EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 341/72

Thursday 11 February 2010

Madagascar

P7_TA(2010)0032

European Parliament resolution of 11 February 2010 on the situation in Madagascar

2010/C 341 E/15

The European Parliament,

having regard to Articles 8 and 9 of the Cotonou Agreement, concerning political dialogue and respect for human rights respectively,

having regard to the resolution adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly in Luanda on 3 December 2009,

having regard to its previous resolutions on Madagascar, particularly that of 7 May 2009 on the situation in Madagascar,

having regard to the suspension of Madagascar from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU),

having regard to the position of the AU, which, on 2 February 2010, called on ‘the illegal regime in Madagascar to cease its attempts to impose unilateral solutions to the crisis’, and which reaffirmed ‘the need to establish the transitional institutions agreed upon in the Maputo Charter and the Addis Ababa Additional Act’,

having regard to the position of the SADC Organ on Defence and Security of 15 January 2010, which called on the international community ‘to reject the plans of Andry Rajoelina, who wishes to disregard the power-sharing agreements and call parliamentary elections in March’,

having regard to the decision of the United States of America to cease to allow Madagascar to enjoy the benefits of the AGOA (African Growth and Opportunity Act) because of its political situation,

having regard to the Maputo Accords of 8 and 9 August 2009 and the Addis Ababa Additional Act of 6 November 2009, signed by the four leaders of the political groupings in Madagascar,

having regard to Rule 122(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas the persistent political instability which has prevailed since the coup d'état has placed Madagascar in a precarious position from both the socioeconomic and the humanitarian point of view,

B. whereas on 18 December 2009 the military-backed leader of Madagascar, Mr Andry Rajoelina, withdrew from power-sharing negotiations with the political groupings in Madgascar,

C. whereas on 18 December 2009 Mr Rajoelina named former military officer Colonel Albert Camille Vital as Prime Minister,

D. whereas opposition groups including groups led by former President Marc Ravalomanana have condemned the appointment of Colonel Albert Camille Vital as Prime Minister as an illegal act by an illegal power,

E. having regard to the widespread human rights violations, the harassment and arbitrary arrest of parliamentarians, clerics and members of civil society, the pillage of churches and intimidation of the press,

F. whereas the international community has sought to bring about a negotiated end to the crisis, which is currently being deliberately blocked, while the illegal regime which is in power continues to defy the international community,

G. whereas on Monday, 6 July 2009, the European Union initiated a consultation process with Madagascar pursuant to Article 96 of the Cotonou Agreement, thus launching a dialogue intended to find appropriate solutions to the country's political problems,

H. having regard to the need and capacity of the Madagascan people to choose their future and exercise self-determination,

I. whereas the present illegal regime is monopolising executive, legislative and judicial powers and the media,

J. whereas Mr Rajoelina has announced his wish unilaterally to organise parliamentary elections contrary to the electoral timetable and without consulting the Madagascan people as required by the Maputo Charter and the Addis Ababa Additional Act,

K. whereas according to the IMF, donors’ assistance to Madagascar accounted for 50 % of the national budget, and whereas the EU has suspended its development aid funding until a democratic solution is found to the current crisis,

L. whereas the majority of the population is living on less than one dollar per day, whereas 7 000 children are suffering from serious malnutrition and whereas the situation has been aggravated since the beginning of the political crisis,

M. whereas the government has issued a decree legalising the export of unprocessed and endangered wood, threatening the biodiversity of the country, which may be lost for ever,

1. Reiterates its strong condemnation of the process by which Mr Rajoelina seized power in Madagascar, in flagrant violation of the provisions of the Madagascan Constitution, which constitutes an outright coup d'état;

2. Strongly condemns the decision by Mr Rajoelina to cancel the appointment of Eugene Mangalaza as Prime Minister, installed after a power-sharing deal between all political parties in October 2009;

3. Strongly condemns the decision by Mr Rajoelina to boycott the third round of negotiations in Maputo in December and to withdraw from power-sharing talks;

4. Urges that the Accords signed in Maputo and Addis Ababa be implemented, which should lead to the restoration of constitutional government;

5. Condemns the systematic repression of the opposition, censorship of the media, the intimidation and systematic arrest of journalists, arrests and torture of civilians and politicians, and the detention of many persons without charge and at unknown locations; calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners and cancellation of the judicial proceedings against them;

6. Expresses its deep concern about the disappearance of several hundred people, including around 100 children and adolescents;

7. Calls for an independent international investigation of all political killings in Madagascar, all human rights violations and all acts of repression committed by the security forces and the army;

8. Disapproves of any attempt by Mr Rajoelina to organise elections in March 2010 unilaterally, and supports only such elections as have been prepared by a consensual and inclusive government as provided for in the Maputo Charter and the Addis Ababa Additional Act, in accordance with the electoral timetable and after consultation of the Madagascan people; calls, therefore, on the Commission and Member States to send an electoral observation mission only in accordance with the conditions laid down by the Maputo and Addis Ababa Accords;

9. Believes that the Maputo Agreement and the Addis Ababa Additional Act on Madagascar constitute the only possible framework for a solution to the political crisis in Madagascar; considers that constructive dialogue is the only viable way to reach a political solution to the crisis;

10. Calls for the rapid organisation of the process of disarmament and dissolution of the militias with a view to restoring a republican army;

11. Calls, in the event of failure to comply with the commitments accepted at Maputo and Addis Ababa, for individual, targeted sanctions to be imposed selectively on the current leaders of the High Transitional Authority (HTA) who are deliberately blocking progress;

12. Calls for prosecution of those believed to have pillaged private or public property or the natural resources of Madagascar; calls on any interim government of Madagascar not to conclude any agreement or contract with other countries or undertakings relating to natural resources or the national heritage before elections have been held and the people of Madagascar have conferred a legitimate mandate on a new government;

13. Calls on the international community and the EU to increase their humanitarian aid to the people of Madagascar; recalls that the gradual restoration of cooperation programmes with Madagascar is conditional on the establishment of the agreed transitional institutions of consensual and inclusive government in accordance with the Maputo Charter and the Addis Ababa Additional Act and on full respect for all democratic principles and fundamental freedoms;

14. Supports the efforts of the former President of the Republic of Mozambique, Mr Joaquim Chissano, the SADC mediator in this process, and calls on the four political groupings in Madagascar to return to the negotiating table immediately to agree on a political agenda for fair, democratic and transparent elections in 2010;

15. Calls on the AU, the SADC and the international contact group to bring the transition process to a satisfactory conclusion;

16. Calls on the Commission to report to the European Parliament on the development of the consultation process which is under way with Madagascar pursuant to Article 96 of the Cotonou Agreement;