Asked by: Nicholas Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the powers allocated to the National Intelligence and Security Services in Sudan under the National Security Act 2010.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
The UK has raised concerns about the Sudan National Security Act of 2010 on a number of occasions, especially on issues of accountability and provisions that offer National Intelligence and Security Service officers immunity from prosecution. As part of Sudan's Universal Periodic Review of Human Rights at the Human Rights Council in May 2016, the UK called for reforms to ensure adherence to International standards. The 2017 Foreign and Commonwealth Office Human Rights Report further urged Sudan to implement its Universal Periodic Review recommendations regarding reform of the act, to ensure that the national intelligence and security services conformed to international human rights standards, and urged full accountability for all human rights violations. We continue to raise these concerns with the Government of Sudan.
Asked by: Nicholas Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the powers allocated to the National Intelligence and Security Services in Sudan under that country's 2010 National Security Act.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
The UK has raised concerns about the Sudan National Security Act of 2010 on a number of occasions, especially on issues of accountability and provisions that offer National Intelligence and Security Service officers immunity from prosecution. As part of Sudan's Universal Periodic Review of Human Rights at the Human Rights Council in May 2016, the UK called for reforms to ensure adherence to International standards. The 2017 Foreign and Commonwealth Office Human Rights Report further urged Sudan to implement its Universal Periodic Review recommendations regarding reform of the act, to ensure that the national intelligence and security services conformed to international human rights standards, and urged full accountability for all human rights violations. We continue to raise these concerns with the Government of Sudan.
Asked by: Nicholas Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress Sudan has made towards the ratification of the United Nations Convention Against Torture since the initiation of the UK-Sudan Strategic Dialogue in March 2016.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
The Government of Sudan continues to consider ratification of the Convention Against Torture (CAT) and the Sudanese Ministry of Justice are currently undertaking studies in this regard. We continue to urge them to do so as a priority. Most recently the need to ratify the CAT was discussed, along with the need for wider progress on human rights, during the UK-Sudan Strategic Dialogue in November 2018. In March 2018 the British Embassy in Khartoum also funded a workshop for senior government of Sudan representatives that focused on the steps needed for Sudan to ratify the CAT.
Asked by: Nicholas Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department plans to publish a communique on the UK-Sudan Strategic Dialogue meeting which took place in London on 7 November 2018.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
As with previous rounds of the UK-Sudan Strategic Dialogue, we will publish a full communique on the British Government's website.
Asked by: Nicholas Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the level of violence in South Sudan since the signing of the peace agreement in Khartoum in August 2018.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
Following the signing of the peace agreement on 12 September, overall levels of violence in South Sudan have reduced. But progress on implementation of the agreement is slow and inconsistent, and ceasefire violations are continuing in some areas. Despite the progress made, the people of South Sudan continue to suffer appalling abuses we are deeply concerned by recent reports of multiple rapes, severe beatings, and robberies committed against women and children in the Bentiu area. We condemn these horrific attacks in the strongest terms and, along with the UN, international partners, and the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM), are urging the authorities to conduct an immediate, thorough investigation, and to ensure all perpetrators are held to account. The UK, alongside our Troika partners, continues to support progress on the peace process, including providing an expert to assist with the work of the Technical Boundary Commission. To justify international assistance, the parties to the conflict must show they are genuinely committed to implementation of the agreement by putting an immediate end to all violence. We continue to urge the region and the international community to hold accountable those who are working against peace, which must include the robust enforcement of UN sanctions and the arms embargo.
Asked by: Nicholas Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if his Department will publish a summary of the UK-Sudan Strategic Dialogue meeting which took place in London on 8 November 2018.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
The sixth round of the UK-Sudan Strategic Dialogue took place in London on 7 November 2018, co-chaired by Assistant Undersecretary for Political Affairs at the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office Director for Africa. The dialogue covered bilateral issues and the need for progress across a range of topics, including political reforms, peace processes, human rights, economic reforms, and migration, with separate discussions on trade and culture. The Sudanese delegation also met Lord Ahmad, Minister for the Commonwealth and the UN, to discuss UN peacekeeping and human rights, including human trafficking, freedom of the media, and freedom of religion or belief.
A full communique will be published on the British Government's website shortly.
Asked by: Nicholas Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has raised with his South Sudan counterpart reports of the murder of Jesuit Priest Father Victor-Luke Odhiambo in Cueibet, South Sudan on 15 November 2018.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
The UK strongly condemns the killing of Father Victor-Luke Odhiambo in Cueibet, and we call on the South Sudanese authorities to investigate fully. We are urging all parties to the conflict in South Sudan to demonstrate that they are committed to effective implementation of the peace agreement, signed on 12 September, by immediately ending all violence, and ensuring that there is accountability for those who seek to undermine peace.
Asked by: Nicholas Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the fairness of the recent local elections in Bangladesh.
Answered by Mark Field
There were credible media reports of irregularities at recent local elections in Bangladesh, including those in Barishal, Rajshahi and Sylhet in July. We have consistently encouraged the Government of Bangladesh and opposition parties to engage in an effective dialogue to lay the groundwork for free, fair and pluralistic elections, including the general election due to take place at the end of this year. I made these points to senior members of the Government of Bangladesh, including State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shahriar Alam, and members of the main opposition party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, during my visit to Bangladesh from 29 June to 1 July this year. The Foreign Secretary made these points to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina when they met on 24 September at the UN General Assembley in New York.
Asked by: Nicholas Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Attorney General in the Sudanese Government to intervene in the case of Noura Hussein and to prevent the death penalty being reinstated.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
I personally raised our concerns related to Noura's case with the Sudanese Foreign Minister on 12 June. Additionally, the British Ambassador to Sudan continues to raise at the highest levels the need for significant improvements in women's rights and an end to forced marriage. We will continue to monitor closely any future developments in relation to Noura's case and to raise human rights concerns with the Government of Sudan.