WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3898/97 by Amedeo AMADEO to the Commission. Acts of brutality committed in Somalia by soldiers from EU Member States
Date: 1997-12-11
Institutions: AMADEO, European Parliament
Subjects: Somalia, UNO, civil defence, civil war, civilian victim, cruel and degrading treatment, multinational force, violence

8. 6. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 174/153

(98/C 174/227)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3897/97

by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Council

(10 December 1997)

Subject: Acts of brutality committed in Somalia by soldiers from EU Member States

With reference to Written Question E-2488/97 by the Honorable Member Nikitas Kaklamanis (UPE), in which he
asks (cid:145)Will the Council say how it intends to react to the reports of unprecedented acts of brutality by soldiers
from Member States (and notably, founding members) of the Union, acts which have dealt a devastating blow to
its prestige as a whole and which give its declarations about (cid:145)(cid:146)protection of human rights(cid:146) a hollow ring?(cid:146), will
the  Council  give  an  immediate  response  in  the  light  of  the  findings  of  an  inquiry  by  the  Italian  Ministry  of
Defence and the admission by the editor of (cid:145)Panorama(cid:146) that he was mistaken, in order to prevent any offence to
the peace forces sent to Somalia, particularly the illustrious soldiers of Folgore?

The Honourable Member(cid:146)s Question does not fall within the Council(cid:146)s purview.

Answer

(26 February 1998)

(98/C 174/228)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3898/97

by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission

(11 December 1997)

Subject: Acts of brutality committed in Somalia by soldiers from EU Member States

With reference to Written Question E-2488/97 by the Honorable Member Nikitas Kaklamanis (UPE), in which he
asks (cid:145)Will the Council say how it intends to react to the reports of unprecedented acts of brutality by soldiers
from Member States (and notably, founding members) of the Union, acts which have dealt a devastating blow to
its prestige as a whole and which give its declarations about (cid:145)protection of human rights(cid:146) a hollow ring?(cid:146), will the
Council give an immediate response in the light of the findings of an inquiry by the Italian Ministry of Defence
and the admission by the editor of (cid:145)Panorama(cid:146) that he was mistaken, in order to prevent any offence to the peace
forces sent to Somalia, particularly the illustrious soldiers of Folgore?

Answer given by Mr Pinheiro on behalf of the Commission

(14 January 1998)

The Commission is following developments in the investigation of the accusations of bad treatment inflicted on
Somalians by members of the United Nations Restore Hope mission.

The investigation falls within the competence of the countries whose troops participated in the UN mission.

The Commission would emphasise the essential role played by the Union and the countries concerned in sending
peace-keeping troops as part of the Restore Hope operation, which saved thousands of human lives.

(98/C 174/229)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3901/97

by Carlo Secchi (PPE) to the Commission

(27 November 1997)

Subject: Ban on advertizing laxatives in Italy

Is  the  Commission  aware  that  the  Italian  Health  Ministry(cid:146)s  Drugs  Board  has  decided  to  reclassify  laxatives,
which are at present classed as OTC [over the counter] drugs, as so-called SOP (senza obbligo di prescrizione) or
restricted non-prescription drugs which, unlike OTC drugs, cannot be advertized to the public?