Brussels, 11/05/2009 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament has asked the Council of the EU to consider including the Movimiento Revolucionario Túpac Amaru (MRTA) on the European list of terrorist organisations, in a resolution adopted on Thursday 7 May, in its 2008 report on human rights in the world (see EUROPE 9897). Reacting in the strongest possible terms to this vote, which was carried out "to the indifference of most MEPs", Alain Lipietz (Greens/EFA, France) has issued a press release in which he states that "contrary to their promises, the European Socialists ended up deciding not to oppose it" (our translation). He went on: "What is so scandalous about this irresponsible vote is that the death squads and para-governmental organisations of Peru are using the accusation of being a secret member of the MRTA to intimidate human rights defenders".
The EP's position on including the MRTA on the European list of terrorist organisations rocked the plenary meeting of the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly (EUROLAT), held in Lima in late April 2008 a few days ahead of the EU/Latin America Summit (see EUROPE 9654). In a resolution adopted ahead of this summit, the EP failed- by four votes- to adopt an amendment of the EPP-ED group calling for the MRTA to be included on the European list of terrorist organisations. The authorities wrote to the EP at the time, to ask it to reconsider its position. (M.B./transl.fl)