B4-0818, 0822, 0834, 0860, 0867, 0871 and 0874/98

Resolution on the situation in the Great Lakes Region and the Democratic Republic of Congo in particular

The European Parliament,

- recalling its previous resolutions on the situation in the Great Lakes Region and in the Democratic Republic of Congo in particular,

A. deeply concerned at the persistent instability in the Great Lakes Region and at the grave situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo in particular, where a rebellion against President Kabila threatens to develop into a full-scale regional conflict,

B. whereas this rebellion finds its primary causes in the failure of President Kabila to secure control of the country, particularly in the East, to embark on a real democratic process and to respond positively to the expectations of the population, the neighbouring countries and the international community,

C. noting with concern that Angola, Zimbabwe and Namibia have openly entered the war on President Kabila's side against the rebels who are supported by Uganda and Rwanda, who have also deployed troops within the borders of the Democratic Republic of Congo,

D. concerned by the serious destabilisation caused in the Democratic Republic of Congo by the presence on its territory of many rebel groups which use this country as a base for their offensives both within Congo and against the neighbouring countries,

E. concerned by the fact that these rebel groups use the civilian population as hostages and enrol even children in their forces; concerned also by the many civilian casualties which result from these activities,

F. stressing that the European Union must play an active role in order to ensure peace, security and stability in this part of the world,

G. whereas on 31 August 1998 the UN Security Council demanded an immediate ceasefire, the withdrawal of all foreign forces and the opening of a political dialogue to put an end to the civil war; whereas on the same occasion it also upheld the territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of Congo and all regional diplomatic initiatives towards a peaceful settlement of the conflict, and called again for an international Conference on Peace, Security and Development in the region to be organised by the UN and the OAU,

H. whereas any negotiated settlement in the Democratic Republic of Congo must be based on a process of national reconciliation which fully respects the equality and the harmonious coexistence of all ethnic groups, allows for the return and reintegration of refugees and displaced persons, and leads to the holding of early free and fair democratic elections,

I. whereas the continuing presence of around two million refugees in the Great Lakes Region, due to the persistent ethnic violence and gross human rights violations that have characterised the recent history of Rwanda, Burundi and Democratic Republic of Congo, has resulted in a tremendous humanitarian crisis, which requires the urgent attention of the international community as well as full and unconditional access to be granted to humanitarian agencies and personnel,

J. whereas the EU, in the last four years, has contributed an amount of ECU 593 million for humanitarian aid in the region; deploring, despite this aid, the lack of a Council initiative on the conflict in Congo, and wishing to see a European Union initiative addressed to all the African countries involved in the crisis,

K. regretting the fact that the mediation efforts undertaken since the start of the conflict have ended in failure and that the warring factions have not agreed to a ceasefire,

L. mindful of the acts of violence and grave human rights violations committed by the warring parties against civilians and prisoners alike,

1. Condemns all the human rights violations, summary executions, torture, harassment, ethnically motivated arrests of civilians, enrolment of children as soldiers as well as ethnic propaganda and incitement to ethnic violence, which have been openly committed in this conflict;

2. Calls for an immediate ceasefire and for the immediate withdrawal of all foreign forces as well as for full respect for the territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of Congo;

3. Insists that any peace talks have to involve all parties to the conflict and must be based on the principles set out in the Security Council Declaration of 29 August 1998, in particular full respect for the peaceful coexistence of all ethnic groups and the holding of free and democratic elections as soon as possible;

4. Welcomes the recent allocation of ECU 55.5 million in humanitarian aid by the Commission and calls on the EU to put pressure on all parties to the conflict to fully respect humanitarian law and to guarantee the forwarding of humanitarian aid and the security of humanitarian personnel;

5. Calls on the EU to support fully the UN initiative for an international Conference on Peace, Security and Development in the region, which must address in particular the problem of refugees and displaced persons in the region;

6. Calls for a Council initiative on the conflict in Congo and considers that a European Union initiative is needed, addressed to all the African countries involved in the crisis;

7. Considers that ACP-EU cooperation with the Democratic Republic of Congo is vital to stability in the region, and to supporting the democratisation and development of a country which is recovering from a dictatorship and stresses that an end to all military hostilities, respect for international humanitarian conventions and human rights and the establishment of democratic institutions are prerequisites for the implementation of such cooperation;

8. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the ACP-EU Council of Ministers, the UN, OAU and SADC Secretaries-General and the governments of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, Tanzania and South Africa.