Today the House of Commons is discussing the genocide amendment to the Trade Bill. There are some appalling atrocities happening around the world – for example, against the Uighurs and other minorities in Xinjiang, the human rights abuses in Kashmir, and there are continuing concerns in Sri Lanka. But the UN has found itself […]
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PM’s statement on Sri Lanka calls for Independent Inquiry
Yesterday, the Prime Minister made a statement to the House of Commons on his recent attendance at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Sri Lanka. He took the opportunity to reiterate why he felt it was right to attend the Commonwealth meeting and to better understand the situation of […]
Read MoreKashmir’s Torture Trail: An update
Last week, after watching the documentary Kashmir’s Torture Trail on Channel Four, I submitted a written question to Alistair Burt, the Foreign Minister for the Indian sub-continent. I asked what assessment he had made of the allegations of human rights abuses made in the documentary and if he would make […]
Read MoreEU debates yesterday
Yesterday, the Commons debated three important issues relating to the European Union: the 2013 EU Budget increase, reform of the Court of Justice of the EU, and the creation of an EU special representative for human rights. EU plans to increase its budget by 6.8% would lead to the UK’s contribution […]
Read MoreSupporting Wycombe’s Tamil Community
On Saturday, I joined the local Tamil community for their annual Tamil School concert. It was one of the most joyful events I have attended. The children were hard working, talented and happy, the parents were proud and the teachers dedicated. It was a treat. We are more usually in touch […]
Read MoreIt’s time to jail those who force people to marry
The Government has decided to make it a criminal offence to force anyone into an unwanted marriage. I think this is a good idea. Last year the police investigated almost 1,500 forced marriages but the real figure could be 8,000 or more. The new law will increase protection and support […]
Read MoreThe latest Government stance on Kashmir
Last week, the Foreign Secretary launched the Government’s Human Rights and Democracy Report. The Report is a comprehensive look at the human rights work of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office around the world. The Foreign Secretary has said that 2011 will stand out as a positive year for human rights […]
Read MoreDebate on Human Rights on the Indian Subcontinent
Yesterday’s debate on Human Rights on the Indian Subcontinent, which I moved and in which I focussed on Kashmir, may be found here: Steve Baker (Wycombe) (Con): I beg to move, That this House has considered the issue of Human Rights on the Indian Subcontinent. I am extremely grateful to the […]
Read MoreThe Hindu: “U.K.’s Kashmir lobby forces debate in House of Commons”
Via The Hindu, we find an Indian reaction to this afternoon’s debate, which I shall lead: Britain’s strong Kashmir lobby, represented by MPs with large constituents of Pakistani origin from Mirpur, has seized on an Amnesty International report on alleged human rights violations in Kashmir to seek the British government’s […]
Read MoreHuman rights in Kashmir and Sri Lanka
This week, I sought and secured a debate on human rights in Kashmir which is to take place on the afternoon of Thursday 15 September, in the House of Commons. I was joined before Parliament’s Backbench Business Committee by Jason McCartney MP, Andrew Griffiths MP, Denis MacShane MP and Nic Dakin […]
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