BAMAKO – REPUBLIC OF Mali
28 RABI UL THANI 1438H
27 JANUARY 2017
We, Speakers, Heads and Members of Delegations of the PUIC Member Parliaments participating in the proceedings of the 12th Session of the PUIC Conference held in Bamako, Republic of Mali on 28 Rabi Al-Thani 1438 H corresponding to 27 January 2017, have deliberated on the developments and challenges facing the Muslim World as included in the Agenda of the Session, and have resolved as follows:
FIRST: PALESTINIAN CAUSE
1. Emphasize the focal cause of Palestine and Al-Quds for the Islamic Ummah, which makes it necessary for all our States, Parliaments and civil organizations, in the OIC space, to cooperate and coordinate in international and regional fora in order to support and defend it until the realization of the legitimate and inalienable rights of the Palestinian people in terms of the return of refugees, liberation from occupation, and establishment of the independent Palestinian State with Al-Quds as its capital. As the city of Al-Quds is the spiritual capital of the Islamic Ummah and the eternal capital of the State of Palestine, we re-confirm that Al-Quds is a red line which cannot be crossed.
2. Re-emphasize that the city of Al-Quds is an integral part of the occupied Palestinian territories as stated in Security Council Resolutions No. 242 of 1967 and 338 of 1973, to which the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 is applicable, as provided in several UN Security Council Resolutions. Strongly condemn the authorities of occupation for the repeated violations of sanctities in the city of Al-Quds by building the separation wall and settlements as well as continuation of excavation works under the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque which will lead to undermine the supporting pillars. Also denounce the illegal measures and practices of the Zionist Entity (Israel) which runs counter to international resolutions and laws carried out by the occupations authorities in the city of Al-Quds, aimed at the Judaization of the Holy city and the obliteration of its Arab and Islamic landmarks.
3. Strongly reject the plan by the Zionist Entity (Israel) to declare the occupied City of Al Quds as the Capital of the Zionist entity (Israel) and the Jewish People. This declaration is considered a direct aggression on the Palestinian people and their inalienable rights. Categorically reject all the Zionist Israeli discourses mentioning “The Greater Al-Quds along with any other statements concerning the solution of Al-Quds issue on the basis of placing it under international mandate.
4. Reject categorically all attempts to transfer embassies accredited to the Zionist entity (Israel) to the city of Al-Quds, considering these attempts illegitimate and void and inconsistent with the legal status of the city of Al-Quds as an integral part of the Arab occupied territories.
5. Stress the importance of following up and implementing the international resolutions on the Palestinian cause, especially those concerning ensuring the political and civil rights of the Palestinian people, which will enable them to establish their independent state with Al-Quds as its capital.
6. Stress the importance of the Palestinian national unity, and consider it as the cornerstone for renewal of the Palestinian drive aimed at realizing its sublime aims of the total liberation of the Palestinian soil and the establishment of the independent Palestinian state with Al-Quds as its capital.
7. Stress our strong backing to the efforts of the State of Palestine to rally international support for guaranteeing the inalienable Palestinian rights, in the forefront of which their right to self-determination and the establishment of their independent state with Al-Quds as its capital. Renew, in this respect, our appeal to the Security Council to consider with an approving eye the request submitted by the State of Palestine to gain the full membership of the United Nations.
8. Call for convening an international conference as soon as possible to address the question of the Zionist Israeli occupation and find a fair solution to the Palestinian Cause leading to the establishment of the independent Palestinian State, with al-Quds as its capital, according to the June 4, 1967 borders, and within a specified time frame.
9. Welcome the convening of the international meeting in Paris on 3 June 2016 and all efforts to resume a credible political process and mobilize the international community for the launching of a new collective international track leading to the end of the Israeli occupation of the territory of the State of Palestine since 1967, according to a specific and binding time frame and internationally-recognized terms of reference.
10. Laud the initiative of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People on considering 2017 “ the International Year to End Israeli Occupation of Palestine”, and call on States of PUIC Member Parliaments to urge the UN to adopt this initiative.
11. Commend the UN Security Council’s adoption of resolution 2334 on 23 December 2016 which affirmed that Israel’s settlement in the occupied Palestinian territories has no legal validity and that all Israeli settlement activities in the occupied territories, including East Jerusalem, must be ceased immediately, and demand the UN Security Council to implement this resolution forthwith, and to revive the peace process in the region based on relevant UN resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative towards the establishment of the independent Palestinian State with Al-Quds as its capital.
12. Urge the States that have not yet recognized the State of Palestine, especially European States, to follow the example of Sweden and the Vatican, and to assume their historical responsibility toward the Palestinian people in their right to establish an independent and sovereign Palestinian State; Call on the UN Security Council to approve the granting to the State of Palestine of the full membership of the United Nations; and Urge Western Parliaments that have not yet recognized the State of Palestine to follow the example of other Parliaments that have already taken such a step.
13. Emphasize our categorical rejection of “the Jewishness of the Zionist Israeli State”, and strongly support the stance of the Palestinian people and leaders of rejecting the Jewishness of the Hebrew state. Stress that resisting occupation is an inherent right of the Palestinian people.
