Activities of Timothy Charles Ayrton TANNOCK related to 2013/2020(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Human rights in the Sahel region (short presentation)
Reports (1)
REPORT on the situation of human rights in the Sahel region PDF (407 KB) DOC (198 KB)
Amendments (56)
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1
Citation 1
– having regard to the key UN and African human rights conventions and treaties and, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights,
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 2
Citation 2
– having regard to the Council Conclusions of 25 June 2012 on the EU Strategic Framework on Human Rights and Democracy and the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy, and the Council Decisions of 25 July 20121 and 18 March 20132 appointing the EU Special Representative (EUSR) for Human Rights, and the EUSR for the Sahel, respectively, in particular the human rights articles in his mandate,
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 3
Citation 3
– having regard to recent Council conclusions on the Sahel, in particular Mali, including the Conclusions of 21 March 2011 on the EU Strategy for Security and Development in the Sahel, and more recent conclusions, including those of 17 and 31 January, 18 February, 22 April, 27 May and 24 June 2013,
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 6 a (new)
Citation 6 a (new)
- having regard to the UN Secretary- General's report to the UN Security Council on the situation in the Sahel region, dated 14 June 2013, and the attached UN integrated strategy for the Sahel,
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 8 a (new)
Citation 8 a (new)
- having regard to the Joint Chairs' Conclusions of the International Donors Conference 'Together for a New Mali', held in Brussels on 15 May 2013,
Amendment 33 #
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 49 #
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 in 2011, the launching of EU Capacity Building (EUCAP Sahel)AHEL Niger) in July 2012 and of the EU CSDP Training Mission (EUTM) in Mali in February 2013, 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 56 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas EU co-operation with the African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Arab Maghreb Union, regional human rights institutions and UN human rights bodies remains a pre- requisite for productively advocating the protection and advancement of human rights in the Sahel;
Amendment 65 #
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 a full member of the AU and 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 does 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;
Amendment 95 #
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 developed 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;
Amendment 98 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Attaches particular urgency to the human rights situation in Mali, with reports of serious human rights violations in northern Mali by armed Tuareg and jihadi groups; notes that alleged crimes include mass rape, torture, mutilation, and cruel treatment and torture, ethnic-based violence, summary execution, including amputations and public floggings, public stonings for perceived adultery, ethnic-based violence, attempted ethnic cleansing, extrajudicial and summary executions of prisoners, the massacre of Malian soldiers, illegal arrests and detention, and the passing of sentences without due process, forced disappearances, the use of child soldiers, forced marriagesmarriages and sexual slavery, intentionally directing attacks against protectedcultural objects, and the destruction and looting of property; notes that, since January 2013, there have also been numerous reports of human rights violations by elements of the Malian security forces and, to a lesser extent, vigilante groups, against the Tuareg and Arab communities, and other groupssuspected jihadists or those perceived to have cooperated or been associated with rebel groups; urgnotes the Malian authorities and their international partners to pay close attention to the new patterns of human rights violations, including reprisals based on ethnicity, that have emerged since the recovery of certain parts of northern Mali, and could constitute an obstacle to peace-building and reconciliaat those targeted have largely come from the Tuareg, Arab and Peuhl communities, and that the army has been frequently accused of ethnic-based reprisals; expresses grave concern that alleged offences have included torture and inhuman treatment, forced disappearances, and extrajudicial and summary execution is of nboth properly addressed; calls upon the Malian Government to facilitate the reporting of abuses in any future offensives, and to respect due process when interrogating suspected militants; reiterates its condemnation of the atrocities committed against the civilian population; recalls the International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor's determination of a reasonable basis to believe that atrocities committed in the Mali conflict constitute war crimes; believes moreover that some atrocities could constitute crimes against humanityisoners and civilians; expresses further concern at reports in southern Mali of killings, torture and disappearances by the military of members of the security forces loyal to the pre-coup Touré regime; moreover notes with grave alarm the reports of landmines killing and maiming Malian civilians, including children; calls on all combatants to desist from using landmines, and to work with regional and international actors swiftly and effectively to ensure the full removal of these armaments;
