WRITTEN QUESTION E-2660/00 by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Council. Persecution in the Moluccas.
Date: 2000-08-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Christian, Indonesia, fact-finding mission, humanitarian aid, religious discrimination, religious group

C 113 E/146

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.4.2001

(2001/C 113 E/150)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2659/00

by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(1 September 2000)

Subject: European ban on the keeping of dangerous dogs

In recent weeks, the death of a young boy in Germany, who had been attacked and literally torn to pieces
by a pitbull dog, as well as a large number of other incidents of a similar nature, have caused a great
sensation and led to a situation where the keeping of dangerous dogs in Germany is now subject to
extremely strict rules. In this regard, does not the Commission deem it necessary to establish uniform
European standards resulting in a total ban on the breeding, import and keeping of dangerous dogs so as
to ensure that such incidents cannot recur in the EU?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(6 October 2000)

The Commission is aware of the danger that the keeping of combat dogs represents as far as the
protection of human life is concerned.

However, the Commission(cid:146)s work programme currently includes no plans for rules to introduce a total ban
on the breeding, import and keeping of combat dogs on the territory of the Community.

Against this background, the Commission tends to the view that it is the responsibility of the Member
States, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, to take the appropriate measures to reflect national
sensibilities, while complying with the rules of the EC Treaty.

Accordingly, although Article 28 stipulates that Member States may not adopt national measures that
create restrictions on the free movement of the animals concerned, Article 30 authorises them to do so if
such measures are justified on grounds of the protection of the health and life of humans, provided that
the restrictions concerned are proportionate to the objective to be attained and are applicable without
distinction.

(2001/C 113 E/151)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2660/00

by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Council

(3 August 2000)

Subject: Persecution in the Moluccas

The European Parliament has already adopted two resolutions on human rights violations in the Moluccas
(Indonesia), the first in January 2000 and the second in July 2000,
in order to protest against the
persecution of Christians and the devastation of villages inhabited by Indonesians practising the Christian
religion, violations which have now been going on for months.

Can the Council indicate what it has done on the basis of those two resolutions to bring about a genuine
improvement in the situation?

Reply

(30 November 2000)

The Council has on several occasions, in particular through the Heads of Mission of the EU Member States
represented in Jakarta, raised with the Indonesian authorities (cid:129) including the President and the Vice-
President of the Republic (cid:129) its deep concern at the inter-community conflict in the Moluccas. It has called,
inter alia, for free access for humanitarian organisations. The Community is giving consideration to a
further contribution of some € 2 million in humanitarian assistance to displaced persons.

18.4.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 113 E/147

A European mission composed of representatives from the Embassies of nine Member States and the
European Commission in Jakarta visited the Moluccas from 12 to 19 October 2000. Open as it was to all
European Union Member States represented in Jakarta,
the major players in the
community, i.e. the administrative authorities and police, the Muslim, Protestant and Catholic religious
communities and the international and Indonesian NGOs. The series of contacts was completed by visits to
the refugee camps in Ambon and Ternate. The mission confirmed that the tension and violence in the
Moluccas was damaging the exercise of people(cid:146)s fundamental rights, a matter of some concern for the
Union. The members of the mission came to the conclusion that support for humanitarian aid projects
could foster a return to normality, especially if it took place within a proper framework of dialogue with
the parties concerned.

the mission met

The Council would assure the Honourable Member that it will remain vigilant regarding any development
in the situation in question.

(2001/C 113 E/152)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2662/00

by Christos Zacharakis (PPE-DE) and Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE) to the Council

(3 August 2000)

Subject: Arrest of representatives of the press by Turkish forces in the occupied territory of Cyprus

The editor-in-chief of the newspaper (cid:145)Avrupa(cid:146), Sener Levent, and the journalists Ali Osman and Harun
Denizkan, along with other members of the newspaper(cid:146)s staff, were arrested on charges of espionage on
7 July 2000 and subsequently interrogated by the authorities of the Turkish Cypriot pseudo-state and the
Turkish forces occupying northern Cyprus. These spurious and defamatory accusations, which have also
been made against the Cyprus Writers(cid:146) Union and in particular against its chairman, Andreas Kannaouros,
constitute a flagrant violation of fundamental freedoms with the aim of intimidating journalists, curbing
freedom of expression in the occupied part of Cyprus and, more specifically, compelling Mr Kannaouros to
abandon his fight for press freedom and silencing the newspaper (cid:145)Avrupa(cid:146) and its journalists.

1. What steps has the Council taken and what measures will
violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms?

it adopt in the face of this flagrant

2.
On the basis of the conclusions of the Helsinki Summit and the strict application of the Copenhagen
criteria with regard to respect for human rights in the applicant countries, is it possible for Turkey to open
pre-accession negotiations with the EU while it commits such acts?

3.
Given that relations between the EU and Turkey are governed by the basic principles of respect for
democratic principles, the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms, and that their progress has
been made subject to the fulfilment of these conditions, can the EU continue to deepen relations with
Turkey if Turkey does not comply with these principles?

Reply

(20 November 2000)

The specific case referred to by the Honourable Members has not been brought before the Council and it
has therefore not adopted any concrete measures. The Council reiterates that the Union is concerned by
information reporting human rights violations and that it will continue to monitor closely the human
rights situation in Turkey and, if necessary, take up individual cases with the Turkish authorities. The
statement by the Helsinki European Council that compliance with the Copenhagen political criteria is a
prerequisite for the opening of accession negotiations is still valid. Developments in Turkey have not yet
reached a stage which would allow further deepening of EU-Turkey relations through the initiation of
accession negotiations.