Activities of Jean ROATTA related to 2013/2020(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Human rights in the Sahel region (short presentation)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the situation of human rights in the Sahel region PDF (407 KB) DOC (198 KB)
Amendments (74)
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Asserts that the addressing of security- related concerns across the Sahel region, as defined in the European Union Strategy for Security and Development in the Sahel of 2011 is a precondition for the framing of development policies, security and development in the countries of the Sahel are inextricably linked; points up the importance - for the sustainable success of development policies - of a stable security situation, economic stability, political stability and stability in terms of observing human rights and fundamental freedoms in the Sahel;
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 a (new)
Citation 1 a (new)
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 b (new)
Citation 1 b (new)
- having regard to the Cotonou Agreement of 23 June 2000, revised on 22 June 2010,
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph A a (new)
Paragraph A a (new)
Aa. whereas at the London summit of July 2012 more than a hundred governments, international agencies and NGOs set themselves the objective of investing an additional USD 4 billion by 2020 in increasing the number of women using contraception in the world's 69 poorest countries, which include the Sahel countries, by 120 million on top of the current figure of USD 10 billion;
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Calls on the international community and local, regional and national authorities, in association with civil society, to continue to strengthen civil and/or military arrangements for the security of population groups, including responses to humanitarian emergencies;
Amendment 13 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls on the countries of the Sahel and the local and regional authorities to introduce policies aimed at ensuring the safety of refugees, at combating thedisplaced persons and the most vulnerable, with a view to combating terrorism, violence, exploitation and trafficking (of drugs, weapons, human beings and goods and at combating terrorism);
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Expresses its support for the International Support Mission to Mali, the Mali peacekeeping mission and the EUCAP Sahel Mission; calls on the United Nations to extend its mission to cover the whole of the Sahel regionUnited Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali, which took over on 1 July 2013, and the EUCAP Sahel Mission; welcomes with satisfaction the proposal by the Secretary- General of the United Nations on 14 June 2013 to establish a ‘United Nations integrated strategy for the Sahel', which should tackle all aspects of the crisis: enhancing governance, combating crime (trafficking of drugs, people, weapons and cigarettes; money laundering), combating terrorism, and humanitarian aid; welcomes in particular the strategy’s objectives in seeking to enhance inclusive and effective governance throughout the region and to integrate humanitarian and development plans and interventions so as to ensure long-term resilience;
Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Stresses the need for all the countries of the Sahel to introduce policies establishing intra-Sahel networks (basic social infrastructure and basic networks (sanitation, network of medical advisers, transport, telecommunications, etc.) to ensure the successful and efficient channelling of humanitarian aid; expects those countries and local and regional authorities to ensure the permanency of those infrastructure facilities and networks;
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Acknowledges the important role which women play in stabilising and developing the Sahel, and calls for a strengthening of their leadership function in conflict prevention, peace-keeping and peace-building, and in the security field, politics and economic development; encourages development partners to allocate financial support for projects with the specific aim of empowering women in the region;
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Invites the EU to introduce development policies, based on an approach rooted in human rights and fundamental freedoms, which are aimed at alleviating the food crisis and the problems of malnutrition and famine, at ensuring drought resistance and at providing responses to natural disasters; calls on the Commission to make optimum use of the funds earmarked for combating malnutrition (EUR 123.5 million in 2012);
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the Sahel is one of the poorest regions of the world, which confronts grave problems regarding human rights, the rule of law, security and armed conflict, as well as economic and social development, and whereas the extreme poverty in the region is reflected in the UN Human Development Index for 2012, ranking Niger (186th), Chad (184th), Burkina Faso (183rd) and Mali (182nd) among the six least developed countries in the world;
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas establishing democracy, peace and good governance is a crucial challenge for the Sahel states, whereas these states must embark on the process of promoting human rights and fundamental freedoms, eradicating discrimination against women and minorities and promoting education and ethnic reconciliation;
Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Calls for the introduction of, and follow- up to, effective health and education policies for the most vulnerable groups, such as women and children, which are geared towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs): universal primary education, improved maternal health, universal access to health care, and the combating of HIV/AIDS and other diseasesall infectious diseases; calls on the EU, under the 11th EDF, to make youth a priority of its action in the Sahel and to develop an ambitious education policy; points to the importance of dedicated policies on women and on access to employment;
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the scope of this resolution encompasses the countries identified by the EU Sahel Strategy, specifically Mauritania, Mali, Niger, and relevant parts of Burkina Faso and Chad; whereas the broader geographic and ecological definition of the Sahel also remains crucial with regard to the region’s shared human rights challenges; whereas this report will also discuss thesecurity and human rights situation in Western Sahara and the Tindouf campsissues in the countries neighbouring the Sahel which have a direct impact on the current situation in the Sahel, such as Western Sahara and the Tindouf camps in Algeria, Libya and the consequences of the Libyan conflict, Nigeria and the presence of terrorist groups such as Boko Haram, and terrorist groups and drug trafficking in West Africa;
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the scope of this resolution encompasses the countries identified by the EU Sahel Strategy, specifically Mauritania, Mali, Niger, and relevant parts of Burkina Faso and Chad; whereas the broader geographic and ecological definition of the Sahel also remains crucial with regard to the region’s shared human rights challenges; whereas this report will also discuss thesecurity and human rights situation in Western Sahara and the Tindouf camps; issues in the countries neighbouring the Sahel which have a direct impact on the current situation in the Sahel, such as Western Sahara and the Tindouf camps in Algeria, Libya and the consequences of the Libyan conflict, Nigeria and the presence of terrorist groups such as Boko Haram, and terrorist groups and drug trafficking in West Africa;
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas the Sahel states are rich in natural resources, particularly oil, gold and uranium, but whereas the income from the extraction of these resources is not fed back into the local economy to enable these states to develop;
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B b (new)
Recital B b (new)
Ba. whereas part of these countries’ populations do not have access to care and suffer from numerous endemic diseases such as cholera, meningitis, measles and HIV/AIDS; whereas the death toll from HIV/AIDS is high, with 11 000 dying every year in Chad, 7 100 in Burkina Faso, 4 400 in Mali and 4 300 in Niger;
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B c (new)
Recital B c (new)
Bc. whereas civil wars and ethnic conflicts are leading to population movements and the establishment of refugee camps such as those in Mentao (Burkina Faso), Mangaize (Niger), M’Bera (Mauritania) and Breijing (Chad); whereas living conditions and hygiene in these camps are deplorable;
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the extreme poverty in the region is reflected in the UN Human Development Index for 2012, ranking Niger (186th), Chad (184th), Burkina Faso (183rd) and Mali (182nd) among the six least developed countries in the world; whereas the maternal mortality rate in Mali, estimated to be 1 100 deaths per 100 000 live births, is the highest in the world according to UN data; whereas the UN Human Development Report 2013 singles out Niger and Mali as having particularly high under-five child mortality rates, rising above 200 deaths per 1 000 live births where mothers are lacking any education; whereas the World Bank estimate of the primary school enrolment rates for Niger and Mali are among the worst in the world, at 62 and 63 % respectively; whereas the European Commission estimates that, in all, 10.3 million people are at risk of hunger in the Sahel region in 2013, among them 4.2 million are Malians;
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas the European Commission estimates that, in all, 10.3 million people are suffering from hunger in the Sahel region in 2013, of whom 4.2 million are Malians; whereas according to the AGIR- Sahel programme, 18 million people are affected by hunger in the Sahel and West Africa, one million of whom are children; whereas the European Union must continue its efforts to improve the resilience of these countries; whereas the humanitarian aid provided by the European Union for the Sahel totals EUR 650 million;
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas Tuareg resentments in northern Mali were exploited by extremist groups who in early 2012 allied with, and subsequently displaced, the secular National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) in their rebellion; whereas these groups, in particular Ansar Dine, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO), further benefited from the instability arising from the subsequent coup in Bamako; whereas the systematic violations of human rights in the north, combined with the impending existential threat to the Malian state itself, precipitated the armed intervenational interventions to help shore up democracy, restore the rule of law and improve the situation of by French forces to halt the atrocities and human rights violations committed by the terrorist groups, restore democracy and the authority of the Malian state and re-establish respect for human rights;
Amendment 42 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Calls on the Sahel countries to step up their cooperation with a view to launching awareness campaigns on women's rights with NGOs, civil society, the UN and the EU;
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
