Situation in Darfur

Tabled by Daniel Cohn-Bendit, Margrete Auken, Bart Staes, Cem Özdemir and Jean Lambert
on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its previous resolutions on Darfur,

– having regard to Rule 103(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. worried that, although a peace agreement was signed in Abuja, Nigeria, in May 2006, violence is continuing in Darfur, where the Janjaweed militias are continuing to attack civilians and humanitarian aid workers,

B. whereas since 2003 fighting in Darfur has caused the death of more than 200 000 people and at least two million people have been forced to leave their homes,

C. whereas, despite the presence of African Union forces in the region, civilians living in the displaced persons camps in Darfur continue to suffer regular attacks, including wilful killings, rape and torture, by the government-backed militias and other armed groups,

D. whereas, according to the UN, violence in Darfur is increasingly targeting humanitarian workers, making it difficult for aid workers to help vulnerable people,

E. 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 Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS), while reaffirming its full respect of Sudanese sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity,

F. whereas the UN Security Council has authorised the use of sanctions (e.g. in UNSC Resolution 1672) against the Government of Sudan in the event of non-compliance with commitments, but whereas such sanctions have never been implemented,

G. whereas the Darfur conflict erupted in 2003 when a rebel group took up arms against the government, and whereas the conflict has resulted in the killing of civilians, sexual violence against women, displacement of the population and looting,

H. whereas the International Criminal Court (ICC) opened an investigation into crimes in Darfur in June 2005,

1. Calls on the Sudanese Government to cooperate with the United Nations peacekeeping force which is to take over from the African Union Mission in Sudan;

2. Calls on the United Nations immediately to set a date for deployment of a UN peacekeeping force in Darfur under Chapter VII of the UN Charter and in line with UNSC Resolution 1706, to protect civilians from further crimes against the population;

3. Agrees with the view expressed by Desmond Tutu, who said that concerned citizens are still waiting for a no-fly zone and targeted sanctions against the architects of genocide; calls therefore on the UN to implement urgently the no-fly zone over Darfur established by UNSC Resolution 1591;

4. Calls on the UN Security Council to consider a global arms embargo on Sudan and other targeted sanctions against those responsible for massive abuses of human rights and other atrocities, and to ensure that any such sanctions do not add to the suffering of the population of Sudan;

5. Deplores the Sudanese Government's support for the Janjaweed militia and its bombing of the Darfur region, amounting to a clear and flagrant breach of the Darfur Peace Agreement;

6. Urges the Sudanese authorities to end impunity and immediately to bring to justice the planners and perpetrators of human rights violations, including sexual violence;

7. Calls upon all armed groups to respect human rights and international humanitarian law by refraining from any indiscriminate attacks on civilians, including sexual violence against women;

8. Welcomes the UN Human Rights Council decision to send a high-level mission to Darfur to investigate human rights abuses in the region, and considers that those responsible for attacks, harassment, abduction, rape, etc. should be brought to justice;

9. Calls on China to use its considerable influence to work towards peace in the region and to take action by bringing together the Sudanese Government and the non-signatories to the Darfur Peace Agreement;

10. Considers the root causes of the conflict in Darfur to be underdevelopment, economic and political marginalisation of the population of the region, the absence of the rule of law and the undemocratic nature of the present regime;

11. Calls on all parties involved in the conflict to refrain from the recruitment and use of child soldiers under the age of 18, and calls on the Sudanese authorities to protect displaced children, especially unaccompanied minors, as laid down in the relevant conventions;

12. 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, the Government of China and the Secretary-General of the United Nations.