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Procedure : 2001/2575(RSP)
Document stages in plenary
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Texts tabled :

RC-B5-0427/2001

Debates :

Votes :

Texts adopted :

P5_TA(2001)0357

Texts adopted
Thursday, 14 June 2001 - Strasbourg
Human rights: Afghanistan
P5_TA(2001)0357RC-B5-0427/2001

European Parliament resolution on the further human rights abuses by the Taliban regime in Afghanistan

The European Parliament,

-  having regard to its previous resolutions on Afghanistan and in particular its resolution of 15 March 2001 on the situation in Afghanistan including the destruction of its cultural heritage(1) ,

A.  outraged by the decision of 24 May 2001 of the Taliban leadership obliging the Hindi and Sikh minority to wear a special yellow identification mark on their clothing,

B.  whereas the recent decree prohibiting women, both Afghan and foreign, from driving, which purports to interpret Islamic law, although this interpretation of the Koran and the Sharia is widely disputed in the Muslim community around the world,

C.  whereas the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, despite several international appeals, has not shown any signs of stopping the practice of crimes against women, public mutilations and capital punishment, killing of homosexuals, massacres of minorities, destruction of the non-Islamic artistic heritage, and violation of many other basic human rights,

D.  concerned at the closure of the Italian hospital in Kabul, the staff of which were beaten and/or arrested by the Taliban religious police,

E.  recalling the Afghan Government's policy of support for international terrorism and for Osama bin Laden, whom the Taliban refuse to hand over,

F.  appalled by the recent rigid code of conduct for aid workers and foreign visitors forcing them to sign pledges submitting them to the Taliban interpretation of Islamic law on, for example, dress or adultery, which would be punished by public execution,

G.  gravely concerned by fresh attacks by the Taliban on the right of women to work with the refusal to allow the UN Food Aid programme to recruit Afghan women to conduct a survey on bread distribution,

H.  whereas Afghanistan is confronted with the worst drought in 30 years, aggravated by the already large number of refugees and internally displaced persons, and an estimated 5 million people will depend on international food aid supplies,

I.  whereas the Pakistani and Saudi Arabian Governments openly support the Taliban regime, financially and politically,

J.  whereas the Muslim community around the world and Mufti Nasr Farid Wasil, the supreme Islamic religious authority of Egypt and of Sunni Muslims, deny that the Taliban represent the true knowledge of Islam and also reject their fatwas (religious judgments),

1.  Reiterates its strong condemnation of the Taliban policy of systematically disregarding human dignity;

2.  Believes that progress towards democracy, respect of human rights and the rule of law are the only way of ending the UN-imposed sanctions in Afghanistan;

3.  Expresses its deep condemnation, in particular of the Taliban's recent decision to force members of religious minorities to wear identity marks and underlines that this decision has no precedent in recent history other than the Nazi persecution of Jews;

4.  Points out to the Taliban regime that forcing persons belonging to ethnic and religious minorities to wear distinctive clothing is an unacceptable form of discrimination prohibited by international law;

5.  Condemns the fresh violation of women's rights and believes that the new Taliban verdicts add a further and shocking element to the appalling record of human rights abuses of the Taliban regime, well known for its policies of gender apartheid and systematic suppression of virtually every single individual liberty;

6.  Notes that the Taliban's policy and administration of justice do not reflect the true values or ideas of Islam and are categorically rejected by the majority of the Muslim community;

7.  Warns the Taliban that such barbarous policies will further isolate their regime and reiterates its call to Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to stop any kind of support of the Taliban;

8.  Calls on Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Pakistan to review their diplomatic recognition of the Taliban regime;

9.  Welcomes the recommendation for a monitoring system to enforce an arms embargo against the Taliban which the UN panel of experts put forward on 6 June 2001, including a UN monitoring office and enforcement teams in the six countries bordering Afghanistan, and calls on those countries to fully cooperate;

10.  Regrets however that as yet no date has been set to begin implementing the measures;

11.  Calls on the Council to step up its pressure on the Taliban regime and reiterates its request to the Council to make a political contribution to restoring peace to Afghanistan inter alia by coordinating its initiatives with the neighbouring countries, especially India, Russia and Iran;

12.  Urges the UN to set up an independent committee of inquiry into human rights violations in Afghanistan in order to better monitor the continuously deteriorating situation and to start preparations for an international ad hoc tribunal on crimes against humanity committed under Taliban rule;

13.  Urges the Commission to open an ECHO office in Dushanbe in order to cope better with the humanitarian disaster in the northern part of the country;

14.  Calls on the Commission to provide adequate emergency measures required to support the living conditions of the population, especially in the areas controlled by forces opposed to the Taliban and also in the refugee camps in Iran and Pakistan;

15.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Taliban authorities, the Northern Alliance, and the governments of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, India, China, Russia, Iran, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

(1) Texts Adopted, Item 14.

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