14. Request the States of our Member Parliaments to pay attention to the attempts made by the Zionist entity to hold conferences and make visits to States in Africa, aimed at penetrating the structure of the Islamic body, and appeal to our States to take action in order to thwart these Zionist attempts.
15. Call for lifting the blockade imposed on the Palestinian people, especially on Gaza Strip; Call also for supporting the steadfastness of the Maghdessi citizens and for serious action to ensure release of the administrative detainees and prisoners; and Condemn the Zionist Israeli criminal practices of torturing, isolating and humiliating them; and Demand their immediate release.
16. Condemn the continuous crimes perpetrated by the Zionist Israeli occupation authorities in Palestine, especially in Gaza Strip, which resulted in victimizing thousands of innocent martyrs and wounded people, in blatant violation of Palestinian human rights. Demand the prosecution of the Zionist Israeli officials for the war crimes which they have committed in Gaza Strip and the rest of the occupied Palestinian territories. Denounce the continuing policies of isolating and blockading the Palestinian people and the Zionist Israeli repressive measures such as murder, demolition of houses, bulldozing lands, establishing settlements and erecting the racist separation wall. Call for wide actions for ending the blockade. Request to expedite action in order to finalize the operations of rehabilitating the Strip and eliminating the effects of the barbaric Zionist Israeli aggression from its landmarks.
17. Confirm our strong condemnation of the coercive detentions, including administrative detentions which are carried out by the authorities of the Zionist Israeli occupation against the Palestinian people including a number of deputies of the legislative Council. Request the international community to act seriously in order to force the Zionist entity (Israel) to release those remaining under detention. Request also the IPU to freeze the membership of Zionist entity (Israel) until the release of the detained Palestinian deputies.
18. Express solidarity with Palestinian prisoners in the prisons and detention centers of the Zionist entity, particularly those prisoners who are resisting the arrogance of the occupation with empty stomach. We also express solidarity with women and children who were abducted from their schools, in flagrant violation of human rights.
19. Support the accession of the State of Palestine to all international agreements and organizations, including the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice, which would hold the Zionist entity (Israel) accountable for its crimes, and provide protection to the Palestinian people and to their land and their private and public properties; and Denounce all punitive measures taken by the Zionist Entity (Israel) and by any other state, as a result of having taken such a legitimate step.
20. Strongly condemn the Zionist Entity’s (Israel’s) refusal to allow UNESCO’s technical mission to investigate attacks on Holy places in the old Al-Quds, denounce Zionist Israeli attempts aimed at usurping and Judaizing the Palestinian heritage as well as falsifying the history of Palestine, and the inclusion of the Holy Ibrahim Mosque in the city of Al Khalil (Hebron) and Bilal Ibn Rabah Mosque in Bethlehem and the villages of Bettir and Lefta in the list of its heritage. Call, in this regard, UNESCO to implement the resolutions adopted by its Executive Council (186th session) concerning Palestinian historic and cultural sites; in order to prevent the Zionist entity (Israel) from destroying the Palestinian heritage, and warn that the Zionist Israeli attempts to legalize its null procedures in the occupied territories may lead to the explosion of the situation in the region and rekindle religious conflict in the area for which Zionist entity (Israel) should be fully responsible. Call on the international community to curb the Zionist Entity (Israel) and to compel it to halt its serious aggressions and disregard of peace and security in the region.
21. Request the managers of the funds created for Al-Quds to operationalize them in support of the steadfastness of Al-Quds people and settling them in their city. Also appeal to the Muslim Ummah, peoples and governments for further solidarity to confront the Zionist Israeli arrogance and the occupation authorities’ express disesteem of the historical, cultural, and religious rights of the Palestinian people. Also call for the execution of the projects that enhance the steadfastness of the Holy city, its people and institutions. Also call for supporting all the initiatives and the good works which are carried out by various bodies, including in particular the OIC Al-Quds Committee, and its financial and field arm “Bayt Mal Al-Quds Agency”.
22. Call on all UN member states to refrain from any form of cooperation and coordination with the Zionist Israeli occupation authorities as regards al-Quds city, including the signing of agreements that would have an impact on the political and legal status of the Holy City.
SECOND: OCCUPIED ARAB TERRITORIES IN SYRIA AND LEBANON
23. Praise the steadfastness of the Syrian and the Lebanese citizens, and commend their holding onto their land and identity as well as their resistance to the Zionist Israeli occupation. Strongly condemn Zionist Israeli decision to impose its laws and administration on the occupied Syrian Golan and its non-abidance by international resolutions, especially the UN Security Council Resolution No. 497 of 1981. Emphasize the nullity and illegality of the Zionist Israeli decisions thereon. Also Condemn Zionist Israeli threats against Lebanon and the Zionist Israeli provocative military maneuvers on the borders of Lebanon, as well as the repeated air and sea violations. Demand putting an end to the Zionist Israeli occupation of Shebaa Farms and Kafarshouba Hills and the Lebanese section of Al-Gajar village, considered as contradictory to the UN Security Council Resolution No. 1701, with all available means, particularly the heroic national resistance.
