 2005
pursuant to Rule 115 of the Rules of Procedure
by Cem Oezdemir, Raúl Romeva, Jean Lambert, Gérard Onesta and Hèlène Flautre
on behalf of the Green/EFA Group
on Access to humanitarian aid in Kashmir
B6-0603/2005
European parliament resolution on access to humanitarian aid in Kashmir
The European Parliament,
- having regard to its resolution on Jammu and Kashmir of 16 March 2000,
- having regard to the recommendations of the ad hoc delegation of the European Parliament, following its visits to Kashmir from 8 to 11 December 2003 and from 20 to 24 June 2004,
- having regard to the conclusions of the Council of 18 October 2005,
- having regard to the Statement by the EU Presidency of 27 October 2005,
- having regard to Declaration of the South Asian Association of Regional Co-operation (SAARC) Summit of 12 and 13 November 2005,
A. whereas an earthquake of Magnitude Mw 7.6 occurred on 8 October 2005 causing an enormous amount of damage and serious casualties over an area of 30000 km2 in the Kashmir and North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan,
B. whereas the death toll of the earthquake has reached close to 90 000 people, more than 100 000 people have been seriously injured, and over 7 million people have lost their homes, and all these figures may still dramatically rise in the face of the incoming Himalayan winter;
C. whereas the levels of human and economic devastation are unprecedented in the history of the subcontinent with hundreds of towns and villages, most roads and bridges, public infrastructure and communications completely destroyed, particularly around Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistani administered Azad Jammu and Kashmir,
D. whereas the UN cautioned that there may not be enough winterized tents in the world to satisfy the needs estimated at 450 000, for all the earthquake victims
E. whereas the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank have estimated that the total costs of the humanitarian relief operation, rehabilitation and reconstruction will amount to USD 5.2 billion of which USD 2 billion has been pledged by donors;
F. whereas the United Nations (UN) only received USD 98.5 million and had USD 38 million in unconfirmed pledges on 11 November 2005 after the launch of a flash appeal for USD 550 million on 26 October 2005 to cover relief efforts for the next six months
G. whereas the EU and its Member States have pledged over € 200 million and Member States have also contributed helicopters, aircraft and engineers to the relief effort carried out by the Pakistani authorities and the international community,
H. whereas the Governments of India and Pakistan have have engaged in a continous dialogue since the beginning of 2004 in order to put an end to some of the disputes facing them and after opening the bus line in June, agreed to open five crossing points on the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir on 7 November 2005 under a plan to let earthquake survivors from divided families meet and to facilitate the flow of aid, whereas these currently these crossings are opened only to relief supplies and not to civilians,
1. Expresses its sincere condolences, sympathy and solidarity to all those affected by the earthquake that struck South Asia on 8 October 2005;
2. Remains very concerned about the situation of the survivors, especially the people living in high country settlements cut off by landslides; is alarmed about reports that people in the hardest hit areas of Uri, Baramulla and Kupwara in Kashmir have received little if any aid and there is no access to any form of international aid; urges the Indian authorities to provide all the necessary aid for these people and allow them to receive international aid;
3. Underlines the urgent UN calls for further relief and reminds donors of the additional USD 580 million pledged during the donor conference of 26 October 2005; calls on the EU to make further funds available within the global transfer or under other mechanisms;
4. Welcomes the decision taken at the SAARC Summit of 12 and 13 November 2005 to cooperate in the field of disaster management and to coordinate the efforts in this respect;
5. Welcomes the agreement between the Governments of India and Pakistan on the opening of crossing points on the LoC as a symbol of hope and of vital importance especially for the neighbouring population; calls on both governments to speedily open up all 5 crossing points; supports the call by the UN World Food Programme (WFP) to open additional points crossing the LoC and to allow the movement of trucks in order to support the relief operation for hundreds of thousands of people in remote valleys and on high mountains in Kashmir;
6. Expresses its hope that the terrible catastrophe, which struck foremost the Kashmiri people, might bear the positive fruit of bringing the survivors closer to peace, free movement and prosperity in the near future; applauds the Governments of India and Pakistan for recent first steps to reconciliation which for the first time included the Kashmiris directly in the process and strongly hopes that this is the beginning of a steady process towards peace;
8. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Governments and Parliaments of India and Pakistan, the NATO Secretary-General and the UN Secretary-General.