MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the humanitarian situation in South Sudan
5.11.2014 - (2014/2922(RSP))
pursuant to Rule 123(2) of the Rules of Procedure
Joachim Zeller, Davor Ivo Stier, Lorenzo Cesa, Mariya Gabriel, Elisabetta Gardini, Philippe Juvin, Luděk Niedermayer, Stanislav Polčák, Maurice Ponga, Jiří Pospíšil, Cristian Dan Preda, Pavel Svoboda, Michaela Šojdrová on behalf of the PPE Group
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B8-0213/2014
B8‑0224/2014
European Parliament resolution on the humanitarian situation in South Sudan
The European Parliament,
– having regard to its previous resolutions on South Sudan, in particular that of 16 January 2014 on the situation in South Sudan[1],
– having regard to the statement by the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (VP/HR), Catherine Ashton, of 10 May 2014 on the agreement reached in Addis Ababa on South Sudan,
– having regard to the statements of 28 August and 31 October 2014 by the spokesperson for the VP/HR on South Sudan,
– having regard to Council Decision 2014/449/CFSP of 10 July 2014 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in South Sudan[2],
– having regard to United Nations Security Council Resolution 2155 (2014),
– having regard to the interim report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on the human rights situation in South Sudan, distributed for discussion by the panel for the 27th session of the UN Human Rights Council,
– having regard to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) South Sudan Crisis Situation Report No 59 of 23 October 2014,
– having regard to the talks on the situation in South Sudan which took place at the mini‑summit of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) held in Juba on 22 October 2014,
– having regard to the Sudanese Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) of 2005,
– having regard to the roadmap for Sudan and South Sudan set out in the communiqué issued by the African Union Peace and Security Council on 24 April 2012, which is fully supported by the EU,
– having regard to the interim report of the African Union Commission of Inquiry on South Sudan, presented on 26-27 June 2014 in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea,
– having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
– having regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,
– having regard to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights,
– having regard to Rule 123(2) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas the political conflict started after Salva Kiir, the country’s president and a member of the Dinka ethnic group, accused his sacked vice-president, Riek Machar, an ethnic Nuer, of plotting a coup d’état against him; whereas Riek Machar has denied attempting a coup;
B. whereas a democratic political solution should be found to the current conflict, paving the way for democratically agreed institutions to build the new state which came into being after the independence referendum; whereas civil society has demanded a peaceful political solution to the problem;
C. whereas the parties to the conflict in South Sudan initiated negotiations on 7 January 2014 in Addis Ababa, under the auspices of IGAD; whereas the cessation of hostilities, the opening of humanitarian corridors, the issue of political prisoners and the protection of civilians form the main agenda for the talks;
D. whereas, despite the ongoing peace talks, instability, fighting and the mobilisation of armed forces continue;
E. whereas Council Decision 2014/449/CFSP imposes entry restrictions on, and freezing of the funds and economic resources of, persons obstructing the political process in South Sudan, including by acts of violence or violations of ceasefire agreements, as well as persons responsible for serious violations of human rights in South Sudan; whereas an existing arms embargo against South Sudan remains in place;
F. whereas UN Security Council Resolution 2155 (2014) expresses deep concern over the large-scale displacement of persons and the deepening humanitarian crisis;
G. whereas, according to the aforementioned OCHA report, more than 1.4 million people remain internally displaced in South Sudan, and around 470 000 have fled South Sudan and are seeking refuge in Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan and Uganda; whereas children are particularly vulnerable in the context of the civil war, and whereas 500 000 children have been displaced, 50 000 face imminent death, starvation or disease, and 9 000 have been recruited as child soldiers;
H. whereas the overall situation in South Sudan remains tense and unpredictable, with reports of renewed armed actions in Doleib Hill and Bentiu; whereas in South Sudan about 80 % of all healthcare and basic services are provided by non-governmental organisations, and whereas access to humanitarian aid is still constrained by active hostilities and attacks on aid workers and assets;
I. whereas active hostilities pose the main challenge to access for humanitarian response operations; whereas access to food remains limited for people around the country, and whereas the distribution of basic food and nutrition supplies is especially needed in Bor and Bentiu; whereas violence and displacement have resulted in loss of livelihood, particularly affecting food sources, and whereas this may eventually result in a nutrition crisis;
J. whereas, following a UN request for assistance, the EU Civil Protection Mechanism was activated on 4 January 2014 to support South Sudan with in-kind assistance through the provision of shelter, medical equipment, medicines, welfare supplies and food;
K. whereas the UN has declared the situation in South Sudan a level 3 emergency, the worst level of humanitarian crisis, and whereas the country ranks second in ECHO’s Global Vulnerability and Crisis Assessment Final Index (after the Central African Republic);
L. whereas the ongoing violence in South Sudan has an unbearable humanitarian cost, with UN estimates of USD 1.8 billion in humanitarian aid being needed in 2014;
M. whereas the Commission announced in September 2014 that it would increase its life‑saving assistance for humanitarian action in South Sudan by a further EUR 20 million; whereas this new funding brings the Commission’s humanitarian aid in South Sudan for 2014 to more than EUR 120 million, including assistance to South Sudanese refugees in neighbouring countries; whereas humanitarian funding from the EU – the Member States and the Commission – to tackle the crisis stands at over EUR 245 million;
