Proposta di risoluzione - B7-0032/2013Proposta di risoluzione
B7-0032/2013
Questo documento non è disponibile nella lingua selezionata. Vi invitiamo a consultarlo in una delle lingue disponibili nel menù linguistico.

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation in the Central African Republic

15.1.2013 - (2013/2514(RSP))

with request for inclusion in the agenda for a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
pursuant to Rule 122 of the Rules of Procedure

Charles Tannock on behalf of the ECR Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B7-0031/2013

NB: This motion for a resolution is available in the original language only.
Procedura : 2013/2514(RSP)
Ciclo di vita in Aula
Ciclo del documento :  
B7-0032/2013
Testi presentati :
B7-0032/2013
Testi approvati :

B7‑0032/2013

European Parliament resolution on the situation in the Central African Republic

(2013/2514(RSP))

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations (UN),

- having regard to the Cotonou Partnership Agreement signed in June 2000,

- having regard to the 1998 Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC),

- having regard to the resolutions adopted by the Security Council of the United Nations under Chapter VII, UNSCR 1593 (2005), requiring all Member States of the United Nations to cooperate with the ICC,

- having regard to its resolution of 19 May 2010 on the Review Conference on the Rome Statute of the ICC, which took place from 31 May to 11 June 2010, in Kampala, Uganda,

- having regard to the Libreville Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 28 June 2008 and earlier peace accords signed since 2007 it builds on,

- having regard to the mediation initiative by Chad's President General Idriss Déby Itno, President of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS or CEEAC),

- having regard to the European Parliament legislative resolution of 19 April 2012 on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of a Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Central African Republic on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber and derived products to the European Union (FLEGT) (14034/2011 – C7-0046/2012 – 2011/0127(NLE)),

- having regard to the Statement of 21 December 2012 by the Spokesperson of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Commission Vice-President (HRVP) Catherine Ashton on the situation in Central Africa,

- having regard to the Statement of 21 December 2012 by Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva on the new outbreak of conflict in the Central African Republic (CAR), 

- having regard to the Statement of 01 January 2013 by the HRVP Catherine Ashton on the situation in Central Africa,

- having regard to the Security Council of the United Nations Press Statement of 04 January 2013 on Central African Republic,

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

 

A. whereas the "Seleka" coalition of armed rebel groups (hereafter Seleka) continues to threaten Bangui, the capital city of the Central African Republic (CAR), risking a direct clash with the government forces loyal to CAR's President François Bozizé should any of the parties cross the security "red line" of the town of Damara, some 75 km from the capital;

 

B. whereas various sources concur in reporting Human Rights violations and breaches of humanitarian law in CAR, including mass rapes and enrolment of child soldiers as a result of the lasting security crisis in the country;

 

C. whereas the EU is engaged in a regular political dialogue with CAR under the Cotonou Agreement and is the country's main donor providing it with development aid amounting to €137million up to 2013 under the European Development Fund (EDF) in addition to the €14.3million provided to it in 2012 under the African Peace Facility, for the MICOPAX peace building mission;

 

D. whereas the European Commission through its humanitarian aid and civil protection department ECHO has also contributed €8million in 2012 to assist 445,000 people affected by conflict and displacement in CAR, through the provision of emergency health services, nutrition, food and non-food supplies, clean water and sanitation;

 

E. whereas CAR is a landlocked country with the potential to exploit many natural resources (uranium, crude oil, gold, diamonds, etc.) and was declared compliant with the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative in 2011 and joined the Kimberley Process from its beginnings in 2003, and whereas it nevertheless remains one of the ten poorest countries in Africa ranking 179 out of 187 countries in terms of its Human Development Index of 0.343,

 

F.  whereas in the area of forestry governance, CAR has negotiated a FLEGT voluntary partnership agreement with the EU that entered into force on 1 July 2012, and CAR authorities are currently finalizing a scheme for legally-certified timber exports to the EU;

 

G. whereas the EU and CAR, a member of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC), are negotiating an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA);

 

 

1. Firmly condemns the attacks and the occupation of several towns in the north and north-east of CAR by Seleka and its recent advance towards Bangui that threaten the civilian population and the stability of the country,

 

2. Deeply regrets that Seleka's emergence since 10 December 2012, after accusing President Bozizé's government of failing to honour a series of peace accords signed since 2007 and calling for his step-down, provided the spark for the violence, including rapes, looting against civilians and of a World Food Programme warehouse in the areas under the rebels' control and gave rise in retaliation to a wave of arrests and intimidation against political opponents and citizens of the northern part of the country where the rebels came from,

 

3. Urgently calls for an immediate cessation of Seleka’s military offensive and all hostilities and for due respect and swift implementation of the Libreville Comprehensive Peace Agreement by all parties,

 

4. Strongly calls on all parties to seek a peaceful solution by engaging constructively and without preconditions in the negotiations to be held in Libreville beginning January 2013 under the auspices of ECCAS,

 

5. Underlines that to increase the likelihood of a successful national reconciliation process, political dialogue should be privileged, involving both Central African political forces and the civil society,

 

6. Pays respect to all victims and considers as paramount to investigate impartially and thoroughly all past and ongoing cases of Human Rights abuse in order to identify the perpetrators, end their impunity, and bring them to justice at the local and/or international level; recalls that under the ICC Statute there is no prescription for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes,

 

7. Urges all armed groups to respect international humanitarian law and the activities of human rights defenders, and especially towards the 90,000 internally displaced people as a result of the protracted conflict in the country, and expresses sympathy for humanitarian organisations whose bases have been ransacked,

 

8. Calls on the HRVP Catherine Ashton to capitalise on the EU's extended relationship with CAR to actively promote the implementation of a comprehensive peace building strategy that would ensure the country's normalization and sustainable development,

 

9. Calls on the United Nations Security Council and the Peace and Security Council of the African Union to assist with CAR's stabilisation; warns in this context that failure to act will most likely lead to escalation of violence in the country and possible contagion impacting on the security of its neighbours,

 

10. Considers that the pervasive insecurity in various countries sharing borders with CAR, in particular the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan and South Sudan, requires concerted action by the international community to address the recurrent problems of state fragmentation, ethnic conflicts and repeated cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law in a holistic and region-focus manner,

 

11. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the UN Secretary-General, the Assembly of the African Union, and the Government of the Republic of the Central African Republic.