24. Strongly condemn the Zionist entity (Israel) for its persistence in changing the legal character of the occupied Syrian Golan and its demographic setup and institutional structure, and for its policies and practices as represented especially in usurping lands and water resources, building and expanding settlements and transferring settlers to these areas. Strongly condemn the repeated Zionist Israeli aggressive violations of the Syrian air space and aggression on Syrian sovereignty through attacking some positions inside Syrian territories, which constitutes a flagrant violation of the international law and the UN Charter, and endangers regional stability as well as international peace and security, and hold the Zionist Entity (Israel) fully responsible for these flagrant violations.
25. Emphasize the right of Lebanon to its oil and gas resources, maritime territory and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) as per the maps which were deposited by the Lebanese government with the UN General Secretariat; and support Lebanon’s rejection of the geographical coordinates which Zionist entity (Israel) has deposited at the United Nations concerning the northern part of the territorial waters and the EEZ which the Zionist Entity (Israel) claims that they belong to it.
THIRD: COMBATING INTOLERANCE, ISLAMOPHOBIA AND XENOPHOBIA
26. Affirm that there are established international legal rules and customs stipulating that the right to freedom of expression should be exercised with responsibility and that it should not cause prejudice to the beliefs and sanctities of others, and call for revitalizing dialogue among religions and civilizations with a view to promoting the spirit of tolerance among the followers of divine religions.
27. Call on all States to prohibit incitement to religious discrimination, hostility and abuse of Islam, through taking administrative and legal measures that ban such abuses and make them legally punishable.
28. Call on the United Nations to adopt an international legal instrument criminalizing abuse of divine religions and slandering Messengers and Prophets, in order to ensure peaceful coexistence of different views. Recommend to the OIC Member States to continue their endeavor at the UN for the purpose of achieving this aim.
29. Call for implementing the Strategy to Combat Islamophobia adopted by the 11th Islamic Summit, and for the necessity to accelerate the pace of implementing the resolution related to the establishment of an “international legally-binding instrument to prevent intolerance, discrimination, impartiality and hatred on the basis of religion”.
30. Take note of Resolution No. 18/16 adopted by the 16th session of the UN Human Rights Council, on “Combating intolerance, negative stereotyping and stigmatization of, and discrimination, incitement to violence and violence against, persons based on religion or belief”; and Support the Istanbul Process that aim at guaranteeing the implementation of this resolution, and that has so far proved its success in crystallizing a common understanding to fight religion-based intolerance.
FOURTH: COMBATING TERRORISM AND EXTREMISM
31. Emphasize the responsibility of all States as regards refraining from using or threatening to use violence and violent extremism against the territorial integrity of other states or their political independence. Encourage Member Parliaments to pay more attention to combating terrorism and violent extremism with all means, including addressing the root causes as well as enhancing moderation, tolerance, and dialogue.
32. Strongly denounce all terrorist actions, means and practices, in all forms and manifestations, including state terrorism, considered as inexcusable criminal actions wherever they are committed and whoever committed them; and Urge to dry up the sources of terrorism and to prevent its financing.
33. Criminalize fatwas which excommunicate Muslims and justify violence and killing in the name of Islam. Call for enacting national laws condemning Takfir fatwas and justifying the killing of others under Islamic pretexts. Condemn attempts to exploit the name of Islam to practice violence, terrorism and inciting sectarian schism among Muslims. Call for intensifying cooperation and coordination among Islamic States in order to combat this phenomenon.
34. Emphasize the inevitability of separating between terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and the right of states and peoples to resistance and armed struggle against foreign occupiers and colonizers in order to liberate their homelands and recover their legitimate rights guaranteed by the UN charter and all international agreements and conventions, considered as an inherent right of peoples under occupation. Recommend to the OIC to set up a legal committee to be tasked with reviewing the concept of terrorism and defining the controls which distinguish terrorist actions from other actions, so that the views of the committee shall be a reference in this field.
35. Strongly condemn terrorist actions which have targeted researchers, scientists, and university lecturers as well as vital installations in a number of Islamic countries.
36. Condemn in the strongest terms all acts of terrorism and violence perpetrated by DAESH, Boko Haram Jabhat Al Nusrah, the PKK and the other terrorist groups registered in the UN lists. We also condemn its ideology of violence and violent extremism, and emphasize that what DEASH is doing cannot, and must not, be linked to any religion, nationality or civilization or a state; Demand supporting the countries targeted by the terrorism of DAESH and all terrorist organizations in the face of this scourge.
37. Denounce in the strongest terms all terrorist acts perpetrated in a number of Islamic countries, which left many victims, including martyrs and injured people, and caused serious damage to properties; and Express our full solidarity with the families of victims and the injured.
38. Emphasize the need to take sustained measures to prevent the financing of terrorism and eradicate this activity, and to criminalize the deliberate provision and -direct or indirect- collection of funds by their citizens or on their territories with the intention to use these funds -or knowledge that they will be used - for terrorist acts.
39. Condemn strongly the terrorist attack against Emirati citizens, including diplomats and relief workers, in Afghanistan on 10 January 2017, considering this attack a crime against humanity and a blatant violation of international laws, covenants and norms.
40. Strongly denounce the comprehensive and systematic destruction of Iraq’s antiquities, especially in Mosul, and the demolition by DAESH terrorist group of historical sites which constitute the property of the entire humanity, and demand the return of the Iraqi stolen antiquities as well as those smuggled to other countries.
