B4-0631, 0637, 0643, 0689, 0717, 0722, 0724 and 0725/95

Resolution on the situation in Burundi

The European Parliament

- having regard to Council and Commission statements of 6 April 1995,

- recalling its previous resolutions on the situation in Burundi,

- having regard to the Carcassonne Declaration on Burundi made by the Presidency of the Council on behalf of the European Union, and the common position of the Council of 24 March 1995,

- having regard to the declaration of 29 March 1995 by the UN Security Council,

A. condemning the spiralling violence in Burundi and horrified by the massacre of an estimated 400 Hutus - mainly women and children - perpetrated by elements of the army and by militias in north-east Burundi over the last few days,

B. shocked by the ethnic killings of further hundreds of people perpetrated by bands of extremists on both sides operating both in the capital, Bujumbura, and in the countryside,

C. deeply preoccupied by the dramatic deterioration of security conditions throughout the country and by the escalating ethnic confrontation that could create the conditions for another genocide following that of Rwanda,

D. regretting that the UN Security Council has failed to respond appropriately to the dramatic announcement by the President of Burundi that there is a risk of imminent genocide, namely by sending a preventive force,

E. alarmed by the growing number of refugees, currently estimated at 50 000, who have already fled to Zaire, and conscious that an unchecked conflict in Burundi could quickly spread to Rwanda and Zaire, thus putting about 20 million people in the region at risk,

F. having regard to the visit of the EU Troika to Bujumbura and the subsequent visit by the French Minister for Cooperation,

G. having regard to the calls for pacification and dialogue made by President Ntibantunganya and the government of Mr Nduwayo,

H. concerned at the report of torture of political prisoners by the 'Special Research Brigade',

1. Firmly condemns the latest reported massacre of 400 Hutus - mainly women and children - perpetrated by elements of the army and by militias, as well as all the other killings and acts of violence that have been committed throughout the country;

2. Calls for the immediate cessation of violence and the disarming of extremist groups;

3. Restates its full support for the legitimate democratic institutions of Burundi, particularly the Presidency of the Republic, the government and the parliament, and confirms its support for the 'Convention of Government' signed on 10 October 1994, which should be fully respected by all the parties, particularly with regard to the disbanding of the irregular armed militias which are at the root of the current crisis;

4. Calls on both government and opposition forces in Burundi to remain firmly committed to the process of national reconciliation and democratization, in accordance with the joint declaration signed on 30 March 1995 by Burundi's Head of State and Head of Government which received the verbal assent of all the signatory parties to the Convention of Government;

5. Calls on the EU Member States to exert pressure on the UN Security Council to take measures to curb the wave of violence in Burundi, such as organizing negotiations between the parties in the conflict and despatching a contingent of peace-keeping troops, if requested by the Burundi authorities;

6. Calls on the EU Council and Member States to prepare contingency plans in order to be ready to intervene with a UN mandate should the violence escalate, if necessary also by establishing 'safe zones' to protect the civilian population;

7. Firmly supports the organization as soon as possible of a 'Regional Conference on Peace, Security and Stability' as called for by the UN Security Council and proposed by the Commission, and calls on the Burundi Government to seize this opportunity;

8. States its total confidence in the United Nations Special Representative, Mr Ould Abdallah, who has thus far been able to prevent the country from being engulfed in a general conflagration, and condemns the demonstrations against him organized by provocateurs calling for his removal;

9. Calls on the Council to implement forthwith the global action plan which it drew up at Carcassonne, particularly as regards the dispatch of fresh human rights experts under the aegis of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, increasing the numbers of OAU observers, restoring the rule of law and training magistrates;

10. Repeats its request to Member States of the Union who are members of the UN Security Council to persuade the latter of the need for an international embargo on arms and munitions exports to Burundi and Rwanda, and also calls on the Member States to stop exporting arms and munitions to these two countries;

11. Calls on the Member States, the Council, the Commission and the other industrialized countries to make substantial emergency aid available for rebuilding and stabilizing the state of Burundi; believes that, to this end, the Council should forthwith take the initiative and organize the 'Donors' Conference' proposed in its Carcassonne Declaration;

12. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the governments of the Member States, the UN and OAU Secretaries- General and the Government of Burundi.