Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-02-07-Speech-4-200"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2002-02-07"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Human rights2
dcterms:Language	"en"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20020207.10.4-200"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2002-02-07-Speech-4-2012
lpv:speaker	lp:John Bowis2
lpv:spoken text	"Mr President, Commissioner, I ask you to share the sorrow as well as the anger I feel in speaking as a friend of Eritrea. From 1889 to 1952 Eritrea was under the flags firstly of Italy, then of Britain. It was then given by the international community to Ethiopia in federation, and then it was annexed by that country. It then suffered 32 years of war during which its economy and its environment were ruined and its people dispersed. We then came to 1993 and its referendum for independence. I was there as a UN observer. There was a spirit of hope abroad in that country. The refugees were returning, reconstruction was beginning to take place. 90% of people voted in that referendum. 99% voted for independence. President Isaias was elected president. With a moderate lifestyle and a period of optimism stemming from it, we hoped for the best. For some years the problem was border conflict. Now sadly the problem is internal. Human rights have deteriorated, opposition is not tolerated, eleven former leaders of the government party have been arrested, the press is suppressed and journalists arrested. The Italian ambassador has been expelled. Multiparty elections which were promised for last December were cancelled and now parties themselves have been banned. Democracy has been cancelled in Eritrea. Eritrea is desperate for support in rebuilding a country ravaged by war. They need our aid, but aid must not be without guarantees of good governance. To our friends in Eritrea we say: "come back to the world community of democratic government. Turn away from totalitarianism". To the Commission I say: "be firm". Human rights are not just for our benefit. They are not to make us feel good. They are for the benefit of the people of Eritrea and Eritrea needs those human rights now."@en1
lpv:spokenAs	substitute; Committee on Development and Cooperation (2002-01-17--2002-05-29)3 unknown; Conservative and Unionist Party (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 member; Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy (2002-01-17--2004-07-19)3 member; EPP-ED (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 member; Members from the European Parliament to the Joint Parliamentary Assembly of the Agreement between the African, Caribbean and Pacific States and the European Union (ACP-EU) (2002-02-06--2004-07-19)3
lpv:unclassifiedMetadata	"Bowis (PPE-DE )."1

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