41. Strongly condemn the violent coup attempt against the Constitution, President, Government, Parliament and Government of Turkey and its people, perpetrated on 15 July 2016 by an armed faction and their civilian collaborators belonging to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).
FIFTH: REJECTING THE UNJUST SANCTIONS IMPOSED ON MUSLIM COUNTRIES
42. Strongly reject the principle of imposing any kind of sanctions on any people, especially Islamic peoples, whether unilateral or multilateral, on any Islamic state. Express our strong support for these states, and condemn the continuation of these sanctions due to their negative impacts on the social and humanitarian activities of the peoples of these states as well as their socio-economic development.
43. Welcome the Council of Human Rights resolution providing for appointment of an international Rapporteur concerning unilateral sanctions, and calls on the Islamic States to cooperate with him in carrying out his mission aimed at exposing the negative effects of such sanctions on citizens.
44. Affirm that the adoption of the ‘Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act’ (JASTA) by the US Congress is a matter of serious concern for the international community, and contradicts of the principles of the UN Charter which are based on respect for the principle of equality and sovereignty and sovereign immunity of states, as well as the established rulings of the international court of Justice on the respect on sovereignty and the primacy of the International Law over the Local Law, since 1949, and the UN Convention on the immunities of states and their properties from juridical competence, which was adopted as per the UN General Assembly Resolution No.38/59 of December 2004. Distress that the act will impact negatively the inter-state relations including those with the USA. Express hope that wisdom would prevail and that the US Congress would take the necessary steps to avoid the dire and serious repercussions of implementing this Act.
SIXTH: ACCESS TO MODERN TECHNOLOGIES FOR PEACEFUL PURPOSES, AND MAKING THE MIDDLE EAST A ZONE FREE FROM ALL WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION PARTICULARLY NUCLEAR WEAPONS
45. Emphasize the right of all countries to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, including their policies concerning nuclear fuel cycle, in accordance with the NPT.
46. Express our utmost rejection of the continuous growth of the Zionist Israeli nuclear capabilities and threats and confirm the necessity of compelling the Zionist Entity (Israel) to open its nuclear facilities and programs to monitoring and inspection in accordance with the rules of the International Atomic Energy Agency, as well as the necessity of the Zionist Israeli accession to the NPT and vacating the Middle East region from weapons of mass destruction, as this constitutes a basis for security and stability in the Middle-East and enables avoidance of double standards in international interaction. Call for further cooperation and coordination among the states of the member parliaments in international conferences which are held to review this matter.
SEVENTH: IRAQ
47. Stress commitment to preserving the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq against any aggression, and congratulate its armed forces on the victories which they achieve in their war against the forces of terrorism and extremism which have done a lot of mischief in the land.
48. Condemn and criminalize all terrorist acts perpetrated by DAESH and other illegal armed groups against the Iraqi people, such as murder, enslavement, dispersion, destruction of heritage sites and demolition of the tombs of holy men and virtuous people, and of places of worship. Declare our support to Iraq in its war against terrorism, and Praise the victories achieved by the Iraqi people against the terrorist groups.
49. Stress our standing by the side of Iraq in addressing the problems of refugees and displaced persons, and act to restore stability and re-construction to the regions which have been destroyed by terrorism aimed at returning the citizens.
EIGHTH: THE SUDAN
50. Emphasize our support to the Sudan in facing all foreign threats and express solidarity with it in defending its sovereignty, security and stability. Highly appreciate the good efforts exerted regionally and internationally in order to establish peace in Darfur, and invite the international community to fulfill all its declared commitments to realize peace and sustainable development in the Sudan.
51. Welcome the National Dialogue outputs and recommendations document signed on 10 October 2016, and Call on all political forces and armed movements to join the dialogue process with the aim of achieving peace and stability in the Sudan.
52. Emphasize our rejection of the decision of the International Criminal Court on 4th of March 2009, containing an arrest warrant against H.E. the President of the Republic of the Sudan Mr. Omar Hassan Al-Bashir, and call for the absolute and unconditional revocation of this decision considered as a flagrant violation of the international law and a blatant breach of the national sovereignty of the Republic of the Sudan.
53. Welcome the cooperation agreement which has been signed in Addis Ababa between the Republic of Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan, as well as the efforts of the Republic of Sudan to establish peaceful and integrated strategic relations with the Republic of South Sudan, and to solve outstanding issues between them by way of dialogue according to conventions and agreements signed between them and the requirement of joint interest for both of them.
54. Welcome the American Administration’s decision to lift economic and commercial sanctions imposed on the Sudan, and highly appreciate the role played by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
55. Call on Islamic States to increase their financial and development aid in order to address the economic problems of the Sudan.
NINTH: THE HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN SYRIA
56. Emphasize our principled position calling for the necessity to preserve the unity, sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Syrian in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter.
57. Express our satisfaction with the enforcement of the permanent ceasefire in Syria starting from 30 December 2016, and Declare our support to the Security Council Resolution 2336, dated 31 December 2016, supporting a permanent ceasefire in Syria. Welcome the Astana meeting held on 23 January 2017 to strengthen ceasefire in Syria, and to pave the way for the revival of the political process.
