WRITTEN QUESTION P-1708/03 by Emma Bonino (NI) to the Commission. Murder of Joyce Miamuna Katai, State Commissioner for women's affairs and social development of the Nigerian State of Nasarawa.
Date: 2003-05-19
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU relations, Nigeria, participation of women, political violence, position of women, religious conflict

8.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 88 E/367

As a Candidate Country, Turkey aims to fulfil the Copenhagen political criteria. This includes the need to
end torture of all kinds as well as to guarantee the full enjoyment of human rights and fundamental
freedoms in line with the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and relevant international
and European instruments to which Turkey is party. The Commission will continue to monitor all
developments related to allegations of torture in Turkey as well as the implementation of the above-
mentioned legislation.

(1) COM(2002) 700 final.

(2004/C 88 E/0373)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1708/03

by Emma Bonino (NI) to the Commission

(19 May 2003)

Subject: Murder of Joyce Miamuna Katai, State Commissioner for women’s affairs and social development

of the Nigerian State of Nasarawa

Joyce Miamuna Katai, Commissioner for women’s affairs and social development of the State of Nasarawa
in central Nigeria was assassinated on 5 May in Toto. Two of her assistants were killed at the same time
and only a third, Phoebe Ayenajeh, managed to escape the massacre. This triple murder occurred inside a
police station and amounted to nothing less than a lynching, according to a spokesman of the forces of
law and order.

The local population had asked Joyce Miamuna Katai for help and protection from an organised gang
which was trying to remove ballot boxes in order to falsify the results; the Commissioner tried to help by
involving the local police, but they were not even able to guarantee her safety.

The institutional role taken on by Joyce Miamuna Katai as Commissioner for women’s affairs and social
development was part of the programme of the government of President Obasanjo and the Governor of
the State of Nasarawa, Abdullahi Adamus, which made the education, training and social emancipation of
women a key policy in Nigeria’s transition to democracy.

Obasanjo’s Presidency has given and is still giving a strong impetus to the democratic process in Nigeria, a
country which up until 1999, the year in which Obasanjo was elected, suffered continuous coups d’état.
Since the government declared certain aspects of Islamic law to be unconstitutional in 2002, following the
case of Amina Lawal, there has been an upsurge in tension between ethnic Moslems and Christians, which
also led to the massacre of civilians at the time of the Miss World contest which was to have taken place
in Nigeria.

The First Lady, Stella Obasanjo, has backed the President’s policy of supporting women’s rights by
encouraging women to go to university, stand for election, and play an active role in the social and
political life of the country, and promoting an international campaign against the practice of female genital
mutilation, still suffered by 40 % of young women and girls in Nigeria.

Is the Commission aware of these horrendous events in the State of Nasarawa?

Has the Commission already expressed its indignation at what happened on 5 May 2003 to President
Obasanjo and the representatives of the democratic states of Nigeria?

In view of the very grave nature of these events, what measures does the Commission intend to take to
facilitate the transition to democracy in the democratic states of Nigeria?

C 88 E/368

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.4.2004

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(10 July 2003)

The Commission is aware that Mrs. Joyce Miamuna Katai was murdered by youths at Rafin Kunama
polling station at Toto in Nasarawa State on 3 May 2003. It appears that the deceased had intervened to
stop election fraud when the youths attacked and chased her to the local police station where they killed
the Commissioner and two assistants.

The Commission has not made a specific demarche to the authorities on this matter, however, in writing
to congratulate President Obasanjo on his re-election, it has made an explicit reference to electoral violence
and the need to ensure that all cases are fully investigated and that perpetrators will be brought to justice.

The Commission is supporting the transition to democracy in Nigeria. The ACP-EU Partnership Agreement
signed in Cotonou on 23 June 2000 sets out in article 9 three essential elements (cid:1) respect for human
rights, democratic principles and the rule of law. The Country Strategy signed with Nigeria on 16 July
2002 (1) will directly support measures to promote these principles. Nigeria is also a focal country for the
European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR). The Commission supported local observers
and fielded a large international team to monitor the recent elections.

(1) http://europa.eu.int/comm/development/body/csp_rsp/csp_en.cfm.

(2004/C 88 E/0374)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1746/03

by Proinsias De Rossa (PSE) to the Commission

(20 May 2003)

Subject: Carrickmines Castle archeological finds

Could the Commission please indicate the current position as regards its investigations into the
Environmental Impact Assessment carried out under Directive 85/337/EEC (1) and, in particular, its failure
to appraise the impact on the archaeological heritage of
to the
Commission’s answer to Oral Question H-0649/02 (2), will it please indicate when it expects to report on
its investigation, bearing in mind the urgent nature of this situation, given the imminent destruction of this
archaeological treasure?

the Carrickmines site? Further

(1) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985, p. 40.
(2) Written reply dated 22 October 2002.

Supplementary answer
given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(5 April 2004)

In July 2003, the Commission obtained its own expert opinion on the archaeological content of the
environmental impact assessment carried out on the M50 motorway project pursuant to Council Directive
85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the
environment as amended by Council Directive 97/11/EC of 3 March 1997 (1). It sought comments from
the Irish authorities on this, which it subsequently received. It has since provided the Honourable Member
with a copy of both the expert opinion and the response of the Irish authorities.

(1) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997.