Dakar 2018
Congress expresses grave concern about the situation of human and civil rights in Egypt. Whereas LI stands firm in the global fight against terrorism and condemns the assaults of jihadist and other terrorist groups in the country, especially on the Sinai Peninsula, the crack-down of and suppression of civil society as well as suspending principles of the rule of law must not be tolerated in this fight. Congress therefore criticises the legal provisions promulgated in recent years that compromise the freedom of association, of demonstration, and of expression, especially the suppression and judicial persecution of journalists, bloggers and social activists. LI deplores the indiscriminate and harsh judicial persecution of any form of democratic political opposition, which has led to tens of thousands of political prisoners. In this regard, any form of collective punishment must be considered as a violation of the due process of law. LI calls upon the Egyptian government to revert to the rule of law based on the protection of human and civil rights, and to ensure pluralism and the participation of civil society.
LI expresses concerns about the human rights situation in Iran. Congress condemns the government’s measures against demonstrators who are still protesting in the streets of major cities since December 2017. Furthermore, LI criticizes the arbitrary arrests of Iranian women who are peacefully expressing their rejection of compulsory hijab. LI urges the government of Iran to stop the military attacks against civilians in Syria and Yemen and demands that the government respects the sovereignty of all countries in the region. Congress urges Iran to adopt a foreign policy of peaceful conflict resolution in the region and to stop supporting paramilitary groups such as Hezbollah, which not only threatens regional stability but also contributes to the political and economic instability of Lebanon. LI calls upon the European Union to hold on to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the “Nuclear Deal” with Iran, and requests the government of the United States reconsiders its position, as LI supports all efforts to limit nuclear proliferation worldwide.
Congress expresses grave concern about the manifold challenges to stability in Iraq. Congress calls upon all political actors to overcome ethnic, religious and sectarian divides and to form a national plan which includes and accommodates the three major parts of the country in order to secure stability, the rule of law and overall growth for Iraq. The formal or factual disintegration of the country must be prevented as an important precondition for security in the region. Congress also calls upon the government of Iraq to put special emphasis on the protection of minorities such as Christians, Yezidis and others. This includes effective resettlement and reconstruction programs in order to prevent further emigration movements of these genuine parts of the Iraqi population. LI stresses the necessity to form a stable government that will assuredly address the most pressing needs of the citizens. Among many others, the following are most important: improvement of security, respect for human rights and fight against corruption, improvement of education and enhancing economic growth of the oil rich country in order to increase employment. LI calls upon the international community to assist the government of Iraq in these endeavors as well as in fighting the last strongholds of the so-called Islamic State and other Jihadist groups.
LI notes with concern the deterioration of relations and the standstill in talks about a just solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. LI considers it crucial to maintain hope for the populations of both sides and continues to advocate a solution, which sees two independent and democratic states existing peacefully side-by-side. Congress calls upon both sides to negotiate in good faith an agreement, which is based on UN Security Council Resolutions and the principles of the Madrid Conference of 1991, to establish “two countries for the two nations.”
Congress calls upon the Government of the State of Israel to halt any further construction of settlements.
The Congress welcomes the Egyptian-brokered ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel and expresses its appreciation to the Israeli government for its great restrain in the face of the hundreds of rocket barrages launched by Hamas against the residents of Southern Israel, and thus refrained from war.
Congress notes the easing of the blockade and the humanitarian relief achieved in the Gaza strip following the agreement between the parties and expresses its hope that the humanitarian situation in the Gaza strip will continue to improve for the welfare of the population.
Congress expresses its grave concern about recent unilateral actions to modify the character and status of Jerusalem, which it considers as violation of UN-Resolutions jeopardizing peace and stability in the Middle East. LI calls upon nations not to establish diplomatic missions in the historic city of Jerusalem, until both sides conclude a respective agreement. Congress calls upon the American government to reconsider its decision to halt the funding of UNRWA. LI considers UNRWA an important agency for helping Palestinian refugees in the fields of education, health and relief.
Congress calls on the Palestinian authority to transfer to the Gaza strip the funds it receives from the PA and to refrain from imposing obstacles to the regulation of relations between the Gaza strip and Israel, which means stopping terror and improving the welfare of the population of the Gaza strip.
Congress applauds the stabilizing role of Jordan in the turbulent affairs of the region. It acknowledges the reception of hundreds of thousands of refugees from Syria and other crisis-ridden countries of the region, and is aware of the special burden this imposes onto the society, the economy and the administration of the kingdom. Congress notes with appreciation that the government and the people of Jordan not only react with great support to the humanitarian and economic needs of the refugees, but also protect their dignity and human rights. Considering this difficult situation, LI recognizes the ongoing policy initiatives of the government to stabilize the economy and to strengthen the democratic basis of the political institutions. Congress calls upon the international community to continue their support for the stability of the country and the development of the society. LI urges its members to cooperate closely with the government of Jordan to find sustainable solutions for the refugee situation.
LI recognizes the burden Lebanon is carrying as a result of the on-going war in Syria. Maintaining peace and stability in the country while providing a sanctuary to millions of refugees displays the determination of the people of Lebanon to preserve their unified state and its democratic order across ethnic and religious lines. LI expresses its support to the efforts of the “Future Movement”, its leadership and the Prime Minister of Lebanon, Saad Hariri, in their endeavor to stabilize the country despite the unprecedented challenges. Especially the current efforts to form a cabinet as soon as possible despite political pressure deserve respect and support from the international community. LI, however, stresses the necessity to fight corruption and the implementation of liberal economic reforms to ensure prosperity and development of the country. LI is concerned about the on-going official statements that the military faction of Hezbollah would complement the security disposition of the country and therefore applauds the Lebanese Prime Minister who emphasizes the importance and prerogative of the Lebanese army in such difficult security surroundings. LI is furthermore deeply concerned about the freedom of expression in Lebanon, given the recent and excessive judicial persecutions of journalists, bloggers and social activists.
