Activities of Gilles PARGNEAUX related to 2013/2020(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Human rights in the Sahel region (short presentation)
Amendments (23)
Amendment 60 #
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; whe, under the auspices of the Security Council, is acting as a mediator to find a solution to the conflict; whereas, however, according to the Secretary-General of the UN, no progreass a referendum on the status of Western Sahara, first agreed on principle in 1988, has still not taken placehas been made on the fundamental issues of the future status of the territory;
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)
Recital H a (new)
Ha. whereas Security Council Resolutions 1754, 1783, 1871, 1920, 1979, 2044 and 2099 call on the neighbouring States to cooperate fully with the United Nations and with each other and to strengthen their involvement to end the current impasse and to achieve progress towards a political solution;
Amendment 77 #
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 prospect of their dissolution, or the resettlement or repatriation of their inhabitants, in the near future; whereas no population register has ever been drawn up of the people in the Tindouf camps, in spite of numerous calls by the Security Council and by the HCR on Algeria to comply with its international legal obligations by authorising the HCR to carry out registration and a census of the people in the Tindouf camps;
Amendment 78 #
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 prospect of their dissolution, or the resettlement or repatriation of their inhabitants, in the near future; whereas no population register has ever been drawn up of the people in the Tindouf camps, in spite of calls by the HCR on the host country for this to be done;
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J a (new)
Recital J a (new)
Ja. whereas the report of the UN Secretary General of 8 April 2013 on the Western Sahara situation devotes a 3 pages section on Human Rights;
Amendment 93 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Notes that the recent military events in Mali have highlighted the recurrent problems of the Sahel, in particular the role of the disintegration of the State in the spread of terrorism and poverty; notes that Morocco is one of the few countries with a Sahel connection to have supported economic development and the presence of strong public institutions in its Sahara region with a view to resolving the issue of the permeability of borders, which is a besetting problem for the region, as the European Union stressed in its 2011 Strategy for the Sahel;
Amendment 251 #
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; 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 fears that the 25 years delay in devising an acceptable political solution increases the risk of alienation and radicalienzation and the potential for violence, particularly amongst the youngmongst segments of the population;
Amendment 254 #
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; moreover, recalls UN Security Council Resolution 1754, urging and that territorial integrity is a principle enshrined in international law; moreover, recalls UN Security Council Resolution 1754, which applauds Morocco’s serious and credible efforts to move towards a settlement of the Western Sahara conflict and urges 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 260 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37 a (new)
Paragraph 37 a (new)
37a. Regards the Moroccan Autonomy Plan for the Southern Provinces proposed to the United Nations in 2007, which provides for the transfer of powers and resources to local authorities, steps to take account of the specific cultural characteristics of the Sahara region and a genuine division of powers between the Moroccan authorities and local institutions, as an appropriate response to the claims made by the Sahrawi peoples; takes the view that the autonomy plan can provide for effective monitoring of borders in a region where the problems inherent in their management are fuelling terrorist activity;
Amendment 261 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37 a (new)
Paragraph 37 a (new)
37a. Since the political solution of the Western Sahara conflict, reconciliation and the human rights situation are closely linked, calls on the Commission and Member States to be more active in Western Sahara conflict resolution, not only supporting the UN negotiations but also using its various external policy instruments (e.g. strengthening human rights monitoring and awareness among police and security forces, supporting democratic reforms, including decentralisation, fighting discrimination in the region) to promote much needed confidence building between the conflict parties;
Amendment 262 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38
Paragraph 38
38. Expresses deep concern at the recent report from the UNSR on torture, who found evidence 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 homes; 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 therefore 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 and encourages the Moroccan government to implement all of the reports recommendations;
Amendment 267 #
