On behalf of the Government, I am pleased to open this debate on the situation in the Great Lakes region. I know that all of us in this House have been following the crisis in Eastern Zaire with the deepest concern. Ireland, by virtue of our Presidency of the European Union, has been actively involved in the international response to the crisis. I welcome the opportunity of this debate to brief the House on those efforts and for an exchange of views as to where we go from here.
When the current crisis broke several weeks ago there appeared to be a real danger that horrendous scenes similar to those witnessed in Rwanda in 1994 were about to be repeated. Thankfully, that has not happened so far. If anything, events in the past two and a half weeks have taken a positive turn with the voluntary repatriation, in relatively good condition, of hundreds of thousands of refugees from Zaire to Rwanda. That is not to understate in any way the enormity of the problems that lie ahead. The challenge for the Rwandan Government of absorbing returnees on the current scale is truly daunting. Moreover, the plight of large numbers of refugees and displaced people in Eastern Zaire remains a major source of concern.
Primary in the response of the international community to the crisis in Eastern Zaire rests with the United Nations. The House will be aware that there have been a number of Security Council Resolutions on the situation. The most recent of these, Resolution 1080 of 15 November, sanctioned the "establishment for humanitarian purposes of a temporary multinational force [the MNF] to facilitate the immediate return of humanitarian organisations and the effective delivery by civilian relief organisations of humanitarian aid to alleviate the immediate suffering of displaced persons, refugees and civilians at risk in Eastern Zaire, and to facilitate the voluntary, orderly repatriation of refugees by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees as well as the voluntary return of displaced persons". Deputies will be aware that Canada has agreed to take the lead in putting together the MNF. I take this opportunity to offer our congratulations to the Canadian Government on this important initiative. I will return to Ireland's intention to participate in this force.
The European Union, under the Irish Presidency, has been playing an active role in the major humanitarian operation under way in the region but we have also recognised that there are fundamental political issues at the core of the problem and that a humanitarian response alone will not be sufficient to bring a lasting solution. These are the twin realities which we have taken forward together in our approach to the problem.
Against this background, the Presidency and our partners in the European Union are continuing their intensive efforts to assist in averting further human tragedy in Eastern Zaire and to avert a potentially catastrophic humanitarian disaster in the Great Lakes region of Africa. In our ongoing efforts we are working in close co-operation with the EU Special Envoy to the Great Lakes region, Mr. Aldo Ajello, the Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations, the Organisation of African Unity, regional leaders and other concerned members of the international community.
Foreign Ministers of the European Union discussed the situation in Eastern Zaire at the two most recent General Affairs Council meetings, in Luxembourg on 28-29 October and Brussels on Monday of this week. On Monday we were briefed by Mr. Ajello on his recent contacts. The Special Envoy has played a valuable part in the European Union's contribution to the process in the Great Lakes region. At the Luxembourg General Affairs Council in October we specifically mandated Mr. Ajello to travel on behalf of the Union to the Great Lakes region for a renewed and intensive series of consulations with the Governments of Rwanda and Burundi, the United Nations, the Organisation of African Unity and other concerned parties. Mr. Ajello also attended, on behalf of the European Union, the summit of regional leaders on the crisis in Eastern Zaire held in Nairobi on 5 November.
The European Union welcomed the outcome of that summit which called for a full and immediate ceasefire to facilitate the intensification of diplomatic efforts to achieve lasting peace. The summit also strongly supported, in conjunction with the respective Secretaries General of the United Nations and the Organisation of African Unity, the establishment of safe corridors and areas of sanctuary inside Zaire with an appropriate protection force to facilitate humanitarian assistance and the voluntary and safe repatriation of refugees. In the interim Mr. Ajello has continued his discussions with the Rwandan and Zairean Governments with the aim of encouraging a direct dialogue between them, either bilaterally or in the regional framework.