58. Appeal to the States of PUIC Member Parliaments and all members of the international community, including all donors, to fulfill their previous pledges and continue to provide much needed support to the United Nations, its specialized agencies and other humanitarian actors to provide humanitarian assistance to the millions of Syrians displaced both internally and in host countries;
59. Denounce strongly all terrorist acts perpetrated by terrorist groups such as DAESH and others; and Call for strongly and firmly standing against these groups which constitute a danger that threatens all at the regional and international levels.
60. Commend the significant efforts that have been made by neighboring countries to Syria and the other countries in the region to shelter Syrian refugees. Warn against the increasing political, socioeconomic and financial impact of the presence of a large-scale movement of people into neighboring countries, notably in Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Iraq.
TENTH: SOMALIA
61. Stress commitment to act to restore the unity, sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of Somalia and restoration of security therein. Reject strongly any foreign intervention in Somalia outside legitimate frameworks.
62. Commend the efforts of H.E. President Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud to extend state control to most regions of Somalia and establish the Federal State according to the “Vision of 2016”; Call for supporting the Somali government, headed by H.E. Prime Minister Omar Abdul Rasheed Ali Sharmarki, and invites the international community to engage with it based on the principle of equality and mutual respect among States, without going through international and regional bodies and organizations.
63. Bless the progress achieved by the Somalian leadership with regard to the model of parliamentary and presidential federal elections held respectively in August and September 2016.
64. Urge the States of PUIC Member Parliaments that have not yet opened embassies in Mogadishu to speedily take such a step, in order to promote relations of bilateral cooperation with the Republic of Somalia.
65. Welcome the improvement made in Somalia in all political, economic and social fields. Call on the Islamic Development Bank Group and the Islamic Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture to adopt new initiatives aimed at promoting investment and reinforcing economic and commercial cooperation between Somalia and other States of PUIC Member Parliaments, within the Trade Preferential System adopted among Member States.
ELEVENTH: AFGHANISTAN
66. Express our full solidarity with and support to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan for the efforts it is exerting to establish peace and security and achieve economic growth in such a way as to serve the interests of the Afghan people.
67. Appeal to the Governments of the PUIC Member Parliaments to spare no effort to help the National Unity Government in Afghanistan at this critical stage, in order to achieve peace, security and economic prosperity.
68. Strongly condemn the terrorist acts committed by Taliban, al-Qaeda, and other extremist groups.
TWELFTH: SITUATION IN MALI AND NEIGHBORING STATES
69. Stress our position in support of preserving the sovereignty, territorial integrity and national unity of the Republic of Mali. Congratulate the Government of Mali on the peace-promotion measures taken, especially the signing of the Peace and Reconciliation Accord on 15 May 2015 in Bamako, which was the crowing step of the negotiations held in Algiers during the period from 16 July 2014 till 1st March 2015. This will offer the opportunity to establish peace and security and promote national reconciliation.
70. Strongly praise the efforts of Algeria and the entire international mediation team, as well as the countries which contributed to the success of the peace process which led to the signing of the Peace and Reconciliation Accord.
71. Call on all OIC Member States to extend urgent financial support and assistance to help Mali, with the aim of enhancing peace, security and stability and achieving comprehensive development.
THIRTEENTH: SITUATION IN CYPRUS
72. Call upon the governments of PUIC Member Parliaments to support effective solidarity with the Turkish Cypriot State and maintain close links with it, aiming to help it overcome the inhuman isolation imposed on it and consolidate and strengthen their relations with the Turkish Cypriot State in all fields. Reiterate the necessity of implementing previous OIC resolutions on the issue of Cyprus as well as the PUIC resolutions.
73. Welcome the willingness shown by the Turkish Cypriot side to reach a lasting political settlement in conformity with the efforts of the UN Secretary General.
FOURTEENTH: PROTECTION OF MUSLIM COMMUNITIES AND MINORITIES
74. Confirm the PUIC commitment towards Muslim communities and minorities living in non-OIC Member States, and Call for action to solve their problems in such a way as to ensure their enjoyment of their fundamental rights, such as exercising political, religious and ritual freedoms, and the protection of holy places and historic sites.
75. Call on Greece to respect the rights of the Turkish Muslim minority in Western Thrace and Dodecanese. Request Greece to take the necessary measures to preserve mosques, places of worship, and Muslim cemeteries.
76. Urge our governments to give attention to the minority in the Crimea, especially Muslim Tartars, and to follow up closely their conditions in order to ensure the enjoyment of their human rights.
77. Reaffirm our support to the Peace Agreement signed between the Government of the Philippines and the Moro National Liberation Front on 2 September 1996; Call for the speedy and complete implementation of the provisions of this agreement; Urge the States of Member Parliaments as well as charitable institutions in the Islamic World to increase their humanitarian assistance for Muslims in Southern Philippines in order to accelerate economic and social development; Welcome the decision of the Government of the Philippines to start executing the law establishing the self-governing Bangsamoro region without linking this to the process of changing the Constitution, this process which had, for the last forty years, posed an obstacle to peace agreements.
