WRITTEN QUESTION P-2238/02 by Patricia McKenna (Verts/ALE) to the Council. Killings in the DRC.
Date: 2002-07-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Democratic Republic of the Congo, establishment of peace, human rights, political violence, violence

C 92 E/146

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

17.4.2003

Finally, the Union’s financial perspective beyond 2006, and other related issues including, if necessary, the
CAP, will be examined by the Council in due course on the basis of Commission proposals.

(2003/C 92 E/197)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2238/02

by Patricia McKenna (Verts/ALE) to the Council

(17 July 2002)

Subject: Killings in the DRC

A series of unlawful killings took place in mid-May 2002 in Kisangani, north-east Democratic Republic of
Congo (DRC). It is estimated that 1 200 people died in this massacre, which was condemned by the UN
Security Council. However, no measures have been taken to put pressure on this state to bring the
perpetrators to justice. The crimes, which included summary executions of civilians, rape and pillaging, are
reported to have been carried out by members of the Rwandese Patriotic Army and combatants loyal to
the Goma-based faction of the Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD-Goma). According to human rights
organisations such as Amnesty International, the same groups carried out similar massacres in June 2000.

What is the Council’s position on these arbitrary killings and horrendous abuses of international human
rights law, and what measures, if any, have been taken by the Council to ensure that the perpetrators of
these massacres are brought to justice? Is the Council taking measures to prevent such massacres in the
future?

Reply

(16-19 December 2002)

Concerning the events that took place in Kisangani in mid-May 2002, the EU, in a declaration published
on 23 May, has denounced the resurgence of violence in the areas occupied by the RCD-Goma, notably in
Kisangani and the repression of the Congolese people by RCD-Goma members and Rwandan troops. The
EU also recalled the obligations stemming from the successive UN Security Council resolutions on the
demilitarisation of Kisangani.

The EU is, however, of the opinion that this kind of events can only be prevented on a permanent basis
through the realisation of peace in the region of the Great Lakes. The EU has over the years worked
towards that goal in many different ways, by giving financial assistance to the ongoing peace initiatives
and through its Special Representative Aldo Ajello. The progress made in the Inter-Congolese Dialogue
between the government of DRC, the different armed opposition groups, the unarmed opposition and
other groups as well as the recent peace agreement concluded between the DRC and Rwanda have kindled
a new hope that peace in the region might be within reach.

(2003/C 92 E/198)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2243/02

by James Nicholson (PPE-DE) to the Council

(23 July 2002)

Subject: Security situation in the Moluccas

The fragile peace brought about by the Malino Agreement is under threat from violent Islamic militants.

Will the Council indicate the nature of any representations made to President Megawati Sukarnoputri
regarding action taken to secure the arrest and trail of Jafer Umar Thalib and the effective enforcement of
the Malino Agreement.