Amendment 103 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Urges the Malian authorities and their international partners to pay close attention to the new patterns of human rights violations, particularly reprisals based on ethnicity, that have emerged since the recovery of certain parts of northern Mali, and could constitute a grave obstacle to peace-building and reconciliation if not properly addressed; calls upon the Malian Government to facilitate the reporting of abuses both in their current operations and in any future offensives, including through support to the National Human Rights Commission, and to respect due process when interrogating suspected militants; reiterates its condemnation of the atrocities committed against the civilian population, prisoners and soldiers; recalls the International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor's determination of a reasonable basis to believe that atrocities committed in the Mali conflict constitute war crimes; believes moreover that some atrocities could constitute crimes against humanity;
Amendment 106 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Notes with grave concern the UNHCR's estimate of almost 300 000 internally displaced persons in Mali, in addition to over 175 000 refugees in neighbouring countriesBurkina Faso, Niger, Mauritania, and to a lesser extent Algeria; calls for immediate action in those refugee camps which are reportedly suffering from cholera, extreme food insecurity and alarming levels of child mortality, far exceeding the figures for the region as a whole, as a result of malnutrition and lack of access to safe water and healthcare; stresses the importance of securing the refugees' and IDPs' safety, and facilitating their orderly return to their home communities as a key element of national reconciliation;
Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Emphasises that women have borne the brunt of the violence against civilians in MaliDraws attention to the suffering of women in the recent Mali conflict; specifically condemns as a war crime the use of abduction and rape 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 112 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Abhors the grave violations perpetrated against children in Mali, including the reportewell-documented recruitment and use of child soldiers by all of the armed groups active in the north, including government forces; emphasises the importance of allocating sufficient recsoursces to the tasks of demobilisation and rehabilitation of child soldiers; condemns in the strongest terms the killings and maimings of children, rape and 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 em, and restrictions on girls' access to education, that have occurred during the Mali conflict; notes that a majority of schools in the north have not yet reopened, and urges immediate action to enable them to do so; furthermore, expresses deep concern at reports of children being detained along with adults, and undergoing trend that needs to be addressed as a matter of the utmost urgencyinterrogation without due protection; welcomes, in this context, the UN Security Council's aim to provide specific protection for women and children affected by armed conflict;
Amendment 118 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Deplores the attempted obliteration of northern Mali's precious cultural heritage, with armed groups destroying ancient Sufi shrines and other cherished monuments in Timbuktu and Gao, along with approximately 3 04 200 ancient manuscripts, ethnic Dogon ceremonial masks and cultural houses (togunas) in Douentza, and libraries in Kidal and elsewhere; considers that the cultural desecration witnessed in northern Mali constitutes a war crime; welcomes and calls for EU support to the UNESCO Action Plan for the Rehabilitation of Cultural Heritage and the Safeguarding of Ancient Manuscripts in Mali;
Amendment 121 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Welcomes the strong human rights direction in UN Security Council Resolution 2100, adopted on 25 April 2013, and the instruction in the mandate of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) to monitor, help investigate and report to the Security Council on any abuses or violations of human rights or violations of international humanitarian law; welcomes the integration of a human rights training component into the EU CSDP Training Mission (EUTM) in Mali;
Amendment 124 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Welcomes the important role played by the African-led International Support Mission to Mali (AFISMA), which has laid the foundations for MINUSMA; further welcomes the substantial African contingent within the MINUSMA mission, and in particular the AU's decision to send human rights observers embedded within it; hopes that both these features continue as standard in African operations; welcomes furthermore the European Commission's support to these observers, and its endeavour to train and deploy additional local and regional civil society observers withinthrough the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights; urges the EU to learn lessons from this experience and to explore appropriate ways to have available pools of trained experts, who could be quickly deployed on the ground in urgent situations to give professional advice to EU policy-makers if necessary;
Amendment 127 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Draws attention to the urgent need to enhance compliance with the international human rights and humanitarian law norms in armed conflict situations; calls on the High Representative to learn lessons from the tragic events in Mali and other recent conflicts to review the EU guidelines on International Humanitarian Law (IHL), seek more effective implementation of those guidelines, and support the ongoing initiative of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Swiss government to reform the current international governance framework regarding IHL;
