B4-0657, 0666, 0681, 0686, 0690, 0702 and 0711/95

Resolution on the situation in Algeria

The European Parliament,

- recalling its earlier resolutions on the situation in Algeria,

A. profoundly shocked by the acts of terrorism committed by the Algerian fundamentalists against the civilian population, especially women and intellectuals,

B. appalled by the murders of Mohamed Abderrahmani, editor of the newspaper 'El Moudjahid', on 27 March 1995, Rashida Hammadi, a well-known television journalist, on 31 March 1995 and Makhlouf Boukhezar, a television journalist, on 3 April 1995, making a total of 32 journalists killed since 1993 in attacks attributed to Islamist groups, as well as by the murder, on 15 March 1995, of the chairwoman of the Larbaa court, the fifteenth judge to be murdered since 1994,

C. having regard to the nature and scale of the army's repression of Islamic extremists, as recently demonstrated in the Aïn Defla region, where a military operation resulted in the deaths of several hundred people and left numerous wounded,

D. having regard to the democrats in Algeria who, supporting neither the corrupt regime nor fundamentalist terrorism, play an essential role in campaigning against torture, the imposition of the family code and forced arabization, and form the core of the resistance to FIS extremism and authoritarianism,

E. expressing particular support for the resistance of Algerian women, who put their lives at risk to fight to protect their dignity as women and their personal freedom, in the face of violent attacks by Islamic extremists,

F. seriously concerned by the difficulties encountered by many Algerian citizens, who are threatened with being killed in their own country, in obtaining visas which would enable them to take refuge temporarily in a Member State of the European Union,

G. having regard to the various recent appeals for negotiations and peace, and the offers of mediation made as positive contributions towards the search for a lasting solution to the Algerian conflict,

1. Strongly condemns the acts of mindless terrorism committed in Algeria;

2. Deplores, nevertheless, the scale of the armed forces' response, which is unlikely to calm an already explosive situation; urges the Algerian Government to recognize that the ruthless disregard of the human rights of the civilian population can only increase popular support for the terrorist organizations;

3. Salutes the courage of Algerians, and particularly Algerian women, who are risking their lives to combat fundamentalist intolerance and all models of society which would remove women from political, social and economic life, and to fight for democracy, equality, respect for fundamental civil rights and the freedom of the press;

4. Salutes in particular the courage of all those working for the sixteen Algerian national daily newspapers which unanimously declared their opposition to terrorism on 28 March 1995;

5. Considers that it is now the duty of the Algerian government, which already bears most responsibility for the present situation, to propose dialogue that would enable the political and social forces in the country to seek a way out of the political deadlock and a situation approaching civil war;

6. Expresses its hope that the dialogue recently initiated between President Zerouai and several opposition parties will bring about an agreement on the holding of elections and the participation of all elements of political life;

7. Calls for the immediate cessation of all military cooperation between the Member States of the Union and Algeria;

8. Calls on the governments of the Member States to prohibit the expulsion to Algeria of democrats who are threatened with death there, to make it easier for Algerian citizens who face threats in their own country to be given visas, to help them during their temporary residence in Europe and ensure that leaders of fundamentalist terrorist movements are not allowed into their countries;

9. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the governments of the Member States and the Algerian government.