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Human Rights should be taken serious
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Press Release Barcelona, 9 October 2005
Human Rights should be taken serious
“The Barcelona process did not significantly help improve the human rights situation in the EuroMed region. Despite all Partners’ commitment to set human rights at the heart of the Barcelona process, not much has changed to the better. We as a human rights network regret this and will continue working to change this situation”, says Kamel Jendoubi, President of the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (EMHRN).
The Executive Committee of the EMHRN met in Barcelona 7-9 October 2005. The meeting prepared a statement to the heads of states of the 35 EuroMed countries, which will gather in Barcelona on 29 November on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Barcelona Process.
The EC discussed the recent attacks on civilians in Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Great Britain, Egypt, Turkey and Iraq. These attacks on civilians cannot be justified by any means, wherever and for whatever reason they take place. They are contrary to the right to life – the most basic human rights value. The targeting of civilians can never be condoned.
The EC considers that the recent disengagement of Israeli forces from Gaza does not put an end to the occupation of the Gaza Strip as all access to Gaza by air, land, and sea remains under full Israeli control. The Israeli withdrawal should in no way serve as a pretext to continue the colonisation and construction of the Wall in the West Bank. It urges Israel, the Palestinian Authority and the Quartet to set the respect for human rights and humanitarian law at the heart of peace negotiations and to work towards ending the occupation based on the United Nations resolutions.
The EC also discussed the situation of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in the EuroMed region. The EC urges all Partners to the Barcelona process to ratify and implement the International Convention for the Protection of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. South Mediterranean states, which have not yet done so should ratify and implement the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol on the Status of Refugees. The EC expresses it deep concern about the death of several people wanting to enter the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla. “Nothing can justify human beings loosing their lives simply because they want to escape from misery or dictatorship”. The EC decided to set up a working group on migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers to be coordinated from Morocco.
The EC urged the EU countries to take its full share of the responsibility to protect the rights of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers rather than shifting this responsibility on to the countries in the South.
The Forum for the Future in Bahrain constitutes an opportunity for dialogue between governments and NGOs, including Arab NGOs. The EC considers, however, that the consultations undertaken with civil society have suffered from lack of transparency and excessive control by governments and their agencies.
The EC shares the concerns of Egyptian NGOs, parties and organisations concerning the violations of international norms of transparency, monitoring and fairness in relation to the presidential elections. “We encourage the Egyptian authorities to create conditions enabling Egyptian organisations as well as international bodies to monitor the next general elections” declared Kamel Jendoubi.
The EC also recalled the principle of gender equality and the need to mainstream a gender perspective in all activities and at all level of the EMHRN and of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership.
Finally, the EC welcomed the opening of accession negotiations between the EU and Turkey on 3 October 2005 as a step towards achieving a better understanding between the people of the Euro-Mediterranean region based on the respect for minority rights and human rights in general.
The EC has decided to convene the next EMHRN General Assembly on 12-14 May 2006 in Madrid.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
EMHRN: Marit Floe Joergensen, Information Officer
Tel: +45-32 69 89 12 / Fax: +45 32 95 65 54
E-mail: info@euromedrights.net
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