Amendment 129 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Welcomes the conclusions of the International Donors Conference ‘'Together for a New Mali’', held ion 15 May 2013;, and commends the Malian Government's Plan for the Sustainable Recovery of Mali (PRED); welcomes the particular attention given to ensuring the transparency of public accounts and those of the extractive industries; supports the Malian Government's approval of the draft law against illicit enrichment, and emphasises the importance of carrying out the Donors Conference commitment to carefully monitor the law's systematic application once it has been adopted; regrets that the conference conclusions did not reflect the stated EU commitment to move towards a rights-based approach in development cooperation; reiterates the need to link aid with institutional reform and discernible social and political development; furthermore commends the constructive involvement of regional actors;
Amendment 135 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Considers the need to fight impunity, provide redress to victims, 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 on the Malian Government to consider establishing a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, along the South African lines, to encourage dialogue and foster trust between communiti, and the stated anticipation by the Malian Government and rebel groups of an international commission of inquiry to investigate alleged war crimes, crimes against humanity and other serious human rights violations; 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; reiterates that this must include crimes and atrocities committed by all sides;
Amendment 139 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Expresses grave concern about the multiple refugee crises and situation of refugees in the region, including many unrelated to the Mali crisis; draws particular attention to the thousands of Darfuri refugees in eastern Chad, and Chadian returnees from Darfur, who lack clean water, adequate shelter and healthcare, and notes that the semi-arid climate risks heightening competition for resources with the host populations, and thus also the potential for instability; moreover draws attention to the plight of many thousands of refugees from CAR in southern Chad, where flooding threatens homes and agriculture; thus echoes the UNHCR's call to increase financial and logistical support to Chad's security forces protecting the camps, particularly in light of reported attacks on humanitarian compounds; expresses further concern for those in Niger fleeing the recent fighting in northern Nigeria; calls on the international community in general to increase the proportion of aid to the Sahel's refugee camps where necessary, and to help avoid further humanitarian crises among the region's refugee populations; encourages host countries to work with the UN and other actors to improve, in particular, access to shelter, sanitation, healthcare, water, nutrition and education, and to protect at-risk children; moreover calls for action to boost refugees' economic security and links with separated families, and to improve documentation for refugees while they await conditions favourable for their return;
Amendment 142 #
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 illicitpoints to the UN Secretary-General's recent Sahel report, which concluded that the historic trade routes across the Sahel are the most vulnerable to terrorist and criminal networks; encourages all Sahel states, in conjunction with the UN and other international actors and partners, to develop a comprehensive anti-trafficking strategy, including the collection and analysis of data, the prosecution and punishment of traffickers, and measures for the rehabilitation and social integration of all those, mostly women and girls, who are victims of trafficking;
Amendment 147 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. 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; therefore calls for much greater cooperation among Sahel governments, and with the governments of such key regional states as Algeria, Libya, Morocco and Sudan, as well as with the EU and other supranational bodies, to ensure effective and coordinated responses to these problems by political, security and judicial institutions;
Amendment 153 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Considers it crucial, therefore, to encourage the reform of institutions responsible for the judiciary, security and basic services in the Sahel countries, in order to help restore the rule of law and create better conditions for human rights, sustainable development and institutional legitimacy; encourages Sahel governments to continue the process of decentralisation, to transfer more power and resources to local authorities and boost their capacity, legitimacy and accountability; stresses, in particular, the importance of clear accountability structures for promoting efficiency and transparency, and calls on the EU to work with local authorities to strengthen mechanisms for civilian control and oversight; points out the imperative in Mali, in particular, of ensuring adequate human and financial resourcing of the Ministry of Justice, as well as the professional training of its staff, and to strengthen anti- corruption initiatives; further draws attention to the necessity, as stated in the new UN integrated strategy for the Sahel, of supporting the strengthening of internal and external oversight, as well as integrity safeguard mechanisms, for law enforcement officers, members of the judiciary and law court functionaries;
Amendment 155 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Points to the imperative in Mali, in particular, of ensuring adequate human and financial resourcing of the Ministry of Justice, as well as the professional training of its staff; moreover encourages the Malian authorities to prosecute officials involved in corruption and organised crime, as crucial measures in restoring confidence and reducing the potential for future instability;
Amendment 156 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 b (new)
Paragraph 15 b (new)
