WRITTEN QUESTION E-2750/02 by María Izquierdo Rojo (PSE) to the Commission. Rape of Pakistani teacher Mukhtar Mai and tribal law.
Date: 2002-10-01
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU relations, Pakistan, cruel and degrading treatment, position of women, sexual violence, women's rights

6.2.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 33 E/11

The internal note referred to by the Honourable Member was also preparatory to the establishment of the
Annual Activity Report and Declaration of the Director General for Budgets. The Annual Reports of the
Director General, the Synthesis report and the IAS Annual activity Report have been submitted to
Parliament.

The question to the Court is not in the competence of the Commission.

5.
There is no basis for comparison between cases such as those of Enron or Worldcom and the
Commission’s accounts. Enron and Worldcom cases involved alleged deliberate concealment of debts with
the aim of hiding the true financial position of the companies, influencing the stock market and assuring
bonuses for senior managers. Conversely, the Commission accounts have been consistently certified by the
Court of Auditors to reflect faithfully the reality of revenue and payments, as required by the Financial
Regulation. Such actions as were allegedly perpetrated on the accounts of Enron and Worldcom are not
possible in a cash accounting environment as that of the Communities.

The Commission has recognised the criticisms which have been made of its accounting system over

6.
the past years by the Court of Auditors, and has taken corrective action.

Apart from certain specific actions foreseen in the White Paper on Reform, and its proposals for the recast
of the Financial Regulation as referred to above:

(cid:1) Following a call for tenders, a study on the accounting system was delivered mid 2000 by a high level

expert on public accounting (Professor Montesinos from Valencia University).

(cid:1) In 2000, the Commission adopted a Reform White Paper which covered amongst other things, the
recast of the Financial Regulation, and foresaw measures concerning the role of the accountant. Many
of the reform acts has been implemented already.

(cid:1) In June 2001, following the above-mentioned study, the Commission drafted an action plan for
modernisation which was subsequently discussed with the Court of Auditors. Modernisation of its
accounting systems has continued.

(cid:1) On 25th June 2002 the Council adopted the recast Financial Regulation which requires by 2005 an

integrated accrual accounting system as proposed by the Commission.

(cid:1) On 24 July 2002 the Commission presented a memorandum on the reform of the accounting

framework and system.

This shows,
the Commission listens to well-founded critical comments, and is open to implement
recommendations in its ongoing reform process. The Commission has not only the right but also the duty
to defend itself against untrue claims.

(1) OJ C 242 E, 9.10.2003, p. 25.
(2) COM(2000) 200 final.
(3) OJ C 161 E, 10.7.2003, p. 22.
(4) Secretary-General of the European Organisation of Regional Audit Institutions (Eurorai).
(5) Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the

general budget of the European Communities, OJ L 248, 16.9.2002.

(2004/C 33 E/011)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2750/02

by María Izquierdo Rojo (PSE) to the Commission

Subject: Rape of Pakistani teacher Mukhtar Mai and tribal law

(1 October 2002)

In June 2002, Pakistani schoolteacher Mukhtar Mai was gang-raped by four men by order of a people’s
court or ‘panchayat’ in the southern Punjab. Mai was punished because her twelve-year-old brother had
had relations with a young woman from a higher caste. She was found guilty on the basis of the ‘laws of

C 33 E/12

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.2.2004

honour’ applied by (illegal) tribal courts in Pakistan. After being raped, Mai returned to her house on foot,
semi-naked, in full view of hundreds of neighbours. Two of the rapists were subsequently sentenced to
death in late August.

In the light of this case and of others like it which, regrettably, are becoming increasingly common in
Pakistan, what action could the European Union take to prevent this use of tribal law, which constitutes a
violation of human rights? What development and cooperation projects might be used to counter these so-
called ‘crimes of honour’?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(16 October 2002)

The Commission is seriously concerned by human rights violations in Pakistan,
discriminatory ‘laws of honour’ applied in some cases by Pakistani tribal juries.

in particular by the

In addition to official demarches to the Pakistani authorities, the Union, through the Delegation of the
Commission in Pakistan, together with Member States Embassies tries to draw the attention of the
Pakistani authorities to such issues at every appropriate opportunity. An official Union demarche to the
Pakistani Minister of Law and Justice focusing on human rights including the issue of laws of honour is
expected to take place in the coming weeks.

implementation of our programmes has a significant

The Commission, as a rule, in all development projects related to education, health, agriculture and social
and rural development increasingly takes account of gender equity as a cross-cutting theme so that the
impact on issues related to gender
actual
discrimination. An example of this is the ‘Rural Social Development Programme’
in Pakistan
which is addressing gender related issues through education, advocacy and raising of awareness through
funding of small local non-governmental organisations (NGOs), which can operate in remote rural areas
where codes of honour are still practised.

(RSDP)

Moreover, Pakistan has been declared a priority country under the ‘European Initiative for Human Rights
and Democracy’. In this connection, a call for proposals has been issued, with the specific objective of
strengthening the capacity of civil society organisations and providing support to the legal system,
emphasising on institutional strengthening and legal assistance for victims of domestic and gender-based
violence.

(2004/C 33 E/012)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2861/02

by José Ribeiro e Castro (UEN) to the Commission

(10 October 2002)

Subject: Angola (cid:1) transparency of public accounts

According to the media, the World Bank Vice-President for the Africa Region, Calisto Madavo, declared in
Luanda on 12 September last that the World Bank suspected that USD 1 000 million had disappeared
from the Angolan State budget. At the same time he advocated the transparent management of accounts
as being essential to reduce the high levels of poverty.

He also said it was significant that it was the Head of State Eduardo dos Santos who had referred to the
issue of the transparency of Angola’s public accounts during an interview he gave him. According to
Mr Madavo it was up to politicians and civil society to take steps to throw light on the real state of the
public accounts.

With regard to World Bank support for the process of structural reforms in Angola, he said that aid would
be provided in stages and that it was essential that the appropriations be used for the projects for which
they were intended.