Da. whereas the presence of terrorist groups in the Sahel causes serious instability and insecurity in the region, with hostage-taking and violent attacks; whereas the Sahel is a transit zone for drug-trafficking by criminal gangs from Latin America, and whereas drug- traffickers are often linked to terrorist groups which provide security for them while in transit; whereas the presence of these traffickers is a source of instability both for the Sahel and for the European Union, which is often the final destination of this trade;
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D b (new)
Recital D b (new)
Dc. whereas the intervention of NATO forces in Libya in 2011 brought into circulation more than 20 million weapons which have ended up in the hands of Tuaregs or mercenaries who have joined terrorist groups; whereas the head of the MNLA, Mohamed Ag Najim, is a former colonel in the Libyan army;
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
Da. whereas the governments of the Sahel region need to involve the populations concerned in order to reach a durable solution to the crisis; whereas, in particular, the participation of women to the resolution of the Sahel crisis is a necessary condition for reaching long- term stability;
Amendment 46 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D b (new)
Recital D b (new)
Db. whereas fight against impunity, including for gender-based violence during conflict, is fundamental for the stability of the region and building lasting peace;
Amendment 47 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas the EU has recently paid increased attention to the Sahel, as evidenced by the adoption of the EU Sahel Strategy for Security and Development in the Sahel in 2011, the launching of EU Capacity Building (EUCAP Sahel) and the EUTM Mali mission, and the nomination of an EUSR for the Sahel; whereas the mandate of the new EUSR, adopted on 18 March 2013, includes a strong human rights component;
Amendment 55 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
Recital F a (new)
Fa. whereas the Sahel countries are parties to the Cotonou Agreement, and whereas partnership with the European Union is based on development aid, good governance, promotion of human rights and humanitarian aid;
Amendment 67 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas a ceasefire in Western Sahara between the Moroccan Government and the Polisario Front has been in place since 1991; whereas the UN considers Western Sahara a non-self-governing territory; whereas no country recognises Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara; whereas the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic is currently recognised by the AU and over 45 UN states, but not by the UN collectively or by any EU Member State; whereas the UN and EU do not explicitly consider Morocco to be an occupying power; whereas a referendum on the status of Western Sahara, first agreed on principle in 1988, has still not taken place; whereas the Kingdom of Morocco proposed a draft autonomous status for the Southern Provinces in 2007;
Amendment 68 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas a ceasefire in Western Sahara between the Moroccan Government and the Polisario Front has been in place since 1991; whereas the UN considers Western Sahara a non-self-governing territory; whereas no country recognises Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara; whereas the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic is currently recognised by the AU and over 45 UN states, but not by the UN collectively or by any EU Member State; whereas the UN and EU do not explicitly consider Morocco to be an occupying power; whereas a referendum on the status of Western Sahara, first agreed on principle in 1988, has still not taken place; whereas the Kingdom of Morocco proposed a draft autonomous status for the Southern Provinces in 2007;
Amendment 74 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas the refugee camps near Tindouf in Algeria, having first been established thirty-seven years ago, remain the second longest-operating in the world; whereas a political stalemate precludes any realistic, in spite of the discussions between the various parties there is still no prospect of their dissolution, or the resettlement or repatriation of their inhabitants, in the near future;
Amendment 83 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) is the only UN mission not to include a human rights dimension in its mandate, and offers no mechanism for alleged human rights violations to be reported; whereas the UN Security Council rejected the proposal to include human rights in MINURSO’s mandate its Resolution 2099 (2013) of 25 April 2013; whereas both the Moroccan Government and the Polisario Front have been accused of human rights violations;
Amendment 88 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that the situation of human rights in the Sahel has acquired greater international prominence as a result of the armed conflict in Mali and the intervenational response to by the French army supported by the international community; acknowledges that this conflict has created specific problems in that country, as well as exacerbating fundamental underlyingstructural challenges already present in Mali and elsewhere in the region; stresses, however, that the immediate concerns in Mali should not deflect attention from the chronic and pervasive problems that seriously impact on human rights in the rest of the Sahel, in particular, slavery and human trafficking, jihadi extremism and radicalisation, fragile governance and institutional corruption, and systemic and debilitating poverty, child soldiers and discrimination against women;
