Press release of the Inter-Parliamentary Union
Seoul, 15 April 1997
N°8

The Inter-Parliamentary Council, the governing body of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), held its last session in Seoul on 15 April 1997. Meeting the morning after the close of the 97th Inter-Parliamentary Conference, it adopted a series of reports from the various IPU committees that had met in Seoul during the Conference. These concerned the human rights of parliamentarians, women parliamentarians, security and co-operation in the Mediterranean, and the situations in the Middle East and Cyprus.

The Council also decided to readmit the National Assembly of Niger to the IPU, which brings the membership up to 138 national parliaments. Niger was suspended in April 1996 following a coup d'etat in the country, but legislative elections were held in November 1996 which renewed the country's parliamentary system.

The Chairman of the IPU's Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians, Senator Hugo Batalla (Uruguay), reported to the Council on public cases of 124 members or former members of parliament in 14 countries whose basic rights to freedom of speech and action have been violated because of arbitrary measures taken against them (Burundi, Colombia, Myanmar, Nigeria, Albania, Cambodia, Gambia, Guatemala, Honduras, Indonesia, Maldives, Togo, Tunisia and Turkey).

But before commenting on the individual cases, Mr Batalla called for a minute of silence in memory of those parliamentarians assassinated "just for having carrying out their mandates as MPs".

Mr Batalla was pleased to be able to announce that Mr Fatos Nana, former Prime Minister of Albania, in prison on charges of falsification of documents and embezzlement, was amnestied in March this year, and that the Committee was closing his case.

Mr Batalla said the Committee was still "deeply preoccupied" by the death threats against Mr Sam Rainsy, a member of the Parliament of Cambodia and a prominent critic of the government, who had been stripped of his parliamentary seat and expelled from his party. The Committee was particularly concerned over the grenade attack during a party rally organised by Mr Rainsy that left several people dead and many wounded, Mr Batalla said.

Mr Batalla said he was happy to announce the release of three parliamentarians from Gambia, whose cases had been before the Committee, stressing however the duty of the Gambian authorities to provide redress for what they have suffered.

Another case, which had been before the IPU Committee, was that of Mr Saleem, member of the Parliament of Maldives, who was freed from prison in November 1996. Mr Batalla welcomed the "positive evolution" of this case.

Mr Batalla also welcomed the fact that the authorities of Honduras had now identified the presumed assassins of Mr Salazar, Member of Congress, who was assassinated in 1988. "The Committee hopes that the judicial process will follow its normal course and end in the proper sentencing of those responsible," Mr Batalla told the Council.

Mr Batalla drew special attention to two cases "of great gravity": Burundi and Myanmar. The case in Burundi concerns four MPs whose assassins have still gone unpunished, and of 27 other former members of the Parliament of Burundi who have been victims of assassination attempts, or been forced into hiding or exile. Mr Batalla said the Committee remained "deeply concerned" over the fact that the National Assembly was no longer functioning and that MPs were constantly under threat. (The IPU Council adopted a motion on 12 April calling for the restoration of constitutional order and the rule of law in Burundi and for the full and effective re-establishment of the parliamentary institution in the country, and strongly deploring the situation of the MPs - see press release Seoul, No 6.)

Mr Batalla also told the Council that the Committee was "deeply preoccupied" that false charges might have been brought against these parliamentarians, namely Mr Leonce Ngendakumana, President of the National Assembly of Burundi, Mr Augustin Nzojibwami, Member of the National Assembly, and Mr Paul Munyembari, Vice-President of the National Assembly. All three are new cases for the Committee.

Also serious, according to Mr Batalla, were the cases in Myanmar where the situation has "continued to deteriorate over the last few months". The Myanmar authorities have rejected the official request of the UN Special Rapporteur to investigate the human rights situation in the country, Mr Batalla said, have refused to allow an IPU fact-finding mission in the country, and there is no information from the authorities about the prison conditions of the MPs who were elected to parliament in 1990.

The Committee "can only conclude from the persistent silence of the authorities", the Committee said in its report, "that allegations of human rights violations are well-founded, and that the authorities of the Union of Myanmar are guilty of manifest violations of human rights."

