The European Parliament on Thursday asked the UN Security Council to take urgent action to address the deteriorating situation in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The European Parliament in a resolution asked for measures to prevent any further attacks on the civilian population of the eastern provinces of the DRC and expressed extreme concern at the increase in clashes in North Kivu and the consequences for the population in the region.
The European Parliament expressed deep outrage at the massacres, crimes against humanity and acts of sexual violence against women and girls in the eastern provinces of the DRC and called on all relevant national and international authorities systematically to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The parliament reaffirmed its support for the UN mission in the DRC (MONUC) and called for every effort to be made to allow it to carry out its mandate in full and use the force of arms to protect those under threat.
The parliament called on Belgium, Britain, France and Italy -- EU member states currently on the UN Security Council -- to play a leading role in ensuring that the Security Council supports MONUC by strengthening its operational capacities in terms of appropriate equipment and manpower, and especially by contributing European special forces.
The European Parliament called on the African Union, the UN Security Council and key international players, including the EU, United States and China, to increase pressure on all parties to push forward with the peace process.
The European Parliament called on the European Commission and the EU member states to ensure that EU companies do not trade in, handle or import products derived from minerals that have been sourced in a manner that benefits armed groups in the DRC, and hold accountable any that persist in such practices.
The European Parliament called for zero tolerance of the sexual violence against girls and women which is used as a weapon of war and for severe criminal penalties to be imposed on the perpetrators of these crimes.