MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation in Guinea

20.10.2009

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 122 of the Rules of Procedure

Renate Weber, Metin Kazak, Ivo Vajgl, Carl Haglund, Niccolò Rinaldi, Marielle De Sarnez, Charles Goerens on behalf of the ALDE Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B7-0102/2009

B7‑0106/2009

European Parliament resolution on the situation in Guinea

The European Parliament,

-          having regard to its previous resolutions on Guinea-Conakry,

 

-          having regard to the declaration by the Presidency on behalf of the EU on 29 September 2009,

 

-          having regard to the European Parliament's debate held on 7 October 2009,

 

-          having regard to Rule 122(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

 

A.       whereas on 28 September, security forces in Conakry opened fire, killing at least 157 protesters, wounding over 1,000 and reportedly committing brutal sexual attacks on demonstrators and bystanders;

 

B.        whereas there have been horrifying reports of soldiers using rifle butts, even bayonets, to rape women, while other women were stripped of their clothing and their dignity - and were then violated, humiliated and raped in public by the security forces;

 

C.       whereas the security forces continue to hold tens of demonstrators, including opposition party members, in military camps at Alpha Yaya Diallo and Koundara, the PM-3 Gendarme detention centre;

 

D.       whereas opposition party leaders said that tens of their members, including a high-level official of one party, were still being held in military detention;

 

E.        whereas since captain Moussa Dadis Camara's coup d'état in December 2008, the country slides gradually in a total anarchy and a point of no- return has been reached;

 

F.        whereas European Commission and French government decided to suspend there aids, except for humanitarian actions;

 

G.       considérant que la Communauté économique des Etats d´Afrique de l´Ouest (Cédéao), les Etats-Unis et l´Union européenne ont exigé le départ du président autoproclamé Moussa Dadis Camara;

 

H.       considérant que la Cour pénale internationale (CPI) a annoncé l´ouverture d´une enquête préliminaire sur les tueries,

 

I.         considérant que l´ultimatum posé aux militaires guinéens par l´Union africaine (UA),qui demande au capitaine Moussa de s´engager par écrit à renoncer à se présenter à l´élection présidentielle sous peine de sanctions, est venu à échéance;

 

 

J.         whereas violence came after months of tension in the impoverished West African nation, brought on by what has been widely described as the erratic behaviour of Captain Camara, the military man who led a coup last December, soon after the death of the long time leader Lansana Conté;

 

 

1.        Reiterates its strong condemnation of the violent crackdown on demonstrators in Conakry on 28 September;

 

2.        Considers that Guinea's junta leader Captain Moussa Dadis Camara should be tried for crimes against humanity over crackdown on opposition protestors;

 

3.        Urges political parties and all relevant actors in Guinea to take immediate action to restore the rule of law and put the country back on the path towards constitutional rule and democracy;

 

4.        Expresses its strong concern about the developments in Guinea and the appalling human rights' abuses;

 

5.        Welcomes the UN's decision to establish an international commission of inquiry to investigate the human rights violations carried out in Conakry;

 

6.        Calls on the Commission to urgently launch specific programmes for rehabilitation of women victim of violence in Guinea;

 

7.        Calls on Guinean authorities to immediately free all those detained without charge, or charge them with a specific criminal offense followed by a fair trial;

 

8.        Urges the current leadership to respect human rights and allow a return to democracy and constitutional order in the Republic of Guinea;

 

9.        Calls on all states to suspend international supplies of military and police weaponry, munitions and other equipment that could be used to commit human rights violations by Guinean security forces;

 

10.      Stresses that the Fishery Agreement currently under discussion should not be concluded and this should be interpreted as a strong political signal in view of future agreements to be negotiated with third countries where human rights violations take place;

 

11.      Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the UN Secretary-General, the Council of Europe, ECOWAS, the African Union, the High Commission for Human Rights, and the Government and President of Guinea.