B4-1049, 1052, 1065, 1075, 1077 and 1085/97

Resolution on Burundi

The European Parliament

- having regard to its previous resolutions on the situation in Burundi and the Great Lakes Region of Africa,

A. concerned by the persisting conflict in Burundi and the destabilising effect that civil war is having on neighbouring countries,

B. alarmed by the continuing arms flow to belligerent parties, army and militias in Burundi, and shocked by the deliberate targeting of civilians by Burundian armed groups,

C. deeply concerned by the Government's policy of forcibly relocating the population in many areas into regroupment camps, which often lack access to adequate sanitary and health care and are cut off from humanitarian aid,

D. noting the report by Human Rights Watch on the recent arms flow to Burundian belligerents which has helped trigger serious human rights violations,

E. regretting the porousness and therefore the ineffectiveness of the one-sided regional arms embargo,

F. noting the role or involvement of some Member States in arms flows to the region and regretting the absence of a European Union policy in this field,

G. whereas the Council and the Commission have stated the need for a regional conference on peace, security and stability in the Great Lakes Region,

H. shocked by the recent massacre of hundreds of civilians in Rwanda perpetrated by extremist Hutu militians which confirms the degree of insecurity in the Great Lakes Region,

1. Condemns all atrocities and human rights violations committed by all sides on the civilian population and urges the warring parties to stop fighting immediately and negotiate a lasting peace agreement;

2. Condemns the continuing arms flows to Burundian belligerent parties, as they are a grave threat to a peaceful solution of the conflict and the stability of the Great Lakes Region, and contribute to endangering the lives of hundreds of thousands of civilians;

3. Supports the imposition of an international arms embargo on both sides in the conflict and calls on the Member States to act accordingly;

4. Supports the reactivation by the United Nations of a commission of inquiry on arms flows to the Great Lakes Region to conduct an investigation of arms flows into Burundi and to Burundian citizens in neighbouring states, to report to the UN General Assembly and Security Council with recommendations on what measures should be taken to stop arms flows into this volatile region, specifically into Burundi and to Burundian citizens in neighbouring states;

5. Calls on the governments of Burundi and of neighbouring countries to permit the deployment of UN or Organization of African Unity military observers in airfields and other key transportation points near and in Burundi, and to cooperate with and assist these observers; further calls on all parties to commit themselves to the Arusha negotiations with a view to finding a negotiated solution to the conflict;

6. Demands that all EU Member States prevent the sale and supply, by their nationals or from their territories or using their vessels or aircraft, of arms and related material of all types, including weapons and ammunition, military vehicles and equipment and spare parts, whether or not originating in their territory, to Burundi;

7. Calls on the Council to work actively for the convening of a regional conference for peace, security and stability under the aegis of the UN and OAU;

8. Calls on the Council to adopt a joint action in accordance with Article J.3 of the EU Treaty to promote national reconciliation, the rule of law, human rights and democracy in the countries of the region;

9. Intructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the Secretaries-General of the UN and the OAU, the governments of central African countries and the co-presidents of the ACP-EU Joint Assembly.