Amendment 96 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Welcomes the increased attention to human rights in EU policy; notes that the UN has also taken steps to develop a comprehensive strategy on the Sahel with a strong human rights dimension; recalls that the EU and the countries of the Sahel, as signatories to the Cotonou Agreement, have assumed mutual obligations to protect human rights and democratic principles, based on the rule of law and transparent and accountable governance; points out that the Sahel states are parties to most international treaties for the protection of human rights, women’s rights and the rights of the child;
Amendment 109 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Emphasises that women have borne the brunt of the violence against civilians in Mali; specifically condemns as a war crime the use of abduction and rape, rape, gang rape, forced marriages, and the humiliation of women belonging to a different ethnic group (Bella) as weapons of war; expects the EU and other international partners of Mali to cooperate closely with the Malian authorities to implement the commitments inherent in the UN Security Council Resolutions 1325 and 1820 and in the EU Comprehensive Approach;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Abhors the grave violations against children in Mali, including the reported use of child soldiers by all of the armed groups active in the north; applauds the action of UNICEF, which is assisting in the social reintegration of demobilised Malian child soldiers; emphasises the importance of allocating sufficient recourses to the tasks of demobilisation and rehabilitation of child soldiers; condemns in the strongest terms the sexual violence against girls, forced marriages, abductions and attacks on schools and hospitals that have occurred during the Mali conflict; draws attention to the capture and detention of children for intelligence purposes as a worrying emerging trend that needs to be addressed as a matter of the utmost urgency;
Amendment 117 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Calls on all the Sahel countries to embark on a policy of prevention and protection aimed at ensuring that children will not be recruited by force by armed groups; calls on the Sahel countries to refrain from recruiting children to their regular armies and to condemn any person guilty of this war crime;
Amendment 136 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Considers the need to fight impunity and hold all perpetrators of serious human rights violations accountable, irrespective of affiliation and status, as key to ensuring lasting peace and stability in Mali; welcomes therefore the Malian Government’'s referral of the situation to the ICC and the ICC Prosecutor’'s opening of formal investigations; calls on the EU and other international partners of Mali to help the government to pursue its objective of investigating and prosecuting perpetrators of abuses; calls onwelcomes the fact that the Malian Government to consider establishing a Truthhas established a Dialogue and Reconciliation Commission, along the South African lines,nd appointed a government emissary to carry on a dialogue with the armed groups in northern Mali in order to encourage dialogue and foster trust between communities;
Amendment 141 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Notes with great concern the role of these factors in facilitating the regional surge in international organised crime and jihadi networks; emphasises the serious threats that they pose to human rights and regional stability, and the need to confront such threats for the benefit of Sahelian populations; expresses particular alarm at the ‘trafficking highways’ across Africa from west to east, and south to north from the West African coast, transporting arms, narcotics, cigarettes, and people; notes that the Sahel risks further destabilisation from the proliferation of light weaponry originating in Libya; further condemns the region’s increased incidences of kidnapping and hostage-taking, which have proved highly lucrative for criminal and terrorist groups, and welcomes the work of the UN Human Rights Council Advisory Group on the impact of terrorist hostage-taking on human rights; draws attention to the impact of these activities on the wider region, as well as the EU, which is the destination for much of the illicit traffic;
Amendment 146 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Further condemns the region’s increased incidences of kidnapping and hostage-taking, which have proved highly lucrative for criminal and terrorist groups, and welcomes the work of the UN Human Rights Council Advisory Group on the impact of terrorist hostage-taking on human rights; draws attention to the impact of these activities on the wider region, as well as on the EU, which is being targeted by this hostage-taking; notes that the hostage-taking is intended to offer a show of force in relation to European countries;
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 b (new)
Paragraph 14 b (new)
14b. Points out that terrorist operations know no borders and organisations are joining forces to pursue them; notes that the Boko Haram group is established in much of Nigeria and threatening the stability of Niger and that AQMI, led by three Algerians (Abou Zeid, Yahya Abou Al-Hammam, and Mokhtar Belmokhtar), is attempting to destabilise southern Algeria; welcomes the EUBAM Libya mission, aimed at securing Libyan borders; calls on the Sahel countries, therefore, to coordinate their efforts to make the entire region secure, starting with the borders, and to intensify counterterrorism cooperation with all the countries concerned, including Algeria, Nigeria, Morocco, and Libya; calls on the EU, the AU, ECOWAS, and the international community to provide the Sahel countries with every necessary form of technical, material, and human support;
Amendment 151 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 c (new)
