EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 88/30

(2004/C 88 E/0032)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1417/03

by Bob van den Bos (ELDR), Margrietus van den Berg (PSE), Maria Martens (PPE-DE) and Joost Lagendijk (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(23 April 2003)

Subject: Situation of religious minorities in Gujarat, India

For some years now India has been confronted with a growing Hindu fundamentalist movement, which manifests itself in growing violence against religious minorities.

In the spring of 2002 about 2 000 Muslims were massacred in the Indian state of Gujarat. Both Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have recently reported that the perpetrators were not punished and that no assistance has been offered to the victims by the Indian Government. Human Rights Watch also states that the mass murder was planned in advance and carried out with ‘large-scale government participation and support’, and that there is now talk of ghettoisation of the Muslim community. Some Hindu extremist organisations regularly suggest that another ‘Gujarat’ could happen.

There is also violence against Christians, and the ‘anti-conversion’ law adopted on 26 March 2003 is giving rise to grave concern regarding the freedom and safety of these and other religious minorities.

1. Is the Commission prepared to suspend bilateral development aid to Gujarat until it is clear that the perpetrators of the mass murder have been punished, the victims rehabilitated and the marginalisation of Christians and Muslims stopped, and, in this connection, that the recommendations of the Indian National Human Rights Commission, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have been implemented? If not, why not?

2. How and when did the Commission act upon and/or will it, in dialogue with the Indian Government, act upon the serious concerns about the situation in Gujarat expressed by the European Union in April and May last year?

3. What recommendations can the Commission give to firms registered in the European Union and active in Gujarat with a view to their avoiding contributing to discrimination against religious and other minorities in the current situation?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(15 May 2003)

The Commission is aware of the communal tensions in Gujarat and understands the Honourable Members' concern. The Commission fully agrees that the perpetrators of the crimes in Gujarat should be brought to justice, the victims rehabilitated, and the rights of religious minorities protected.

The Union respects and promotes the principles laid down in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. The Co-operation Agreement between the Community and the Republic of India sets out ‘inter alia’ that respect for human rights and democratic principles is an essential element of this agreement.

It is, therefore, according to these principles that the Community-India development co-operation is implemented, and the Community development programme in Gujarat is no exception.

Most of the Community bilateral development aid to Gujarat is channelled through non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Of the EUR 93 million that the Commission pledged to Gujarat as a response to the 2001 earthquake, only EUR 40 million has been channelled through the Government of Gujarat. This sum is explicitly dedicated to rebuilding hospitals damaged by the earthquake, and the Commission monitors the implementation of this programme very closely.

The Union has acted to the serious situation in Gujarat in a number of ways, including the provision of a relief package for the victims through its humanitarian aid office (ECHO).

Furthermore, the Union has agreed to deal with all matters concerning democracy and human rights in India through its regular, on-going constructive dialogue with the Indian Government.

Regarding the third question, it is not within the competence of the Commission to give explicit recommendations to private companies on how they should operate in third countries. However, the Commission is committed to encouraging companies to act according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) guidelines on Corporate Social Responsibility. These guidelines make reference to the need to respect and protect the human rights of employees, and to avoid discrimination against minority groups.