The European Parliament,

A. having regard to the recent events in Ethiopia following the fall of the dictatorial and repressive Mengistu regime on 21 May 1991 and the capture of the Ethiopian capital by the Tigrean rebels of the EPRDF,

B. appalled by the EPRDF's brutal repression of the civilians demonstrating in favour of democracy and national unity in a number of towns and cities in Ethiopia (Addis Ababa, Akaki, Nazareth, Dire Dawa), resulting in many casualties,

C. whereas the London negotiations sponsored by the United States did not include all the movements representing the population and the installation of the EPRDF on its own at the head of the provisional government will do nothing to heal the divisions in the country,

D. extremely disturbed by the fact that the present situation in Ethiopia may lead to the destabilization of the Horn of Africa and jeopardize peace and development in this region,

E. particularly concerned at the tragic plight of a large part of the Ethiopian population - around 7 million people are facing death by starvation,

F. deeply concerned at the alarm given by the specialized United Nations agencies concerning the impossibility of getting emergency food aid to the seven million civilians in danger of starvation, owing to the insecurity in the country as a whole, and in the Harar (south-east) and Gembella (south-west) regions in particular,

G. deeply disturbed at the attacks by the guerrillas of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) on the camps of refugees from southern Sudan based in Ethiopia; whereas, following these attacks, around 400 000 refugees from southern Sudan are roaming the countryside in south-east Ethiopia or are returning to their own country,

H. shocked at the recent bombings by the Sudan air force of refugees returning to southern Sudan,

I. having regard to its previous resolutions, especially those on human rights violations,

J. having regard to the large numbers of Ethiopian refugees who have left the country in the last few days under the threat of persecution,

1. Calls for a ceasefire to be agreed by the opposing forces in order to facilitate the distribution of food aid;

2. Deplores the fact that, at the first negotiations held in London on 27 and 28 May 1991 under the auspices of the United States, only three opposition groups were invited; - regrets, as its Committee on Development and Cooperation has indicated to the current Presidency of the Development Council, that the European Community has failed completely to take the political initiative with far-reaching consequences, thereby leaving the field open to the United States;

3. Believes that a peaceful and democratic solution to the problems tearing the country apart must be found first and foremost by the Ethiopians themselves, without outside interference and in the presence of all the organizations and movements representing the Ethiopian civilian population;

4. Hopes that a national conference (with the election rules, terms of reference and tasks determined by agreement between all the political forces) will be convened to find a means of forming a democratic transitional government acceptable to the majority of the Ethiopian population and that all the political groups in Ethiopia will be invited to take part therein;

5. Calls on the Commission and European Political Cooperation to take steps via the UN and the EEC to put an end to this situation which is exacerbated by a complete absence of authority in Ethiopia; calls on them to play a mediating role to encourage democratic and peaceful development by ensuring that all political groups in the country are involved;

6. Strongly condemns as a violation of human rights the bloody suppression of the demonstrations, for which the EPRDF leaders must take responsibility;

7. Stresses the need for a fair and lasting solution, achieved by peaceful means as part of the process for the democratization of the Ethiopian state, to meet the aspirations of the Eritrean people, taking into account their right to self-determination and the United Nations resolution of 2 December 1950;

8. Condemns strongly the use of force by the Sudan Government as a means of preventing the repatriation of refugees to southern Sudan and the attacks by bandits and rebels upon aid workers;

9. Calls on the Commission to endorse the declaration by the UN Secretary-General on the safety and protection of the refugees, the civilian population and the former combatants, and its demand that the safe passage of convoys of humanitarian aid across the battle zones and food stocks should be guaranteed;

10. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to EPC, the Council, the Commission, the UN Secretary-General, the OAU, the Government of the United States, the Interim Government of Ethiopia and the Sudan Government.