Written Answers - Foreign Conflicts.
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:
117
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for Foreign Affairs
the extent to which he has used his position at EU or UN level to bring positive influences to bear on the situation in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13296/01]
I refer the Deputy to the answer which I have provided today to the priority question on this subject.
Question No. 118 answered with Question No. 82.
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:
119
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for Foreign Affairs
the situation regarding the most recent developments in Nigeria; the degree to which he has influenced or proposes to influence the situation there; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13298/01]
The Government and the international community, including the EU and the international financial institutions, continue to monitor developments in Nigeria, particularly in the areas of poverty alleviation, economic reform and human rights.
Since coming to power as the first democratically elected civilian President of Nigeria after 15 years of military rule, President Obasanjo has faced enormous challenges. The economy was in disarray and has resulted in high levels of unemployment which have exacerbated the poverty level of a large part of the population. The introduction of Islamic Sharia law in a number of states in northern Nigeria in 2000 has fuelled ethnic and religious tensions there.
The Government welcomes the important steps taken by the Nigerian Government to address some of the most serious problems confronting the economy. In the areas of market reform, privatisation and the fight against corruption solid progress can be recorded. In most parts of Nigeria the human rights situation has also improved since the new civilian Government came to power.
Nigeria, by virtue of its political and economic influence, population and size, has an important international and regional role to play and has, at present, a crucial opportunity to consolidate democracy and socio-economic development in its country. The European Union attaches great importance to its relations with Nigeria which, as a signatory to the ACP-EC partnership agreement signed in Cotonou on 23 June 2000, is a key partner of the EU in terms of political, economic, trade and development co-operation.
Within the EU Ireland has urged the need to maintain a positive, constructive and consistent approach, so as to support Nigeria in its efforts to consolidate democracy and advance socio-economic development. We welcome the achievements of the Nigerian authorities to date in this regard and encourage them to maintain their commitment to progress in these areas, where they still face considerable challenges.
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:
120
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for Foreign Affairs
if he will report on the situation in Eritrea; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13299/01]
The Government warmly welcomed the signing of a comprehensive peace agreement between Ethiopia and Eritrea on 12 December 2000. The agreement brought an end to their brutal border war and provides the real prospect of lasting peace for their peoples. It is essential that its terms be fully implemented without delay. I therefore welcome the progress that has been made to date. With its EU partners, Ireland will continue to support the peace process and promote initiatives aimed at creating long-term reconciliation between the two countries.
Eritrea is now trying to address the enormous social, economic and humanitarian consequences of the war. The main priority is to provide for the safe and co-ordinated resettlement of populations who were displaced as a result of the war. Since autumn 2000, over 55,000 Eritreans have returned from the Sudan and almost 300,000 internally displaced persons are awaiting resettlement.
Eritrea is also facing a serious humanitarian situation as a result of the impact of the third year of drought. The World Food Programme estimates that several hundred thousand people are affected by the drought and that one quarter of the population may be without adequate food reserves. So far this year the Government has contributed almost £100,000 to help meet these humanitarian needs.
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:
121
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for Foreign Affairs
the position in Myanmar; the extent to which he has used his influence to improve the situation there; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13300/01]
The systematic and ongoing violation of human rights in Burma remains a matter of profound concern to the Government. The continuing refusal of the military regime to address the findings of various UN and other inquiries is unacceptable. These concerns were most recently conveyed to the military regime in the course of the EU Troika mission at the end of January and were reflected in a full and comprehensive resolution on Burma adopted at the 57th Session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.
Although I welcome the initial contacts that have taken place between the military regime and Aung San Suu Kyi, I note that there has been no substantive progress towards the objectives set out in the EU common position adopted during Ireland's EU Presidency in 1996. I also note that, in particular, the human rights situation in Burma remains extremely serious. On 9 April last, the General Affairs Council agreed to extend the common position on Burma for a further six months. I strongly supported this decision and I hope that the military regime will realise that it has to take concrete steps before the common position can be modified. I also hope that a further EU Troika mission will shortly be received in Rangoon in pursuance of the objectives set out in the common position.
I strongly support the efforts of the UN Secretary General's special envoy, Tan Sri Razali Ismail, and welcome the contacts recently established between the Burmese authorities and the UN special rapporteur on human rights, Mr. Sergio Pinheiro. I hope that it will be possible for both to achieve the objectives of their mandates during future visits.
The measures taken by the International Labour Organisation aimed at eliminating the unacceptable practice of forced labour – one of many human rights violations in Burma – also have the full support of the Government. Ireland, in consultation with our EU partners, has examined these measures with a view to ensuring that they are implemented to optimum effect.
In pursuance of our policy to provide practical assistance where we can, and following on from the courses which took place in Ireland last year, a further training course for Burmese exiles will take place at the Institute for Public Administration next month, through the financial support of my Department. Participants will represent a range of ethnic minorities and other groups involved in the Burmese Democratic Movement and the course will be dedicated to developing skills in the areas of political leadership and public service management.
