Conflict in Sudan
Lord Callanan (Con)
My Lords, the Sunday Times reported at the weekend that British military equipment sold to the United Arab Emirates was discovered in Sudan being used by the RSF, which of course was responsible for the horrific massacres that we saw all over social media and other places last week. Can the Minister confirm whether the Government have investigated this, whether these reports have been verified and whether they have been discussed with the Government of the UAE?
The Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Baroness Chapman of Darlington) (Lab)
Of course, we are aware of those reports and we have investigated them thoroughly. I can confirm that no military equipment from the UK has found its way to Sudan and we will continue to monitor this incredibly closely.
The three items that were found were a seat belt, something for target practice and some engine components. We have been able to trace the export of these items; it happened around 10 years ago. We will continue to keep an eye on it. We want to make sure that the integrity of our arms controls is maintained, especially on the issue of diversion, and I can commit to the House that we will investigate incredibly thoroughly any further reports like this.
Lord Purvis of Tweed (LD)
My Lords, I note the very recent ICAI report on the Sudan policy of this Government and the previous Administration, and I declare that I was an implementer of the governance strand over recent years, which was positively recognised in that ICAI report.
I am sure the Minister will agree with me that the imperative is that we put urgent mechanisms in place to continue to guard against the atrocities against civilians that we are seeing. I hope the Minister will also agree that it is extremely important that we increase our efforts for a ceasefire, with the UK backing the Quad powers and the regional mechanisms for an immediate ceasefire.
Will the Minister also restate what the noble Lord, Lord Collins, said on numerous occasions: that the future of Sudan is for the civilians of Sudan, led by civilian groups, so that any ceasefire and post-ceasefire agreement will not be a division of spoils for those very entities that have been carrying out the atrocities in recent weeks?
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
Absolutely, and I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the work that the noble Lord, Lord Collins, did on Sudan for many years: certainly, during his role as Minister for Africa, it was outstanding. The leadership that he showed on an issue that, at many points, must have been quite a lonely place to be, given the lack of interest that there was at various times, is highly commendable.
We engage regularly with all members of the Quad. I have spoken to the UAE and the US and my ministerial colleagues at the FCDO do likewise. We are absolutely committed to doing whatever we can, both as penholder at the UN and through our role at the Human Rights Council, and just as a concerned partner and ally, to make sure that we do everything that we are able to do to bring about a ceasefire and then a lasting peace.
Lord Swire (Con)
The Minister is saying we are doing everything, and indeed we are the penholder at the UN, but there are some concerning reports that we are not doing as much as we should be due to financial constraints, particularly with our responsibilities towards women as victims of rape and crime and so on. Is the noble Baroness concerned about that? Is she equally concerned, as the situation there continues to deteriorate, about the possibility of migratory pressure on the UK from that part of the world?
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
Of course I am concerned. I think the reasons why the Prime Minister insisted that we protect our aid to Sudan speak for themselves, and we will be making sure that Sudan receives as much, or perhaps even more, support than it has done previously.
I visited the Adre crossing and spoke to many of the women that the noble Lord refers to, and I heard first-hand accounts of their horrific experiences. We will continue to work to support those women who have made it to Chad, to South Sudan and to other neighbouring countries.
We will also continue, difficult though it is, to work with NGOs and mutual aid groups within Sudan to provide support as much as we possibly can. I should emphasise that this is not a question of a lack of aid. There are real difficulties with access for organisations, but we continue to do everything we possibly can.
Baroness Blackstone (Lab)
My Lords, can the Minister say what representations the Government have made to the UAE about its continuing support for the RSF, including the provision of military equipment?
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
We speak to anybody we believe has an interest in this. We urge them all the same: they should not be providing arms or equipment—nobody should. Anyone with any influence over any of the armed groups in Sudan should be using that influence to urge dialogue, de-escalation and the securing of that lasting peace, so we can have a civilian-led Government in Sudan.
The Lord Bishop of Leeds
My Lords, the other element of the involvement of the UAE has to do with gold and rare earth minerals. What are the Government doing, to influence the ability of the RSF, particularly through the UAE, to get into those markets? So long as access to those markets continues, the conflict will continue and the arms flow will persist.
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
It is right that we are reminded of the role that the natural assets of Sudan play in this conflict. The people responsible for this need to know that we are serious about accountability, which is why we have supported the fact-finding mission, why we support the ICC in what it is doing, and why we will not give up. We will make sure that those people who are responsible for these undoubted atrocities are held to account.
Baroness Sugg (Con)
My Lords, I welcome the recent announcement of £5 million in additional aid to survivors of sexual violence, and I am pleased that the Minister has met some of those survivors. Can she say what steps the UK has taken to ensure accountability for sexual and gender-based violence, which is being used as a weapon of war across Sudan?
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
The use of sexual violence as a weapon of war is extraordinary and has almost become normalised in this conflict. We will work through our partner agencies, in particular the UN but others too, to make sure that evidence is gathered and testimonies are taken in the right way that means they can be used when proceedings are able to be brought—soon, I hope.
Baroness Berger (Lab)
My Lords, earlier this year, UNICEF released a report entitled Sudan’s Child Rape and Sexual Violence Crisis, which gave some harrowing accounts of armed men raping and sexually assaulting children as young as one. I listened very closely to what my noble friend the Minister said. Specifically, what is British aid doing either to support those children who have already been victims or to ensure that no future child is affected in Sudan in this way?
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
My noble friend is right. Some of the accounts that we have heard are completely harrowing. I will never forget being told some of these stories, sitting in a tent in Adré and looking into the eyes of a mother who told me her account of what has happened. We need to make sure that accountability is achieved. We also need to make sure that we work with some of those armed groups, even now, to try to make the case—futile though that often seems, you have to start somewhere—for the need to adhere to international humanitarian law. That is not happening by any stretch of the imagination at the moment. We are clear about what we stand for and on the rules of conflict that we expect, but this is not going to stop until the leaders of these armed groups decide that they would prefer a political solution, which involves dialogue, coming to a conclusion and the election of a civilian Government. These things feel a very long way off at the moment, but until they are achieved we will continue to see the darkest shade of hell that I have ever had to bear witness to. I fear for what happens to those communities in Sudan, particularly those women and those very young children.
Lord Bellingham (Con)
My Lords, those were very moving remarks by the Minister. In addition to what the noble Baroness, Lady Sugg, said a moment ago, there are many other examples that the most appalling war crimes are being committed—crimes against humanity. The Minister mentioned the gathering of evidence. What early discussions have taken place with the ICJ to make sure that these criminals—these barbarians, these war criminals—are arraigned and face justice in the future?
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
We talk to competent courts about this, but the thing we are doing at the moment is ensuring that that evidence is there. Unless we do that, accounts become less admissible and have less status within a process. It is essential that we do this, not just for those people who have already become victims but to send a very clear message on such atrocities. The world has not covered itself in glory on this. Too little attention has been paid to this conflict for far too long. I am glad that there is focus on it now. We must use that to put pressure on all those who have any influence in this conflict and to make sure that those responsible are brought to account quickly.