BRUSSELS, January 14, 2016 (SPS) .-The European Parliament reiterated its call for the extension of the mandate of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) to monitor the compliance with human rights likewise the peacekeeping missions.
In a report released Wednesday, the European Parliament expressed surprise that MINURSO remains "the only UN mission in Africa that lacks a mandate to monitor respect of human rights," which "does not allow have a mechanism for reporting violations of human rights."
An amendment on the expansion of MINURSO mandate for monitoring and protection of human rights in Western Sahara, occupied by Morocco, proposed by the Confederal Group of the European United Left / Nordic Green Left (GUE / NGL) in the European Parliament, was adopted in December.
This amendment was approved after the vote of the Parliament's resolution on the 2014 annual report on human rights and democracy in the world and on the European Union's policy in the matter.
Following a long debate, the European Parliament finally adopted by 258 votes against 251, an amendment of MPs who urge the UN to endow MINURSO with a mandate to monitor human rights.
The introduction of a "human rights component" in the mandate of MINURSO would not only allow the Security Council to receive reliable and timely information on the situation of human rights in Western Sahara, but also to defuse misinformation campaigns led by the Moroccan authorities. (SPS)
125/090/700