As a further element of the Presidency's response to the crisis, the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Joan Burton, chaired a special meeting of European Union Development and Humanitarian Aid Ministers in Brussels on 7 November. The European Commission was represented by Mrs. Emma Bonino and Professor Pinheiro. Commissioner Pinheiro outlined to Ministers the situation facing the Great Lakes region and Commissioner Bonino briefed Ministers on the humanitarian response of the Commission to the crisis to date and presented a plan of action for humanitarian assistance. Mr. Akashi, UnderSecretary of the United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs, DHA, Mrs. Ogata, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and representatives of several other major international agencies also gave briefings on the humanitarian situation in the region.
The meeting agreed to send immediately a special mission of Development Ministers from Ireland, the Netherlands and Italy to make an assessment of the humanitarian situation and to identify ways and means to speed up humanitarian assistance. The Minister of State, Deputy Burton, accompanied by Minister Pronk of the Netherlands and Minister Serri of Italy, visited Zaire and Rwanda between 9-12 November. Commissioner Bonino also participated in the visit.
The Troika delegation visited Kinshasa on 9-10 November and held discussions with Prime Minister Kengo as well as other Zairean Government Ministers, including the Foreign Minister, the Minister for the Interior and the Minister for Development. In Kigali it met with the President and Vice-President. It met in Rwanda with Ambassador Chretien, the Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary General, and with representatives of the international humanitarian agencies and NGOs.
Overall, the assessment of the Troika was that the exercise had been a valuable one. It provided the opportunity to assess directly the immediate humanitarian requirements resulting from the crisis in Eastern Zaire and to hear at first hand the perspectives and concerns of the Governments of Zaire and Rwanda. The Troika also had useful meetings in Rwanda with the UN agencies and NGOs working on the provision of humanitarian aid. The visit demonstrated in a tangible way the commitment of the European Union to make its full contribution both to the immediate life-sustaining humanitarian tasks ahead and to the wider political process needed if a comprehensive, durable solution to the problems of the region is to be found.
A further element of the European Union's response to the crisis was the adoption last Friday of a Joint Action drawing together the contribution which the Union could make to the efforts which the United Nations has undertaken to solve the crisis in the region together with a Council Decision requesting the Western European Union to elaborate and implement aspects of the Joint Action. These are important measures in ensuring a Union approach to the crisis that is as cohesive and effective as possible.
Overall, there are two main challenges which must now be addressed. The first is the immediate humanitarian requirements in the region and the second is the longer term challenge of securing a comprehensive, durable settlement to its problems. The humanitarian situation in the Great Lakes region is in a critical phase and is characterised by a massive and rapid return of Rwandan refugees from Zaire and large-scale population movements in the region.
At a regional level the situation is as follows: since 15 November an estimated 500,000 Rwandans have returned to Rwanda from camps in Eastern Zaire; in the same timeframe significant population movements have occurred from camps further west into Zaire and into Tanzania, Uganda and Burundi; large numbers of Zaireans have been displaced by the fighting in Eastern Zaire and a further 500,000 Rwandan refugees remain in exile in camps in Tanzania.
I would like to summarise the Government's assessment of the situation. First, it is our view, based on contacts with Irish aid agencies and the UNHCR and present information, that the internal and external population movements in the Great Lakes region are not yet over and that we can expect further significant movements throughout the entire Great Lakes region. There is a strong likelihood, for instance, that the Rwandan refugees in Tanzania may shortly begin to repatriate to Rwanda also.
Second, with regard to the massive voluntary influx of refugees to Rwanda, we are satisfied that the reintegration of these refugees is proceeding well. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reports that almost all of these refugees have now returned to their home communes and that, from a human rights perspective, the safety and dignity of ordinary refugees as they return are being respected by local authorities.
Third, international aid agencies are involved in the distribution of food and non-food essential items. Irish NGOs, including Concern and Trócaire, are to the forefront of the resettlement efforts.
