Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, in the light of attacks on Abyei town on 27 January, attacks on Awolnhom, Minyang, Kadian and Abathok villages on 3 and 4 February, and killings and abductions in Rumamer County from 10 January to 14 February, what is their assessment of the capacity of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei at its current troop level to protect civilians in the Abyei administrative area.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei's (UNISFA) mandate was renewed in November last year and amended to better equip the mission to respond quickly to security incidents and to place greater emphasis on community engagement. The UK has used its position as a permanent member of the Security Council to urge both the government of South Sudan and the Sudanese authorities to ensure UNISFA can fully and effectively implement its mandate, in line with the their responsibility as host states. The extension of the UNISFA mandate from six to twelve months will also better enable the mission to develop longer-term strategies.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the humanitarian situation in Abyei town following internal displacement within the Abyei area, and what support they will offer to enable voluntary returns to villages in central and northern Abyei.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The people of Abeyi have suffered from terrible conflict and are now feeling the impact of climate change. We are working with the UN and humanitarian organisations in Sudan and South Sudan to address their humanitarian needs. We also continue to call on the Government of South Sudan and the Sudanese authorities to allow humanitarian actors to deliver aid in all parts of Abyei, without hindrance.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Hazara Inquiry's recommendation to bring proceedings against Afghanistan for its violations of the Genocide Convention with regard to the Hazara in Afghanistan.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Inquiry's report has done much to raise awareness of the situation of Hazaras in Afghanistan. FCDO officials have noted the report's recommendations and will continue to closely monitor the situation of Hazaras in Afghanistan. In line with the report's recommendations, we are documenting discrimination and abuses against Hazaras, both through the UN and other institutions, and through our own programme work.
More broadly, officials from the UK Mission to Afghanistan regularly press Taliban acting ministers and Afghan officials to protect religious and ethnic minorities, including Shia Muslims and Hazara communities.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how they are highlighting the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan and Iran, whether they are engaging with Afghan and Iranian women or organisations supporting them, and what practical steps they are taking in doing so.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has repeatedly condemned the oppressive measures faced by women and girls in Afghanistan and Iran, though the situation for women and girls in each country is different. In September, the Foreign Secretary hosted a roundtable with Iranian women's rights defenders, as part of our visible support in their call for change. On 11 March, I [Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon] spoke at an event on Afghanistan as part of the UN Commission on the Status of Women. We will continue to engage with women from both countries.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recent report from the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of human rights in Afghanistan, published on 29 February 2024, and his findings of specific targeting of the Hazara community in Afghanistan, including at least seven attacks carried out against Shia Muslims of Hazara ethnicity between September 2023 and January 2024.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government notes the UN Special Rapporteur's latest report and its recommendations. The Government works closely with the international community, including the G7, G20 and through the UN, to promote and protect the human rights of all Afghans, and to coordinate a consistent international response. In December, I [Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon] raised recent attacks against Hazaras with the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to impose further sanctions on North Korean officials and entities under the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations 2020, including those who have been involved in the supply of weapons to Russia.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains concerned by the appalling human rights situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), as I [Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon] made clear during the House of Lords Debate on 14 December 2023. The Global Human Rights sanctions regime gives the UK a powerful tool that we can use to tackle human rights violations and abuses and underpins the UK's role as a force for good in global affairs, and we continue to keep further listings under review. On 22 February, the UK sanctioned five individuals and entities involved in DPRK-Russia weapons transfers. The DPRK is already subject to a robust sanctions regime and the UK will continue to work with our partners to hold the DPRK to account for supporting Russia's illegal war in Ukraine.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of human rights violations and the humanitarian situation in North Korea and whether they intend to raise concerns at the UN Security Council and at the next meeting of the UN Human Rights Council.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is deeply concerned about the appalling human rights situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), as documented by the 2014 UN Commission of Inquiry Report on Human Rights in the country. The UK has responded to the report's recommendations by continuing to press for an annual debate in the UN Security Council, and working to secure a robust resolution on the DPRK at the UN Human Rights Council. On 17 August 2023, at the first UNSC open meeting on the human rights situation in the DPRK since 2017, the UK highlighted inextricable links between the DPRK's human rights violations and its illegal weapons programme, and called on the DPRK to engage with the UN Special Rapporteur. This year, the UK will again work closely with partners to secure a strong resolution which stresses the importance of following-up recommendations from the COI Report and provides the basis for further work on a credible framework for accountability for human rights violations in the DPRK.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the tenth anniversary of the Report of the Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and what steps they have taken to implement its recommendations.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is deeply concerned about the appalling human rights situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), as documented by the 2014 UN Commission of Inquiry Report on Human Rights in the country. The UK has responded to the report's recommendations by continuing to press for an annual debate in the UN Security Council, and working to secure a robust resolution on the DPRK at the UN Human Rights Council. On 17 August 2023, at the first UNSC open meeting on the human rights situation in the DPRK since 2017, the UK highlighted inextricable links between the DPRK's human rights violations and its illegal weapons programme, and called on the DPRK to engage with the UN Special Rapporteur. This year, the UK will again work closely with partners to secure a strong resolution which stresses the importance of following-up recommendations from the COI Report and provides the basis for further work on a credible framework for accountability for human rights violations in the DPRK.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to deter Chinese criminal gangs using cryptocurrencies to launder significant sums of money; whether they have made any assessment of the scale of the problem and of the nature and likely efficacy of Chinese anti money laundering laws.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government has taken steps to build resilience to economic crime abroad, and passed legislation at home to respond to current and emerging threats. This includes responding to the risks posed by cryptoassets, which we assess remain an important facilitator for criminal transactions, as set out in the National Crime Agency's National Strategic Assessment of Serious and Organised Crime Threats. The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (2023) introduced enhanced powers to seize, freeze, convert and recover cryptoassets. The UK remains vigilant to emerging threats, regardless of where they originate, and will continue to respond comprehensively.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Sumbul Rizvi, the UNHCR Representative in Bangladesh, regarding the security situation for Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar, in particular regarding any increases of serious protection incidents, including reports of killings, torture, abductions and sexual and gender-based violence; and to what extent they take such matters into account in determining the amount and nature of support they provide to Rohinya refugees there.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are concerned at the increase in serious protection incidents in the refugee camp in Cox's Bazar. The UK regularly discusses protection and security challenges for Rohingya refugees with UNHCR, including what more can be done to try to address these issues through programme interventions, and how to support the Government of Bangladesh in their efforts to ensure security in the camps. UK programming is addressing protection issues in the camps, including helping UNICEF tackle child labour and child marriage, and supporting UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) in preventing and addressing gender-based violence. The UK also supports a consortium of International NGOs, led by Norwegian Refugee Council, to address the drivers and impact of protection incidents.