European Parliament resolution on the situation in Darfur
Date: 2006-09-28
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: Sudan, UNO, civil war, establishment of peace, humanitarian aid, international agreement, the EU's international role

15.12.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 306 E/397

Thursday 28 September 2006

24. Warns against the dangers of externalising the management of the EU's external borders and hopes
for better cooperation with countries of origin and transit countries founded above all on respect for funda-
mental rights, particularly the rights of asylum and of non-refoulement, and on the shared interests of the
EU and of countries of origin and transit countries;

25.
Considers that the European Union should take a cross-cutting approach; believes that its immigra-
tion policy should not only encompass partnership with third countries, the securing of external borders to
combat human trafficking and an equitable return policy, but at the same time open up channels for legal
immigration, encourage the integration of migrants into the host society and allow co-development of
countries of origin in order to deal with the underlying causes of migration;

26.
Urges the Commission to take the initiative as soon as possible with a view to revising Regulation
(EC) No 343/2003 (1), ‘Dublin II’, by calling into question its very principle, namely that the Member State
responsible for dealing with an asylum application is the first country that applicants reach, which puts an
intolerable burden on the countries situated in the south and the east of the EU, and by introducing a fair
mechanism for sharing responsibilities among the Member States;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, and the govern-

27.
ments and parliaments of the Member States.

(1) OJ L 50, 25.2.2003, p. 1.

P6_TA(2006)0387

The situation in Darfur

European Parliament resolution on the situation in Darfur

The European Parliament,

— having regard to its previous resolutions on the situation in Sudan and Darfur in particular,

— having regard to relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, and in particular UN Security Council

Resolution 1706 of 31 August 2006,

— having regard to the African Union (AU) decision of April 2004 to establish the African Mission in

Sudan (AMIS),

— having regard to the Global Day for Darfur, 17 September 2006,

— having regard to the Darfur Peace Agreement signed in Abuja, Nigeria, on 5 May 2006,

— having regard to Rule 103(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas the Darfur region conflict between government forces, pro-government militias and rebels has
led to over 200 000 casualties and over 2 million internally displaced persons and refugees over the
past three years, despite the signing of a Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) on 5 May 2006,

B. whereas the DPA remains the basis for stability, peace and reconciliation in Darfur, despite the state-

ment by UN Special Representative Jan Pronk that the Agreement ‘is nearly dead’,

C. whereas, according to UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland, the humanitarian and security
situation in Darfur is at its worst since 2004 and humanitarian access continues to deteriorate, to the
extent that some areas of Darfur are now complete no-go zones for humanitarian workers, which
means that thousands of Darfur people have no access to aid,

C 306 E/398

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

15.12.2006

Thursday 28 September 2006

D. whereas the ceasefire in the region continues to be violated by all parties, with violence often directed
against the civilian population, and whereas the recent military build-up in Darfur and the reinforce-
ment of the government forces in the region have resulted in renewed fighting in areas of North Darfur,

E. whereas the UN ‘Responsibility to Protect’ provides that, where ‘national authorities manifestly fail to
protect their populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity,’ the
UN Security Council can agree to a Chapter VII military force,

F. whereas the UN Security Council, in its Resolution 1706, has authorised a new UN peacekeeping force
of up to 22 500 soldiers and police officers to take over Darfur operations from the African Mission in
Sudan (AMIS), while reaffirming its full respect for Sudanese sovereignty, unity, independence and ter-
ritorial integrity,

G. whereas the Government of Sudan continues to block such a UN force from entering Sudan,

H. whereas the Darfur conflict — and impunity from prosecution — is increasingly affecting the stability

of the Central African region and constitutes a threat to international peace and security,

I. whereas in view of the African Union decision of 20 September 2006 to extend the current mandate of
its peacekeeping force in Darfur until the end of the year, the UN has committed itself to provide
further logistical and material support to AMIS,

J. whereas the UN Security Council referred the situation in Darfur to the International Criminal Court in

March 2005,

Urges the Government of Sudan to accept a United Nations peacekeeping force in Darfur, under

