Parliament condemns the attack in Gulshani-Iqbal Park in Lahore, Pakistan, on 27 March 2016, which killed more than 73 people and injured at least 300; recent murders of human rights defenders in Honduras, in particular Berta Caceres, Nelson Garcia and Paola Barraza; and worsening security and human rights in Nigeria, in separate resolutions voted on Thursday.
Pakistan: Lahore attack
MEPs strongly condemn the suicide bombing at a Lahore playground, on 27 March 2016 which killed over 70 people, injuring more than 300, including many women and children, perpetrated by an Islamic-terrorist group, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, who intentionally target Christians. Yet most wounded and killed were Muslims, and all were Pakistanis.
The Pakistani authorities should “ensure these acts are effectively investigated and prosecuted” and bring the murderers to justice, stresses the resolution.
“The continued use of blasphemy laws in Pakistan” is worrying and “heightening the climate of religious intolerance”, adds the text, calling on “the Government of Pakistan to review these laws and their application (…) and to ensure the proper and swift delivery of justice in all blasphemy cases, particularly in the case of Asia Bibi”, accused of blasphemy and sentenced to death.
Situation of human rights defenders in Honduras
The European Parliament abhors all murders of human rights defenders in Honduras, in particular recent assassination of Berta Caceres, Nelson Garcia, two Honduran indigenous and environmental rights campaigners, and Paola Barraza, a trans-woman and defender of LGBTI rights.
Honduras is one of the region’s most dangerous countries for human rights defenders, and its authorities need to carry out “immediate, objective and thorough investigations into these and previous murders” and ensure that “appropriate cooperation with civil society, the national protection system for human rights defenders, journalists and legal practitioners is fully operational and adequately funded”, add MEPs, who extend heartfelt condolences to all the human rights defenders’ friends and families .
The resolution adds “Prior, free, and informed consultation with indigenous communities” should be conducted on development projects in their homelands that affect their natural resources.
Nigeria
Parliament urges the Nigerian government and the international community to secure the release not only of the Chibok girls abducted on 14 April 2014, 15 of whom who were allegedly shown to be alive in a video posted on Wednesday by Boko Haram, but also of 400 women and children abducted from the town of Damasak in November 2014.
While welcoming the peaceful transition to power of President Buhari in March 2015, MEPs remain deeply concerned by dramatically escalating violence in Nigeria, where years of military dictatorship, corruption, political instability and poor governance continue to undermine social and economic rights and six out of 10 Nigerians subsist on US$ 2, or less, a day.
Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, “has the potential to be an economic and political powerhouse”, they add. The EU and its member states should supply political, developmental and humanitarian assistance, as “development has been held back by poor economic governance, weak democratic institutions and massive inequality.”
Procedure: Non-legislative resolutions
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