78. Condemn the ongoing systematic brutal acts perpetrated against the Rohingya Muslim Community in Myanmar, which constitute a serious and blatant violation of international law and international human rights conventions; Particularly denounce the involvement of security forces and Buddhist militias in these acts of killing and forced displacement of Muslim citizens, which have, since October 2016, affected over 65000 Muslims who have been forcibly displaced to Bangladesh, in addition to the burning of their houses and places of worship; Call on the Government of Myanmar to honor its obligations under International Law and Human Rights covenants, and to take all measures to immediately halt acts of dispersion and discriminatory practices against Rohingya Muslims, as well as the continuous attempts to obliterate their Islamic culture and identity; Call upon the governments of PUIC Member Parliaments to continue their efforts together with those of the international community and the UN in order to ensure the return of all Myanmar’s refugees who have been deported from Rakhin State (Arakan).
79. Request the UN Security Council to conduct an investigation and a fact-finding mission on the killings, violation of freedoms, and displacement of the Muslim minority in Myanmar; and to initiate a criminal case at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
80. Call on the Government of Myanmar to take concrete measures as proposed by the European Parliament resolution, and to be committed to cooperating with the international community in order to put an end to this wave of violence and human rights violations, and the Rohingya Muslims’ loss of their nationality. Underline the need to allow them to recover their nationality through reviewing the exclusionary nationality law enacted by Myanmar, and to take urgent measures in order to allow Rohingya refugees and displaced persons to return on a permanent basis to their homes in the State of Arakan, while guaranteeing their means of livelihood.
81. Urge the authorities in Myanmar to provide economic opportunities for the Rohingya people that have suffered deprivation all along their history, in order to achieve a balanced socioeconomic development in the Rakhin State, and defuse tension among communities.
82. Follow with extreme concern the crisis of Muslims in Central African Republic as a result of what they face in terms of killing, displacement and destruction of properties, which led the UN Secretary General to state that what is taking place in the Central African Republic is ethnic-religious cleansing. Strongly condemns the shedding of the blood of thousands of innocent citizens because of their belonging to Islam. Demand that the transitional authorities in Bangue ensure the return of the displaced and refugees to their homes without being exposed to violence perpetrated by Ante Balaka Militias and the supporters of the deposed President Francois Boseze.
FIFTEENTH: JAMMU AND KASHMIR
83. Reaffirm the United Nations Security Council resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir dispute as well as resolutions of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation, calling for free and impartial plebiscite under the UN auspices to ascertain the wishes of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
84. Call upon the United Nations Secretary General and the High Commissioner for human rights to send a Fact Finding Mission to the Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir and ensure fair, independent and transparent inquiry into the killings and blatant human rights violations being perpetrated by the Indian occupation forces.
SIXTEENTH: AGGRESSION OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA AGAINST THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN
85. Demand the strict implementation of UN Security Council Resolutions 822, 853, 874 and 884, and the unconditional, complete and immediate withdrawal of Armenian forces from all occupied Azerbaijan territories; and strongly urge Armenia to respect the sovereignty of the Republic of Azerbaijan and its territorial integrity.
86. Condemn the brutal aggressions against Mosques and Islamic Holy places, resulting in considerable losses of Islamic antiquities, and cultural heritage in Azerbaijani territories; and condemn the horrifying genocide that took place in Azerbaijani city of Khujali in 1992, when, in few hours on the night of 25–26 February 1992, 613 civilians were killed, including 106 women and 83 children.
87. Reaffirm our complete solidarity and support for the efforts of the government and people of the Republic of Azerbaijan in defending their country; and urge for the provision of humanitarian assistance to Azerbaijani refugees and displaced persons who face dire living conditions, in preparation for their return to their homes from which they have been displaced.
SEVENTEENTH: ECONOMIC AFFAIRS AND ENVIRONMENT
88. Highly appreciate all efforts exerted to promote and encourage bilateral trade among States of PUIC Member Parliaments.
89. Call for encouraging the joining of funding and insurance institutions in the OIC, such as the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation, and the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit, aimed at benefiting from the services that these institutions provide to enhance trade.
90. Strongly reject the principle of imposing sanctions, of whatever form –unilateral or multilateral– on States; Express absolute solidarity with Islamic countries that are subject to such sanctions; and Reaffirm that economic and financial measures should not be used as a means for political coercion, as this results in depriving the targeted people of exercising their natural right to achieving development.
91. Reject the attempts made by some powers to give precedence to their national legislations over the rules of international law and impose them on other states, which impinges on the sovereignty of the targeted states and on the interests of their peoples.
92. Express our satisfaction with the constant increase in intra-OIC trade which reached 19.78% in 2015.
93. Call on governments of PUIC Member Parliaments and their financial institutions to take all the necessary measures to achieve the new goal of the expansion of intra trade so that it reaches 25% of their trade exchange by the year 2025, as provided for in the Program of Action adopted by the 13th Islamic Summit held in Istanbul, Turkey, on 14 April, 2016.
94. Express our solidarity with the African peoples affected by natural disasters and desertification; and support all efforts exerted to confront such catastrophes and phenomena.
95. Appeal to our governments to secure financial and technical support required to address desertification and climate change in Islamic countries, particularly in Africa and Asia, which are affected by natural disasters and desertification, and call for considering the possibility of involving non-governmental civil society organizations working in the Islamic world in providing all forms of humanitarian aid, including addressing desertification and climate change, to afflicted countries.
