Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-09-26-Speech-3-230"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20070926.18.3-230"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
".
Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, the humanitarian situation in Chad, especially along the country's 1 360 km border with Sudan but also in the area bordering the Central African Republic, in my view makes intervention by the international community necessary.
I myself was in Chad a few days ago and was able to form an impression of the situation there. More than 400 000 refugees and displaced persons are hosted in camps in this border area. These camps are permanently under threat from bandits and marauding gangs but also from the Janjaweed militia from Sudan. The situation in the open country is even more difficult. Due to the lack of security there, more and more people are seeking refuge in the camps.
To help alleviate the plight of these people, the security situation in the region must be improved so that they can return to their homes. This is a difficult challenge, and in order to manage it, burden-sharing is essential. The United Nations has committed to helping to develop the police force, which can then partner the security forces. The European Union, on the other hand, was asked to provide troops with the capability to ward off the Janjaweed and the bandits and prevent attacks on the refugees, displaced persons and the civilian population.
With this draft resolution, the European Parliament endorses this operation, albeit subject to the following conditions: firstly, as you have pointed out, Mr President, Commissioner, political negotiations must continue, for ultimately we need a political solution. If we send troops, however, they must have a robust mandate which genuinely enables them to deter the Janjaweed and the bandits.
A very large area needs to be secured. The force must therefore also be large enough to achieve a genuine improvement in the security situation. It must be clear that this is a European force involving several European nations. EUFOR must also be adequately equipped to fulfil its mandate. In view of the relatively low troop strength and the size of the border area, this means that outstanding intelligence and transport capabilities are required, for the force must be able to determine quickly where there is a threat and must be able to reach the relevant location swiftly.
Under no circumstances should a situation arise in which, due to the mandate itself or to equipment deficits, a European force in Chad could only protect itself without being able to fulfil its real mandate. A further condition imposed by the European Parliament is that a clear exit strategy must be defined which should foresee how and by whom EUFOR is replaced after its intended operational duration of one year.
In the present draft resolution the European Parliament also emphasises that in the light of the complex political situation in the region, this European force in Chad should act as a neutral force for security and the protection of the civilian population. The deployment of EUFOR last year in Congo made it clear how important credible impartiality and independence can be for the success of an operation.
In the present situation, by deploying a force for a limited period of one year, the European Union can make an important contribution to improving the humanitarian situation and supporting the African Union as it takes on more responsibility in the region. Both these aspects are necessary, and so I ask you to vote in favour of the present resolution."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples