B4-0302/94

Resolution on the depopulation and ruin of Kurdish settlement areas in Iran

The European Parliament,

A.having regard to the report of 2 March 1994 by the rapporteur of the European Parliament and the parliamentary working party on human rights of the British House of Commons, entitled 'the Teheran Murder Machine', and the supplement of August 1994 thereto,

B.having regard to resolution 1993/14 of August 1993 of the UN subcommittee on the prevention of discrimination and the protection of minorities,

C.whereas Kurdish settlement areas close to the border with Iraq have recently been depopulated and ruined, including 17 Kurdish villages in the region around Khalarash alone,

D.concerned about continuing discrimination against minorities in Iran, such as the Bahai sect,

E.alarmed about the recent murders of the Christian clergymen Mehdi Dibaj and Tatavous Michaelian,

F.alarmed about the assassination of Iranian dissidents in exile, such as that of DKPI politician Ghafoor Hamzai on 4 August 1994 in Baghdad,

1.Expresses its sympathy with the Kurds who have had to leave their villages and protests against their resettlement;

2.Condemns in the strongest terms the continuing discrimination against ethnic and religious minorities in Iran;

3.Condemns the detention, condemnation and assassination of people of a different religion;

4.Condemns the detention of thousands of dissidents and their persecution abroad;

5.Calls for political prisoners to be released and human rights respected in Iran;

6.Calls on the Council and the Commission to do everything in their power to ensure that the human rights of members of all population groups are respected;

7.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the Iranian Government.