Routine killing of civilians in Somalia

Tabled by Margrete Auken, Mikel Irujo Amezaga

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its previous resolutions, 

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

A. worried by the recent fighting in Mogadishu between the Somali transitional government force, backed by the Ethiopian troops, and insurgents causing dozens of deaths and thousands of displaced persons,

B. whereas violation of human rights and international humanitarian law including rape and killings are committed by all parties to the conflict,

C. whereas the civil war in Somalia has forced up to one million Somalis to flee their homes while several thousand civilians have been killed since 2007, 

D. whereas human rights and the humanitarian situation in Mogadishu and south-central Somali are extremely worrying, whereas all parties to the conflict have been responsible for serious violation of the laws of war that amount to war crimes,  

E. whereas, according to the UN, an estimated 2.6 million Somalis need assistance and the figure is expected to reach 3.5 million by the end of the year if the humanitarian situation doest not improve,

F. whereas persistent insecurity in Somalia has limited the ability of aid workers to provide much needed humanitarian aid,

G.  whereas the continuing conflict and political instability in Somalia has given rise to acts of piracy and armed robbery,

H. whereas piracy off the Somalia cost is threatening commercial shipping and impeding the safe delivery of humanitarian assistance,

I. recalling that Somalia has had no functioning government since the overthrow of the Said Barre regime in 1991 and since then the political situation has been one of anarchy, marked by inter-clan fighting and banditry,

1. Strongly condemns the recent fighting in Mogadishu, which resulted in the loss of life of numerous Somali civilians;  

2. Condemns all acts which violate basic human rights and international humanitarian law and calls on the AU and UN to take immediate action to put an end to the suffering of Somalia's civilian population; 

3. Condemns all acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships, which has become a serious obstacle to the delivery of humanitarian aid to hundreds of thousands of Somalis;

4. Condemns categorically arms and ammunition trade with organised bands that commit acts of piracy;

5. Calls on the Somali Transitional Government, in collaboration with the UN and African Union, to use all available means to prevent, deter and suppress piracy and armed robbery committed from the Somali coast against ships transporting goods, including humanitarian aid;

6. Calls on warring factions to cease hostilities and respect International Humanitarian Law in order to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid to the population in need;

7. Calls on all Somali factions to end violence, fully respect human rights and individual freedom, commit themselves firmly to peace and to a genuine process of national reconciliation by establishing constructive political dialogue among them;

8. Calls on the AU and the EU to examine ways and means on how to assist the Somalis to achieve peace and national reconciliation and to put an end to a situation which causes much distress and suffering among the civilian population;

9. Calls on the international community, and the EU in particular, to increase the provision of humanitarian assistance to internally displaced persons and the population in need;

10. Calls on all donors to honour their commitments and guarantee effective development aid to the Somali population;

11. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to .the Council, the Commission, IGAD, AU, and the Transitional National Government of Somalia.