15b. Welcomes the emphasis in the new UN integrated strategy for the Sahel on the need to design and support truth- seeking processes, national consultations on transitional justice, judicial accountability mechanisms, and reparation programmes, including for victims of sexual violence; calls for the EU to work with relevant UN agencies to assist Sahel governments in implementing these reforms;
Amendment 158 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Applauds Senegal's decision to try former Chadian President Hissène Habré for war crimes, torture and crimes against humanity, and the agreement between the two governments to allow Senegalese judges to conduct investigations in Chad; strongly encourages a continued resolve to end the culture of impunity for alleged war criminals and human rights violators in Chad and elsewhere in the region; in this regard, notes that Chad remains the only Sahelian country not to have signed up to the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Establishment of an African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights; encourages it to do so, as a strong signal of its commitment to punishing systemic abuses of human rights and providing redress to victims; moreover regrets Burkina Faso's recent law granting amnesty to heads of state; fears that this sends the wrong signal to violators of human rights in the region, and runs counter to the spirit of tackling impunity;
Amendment 164 #
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 particular concern over the reports of alleged forced disappearances of convicted prisoners in Mauritania; is troubled by reports of extremely poor conditions in some of the region's prisons, which inflict great suffering on their inmatetorture in detention centres and arbitrary arrests of thousands of migrants in Mauritania, and the authorities' refusal, after two years, to communicate the whereabouts of certain convicted prisoners to their families; also expresses alarm at reports in Chad of mass ill-treatment in detention, detention without trial, and hundreds of forced evictions in N'Djamena; is further troubled by reports of extremely poor conditions in some of the region's prisons, particularly in Chad and Mali, which lack basic healthcare and inflict great suffering on their inmates; moreover draws attention to the recent death sentences imposed by the Malian judiciary for crimes including robbery, criminal association and the illegal possession of firearms;
Amendment 176 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Welcomes the use of an EU election observation mission (EOM) in the Malian elections; recalls, however, the need by the EEAS to ensure adequate follow-up to the EOM recommendations and their longer-term integration into EU policy more broadly; in particular, believes that the EOM could add value to elections in the Sahel through an ability to monitor aspects of human rights, and report back to EU delegations to trigger appropriate demarches, if necessary;
Amendment 177 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 b (new)
Paragraph 19 b (new)
19b. Welcomes the Malian Government's establishment of a National Commission for Dialogue and Reconciliation, and the preliminary agreement on 18 June 2013 between the Malian Government and key groups in the north; embraces their commitment to unity, dialogue and the restoration of constitutional order; to this extent, expresses the sincere hope that the post-electoral landscape in Mali will facilitate enhanced dialogue and trust between communities as a pre-requisite for peace and stability; in particular, encourages the Commission to explore the issues which gave rise to the Malian crisis, to investigate openly and comprehensively allegations of abuses and discrimination against Tuareg communities since Malian independence, and to make recommendations for meaningful improvements; hopes, to this end, that all Malian communities will commit to educating children about mutual tolerance and respect;
Amendment 178 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Calls on the Malian Government and the international community to learn lessons from the democratic transition in Niger and its constitutional process in 2010-2011, in particular regarding the extensive consultation with civil society and other stakeholders, the efforts to promote women's political participation as candidates, and the support of civil society partners to conduct citizen election observation, voter education and activities; emphasises the importance for the whole Sahel region of continued support to Niger in order to consolidate citizens' confidence in the democratic system, and to follow up on the new constitution's requirement to increase transparency and fight corruption in extractive industries management, including by publishing all sizeable mining contracts and information on the revenues generated from them;
Amendment 179 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Stresses the importance in the Sahel of supporting human rights defenders, independent civil society and a free media as key actors in the life of a democratic society, particularly in times of elections; Deeply regrets restrictions on freedom of expression, assembly and association in the Sahel; expresses particular concern at reports in Chad of the harassment, intimidation and arrests of journalists, political opponents, trade unionists, church figures and other civil society activists and human rights defenders; expresses further concern at the arrests and alleged violence against peaceful protesters in Mauritania, and alleged attempts to silence opposition in Mali, including through the arrests of journalists and political opponents, and by censoring media outlets; to this extent, stresses the importance in the Sahel of supporting human rights defenders, independent civil society and a free media as key actors in the life of a democratic society, particularly in times of elections; welcomes positive developments on freedom of expression, assembly and association elsewhere in the region, and encourages the EU to work with local partners to continue encouraging improvements; furthermore calls on the EU to encourage and assist a mapping of civil society as a basis for more effective support; recommends that the EU assist civil society and human rights defenders strategically as well as financially, opening up long-term exchanges, including through the relevant EU delegations;