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, and kidnapped and abandoned protesters in the desert to intimidate them, and deliberately and frequently targeted pro-independence advocates, including in their homes; 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; welcomes the emergence of a culture of human rights and efforts to build up an institutional culture that prohibits and prevents torture and ill- treatment, as highlighted by the UNHR on torture in his report of 23 February 2013; urges the Moroccan Government to implement all of the recommendations made in UN reports; recalls at the same time the UNSR's concern at the use of a military court, the allegations of torture, and the Moroccan authorities' failure to investigate themcarry out investigations at the time of the Gdeim Izik trial; 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 Moroccan authorities have 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 283 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40
Paragraph 40
Amendment 288 #
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; believes that the proactive measures taken by the Moroccan authorities, who have taken account of the reports submitted by the Economic, Social and Environmental Council, offer a solution to the governance crisis, the problems with the provision of basic services and the artificial side to the Saharan economy, and will do much to reassure the local population; 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; stresses,draws attention to the UN Secretary- General's statement to ther efore,fect 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 unresolvedMorocco 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 trade agreements between Morocco and the EU should enable Western Saharan goods and resources to be used to the benefit and with the consent of the Sahrawi population;
Amendment 294 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40 a (new)
Paragraph 40 a (new)
40a. Welcomes the decentralisation efforts made by the Moroccan authorities through the advanced regionalisation programme, under which proper account may be taken of the concerns and cultural specificities of the Saharawi people; points out that the principle of decentralisation is now enshrined in the Moroccan constitution; welcomes the additional work carried out by Morocco’s Economic, Social and Environmental Council for the reports it submitted in January and March 2013, which stressed the importance of good governance and that the Sahrawi population needs to see the local institutions as legitimate and representative if it is to be brought into the social and political mainstream;
Amendment 296 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40 b (new)
Paragraph 40 b (new)
40b. Stresses that the Sahara autonomy plan that Morocco submitted to the United Nations in 2007 is the only realistic proposal currently on the table and is a sound and credible basis for a negotiated solution; reiterates its confidence in the United Nations’ efforts to facilitate progress towards a solution to a conflict that has continued for too long and is holding up the Maghreb regional integration process;
Amendment 302 #
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 the lack of clear documentation about the precise number of inhabitants in Tindouf, and urges the authorities to conduct or facilitate regular censuses or formal registrationscalls on the Algerian authorities to abide by their international obligations and allow the HCR to carry out a census of and formally register the people living in the camps in Tindouf; welcomes the fact that the EU is supplying humanitarian aid to the Tindouf camps through DG ECHO; questions, however, whether all possible steps are being taken to ensure that the aid is reaching the people for whom it is intended;
Amendment 303 #
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 the lack of clear documentation about the precise number of inhabitants in Tindouf, and urges the Algerian authorities to conduct or facilitate regular censuses or formal registrationsformally to register the people living in the Tindouf camps, in line with the calls made by the HCR and with international law; welcomes the fact that the EU is supplying humanitarian aid through DG ECHO, but has concerns about the Polisario Front’s management of the aid; points out that, owing to the lack of a census, there is no proper basis for gauging the volume of aid required, thus undermining the aid’s effectiveness and making it difficult to monitor; deplores the lack of transparency in the Polisario’s administration of the camps and the degree of poverty still to be found in Tindouf despite the fact that the Commission has been providing more than EUR 10 million per year since 1993;
Amendment 310 #
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; voices concern at the allegations made by the Malian authorities about young people from the Tindouf camps having joined up with terrorist organisations involved in the conflict in Mali; stresses, therefore, the paramount importance of ensuring the safety and security of the camps;
Amendment 329 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46
Paragraph 46
46. Notes, nevertheless, the serious and contested allegations against both the Moroccan and Polisario administrations, and recalls the UN Secretary-General's recent emphasis on 'independent, impartial, comprehensive and sustained monitoring of the human rights situation in both Western Sahara and the camps'; notes, in this regard, that the UN did not upgrade the mandate of MINURSO in April 2013 to incorporate a human rights dimension; encourages the UN to do so, or else to establish a new, permanent, impartial human rights body for the purpose of supervising and reporting on the overall situation of human rights, and investigating individual complaints; calls on such a body to encompass the Moroccan-controlled section of Western Sahara, the Tindouf camps, and other territory controlled by the Polisario Front;
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;