Skip to main content
Normal View

Foreign Conflicts.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 December 2009

Tuesday, 15 December 2009

Questions (52, 53, 54, 55, 56)

Willie Penrose

Question:

57 Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position regarding Darfur. [46868/09]

View answer

Michael D. Higgins

Question:

271 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the humanitarian position and progress being made on eliminating the conflicts that are taking a toll on civilian life in Darfur. [47178/09]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 57 and 271 together.

The persistence of the conflict in Darfur, albeit at a lower level than the intense violence of 2003-2004, and the ongoing suffering of the people in the region is matter of grave concern. In March of this year, we became seriously concerned for the humanitarian situation after the Sudanese Government expelled thirteen international aid organisations from Darfur in protest against the ICC arrest warrant against President Bashir. The thirteen agencies concerned accounted for 40% of all aid in Sudan. Thankfully, the initial fears for a sharp deterioration in conditions did not materialise as concerted efforts by the international and Sudanese authorities, including a number of Arab and Islamic relief organisations, managed to fill the gaps and limit the disruption to aid delivery. Nevertheless, operating conditions remain very difficult and the security situation in particular remains critical with several incidents of kidnappings, banditry and inter-ethnic fighting. The Deputy will recall that two workers for the Irish aid agency Goal were held captive for over 100 days by an armed gang in Darfur until their safe release on 18 October.

International efforts to bring an end to the conflict are being led by the joint AU-UN chief mediator, Djibril Bassole, whose work Ireland fully supports. The "Agreement of Good Will and Confidence Building" was signed in Doha in February by the Sudanese Government and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) rebel group. Progress in the peace talks since then, however, has been disappointingly slow. Neither the Sudanese government nor rebel representatives took part in the most recent round of talks in Doha last month. Efforts to bring all parties to the negotiations are ongoing and will depend in part on the ability to unify the numerous splintered rebel movements around the two historical rebel movements, the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) and the JEM.

Other initiatives include the AU High Level Panel on Darfur, under the chairmanship of former South African President Thabo Mbeki, which last October released its report with recommendations for promoting accountability for grave international crimes committed in Darfur, one of which included the creation of a hybrid court for trying cases within Sudan. I look forward to further consideration at EU level of these recommendations. I would in the meantime stress that any hybrid court, would not, in Ireland's view, be a replacement for ICC cases.

Ireland has played an important role in the international response to the humanitarian situation in Darfur and other vulnerable areas in Sudan, providing €27.6million in humanitarian funding since 2007 for a range of programmes in areas such as education, primary health care, water & sanitation facilities, capacity building and rural livelihoods. Ireland and the EU have also been well served by Special Representative Torben Brylle who has played a very active role in efforts to bring peace to the region.

The outlook for Darfur is very dependent on the broader north-south Sudanese peace process, in particular the full implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) which Ireland and the EU fully support. Progress on the CPA is now at a crucial juncture as the country prepares for presidential and parliamentary elections next April and a referendum on southern secession in 2011. Recent months have given grounds for some optimism in this regard, thanks in part to the mediation efforts of the US and the ruling on the Abyei region in The Hague. Significant political challenges remain, however, including the worsening humanitarian situation and fiscal crisis in the South as well as ongoing disputes over the conduct of the election and referendum preparations. The international community's efforts in the coming months will be focussed on preventing these difficulties from escalating into a destabilisation of Sudan, including of course Darfur, and the wider region with serious humanitarian consequences.

Ruairí Quinn

Question:

58 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the situation in Iraq regarding the loss of life and injuries sustained in the bombing of government buildings in Baghdad as well as a reported figure of over 1,000 persons killed, or injured, during a bombing campaign in August and September 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46865/09]

View answer

Ruairí Quinn

Question:

62 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the progress made towards the holding of proposed elections in Iraq in early 2010 in view of ongoing atrocities being committed in the country; the progress being made on the updating of electoral law in certain areas of the country in order to accurately reflect the ethnic make-up of various regions. [46866/09]

View answer

Willie Penrose

Question:

75 Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on whether the holding of a general election in Iraq in 2010 will have a successful outcome in view of the ongoing atrocities committed in that country; if nascent civil society will survive tragedies of this nature; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46867/09]

View answer

I propose to take Questions Nos. 58, 62 and 75 together.

I strongly condemn the bombings and violence in Baghdad last week which resulted in an estimated 127 people being killed and some 450 injured. This violence represents a clear attempt to create further instability and undo the slow, if discernible, progress towards establishing improved security and strengthening the democratic system which has been evident in Iraq in recent months.

Last week's violence in Baghdad, following similar bombings of government buildings in August and October, clearly represent a response to the determined efforts of the Iraqi government, parties and people to re-build their country and democratic institutions. It was no coincidence that just two days previously, on 6 December, the Iraqi parliament had finally approved the long-debated electoral law which clears the way for national parliamentary elections now due to be held on 7 March next. The new law has resolved long-running disputes over the extension of voting rights to the various ethnic groups living in the disputed oil-rich territory of Kirkuk as well as providing seats for Iraqis (often Sunni) living abroad. Agreement on the electoral law represents a significant advance and demonstrates the determination of Iraq's political leaders to continue working for reconciliation and creation of a stable and democratic environment within the country. The national elections next March will hopefully build on the successful example of last January's local elections in Iraq which were conducted peacefully and without any major dispute.

Nonetheless, it remains clear that Iraq continues to face major challenges in ending violence and the threat posed by militant groups and fully establishing control throughout the entire country on the part of its security forces. Against such a background, Iraq will clearly continue to require the support and encouragement of the international community, including Ireland and its EU partners. The Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels on 8 December reiterated the EU's continuing support for Iraq's democratic development and stressed the importance of the national elections next March proceeding in a peaceful, democratically organised and orderly manner. The Foreign Affairs Council also underlined the EU's commitment to provide support to the elections, including by sending an enlarged team of electoral experts as well as through the engagement of EU diplomatic missions in Iraq.

Further demonstration of the EU's support for, and desire to strengthen relations with, Iraq has been the recent conclusion of negotiations on a new Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) between the EU and Iraq. The PCA is intended to lay a solid foundation for further developing relations between the EU and Iraq in a wide variety of fields, including commitments designed to facilitate and promote trade and investment, and cooperation in improving living conditions for all Iraqis.

Ireland, along with our EU partners, will remain committed to support a secure, stable, democratic, prosperous and united Iraq with the capacity to play a constructive regional role. This is important not only for the welfare of the Iraqi people but for peace and stability throughout the wider Middle East region. The EU has been one of the main contributors of non-military assistance to Iraq which since 2003 has totalled over €1 billion, including €830 million in Community aid. The EU will also continue to work closely with the Iraqi government in order to improve the overall human rights situation and ensure that human rights are fully respected throughout Iraq.

Top
Share