MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
23.10.2007
pursuant to Rule 115 of the Rules of Procedure
by Ryszard Czarnecki
on behalf of the UEN Group
on Sudan: killing of peace-keeping soldiers
B6‑0415/2007
European Parliament resolution on Sudan: killing of peace-keeping soldiers
The European Parliament,
– having regard to its previous resolutions on the situation in Sudan and Darfur, and in particular those of 16 September 2004, 23 June 2005, 6 April 2006, 28 September 2006, 14 February 2007 and 9 July 2007,
– having regard to the African Union (AU) decision of April 2004 to establish the African Mission in Sudan (AMIS),
– having regard to UN resolution 1769 authorizing the deployment of a 26,000-strong joint United Nations-African Union force (UNAMID);
– having regard to UN resolution 1706 proposing a 22 000-strong peacekeeping force for Darfur,
– having regard to the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) signed in Abuja, Nigeria, on 5 May 2006,
– having regard to the report of the UN Secretary-General of 12 September 2006 on Sudan,
– having regard to all relevant UN Security Council resolutions, including Resolution 1593 of 31 March 2005 on the situation in Sudan, Resolution 1706 of 31 August 2006 on the authorisation of UN force deployment to Darfur and Resolution 1769 of 31 July 2007 authorizing deployment of United Nations-African Union hybrid peace operation,
– having regard to the final report of the Panel of experts on the Sudan established pursuant to UN Security Council resolution 1591, released on 11 October 2006,
– having regard to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed by the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) on 9 January 2005,
– having regard to the European Union Council conclusions of 14 May 2007,
– having regard to Rule 115 of its Rules of Procedure;
A. whereas the African Union peacekeeping base in Darfur was establish with the aim of performing peacekeeping operations in the region and whereas the 7800-strong AU peacekeeping force was deployed in Darfur to monitor a fragile ceasefire reached between the Sudanese government and the rebel movements in April 2004;
B. whereas on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_30 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007, a major raid on an AU base, mounted by approximately 1,000 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudan_Liberation_Army rebels, claimed the lives of at least 12 peacekeepers and wounded many more and at least 50 personnel are as yet unaccounted for, presumed missing in action and whereas three truck drivers working for the UN's World Food Programme (WFP) in South Darfur have been killed on the road between the town of Ed Daien and the city of El Obeid on 11 of October 2007;
C. whereas the situation in Darfur has evolved from an armed conflict between rebels and the government into a violent scramble for power and resources involving government forces, Janjaweed militia, rebels and former rebels, and bandits;
D. whereas increasing tensions and violence between the separatist rebels and foreign peacekeepers often accused of abrogating their neutrality and bias towards the central government resulted in the biggest attack on the AU peacekeeping mission so far;
E. whereas the African Union condemned the killing and wounding of more than 17 soldiers of its peacekeeping force in an attack in Darfur;
F. whereas the critical ways in which the new peacekeeping mission UNAMID, and the international community must provide better civilian protection and address the shortcomings that have hampered the AU Mission in Sudan;
G. whereas the conflict in Darfur, involving regular troops, pro-government militias and rebels, has resulted in the deaths of at least 400 000 and created more than two and a half million refugees and displaced persons during the last three years, despite the signing of a Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) on 5 May 2006 in Abuja, Nigeria;
H. whereas the Darfur conflict – together with impunity from prosecution – is increasingly affecting the stability of the region and therefore constitutes a threat to general peace and security;
I. whereas the Darfur crisis is currently considered by the United Nations to be the worst humanitarian crisis in the world,
1. Condemns all unjustified crimes against the peace-keeping soldiers, the civilian population and the humanitarian workers;
2. Demands an immediate cessation of attacks on AMIS workers, civilians and humanitarian agencies and relief convoys, furthermore calls on all parties of the conflict to fully co-operate with AMIS, civilians and humanitarian agencies;
3. Calls on all the parties to the conflict to immediately cease all hostilities and commit themselves to a sustained and permanent ceasefire;
4. Urges the Sudanese Government and all rebel groups to negotiate a permanent political settlement to the dispute and calls on those parties to fulfil their international obligations under relevant agreements;
5. Welcomes the efforts by the AU and UN jointly to enhance the capacities of the AMIS mission under the full-scale AU-UN hybrid mission; calls therefore, on the EU and other international donors to urgently provide additional support to AMIS including funding commitments as well as much needed technical support for a transitional period until the hybrid force is completely implemented;
6. Realises that even a rapid deployment is unlikely to enable a significantly increased number of troops to be positioned before spring 2008 and that meanwhile the killings and other abuses are likely to continue;
7. Remains deeply concerned about the continuing deterioration of the security situation and the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, as a consequence of the increasing violence and condemns continued ceasefire violations by all parties;
8. Remains deeply concerned about the security of peace-keeping soldiers, humanitarian aid workers and their access to populations in need, condemns those parties to the conflict who have failed to ensure the full, safe and unhindered access of relief personnel to all those in need in Darfur as well as the delivery of humanitarian assistance, in particular to internally displaced persons and refugees;
9. Calls on the EU and other international actors to apply sanctions that target any side, including the government, that violates the ceasefire or attacks civilians, peacekeepers or humanitarian operations and to take all necessary action to help end impunity by enforcing and implementing the Security Council sanction regime through targeted economic sanctions, including travel bans and asset freezes, as the EU has done in the past with other countries;
10. Calls the Sudanese government to refrain immediately from using any form of violence against civilians and organisations providing humanitarian assistance and to honour and implement DPA commitments;
11. Deplores the Sudanese Government’s support for the Janjaweed militia and condemns all arms, ammunition and related equipment transfers to Darfur for military operations in which extremely serious violations and abuse of human rights and international humanitarian law are committed by all parties;
12. Calls on the Sudanese Government and the international community to cooperate fully with the International Criminal Court in order to end impunity;
13. Calls on the governments of the Member States of the European Union, the Council and the Commission to assume their responsibilities and make every possible effort to provide effective protection for the people of Sudan from a humanitarian disaster;
14. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Heads of State and Government of the EU Member States, the Government and Parliament of Sudan, the United Nations Security Council, the Heads of State and Government of the Arab League and the Governments of the ACP countries, the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly and the African Union Institutions.