WRITTEN QUESTION E-0632/03 by Dana Scallon (PPE-DE) to the Commission. EU development policy and NGOs.
Date: 2003-03-04
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU action, EU financing, EU policy, demography, development policy, health policy, non-governmental organisation, sexuality

7.11.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 268 E/115

(2003/C 268 E/115)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0621/03

by Olivier Dupuis (NI) to the Commission

(3 March 2003)

Subject: The Venerable Thich Huyen Quang in a critical condition

According to the Paris-based organisation ‘Que Mê: Action for democracy in Vietnam’, the 86-year-old
Patriarch of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (the UBCV, a traditional, independent church, banned
since 1981), Thich Huyen Quang, is suffering from a painful swelling of the eye; doctors at the Quang
Ngai Hospital who examined Thich Huyen Quang last week believe that it might be a tumour. Since the
Quang Ngai Hospital is not equipped to treat this kind of disease, the doctors recommended that the
Patriarch should be transferred immediately to a hospital in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) for an operation.
This decision, however, was rejected on 12 February 2003 by the Quang Ngai security department, who
recalled that the Venerable Thich Huyen Quang has been banned from leaving the province. The Patriarch
has been detained without trial, and without any charge, since 1982. He has been deprived of his civil
rights and his most fundamental rights of freedom of worship and freedom of movement. He also suffers
from hypertension, chronic arthritis and gastric problems. His health has deteriorated seriously as a result
of his 21 years of imprisonment in a hut near the Quang Phuoc Pagoda in the village of Cho Chua, in the
remote province of Quang Ngai.

What is the latest news that the Commission has on the situation of the Venerable Thich Huyen Quang?
How does the Commission, which has been working together with the Member States for the release of
the Venerable Thich Huyen Quang and the Venerable Thich Quang Do, view the persistent refusal of the
Hanoi authorities to release the two religious leaders? What new steps does the Commission intend to take
to urge the Hanoi authorities to put an end to the persecution of the two highest-ranking members of the
Unified Buddhist Church, and more generally of all members of non-recognised Churches in Vietnam?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(21 March 2003)

The Commission shares the Honourable Member’s concern about the unconfirmed reports concerning the
Venerable Thich Huyen Quang and is endeavouring to obtain confirmation of his present condition. The
Commission has also noted reports that the Government is not seeking to prevent him from receiving
medical treatment, but prefers that the treatment should not take place in Ho Chi Minh City.

The Commission, together with the Member States represented in Vietnam, monitors closely human rights
developments in Vietnam, including individual cases of concern and issues related to freedom of religion
and freedom of opinion, as part of the policy of the Union to encourage and support the continued
commitment of the Government of Vietnam to progress in the field of human rights. The Commission also
participates with the Member States in regular dialogue with and in all démarches to the Government of
Vietnam on human rights issues.

The Commission, together with the representatives of the Member States, will continue to follow closely
the human rights situation in Vietnam and to raise specific concerns with the Government of Vietnam as
appropriate.

(2003/C 268 E/116)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0632/03

by Dana Scallon (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(4 March 2003)

Subject: EU development policy and NGOs

Would the Commission transmit to me the list of projects funded by the European Union Commission in
the field of sexual and reproductive health and rights, and in the field of population issues, in the last five

C 268 E/116

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

7.11.2003

years until now. I would be grateful to receive the details of projects entirely focusing on this issue but also
projects partly focusing on this issue.

I would also like to know the proportion of Commission funding, a description of the project and
activities involved, partners in the project, targeted population, and under which budget line they are
financed?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(16 April 2003)

The Community provides funding for projects in the field of sexual and reproductive health and rights and
in the field of population issues from a variety of sources, i.e.:

(cid:1) the budget line specially created for that purpose (B7-6312);

(cid:1) the budget line used to cofinance operations with NGOs (B7-6000);

(cid:1) regional and national cooperation programmes financed from the general budget (ALA/MED) or the

European Development Fund (ACP).

A list of 38 projects funded by the Commission from budget line B7-6312 (ex 6212) between 1998 and
2002 is sent directly to the Honourable Member and to Parliament’s Secretariat. In addition to the title,
which contains information on the subject of the operation, details are also provided of the location and
amount. The Community funding is less than 90 % of the total project cost in every case.

The second list contains projects in the same fields financed from budget line B7-6000, intended for
cofinancing of operations with NGOs. The beneficiary NGOs are also listed. The Commission contribution
accounts for 80 % at most of the total project cost.

For projects funded under other programmes, the Honourable Member is invited to refer to the evaluation
report on EC aid in the health sector in the ACP/ALA/MED countries (2002) which can be found on the
Internet
http://europa.eu.int/comm/europeaid/evaluation/reports/sector/
at
951589.pdf.

following

address:

the

Annex 2 of the report classifies projects and programmes according to the sectors concerned, including
‘Family planning and reproductive health’ and ‘HIV/AIDS and STDs’. 33 projects out of a total 115 include
activities in one or the other of these sectors.

For the sake of completeness, mention should also be made of a new project approved by the Commission
in 2002 to be financed from the European Development Fund. The project involves a joint EC/ACP/
UNFPA/IPPF programme for reproductive and sexual health which is described in a document also sent
directly to the Honourable Member and to Parliament’s Secretariat.

An evaluation is currently under way of operations carried out by the Commission in the area of
population policy. The first phase of the study is already complete and the final report is expected to be
ready at the end of 2003.

(2003/C 268 E/117)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0657/03

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(6 March 2003)

Subject: Reparation of damage caused by natural disasters in the Cyclades

Incalculable damage has been caused by the continuous torrential rainfall over the last few days in most of
the islands of the Prefecture of the Cyclades where a state of emergency has been declared. Virtually the
entire road network has been destroyed by landslides and subsidence, and flood water from streams has