1.
Chapter VII of the UN Charter;

Underlines that Sudan has failed in its ‘responsibility to protect’ its own people and is therefore obliged
2.
to accept a UN force in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1706; calls on the UN Security Council to
bring pressure to bear on the Sudanese authorities to accept the deployment of the already authorised UN
Mission to Darfur, with a clear Chapter VII mandate and enhanced capacities given to such a mission
through UN Security Council Resolution 1706;

3.
Demands that the Sudanese authorities not only pose no obstacles to the deployment and activities of
the UN Mission in Darfur but also create the conditions necessary for the effective functioning of that
mission; stresses that any failings by the Sudanese authorities in this regard will be sanctioned;

Calls on the international community and all parties concerned to devise ways to contribute effectively

4.
and speedily to the successful operation of the UN Mission to Darfur and a resolution of the crisis;

5.
Calls on China and Russia to play a positive role at the UN in efforts to ensure that a UN peace-
keeping force can be deployed and to put to good use their role in the region to facilitate the deployment of
that mission and prevent any bloodshed;

6.
Calls, in this regard, on China to build on the joint statement made by China and the EU on 9 Sep-
tember 2006 in which ‘leaders emphasized that transition from an AU to a UN led operation would be
conducive to the peace in Darfur’; urges the Chinese Government to act on this statement by using its
influence with Sudan to persuade the Government of Sudan to accept a UN peacekeeping force;

15.12.2006

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 306 E/399

Calls on the Arab League to cease its complicit approach to Sudan's continued intransigence over the

7.
need for a UN peacekeeping force;

Thursday 28 September 2006

Recalls the commitments given by the United Nations following the Rwandan genocide with a view to

8.
shouldering its political responsibility in Africa more effectively;

9.
Calls on the EU to call for the urgent enforcement of the no-fly zone over Darfur established by UN
Security Council Resolution 1591 (2005); urges the international community to liaise with Chad to discuss
enforcing the no fly-zone from eastern Chad;

Condemns the continuing violations of the ceasefire by all parties, and in particular the violence

10.
directed against the civilian population and the targeting of humanitarian assistance;

11.
Calls on all parties, including the Government of Sudan, to put an immediate end to military action
in Darfur, to abide by the ceasefire agreement and to respect and implement their commitments under
the DPA;

Calls on the non-signatories to the DPA to sign, commit

12.
Agreement;

themselves to and implement

the

Calls for confidence-building measures, such as a Darfur-Darfur Dialogue and Consultation including

13.
all parties to the conflict as well as civil society;

14.
Notes the extension of the mandate of AMIS until the end of 2006; stresses the urgent need to
reinforce the mandate and tasks of this force and to ensure sufficient financing as well as logistical and
material support for it, allowing it to effectively assist in the implementation of the DPA;

15.
Calls on the EU and other international actors to work specifically with the UN and the AU to ensure
that peacekeeping forces in Darfur have the capability to react rapidly to ceasefire violations or provocations
by any party;

16.
Calls on the EU, the US and other international actors to impose sanctions on any side, including the
government, that violates the ceasefire or attacks civilians, peacekeepers or those involved in humanitarian
operations and to take all necessary action to help end impunity by enforcing the Security Council sanctions
regime;

Calls on the Government of Sudan and the international community to fully cooperate with the

17.
International Criminal Court in order to end impunity;

18.
Calls on all permanent members of the UN Security Council to assume their global responsibility and
not to hinder any measures intended to foster peace, security and stability in the Darfur region of Sudan,
but rather to support and promote all appropriate steps towards a sustainable resolution of the conflict;

19.
Calls upon all parties, in particular the Government of Sudan, to ensure the full, safe and unhindered
access of relief personnel to all those in need in Darfur as well as the delivery of humanitarian assistance, in
particular to internally displaced persons and refugees;

20.
Calls for a significant increase in the humanitarian aid provided by the international community to
the nearly 3 million people who are totally dependent on international aid for food, shelter and medical
care;

21.
Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the ACP-EU Council
of Ministers, the Government of Sudan, the African Union and the Secretary-General of the United Nations.