96. Call on governments of PUIC Member Parliaments to exert further efforts to activate the Trade Preferential System (OIC-TPS) among OIC countries.
97. Call on the governments of PUIC Member Parliaments to encourage their chambers of commerce to become members of the Islamic Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, so that they benefit from the various forms of support and guidance that the Islamic Chamber provides to its members.
98. Express our concern about the negative impacts of the problem of external debt on Islamic countries, which constitutes a burden on their economies and endangers their national sovereignty; call on the OIC and its economic and financial institutions to prepare an exhaustive study on this problem and its impacts on the economic progress of the Islamic countries, and call for approaching donor States and international financial institutions with a view to writing off those debts.
99. Urge riparian States to inter-coordinate and cooperate on managing and benefiting from joint water resources and preventing restricting the flow of water from the source states, benefiting from it and ensuring the proper use of water in the framework of relevant international legal instruments.
100. Call for stopping to depend on sea and ocean waters as dumping areas for nuclear waste by superpowers or conducting nuclear experiments and explosions which negatively affect water as a source of life.
101. Call for supporting the Republic of Chad in order to reactivate Lake Chad Basin with the aim of resuscitating this vital lake and preventing its demise, and helping in ensuring the necessary funding for this purpose.
102. Call for cooperation and action to remove the strong causes and circumstances which have led to the excessive inflow of inhabitants to Lake Chad Basin and to find practical ways to re-settle these populations in their regions of origin.
103. Welcome the practical steps in the ILO to curb the effects of climate change adopted by the Paris Conference in December 2015 and confirmed by the Marrakech Conference in November 2016, and Call for being committed to these steps and implementing them at the national, regional and international levels
104. Welcome the proclamation of the sustainable development objectives adopted by the UN General Assembly in its 66th session, which urges OIC Member States to take the necessary measures to meet these objectives in achieving development and well-being for their peoples.
105. Stress the importance of the executive plan for the activation of the Islamic strategy for disaster risk reduction and management in Islamic countries, adopted by the Islamic Summit in 2010, and appreciate the existing cooperation between OIC, the World Bank and the Islamic Development Bank in this regard.
EIGHTEENTH: CULTURAL AND LEGAL AFFAIRS AND DIALOGUE OF CIVIZILATIONS AND RELIGIONS
106. Strongly condemn the screening of whatever is offensive to the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and religious symbols; denounce the support by a number of European States to this ignoble act, and demand the immediate cessation of such provocations and the preservation of Islamic sanctuaries all over the world.
107. Call for preparing a project through consultation with the OIC Cultural organs as well as scholars and elites from various parts of the world to contribute to an effective and constructive dialogue between the Islamic and Western Civilizations, recalling initiatives of Muslim states in this field, especially the initiative of the President of Iran, Mohamed Khatami who launched the Dialogue of Civilizations in 2001, as well as the initiative of the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Aziz (may Allah shower him with mercy) concerning dialogue among between adherence of religions and cultures, culminating in the establishment of the Vienna-based Center for Dialogue, and also the initiative of Senegal for holding a conference for this purpose; and project a true and positive image of the Islamic civilization; call on the Member Parliaments to enact the necessary legislations in this respect; and invite the IDB and the Islamic Solidarity Fund to support this project.
108. Stress the importance of establishing national Islamic television channels broadcasting in foreign languages, in order to project the true image of Islam; and urge ISESCO to establish specialized satellite channels in this respect.
109. Express the need for adopting a priority common policy aimed at preventing the distortion of Islam’s image on the pretext of freedom of expression, particularly through mass media and the internet.
NINETEENTH: HUMAN RIGHTS, WOMEN AND FAMILY
110. Strongly reject and condemn politicization, selectivity and discrimination in dealing with issues related to human rights at the regional and international levels, and reject attempts to exploit the issue of human rights to throw doubts on to the principles and fundamentals of the Islamic shari'a and associating Islam and Muslims with terrorism which led to the spread of Islamophobic sentiments.
111. Strongly condemn violence committed by armed gangs against women and children in Mali, Nigeria, Cameroon and Iraq and in other areas of conflict, in the name of Islam; and call upon the international community to intervene to put an end the horrible atrocities before it is too late.
112. Urge the governments of PUIC Member Parliaments to cooperate and coordinate between their representatives in international and regional for a concerned with human rights issues, and urge Islamic organizations to cooperate with international and regional organizations to ensure human rights of Muslim minorities living in some non-OIC countries.
113. Call on governments of PUIC Member Parliaments to promote gender mainstreaming, protect women’s rights and involve them effectively in all aspects of development by eliminating all forms of violence and discrimination against women, and to establish human rights and media mechanisms and institutions to attain that goal.
114. Request governments of PUIC Member Parliaments to revive opportunities for women’s external communication through their participation in international and regional conferences to share experiences.
115. Call also on the PUIC Member Parliaments to urge their respective governments to act, with the assistance of the International community and civil society organizations, to improve the conditions of children, especially those living in difficult conditions such as Syrian and Iraqi refugees living under occupation, violent conflicts, and natural disasters in Asia, and in famine-hit areas in Eastern Africa and the African Sahel region, as well as the victims of the conflict in the Central African Republic.