Paragraph 14 c (new)
14c. Calls on the Sahel countries to establish intensive cooperation with Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, and Ghana, which are transit ports for drugs originating from Latin American criminal groups and bound for Europe; calls on the EU to help the Sahel countries fight this trafficking;
Amendment 152 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 d (new)
Paragraph 14 d (new)
14d. Notes that organised crime engenders corruption that permeates every sphere of state; calls on the Sahel countries, therefore, roundly to condemn all forms of corruption;
Amendment 160 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Welcomes the peaceful settlement of the border dispute between Niger and Burkina Faso brought by those two countries before the International Court of Justice, which handed down its ruling on 16 April 2013, and calls on the Sahel countries to follow this example;
Amendment 161 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 b (new)
Paragraph 16 b (new)
16b. Urges the governments of the Sahel countries to respect the independence and the impartiality of the courts, since these are essential guarantees of democracy and the rule of law; calls on the Sahel countries to continue their efforts to improve judicial training; and calls on the EU to support NGO projects aimed at raising human rights awareness among judicial practitioners;
Amendment 162 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 c (new)
Paragraph 16 c (new)
16c. Calls on the Sahel countries to cooperate with the ICC so as to enable it to conduct investigations freely and with complete impartiality; calls on states parties to execute international arrest warrants issued by the ICC and enforce its decisions with all due dispatch; proposes that the UN should help the Sahel countries to set up impartial and independent judicial bodies to try international crimes, following the example of the Special Court for Sierra Leone;
Amendment 165 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Encourages all countries in the region to tackle the persistent reports of alleged arbitrary arrests, ill-treatment and abuses, even torture, despite legislation prohibiting such practices; expresses concern over the reports of alleged forced disappearances of convicted prisoners in Mauritania and Chad, and points out that forced disappearances are considered a war crime under the Rome Statute; is troubled by reports of extremely poor conditions in some of the region’s prisons, which inflict great suffering on their inmates; calls on the Sahel countries to improve living conditions for prisoners and, in particular, to guarantee the safety and security of the most vulnerable groups, such as women and children;
Amendment 170 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Supports the UN Security Council resolution commitment to assist the transitional authorities of Mali to implement the road map towards the full restoration of constitutional order, democratic governance and national unity; considers it essential to create conditions conducive to the holding of cfrediblee, fair and democratic elections, in keeping with international standards; stresses the need to overcome challenges related to the voting arrangements in the IDP and refugee camps, to avoid further political marginalisation; calls for immediate action on this issue by the Malian Government and its international partners; welcomes the agreement signed on 18 June 2013 in Ouagadougou between the government and the Tuareg rebels that paves the way for the return of the Malian army and administration in the North and removes a major obstacle for the holding of the Presidential elections in July; emphasises the need to ensure the safe participation of women in the electoral process; welcomes the intention of the EU to send an electoral observation mission to Mali;
Amendment 182 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Calls on the Sahel countries to cease all arbitrary arrests and intimidation campaigns aimed at the press and the media, human rights defenders, or opposition activists; calls on the Sahel- Sahara countries, including the North African countries, fully to respect the freedom of expression of non-violent groups and their freedom to demonstrate; calls on the judicial authorities to try imprisoned opposition figures fairly and in accordance with the law in force; calls on the Sahel countries to promote a multiparty system and both to allow political groupings which abide by the rule of law to contest elections without fear of reprisals and to enable the people to participate in elections;
Amendment 188 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Calls on the EU to support all measures being taken by Sahel countries, NGOs, and civil society to improve access to care, especially for the most vulnerable populations; calls on international organisations to continue the efforts to eradicate HIV-AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and meningitis, which cause numerous deaths; points out that some Sahel populations are nomadic and cannot easily gain access to care, and calls for support to be given to care- related awareness and training campaigns;
Amendment 197 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Notes, with due gravity, the frequent food crises and other humanitarian emergencies in the Sahel region, and their effect on the most fundamental human rights; welcomes the strong involvement of the EU and its Member States in the humanitarian crisis efforts in the Sahel; emphasises, however, the need for humanitarian action to be coordinated with longer term EU support in the context of development cooperation and human rights protectionnotes that in 2012 the Commission provided aid totalling EUR 338 million, including EUR 174 million in emergency humanitarian aid, to address food crises and that DG ECHO made EUR 172 million in humanitarian aid available, EUR 58 million of which was used in Mali; welcomes the budget of EUR 1.5 million granted to AGIR-Sahel under the 11th EDF with the aim of increasing the resilience of the Sahel States;
