MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation in Zimbabwe

5.4.2011

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

Marielle De Sarnez, Ramon Tremosa i Balcells, Sarah Ludford, Kristiina Ojuland, Sonia Alfano, Marietje Schaake on behalf of the ALDE Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B7-0265/2011

B7‑0269/2011

European Parliament resolution on the situation in Zimbabwe

The European Parliament,

-          having regard to its numerous previous resolutions on Zimbabwe, most recently that of 21 October 2010,

 

–         having regard to the Council Common Position 2010/92/CFSP of 15 February 2010(2) renewing until 20 February 2011 the restrictive measures against Zimbabwe imposed under Common Position 2004/161/CFSP(3), and to Commission Regulation 1226/2008 of 8 December 2008(4), amending the Common Position,

 

–         having regard to the Foreign Affairs Council conclusions of 22 February 2010 on Zimbabwe, and to the conclusions of the 10th EU-South Africa Ministerial Political Dialogue of 11 May 2010 on Zimbabwe,

 

–         having regard to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, which Zimbabwe has ratified,

 

–         having regard to the EU-ACP Cotonou Partnership Agreement, signed on 23 June 2000,

 

-          having regard to the communiqué of the Seventh Plenary Session of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS), held in Swakopmund, Namibia, on 5 November 2009, in particular paragraphs 13, 14 and 22 thereof,

 

–         having regard to the Intersessional Meeting of the Kimberley Process, held in Tel Aviv, Israel, on 21-23 June 2010,

 

-          having regards to the declarations by the High Representative Catherine Ashton on behalf of the European Union on Zimbabwe, on 15 February 2011 and on the 2 March 2011,

 

-          having regards to the diplomatic Statement issued by Ambassadors and Charge d'Affaires of 22 diplomatic missions accredited to Zimbabwe, on 10 March 2011,

 

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

 

 

A.  Whereas Harare police raided a gathering of people watching a video about recent demonstrations in North Africa,

 

B.  Whereas parliamentarians of the MDC movement have been arrested, as well as journalists,

 

C.  Whereas the appalling humanitarian, political, and economic situation in Zimbabwe continues to deteriorate, with millions of Zimbabweans continually at risk of starvation and surviving on food aid;

 

D.  Whereas there is a worldwide ban on Zimbabwean diamonds since November 2009 in response to allegations of atrocities committed by security forces since 2008 against those who flocked the Marange field when it was discovered,

 

E.  Whereas the leaders of the Southern African Development Community called for an immediate end to violence, intimidation, hate speech, harassment, and any other form of action that contradicts the letter and spirit of dialogue,

 

 

1.  Demands an immediate end to the threat of mass forced evictions in Zimbabwe and insists that unrestricted access be granted to relief and humanitarian agencies to assist those under threat and other internally displaced people;

 

2.  Demands to uphold its international obligations to respect the rights to freedom of expression, assembly, and association, and cease arrests, harassment, and detention of individuals based on their political views;

 

3.  Calls for the repeal of all national legislation incompatible with international human rights law and standards including the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights; in particular, repeal or substantially amend the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, the Public Order and Security Act (POSA), the Miscellaneous Offences Act (MOA), and the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA);

 

4.  Urges the authorities to end harassment and intimidation of human rights defenders reporting on human rights violations especially in the Marange diamond fields by state security agents;

 

5.  Urges the competent authorities not to allow Zimbabwe to resume the trade of diamonds unless Zimbabwe proves that its mines were properly run;

 

6.  Reminds the government of Zimbabwe of its obligation under international conventions to guarantee the rights to life, security of person, adequate housing, food and freedom from torture; once again demands that the Mugabe regime fulfil its pledge to provide sufficient housing for all those forced out of their homes during the appalling Operation Murambatsvina campaign in 2005;

 

7.  Deeply regrets that Zimbabwe's attempts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, which are already severely off track, will only be placed in further peril from such mass evictions which also destroy the informal employment sector, depriving thousands of reliable income;

 

8.  Calls on South Africa and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), in their own interests as well as those of Zimbabwe and the wider southern African region, to take active steps to encourage a return to full democracy in Zimbabwe and respect for the rule of law and the human rights of the people of Zimbabwe; recognises that Mugabe and his close supporters remain a continuing stumbling block in the process of political and economic reconstruction and reconciliation in Zimbabwe, as they plunder its economic resources for their own benefit;

 

9.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union, the European External Action Service, the governments and parliaments of the EU Member States and candidate countries, the Governments and Parliaments of Zimbabwe and South Africa, the Co-Presidents of the EU-ACP Joint Parliamentary Assembly, the African Union institutions including the Pan-African Parliament, the UN Secretary-General, the Secretary General of the SADC and the Commonwealth Secretary-General.