Brussels, 14/12/2012 (Agence Europe) - MEPs have expressed concern at the situation in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which is under rebel attack, and by the situation of the caste of “untouchables” in India, which is under constant discrimination. The European Parliament adopted two resolutions on Thursday 13 December on these subjects with a view to stimulating action by the European authorities.
The first resolution, adopted unanimously, condemns the attacks by rebel groups, including the M23, and calls on both Rwanda and Uganda to stop backing the rebels. MEPs trust that human rights violations and war crimes will be judged according to national and international law. They are in favour of continuing the United Nations stabilisation mission (MONUSCO) in the region. Mariya Gabriel (EPP, Bulgaria) expressed emotion at the fact that the crisis in Kivu has brought the old demons of the Great Lake region back to the surface, and especially old, serious problems that have not been tackled by the Congolese State as seriously as they ought to have been. In order to resolve the conflict, Gabriel recommends responsibility and efficacy. Commissioner Dacian Ciolos, who attended the debates prior to voting, called for constructive efforts to be made to find a sustainable solution to the crisis. He said this means setting political consensus in place among the populations of Kivu, as well as between the DRC and its neighbours in order to get things moving positively again at the regional level.
The second resolution denounces discrimination, in India, against 170 million “untouchables” which make up the caste of the Dalits and indigenous Adivasi. While discriminatory practice is still strongly anchored in India's way of life, the Indian government's commitment is mainly on paper, MEPs bemoan. They call on the Indian authorities to amend their legislation in order to protect this vulnerable section of the population. The subject should be a pre-condition for all EU-India negotiations, they say. Peter Van Dalen (CRE, NL) considers (our translation throughout) that “it is possible to add a stone to the edifice in the context of talks. The whole Indian machinery must be reformed, and EU relations with that country must be subject to that”. Commissioner Ciolos noted, however, that “stopping talks on the free trade agreement, as proposed in the resolution, would not directly improve the situation of the castes in India. But the agreement could contribute to India's economic development and thus improve the situation of the least advantaged communities”. He went on to insist that the question of discrimination was on the agenda of the dialogue on EU-India human rights and that such dialogue was expected early next year. (MD/transl.jl)