Resolution on the situation in Darfur, Sudan

The European Parliament adopted by 76 votes to 0 with 0 abstentions a resolution on Darfur.

The text adopted in plenary was tabled by EPP-ED, PES, Greens/ALE, GUE/NGL, UEN and ALDE groups.

Parliament deplores the continuation of violence and rape by all sides, and condemns the Government of Sudan's continued support for the Janjaweed militia.

Parliament urges the United Nations Security Council to meet to address the violence in Darfur, which is tantamount to genocide, and to act on its responsibility to protect civilians by drafting a clear mandate under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, on or before 1 October 2006 (following the expiry of the mandate of the African Union mission in Darfur on 30 September 2006). The Security Council is also urged to extend the arms embargo in Darfur throughout Sudan and support the African Union's efforts in Darfur to reach full operational capacity and to robustly interpret its mandate to protect civilians until the transition to a UN mission.

Parliament stresses that the mandate of the AMIS force has primarily been to observe violations of the humanitarian ceasefire agreement, and it criticises the international community for not having acted to protect civilians sooner. EU Member States are asked to honour the commitments they have already made to provide military observers, and civilian police to increase security in Darfur and to ensure that the current AMIS mission is adequately funded and equipped to enable it to interpret its limited mandate as broadly as possible.

On the matter of sanctions, Parliament calls on the EU, the US and other international actors to take all necessary action to help end impunity by enforcing the Security Council sanctions regime and seeking for this regime to include targeted sanctions against individuals who obstruct the deployment of the UN force and otherwise contribute to abuses of civilians. It also calls for the international community to support the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) investigation into violations of international humanitarian and human rights law in Darfur.

Members note that the Darfur conflict - and impunity from prosecution - is increasingly affecting the stability of neighbouring eastern Chad and constitutes a threat to international peace and security. They join the UNHCR in calling for an end to forced conscription of Sudanese refugees in Chad and call for the implementation of a Chad-Sudan border monitoring force.

On the matter of humanitarian aid, Parliament notes that access to Darfur for humanitarian aid and all humanitarian workers is considered to be at its lowest level in two years. It calls on the Government of Sudan to work alongside the NGO community for the benefit of its people and to revise the Organisation of Voluntary and Humanitarian Work Act 2006 to bring it into line with international human rights standards. Sudan's Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) must facilitate the issuing of visas and travel permits to humanitarian workers and stop the harassment of international NGOs. Parliament criticises the lack of independence of the HAC from the Government of Sudan.

Lastly, Members note that Russia and China continue to supply arms to the Government of Sudan. They criticise Russian and Chinese efforts to block UN Security Council actions over Darfur and urge the international community to exert more pressure on these countries in order to prevent these countries' economic interests in oil and arms sales from undermining efforts to bring peace to Darfur.