African Unification Front
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Link - AUF Actions on PAP and on NATO
Link - Parliament Opens Session Over Konare's Objections
Sat, 25 March 2006
PAN AFRICAN PARLIAMENT GRILLED OUMAR KONARE
Session Aimed to Position Parliament Strategically
On Thursday, Dec. 1, 2005, the AU Commission chairperson Alpha Konare was summoned and grilled by PAP MPs on the lack of funding and the AU Commission's failure to submit its annual budgets to the PAP for consideration and approval, as required.
The fourth session of the PAP, which took place in Novemember and December 2005, called Commission chair Konare before parliament in order to brief members of parliament on the AU commission's budget, which he nonetheless failed to do to the satisfaction of the PAP.
The PAP subsequently resolved to set up a special committee comprising representatives of the PAP and of the commission, to discuss ways of ensuring a harmonious working relationship.
Miria Matembe said on Friday 2, December 2005, that the parliamentarians were angered and took Konare to task.
MP Miria Matembe said there will be a look at how the Economic Community of West African States collects fees from its members and from those who do business with it -- including the payment of taxes.
"Finding ways of tapping into the goodwill of business people who enjoy the conditions on this continent will be considered among other innovative new means of boosting AU and PAP funding", Matembe told reporters.
Budget shortages were repeatedly highlighted during the fourth session of the African Parliament, which gets about half of its funding from the AU Commission and the rest from financial transfers from AU states.
In 2005, the AU Commission provided US$4.6 million of the US$6.2 million required for use by the PAP.
In her opening speech, AU president Gertrude Mongella said that "the PAP is making progress not only in terms of the number of meetings but also in the content of the functions that this Parliament is called upon to perform." She said that "since its inception the achievements of PAP include advocacy" involved "in putting the Parliament on the map in Africa and internationally," and "its engagement in providing a voice for matters concerning the people of Africa." The Parliament has also deployed peace missions in the Darfur region of the Sudan, in Mauritania, and other troubled regions.
Speaking to the nation Mongella stated emphatically..."Let me hasten to indicate that this is one of the topics that will occupy the center stage during this Session and during the life of this Parliament...While the Protocol defines the PAP as a consultative and advisory body, it is the same envisages that this Parliament will evolve into a body with full legislative powers. During this transitional period we must therefore strategically position this Parliament so as to reach its ultimate destination of being an institution with full legislative powers. Our programs and the issues that we debate in this Parliament should be geared towards the realisation of this goal.
Human Rights
On issues of human rights, democracy and good governance, the PAP condemned the last coup d'état in Mauritania, and passed a resolution seeking urgent AU intervention in Uganda.
Parliament mandated AU president Gertrude Mongella to urge Olusegun Obasanjo, and others to ensure instability is avoided in Uganda by seeking the "unconditional release" of opposition leader Kizza Besigye.
The parliament sought to "ensure that the government of Uganda respects the rule of law and fundamental human rights of citizens in compliance with the AU Protocol on Human Rights and Peoples' Freedoms". At a media briefing, Miria Matembe said the situation in Uganda is considered by the PAP to be “a potential situation erupting into war”.
Matembe stressed the PAP's oversight role in seeking to ensure that member states “do things in accordance with good governance and the rule of law”. “We are not going to treat people with kid gloves. We will not protect undemocratic leaders,” she said. Following the session Uganda's government capipulated and freed Kizza Besigye.
END
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