Amendment 183 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Notes with due seriousness the extreme and pervasive poverty ofacross the Sahel, particularly in Mali, Niger, Chad and Burkina Faso, andbut also in Mauritania; acknowledges itsthe detrimental impact of poverty on the prospects of realising human rights; notes that poverty and underdevelopment disproportionately impact upon women and girls, and expresses grave concern over the high maternal and under- five child mortality rates in the region; stresses the UN's findings of lower mortality rates among better educated mothers as a rallying call for universal education; points out that fast population growth, often at annual rates of over 3%, puts additional pressure on governments' capacity to protect even the most basic economic and social rights;
Amendment 189 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Emphasises the interdependence of development, democracy, human rights, good governance and security in the Sahel; reiterates its support for the human rights- based approach and democratic ownership in development cooperation, based on harnessing local participation and knowledge to achieve development goals on the ground, and for strong, effective and independent follow-up enforcement mechanisms, involving parliaments, other genuinely representative bodies and civil society at both national and international level; equally emphasises the necessity of combating corruption to enhance institutional legitimacy and tackle the mounting development challenges in the region; further stresses the importance of a free, organised civil society and media to monitor and report abusesrecalls and supports the EU commitments to implement a human rights approach to EU development cooperation, as also noted in the EU Strategy on Human Rights and its Action Plan;
Amendment 192 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23 a. Emphasises the necessity of combating corruption to enhance institutional legitimacy and tackle the mounting development and human rights challenges in the region; notes that access to basic healthcare and education has been gravely harmed by various forms of corruption; further stresses the importance of a free, organised civil society and media to monitor and report abuses;
Amendment 195 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Notes, with due gravity, the frequent food and nutrition 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, and underlines that tackling food insecurity is key to both facilitating peace and enhancing human rights; emphasises, however, the need for humanitarian action to be coordinated with longer term EU support in the context of development cooperation and human rights protection;
Amendment 200 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Encourages the Sahelian states and regional actors, in conjunction with the UN, to mobilize new resources for development; welcomes the consultations started by the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for the Sahel with the African Development Bank, and recommends that these consultations be widened to the World Bank and other international financial institutions in order to create a Sahel Action Fund; applauds this proposed fund's integrated platform for resources, coordinating regional development projects with the specific needs of Sahel countries, and encourages the EU to adapt and coordinate its own strategy accordingly;
Amendment 201 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 b (new)
Paragraph 24 b (new)
24b. Expresses concern about the general situation of uranium mining in the Sahel, particularly in light of the attack by MUJAO on a mine in Arlit in northern Niger on 23 May 2013; stresses that major breaches of security around Niger's uranium mines could prove disastrous for local populations and regional stability, and thus calls for security to be given the utmost attention by the Nigerien authorities and their international partners; moreover highlights the importance of guaranteeing safety in uranium mining; further calls on mining companies to ensure that uranium is mined responsibly, with the full consent of local communities, and with minimal detrimental impact to nearby populations and their environment;
Amendment 203 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Condemns in the strongest terms the ongoing slavery in Mauritania; is shocked by evidence that up to20 % of Mauritania's population reportedly lives in, which reportedly affects a sizeable minority of the population, including children born into the practice; notes that slavery, embedded xists within a rigid caste system, and persists despite the country's official abolition of slavery in 1981, and explicits criminalisation in 2007; further notes that the Mauritanian Government i's extremely reluctantce to acknowledge the continued widespread existence of slavery, and that to date only one legal case against a slave owner is known to have seen successful prosecution; urges the Mauritanian Government to live up to its national and international legal commitments and obligations to effectively end all forms of slavery; furthermoreover, urges the Mauritanian authorities to stop harassing localand even imprisoning civil society organisationsactivists who campaigning for an end to slavery;, including on charges of apostasy; to this extent, calls on the Commission and the Member States to continue to support the work of Mauritanian as well as international anti- slavery organisations, including the UN Special Rapporteur (UNSR) on contemporary forms of slavery;
