Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-07-07-Speech-4-185"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20050707.28.4-185"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
"Mr President, the situation in Zimbabwe is going from bad to worse now. The latest piece of brutality, known as Operation Drive Out Rubbish, involves knocking down whole areas of cities. The UN estimates that more than 200 000 people are without roofs over their heads, and many of them are in danger of dying of cold now. The violent and systematic persecution of Mugabe’s critics is developing into a humanitarian disaster. According to the BBC, Methodist bishops have warned of genocide in the last day or two. The responses from the surrounding world are still too feeble, and the sanctions adopted are scarcely being implemented properly. The worst thing, however, is that the SADC countries, and South Africa in particular, are still protecting Mugabe and accepting the huge sufferings he is inflicting upon his people.
All this was aired recently in the hearing in the Committee on Development, but there were also proposals about what might be done. First and foremost, the EU must put far greater pressure on both the UN and the SADC, especially South Africa, and so at long last comply with the responsibility it has by virtue of its own strength. Over and above that, it can, in entirely practical terms, increase its support for civil society both within and outside Zimbabwe with a view to developing a human rights culture and producing more documentation about human rights violations. It can increase support for the victims of torture and of organised violence both in Zimbabwe and in exile and it can provide proper legal aid in connection with obviously unjustified legal proceedings brought against human rights campaigners and those who support, or are believed to support, the opposition. There can be support for a free press, with news sent from Britain and neighbouring countries, partly in the form of newspapers published there. All this will cost a lot of money, however. In short, we are pleased about the resolution, but we should like to take the opportunity to emphasise these practical opportunities for offering help, and we hope that the Commission will look sympathetically at them."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples