MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Haiti

26.11.2019 - (2019/2928(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 144 of the Rules of Procedure

Ernest Urtasun, Hannah Neumann
on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group
Fabio Massimo Castaldo

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B9-0214/2019

B9‑0217/2019

European Parliament resolution on Haiti

(2019/2928(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its previous resolutions on Haiti, in particular the resolution of 8 February 2018 on child slavery in Haiti (2018/2562(RSP)), the resolution of 19 January 2011 on the situation in Haiti one year after the earthquake: humanitarian aid and reconstruction (2010/3018(RSP), the resolution of 10 February 2010 on the recent earthquake in Haiti (2010/2518(RSP), and the resolution of 14 December 2006 on the involvement of UN forces in sexual abuse in Liberia and Haiti (2006/2675(RSP)

- having regard to the declaration by EU VP High Representative, Federica Mogherini, on 7 November 2019, on the situation in Haiti,

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

 

A.  Whereas since mid-September, a relentless social unrest shakes Haiti, which transforms ungoing protest since around a year into a rebellion-like situation, without major attention paid to it by the outside world;

B. Whereas the starting point was a  scandal around the income from the former selling of oil from Venezuela to other countries, which, otherwise than foreseen, in large parts did not go into social measures, but directly went into the pockets of the local oligarchs and politicians;

C. Whereas the new element in the well-known corruption affairs of the economic Haitian elite was the outing of the actors of this well designed fraud, among them Ex-President Michel Martelly and the current President Jovenel Moise;

D. Whereas already in 2018, Haitian activists demanded the dismissal from office of President Juvenal Moise and the condemnation of other perpetrators in three nationwide demonstrations; whereas no juridical action has been put in motion despite the demonstrations, and the immunity of none of the involved politicians has occurred;

E-. Whereas this impunity and the inactivity of the international community have further accelerated the violence; whereas the protracted crisis has had, as an additional impact, a further limitation of the access to healthcare, food, education and other needs, and has caused more shortages of electricity and fuel;

F. Whereas impunity has also surrounded horrendous cases like the massacre in la Saline, in the outskirts of the capital Port-au-Prince, in October 2018, with 70 people arbitrarily killed and 13 women raped; whereas the government attributed the massacre to a war between gangs;

G. Whereas the Organisation of American States OAS and the UN mission MINJUSTH, based on  information gathered the National Human Rights Network RNDDH, attribute this massacre to an attempt by the President’s wife Martine Moise and several government representatives to bribe the la Saline population so that they stop the demonstrations against president Moise, and that the massacre was the consequence of the La Saline population to not accept the bribe;

H. Whereas human rights organizations in Haiti have asked for a mission by the OAS to investigate into the massacre;

I. Whereas the new wave of protests since September was additionally fueled in by the announcement of the prices for gasoline; whereas the call on President Moise to step down has not been heard; whereas the chaos is said to be a calculated one in order to bear a call for a strong man to solve the crisis;

J. Whereas ever since, the shortage of basic needs has increased; whereas barricades are burning all over the country; whereas the tensions have led to at least 42 people killed and 86 injured, with reports indicating that security forces are responsible for at least 19 killings, among them one journalists; whereas journalists are a target of continuous harassment and physical aggression;

K. Whereas in the middle of the chaos, the UN Justice Support Mission MINJUSTH has come to an end on October 15, 2019;

 

1. Expresses its deep concern over the silence surrounding a very worrying situation in Haiti , rejects violence as a means to stop public unrest, and shares the call of the Haitian people for an end to corruption and impunity;

2. Asks the international community to support the Haitian people to strengthen an independent and vigorous judicial system, able to bring perpetrators to court and sanction them, no matter, what social extraction they are coming from;

3. Calls for an independent investigation into the massacre case of La Saline of harassment and attacks on journalists, and of the deaths since mid September 2019; demands that all material and intellectual authors of the crimes have to be brought to court and be sanctioned;

4. Shares the call for an independent expert mission sent by the OAS for a longer period, in order to clarify the multiple human rights violations in that country, with the aim to carry out impartial, thorough and transparent investigations and strengthen accountability, justice and truth for families and surviving victims, as asked for by national human rights organizations; 

5. Shares the fear that in the current destabilized situation, a restauration of the dictatorship  of the  Duvalier family happens, promoted by forces which wish to install the son of the last dictator as president, and ask the EU Embassy to make a clear and unequivocal statement in favor of a full democratic stabilization of the country;

6. Asks the EEAS and the EU Embassy in Port-au-Prince to explicitly take distance from members of the Haitian government, which are obviously involved in corruption and other kinds of crimes, reject any return of dictatorial and to stand by those organization, which call for a democratic stabilization of the country;

7. Equally asks the EU to strengthen and support the capacity of Haitian organizations in taking the lead in deciding over the kind and the destiny of assistance which is delivered to the country;

8. Asks the UN to continue an active role in a peace keeping or peace preparing process, without repeating errors of the past;

9. 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 President, Government and Parliament of the Republic of Haiti and the ACP Assembly.