N. whereas because of flooding, droughts and displacement, harvests have been disrupted and food production reduced; whereas 7 million people are food-insecure, with 3.9 million of them suffering severe food insecurity, and whereas up to 50 000 children may die of malnourishment if they are not provided with aid;
O. whereas the humanitarian situation is worsening owing to unpredictable floods and outbreaks of cholera and other diseases (including malaria, kala-azar and hepatitis);
P. whereas because of the rainy season more than half of the country is now inaccessible by land;
Q. whereas state-building and efforts to overcome fragility require a long-term perspective and a solid, predictable and stable engagement on the part of the international community;
1. Strongly condemns the fighting in South Sudan and calls on all parties to lay down their weapons and immediately end the violence, which has caused deaths, injuries and damage among the civilian population and has displaced hundreds of thousands of people since the beginning of the crisis in December 2013;
2. Expresses its deep concern at the humanitarian situation in South Sudan (a country that is already fragile and volatile), which could destabilise the whole East African region; is especially worried about the ethnic dimension of the conflict; stresses that seeking power by means of violence or division along ethnic lines is contrary to the democratic rule of law and contravenes international law;
3. Urges both parties to the conflict to reach an agreement and fully supports the ongoing negotiation process in Addis Ababa, calling for an immediate ceasefire and efforts to find a way to achieve lasting peace and stability; urges the government and the rebel sides to engage in unconditional, inclusive and holistic political talks in good faith with a view to the successful conclusion of the negotiations; welcomes the efforts of the African Union and of IGAD to promote inclusive dialogue and mediation;
4. Welcomes the inaugural meeting of the African Union Commission of Inquiry of 12 March 2014 and the initiation of its work as critical steps in independent and public human rights monitoring, investigation and reporting; welcomes the strengthening of the human rights investigation capacity of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) with the support of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights;
5. Condemns the reported human rights violations and abuses, calls on all parties immediately to end all human rights abuses, including those affecting refugees and displaced persons, women, people belonging to vulnerable groups, and journalists, and calls for those responsible for human rights violations to be held accountable;
6. Urges all the parties concerned to respect international humanitarian and human rights law, to grant access and protection to humanitarian agencies coming to the assistance of the suffering civilian population and to open humanitarian corridors for the delivery of supplies and equipment; notes that a number of foreign aid agencies have already withdrawn from South Sudan and that those which remain are struggling to meet the needs of displaced civilians; notes, also, that these aid agencies are still unable to reach many areas, where it is thought that tens of thousands of people may still be waiting for help or be on the move in search of such help; urges unhindered access for aid agencies and an immediate end to the illegal taxation, extortion and harassment of aid workers;
7. Insists that humanitarian contributions will allow both international and non‑governmental organisations to provide refugees and internally displaced persons with basic life support, including: access to clean water and sanitation; food, health care and essential household items; gender-based violence prevention and response; critical services to treat malnutrition; distribution of seeds, tools and livelihood support kits; employment training; and programmes to protect children, including education and efforts to reunite families torn apart by displacement;
8. Calls for the country’s wealth to be made available directly for improving the well‑being of the South Sudanese people instead of being used to purchase new weapons, thus leaving social and humanitarian expenditure to the international community;
9. Calls on all neighbours of South Sudan and on regional powers to work closely together to improve the security situation in the country and the region, and to find a way towards a peaceful, lasting political solution to the current crisis;
10. Calls for an arms embargo to be adopted at regional and international level; calls for accountability, including on the part of the African Union Commission of Inquiry;
11. Calls for sanctions that directly affect key members of the parties to the conflict, and, in order to strengthen their impact, encourages regional and international partners to adopt similar measures, such as visa bans and asset freezes;
12. Calls for the establishment of a contact group involving key players in South Sudan as a way to reinforce the work of IGAD and ensure international cohesion;
13. Reiterates its position that, without a designated EU Special Representative for Sudan/South Sudan, the EU will be left on the sidelines of international negotiations and efforts; calls on the VP/HR to consider reappointing an EU Special Representative for Sudan/South Sudan;
14. Calls on the international community to honour its funding commitments to South Sudan and the region and to mobilise resources in order to respond immediately to the worsening humanitarian situation in South Sudan;
15. Expresses concern at the widespread corruption in the country; is also concerned that such corruption harms the prospects of establishing a free and fair democracy, stability, sustainable development and economic growth;
16. Stresses that the post-conflict transition is likely to take years and to require a sustained and long-term commitment from the international community;
17. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Government of South Sudan, the Human Rights Commissioner of South Sudan, the National Legislative Assembly of South Sudan, the institutions of the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the Co-Presidents of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly and the UN Secretary-General.
- [1] Texts adopted, P7_TA(2014)0042.
- [2] OJ L 203, 11.7.2014, p. 100.