Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-05-15-Speech-4-124"
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"en.20030515.7.4-124"2
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"Mr President, the massacres in Ituri are extremely serious events and should indeed be one of the subjects in our debate on human rights. We in the Group of the Party of European Socialists denounce once again the use of the rape of women and girls as a weapon of war and the recruitment of child soldiers. We denounce the problems concerning access to humanitarian aid and the presence of foreign troops on the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Finally, we denounce the neighbouring countries supporting the armed groups operating within the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
I would also like to draw attention to the peace process and to the urgency of supporting it, further to the so-called Final Act adopted on 2 April in South Africa.
We must not fail to see the wood for the trees. These massacres must not deter us from working for peace in the long term. The government of national unity provided for in the peace agreement must be formed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The country needs an integrating government able to compel armed groups to withdraw. The best means of achieving peace is to form a solid and stable integrating government.
The peace agreement timetable provided for the formation of the government of national unity on 28 May. The parties and the rebel groups have presented their lists to the Government. Paradoxically however, it is Mr Kabila’s government that is dragging its feet. Once again, I would urge the Congolese authorities to comply with the terms and timetable in the peace agreement. Similar problems are delaying the formation of a Parliament. The measures required to form a Parliament by 10 June, the date set in the peace agreement, are not being taken.
Further, it has become evident that the mandate of the United Nations Observation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) must be amended, as was previously proposed. The United Nations has a mere 5 000 men deployed in a huge country. The MONUC mandate needs to be extended to allow UN troops to intervene between the warring parties. At present they are only there as observers to monitor the cease-fire. In addition, UN troops should be allowed to intervene to protect the civilian population if necessary. This must however remain a United Nations mission. Under no circumstances should foreign troops be deployed, especially troops from countries with interests in the Great Lakes region.
French troops must also abide by the MONUC mandate. Clearly, the presence of foreign troops in this area has been at the root of many of the conflicts that laid waste to the region, including the Rwandan genocide. Consequently, it is necessary to ensure that the United Nations alone is responsible for guaranteeing peace. I therefore believe the House must continue to insist on this.
I would like to take this opportunity to call upon the Commission to direct as much humanitarian aid as possible to help the civil population of the region. These people have been suffering for a very long time."@en1
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