Amendment 207 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Notes, furthermore, with great concern, that slavery persists across the wider Sahel region, with large numbers of people in bonded labour in Mali, Niger and elsewhere; urges the responsible national and international authorities to take action in this regard, with particular attention to the position and vulnerability of women and girls, inter aliaby stamping out the practice employed by the Wahaya in Niger of forcing girls to have sexual relations with men who become their masters, assisting victims' rehabilitation and reintegration, collecting data, and organising awareness- raising campaigns;
Amendment 210 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Expresses deep concern about evidence of child labour in Malian gold mines, agriculture and forestry, reportedly involving children as young as six years old; notes Malian lawthe laws in force in the Sahel States prohibiting child labour, and the particularly hazardous nature of gold mining; calls, therefore, on the Malian authorities to implement the policy proposals in its Action Plan for the Fight against Child Labour (PANETEM) of June 2011, and to promote universal education more actively; calls on the EU to work with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and other national and international organisations, to eradicate fully child labour in Mali; calls on all the Sahel States to combat child labour and promote education;
Amendment 211 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Expresses deep concern about evidence of child labour in Malian gold mines, agriculture and forestry, reportedly involving children as young as six years old; notes Malian lawthe laws in force in the Sahel States prohibiting child labour, and the particularly hazardous nature of gold mining; calls, therefore, on the Malian authorities to implement the policy proposals in its Action Plan for the Fight against Child Labour (PANETEM) of June 2011, and to promote universal education more actively; calls on the EU to work with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and other national and international organisations, to eradicate fully child labour in Mali; calls on all the Sahel States to combat child labour and promote education;
Amendment 215 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 a (new)
Paragraph 27 a (new)
27a. Points out that the European Union endorses the principles underpinning the Kimberley Process, implements the FLEGT programmes and endeavours wherever possible to encourage compliance with basic international standards in the areas of social protection, employment and the environment and corporate social responsibility (CSR); calls on the European Union and the Sahel States to consider introducing a gold traceability process along the lines of the Kimberley Process for diamonds; emphasises the need for European firms which have subsidiaries in the countries of the region to satisfy themselves that these basic standards and international guidelines on CSR are being complied with; points out that the European Union is shortly to introduce the principle of country-by-country reporting;
Amendment 218 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 a (new)
Paragraph 28 a (new)
28a. Calls on the Sahel States to promote access to education for all children, both boys and girls, and for nomad peoples, with no discrimination on the grounds of race, caste or ethnicity; calls on the States to promote policies on vocational training and access to higher education and employment, in order to offer young people in the Sahel a future and thus keep them out of the clutches of terrorist groups; emphasises that conditions for children in schools must meet minimum criteria as regards health, safety and dignity and that steps must be taken to ensure that children are not mistreated or forced to engage in begging by their tutors;
Amendment 219 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Notes the discrimination faced by women and girls in much of the region, the manifestations of which include forced marriage, child marriage, sexual exploitation, under- education and, particularly in Chad, widespread female genital mutilation, including infibulation; calls on the EU to assist local women's groups and civil so, and traditional practices such as sororate or levirate marriage; calls for the implementation, in cooperation with all the development actors on the ground, of policietys to tackle oppression, and enable women to lead lives that they have freely chosensafeguard human rights and gender equality, in particular respect for and the safeguarding and promotion of the rights of women, including sexual and reproductive rights, with no discrimination on the grounds of race, caste, age, ethnicity, religious belief, marital status, origin or status as a migrant or non-migrant;
Amendment 229 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 a (new)
Paragraph 31 a (new)
31a. Points out that the Sahel population consists of transfrontier ethno-cultural communities and that the continuing tensions between these communities and the exploitation of those tensions are making the establishment of democratic States and a lasting peace more difficult; takes the view that it is time to consolidate the close links between these groups and to put an end to the conflicts between them; calls on the Sahel States to arrange inclusive inter-ethnic dialogues;
Amendment 241 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35 a (new)
