RESOLUTION B3-0056, 0066 and 0082/93

Resolution on Equatorial Guinea

The European Parliament,

A.having regard to the recent events in Equatorial Guinea culminating in the large-scale arrest, imprisonment and torture of teachers, students, priests and opposition members in general,

B.whereas the arbitrary nature of the regime's actions and its failure to provide any legal or procedural guarantees whatever is evidenced by the travesty of justice in the trial of the entrepreneurs Mr Vilarrasa and Mr Hanna, at which a Member of the European Parliament itself was prevented from providing legal assistance to one of the accused,

C.deploring the fact that despite the promulgation in Equatorial Guinea of a new constitution and a law on political parties the creation and development of any kind of political opposition to the regime of President Obiang Nguema is being prevented,

D.having regard to the declaration of 15 April 1992 by European Political Cooperation on Equatorial Guinea,

E.determined to provide firm and effective support for all governments undertaking a transition to democracy and to restrict all types of aid to governments persisting in undemocratic attitudes or failing to respect fundamental human rights,

1.Rejects unequivocally all forms of violation of basic rights and civil liberties, and calls on the government of General Obiang Nguema to respect all the international human rights agreements subscribed to by Equatorial Guinea, in particular Article 5 of the Lomé Convention and the resolution of the Council of 28 November 1991 on democracy, human rights and development;

2.Calls on the Community institutions and the governments of the Twelve to suspend all forms of aid to and cooperation with Equatorial Guinea other than essential humanitarian aid (basically for health and education) provided direct to the beneficiaries, until a democratic state is established on the basis of guaranteed political pluralism and respect for human rights;

3.Urges the government of Equatorial Guinea to reach an agreement with the democratic forces grouped in the Joint Opposition Platform to set an electoral calendar with a view to holding free democratic elections in 1993, and to ensure the legalization of all parties, the release of all political prisoners, the drawing up of an electoral roll open for all citizens to register freely and without special conditions, and access for all political forces to the state-owned media;

4.Expresses its unequivocal solidarity with the people of Equatorial Guinea and with its aspiration peacefully to overcome the present situation and create a political system based on representative democratic institutions;

5.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Co-Presidents of the ACP-EEC Joint Assembly and the Government of Equatorial Guinea.