B4-0094/96

Resolution on Sierra Leone

The European Parliament,

A. deeply concerned at the grave situation prevailing in Sierra Leone since 1994,

B. deeply concerned at the consequences of the latest coup d'état of 16 January 1996 which overthrew the country's military leader, Captain Strasser, and replaced him with his deputy and armed forces chief, Captain Bio,

C. fearing that the latest coup d'état will further delay the return to civilian rule which had been promised by the ousted President Strasser through the scheduled elections of 26 February 1996,

D. disturbed at the constant violations of basic and civil rights in the conflict between the National Provisional Ruling Council (NPRC) and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), which launched an offensive from the neighbouring country of Liberia in 1991,

E. aware that both government and rebel forces have been guilty of excesses and that the climate of insecurity is so great as to imperil the holding of democratic elections expressing the genuine will of the people,

F. concerned also at the problem of refugees and displaced persons,

The European Parliament,

1. Condemns the latest coup d'état and calls on the NPRC to assert its authority over the government forces in Sierra Leone in order to end human rights violations, particularly torture, ill-treatment and extra-judicial executions;

2. Insists on an immediate return to civilian rule;

3. Calls on the government to end its complicity in the violations perpetrated by its security forces and to establish a strict line of command to ensure that subordinates can no longer carry out such offences with impunity;

4. Calls for those responsible for torture, ill-treatment and summary executions to be immediately suspended from office and brought to trial in accordance with the international rules in force;

5. Calls also on the RUF rebel forces and other armed groups active in Sierra Leone to comply with international laws and end the summary execution of civilians, members of the armed forces and government representatives and to put a stop to the practice of hostage-taking;

6. Questions whether it is advisable to retain the current timetable for the elections in view of the highly unstable conditions prevailing at present;

7. Calls on the international organizations, particularly the UN and OAU, to do everything in their power and to bring their influence to bear so as to end the serious and widespread human rights violations by both sides and find viable solutions to this grave crisis; requests that all proposed peace initiatives give full weight to human rights considerations and all related guarantees;

8. Reiterates its concern regarding the participation of the people in the elections and the technical feasibility of holding them; calls for the elections to be very carefully monitored by the international organizations and urges the parties to the conflict to agree on a truce throughout the elections so as to enable the country to return to the path of democracy;

9. Hopes that its message will be heard by all those who support freedom and progress and calls on the OAU, the UN and the Council to seek a rapprochement between the parties to the conflict so as to bring them to the negotiating table, if only on a temporary basis;

10. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Government of Liberia, the leaders of the NPRC and the RUF, and the Secretaries-General of the OAU and the United Nations.