WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2353/97 by Roberta ANGELILLI to the Commission. The role of information in the affair of the Italian peace mission in Somalia
Date: 1997-07-10
Institutions: ANGELILLI, European Parliament
Subjects: Italy, Somalia, cruel and degrading treatment, freedom of the press, humanitarian aid, indigenous population, peacekeeping, professional ethics

16. 4. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 117/13

(98/C 117/16)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2353/97

by Roberta Angelilli (NI) to the Commission

(10 July 1997)

Subject: The role of information in the affair of the Italian peace mission in Somalia

The Italian media have recently made much of a scandal concerning the torture and abuse allegedly inflicted by
Italian soldiers on Somali civilians during the international peace mission (cid:145)Restore Hope(cid:146) in Somalia. In addition
to  identifying  individuals  who  may  have  been  responsible  for  instances  of  violence  incompatible  with  the
humanitarian spirit of the mission, which should be the task of the military courts, the Italian media have treated
the affair with excessive sensationalism, often highlighting unsubstantiated rumours and involving indiscrimi-
nately all those who took part in the humanitarian mission. This coverage threatens to become an unacceptable
smear campaign against the Italian armed forces. The affair is an outstanding example of the central role played
by the media in modern society › it creates the impression that a peace mission turned into an endless series of
torture and abuse from one day to the next. All this suggests that we should think seriously about the role of the
media. Without prejudice to the right to freedom of information, instruments must be devised to guarantee the
public(cid:146)s  right  to  information  which  is  accurate,  unbiased  and  free  of  sensationalism  or  the  possibility  of
exploitation, on both issues involving the national interest and issues concerning individuals. There should be
emphasis on the need to ensure that everyone is entitled not to be pilloried or subjected to trial by television.

In view of all this can the Commission say:

1.  what it thinks about this affair;

2.  whether thought has been given at European level to the ethics and accuracy of information, and if so, with

what tangible results?

Answer given by Mr Pinheiro on behalf of the Commission

(24 October 1997)

The Commission is aware of the news in the press about accusations of ill-treatment of Somalis in connection
with the United Nations’ operation Restore Hope.

To the Commission, such conduct › if proved › merits condemnation but must not be allowed to obscure the
positive outcome of UN action and the key role played in it by the Union and the contributing countries’ forces.

(98/C 117/17)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2358/97

by Undine-Uta Bloch von Blottnitz (V) to the Commission

(10 July 1997)

Subject: Failure to implement the EU regulation on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora (338/97) in

Germany

The new EU Regulation on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora (338/97) (1)  came  into  force  on
1 June  1997.  Article  16  of  the  Regulation  calls  on  the  Member  States  to  introduce  sanctions,  seizure  and
confiscation in the event of infringements of the new regulation. Germany has as yet failed to do so although it
has had adequate time and warning before the regulation came into force. Species of fauna and flora considered
by the EU to need special protection may therefore from now on be imported or exported scot-free. Nor are the
purchase, offer to purchase, acquisition for commercial purposes, use for commercial gain, display to the public
for commercial purposes, or the sale, keeping for sale, offering for sale or transporting for sale of the species
listed in Annexes A or B of the regulation subject to sanctions, as they should be under the Regulation. In all
these cases the German Customs have not been given the power to act.