MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Afghanistan, in particular the killings in the province of Zabul

24.11.2015 - (2015/2968(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 135 of the Rules of Procedure

Charles Tannock, Mark Demesmaeker, David Campbell Bannerman, Monica Macovei, Beatrix von Storch, Raffaele Fitto, Jana Žitňanská, Ryszard Antoni Legutko, Anna Elżbieta Fotyga, Karol Karski, Tomasz Piotr Poręba, Ryszard Czarnecki, Valdemar Tomaševski on behalf of the ECR Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B8-1258/2015

B8‑1264/2015

European Parliament resolution on Afghanistan, in particular the killings in the province of Zabul

(2015/2968(RSP))

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its previous resolutions on the situation in Afghanistan;

 

- having regard to the Council conclusions of 26 October 2015 on the situation in Afghanistan;

 

- having regard to United Nations Security Council resolution 2210 (2015) and to the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA);

 

- having regard to the United Nations Security Council resolutions on Afghanistan;

 

- having regard to the outcome of the Afghan presidential elections in April and June 2014 and to the subsequent formation of a National Unity Government;

 

- having regard to the Council decision of 17 December 2014 to extend the mandate of the EUPOL Afghanistan mission until 31 December 2016;

 

- having regard to the Conference on the Implementation and Support of the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security on 20 September 2015;

 

- having regard the latest Universal Periodic Review on Afghanistan before the UN Human Rights Council;

 

- having regard to the UNAMA statement of 11 November 2015 on the murder of civilians in Zabul;

 

- having regard to the UNAMA mid-year report 2015;

 

- having regard to statements by the Vice President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs on the situation in Afghanistan;

 

- having regard to the conclusions of the various International Afghanistan Conferences, including that in London in 2014;

 

-Having regard to the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting Communiqué of 15 April 2015;

 

-Having regard to the Transition (Inteqal) process and the initiation of the Transformation Decade (2015-2024) process;

 

- having regard to Rule 123 of its Rules of Procedure;

 

A. Whereas EU Member States, working with international partners and the Afghan authorities, have supported efforts to end violence and extremism in Afghanistan, and supported the country's reconstruction and development aspirations;

 

B. whereas EU Member States remain committed to a peaceful, inclusive, political process in Afghanistan with the intention of delivering sustainable development, stability and security for all Afghans;

 

C. Whereas despite the efforts of international forces, working in cooperation with the Afghan authorities, violence and extremism remain a facet of daily life for many Afghans;

 

D. Whereas the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan, with renewed terrorist attacks, large numbers of civilian casualties, and the resulting internal displacement and exodus of thousands of Afghans, has put mounting pressure on the region and on the European Union;

 

E. Whereas civilians in Afghanistan have increasingly suffered the consequences of the armed conflict with 4,921 casualties, including 1,592 deaths, in the first six months of 2015; whereas according to UNAMA these casualties represent the continued failure of parties to the violence to protect civilians from harm;

 

F. Whereas between 6 and 8 November seven civilians, all ethnic Hazaras were abducted and executed in Arghandab district by Islamic State militants amid heavy fighting between the group and Taliban insurgents;

 

G. Whereas groups associated with IS/Da’eash have made inroads in Afghanistan in recent years, attracting support away from Taliban forces;

 

H. Whereas the splintering of factions within local Taliban forces and support for groups linked to IS/Da’esh has led to an upsurge in violence in the Zabul region which has put civilians at greater risk from violence or death;

 

I. Whereas the Inteqal process was established in 2011 in order to transfer responsibility for security in Afghanistan from the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF);

 

J. Whereas the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) is a political mission established by the UN Security Council in 2002 at the request of the Afghan Government to assist it and the people of Afghanistan in laying the foundations for sustainable peace and development in the country;

 

K. Whereas on 16 March 2015 the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2210 (2015) which renewed the mandate of UNAMA and set out the scope and range of activities it is expected to undertake during the following 12 months;

 

L. Whereas EUPOL Afghanistan was established in 2007 to support the Afghan government in building a civilian police service;

 

