European Parliament resolution on the situation in Zimbabwe
Date: 2001-09-06
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: EU aid, Zimbabwe, agricultural real estate, authoritarian regime, democratisation, diplomatic relations, political violence

21.3.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 72 E/339

Thursday 6 September 2001

11.
Calls on its committee with responsibility for matters relating to the Rules of Procedure to adjust
existing provisions to enable individual citizens to use electronic data processing resources in the various
phases of the petitions process;

Urges its relevant committee to reflect on the amendments which must be made to Title XVII of
12.
Annex VI of its Rules of Procedure so as to give the Committee on Petitions a more active role in assessing
the petitions forwarded to it;

Considers that citizens(cid:146) possibilities to initiate Community legislation through petitions should be
13.
strengthened; asks the committee responsible to consider possible modifications to the Rules of Procedures
and the Treaties to this effect;

14.
Calls for the drafting of a new interinstitutional agreement to ensure that petitions are processed
for example by introducing mandatory deadlines, effective cooperation
more effectively and rapidly,
between the European Parliament, Council, Commission and European Ombudsman and compulsory
attendance by the Council at meetings where petitions are considered.

Takes the view that the new interinstitutional agreement should confirm the right of the Committee

15.
on Petitions to obtain the information and documents it needs in order to carry out its tasks;

16.
Should an institution fail to respond in a prompt and reasonable manner in seeking a fair solution
regarding a petition, will propose to the Presidency of Parliament that the matter be brought into the open
to the extent considered appropriate;

17.
Considers that, with a view to enlargement of the European Union to include the applicant coun-
tries, account should be taken of the provisions of the European Union Charter of Fundamental Rights, in
particular Article 21 thereof, wherever possible cases of infringement of the principle of non-discrimination
are under investigation;

18.
Considers that, with regard to petitions on particularly important subjects, it would be desirable for
the petitioners concerned to attend the deliberations of the Committee on Petitions either in Parliament or
at the place where the problem is situated and for the Directorate-General for Research or the STOA unit
to report on the matter;

Recommends that the institutions launch a Community initiative to educate and inform citizens

19.
concerning the right of petition and establish a relevant website on Internet;

Points out that promoting own-initiative reports has proved to be a highly suitable practice for

20.
adoption by the Committee on Petitions, for which reason it should be more widely used in future.

Instructs its President to forward this resolution and the accompanying report by its committee to
21.
the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States and their petitions
committees, together with the European Ombudsman and the national ombudsmen or similar organs in
the Member States.

13. Zimbabwe

B5-0549, 0554, 0571, 0581, 0582 and 0592/2001

European Parliament resolution on the situation in Zimbabwe

The European Parliament,

(cid:129) having regard to its previous resolutions on the situation in Zimbabwe on 13 April 2000 (1), 18 May

2000 (2), 6 July 2000 (3), and 15 March 2001 (4),

(1) OJ C 40, 7.2.2001, p. 425.
(2) OJ C 59, 23.2.2001, p. 241.
(3) OJ C 121, 24.4.2001, p. 394.
(4)
(cid:145)Texts Adopted(cid:146), Item 15.

C 72 E/340

Official Journal of the European Communities

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21.3.2002

Thursday 6 September 2001

(cid:129) having regard to the resolution of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly adopted in Libreville,

Gabon, on 22 March 2001,

(cid:129) having regard to the General Affairs Council Conclusions on 25 June 2001 which noted the lack of
progress in the ongoing political dialogue with the Government of Zimbabwe, and expressed deep
concern over recent developments in Zimbabwe,

(cid:129) having regard to the strong resolution adopted at the Civil Society Conference held in Harare on

4 August 2001,

(cid:129) having regard to the Government of Zimbabwe(cid:146)s threat to declare a State of Emergency,

(cid:129) having regard to the forthcoming meeting of the General Affairs Council on 8 October 2001,