Amendment 209 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Paragraph 26 a (new)
26a. Expresses concern at the violation of fundamental children's rights in the Sahel, in particular, gender-based violence and discrimination, prevalent child labour, the alleged detention of minors in adult jails in Mauritania, Mali and elsewhere, and Chad's recruitment of child soldiers into its regular army; calls for the EU to work closely with Sahelian governments to ensure the eradication of these practices;
Amendment 216 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Is greatly concerned about reports of child abduction for ransom and sale in Chad; notes that children are trafficked internally and abroad for forced labour, forced marriage and sexual exploitation; notes, furthermore, that in some cases children have been abducted and sold to international adoption agencies;
Amendment 221 #
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 society to tackle oppression and gender inequality, and enable women to lead lives that they have freely chosen;
Amendment 224 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 a (new)
Paragraph 29 a (new)
29a. Calls on the EU to work with regional actors to promote the education of girls, and to support measures boosting the financial security and potential of women, as key to securing female social, political and economic empowerment; furthermore encourages a policy emphasis on improving women's healthcare;
Amendment 225 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Welcomes the legal status of same-sex relationships in Mali, Niger, Chad and Burkina Faso; regrets, however, the societal discrimination still present; hopes that those oppressed during the insurgency in northern Mali may safely re-integrate into their society; expresses deep concern over the continuing criminalisation of LGBT relationships in Mauritania, which, for men, nominally carry the punishment of death by public stoning, though notes that there are no documented incidences of this punishment ever having been applied; urges the Mauritanian Government nevertheless to work with civil society to reform its legislation and help to improve the lives of LGBT citizens;
Amendment 227 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Believes that a rights-based approach to the situation and development of the Tuareg people, which honestly addresses historic grievances, is essential for peace and development in the Sahel region; welcomes developments in Niger on this issue, but urges all countries with significant Tuareg populations, including non-Sahel countries such as Algeria and Libya, to work with community representatives to resolve, politically and institutionally, the problems of underdevelopment and animosity; notes, furthermore, the variety of cultures across the Sahel; encourages the region's governments to include all of them in social and political dialogues, and in the processes of decision-making;
Amendment 232 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Welcomes the appointment of the EUSR for the Sahel, and the strong human rights element in his mandate; expects the new EUSR to cooperate closely with the EUSR for Human Rights, the Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and the human rights defenders and observers in the region, in promoting respect for human rights and international humanitarian law;
Amendment 233 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Stresses the importance of implementing the EU's human rights policy commitments, including its guidelines on children and armed conflict, on violence against women and girls and combating all forms of discrimination against them, on promoting compliance with international humanitarian law, on the protection of civilians in CSDP missions and operations, as well as the EU comprehensive approach policy regarding implementation of the UN Security Council Resolutions 1325 and 1820 on Women, Peace and Security, including by monitoring and reporting on developments in this regard;
Amendment 234 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Notes that the EU Sahel SWelcomes the strategic lines of action in the EU Sahel Strategy, including support for and promotion of good governance and internal conflict resolution; believes, however, that the strategy still does not adequately mainstream human rights, the rule of law and, support for democracy as key elements to support the development-security nexus at the heart of the strategy; urges the EU inst, effective economic governance and strong anti-corruption measures as key elements to support the development-security nexus at its heart; urges the EU institutions to work together soon in revising the strategy, by including concrete proposals for: a) addressing the plight of refugees and IDPs throughout the region, b) tackling the scourge of slavery, human trafficking and other forms of trafficking and smuggling which have proved so detrimental to human rights and security in the region, c) improving the situations to w of women, children and minorities, d) the effective and efficient channelling of aid, offering added supporkt together soon in revising the strategy acc governments on the 'more for more' principle, e) ending the culture of impunity, including by supporting measures already being proposed or put in place in Mali and elsewhere, f) protecting civic freedoms and improving democratic governance through inclusive electoral processes and credible representation, and by suppordtingly; civil society, g) protecting cultural diversity and heritage;
Amendment 237 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 a (new)
Paragraph 34 a (new)
34a. Recommends that the EU consider the possibility of targeted sanctions, through asset freezes, visa bans or other instruments, of the most serious violators of human rights, both in Mali and elsewhere in the region;
Amendment 238 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