Paragraph 35 a (new)
35a. Urges Senegal, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco to play a leadership role in the Sahel region and in so doing create a genuine regional dynamic which will boost the economic development of the region and safeguard human rights;
Amendment 244 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Notes the April 2013 report of the UN Secretary-General on the situation concerning Western Sahara, which stresses 'the critical importance of addressing the Western Sahara conflict as part of a broader strategy for the Sahel', and that 'the issue of human rights remains important for any resolution of the conflict'; further notes that the conclusions of many observers that Western Sahara risks becoming destabilised by the conflict in the Sahel and the groups participating in itgoing conflicts in the Sahel, and in particular the presence of terrorist groups such as AQMI in northern Mali and southern Algeria, are factors destabilising Western Sahara;
Amendment 245 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Notes the April 2013 report of the UN Secretary-General on the situation concerning Western Sahara, which stresses 'the critical importance of addressing the Western Sahara conflict as part of a broader strategy for the Sahel', and that 'the issue of human rights remains important for any resolution of the conflict'; further notes that the conclusions of many observers that Western Sahara risks becoming destabilised by the conflict in the Sahel and the groups participating in itgoing conflicts in the Sahel, and in particular the presence of terrorist groups such as AQMI in northern Mali and southern Algeria, are factors destabilising Western Sahara;
Amendment 250 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
Amendment 253 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Emphasises the need for human rights in Western Sahara to be considered without anticipating any final political settlement or expressing a view on such a settlement; reiterates, nevertheless, that self- determination is a fundamental human right, as specified by Article 1 of the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and that territorial integrity is a principle enshrined in international law; moreover, recalls UN Security Council Resolution 1754, urging the parties to enter into negotiations in good faith, without preconditions, 'with a view to achieving a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution, which would provide for the self- determination of the people of Western Sahara'; fears that the 25-year delay in arranging a referendum is increasing Sahrawi alienation and the potential for violence, particularly amongst the young;
Amendment 264 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38
Paragraph 38
38. Expresses deep concern at the recent report from the UNSR on torture, who found evidenceobtained credible testimony stating that Moroccan officials have detained individuals on political grounds, inflicted torture and rape on Sahrawi inmates, kidnapped and abandoned protesters in the desert to intimidate them, and deliberately and frequently targeted pro-independence advocates, including in their homethat these types of treatment, which are contrary to international law, are being suffered by both Moroccan citizens and Sahrawis; notes further widespread allegations of forced disappearances and unfair trials; draws particular attention to the dismantling of the Gdeim Izik protest camp in November 2010, where significant violence claimed Moroccan and Sahrawi lives, and the subsequent trial of 25 Sahrawis, many of them known human rights activists, in February 2013; notes Morocco's insistence regarding the trial's fairness and due process, and the positive conclusions of some international observers, but also recalls the UNSR's concern at the use of a military court, the allegations of torture, and the Moroccan authorities' failure to investigate them; notes the conclusions by some NGOs and human rights observers relating to the case's alleged politicised prosecutions, deficient evidence and excessive sentences; calls thereforenotes that the King of Morocco has endorsed the proposal made by the Moroccan National Human Rights Council urging that civilians should not be tried by military tribunals; calls on the Moroccan authorities to work with civil society and other actors to guarantee the transparency and fairness of its judicial processes, and to investigate and prosecute security officials alleged to have been involved in arbitrary detentions, torture and other abuses of power;
Amendment 265 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38
Paragraph 38
38. Expresses deep concern at the recent report from the UNSR on torture, who found evidenceobtained credible testimony stating that Moroccan officials have detained individuals on political grounds, inflicted torture and rape on Sahrawi inmates, kidnapped and abandoned protesters in the desert to intimidate them, and deliberately and frequently targeted pro-independence advocates, including in their homethat these types of treatment, which are contrary to international law, are being suffered by both Moroccan citizens and Sahrawis; notes further widespread allegations of forced disappearances and unfair trials; draws particular attention to the dismantling of the Gdeim Izik protest camp in November 2010, where significant violence claimed Moroccan and Sahrawi lives, and the subsequent trial of 25 Sahrawis, many of them known human rights activists, in February 2013; notes Morocco's insistence regarding the trial's fairness and due process, and the positive conclusions of some international observers, but also recalls the UNSR's concern at the use of a military court, the allegations of torture, and the Moroccan authorities’ failure to investigate them; notes the conclusions by some NGOs and human rights observers relating to the case's alleged politicised prosecutions, deficient evidence and excessive sentences; calls thereforenotes that the King of Morocco has endorsed the proposal made by the Moroccan National Human Rights Council urging that civilians should not be tried by military tribunals; calls on the Moroccan authorities to work with civil society and other actors to guarantee the transparency and fairness of its judicial processes, and to investigate and prosecute security officials alleged to have been involved in arbitrary detentions, torture and other abuses of power;
