WRITTEN QUESTION P-1806/02 by Gianfranco Dell'Alba (NI) to the Commission. Human rights violations in Cambodia.
Date: 2002-06-19
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Cambodia, European Union, UNHCR, Viet Nam, cooperation agreement, democratisation, human rights, poverty, refugee, sustainable development

14.8.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 192 E/19

(2003/C 192 E/018)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1806/02

by Gianfranco Dell’Alba (NI) to the Commission

(19 June 2002)

Subject: Human rights violations in Cambodia

Ever since the beginning of 2002, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has
constantly expressed deep concern regarding the way in which that the Vietnamese and Cambodian
Governments had treated the Montagnard refugees who had fled to Cambodia the previous year, alleging
serious violations of the 1951 Convention on refugees by both governments. The seriousness of those
violations led UNHCR to withdraw from the tripartite agreement for the voluntary repatriation of the
refugees concluded in February with the Vietnamese and Cambodian Governments.

It is only thanks to the effective involvement of the US Government, and after lengthy negotiations, that
the 900 Montagnard refugees are now in the process of being resettled in the USA.

This solution has not diminished UNHCR concerns regarding the situation of the ethnic minorities in
Vietnam’s Central Highlands as well as that of the asylum-seekers. On 22 May 2002, UNHCR spokesman,
Kris Janowski, expressed extreme concern based on various reports of forced repatriation from Cambodia
to Vietnam of dozens of Montagnards. Furthermore, the Cambodian Prime Minister, Hun Sen, recently
announced that, after the resettlement of the Montagnard refugees in the US, two UN refugee camps would
be shut down and border patrols would turn back new asylum-seekers.

Given that respect for, and recognition by Cambodia and the European Union of, democratic principles
and human rights, as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, form an essential element
of the Cambodia-EC Cooperation Agreement signed in 1997 and that, over the next three years (2002-
2004), EUR 68,7 million has been earmarked for Cambodia to finance activities in sectors identified in the
2000-2003 EC-Cambodia Strategy Paper:

(cid:1) what will the Commission do to ensure that the right of the Montagnards to seek asylum in a state

party to the Convention on Refugees, such as Cambodia, is fully respected and

(cid:1) what specific steps will the Commission undertake to implement and fully enforce the ‘human rights
clause’ included in all bilateral and multilateral cooperation agreements signed with Cambodia and
with other countries in the region?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(5 July 2002)

The Commission’s Delegation in Phnom Penh, together with the Diplomatic Missions of the Member
States, has followed closely the situation of the Vietnamese Montagnards who sought refuge in Cambodia
at the end of 2001 and has participated in diplomatic démarches of the Union to the Royal Government
of Cambodia on a number of issues of concern.

time,

the present

At
the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) supervised re-
settlement of up to 908 Montagnards who have expressed a wish to go to the United States is ongoing.
The original refugee camps have indeed been closed, and these persons are currently accommodated in
appropriate transit facilities. The re-settlement process is expected to be completed by the end of July
2002. The Royal Government of Cambodia has confirmed that it will continue to honour its commitments
assumed in the framework of International Covenants.

Concurrently with the developments in Cambodia, the Commission’s Delegation in Hanoi, together with
the Diplomatic Missions of the Member States, has followed closely the situation in the Central Highlands
of Vietnam, the place of origin of the Montagnards, and has participated in appropriate diplomatic
démarches of the Union to the Government of Vietnam. Most recently, a four member team from Member
State missions was able (with the agreement of the Vietnamese authorities) to visit in the Central Highlands
at the end of May.

C 192 E/20

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

14.8.2003

livestock and fisheries development, rural

The Country Strategy Paper and National Indicative Programme for Community-Cambodia Co-operation
approved by the Commission on 15 May 2002 will focus Community assistance on rural development (cid:1)
including food security,
finance, water management, crop
diversification, micro enterprises, vocational training and mine clearance (cid:1) and education and health. All
of these actions will contribute directly to sustainable development and poverty reduction for the most
vulnerable members of society. Cross-cutting themes in the co-operation programme include governance
and democratisation, including specific support for the ongoing decentralisation process in the country.
Assistance for trade development will also support the integration of Cambodia into the international
economy and its regulatory systems.

The Commission’s approach towards Cambodia in the field of human rights, as it is towards all countries
in the region, is to encourage and support continued progress on human rights and democratisation, and
to raise concerns where abuses occur, in the framework of the international human rights instruments.
This approach was reiterated in the May 2001 Commission Communication on the Union’s Role in
promoting human rights and democratisation in third countries (1). The Commission, together with the
diplomatic missions of the Member States, will continue to monitor human rights developments, including
the situation of the Montagnards in both Vietnam and Cambodia, and to raise concerns whenever and
wherever this is appropriate.

(1) COM(2001) 252 final.

(2003/C 192 E/019)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1810/02

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(24 June 2002)

Subject: Human trafficking in Bosnia

Certain information has recently come to light accompanied by a number of press reports, all pointing to
the emergence of a modern form of white slave trade in Bosnia. Tens of thousands of women from Eastern
Europe are taken there to be bought and then sold to procurers in other countries particularly the EU.
It was also revealed at an Unesco conference on human trafficking held in Thessaloniki that around 5 000
under-age girls are being sent to Russia each year from Bosnia and other countries for the white slave
trade.

Given the strong presence of armed forces in Bosnia, including large contingents from EU Member States,
its task of preserving the peace and, presumably, law and order could be seen as including action to
underpin basic respect for the rule of law and provide at least a minimum degree of protection of human
rights, for example by putting an end to trafficking in humans.

What steps have been taken by the Commission to combat this problem in Europe and in particular the
applicant countries? Does the Commission have any analytical data concerning related issues in the EU
Member States?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(1 August 2002)

The Commission is aware of reports of trafficking in human beings in the Western Balkans, particularly
women and girls for the purpose of sexual exploitation. In this ‘trade’ Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is
both a point of transit, a final destination and to a lesser extent a source country. BiH has become
associated with this activity because it offers traffickers ‘opportunities’ such as porous borders, under-
resourced and uncoordinated police forces, a disjointed and still largely unreformed judicial system, and
not least a ready market.

International armed forces in BiH (currently around 18 000) form part of the Stabilisation Force (SFOR).
SFOR is not a policing organisation; therefore,
its
mission to secure peace and stability creates an environment in which other authorities, both local police
and international organisations, can address this crime. The United Nations’ Special Trafficking Operations

it does not directly target traffickers. Nevertheless,