MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
4.7.2006
pursuant to Rule 115 of the Rules of Procedure
by Simon Coveney, John Bowis, Jana Hybášková, Mario Mauro, Bernd Posselt,
on behalf of the PPE-DE Group
on the situation in Somalia
B6‑0406/06
European Parliament resolution on the situation in Somalia
The European Parliament,
- having regard to its previous resolutions on the situation in Somalia,
- having regard to Rule 115(5) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. concerned by the prolonged civil war situation in Somalia and its implications for the peace and reconciliation process in that country, as well as for the security and stability of the Horn of Africa region as a whole,
B. whereas the Islamic Courts militia has seized control of much of southern Somalia - including the capital Mogadishu - since 4 June 2006 when they drove out the faction leaders who had controlled Mogadishu since 1991, when the central administration of Muhammad Siyad Barre was toppled,
C. whereas Somalia has not had an effective national government for over 15 years and the Union of Islamic Courts has started creating radical Islamic courts in the areas it controls with a view to restoring order, yet tension persists due to clan loyalties,
D. whereas there are fears that the Union of Islamic Courts includes groups accused of having links to al-Qaeda and international terrorism, which may threaten not only the security of neighbouring countries, but also the European Union and the rest of the world,
E. whereas the dialogue initiated by the Arab League in Khartoum between the Transitional Federal Institutions and the Union of Islamic Courts led to the reciprocal recognition of these parties and thereby to an agreement not to fight each other but continue to engage in dialogue for peace and reconciliation,
F. whereas the recent meeting of the Union of Islamic Courts delegation with U.S. officials in Khartoum has opened new prospects for confidence-building measures among the various parties,
1. Strongly condemns the recent fighting in and around Mogadishu, as well as the events in Jowhar and elsewhere in the country, which resulted in the loss of life of numerous Somali civilians and that of Mr. Martin Adler, a Swedish freelance photographer;
2. Appeals to all parties concerned to refrain from any action likely to escalate the current tensions, to pursue the path of dialogue and to extend the necessary cooperation to the Transitional Federal Government as the legitimate central authority in Somalia;
3 Supports the initiatives taken by the African Union (AU), the Arab League, and IGAD - including the communiqué issued by the extraordinary session of the IGAD Council of Ministers held in Nairobi on 13 June 2006 - as well as their central role in the efforts aimed at sustaining the peace and reconciliation process in Somalia;
4. Urges the Transitional Federal Institutions and the Union of Islamic Courts to fully assume their responsibilities in the implementation of the dialogue initiated in Khartoum;
5. Calls on the EU, in coordination with the AU, and working closely with IGAD and the Arab League, to provide the requisite political, financial and logistical support to facilitate the peace process, including the deployment of the AU Peace Support Mission envisaged by the AU Summit of March 2006;
6. Calls on the international community and the EU in particular to increase the provision of humanitarian assistance to the internally displaced persons and the populations in need;
7. Calls on all parties concerned to respect international humanitarian law and allow relief agencies access to the populations in need, as well as ensure the protection of humanitarian workers;
8. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the Secretaries-General of the UN, AU and IGAD, the President of the Transitional National Government of Somalia and the Chairman of the Union of Islamic Courts.