Amendment 273 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38 a (new)
Paragraph 38 a (new)
38a. Draws attention to the dismantling of the Gdeim Izik protest camp in November 2010, where significant violence claimed the lives of 11 Moroccan security forces and 2 Sahrawi men, one of them a minor;
Amendment 284 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40
Paragraph 40
Amendment 287 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40
Paragraph 40
40. Welcomes the significant economic and infrastructural development implemented by the Moroccan Government in Western Sahara; welcomes the regional development model for the southern provinces drawn up by Morocco's Economic, Social and Environmental Council, which would allow the people of the area to exercise their economic, social and cultural rights to the full and to prepare to make the Moroccan autonomy initiative a success; remains concerned, however, by the ongoing dispute over the exploitation of the territory's natural resources, particularly relating to phosphate mines, fisheries, and preliminary oil exploration; recalls the UN Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs' advice in 2002, which stressed the Western Saharan people's 'inalienable rights' to their territory's natural resources, and determined that further exploitation 'in disregard of the interests and wishes of the people of Western Sahara' would be illegal; draws attention to the UN Secretary- General's statement to the effect that Morocco was seeking to improve living conditions in the territory and, to that end, to draft a new regional development strategy for the area; stresses, therefore, that Western Saharan goods and resources should be exempt from any trade agreements between Morocco and the EU unless the Sahrawi population's consent and benefit can be clearly demonstrated; expresses particular concern that the EU should not re-institute a fisheries agreement with Morocco while this controversy remains unresolved;
Amendment 311 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43
Paragraph 43
43. Expresses concern that the poverty in Tindouf, coupled with an absence of long- term prospects for many refugees, leaves them vulnerable to radicalisation along religious fundamentalist lines; points to the danger of young people being recruited by criminal or terrorist organisations and draws attention to the region's porous borders, which risk facilitating deeper infiltration of the camps by jihadi groups from northern Mali and elsewhere; stresses, therefore, the paramount importance of ensuring the safety and security of the camps;
Amendment 312 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43
Paragraph 43
43. Expresses concern that the poverty in Tindouf, coupled with an absence of long- term prospects for many refugees, leaves them vulnerable to radicalisation along religious fundamentalist lines; points to the danger of young people being recruited by criminal or terrorist organisations and draws attention to the region's porous borders, which risk facilitating deeper infiltration of the camps by jihadi groups from northern Mali and elsewhere; stresses, therefore, the paramount importance of ensuring the safety and security of the camps;
Amendment 323 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 45
Paragraph 45
45. Welcomes efforts to improve the documentation of alleged human rights abuses in Western Sahara, in particular through the institution of the Moroccan National Council for Human Rights (CNDH), with offices in Laayoune and Dakhla; notes the positive work of the CNDH, and calls on the Moroccan Government to help strengthen its independence and remit, and to ensure the implementation of its recommendations; welcomes the adoption in 2012 of five recommendations on the human rights situation in Western Sahara; furthermore welcomes Moroccan invitations to, and acceptances of, ad-hoc international delegations, including the UNSR on torture, and urges all relevant parties to continue such engagement with UN human rights bodies;
Amendment 324 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 45
Paragraph 45
45. Welcomes efforts to improve the documentation of alleged human rights abuses in Western Sahara, in particular through the institution of the Moroccan National Council for Human Rights (CNDH), with offices in Laayoune and Dakhla; notes the positive work of the CNDH, and calls on the Moroccan Government to help strengthen its independence and remit, and to ensure the implementation of its recommendations; welcomes the adoption in 2012 of five recommendations on the human rights situation in Western Sahara; furthermore welcomes Moroccan invitations to, and acceptances of, ad-hoc international delegations, including the UNSR on torture, and urges all relevant parties to continue such engagement with UN human rights bodies;
Amendment 328 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46
Paragraph 46
Amendment 339 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46 a (new)
Paragraph 46 a (new)
46a. Calls upon the governments of Morocco and Algeria to further improve their relations as to avoid increasing the tensions in the region;