ALGERIA

Early day motion 490, tabled 24 November 1997 by Ann Clwyd (Labour). Signed by 120 members.

That this House is deeply concerned about the current human rights crisis in Algeria; condemns the human rights abuses carried out by armed groups, government security forces and state-armed militias; is gravely concerned that the violence in Algeria, which has resulted in 80,000 deaths since 1992, has reached unprecedented levels in the past year with the massacres of thousands of civilians; notes that, even though many of the massacres have taken place in close proximity to army barracks, the army and security forces have neither intervened to stop the massacres nor arrested any of the perpetrators; is concerned that, so far, the international community has failed to take any concrete action to address the situation; supports the call by Amnesty International and other human rights organisations for a Special Session of the Commission on Human Rights and for an international investigation to establish the facts, bring those responsible to justice and to ensure the protection of the population; and urges Her Majesty's Government to do all it can to support these initiatives to end the human rights tragedy in Algeria.

Signatures by party: Labour 77, Liberal Democrat 22, Conservative 14, Plaid Cymru 4, Labour/Co-operative 2, Scottish National Party 1.