B3-0405, 0421, 0440, 0456, 0464, 0470 and 0486/94

Resolution on the situation in Rwanda

The European Parliament,

A.horrified at the fighting and massacres in Rwanda which have cost the lives of tens of thousands of Rwandan and foreign nationals,

B.alarmed at the deaths of the Presidents of Burundi and Rwanda, Cyprien Ntaryamira and Juvénal Habyarimana, when their plane was shot down on 6 April 1994 as they returned from a summit aimed at achieving peace in their countries,

C.shocked at the hopelessness of the situation and the state of civil war into which Rwanda has now been plunged, and at the failure to apply the ceasefire,

D.shocked at the assassination of the Prime Minister of Rwanda, Mrs Agathe Uwilingiyimana, and of many Ministers, Belgian UN troops and French soldiers,

E.shocked at the fate suffered by the Rwandan staff working for the UN and NGOs,

F.having regard to the restricted mandate of the UN troops, who are required to monitor the implementation of the Arusha agreements but are unable to act to halt the massacres,

G.whereas the Arusha Accord was signed by the Government of Rwanda and the Rwandan Patriotic Front on 4 August 1993 with the aim of ending the civil war and launching the democratic process,

H.firmly convinced that national reconciliation is impossible without a negotiated solution and until those responsible for the massacres are brought to justice,

I.recognizing the heavy burden which is thrown on neighbouring countries by the influx of refugees fleeing the violence, and concerned by the risks of destabilization in them;

1.Offers its condolences to the families of both Rwandan and foreign victims of the violence;

2.Condemns in the strongest possible terms the fighting, the massacres of civilians and the acts of cruelty perpetrated by troops running out of control;

3.Condemns the attack on the presidential plane, in which the Presidents of Rwanda and Burundi were killed, and the murder of Prime Minister Agathe Uwilingiyamana together with the ten Belgian UN soldiers guarding her;

4.Calls for an international inquiry to investigate the attack on the Presidents of Rwanda and Burundi and to establish responsibility for the massacres of civilians and the execution of UN troops;

5.Calls for an immediate cease-fire between the warring parties and for peace talks to open without delay in the spirit of national reconciliation which led to the conclusion of the Arusha Accord;

6.Calls for full implementation of the peace agreement signed in Arusha on 4 August 1993 between the Rwandan Government and all the Rwandan political parties, including the RPF, aimed at ending the war and initiating the processes of democracy;

7.Calls on all the signatories to the Arusha peace accord to respect the terms of that agreement, and considers that only the establishment of the transitional institutions provided for in the agreement can create the conditions for a lasting peace for Rwanda and its neighbouring countries;

8.Calls on the Council and the international community to assist the people of Rwanda and the neighbouring countries faced with an influx of refugees and stresses the special responsibility of the UN and its Member States to provide asylum for those Rwandan who worked under UN orders;

9.Calls on the UN to redefine as soon as possible the role and mandate of peace forces deployed in crisis regions with instructions to monitor the implementation of the peace agreements and protect the civilian population;

10.Calls on the international community and the OAU to do everything in their power, both by political and diplomatic means, to halt the massacres in Rwanda and help restore a dialogue between the communities with a view to applying the Arusha Accord;

11.Calls on the Council to state clearly that the Union will under no circumstances recognize a government formed by those who provoked, supported, participated in or prolonged the massacres;

12.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments of the Member States, the OAU, the Government of Rwanda and all the signatories to the Arusha Accord, and the UN Secretary-General.