My EU colleagues and I will continue our efforts to improve the situation in Burma.
Question No. 122 answered with Question No. 58.
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:
123
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for Foreign Affairs
if he has taken any initiatives at UN or EU level regarding the situation in Somalia; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13303/01]
Somalia has experienced a prolonged political, social and humanitarian crisis. It has been without any central government for most of the past decade and remains deeply unstable.
Over the past 12 months there have been some tentative signs of progress. After numerous attempts to restore central government and end the factional fighting among the warlords, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development sponsored Djibouti peace initiative on Somalia led to the convening of a Somali national peace conference in Arta, Djibouti in May 2000. This gathering resulted in the conclusion of a tran sitional national charter and the establishment of a transitional 265 seat parliament in Djibouti and the subsequent election from this parliament of Mr. Abdiqassin Salad Hassan as President of the transitional national Government. Last October the new President and his Government arrived in Mogadishu and was given an enthusiastic welcome. However, the self-autonomous regions of Somaliland and Puntland, along with a number of key clan leaders refused to attend the national peace conference and do not regard the TNG as the legitimate government of Somalia.
The TNG has enjoyed limited success in its attempts to assert its authority and rebuild the state. While it has achieved moderate progress in establishing the institutions of government in Mogadishu, it has little control of the country beyond the capital. Opposition to its existence from Puntland and Somaliland has hardened in recent months and a number of groups opposed to the Arta process have recently established a reconciliation and reconstruction council as a rival authority to the TNG.
Ireland welcomed the establishment of the TNG as offering the best prospect for peace and stability in Somalia for almost a decade. Along with our EU colleagues, we have expressed the hope that the election of Mr. Hassan as President will contribute to the restoration of the State and the preservation of national unity. We believe that an inclusive dialogue between the TNG and the two self-autonomous areas and with all relevant clan leaders is essential if lasting peace and stability is to be achieved. An EU Troika delegation visited Somalia in February and met a wide range of political and civil society leaders on all sides.
Since becoming a member of the Security Council, Ireland has actively contributed to Security Council deliberations on Somalia. We have indicated that we would be open to the Secretary General's suggestion of 19 December that a UN peace building mission could play a useful role. We agree with his subsequent assessment that there would have to be a significant improvement in the security situation before such a mission could be actively considered.
As a member the IGAD International Partners Forum, we have indicated our strong support for IGAD's efforts to build peace and stability in Somalia. In March we participated in the joint IGAD partners forum meeting in Rome at which the situation in Somalia was discussed in detail.
I remain deeply concerned at the continued humanitarian situation in Somalia. The country remains at the bottom of the development ladder with one of the world's highest rates of illiteracy and infant mortality, extreme food insecurity and lack of primary health care. So far this year the Government has made contributions totalling £462,000 to meet the humanitarian needs of the most vulnerable groups in society.
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:
124
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for Foreign Affairs
the position in relation to the situation in Rwanda; his proposals to address the issues in a positive way; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13304/01]
Despite the political turmoil of recent years, the internal security situation in Rwanda remains relatively calm. Following the resignation of President Bizimungu, the Vice-President and Defence Minister, Paul Kagame was sworn into office as President. The new Government of National Unity has a term of four years until 2003. The Government of President Kagame has been making important efforts to rebuild the country in the aftermath of the horrific genocide of 1994.
The issue of the genocide is likely to continue to dominate the political agenda in Rwanda which has been gradually rebuilding its justice system since it was almost completely destroyed in 1994. An international criminal tribunal for Rwanda was set up in 1995 under UN Security Council Resolution 995. As of April 2001, indictments had been issued against 47 individuals
The conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo has had serious ethnic and security implications for Rwanda and for other countries in the Great Lakes region and in southern Africa. Rwandan troops, having helped to overthrow Zaire's late President Mobutosese Seko and put President Kabila in office, actively supported rebel factions fighting the new Government in the east of the country.
The European Union has welcomed the Rwandan Government's decision to withdraw and reduce their troops in the DRC in accordance with the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1341. The European Union hopes that these actions will encourage all sides to take further steps in implementing the Lusaka agreement to bring about a peaceful solution to the conflict in the Great Lakes region.
The report of the United Nations panel of experts on the illegal exploitation of natural resources and other forms of wealth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which was released in mid-April, makes a number of extremely serious allegations against countries involved in the DRC war. Rwanda and Uganda are singled out for particular criticism in relation to the mass scale looting and illegal exploitation of resources such as gold, diamonds, coltan and timber. The allegations are of a sufficiently serious nature to merit thorough investigation by the relevant national authorities. The Government expects the parties concerned to do so and to extend every co-operation to the panel of experts in its future work. In this context, at the open meeting of the Security Council on the report of the panel of experts on the illegal exploitation of natural resources and other forms of wealth in the DRC which met on 3 May, Ireland welcomed the decision of the Rwandan Government to investi gate allegations and to co-operate with the panel during its extended mandate.