1. Reiterates its long-term commitment to the people of Afghanistan in ending conflict and the threat of terrorism and extremism, in order to build an inclusive, stable, democratic, and more prosperous country;

 

2. Deplores the abduction and murder of seven civilians, including two women, one girl and two boys - all ethnic Hazaras - between 6 and 8 November in the southern province of Zabul; further calls on local authorities to cooperate with Afghan and international agencies to identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice;

 

3. Expresses grave concern at growing support for groups linked to IS/Da’esh and that the Taliban is making gains 14 years after they were ousted from power in Afghanistan;

 

4. Reminds all parties in Afghanistan that the murder of civilians, as well as the taking of civilian hostages, are serious violations of international humanitarian law;

 

5. Welcomes the recent renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) by the UN Security Council as an essential tool in creating peace, prosperity and inclusivity for all Afghans;

 

6. Renews its commitment to all international efforts to rid Afghanistan of terrorism and extremism and believes such endeavours are vital for regional and global security;

 

7. Supports the establishment of the NATO‑led international engagement to train, advise and assist the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces and believes this to be an important component in eradicating violence and extremism in Afghanistan;

 

8. Strongly regrets that despite the formation of a National Unity Government which was intended to usher in a new era of democracy and inclusivity in Afghanistan, human rights abuses, including the torture of detainees, use of the death penalty, violence and discrimination against women and girls, and attacks on journalists and human rights defenders, remain a serious problem; further calls for increased enforcement of the 2009 Law on the Elimination of Violence Against Women;

 

9. Regrets that Afghan security forces continue to operate largely with impunity, and insists that all those responsible for illegal acts are swiftly prosecuted in accordance with international legal standards;

 

10. Condemns the indiscriminate attacks by the Taliban and other insurgent forces which have led to a sharp rise in civilian deaths;

 

11. Remains deeply concerned at the prospects for a deterioration in the human rights and security situation in Afghanistan, and in particular the implications this could have for women's rights, religious and ethnic minorities, human rights defenders, and journalists;

 

12. Expresses specific concern at the impact of ongoing violence on women and children in Afghanistan and calls for the full implementation of the fundamental freedoms and human rights provisions of the Afghan Constitution and international treaties to which Afghanistan is a party, as regards to the rights of women and children;

 

13. Calls on President Ashraf Ghani to match his strong public commitments to the protection of rights and freedoms, with swift and robust implantation of legislation to protect them;

 

14. Strongly condemns recent Taliban attacks in Kunduz and the casualties inflicted on the civilian population and the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces; further supports the ongoing investigation into the attack on the Médecins Sans Frontières hospital in Kunduz, and calls for the neutrality of hospitals and medical facilities to be respected;

 

15. Remains committed to supporting the Afghan Government in its efforts to undertake key reforms, to further improve governance and the rule of law, to promote the respect of human rights, including women’s rights, to fight corruption, to counter narcotics, to improve fiscal sustainability and to foster inclusive economic growth; further calls on the EU to continue to invest in Afghanistan's educational system and for the Afghan government to ensure education remains one of its top priorities as an issue of crucial importance for the future of the country;

 

16. Remains committed to an inclusive Afghan-led and Afghan-owned process of reconciliation;

 

17. Calls for the implementation of the provisions of the National Action Plan to end torture by initiating investigations and prosecutions based on the UNAMA findings, and to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture;

 

18. Encourages ongoing efforts to address the root causes of migration from Afghanistan, such as violence, poverty, human rights violations, corruption, and economic and political instability;

 

19. Welcomes the Government of Afghanistan’s decision to accept an invitation to co-host the next comprehensive Ministerial Conference on Afghanistan in Brussels in 2016;

 

20. Welcomes the Afghan government’s reform programme “Realising Self-Reliance: Commitments to Reforms and Renewed Partnership,” which identifies strategic policy priorities for Afghanistan for the next decade, and calls for the swift implementation of measures to improving security and political stability, to stabilise the economy, and improve governance, and human rights;

 

21. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the EEAS, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, the parliaments and governments of the Member States, and the Government of Afghanistan.