B4-0105, 0106, 0107, 0108 and 0109/96

Resolution on the situation in Burundi

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its previous resolutions on the situation in Burundi,

A. alarmed by the continuing deterioration of security conditions in Burundi and the recent escalation of inter-ethnic violence that prompted the UN Secretary-General on 29 December 1995 to renew his appeal to the Security Council for the despatching of a UN preventive force to the Zaire-Burundi border,

B. fearing that the lack of response by the international community to the terrible events that are under way in Burundi might allow a repetition in this country of the tragedy that occurred in 1994 in Rwanda,

C. disturbed at the fact that, notwithstanding the wish of the UN Secretary- General, the Security Council has failed to undertake any practical initiative with respect to Burundi,

D. whereas most of the commitments entered into by the Council in the Carcassonne global action plan have not been put into effect,

E. reaffirming its anxiety as regards the fate of NGO representatives on the ground who are facing enormous problems in fulfilling their duties and helping the inhabitants,

F. conscious, however, that the only hope to achieve reconciliation in Burundi resides with the Burundians themselves, in particular the democratic institutions, the army and ultimately the people,

1. Believes that the situation in Burundi is in the process of degenerating to a point of extreme danger and that there may even be a risk of fresh genocide, for which the international community would bear a heavy responsibility;

2. Firmly condemns the continued ethnic killings and all other acts of violence that are committed by bands of extremists on both sides and by elements of the army, in an on-going attempt to destabilize the situation and scale up ethnic confrontation;

3. Urges the UN Security Council to fulfil the request of the Secretary-General and decide the immediate despatching of a preventive force before it is too late;

4. Urges all political forces in Burundi, and in particular the army, to stop the escalation of violence and isolate all extremists; in this context praises the recent decision to establish joint 'security committees' between the UN and the Burundian authorities, and calls on the latter to cooperate with the UN Security Council in implementing every measure taken to bolster the country's stability;

5. Calls on the international community to take whatever steps are necessary to ensure the safety of NGO representatives rather than rapidly repatriating those wishing to help Burundi, thereby abandoning the population to its fate;

6. Reaffirms its total support for the President, democratic forces in Burundi, and the legitimate democratic institutions;

7. Believes that the Commission, the Council and the Member States must waste no further time in devising and implementing a prevention strategy for Burundi based on the document on preventive diplomacy adopted by the Council on 4 December 1995;

8. Considers the continuing failure to implement the global action plan to constitute an exceedingly grave omission and calls for the plan to be put rapidly into effect;

9. Welcomes the proposal put forward at the December 1995 meeting of the 'Development' Council to appoint a special European Union envoy to help establish a dialogue with the governments concerned and support and cooperate with the UN and the OAU in their efforts to restore peace and stability in the region and enable refugees and displaced persons to return to their homes;

10. Endorses the call made at the Madrid European Council to strengthen the existing capabilities of the OAU and promote cooperation between the Union and the OAU in order to ensure that Africans can play a more active part in preventing and resolving the crises directly affecting them and take charge of preventive diplomacy and the settlement of disputes;

11. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments of the Member States, the Government of Burundi, the Secretaries-General of the UN and the OAU, and the Co-Presidents of the ACP-EU Joint Assembly.