116. Urge the governments of PUIC Member Parliaments to sign and ratify the OIC Convention on the Rights of the Child in Islam, the UN Declaration on the Rights of Children and the attached optional protocols, and to develop necessary mechanisms to activate these conventions to guide UN committees in dealing with Muslim children.
117. Call for including family education as a sound approach to motherhood, which is both a religious duty and a social function, for recognizing that children upbringing is a responsibility shared by both parents, and for preventing any attempts to separate the child from the family.
118. Urge PUIC Member Parliaments to extend assistance in the field of health to needy states, especially in West Africa and the Palestinian occupied territories and in refugee camps, including health clinics and centers, hospitals, and health teams, equipment and medicines.
119. Welcome the offer of the Republic of the Sudan to host an Islamic Health Center for research in endemic and fast-spreading diseases such as Ebola, AIDS, Malaria, etc. The Center shall carry out research and studies on these diseases and devise ways to limit their spreading and eradicate them, and request the government of the august Member Parliaments -especially the rich ones- to cooperate in extending material and in kind support for establishing the Islamic Health Centre and funding it in such a way as to include manufacturing vaccines and medicines, as well as hosting its headquarters.
120. Call for Setting up a high coordination committee for the Union of Muslim Women Parliamentarians, to be in charge of following up the implementation and materialization of the Conference resolutions, through establishing a database of Muslim Women Parliamentarians;
121. Urge the governments of the PUIC Member Parliaments to pay attention to education for all and establish research centers devoted to the issues of Muslim youth in order to prepare them to confront the negative impacts of globalization, and in such a way as to preserve their Islamic identity.
122. Strongly condemn also the violations of human rights perpetrated by other terrorist groups and organizations by humiliating women and selling them in the slave market, torturing its opponents and killing them in cold blood in both Iraq, Syria and Libya. Emphasize that such acts do not relate whatsoever to Islam or to its teachings or tolerant ethics.
123. Urge the governments of the PUIC Member Parliaments to cooperate and coordinate among their representatives in international and regional fora concerned with human rights issues aimed at projecting and holding high Islamic values related to human rights as well as standing against attempts of politicization and discrimination in dealing with these issues, and imposing the hegemony of the single model.
124. Call for the adoption of the principal of societal dialogue advocated by our Islamic religion as a framework for resolving problems and disputes which arise between our communities and their various constituents.
125. Call upon PUIC Member Parliaments to ensure the protection of the rights of women and girls and monitor its implementation as well as the elimination of all forms of violence and discriminations against women and girls in line with Islamic values through the adoption of appropriate national laws and legislations, and to prevent all forms of exploitation of women.
126. Request countries of the PUIC Member Parliaments to support measures in eradicating poverty by ensuring women’s equal access to full employment and decent work, among others, which would preserve their dignity, through the consideration of measures to remove structural and legal barriers, and to provide women with the economic facilities and opportunities in order to enhance their role in the various dimensions of development.
127. Call on the OIC in cooperation with WHO to create a mechanism for taking care of psychological, mental and physical health, and rehabilitation of women and children who have suffered the agonies of destructive wars.
128. Call on the Member parliaments to establish coherent and mutually reinforcing national policies to combat youth unemployment and boost long-term growth and job creation. Call on the PUIC and its Member Parliaments to form caucuses of young parliamentarians in order to promote youth participation, making young persons in politics more visible and reflecting the youth perspective in the developing agenda.
129. Call on parliaments to establish and promote coherent, overarching youth information strategies which, in a youth-friendly way, address all issues relevant to young people, to develop special web-based information and information centers for young people, and to facilitate access to information for young people with fewer opportunities.
130. Call for action to rehabilitate and educate children who have fallen under the control of DAESH and the other terrorist organizations and to enable them to get rid of the deviant thoughts which they have received in the curricula which were imposed on the areas controlled by these organizations and not to prosecute those children before the law or through security action.
131. Urge the PUIC Member Parliaments to extend assistance in the field of health to needy states, especially in the region of West Africa and the Horn of Africa and the Palestinian occupied territories as well as Palestinian refugee camps, and refugees in other states as well as Syrians, Iraqis and Yemenis, in terms of health clinics, health centers, and to send health teams, equipment and medicines to these states and camps.
132. Welcome the completion of the organizational procedures and the preparation of the Statute of the Association of Secretaries General of the PUIC Member Parliaments; and urge for continuing action in cooperation with the presidency of the PUIC.
133. Confirm the resolution adopted by the Extraordinary Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the OIC Member States held in Makkah Al-Mukarramah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on 17 Safar 1438 A.H. (corresponding to 17 November 2016) on the launching of a ballistic missile towards Makkah Al-Mukarramah.
TWENTIETH: THANKS AND APPRECIATION
134. Express sincere thanks and appreciation to the leadership, people and National Assembly of the Republic of Mali, especially the President of the Republic and the Speaker of the National Assembly for their remarkable hospitality and generosity which contributed to the success of the 12th Session of the PUIC Conference. We highly appreciate all efforts being exerted to attain the desired noble objectives of our Union, and express to the leadership, Government, people and National Assembly of the Republic of Mali our best wishes for further prosperity and welfare.