Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-02-17-Speech-4-174"
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"en.20000217.8.4-174"2
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"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I fully support the motion for a resolution being discussed by this House. The repression of both Angolan and foreign journalists in Angola is scandalous and so serious that we cannot let it pass without comment. However, this motion is inadequate as it actually starts from the principle that Angola enjoys rule of law and is only imposing certain restrictions on journalists and restraining them. Yet this is not the situation. Angola does not enjoy rule of law. It is a repressive dictatorship. It is at war, and a bloody war at that, which is dragging on and on. The prevalent theory that the enemy must be crushed and physically eliminated to achieve peace is not one which we can accept.
The repeated appeals made by the Angolan church and, for example, by Mr Mandela and Mr Mbeki, for new negotiations to try and achieve peace must be supported by this House. As another Member said, we must have a general debate on Angola and not just on the situation of certain journalists suffering repression in this country.
For example, I have today received information directly from Rafael Marques, whose situation we are discussing, according to which two correspondents from Portuguese television have been imprisoned in Angola. These cases keep occurring. Yet the worst part is that there is no way out of the situation in Angola. The silence of the major powers and our own silence are questionable and are benefiting a regime of corruption, violence and war.
I must draw attention to the fact that the war in Angola is spreading to other parts of Africa. It is impacting on the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and on the situations in Namibia and Zambia. It is now also affecting the situation in Zimbabwe where Robert Mugabe has just lost the referendum precisely because he has sent troops to the Congo to prop up Laurent Kabila who is beyond salvation.
There are two sides in Angola or rather two armed groups. The first is the MPLA, which controls the oil profits. The second is the armed band of Mr Savimbi, which controls the diamond profits. It is oil and diamonds which are financing the continuation of the war which, as has been said, is terrible. It has displaced millions of people and caused them to go hungry. It has led to a critical and tragic situation in Angola.
This war must be stopped. The authority of this House could play an important part if we were to have a major debate on the Angolan situation and also on the whole of southern Africa."@en1
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