John Deasy
Ceist:176 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the consideration which has recently been given by the General Affairs and External Relations Council of the EU on the situation in Zimbabwe. [6537/03]
Written Answers - Human Rights Abuses.
The situation in Zimbabwe was discussed at the meeting of the External Relations Council on 27 January. It was clear to the Council that there has been no improvement in the human rights situation in Zimbabwe over the past year. The situation has deteriorated further with continued arbitrary arrests of opposition politicians and leaders of civil society, harassment of the media and politically motivated violence primarily instigated by State forces or groups supporting President Mugabe's ZANU-PF party.
Following on from the discussion at the External Relations Council, on 18 February the EU extended for a further 12 months the sanctions it had imposed on Zimbabwe. The sanctions include an embargo on the sale or supply to Zimbabwe of arms or equipment which could be used for internal repression; a freezing of funds or assets belonging to listed individuals; and a ban on travel to, or transit through, the EU by these individuals. Member states may exempt from the travel ban an individual attending an intergovernmental meeting which will promote democracy and respect for human rights in Zimbabwe. If one or more member state objects the exemption may still be granted by the Council acting by qualified majority.
The targeted sanctions are aimed solely at those whom the EU judges to be responsible for the violations of human rights in Zimbabwe and are designed not to adversely affect the ordinary people of Zimbabwe.
The food crisis in Zimbabwe has been greatly exacerbated by the political instability and by the Zimbabwean Government's land reform policies. Ireland remains committed, both bilaterally and through our membership of the EU, to provide humanitarian assistance to the people of Zimbabwe. EU member states and the EU Commission have contributed €340 million so far in response to the growing humanitarian crisis in Southern Africa. Ireland Aid, the official aid programme of my Department, has delivered more than €2.3 million in emergency and humanitarian assistance to Zimbabwe to date.
On 20 February the EU issued a declaration condemning the arrests and torture of opposition politicians, the violence which has accompanied local election campaigning and the harassment of peaceful assemblies by State forces. The EU has called on the Government of Zimbabwe to end all harassment, intimidation and violence against the opposition and civil society. The EU continues to follow closely the trial for treason of Mr. Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the opposition MDC party.