35. Welcomes the strong human rights dimension in the proposed UN comprehensive integrated strategy, and calls on the EU to continue its support; stresses, nevertheless, the crucial importance of increased EU engagement with African regional actors such as the AU, ECOWAS, the Arab Maghreb Union, and the AfricUN Secretary-General's recent report on the situation in the Sahel; notes the 'four by four' approach, aiming to bolster governance, security, humanitarian requirements and development, as part of an integrated strategy; welcomes in particular the strong human rights dimension in the strategy, and calls on the EU to continue its support; further commends the UN integrated strategy's emphasis on building participation, supporting local and regional governance, strengthening social and security cohesion, developing early- warning systems for future threats, and in particular, strengthening or consolidating national and regional human rights mechanisms, to generate sustained progress in the human rights and democracy initiatives in the Sahel; encourages the EU to incorporate a similar holistic approach to sustainability, security, humanitarian and development concerns, and human rights, in a way which recognises the fundamentally transnational, cross-border and intertwined nature of the Sahel's challenges;
Amendment 242 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35 a (new)
Paragraph 35 a (new)
35a. Emphasises the continuing crucial importance of increased EU engagement with African regional actors such as the AU, ECOWAS, the Arab Maghreb Union, and the African regional human rights instruments, to generate sustained progress in the human rights and democracy initiatives in the Sahel; recognises that the lasting solutions to the Sahel's problems must come from within that region and be fully owned by its own people; nevertheless calls on the EU to continue its commitment to working with and assisting Sahelian partners with all appropriate means at its disposal to improve the quality of life for the people in that region, and to strengthen ties with their democratic governments;
Amendment 297 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41
Paragraph 41
41. NRecalls the concerns of the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) that Western Sahara remains one of the world's most mined areas; notes that landmines in Western Sahara have tragically caused at least 2 500 casualties since 1975, continuing to threaten many thousands of Sahrawi nomads, and representing a major obstacle to athe resolution of the Western Saharan dispute and refugee situation; commends, therefore, the work of MINURSO, the Royal Moroccan Army, the Polisario Front, Landmine Action and others to map and clear affected areas, and encourages all actors to do everything possible to educate the population, assist victims and remove all remaining munitions; further notes that Morocco is one of the few countries, and one of only three African countries, not to have signed up to the Mine Ban Treaty; encourages it to do so as a confidence- building measure and sign of commitment to peace;
Amendment 305 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42
Paragraph 42
42. Expresses deep concern about the chronic poverty, and lack of basic services and adequate housing in the Polisario Front-administered refugee camps near Tindouf; repeats the recommendations of the UNSR on adequate housing that sufficient international funding be directed for this purpose; notes in this regard, particularly in regards to nutrition, healthcare and access to potable water; calls for international actors to channel, coordinate and consolidate aid more effectively, and where appropriate to increase the amount of aid, in order to guarantee the stability of the humanitarian situation and help improve the conditions in the camps; in light of the poor provision of housing, echoes the recommendations of the UNSR on adequate housing that sufficient international funding be directed for this purpose; nevertheless notes the functioning systems of governance in the camps, and welcomes the active presence of civil society, with the strong participation of women within both; further welcomes the social emphasis on education, despite scarce resources; notes, however, the lack of clear documentation about the precise number of inhabitants in Tindoufthe camps, and urges the authorities to conduct or facilitate regular censuses or formal registrations;
Amendment 314 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43
Paragraph 43
43. Expresses concern that the poverty in the Tindouf camps, coupled with an absence of long- term prospects for many refugees, leaves them vulnerable to radicalisation along religious fundamentalist lines; 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 320 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 44
Paragraph 44
44. Notes that while most recentinternational observers, and reports from the OHCHR, African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights, and Human Rights Watch, have identified little evidence of systemic and institutional human rights violations in the camps, multiple actors, including the Moroccan Government, Moroccan NGOs and some former inhabitants of the Tindouf camps, have alleged that the Polisario authorities restrict inhabitants' freedom of expression and freedom of movement, practise or permit slavery, forcibly marry children, and separate families in order to send children to Cuba for military training; notes Polisario's vigorous denials of these accusations, which it claims are politically motivated; calls therefore on Polisario to allow independent human rights observers full, regular and unfettered access to the camps;, amidst reported evidence of some residual private slavery in both Tindouf and Western Sahara, calls on the Polisario and Moroccan authorities to redouble their efforts to terminate this practice and rehabilitate its victimsnd for any allegations to be rigorously investigated;