Congress welcomes the forthcoming reintegration of the Kingdom of Morocco into the African Union and salutes the Principe d’accord to its membership of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Liberal International (LI) expresses its hopes that the underlying liberal spirit of Morocco’s strategy towards mutual respect, cooperation and free trade will lead to a stronger integration and progress of the African continent as a whole. We applaud the recent legal initiatives for strengthening women’s rights as well as deepening human rights awareness in the judicial system through the world’s first establishment of organized clubs of male and female prison inmates internalizing universal human rights, values and principles. We emphasize the success of the authorities to maintain stability in the country, contributing towards improved security conditions in the wider region. At the same time, LI expresses its concerns regarding the development of the freedom of the press and civic rights, especially in the context of peaceful protest movements. Congress expresses its readiness to work closely with the Moroccan liberals, in particular with its two member parties, Union Constitutionelle (UC) and Mouvement Populaire (MP), and the government to push forward the necessary reforms that would provide for a more inclusive, democratic and economically prosperous society. At the same time, Congress regrets the ideological shift of the Rassemblement National des Indépendants (RNI) and its withdrawal from the liberal family including LI.
LI notices that the government of Saudi Arabia is apparently willing to engage in a process of political and social reforms. Congress calls upon the government, however, to base these reforms on the principles of freedom of the individual and equality of all citizens before the law. The rights of women and of minorities, for example, must not be oppressed in the name of traditional social norms. Congress expresses its continuous concern about the persecution of the non-violent political opposition as well as of individuals who simply endorse the right of deviating opinion and expression. The liberal blogger Raif Badawi is but one prominent example, and Congress demands his immediate release from prison, based on fair and appropriate application of justice for all.
In addition, Congress calls upon the government of Saudi Arabia to use its strength, status and leverage for the endorsement of political solutions to the numerous violent conflicts in the region. Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon have become battlegrounds in the conflict for hegemony between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The violence must come to an end, and LI urges the government of Saudi Arabia to engage in a political process beyond the mere support of extremist militias and direct military involvement.
LI deplores the fact that the protests against the Syrian regime, which began seven years ago, on 15 March 2011, have developed into the biggest humanitarian catastrophe of our time featuring brutal, reckless and indiscriminate violence exerted by the Syrian regime against its own population. Congress deplores the inability of global, regional, and internal rivals to establish a viable peace process in Syria after seven years of conflict and mass fatalities. It expresses particular concern at the lack of emphasis on self-determination for the Syrian people, and the extent to which the war has degenerated into a series of proxy conflicts. Congress calls for the implementation of a new constitution emphasizing decentralization, security guarantees from world powers, the right of refugees to return home voluntarily, in safe and dignified conditions, locally-based civil reconciliation processes, urgent regional elections, and national elections after a period of relative peace and reconstruction efforts. LI is appalled by the destruction of hospitals, the bombing of an international aid convoy containing urgently needed food and medicines, the despicable war of the Syrian regime and the terror of the so-called Islamic State and other Jihadist groups. The Syrian regime and its allies, Russia and Iran, must stop air raids, violence and forced resettlement against the will of the civilian population. Attacks on the civilian population, the use of barrel bombs in inhabited areas and the use of chemical weapons are war crimes. LI is convinced that these crimes must be punished and that the persons involved must be held accountable under the direction of an International Criminal Court. LI expects all actors to respect humanitarian law and humanitarian principles and therefore calls for humanitarian access to the contested territories and the necessary security guarantees of all conflict parties. LI demands safe escort for the civilian population, especially for women and children, who want to leave the contested areas.
LI applauds the ongoing commitment of the government of Tunisia to the process of modernization and democratic transformation, which renders the country a pioneering role in the entire region. LI expresses its enthusiasm about the continuous steps of the government to advance the status of individual liberties, human rights and women’s rights. Congress commends the recommendations of the Committee on Individual Freedoms and Equality such as the abolition of the death penalty, equality in the inheritance between men and women, decriminalization of homosexuality, and many other measures. Congress is aware of the difficult economic situation of the country, especially with regard to youth unemployment and regional disparities in the field of industrial and infrastructural development. It urges the government to reduce the effects of the parallel economy and the rampant corruption, and to control the brain drain of highly skilled Tunisian professionals. Congress recommends communicating more efficiently the long-term benefits of democracy and market economy in the public discourse. Moreover, Congress notes with concern the challenges that Islamist extremists and jihadists, many of whom are fighters of the so-called Islamic State returning from the battlegrounds of Iraq and Syria, pose to the process of modernization and transformation in parts of the country. While Congress supports all efforts to combat terrorism, it calls upon the government to uphold the principles of the rule of law through efficient courts and more political transparency in this fight.
Congress especially requests the government of Saudi Arabia to support the efforts under the umbrella of the United Nations to put an end to the ongoing war in Yemen. The war has left the Yemeni state defunct and cost the lives of some 15,000 victims on all sides. Some two million people have been displaced, many of them as refugees in other countries. Saudi Arabia’s commitment to a peaceful resolution of the conflict is needed to prevent the broadening of the humanitarian catastrophe of this poorest Arab country.
