MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
13.2.2007
pursuant to Rule 115 of the Rules of Procedure
by Marie-Hélène Aubert, Margrete Auken, and Frithjof Schmidt,
on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group
on Guinea
NB: This motion for a resolution is available in the original language only.
Procedure : 2007/2520(RSP)
Document stages in plenary
Document selected :
B6-0055/2007
Texts tabled :
B6-0055/2007
Debates :
Texts adopted :
B6‑0055/07
European Parliament resolution on Guinea
The European Parliament,
– having regard to Rule 115 of its Rules of Procedure,
- A.Concerned by the recent violence during which security forces clashed with protestors asking president Conte, who took power in a 1984 coup d'état, to assign an independent Prime minister and hand over all his presidential powers,
- B.Alarmed by this weekend's violence after the announcement of President Conte's chief of staff, Eugene Camara, as a new Prime minister; whereas this recent violence is the latest sign of deepening discontent over the rule of President Conte,
- C.Whereas more than 30 people have been killed by the security forces while taking part in demonstrations in January,
- D.Whereas the National confederation of Guinean Workers (CNTG) and the Guinean Workers Union (USTG) are at the frontline of protest against a rising cost of living and a demand for a government to bring a political with a nomination of a new prime minister,
- E.Whereas trade unions suspended their last 18-day national strike on 29 January after president Conte, whose health has seriously deteriorated, agreed to devolve some of his power to a new independent prime minister,
- F.Recalling that Union leaders called two strikes last year asking the government to take action to curb the cost of living and raise the minimum wage and recalling that the strikes were called off after the government promised to address these issues, which were not honoured,
- G.Whereas opposition political party leaders and civil society organisations joined the protest movement in a campaign of civil disobedience,
- H.Whereas the Guinean government's human-rights record is very alarming, including the use of excessive force by the military and the police against civilians, arbitrary detention and detention without trial and attacks on freedom of expression,
- I.Whereas Guinea is endowed with gold, iron and bauxite, as well as fertile land and water resources, including fish stocks, which could have contributed to improving the living standard of the population if democratic accountability had prevailed in the country,
- J.Whereas the record of Guinea in terms of fighting illegal fishing in its EEZ is very poor, leading in the past to illegal fishing, depletion of fish stocks and accidents causing human casualties; whereas the current political situation means that even fewer resources will be devoted to fisheries surveillance, leading to even greater problems for food security and employment;
- 1.Condemns the use of live bullets by the Guinean security forces against unarmed peaceful demonstrators, causing the death of at least 30 people,
- 2.Calls for the establishment of an independent international commission of inquiry under UN responsibility to investigate the recent killings as well as past human-rights abuses and identify and bring those responsible to justice to put an end to impunity ,
- 3.Calls for an inter-Guinean dialogue with the participation of all political parties, trade unions and civil society organisations to pave the way for a democratic transition which takes into account the population concerns
- 4.Calls on the Government of Guinea to respect the right to freedom of opinion, expression and association, including the right to peaceful assembly, as expressed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;
- 5.Calls on the Commission and the Council to take an initiative in order to facilitate inter-Guinean dialogue and avoid the damaging consequences of violent conflict as a means of political change,
- 6.Calls on the Commission and the Council to examine how, in the current situation, the EU-Guinea fisheries agreement can best be used to contribute to the conservation of Guinean fish resources, one of the main assets of Guinea for a sustainable development of the country.
- 7.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the government of Guinea and the African Union.