Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-01-29-Speech-3-116"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20030129.5.3-116"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spoken text |
"Madam President, much of the United Nations report refers to the role of Zimbabwean interests and gives startling evidence of how the actions of Mugabe's corrupt henchmen impact not just on their own people but also on neighbouring countries such as the Congo. The Mugabe regime is a criminal racket and a major factor of instability, not just in southern Africa but, as the report makes clear, in central Africa as well. The report describes the conflicts fought over minerals, farm produce, land and tax revenues by criminal groups linked to the Zimbabwean armed forces which have, for example, transferred at least five billion dollars' worth of assets from the state mining company in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to companies under its control.
It is ridiculous even to think the Zimbabwean government could be asked to investigate its own activities. The report not only provides evidence of the involvement of Mugabe in these activities, but names a numbers of other senior Zimbabweans, four of whom are subject to the EU's restrictive measures but four of whom, to my astonishment, are not.
The political, economic and humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe is worsening with serious implications for the security situation. Two days ago, the United States government issued a travel warning urging United States citizens to consider departure from Zimbabwe. Is it not therefore bewildering to the oppressed people of Zimbabwe that two European governments now seek to delay the renewal and dilute the force of the travel ban and other restrictive measures that the European Union has put in place against the Mugabe regime and which are due to expire on 18 February 2003? Is it not deeply offensive that one European Union government has invited Mugabe to a summit conference in Paris? One reason why our measures have been ineffective so far is that they have not been rigorously enforced and their scope is too narrow. This is not the time to be reducing pressure on the Mugabe regime; instead, international action must be intensified.
May I ask the President of the Council and the Commission, in accordance with the clearly expressed wishes of this House over a year or more, to insist that sanctions be renewed unequivocally and that the EU measures be extended to include all of those involved in this racket in Zimbabwe and the Congo. The European Union must be determined and consistent in its tough policy in relation to the Mugabe regime and see this matter through, for the benefit of all Zimbabweans."@en1
|
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples