Asked by: Paul Williams (Labour - Stockton South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has been in contact with the UN Human Rights Offices in Gulu, northern Uganda, where 250 internally displaced people are camped; and if he will make representations to the Ugandan Government on behalf of those people.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
We are in regular contact with United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN OHCHR) representatives in Uganda. Those that were camped at the UN OHCHR office in Gulu departed on 16 August and returned to their community.
Asked by: Paul Williams (Labour - Stockton South)
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 Government of Uganda on behalf of the thousands of people of Apaa village in Amuru/Adjumani District who have been and are still being forcibly evicted from their land by the Ugandan Army, Police and Wildlife Authority who claim that they are inhabiting a game reserve.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
As part of our dialogue with the Government of Uganda on all aspects of democratic governance and human rights, we continue to stress the importance of resolving disputes fairly, peacefully and with respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. I welcome the Government of Uganda’s 22 August announcement that a committee led by Prime Minister Rugunda, and involving representatives of the affected communities will be constituted to review the Government’s proposals to resolve the land disputes in Apaa.
Asked by: Paul Williams (Labour - Stockton South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his counterpart in the Government of Bangladesh on the disqualification of the leader of the opposition from participation in parliamentary elections in that country.
Answered by Mark Field
On 8 February 2018, Khaleda Zia, the leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, was convicted of corruption charges relating to misappropriation of funds. She was sentenced to a five year prison term. It would not be appropriate for the Government to seek to interfere in the judicial processes of another country.
I remain concerned about the political unrest in Bangladesh and the absence of dialogue among Bangladesh's political parties. The UK is committed to supporting democracy in Bangladesh. The Foreign Secretary met with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Foreign Minister Ali during his visit to Bangladesh from 9 to 10 February. In public and in private he stressed the importance of free and fair elections and affording political space to the opposition. The UK, together with international partners, will continue to encourage a peaceful way forward, and dialogue, between political parties in Bangladesh.