Following is a summary of the other cases mentioned by Mr Batalla in his report to the Council:

• Colombia: Concerning assassinated parliamentarians and death threats against others - "The Committee very sincerely hopes that contrary to what has happened with past cases, the competent authorities will do everything in their power, in the future, to ensure that investigations continue without impediment and lead to concrete results."
• Nigeria: Concerning members of the Nigerian Parliament arrested after the 1993 coup - "The Committee deplores the total lack of co-operation from the authorities who have not given any answer to repeated requests for information," and also "deplores the threats against various parliamentarians, two of whom have had to flee the country".
• Guatemala: Concerning Mr Amilcar Mendez, who has receives several death threats after making public statements - The Committee called for a thorough investigation into this case.
• Indonesia: Concerning Mr Sukatno, a long-standing case before the Committee, who has been in prison for over 25 years on account of taking part in a coup d'etat, and who is under constant threat of execution. The Committee, noting his very advanced age and deteriorating health, "remains preoccupied that Mr Sukatno hasn't been amnestied and reiterates its request in this respect." And concerning Mr Pamungkas, a government critic - "The Committee is worried that Mr Pamungkas appears to be persecuted for having made use of his legitimate right to freedom of expression."
• Togo: Concerning three assassinated parliamentarians and the question of redress for their families - "The Committee notes that nothing has been done in this regard and insists that this problem is resolved quickly."
• Tunisia: Reporting on the case of Mr Chammari, Mr Batalla noted that the Committee had just been informed by the Tunisian delegation to the Conference of Mr Chammari's unconditional release; the Committee, therefore, suggested that the Council not adopt the decision it had prepared and adjourn its consideration of this case.
• Turkey: Concerning former Turkish parliamentarians of Kurdish origin - "Unfortunately, the situation of those detained parliamentarians has not progressed; however, the Committee welcomes the information provided by the Turkish delegation according to which the Government is presently changing the laws in the country to make them conform with European human rights legislation. The Committee hopes that this development will soon bring about the freeing of those detained parliamentarians."

Mrs KWON Young Ja, Member of the Korean National Assembly, reported to the Council on the results of the Meeting of Women Parliamentarians that had taken place on 9 April, and that she had chaired. She said that a "thorough debate" was held on the IPU's recent New Delhi specialized Conference on "Towards Partnership between Men and Women in Politics".

"I was personally impressed as well as encouraged and provoked to further action by the number of concrete measures that were prompted by the New Delhi recommendations," Mrs Kwon said. "This gives us hope that world conferences such as this are not just talking shops: they produce ideas and suggest new avenues of action. In addition, many women stressed how much they enjoyed this first opportunity ever to be on equal number terms with men for a debate, the essence of which was: How can we change politics so as to render it more gender sensitive and hence more democratic?"

She welcomed the adoption by the Council of the resolution prepared by the Meeting of Women Parliamentarians on follow-up to the New Delhi Conference (see press release Seoul, N° 2). She said that in the future the Meeting of Women Parliamentarians would discuss together follow-up to the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the IPU's Plan of Action and Beijing Parliamentary Declaration, and the New Delhi recommendations.

Mrs KWON said the meeting also discussed the problem of the sexual exploitation of children. "We feel that those engaged in the sexual exploitation of children should be stigmatized and ostracized. We feel that our legislations should be developed so as to ensure that all those engaged in the shameful trafficking of children or in sexual tourism … may be tried and sentenced. We have to find ways to curb pedophilia, whatever perverse forms it takes."

Mrs KWON said the question of the impact of armed conflict on women and children, including sexual abuses in this context, would be the subject of the next Meeting of Women Parliamentarians, in September, in Cairo.

The Council endorsed the recommendations of the IPU Committee to Monitor the Situation in Cyprus, which had met during the Seoul Conference and conducted hearings of the representatives of the two Cypriot communities and of the three Guarantor Powers (Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom).

Following are the report's principal conclusions:

• Direct talks between the leaders of the two communities and the search for a political settlement. The Committee reiterated its "strong support to the UN Secretary-General in his efforts to bring the two parties together to hold direct talks, and to encourage between them a constructive dialogue, leading to concrete and positive steps, on the basis of mutual acknowledgement of each other's concern and a willingness to compromise as well as a commitment to prevent during the talks any action likely to jeopardise them".
• Pursuit of political dialogue at the level of political parties. The Committee encouraged the political parties to "pursue and develop" the practice of holding inter-communal talks at the level of political parties, of which three rounds have been organized in the past by the IPU. It encouraged the political parties to "take advantage of the flexibility inherent to their meetings for exploring ideas and specific proposals in support of successful face-to-face talks between the two Leaders" and to "consider holding a joint meeting in parallel to the direct talks between the two Leaders, so as to serve as a think-tank and consultation framework in support of these talks".
• Call for reinforced contribution to the dialogue by civil society. Noting the obstacles to inter-communal contacts, the Committee urged the Turkish Cypriot leader to "reconsider his approach to the matter so as to offer a positive response to the requests of the Turkish Cypriots wishing to engage in inter-communal activities". The Committee also encouraged "civil society - particularly the Chambers of Commerce, professional organisations and trade unions as well as non-governmental organisations - in any initiatives expressing its desire to take its share in the process of settlement of the Cyprus issue", and expressed its "firm support to the UN Secretary-General and his representatives in their efforts to ease inter-communal contacts and events".
• Tension in Cyprus. Noting that tension in Cyprus "has not decreased" since September 1996, and was heightened by violence along the cease-fire lines which ended in the death of three Greek Cypriot civilians and a member of the Turkish Cypriot Security Forces, the Committee reiterated its call for "in-depth investigations" into these events. "Both communities have promptly to bring to justice all those suspected of being directly or indirectly responsible in such events. Such action will indeed contribute greatly to creating a welcome climate of reconciliation and mutual confidence."
• Security and military concerns. The Committee expressed its "grave concern" at the increased level of armaments on the island, which is "now the most heavily militarised area of the world", and "complicates all efforts to reach a negotiated political settlement"; repeated its call on Turkey to abide by UN and IPU resolutions to withdraw its troops from Northern Cyprus and refrain from up-grading its military presence there; and urged the Cypriot Government to "re-think the purchase of the S-300 missiles as well as refrain from any further acquisition of armaments so as to ease the way to a politically negotiated settlement". The Committee also reiterated its hope that practical arrangements can be found so that the "military dialogue - which is badly needed - may be initiated without further delay, under the auspices of the General commanding the United Nations Forces in Cyprus".