A. whereas Zimbabwe is sliding into chaos with a dramatic deterioration in law and order and the
human rights situation in recent weeks as a direct result of actions inspired by President Mugabe,
entrenching a climate of fear and despair which effects all parts of the population,

B. whereas in the last 18 months 117 Zimbabwean citizens including seven farmers have been killed in
acts of political violence; whereas there have been massive human rights violations and in the last year
250 000 Zimbabweans have lost their jobs due to the political and economic turmoil,

C.

alarmed by the worsening food crisis with a severe shortage of staple foods including wheat and
maize, resulting in the need to import 40 % of Zimbabwe(cid:146)s needs,

D. whereas attacks on the freedom of the press have continued, with oppression of both foreign and
local journalists, including the arrest on 15 August 2001 of four journalists from the (cid:145)Daily News(cid:146),
United Nations reports of death threats against journalists in Zimbabwe and the existence of a (cid:145)hit-list(cid:146),

E. whereas police officers suspected of sympathy with the opposition have been dismissed, or transferred,

and the Commissioner of Police has openly announced his affiliation to ZANU-PF,

F. whereas members of the opposition MDC are routinely subject to harassment, violent intimidation,
and arbitrary imprisonment and go in fear of their lives: whereas MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai is
currently facing trumped-up charges; most recently MDC MP Willias Madzimure has been attacked
and his home looted and Douglas Chapoterara, MDC vice-chairman in Makoni West, narrowly
escaped death after an attack on his home by a mob of ZANU-PF militants,

G. whereas vicious attacks on farmers and farm-workers have continued, with the murder of Ralph
Corbet near Kwekwe, the mob burning of homes and brutal intimidation of farm-workers, the arrest
of over 21 farmers from the Chinhoyi area and their detention for over two weeks prior to release on
bail on excessively harsh conditions,

H. whereas the economy is near collapse with inflation at 70 % and unemployment close to 50 %;
whereas there has been a dramatic decline by 80 % in foreign investment and the Government has
decided to seize 40 % of any currency entering the country,

I. whereas for years the Zimbabwean Government has failed to properly address the inequitable pattern
of land ownership which is a major source of poverty and structural inequality, and whereas its recent
policy of land invasion is not only illegal and designed to utterly destabilise the country but also
represents an exploitation of racist feelings for electoral purposes,

J. whereas mere expressions of international dismay have had little effect on the Mugabe regime and

President Mugabe has shown contempt even for the imploring of other African leaders,

K. whereas the EU has so far not introduced procedures laid down in Article 96 of the Cotonou Agree-

ment;

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L. whereas most Member States have substantially cut or suspended their financial support and devel-

opment aid to Zimbabwe, but France has significantly increased its engagement,

M. whereas democratic political leaders in Zimbabwe have called for travel restrictions to be imposed on

President Mugabe and his close associates and for their overseas assets to be identified,

N. whereas presidential elections have to be held before April 2002, according to the Constitution;
whereas the administrative structures for handling the elections are likely to be established soon and
affect the respective chances of presidential candidates,

Condemns the escalation of violence in Zimbabwe and the Mugabe regime(cid:146)s unwillingness to end

1.
political violence and the illegal occupation of properties;

2.
Applauds the continued courage and resilience of those politicians and other citizens in Zimbabwe
who have continued to stand up for democratic values and human rights in spite of the most dreadful
intimidation;

Regrets that President Mugabe has refused to meet the Head of the World Council of Churches

3.
following criticism from Zimbabwean Churches for his failure to halt political violence;

4.
Insists on the importance of the impartiality of the police and judiciary in a state based on the rule of
law, and highlights (cid:145)The Zimbabwe Independent(cid:146) report confirming allegations about the corruption of the
Mugabe regime;

5.
Believes that the question of land ownership will only be settled through legal and non-violent means
and urges the government of Zimbabwe to solve the question of land distribution through legal, demo-
cratic and transparent mechanisms;

