Bamako, 21/04/2005 (Agence Europe) - The global peace agreement signed in January this year between North and South Sudan augurs well. The ACP/EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly welcomes it and prefers to encourage these positive signs in the hope that they will bring benefits for peace in Darfur, rather than simply point a finger of blame on those responsible for the mass violations of human rights and crimes against humanity which continue to give rise to concern. The result of a compromise, the emergency resolution on Sudan adopted on Thursday in Bamako (Mali) by MEPs and their counterparts of the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries, bears witness to the will to put trust in the signatories of the agreement that they will implement it and in those responsible for exactions against the civilian populations in Darfur that they will bring such violence to an end. The JPA is able to table on progress because of the assurance it has received that those identified as guilty of such crimes by the UN committee of inquiry will be brought before the International Criminal Court. The results of the assessment mission carried out by a JPA delegation from 23 to 27 March also inspired the text of the resolution which is deliberately encouraging. Headed by Sharon Hay Webster, Jamaican Co-President of the JPA, and Luisa Morgantini (GUE/NGL, Italy), who chairs the EP Committee on Development, the mission has allowed parliamentarians to go to Khartoum in the south of the country (in Djuba) and to Darfur to meet political leaders and many of those in the field, and to visit refugee camps, hospitals and water supply points. In her opening speech to the debate, this was made clear by Sharon Hay Webster, who stressed the “change of climate” observed in the country, while saying she was “struck by the persistence of inhuman activity over 30 years of conflict, not only in Darfur which is not the whole of Sudan”. In Djuba, where the arrival of the JPA delegation coincided with that of the UN mission, which has been increased to 10,000 men, the “atmosphere was quite good”, and talks covered mine clearance, the transport of food and recovery of certain economic sectors now foreseeable as there is less fear for returning refugees and schools are reopening, the co-president was pleased to state. On the other hand, after an upsetting visit to the over-populated refugee camps (120,000 refugees in the largest of these camps), where rape has been committed, she deplored the fact that “in the camps visited, despite the establishment of a committee of inquiry, no-one has dared to give evidence”, a silence which, she feels, says a great deal about the “lack of confidence”. Ms Hay Webster also expressed alarm at the fate reserved for women raped and the children conceived from rape, who are maltreated, badly fed and condemned as outsiders. “They must be found a place”, she stressed, calling for aid from the international community. Luisa Morgantini, for her part, has noted since her first visit to Sudan in September 2004, “an improvement” in the situation and “greater awareness of the need for peace between government and rebels”. In Djuba, priorities are to rebuild the region, reopen the universities, make access routes and carry out mine clearance “to give the population concrete proof of peace as a matter of urgency”, Ms Morgantini said. While in Khartoum, she was pleased to attend a meeting between the government's militia and the representatives of the SPLM/A, in a good spirit of cooperation. Ms Morgantini stressed that the situation in Darfur is still as dramatic and demanded continued humanitarian aid and pacification. Without being naively optimistic about Khartoum, “positive developments and peace forces must be encouraged to ensure that the European Commission moves forward with economic aid”, she said.
Angelo Beda, Sudanese parliamentarian, was also keen to say: “Our message is one of peace. The SPLM/A and the other leaders are trying to rewrite a new Constitution”. “A new government will be set up”, he stressed, saying he was “delighted by the results of the Donors' Conference in Oslo which will help us toward peace in Sudan. Despite the atrocities committed in Darfur, the agreement may be used for Darfur”, he said, calling on the African Union to take its rightful place in the region's security, and on the international community to bring the rebels back to the negotiating table in Abuja. Youssuf Moussa Dawaleh (Djibouti), whose country took part in negotiations within the IGAD, said “encouragement must come, in the hope of finding a solution for Darfur”. MEP Ana Gomes (PES, Portugal) stressed the need to strengthen the AU's capacity for better coordination between troops on the ground and its seat in Addis Abeba. She stressed: “It is essential to combat impunity given the inability of the Sudanese legal system to manage this problem. The way victims of rape and their children are treated is the proof of this. I am pleased that there is finally a coherent argument from the international community concerning the ICC. The government must now cooperate with the ICC prosecutor”.
