European Parliament resolution on human rights in Guatemala
Date: 2001-06-14
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: Guatemala, crime against humanity, human rights, international human rights law, peacekeeping

28.2.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 53 E/403

Thursday 14 June 2001

18. Human rights: Guatemala

B5-0430, 0438, 0448, 0456 and 0464/2001

European Parliament resolution on human rights in Guatemala

The European Parliament,

(cid:129) having regard to its earlier resolutions on the situation in Guatemala, with particular reference to the

resolution of 18 May 2000 (1),

(cid:129) having regard to its resolution of 16 March 2000 on support for the Geneva Conventions of

12 August 1949 and international humanitarian law (2),

(cid:129) having regard to its firm and steady commitment to peace processes in general and to the peace and

reconciliation agreements in Guatemala in particular,

(cid:129) having regard to the Declaration by the Presidency of the European Union of 25 April 2001 in
relation to the third anniversary of the death of Bishop Juan Gerardi, the court sentences recently
handed down in connection therewith, and the call for an end to impunity,

A. whereas the State of Guatemala has ratified by the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and the Convention

on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide,

B. whereas the Commission for Historical Clarification has recommended that,

those
responsible for instigating or promoting crimes against humanity, including genocide, be brought to
justice by the Guatemalan authorities,

in particular,

C. whereas President Portillo of Guatemala has declared publicly that the recommendations of the Com-
mission for Historical Clarification must be converted into undertakings of government and state,

D. whereas the Member States have an obligation to respect and ensure respect for international humani-

tarian law,

Calls on the Guatemalan authorities to carry out a full investigation into the allegations of crimes
1.
against humanity and genocide and, in particular, to bring those responsible for planning, instigating or
promoting such crimes to justice in Guatemala;

Asks the Commission and Member States to closely monitor progress of the case recently brought
2.
against the Military High Command of the Guatemalan Armed Forces concerning the alleged genocide in
1982;

3. Welcomes the fact that President Portillo has repeatedly demonstrated his determination to clarify the
circumstances surrounding the tragic death of Bishop Gerardi and to ensure that the perpetrators and
instigators of the crime are brought to justice; welcomes also the determination shown by the Guatemalan
judges to bring the (cid:145)Gerardi trial(cid:146) to a close;

4. Welcomes the latest decisions taken by the courts in connection with this case and asks (cid:129) and
expects (cid:129) the Guatemalan authorities to guarantee the Guatemalan judicial authorities responsible for
investigating the crimes full independence and complete freedom in carrying out their work;

Expresses concern at the recent acts of violence perpetrated in the country, the victims of which
5.
included judges and other judicial officials, as well as human rights activists and defenders, journalists,
political leaders and some EU citizens;

(1) OJ C 59, 23.2.2001, p. 286.
(2) OJ C 377, 29.12.2000, p. 335.

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.