"The UN Secretary-General's efforts should be supported by all for the resumption and success of the direct talks between the two Leaders," the Committee said in conclusion.

The Council endorsed the report of the Committee on Middle East Questions which had held separate hearings with representatives of the Arab (Jordan and Palestine) and Israeli delegations at the Seoul Conference. (The two sides had met together with the Committee at the previous Inter-Parliamentary Conference, in September 1996, but "they believed that separate appearances before the Committee would be more conducive to objectivity rather than confrontation" in the present political climate.) The Committee regretted, however, the continued absence of Lebanon and Syria at its meetings.

"There was evident sadness and a certain despair and exasperation on both sides concerning what each side believed the other was doing to the peace process," the Committee said in its report. It noted the "serious regression in the peace process, with renewed mutual recriminations and repeated manifestations of violence and terrorism".

The Committee said it "wondered how best to advise the protagonists to put the peace process back on course". It "cautioned Israel, however, against taking unilateral action at the time of delicate negotiations, which was bound to cause reaction with unpredictable effects". The Committee believed that "such preemptive actions affecting the status of the occupied territories and especially that of Jerusalem, were ill-advised and therefore detrimental to the peace process".

The Committee "categorically condemned terrorism and violence in all their forms and whatever their origin, and urged both sides to exert utmost patience and forbearance so as to allow the peace process to go forward" and "reflect the world's ardent wish for its success".

The Committee welcomed the "positive" decision taken earlier in the week by the Council concerning the IPU's wish to "have as a member, as soon as possible, the legislative body which represents the Palestinian people". It said this feeling was "echoed by the Arab delegation".

The representatives of the parties to the IPU's process of security and co-operation in the Mediterranean held a meeting during the Seoul Conference to discuss the current status and prospects of security and co-operation in the Mediterranean as well as of the institutionalisation of the CSCM process.

The Council took note of the report of the meeting which said there had been an "unprecedented profusion of international and national initiatives on the Mediterranean both by institutions and by civil society", following the IPU's pioneering Ist CSCM (Malaga, 1992) and its IInd CSCM (Valletta, 1995).

"Pending the establishment of an autonomous Mediterranean inter-parliamentary institution, the Union is still the only international forum in which all Mediterraneans and the parties directly concerned work together on an equal footing, and since 1990 have regularly discussed all of their concerns," the report said.

The CSCM meeting also looked at preparation for the IPU's IIIrd CSCM, in Tunis in 1999, and its first preparatory thematic meeting to take place in Monte Carlo on 3-4 July 1997. The theme of the meeting will be: Adjustment of national employment policies and strengthening of international co-operation on such policies in the Mediterranean, with a view to development which generates jobs as a way of strengthening regional stability.

The Council approved two draft agreements of co-operation that the IPU will be signing, respectively, with the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

Both agreements state that the strengthening of co-operative relations between the IPU and each UN body "will facilitate the effective exercise of their mutually complementary activities". The agreements expand upon the Agreement of Co-operation concluded between the United Nations and the IPU last July.

The Council also approved the text of a draft agreement between the IPU and the UN Development Programme (UNDP), making the IPU an executing agency for UNDP international development co-operation activities concerning technical assistance to parliaments.

The 98th Inter-Parliamentary Conference will be held in Cairo, Egypt, from 11 to 15 September 1997. The Council chose the following two themes for the next Conference:

• Ensuring lasting democracy by forging close links between parliament and the people.
• Employment in a globalising world.