European Parliament resolution on humanitarian aid to Sahrawi refugees
Date: 2005-04-14
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: Algeria, EU aid, Western Sahara, aid to refugees, humanitarian aid

C 33 E/596

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

9.2.2006

Thursday 14 April 2005

7.
Considers that, with a view to the parliamentary elections scheduled for late 2006/early 2007, systemic
reforms are necessary in order to re-establish the principles of good governance, so that the election com-
mission and the caretaker government can operate independently;

Considers that a coordinated approach by all donors worldwide will be necessary to support such

8.
reforms;

9.
Calls on all sides to refrain from undemocratic practices and to enter into an all-party dialogue
through full participation in the democratic process in parliament; calls, in particular, on the opposition
parties to end the boycott of parliamentary activity, since agitation and violence cause suffering to the
people of Bangladesh;

Expresses its support for the principled steps which EU representatives have taken during the last
10.
year in defence of the rights of religious minorities in Bangladesh, such as their physical presence at a
complex of
in October 2004, when fundamentalists had prepared to stage
a mass assault on the complex;

the Ahmadiyya Muslims,

11.
Calls on the Council to review the application of the human rights and democracy clause of the
EC-Bangladesh Cooperation Agreement and to ascertain whether the Government of Bangladesh is making
sufficiently strong efforts to fundamentally improve the human rights situation;

12.
Notes recent modest steps taken by the Government of Bangladesh to improve the political situation
in the country, will encourage the Government of Bangladesh to establish a situation respectful of law and
order and will support any substantial progress on issues like good governance, freedom of press, the fight
against corruption and respect for human rights;

13.
Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the European Council, the Council, the Commis-
sion, the governments and parliaments of the Member States and candidate countries, the Secretary-General
of the United Nations and the Government of Bangladesh.

P6_TA(2005)0137

Humanitarian assistance to refugees from Western Sahara

European Parliament resolution on humanitarian aid to Sahrawi refugees

The European Parliament,

— having regard to its resolution of 16 March 2000 on Western Sahara (1), in which it ‘asks the Com-
mission to step up humanitarian aid to the Sahrawi refugees and more especially calls on it to increase
humanitarian aid to the Sahrawi people, particularly in the areas of food, health and education’,

— having regard to its resolution of 23 October 2003 on the draft general budget of the European
Union for the financial year 2004, Section III: Commission (2), which calls on the Commission to
provide guarantees of substantial, uninterrupted humanitarian aid for Sahrawi refugees,

— having regard to UN Secretary-General's Reports of 20 October 2004 on the possible reduction of
Minurso staff, including civilian and administrative personnel (S/2004/827) and of 27 January 2005
on the situation concerning Western Sahara (S/2005/49) calling on the international community to
continue its humanitarian aid to the Sahrawi refugees until the conflict in Western Sahara has been
resolved,

(1) OJ C 377, 29.12.2000, p. 354.
(2) OJ C 82 E, 1.4.2004, p. 457.

9.2.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 33 E/597

— having regard to the UN World Food Programme (UNWFP) proposal of 5 May 2004 for aid to the
refugees of Western Sahara (WFP/EB.2/2004/4-B/4) which notes a deterioration in the living con-
ditions of the Sahrawi refugees (growth retardation in children, malnutrition, anaemia etc.) as a result
of diminishing aid,

— having regard to Rule 115(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

Thursday 14 April 2005

A. whereas the Sahrawi population finds itself in refugee camps in Algeria as a result of unfinished
decolonisation, and whereas the survival of this population is entirely dependent on international
humanitarian aid,

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

having regard to the deterioration in the humanitarian situation noted by a group of MEPs during
their visit of 3 to 6 March 2005 to Sahrawi refugee camps (situated near Tindouf in south-western
Algeria),

having regard to the appeal to donor nations issued on 26 February 2005 by the UNWFP, which
states that as of May 2005 the UNWFP will no longer be able to supply the 158 000 Sahrawi refugee
beneficiaries with a complete daily ration of 2 100 kcals, owing to the lack of generous contributions
and external assistance, which could have a serious nutritional and health impact on the refugees,
particularly the women and children,

concerned at the fact that stocks will run out in May 2005, exposing the already vulnerable refugee
population to a major humanitarian crisis if steps are not taken between now and then to provide
substantial, rapid aid to alleviate this grave situation,

having regard to the tragic consequences that would result from a continuing reduction in the aid
provided by the Commission through the Humanitarian Aid department (ECHO) to the Sahrawi refu-
gee population (dwindling of food stocks, deterioration in the areas of health and education, etc.),

having regard to the substantial specific and supplementary assistance (food, health, education, accom-
modation, hygiene, etc.) given to the Sahrawi refugees by the Commission up to 2002 over and above
the aid in the form of basic products supplied by the United Nations institutions in the context of
their mandate,

G. whereas the humanitarian crisis is due inter alia to the absence of any notable progress in the search
for a fair and lasting political solution to the political situation in Western Sahara which is acceptable
to all the parties involved,

Calls on the Commission to grant immediate emergency aid to enable the difficult situation of the

1.
Sahrawi population currently living as refugees to be addressed;

Calls on the Commission to step up and diversify its aid so that it is brought up at least to the 2002
2.
level, thus guaranteeing a decent minimum diet to the Sahrawi refugees, while continuing to place import-
ance on the areas of health, education, accommodation and transport;

Reiterates its call to the Commission, set out in paragraph 66 of its above mentioned resolution of
3.
23 October 2003, to take appropriate steps to ensure that the aid provided to Sahrawi refugee camps is
guaranteed and is under no circumstances interrupted, even momentarily, for merely administrative reasons;

Calls on the Commission to involve the European NGOs which already have experience on the ground
4.
in implementing the ECHO programmes for the Sahrawi refugees, in order to guarantee that the aid granted
by the European Union is efficiently and rapidly implemented;

Calls on the Commission to contribute to strengthening the capacities for administering humanitarian

5.
aid in the refugee camps by cooperating with the Sahrawi institutions set up specifically for this purpose;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the UN Secretary-

6.
General, the Government of Morocco, the Polisario Front and the President of the African Union.