6. Welcomes efforts by the SADC task force, comprising South Africa, Mozambique, and Botswana
along with the SADC Troika of Malawi, Namibia and Angola, to encourage moderation and a return to
democratic norms by the government of President Mugabe;

7.
Trusts that the group of Commonwealth Foreign Ministers meeting in Abuja on 6 September 2001,
will insist that President Mugabe take immediate action to restore international confidence in the situation
in Zimbabwe, with particular attention to human rights, law and order, economic stability, and a clean
electoral process;

8.
Recognises that fine words are unlikely to persuade President Mugabe to mend his ways and that
visible and tangible action now needs to be taken, focusing directly on President Mugabe and his close
associates whilst sparing the people of Zimbabwe;

9.
Calls on the Commission to ensure by all means possible that humanitarian assistance and food aid
are not misappropriated by ZANU-PF activists for their own gain and for electioneering purposes and to
suspend all development aid currently managed through the Zimbabwean Government and its agencies,
until democracy and the rule of law have been fully restored;

Calls on the French Government to adhere to the line taken by other Member States and to reduce

10.
or suspend its financial engagement in Zimbabwe;

11.
Urges the Council and Commission to initiate measures in relation to Zimbabwe under Article 96 of
the Cotonou Agreement ahead of the meeting of ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly in Brussels on
29 October 2001;

12.
Calls on the Council of the European Union, at its informal meeting of foreign ministers at Genval
on 8 and 9 September 2001, to prepare concrete steps that might be taken by Member States to bring
pressure to bear on President Mugabe and to take joint action accordingly at the next General Affairs
Council on 8 October 2001;

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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21.3.2002

Thursday 6 September 2001

13.
Insists, in particular, that the European Council take the necessary measures to identify and freeze
the assets held in the Member States and countries closely associated, by President Mugabe, his family, and
named close associates;

Insists similarly that a travel ban be introduced to bar entry to the Member States and countries

14.
closely associated, by President Mugabe, his family, and named close associates;

15.
Considers it vital that the EU send observers to Zimbabwe(cid:146)s presidential elections, requests full
access for EU observers, and calls on the Commission to start preparing a comprehensive election-moni-
toring mission, including support for local monitors and training of observers;

Condemns any moves by President Mugabe to declare a State of Emergency since this would clearly

16.
be designed to cancel the Presidential elections;

17.
Calls on the Commonwealth Heads of Government, at their meeting in Brisbane 6-9 October 2001,
to take the necessary steps to suspend Zimbabwe from the Commonwealth until such time as the rule of
law is restored, with proper protection of the human rights of all citizens;

Calls on the European Investment Bank and the World Bank to review their lending to the Govern-

18.
ment of Zimbabwe and to consider suspension of loans;

19.
Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, Member States and
candidate countries, the Government and Parliament of Zimbabwe, the Secretary-General of the United
Nations, the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, the Secretary-General of SADC, the Secretary-General
of the OAU, the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, the President of the World Bank and the Chair-
man of the European Investment Bank.

14. Foot-and-mouth disease

B5-0548, 0555, 0563, 0573 and 0580/2001

European Parliament resolution on foot-and-mouth disease

The European Parliament,

(cid:129) having regard to its resolution of 5 April 2001on foot-and-mouth disease in the European Union (1),

A. whereas measures by the UK government to control foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) have failed and

whereas new outbreaks of FMD are appearing in England,

B.

concerned about the lack of frontier controls on FMD by the UK and the lack of harmonisation of
controls at ports and airports in the EU, which means there is a high risk that FMD will again spread
across frontiers,

C. whereas weather conditions in autumn and winter increase the risks of contamination,

D. noting the increasing risk of a spread of infectious diseases from imports into the EU, which means

that all Member States must remain extremely vigilant,

E. whereas public opinion might not approve of a further massive destruction of contaminated and

suspect animals,

(1)

(cid:145)Texts Adopted(cid:146), Item 12.