Bernard KOUCHNER (PSE, FR), Chair of DEV Committee and member Parliament delegation to Rwanda, reports before the EP on the situation in Rwanda.

debate

plenary session

EU - Rwanda (T)

KOUCHNER, Bernard (ARE, FR)

Debate on the situation in Rwanda: statement by Bernard KOUCHNER, Chair of the Committee on development

SOUNDBITE (French), Bernard KOUCHNER, (PSE, FR), Madam President, colleagues, I am pleased that Lord Plumb spoke first. He was able to find the words to express the emotions felt by the whole delegation, that is, Lord Plumb, Mr Bertens, Mrs van Bladel, Mr Stasi and myself. The first thing that I should like to say to you is that this delegation was a composite one: its members were different, from different political backgrounds, and different in human terms, and what we saw was seen by all of us together, and we all share the conclusions that have just been reported to you.

SOUNDBITE (French), Bernard KOUCHNER, (PSE, FR), It was indeed necessary to act quickly, because the matter was one of urgency. And we did act quickly. I am aware of the fact that it was already too late for some hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of people, and that when we reacted it was a reaction more against the spectacle of cholera rather than against that of genocide. We acted quickly, but it was very late. I ask your pardon if, in the procedures that we adopted, we may have offended some people, or if perhaps we acted a little too quickly. If so, this was not because it was our intention to offend, but rather because of the need for urgency. Like Lord Plumb, I should like to thank the President of the Parliament, Mr Bertens, and Mrs Green, who enabled us to proceed extremely rapidly.

SOUNDBITE (French), Bernard KOUCHNER, (PSE, FR), Between the 27th and the 31 st, we saw many things. Lord Plumb has just told you about them. But, above all, we saw people and situations that called for our presence, that called for more from Europe, more commitment. The financial commitment was exceptional &mdash; ECU 350 million &mdash; but those decisions that they were calling for are the decisions that you now have to take. They are still waiting for us to act. The urgency is still there. I would remind you of the important points that the troika also emphasized during its recent mission. These are as follows: a recommendation, which you will find in the resolution tabled, for the recognition of the new government, and for the creation or coordination of the humanitarian relay stations which have just been referred to. Everyone agrees that they ought to be put in place, but this has not yet happened. In other words, on the way back from the camps &mdash; which still contain over two million people, because very few have returned &mdash; there should be non-governmental organizations and United Nations agencies who would undertake, in order to restore confidence in a country that has been completely torn apart, and where human tragedies are still occurring on a daily basis, to provide support in the form of medicine and food, but who would, above all, take charge of the situation.

SOUNDBITE (French), Bernard KOUCHNER, (PSE, FR), This is why, for these humanitarian relay stations along the return route, we need human rights observers, technicians from the European Union, which we call for in this resolution, so that a minimum level of organization can be restored. There would have to be at least two for each prefecture, in other words about 150. The European Union has already done this elsewhere, with a great deal of success. Naturally that was in conjunction with the United Nations, in conjunction with the Organization of African Unity. You have been told how things stand: no typewriters. At the moment, visitors are being asked to bring pencils. No electricity: ministers can only talk to one another via notes carried by messengers. It is absolutely necessary that, by means of this resolution, for which we are pressing the Council, these technicians from Europe, these human rights observers, who are so necessary, can be sent to the spot.

SOUNDBITE (French), Bernard KOUCHNER, (PSE, FR), The second point concerns support for the international tribunal that is needed to try the criminals. Finally, we need to put pressure on to ensure that the militias do not re-form in the camps, because at the moment the international community is giving aid not only to victims, on the borders of Rwanda, but also to murderers, and these murderers are regrouping in order to prevent victims' families from returning to their country. Here too, I believe that urgency is needed, and that we could have a role to play. What should we do? You have this resolution in front of you. Despite the rapidity of events, despite all the hustle and bustle, for which, once again, I apologize on behalf of those who have been working on the resolution, the important points, the amendments, have been approved, and clarifications have been made. Parliament must react. It would be unthinkable that this mission should have been able to leave so quickly, and then the troika mission, and yet that no action should have been taken, apart from the financial aid, which is still there. We fully agree with Mr Repnik, to whom we spoke two days ago and who wants to move in the same direction on behalf of the Council.

SOUNDBITE (French), Bernard KOUCHNER, (PSE, FR), Together with the UN, with the OAU, in the camps of Rwanda, we must take action inside that country, so that it can regain some semblance of peace. This urgency must be maintained, because without it, for example because there are no judges or police, we shall see the setting up of people's courts, which are already being mooted, and the rise of the desire for revenge. The press is already echoing rumours and facts that are extremely disquieting. It will to some extent be our fault if we do nothing. We shall be talking, one day, I am convinced, about this essential system, prevention, and we are glad to have the opportunity of debating the matter soon, with all our colleagues. For the time being, however, just as we left to go on our mission as a matter of urgency, we have also completed it with the greatest possible pugnacity and efficacy. It is now up to you, colleagues, to make this resolution your own, admittedly with some amendments, so that from this Parliament can come the support that every man and woman in Rwanda is expecting and has asked us to send.