European Parliament resolution on the Presidential Elections in Chad
Date: 2001-06-14
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: Chad, electoral fraud, human rights, presidential election

C 53 E/404

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

28.2.2002

Thursday 14 June 2001

6.
Firmly condemns such acts, which seriously undermine the climate of peaceful coexistence and
respect for the rule of law which are essential to the process of Guatemalan national reconciliation; calls
on the Guatemalan government to ensure that the necessary mechanisms are in place to protect potential
victims of such attacks and that the perpetrators are brought to justice, so as to eliminate the risk of
impunity, in line with the recommendations of the Commission for Historical Clarification;

7.
Asks the Commission and Member States to support the initiatives currently in progress, especially
those against the Military High Command of the Guatemalan Armed Forces in 1982, with a view to
bringing those responsible for genocide and crimes against humanity to justice and also to support the
Guatemalan State in protecting witnesses, lawyers and human rights organisations involved in bringing
legal actions against those allegedly responsible for these crimes;

Emphasises the special importance of ending the atmosphere of impunity for political crimes and

8.
gross human rights abuses;

9.
Expresses its support for the Guatemalan people and authorities in their efforts to implement the
peace accords so as to consolidate democracy, the rule of law and economic, social and political devel-
opment in their country;

Calls on the Commission to keep a watchful eye on Guatemala(cid:146)s progress towards peace and

10.
democracy;

11.
Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the Member
States, and to the Guatemalan Government and Parliament, the Secretary-General of the OAS and the
Central American Parliament.

19. Human rights: Electoral fraud in Chad

B5-0439, 0449, 0457, 0465 and 0472/2001

European Parliament resolution on the Presidential Elections in Chad

The European Parliament,

(cid:129) having regard to its resolution of 20 January 2000 on human rights violations in connection with the

Chad/Cameroon oil and pipeline project (1),

(cid:129) having regard to the presidential elections held on 20 May 2001, in which 80,9 % of the people of

Chad participated,

(cid:129) having regard to the doubts expressed regarding the drawing up of electoral lists,

A. whereas 36 observers from the Francophone Movement, the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and
Comessa (Community of the Sahel and Saharan States) and from Algeria, Niger and Sudan stated that
(cid:145)altogether voting proceeded without major difficulties and intimidation(cid:146) although (cid:145)technical and
organisational inadequacies were observed(cid:146),

B. whereas the 400 national observers from Oniped (Independent National Observatory for the Moni-

toring of Electoral Procedures and Democracy) complained of numerous irregularities,

C. whereas, when the results were announced, a spontaneous demonstration was dispersed using live

ammunition leaving one person dead and many injured,

(1) OJ C 304, 24.10.2000, p. 211.

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 53 E/405

D. whereas private and community radios were not allowed to broadcast the political debate or present
the programmes put forward by the various candidates taking part in the presidential elections,

Thursday 14 June 2001

E.

alarmed that six presidential candidates and some of their associates were briefly detained and that one
of the candidates, Ngarledy Yorongar, declares that he was violently struck by the security forces,

F. whereas the opposition is alleging massive fraud during the poll of 20 May 2001 and is threatening to
call for an annulment and recalling that the first presidential poll in 1996 was marred by accusation of
electoral fraud,

G. whereas the Chadian Constitutional Assembly endorsed the results of 13 June 2001, after counting
votes by some 500 000 Chadians living abroad and investigating allegations of voting irregularities,

H.

concerned at reports that, of the initial USD 25 million released by the Chad-Cameroon Pipeline
Consortium, USD 4,5 million have already been used for the purchase of arms,

I.

recalling that the European Investment Bank is providing funding for the project and that it is also
receiving assistance from the World Bank,

J. whereas parliamentary elections in Chad are scheduled for Sunday, 17 March 2002,

1.
Calls on the Government and political parties in Chad to work together to preserve calm and restrain
from violence whilst allegations of vote-rigging and fraud are investigated by the constitutional authorities;

Condemns the harassment and arrest of opposition candidates and reaffirms its belief in peaceful

2.
means of coming to power through free and transparent elections;

Notes that the election of President Idriss Deby on 20 May 2001 was confirmed by the Chadian

3.
Constitutional Court on 13 June 2001;

Believes that an electoral process cannot be carried out with efficiency and transparency in a situ-

4.
ation where most elementary rights of expression are continuously threatened;

5.
Considers that respect for human rights and political pluralism are essential to allow the population
to defend its legitimate interests, participate in decision-making and, in the final analysis, combat poverty;

Calls on the Chadian authorities to bring to justice the members of the forces of law and order

6.
accused of committing exactions during the presidential election campaign;

Calls on the Council and the United Nations to create sustainable development policies that streng-
7.
then and support economic, health and social developments in Chad to help alleviate poverty, promote
stability, underpin the rule of law and ensure good governance;

Recalls that progress on the Chad oil pipeline requires a situation of stability and hence democracy
8.
and that revenue from the project should be fairly allocated among the people of Chad and not used for
electoral purposes;

Calls on the Chadian Government, the World Bank and the European Investment Bank to investigate

9.
the alleged misappropriation of funds intended for the Chad-Cameroon pipeline;

Urges the European Union to send a team of monitors to the next elections in Chad, and to help

10.
fund programmes in order to prevent future technical and electoral irregularities;

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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28.2.2002

Thursday 14 June 2001

Calls on the Commission to examine the possibility of using the consultation procedure under the

11.
terms of Article 96 of the Cotonou Convention;

12.
Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments
and parliaments of the Member States, the ACP-EU Council of Ministers, the Chadian Government and the
Secretary-General of the OAU.

20. Human rights: Egypt

B5-0440, 0450, 0466 and 0471/2001

European Parliament resolution on human rights in Egypt

The European Parliament,

(cid:129) having regard to its previous resolutions on Egypt,

A. whereas Dr Saad Eddin Ibrahim, Director of the Khaldun Centre for Democracy, was arrested together
with 27 other people in July 2000 and sentenced on 21 May 2001 to seven years(cid:146) imprisonment;
pointing out also that the Egyptian judiciary is required to review his case,

B. whereas Mrs Nawal Saadawi has been victim of a defamation campaign that attributed her some
statements offending Islam; whereas the Attorney General has decided in her case to drop the charge
of (cid:145)contempt for religion(cid:146) and to transfer the charge of apostasy to the competent court with his
recommendation to drop the charges,

1.

Calls for Dr Ibrahim to be assured a fair trial;

Recalls that freedom of expression is fundamental for the development and strengthening of democ-

2.
racy;

3.
Reaffirms the importance of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership in promoting the rule of law and
human rights; asks the Commission to strengthen its MEDA programme for democracy, in cooperation
with the Egyptian authorities,
in particular with a view to supporting freedom of expression and the
independence of the media;

Expresses its support for the Khaldun Centre for Democracy and calls on the Commission to con-

4.
tinue to support its initiatives;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the Egyptian

5.
Government and parliament.

21. Human rights: Malaysia

B5-0433, 0441, 0451, 0458 and 0467/2001

European Parliament resolution on Malaysia

The European Parliament,

(cid:129) having regard to its previous resolutions on the situation in Malaysia,

(cid:129) having regard to Article 5 of the Federal Constitution of Malaysia, which guarantees all Malaysians the

right to liberty of their persons,