Fourth, the Government remains deeply concerned about the fate and welfare of the estimated 300,000 to 700,000 refugees who remain in eastern Zaire. The voluntary return of these refugees has been aspired to by the international community for many years and our strong desire is that they should be able to do so unhampered by intimidation or duress. Fifth, the Government also remains concerned about the fate of the many tens of thousands of Zairean people who have been displaced by the conflict.
On Friday, 22 November in Brussels, the Minister of State, Deputy Burton, hosted a meeting of the EU Council of Ministers on development. The Council strongly affirmed the commitment of the European Union to support the Government of Rwanda in its work to reintegrate the refugees on a just and equitable basis and to promote reconciliation and dialogue between all parties and the development of civil society.
The Council agreed a series of measures to provide both immediate and long-term humanitarian and development assistance. A package of 170 million ECU for the Great Lakes region was proposed. The immediate priority of this aid will be to provide food and shelter for returning refugees. An ambitious housing programme as well as support for health and education in Rwanda are long-term objectives. The European Commission will propose in early December a strategic and comprehensive plan of action for EU assistance to the Great Lakes region. This plan will support social and economic rehabilitation, the reconstruction of independent and equitable justice systems, rebuilding and reinforcement of administrative systems and constitutional institutions and regional peace building efforts.
On November 23, the Minister of State, Deputy Burton, attended a meeting in Geneva of major donors, multinational organisations and international agencies to discuss critical needs related to the reintegration of refugees in Rwanda. The meeting discussed priorities identified by the ministerial delegation of the Government of Rwanda, which include support for housing, justice, security and capacity building.
The Irish Government has already announced an aid package of £2.25 million in response to the current crisis. This includes a grant of £1 million received from the national lottery. This money is being channelled to the Irish NGOs operational in Rwanda, the International Red Cross and UN agencies for immediate humanitarian relief. The package includes a grant of £250,000 for human rights monitors as well as support for the efforts of the Government of Rwanda to reintegrate returning Rwandan refugees.
I met Mr. Julius Nyerere, the distinguished former President of Tanzania, last evening and when I asked him how he assessed the priorities for the period ahead I was struck by the emphasis he put on helping the Rwandan Government to end impunity. He believes there can be no reconciliation in Rwanda if those principally responsible for the genocide in 1994 are not held accountable for their crimes. Mr. Nyerere feels that Rwanda cannot develop the necessary justice system on its own and the international community can help in this area in an important way. The work of the international tribunal is critical in this regard also. Ireland has contributed substantially already in these areas and I assure the House that we will continue to play our part in assisting to bring about an end to impunity.
Deputies will be aware that, meanwhile, planning for the deployment of the multinational force to assist the humanitarian process in eastern Zaire, sanctioned by UN Resolution 1080, has been continuing. There have been intensive consultations between the troop contributing countries in recent days, including in Stuttgart last weekend and New York yesterday. The Government has decided to agree to a request from the UN to contribute to the humanitarian mission involved and proposes to provide a contingent from the Defence Forces. The necessary resolution will be brought before the House next week for its approval under the terms of the appropriate Defence Acts. It is the Government's view that in light of the long and proud tradition of service by the Defence Forces in peacekeeping missions overseas and the deep concern which the situation in the Great Lakes region has given rise to here, the people would wish very strongly that Ireland play its full part in the proposed humanitarian operation. I believe this view is widely shared in the House.
Ireland, therefore, has attended the planning meetings for the mission and there have been bilateral exchanges between the Defence Forces and Canada about the precise nature of the contribution from Ireland. The proposed mission is complex and its context has been altered considerably by the voluntary return of refugees to Rwanda already on such an unprecedented scale. At the same time, there is a recognition, as I said earlier, that there are still many people in eastern Zaire, both refugees and displaced Zaireans, who need help. It is now a matter of establishing how best that help can be provided to them. I assure the House that Ireland will continue to work closely with our EU and UN partners in ensuring, in the most effective and safest way, that this help reaches those people and that the remaining refugees in eastern Zaire who wish to return to Rwanda can do so.
