MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Clashes in Sudan and subsequent media censorship
8.10.2013 - (2013/2873(RSP))
pursuant to Rule 122 of the Rules of Procedure
Véronique De Keyser, Ana Gomes, Richard Howitt, Joanna Senyszyn, Liisa Jaakonsaari, Lidia Joanna Geringer de Oedenberg, Mitro Repo, Marc Tarabella on behalf of the S&D Group
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B7-0444/2013
B7‑0448/2013
European Parliament resolution on Clashes in Sudan and subsequent media censorship
The European Parliament,
- having regard to its previous resolutions on Sudan,
- having regard to the statements of 30 September 2013 by the Spokesperson of the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on the violence in the current protests in Sudan,
- having regard to the statement of 27 September 2013 by the Spokesperson for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights urging restraint as death toll in Sudan fuel protests rises,
- having regard to the UN Human Rights Council report of the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in the Sudan, 18 September 2013
- having regard to the Government of Sudan, African Union and United Nations Tripartite Coordination Mechanism on UNAMID - agreed outcome, 28 September 2013
- having regard to the Roadmap for Sudan and South Sudan set out in the communiqué issued by the AU Peace and Security Council on 24 April 2012, which is fully supported by the EU,
- having regards to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
- having regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,
- having regard to the UN Basic Principles of the Use of Force
- having regard to the Johannesburg Principles on National Security, Freedom of Expression and Access to Information, Freedom of Expression and Access to Information, U.N. Doc. E/CN.4/1996/39 (1996),
- having regard to the Sudanese Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) of 2005,
- having regards to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights,
- having regard to the revised Cotonou Agreement,
- having regard to Rule 122 of its Rules of Procedure,
A) Whereas protests broke out in cities around Sudan on 23 September 2013 after President Al-Bashir announced cuts to fuel subsidies, with security forces unleashing excessive force including live ammunition and killing upwards of 200 protesters; whereas numerous newspapers have been shut down and censored and internet access has been disrupted.
B) Whereas at least 800 activists, members of opposition parties, journalists, and others have been arrested, mostly without warrants by Sudanese security forces amid ongoing anti-government protests marking a shocking escalation of the crackdown on dissent
C) Whereas the resulting price hikes are the latest in a series of measures to have negatively affected living conditions across the country with the protests being a continued manifestation of dissatisfaction and frustration, mainly of young people, which has swept the region in recent times.
D) Whereas under Sudan’s 2010 National Security Act, the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) is allowed to detain suspects for up to four and a half months without any form of judicial review in violation of international law; whereas NISS is notorious for its repressive tactics in rounding up and placing perceived dissidents behind bars.
E) Whereas there are fears that the hundreds of arrested or missing are at grave risk of torture or other forms of ill-treatment, with no access to lawyers or their families
F) Whereas on the 25 of September National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) summoned the editors of the main newspapers to its headquarters and forbad them to publish any information about the protests that did not come from government sources; and whereas Sudan ranks 170 out of 179 countries in the Reporters Without Borders 2013 Press Freedom Index.
G) Whereas the Government of Sudan recently failed to protect civilians from abuses during fighting between different ethnic groups over land and natural resources which caused death, injuries and massive displacement in the disputed southern regions.
H) Whereas conflict in transitional areas of Sudan has affected over 900 000 people, including over 220 000 who have taken refuge in Ethiopia and South Sudan and whereas since early 2013 due to the fighting among tribes in Darfur an estimated 300 000 people have been newly displaced
I) Whereas so far in 2013, the EU has allocated €86 million in humanitarian aid for both, Sudan and South Sudan.
J) Whereas the ICC has issued two arrest warrants against President al-Bashir accusing him of responsibility for war crimes, crimes against humanity and acts of genocide committed by Sudanese forces and their allied Janjaweed militia in Darfur, Sudan
1. Calls for an immediate end to the harassment and unlawful arrest of activists, human rights defenders, members of the opposition and journalists for the lawful and peaceful exercise of their right to freedom of expression and assembly.
2. Calls of the Government of Sudan to immediately release all peaceful demonstrators, political activists, human rights defenders, medical personnel, bloggers and journalists arrested in exercising their right to freedom of speech and assembly. Calls for those detained to be granted immediate access to their families, legal representation and any medical treatment they may require
3. Deplores the use of live ammunition on protesters resulting in unlawful killings. Urges the Sudanese government to immediately establish an investigation into the use of disproportionate force and allegations of the intentional killing of protestors by security forces; calls for the draconian 2010 National Security Act to be scrapped.
4. Calls on Sudanese security forces to respect the United Nation’s Basic Principles of the Use of Force, which set out the conditions in which force may lawfully be used without violating human rights, including the right to life;
5. Calls on the Sudanese authorities to restore and respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression, both online and offline, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion, women's rights and gender equality, and to immediately end all restrictions on access to information and communication technologies.
6. Stresses that demonstrators have expressed their legitimate democratic aspirations and urges Sudanese authorities to engage in an inclusive and constructive dialogue, which is essential for Sudan's diverse society, in which the rights of each citizen should be equally guaranteed both by the letter of the law and in practice; therefore calls on and encourages the Government of Sudan to carry through its commitment to begin an inclusive national dialogue that will strengthen national unity and promote democratic governance
7. Urges the Government of Sudan to introduce the necessary political and economic reforms in order to provide answers to the country's mismanagement, chronic poverty, rising levels of corruption, and insecurity.
8. Calls on the Sudanese government to immediately put an end to censorship measures imposed on the media, to protect journalists and to guarantee access to independent sources of information in order to encourage dialogue.
9. Regrets the decision taken by the EU High Representative to terminate the mandate of the EU’s Special Representative for Sudan/South given the severe political unrest in Sudan and armed conflicts during which Sudanese forces and government sponsored militias continue to engage in war crimes with impunity; considers that without a designated EU Special Representative for Sudan/South Sudan the EU will be left on the side-lines of international negotiations and efforts, especially considering that the US, Russian and China all have special envoys for Sudan; calls therefore on the High Representative to reverse this decision and extend the mandate of the Special Representative for Sudan/South Sudan;
10. Recalls the June 2008 EU Foreign Ministers (GAERC) Conclusions stating ‘that Council stands ready to consider measures against individuals responsible for not-cooperating with the ICC”; calls on the High Representative to present an outline of measures in response to the Government of Sudan’s continued non-cooperation with the ICC and continued serious crimes with impunity, and calls on EU Member States to adopt such measures without any further delay;
11. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, HR/VP Catherine Ashton, the UN Security Council, the UN Secretary General, the institutions of the African Union, the Government of Sudan, the President of Sudan, the ACP-EU Parliamentary Assembly and the EU Member States.