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

10.12.2013 - (2013/2980(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 Verts/ALE Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B7-0561/2013

B7‑0570/2013

European Parliament resolution on the situation in the Central African Republic

(2013/2980(RSP))

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its previous resolutions on the Central African Republic;

 

- having regard to the UN Security Council Resolution on the Central African Republic of 5th December 2013 (Resolution 2127 (2013));

 

- having regard to the statements of 21 December 2012 , 1 and 11 January 2013, 25 March 2013, 21 April 2013, 27 August 2013 by the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on the Central African Republic;

 

- having regard to the statement of 21 December 2012 by the UE Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection on the new outbreak of conflict in the Central African Republic;

 

- having regards to the ACP-EU JPA resolution on CAR of 19 June 2013;

- having regard to the United Nations Security Council press statements of 27 December 2012 , 4 and 11 January 2013 on Central African Republic;

- having regard to the UN Security Council Resolution 2088(2013) of 24 January 2013, the UN Security Council declarations on the CAR, and the briefing of the 14 August 2013 on CAR supporting a new African-led operation;

 

- having regard to the statement of the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon of 26 December 2012 condemning the rebel attacks and urging all parties to abide by the decisions taken by ECCAS on 21 December 2012 in N'Djamena, and of 5 August 2013 calling for an end to impunity for serious human rights abuses in CAR, including the consideration of sanctions;

 

- having regard to the statement of 16 April 2013 by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navanethem Pillay, in which she called for an end to the violence and for the restoration of the rule of law in the country;

 

- having regard to the statements of the Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union, Mrs. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, of 12, 19 and 31 December 2012 on the situation in Central African Republic;

 

- having regard to the revised Cotonou Agreement;

 

- having regard to the Libreville (Gabon) Agreement of 11 January 2013 on the resolution of the politico-military crisis in the CAR, signed under the aegis of the Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), which sets out the conditions for ending the crisis in the CAR;

 

- having regard to the extraordinary summits of the Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), held in N’Djamena (Chad) on 21 December 2012, 3 April 2013 and 18 April 2013, and to their decisions to establish a National Transitional Council (CNT) with legislative and constituent powers and adopt a roadmap for the transition process in the CAR;

 

-  having regard to the meeting of the International Contact Group of 3 May 2013 in Brazzaville (Republic of the Congo), which validated the roadmap for the transition and set up a Special Fund to assist the CAR;

 

- having regard to the 1998 Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), ratified by the CAR in 2001;

 

- having regard to the Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which has been signed by the CAR;

 

- having regard to Rule 122 of its Rules of Procedure;

 

A.  whereas since fighting broke out in CAR at the end of 2012, and Seleka rebels seized power from former President François Bozizé in March this year, CAR has been plunged into chaos, resulting in severe food and medical shortages;

 

B.  whereas the Seleka, which comes predominantly from the Muslim north of CAR, have been responsible for a number of attacks against the Christian population which subsequently formed its own militia groups;

 

C.  whereas in the last week at least 400 people have been killed in fighting in Bangui alone;

 

D.  whereas following the UN Security Council resolution (2127(2013)) France has deployed 1,600 troops to restore order;

 

E.  whereas French U.N. Ambassador Gerard Araud said the Security Council should eventually consider plans for a U.N. peacekeeping force of 8,000 to 10,000 troops;

 

F.  whereas the breakdown of public order and security in CAR has caused a humanitarian disaster and poses a significant threat to regional security;

 

G.  Whereas basic infrastructure including schools, businesses and private homes continue to be pillaged by the Seleka, forcing half a million of the country’s 4.6 million population to flee;

 

H.  whereas the use of child soldiers is rising, sexual violence is growing, and there have been widespread reports of looting, illegal checkpoints, extortion, arbitrary arrests, torture and summary executions;

 

I.  whereas the country is at risk of spiralling into genocide as the manipulation of religious affiliations for political purposes has fuelled sectarian violence between Muslims and Christians, with Seleka targeting the churches and the Christians, and the Christians creating self-defence militias and retaliating against the Muslims;

 

J.  whereas although 1,300 ECCAS (Economic Community of Central African States) troops have been deployed to CAR, they have been unable to prevent the country from sliding into lawlessness;

 

K.  whereas the African Union force is due to be increased from 3,500 personnel to 6,000;

 

L.  whereas the recent Emergency Food Security Assessment (EFSA) revealed that 484,000 people are at risk of food insecurity in the country;

 

 

 

1.  Deplores the escalation of violence over the past few days and calls on the international community to protect the civilian population as matter of upmost urgency; welcomes the AU presence and the offer of additional French troops for this purpose

 

2.  Expresses its deep concern with the overall situation in Central African Republic which is characterized by a complete breakdown of law and order and the absence of the rule of law leading to widespread physical and sexual violence, looting and the systematic destruction of basic infrastructure, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation affecting the entire population;

 

3.  Is alarmed at, and deplores, the new dynamic of violence and retaliation and the risk of it degenerating into a countrywide religious and ethnic divide, with the potential to spiral out of control, including serious crimes under international law in particular war crimes and crimes against humanity, with serious regional implications;

 

4.  Strongly condemns the serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law seen in the country and stresses that there can be no impunity for the perpetrators;

 

5.  Expresses concern however at the insufficient capacity of the police, justice and corrections institutions to hold perpetrators of such violations and abuses accountable; stresses therefore the importance of strengthening support to the Transitional Authorities to enable them to address security challenges and rebuild state authority;

6.  Welcomes the resolution of the UN Security Council (2127(2013)) that enabled France to deploy 1,600 to restore order; welcomes in this regard the efforts of the French forces to disarm the rebel fighters;

 

7.  Welcomes on-going international efforts to restore order, including the strengthening of the Economic Community of Central African States’ (ECCAS) MICOPAX peacekeeping force and its reconfiguration into the International Support Mission for Central Africa (MISCA) peacekeeping force under the responsibility of the African Union;

 

8.  Stresses, however, that further strengthening of peacekeeping must be envisaged and in this context calls upon the international community to make all necessary financial, troop and other contributions to the scaling up of the primarily African international security presence;

 

9.  Reaffirms its support for the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the CAR;

 

10.  Calls on the international community to to keep CAR at the top of its agenda and to support this fragile country; stresses in this respect that the humanitarian community must also maintain its commitment to CAR, in spite of the current political and security situation, and allocate adequate resources to respond to the medical and humanitarian crisis going through the country;

 

11.  Welcomes the increased EU engagement, in particular the Foreign Affairs Council conclusions of 21 October 2013, and support in addressing the humanitarian crisis in CAR and calls on the EU and its Members States, as leading donors to the country, to enhance their coordination with the other donors and international institutions in order to adequately meet the urgent humanitarian needs and alleviate the suffering of the Central Africans;

 

12.  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, ECCAS, the ACP-EU Parliamentary Assembly and the EU Member States.