MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation in Zimbabwe

13.9.2016 - (2016/2882(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

Louis Aliot, Laurenţiu Rebega, Mireille D'Ornano, Mario Borghezio, Jean-Luc Schaffhauser, Marcus Pretzell on behalf of the ENF Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B8-0995/2016

B8‑1010/2016

European Parliament resolution on the situation in Zimbabwe

(2016/2882(RSP))

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to Rule 135 of its Rules of Procedure,

 

A.  whereas President Robert Mugabe has been in office since 1987; whereas he had been prime minister from 1980 to 1987; whereas his re-election in 2013 led to numerous accounts of electoral fraud;

 

B.  whereas Zimbabwe ranks 150th out of 167 in the Transparency International corruption perceptions index of 2015;

 

C.  whereas Zimbabwe has an unemployment rate of 95%; whereas that figure is difficult to confirm due to the magnitude of the “informal economy”, whereas Zimbabwe’s unemployment rate still has to be considered to be one of the highest in the world;

 

D.  whereas Zimbabwe was called the “bread basket of Africa” before the “Fast-track land reform program” directed predominantly against farmers of European descent and their workers since 2000; whereas agricultural production has collapsed since then, leading to massive malnutrition and famine;

 

E.  whereas Zimbabwe’s Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa has started talks to compensate the farmers whose land, farms and equipment have been seized; whereas president Mugabe has counteracted that development by threatening the few remaining farmers of European descent with eviction on 8 April 2016;

 

F.   whereas several peaceful demonstrations against government policies have been violently broken up by the police during the last weeks;

 

G.  whereas tens of people who had been arrested during the demonstration of 26 August in Harare have been taken the president’s ruling Zanu-PF party and beaten up by men in plainclothes;

 

H.  whereas President Mugabe publicly attacked the Higher Court judges allowing demonstrations to take place;

 

I.  whereas Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) Chairman Elasto Mugwadi accused ruling party members of telling political opponents they were not allowed any food aid;

 

K.  whereas on 15 February 2016, the Council adopted a decision extending EU restrictive measures against Zimbabwe until 20 February 2017; whereas 76 people, however, were removed from the list;

 

1.  Encourages the government of Zimbabwe to compensate farmers for their seized land, farms and equipment;

 

2.  Considers this to be a fundamental step towards legal security, necessary to attract foreign investments, to create economic growth and combat famine and poverty;

 

3.  Condemns any threat to evict the few remaining farmers of European descent in Zimbabwe;

 

4.   Condemns all violations of human rights in Zimbabwe;

 

5.  Calls upon the Council to enlarge the list of people touched by restrictive measures if the situation does not improve;

 

2.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the government of Zimbabwe, the Council and the Commission.