12. Human rights

12(b) B4-0599, 0644, 0650, 0667 and 0692/97

Resolution on the violation of human rights in Kenya

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its previous resolutions on Kenya,

A. disturbed by the recent police brutality and violence which led to the death of at least 17 people and the injury of many demonstrators who included students, clergymen, civic leaders and members of Parliament,

B. aware that the peaceful demonstrators were calling for minimum constitutional and legal reforms that are necessary if the forthcoming general elections in Kenya are to be free and fair,

C. having regard to the repressive nature of the regime in power in Nairobi, as shown by the mass arrest of opponents and the absence of freedom of expression,

D. welcoming the initiative by nineteen embassies in Nairobi, which have strongly condemned the police repression in Kenya and called upon President Arap Moi to start a political dialogue with the opposition movements which support constitutional reform with a view to the democratization of his regime,

E. whereas the destabilisation of Kenya would threaten the security of neighbouring countries,

1. Condemns the brutal behaviour of the Kenyan police and security forces during the recent demonstrations by the opposition and expresses its sympathy with the families of the victims;

2. Denounces the policy of repression and intimidation of the opposition being applied by the Kenyan Government;

3. Calls on the Kenyan Government to respect human rights and in particular to ensure respect for freedom of association and freedom of expression;

4. Urges the Kenyan authorities to initiate dialogue with opposition parties on the minimum constitutional and legal reforms required for free and fair general elections;

5. Calls on the Commission to provide adequate assistance to help Kenya to hold fair and free elections, such as monitoring of voter registration, support for the Electoral Commission, and training polling and counting agents;

6. Calls on the Council and Commission to follow closely the human rights situation in Kenya and its democratic development, and to exert all necessary pressure, pursuant to Article 5 of the Lomé Convention, so that violations of the human, civil and political rights of the Kenyan population are rapidly brought to an end;

7. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the ACP-EU Council of Ministers, the Co-Presidents of the ACP-EU Joint Assembly, the Government of Kenya and the secretaries-general of the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity.

This document is published online byEquipo Nizkor andDerechos Human Rights