Asked by: Gavin Shuker (Independent - Luton South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Myanmar government on reform of that country's 1982 Citizenship Law.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
The British Government’s concerns that Burma’s 1982 citizenship law does not meet international standards is well known. It is clear that a thorough process of legislative and judicial reform is required in Burma. The new Government have formed a parliamentary committee to consider laws that require reform or repeal. That body has produced an initial list of 142 pieces of legislation to be considered. We encourage the new Government to consider the 1982 citizenship law within this exercise.
Asked by: Gavin Shuker (Independent - Luton South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is on supporting an independent investigation with international experts to investigate human rights violations in Rakhine State, Myanmar.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
Ms Yanghee Lee, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights Situation in Burma, produces regular reports which assess specifically allegations of human rights violations, particularly in Rakhine. Her role is mandated by annual UN Human Rights Council Resolutions, which the UK continues to support firmly. Additionally, UN High Commissioner Zeid presented a report to the June Human Rights Council in Geneva detailing patterns of violations and abuses committed over a prolonged period of time against the Rohingya and other minorities in Burma
While it is clear that violations and abuses have taken place in Rakhine State, our priority is to encourage the new civilian Government to take urgent steps to: improve security and the humanitarian situation; lift restrictions on freedom of movement; and find a sustainable solution on citizenship.
Asked by: Gavin Shuker (Independent - Luton South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to support the Myanmar government beginning a reconciliation process between different communities and faith groups in that country.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
We are extremely concerned by the recent increase in inter-faith tensions in Burma, the violent incidents in Bago and Hpakant and anti-Muslim protests in Rakhine. Our Embassy in Rangoon has raised these concerns in detail with the Burmese authorities, stressing the need to uphold the rule of law for all communities.
We are promoting peace and reconciliation efforts in Burma through a range of bilateral and multilateral initiatives in support of the peace process, such as the Peace Support Fund and the Joint Peace Fund. We are providing £19 million over five years to the Peace Support Fund and, with a £5 million contribution, we are the largest donor to the multinational Joint Peace Fund. The British Government is one of the biggest humanitarian donors in Rakhine, contributing over £18m since 2012.
Asked by: Gavin Shuker (Independent - Luton South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which Ministers of his Department have raised human rights issues in an official capacity, and with whom, in the last four weeks.
Answered by David Lidington
Foreign and Commonwealth Office ministers raise a broad range of human rights issues on every appropriate occasion with representatives of foreign governments. However, information on each and every occasion on which human rights have been raised during the period in question is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Gavin Shuker (Independent - Luton South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he made and received during his visit to Mexico in May 2016 on upholding the right to freedom of religion or belief in that country.
Answered by Lord Swire
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) raised human rights and the rule of law in meetings with the Ministers for Foreign Affairs, Education, Social Development and the Attorney General. Discussions focused on the significant security and justice challenges Mexico faces, particularly in terms of impunity. He also raised concerns relating to the disappearance of 43 students in Iguala in September 2014. He did not raise freedom of religion or belief on this occasion. I also raised our human rights concerns with the Minister for Public Administration during his visit to London on 12 May. Our Embassy in Mexico regularly discusses the full range of human rights and rule of law issues, including freedom of religion and belief, with Mexican counterparts and civil society.
Asked by: Gavin Shuker (Independent - Luton South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans he has to engage with international partners to tackle the persecution of secularists or of people with no faith in Bangladesh.
Answered by Lord Swire
As I said to the House on 24 May, there is more we can do to help the Government of Bangladesh to tackle the challenges they face. I raised my concerns about the situation there most recently with the Bangladesh High Commissioner on 24 May.
Our High Commission in Dhaka regularly meets international partners to discuss the treatment of secular activists and minority groups in Bangladesh. Most recently, on 22 May, our High Commissioner met Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister, Abul Hassan Mahmud Ali, with other EU Ambassadors, to discuss signs that intolerance across Bangladesh is increasing
In September 2015, officials from the British High Commission in Dhaka met Heiner Bielefeldt, UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, during his visit to Bangladesh. We urge the Government of Bangladesh to implement the recommendations in his report, which includes a call for the government to “protect the vibrant civil society and pluralistic society in Bangladesh”.
Asked by: Gavin Shuker (Independent - Luton South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department has made representations to the Iranian government on the imprisonment of seven Bahá'í leaders.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The UK regularly raises our concerns at the treatment of the Baha’i community in Iran. We call on Iran to cease harassment of all religious minorities and to fulfil its international and domestic obligations to allow freedom of religion to all Iranians.
Asked by: Gavin Shuker (Independent - Luton South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Iranian government on the imprisonment of Ebrahim Firouzi and other Christians in that country.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
I discuss many issues with my Iranian counterpart. Restriction of freedom of expression, religion and belief continue to cause concern. I have repeatedly called on the Iranian government to end all persecution of individuals on the basis of their faith, and to guarantee the human rights of all Iranians, regardless of belief
Asked by: Gavin Shuker (Independent - Luton South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on alleged violations of freedom of religion or belief in Crimea by the Russian authorities; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by David Lidington
I am aware of concerning reports of violations of freedom of religion and belief in Russia. The Jehovah’s Witnesses community, for example, has found itself under attack in several parts of Russia, often through misuse of legislation designed to combat extremism. As set out in the FCO Human Rights Report, the UK is deeply concerned about the deteriorating environment for human rights in Russia. We will continue to offer our support to all those who seek peacefully to pursue their freedom of religion and belief.
Asked by: Gavin Shuker (Independent - Luton South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what resources his Department allocates to promoting and upholding freedom of religion or belief within the countries with which it works.
Answered by David Lidington
Human Rights are part of the everyday work of all British diplomats. We work intensively on freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) through the UN, the EU and the OSCE; and in individual countries, prioritising what works in local circumstances. In many parts of the world, we have supported projects through the Magna Carta Fund for Human Rights and Democracy. In the current financial year, we have allocated almost £900,000 to projects in this area.