WRITTEN QUESTION E-1417/03 by Bob van den Bos (ELDR),Margrietus van den Berg (PSE), Maria Martens (PPE-DE)and Joost Lagendijk (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Situation of religious minorities in Gujarat, India.
Date: 2003-04-23
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU aid, EU relations, India, aid policy, corporate social responsibility, development aid, protection of minorities, religious discrimination, religious fundamentalism, religious group, suspension of aid

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Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.4.2004

(2004/C 88 E/0032)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1417/03

by Bob van den Bos (ELDR),
Margrietus van den Berg (PSE), Maria Martens (PPE-DE)
and Joost Lagendijk (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(23 April 2003)

Subject: Situation of religious minorities in Gujarat, India

For some years now India has been confronted with a growing Hindu fundamentalist movement, which
manifests itself in growing violence against religious minorities.

In the spring of 2002 about 2 000 Muslims were massacred in the Indian state of Gujarat. Both Amnesty
International and Human Rights Watch have recently reported that the perpetrators were not punished
and that no assistance has been offered to the victims by the Indian Government. Human Rights Watch
also states that the mass murder was planned in advance and carried out with ‘large-scale government
participation and support’, and that there is now talk of ghettoisation of the Muslim community. Some
Hindu extremist organisations regularly suggest that another ‘Gujarat’ could happen.

There is also violence against Christians, and the ‘anti-conversion’ law adopted on 26 March 2003 is giving
rise to grave concern regarding the freedom and safety of these and other religious minorities.

1.
Is the Commission prepared to suspend bilateral development aid to Gujarat until it is clear that the
perpetrators of the mass murder have been punished, the victims rehabilitated and the marginalisation of
Christians and Muslims stopped, and, in this connection, that the recommendations of the Indian National
Human Rights Commission, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have been implemented?
If not, why not?

2.
How and when did the Commission act upon and/or will it, in dialogue with the Indian Government,
act upon the serious concerns about the situation in Gujarat expressed by the European Union in April
and May last year?

3. What recommendations can the Commission give to firms registered in the European Union and
active in Gujarat with a view to their avoiding contributing to discrimination against religious and other
minorities in the current situation?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(15 May 2003)

The Commission is aware of the communal tensions in Gujarat and understands the Honourable Members’
concern. The Commission fully agrees that the perpetrators of the crimes in Gujarat should be brought to
justice, the victims rehabilitated, and the rights of religious minorities protected.

The Union respects and promotes the principles laid down in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights.
The Co-operation Agreement between the Community and the Republic of India sets out ‘inter alia’ that
respect for human rights and democratic principles is an essential element of this agreement.

It is, therefore, according to these principles that the Community-India development co-operation is
implemented, and the Community development programme in Gujarat is no exception.

Most of the Community bilateral development aid to Gujarat is channelled through non-governmental
organisations (NGOs). Of the EUR 93 million that the Commission pledged to Gujarat as a response to the
2001 earthquake, only EUR 40 million has been channelled through the Government of Gujarat. This sum
is explicitly dedicated to rebuilding hospitals damaged by the earthquake, and the Commission monitors
the implementation of this programme very closely.

The Union has acted to the serious situation in Gujarat in a number of ways, including the provision of a
relief package for the victims through its humanitarian aid office (ECHO).

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Furthermore, the Union has agreed to deal with all matters concerning democracy and human rights in
India through its regular, on-going constructive dialogue with the Indian Government.

it

Regarding the third question,
is not within the competence of the Commission to give explicit
recommendations to private companies on how they should operate in third countries. However,
the Commission is committed to encouraging companies to act according to the Organisation for
Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) guidelines on Corporate Social Responsibility. These
guidelines make reference to the need to respect and protect the human rights of employees, and to avoid
discrimination against minority groups.

(2004/C 88 E/0033)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1467/03

by Charles Tannock (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Killing of Street Children in Guatemala and Honduras

(29 April 2003)

the truth of

There are allegations that ‘street-children’ in Guatemala and Honduras have been killed. These allegations
are vigorously denied by the governments concerned. Does the Commission itself have any independent
confirmation of
these allegations and has it raised this matter with the governments
concerned? Does the Commission know if homes and shelter are offered to all homeless children under the
age of 16 and what alternatives are available to the children who roam the streets in these countries?
Finally, has the Commission urged governments in the region to ensure that children who break the law
are in all cases punished in accordance with the rule of law and that, where appropriate, support is given
to reduce their chances of leading lives of crime?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(22 May 2003)

The Commission would refer the Honourable Members to its joint reply to Written Questions E-0356/03
by Mr Newton Dunn and Baroness Ludford (1), E-0086/03 by Mr Helmer (2) and Written Question E-0097/
03 by Mr Whitehead (2) on the same subject.

As far as Guatemala is concerned, the Commission would like to add the following elements:

(cid:1) the Commission is aware that the United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala (Minugua), as well
as local and international human rights organisations have reported a general deterioration in the
situation of human rights during recent months, with several attacks against and murders of street
children. In particular, the Inter-American Human Rights Commission has expressly pointed out the
Guatemalan State’s non observance of a set of recommendations made to guarantee the prevention of
human rights violations by state agents, including aggression against street children. However, as in
Honduras, there is no evidence of an institutional state policy aimed at infringing human rights;

(cid:1) the Commission will continue to urge the Guatemalan authorities to make additional effort to ensure
respect for the rule of law. In line with the Resolution on human rights in Guatemala that the
Parliament issued in April 2003, the Commission’s main objective for the Consultative Group Meeting
for Guatemala, scheduled in Guatemala City for the beginning of May 2003, is to encourage the local
authorities and society to accelerate the implementation of the Peace Accords signed in 1996, to
promote human rights as well as to reinforce the judicial system.

(1) See page 11.
(2) See page 5.