I stress the fact that the proposed force is designated to be "temporary", deployable until March of next year, together with the fact that its mandate in relation to refugees is specific to the UN High Commissioner. This makes it clear that it is intended to augment and support humanitarian efforts rather than in any way compete with them. The logistical and airlift support proposed under UN Resolution 1080 remains essential to enable the relevant agencies to meet the immediate humanitarian needs of the many refugees and internally displaced persons in eastern Zaire.
Regarding the longer term perspective, I suggested earlier that humanitarian action alone, although important, cannot solve the problems of the Great Lakes region. There is a critical need to develop mechanisms which address the underlying political problems and which do so in a comprehensive and coherent way. That is the only route to a durable, political settlement in the region. I see much hope in this regard in the process which has been developed by the heads of state of the Great Lakes region themselves.
Beginning some months ago with Burundi, and using Mr. Julius Nyerere as a mediator, the heads of state have begun taking a proactive, political approach to the problems of the region. This approach is based on the premise that many of the problems inside separate borders are interrelated and can only be resolved on a collective, comprehensive basis. The regional heads of state, as indicated, have now involved themselves in trying to facilitate the resolution of the conflict in eastern Zaire. The European Union, through, inter alia, Special Envoy Ajello, has been actively supporting the efforts of the regional leaders and Mr. Nyerere and it is a process to which the Minister of State, Deputy Burton, and I have assigned a considerable priority during the Irish Presidency.
In support of this concept, Ireland and the European Union also strongly favour the proposal for an international conference on peace, stability and development in the Great Lakes region under the auspices of the United Nations and the Organisation of African Unity. The purpose of this conference would be the achievement of a comprehensive settlement of the problems of the region. In addressing this challenge, it would build on the work to date of the regional leaders themselves. Indeed, the current process under way in the region in regard to Burundi and now eastern Zaire might serve as a bridge into that wider conference. I also raised this issue with Mr. Nyerere last evening and he believes that such a conference has a positive role to play in building a better future in central Africa.
I also discussed with Mr. Nyerere the situation in Burundi. which continues to be a concern to us all. While the process is very difficult, he remains hopeful that his mediation efforts can yet bear fruit. However, he warned that it will be a lengthy process and that the building of trust between the parties to the conflict will not be easily achieved. He asked for the continued support of the international community for his work and I assured him of Ireland's continued support, both during the Presidency and afterwards. The situation in Burundi is a critical part of the overall jigsaw in central Africa and securing progress there will be vital to the overall settlement we seek in the region.
We also discussed the wider political situation in Zaire, which remains a major concern. Zaire is due to hold elections next year which are critical to its democratic transition process. The EU is committed to the future of Zaire and its territorial integrity and considers such a process essential to the well-being of the region as a whole. In tandem with the UN, the Union has undertaken to assist with the holding of the elections. We have stressed to the Zairean Government the importance of ensuring that all Zaireans can participate in those elections. It remains to be seen what impact the current difficulties in the east of the country will have on that process.
Mr. Nyerere's work in the region has been invaluable and it was an honour and a privilege to receive him in Ireland this week. In that regard, I compliment Oxfam and Concern for their choice of Mr. Nyerere as the keynote speaker at the excellent conference they arranged this week on the theme, "Europe's evolving foreign policy: Implications for developing countries".
This debate on the Great Lakes region is most timely. It reflects the continuing priority which all parties attach to the area and the deep concern which we feel about the continuing conflicts there. It is obvious that there are no instant solutions. However, there is a gathering consensus that the solutions to the terrible problems of the region cannot be found in humanitarian action alone and that a comprehensive approach is necessary, involving a partnership between region and international communities, if the harrowing images of the past two years are not to be repeated in short order. Ireland and its partners in the European Union have been playing a significant role in the efforts to achieve progress in the region. I assure the House that we remain committed to continuing that work in the challenging period ahead.
