B4-0819/98

Resolution on the situation in Sudan

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its previous resolutions on Sudan,

- having regard to the statement made by the Presidency of the European Union on 1 May 1998,

A. extremely concerned at the continuing deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Sudan, where 350 000 people are threatened by famine, and aware that drought and frequent population movements risk exacerbating this situation still further,

B. having regard to the immeasurable suffering the people of Sudan have already undergone, which is felt all the more acutely after 15 years of a murderous conflict which has already led to the deaths of a million people, devastated the country and overwhelmed its economic and social structures,

C. shocked at the warring parties' policy of hindering or diverting humanitarian aid, thus depriving people of food aid they urgently need,

D. deploring the continuing severe human rights violations perpetrated by all parties to the conflict against the defenceless civilian population,

E. recalling in particular its condemnation of the repressive and anti-democratic actions of the Sudanese Government, which have taken the form of repeated violations of human rights (particularly political and religious rights), forced conscription (particularly of children) and support for international terrorism, in defiance of the numerous warnings and sanctions imposed by the international community,

F. endorsing the efforts of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), whose regional peace initiative still seems to be the only possible route to a just and peaceful settlement of the conflict,

G. noting the positive developments at the negotiations held at the beginning of August 1998 in Addis Ababa and the progress which they permitted, particularly in encouraging an end to hostilities in Bahr el-Ghazal, but noting that there are still several stumbling blocks to an agreement between the parties,

1. Calls on the warring parties to work together, without reservations or conditions, to convey and deliver humanitarian aid and to guarantee freedom of access and movement for humanitarian agencies in the areas affected by food shortages;

2. Calls on the warring parties to continue these negotiations under the auspices of IGAD with a view to overcoming the disputes which still divide them, and to embark on the route of a lasting peaceful settlement which will put an end to the suffering of the Sudanese people;

3. Considers that no significant step can be taken in the peace process until a ceasefire has been finally announced; notes the provisional ceasefire agreement concluded at the beginning of August 1998 with the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) and calls on all the warring parties to endorse this agreement, making it final and comprehensive;

4. Calls on all the warring parties in the Sudanese conflict to put an end to the many atrocities and human rights violations which have been committed in Sudan, and to stop holding the people hostage in pursuit of their political and military objectives;

5. Calls on the international community, and on the European Union in particular, to give its full support to the peace process being promoted by IGAD;

6. Calls on the international community as a whole, and in particular on the Member States of the European Union and the Commission, to mobilise funding in a coherent response to the appeal from the Secretary-General of the UN for funds aimed at preventing a large-scale famine in Sudan;

7. Condemns the Sudanese authorities' support for international terrorism;

8. Insists that sanctions against the Sudanese Government be upheld, including the suspension of all development aid from the European Union with the exception of emergency humanitarian aid, until tangible improvements are observed in the human rights record of the Sudanese Government and a transparent, comprehensive democratisation policy has been put in place;

9. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Co-Presidents of the ACP-EU Joint Assembly, the UN Secretary-General, the governments of the member states of IGAD, the Sudanese Government and the leaders of the SPLM.