MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

10.3.2009

with request for inclusion in the agenda for the debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
pursuant to Rule 115 of the Rules of Procedure
by José Ribeiro e Castro, Charles Tannock, Bernd Posselt, Tunne Kelam, Filip Kaczmarek, Laima Liucija Andrikienė, Eija-Riitta Korhola
on behalf of the PPE-DE Group
on Guinea-Bissau

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B6-0115/2009

B6‑0115/2009

European Parliament resolution on Guinea-Bissau

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the EU Presidency statement of 3 March 2009 on the tragic events in country-regioncountry-regionGuinea-Bissau,

- having regard to both the Presidential (19 June 2005) and legislative (November 2008) elections held in country-regioncountry-regionGuinea-Bissau,

- having regard to the United Nations Security Council Statement of 4 March 2009 on the present political crisis,

- having regard to the AU Commission statement of 2 March 2009,

- having regard to Rule 115(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.  whereas the news of the assassination of the President of Guinea Bissau, João Bernardo “Nino” Vieira, and that of his Army Chief of Staff, General Batista Tagmé Na Waié have raised deep concern, sadness and dismay,

B.  whereas the political situation in Guinea-Bissau has always been problematic and the country is one of a handful of States on the agenda of the United Nations Peace-building Commission, which aims to help poor countries avoid sliding back into war or chaos,

C.  whereas the assassinations occurred soon after the successful legislative elections (November 2008), which paved the way for enhanced UN support to the country’s peace-building efforts,

D.  whereas the assassinations followed mounting tension between General Na Waié and President Vieira, and have come at a time of increased EU and international engagement intended to build a democratic and stable Guinea-Bissau,

E.  whereas these very serious incidents appear to be related to the ever-increasing drug trafficking interests in the country, amidst with old rivalries, ethnic divisions and instability in the military ranks, composing a very complex and dangerous background situation that constantly undermines the ability of the country to recover,

F.  whereas the growing evidences of drug trafficking in and through the region show how it becomes a major danger to the whole West Africa and poses also already a huge threat to the European Union, by affecting our neighbourhood,

G.  whereas Guinea-Bissau is one among the West African countries struggling to combat drug trafficking and organized crime, and also to sustain economic growth and political stability amid a series of civil conflicts, coups d’état and uprisings in recent decades,

1.  Strongly condemns the assassinations of the President of Guinea-Bissau, Joao country-regionBernardo Vieira, and the Chief of the Armed Forces, General Tagmé Na Waié that occurred on 1 and 2 March respectively;

2.  Offers its sincere condolences to the families of the late President Joao country-regionBernardo Vieira and General Na Waié and to the entire people of country-regioncountry-regioncountry-regionGuinea-Bissau;

3.  Urges all the political stakeholders and military authorities to respect the constitutional order and to exercise maximum restraint in order to enable a return to stability and the democratic process while maintaining the rule of law;

4.  Urges the Guinea-Bissau authorities to thoroughly investigate these crimes and to bring those responsible to justice and calls on the international community to exert all the needed influence and to provide all the required support in that direction; reminds that the assassinations of generals Ansumane Mané (2000) and Veríssimo Correia Seabra (2004) are not yet clear, nor have the respective killers been found, accused and tried; stresses that impunity is not an answer;

5.  Calls on the international community, and the EU in particular, to support the country-regioncountry-regioncountry-regionGuinea-Bissau authorities in peacefully overcoming the current situation in cooperation with international organizations present in the region;

6.  Welcomes the decision of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to dispatch a ministerial delegation to Guinea-Bissau, comprising of ministers from Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Gambia and Senegal, accompanied by the president of the ECOWAS Commission, on 3 March 2009, that engaged all stakeholders in an effort to restore confidence among the political actors, security forces and civil society, and return the country to constitutional normalcy;

7.  Draws the attention with deep concern to the threat that the trans-shipment of drugs from as far afield as Colombia and Afghanistan and human trafficking pose to peace consolidation in Guinea-Bissau, and to the stability of the West African region, and calls on the United Nations system, with appropriate support from ECOWAS, to develop a regional plan of action to deal with this challenge;

8.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the UN and ECOWAS Secretaries-General, the AU institutions and the Government and Parliament of Guinea-Bissau.