Doc. 8025
13 February 1998

Massacres in Algeria

Motion for a recommendation

presented by Mr Evangelisti and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it

The Assembly,

1.        Considering that an alarming escalation of terrorism and genocide is currently taking place in Algeria: since the beginning of Ramadhan (31 December 1997) over 1,500 people have been killed;

2.        Considering that the limitations of the Zeroual government’s anti-terrorism strategy are becoming increasingly manifest and that the ineffectiveness of the government’s action is resulting in a general loss of credibility of the central authorities, in the eyes of both the international community and the Algerian citizens themselves, who are increasingly exposed without protection to terrorist attacks;

3.        Considering that the European troika, comprising the Deputy Foreign Ministers of the United Kingdom, Luxembourg and Austria, together with European Commissioner Marin, was received in Algeria following heated arguments with the Algerian Government over its composition, in a climate of scepticism and doubts expressed by the Algerian press;

4.        Considering that among the both implicit and explicit accusations frequently levelled by Algeria against the European Union and various European countries, whether members of the European Union or not, in addition to the customary reproach of interference, is the accusation of tolerance vis-à-vis those accused of terrorism residing in Europe, considering terrorist criminals as persecuted political exiles and not taking effective action against arms supplies to terrorists;

5.        Considering that the continuing nature of the current situation in Algeria cannot but have a direct effect on Europe given its extremely serious humanitarian aspects (tens of thousands of victims, unspeakable atrocities, thousands of survivors in need of support, the lives of women, academics, representatives of Algerian civil society and ordinary citizens in danger every day) as well as other inevitable and increasingly serious threats to democracy, freedom of expression and respect for human and citizens’ rights;

6.        Considering that European countries could in the near future be affected by new waves of illegal immigration of Algerian refugees, as emphasised by the troika upon their departure,

Recommends that the Committee of Ministers take action, including through ongoing contacts with the Algerian government, so as to be able, with minimum delay, to engage in a political dialogue involving all those who have rejected the violence of the GIA and through which it will be possible to bring together the government, democratic parties, associations and representatives of the Islamic world which have condemned terrorists, with a view to obtaining in practice their political isolation.

Signed : ¹

Evangelisti, Italy, SOC

Besostri, Italy, SOC

Davis, United Kingdom, SOC

Dokle, Albania, SOC

Durrieu, France, SOC

Gonzalez Laxe, Spain, SOC

Guirado, Spain, SOC

Iwinski, Poland, SOC

Katseli, Greece, SOC

Leoni, Italy, SOC

Squarcialupi, Italy, SOC

Urbain, Belgium, SOC

Van der Maelen, Belgium, SOC

Volcic, Italy, SOC