Andrebrhran Weldgioris (Eritrea) called for the rapid deployment of a joint AU/EU peace keeping mission to enforce respect of the cease-fire, humanitarian aid and the return of refugees. “We can't stand around with our arms crossed. Everyone has to apply the Security Council's resolution”. Hélène Goudin (IND/DEM, Sweden) thought that the United Nations was the most suitable body for ensuring lasting peace and that the EU should concentrate on humanitarian aid in a UN context by cooperating with the World Health Organisation (WTO) and the World Food Programme (WFP). Ehraim Kamuntu (Uganda) appealed for a rapid release of USD 4.5 billion promised by donors at Oslo. Lapo Pistelli (ADLE, Italy said that, “will the overall peace agreement bring a solution to Darfur or will Darfur undermine the peace agreement. He declared that the number of refugees had doubled in a year and that peace in Darfur meant them returning, “If Sudan, which has been able to put an end to the North/South conflict, succeeds with the same thing in Darfur, we will be happy to redouble our efforts”. Carl Schlyter (Greens/EFA, Sweden) raised the issue of the previous conflict in Mali with the Tuaregs and thought that a solution could be found, via reconciliation and forgiveness. Mr Bwari (Nigeria) said that, “there is light at the end of the tunnel” and called on the international community to act carefully in the medium term. According to him, “IGAD and the EU have to continue to work together to show the way forward in finding lasting solutions without complicating the problems and the Security Council resolution has to be applied very cautiously”. John Bowen (British Conservative) denounced the continued abuses and the demonstrations violently repressed in Port Sudan. Referring to the “senseless and premeditated” ransacking of a village, Marie-Arlette Carlotti (PES, France) underlined the opportunity of supporting the peace agreement, for which “there is still a lot to do and reconciliation cannot be obtained without justice”. She appealed for them to monitor the causes of the conflict and “a fairer sharing out of the wealth from oil”. Mr Ouidoung (Chad) highlighted the importance of humanitarian aid for both “the indigenous population” who were receiving the refugees. The list of those guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity is going to be transferred to the ICC and will be even longer, warned Michael Gahler (EPP-ED, Germany) who wanted to see Africa “have less patience with the dictators and robbers”. Max van den Berg (PES, Netherlands) said that they should reintroduce oil sanctions if progress was not forthcoming in Darfur. Ludmila Novak (EPP-ED, Slovenia) was the only one to speak about “genocide”, which is continuing against innocent parties, particularly the women who were being raped. She denounced the “enormous responsibility of the international community”. Johan van Ecke (ALDE, Belgium) said that the North/South agreement provided immense relief but had to be made effective and called on the “Sudanese government to find the rebels of the LRA and take them to the ICC”. Jürgen Schröder (EPP-ED, Germany) praised the work of the AU because it proved that Africans were best placed for resolving their conflicts.
The European Commission representative said that close coordination between the AU and the ACP countries should contribute to implementing the Naivasha agreement. He pointed out that the EUR 590 million promised by the EU to Sudan for 2005-07 was conditional and acknowledged that they had to have “positive signs but not at the expense of Darfur…I'm aware of some African countries' reservations concerning the competency of the ICC but I don't think that crimes against humanity should be treated differently if they are committed in Africa”. He appealed for the rebels to return to the negotiating table in Abuja, which was blocking all progress in Darfur. He praised the essential work being carried out by the EU mission. He provides assurances that, “Our objective is to double the number of soldiers, but this will be difficult if the previous deployment is not completed. We are still prepared to help the AU in any additional deployment”. EUROPE will return to the debates on the African Great Lakes and the main Assembly conclusions.