Syria
Debate between Anneliese Dodds and Joe Morris(4 days, 17 hours ago)
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Anneliese Dodds
Sadly, it is very clear that under Assad, we did not see a justice system that was focused on criminal justice and on providing proper accountability. Instead, there was a vast number of political prisoners, and extensive and extremely deep persecution focused on the needs of the regime. Of course, there must be change. As I described in my statement, the UK has engaged with Syria, particularly on the need to prevent further conflict, to ensure the protection of human rights, and to ensure an inclusive and representative political process. That will require the kind of institutions that can uphold an inclusive, representative and comprehensive governance structure. Surely that is the least that the Syrians deserve.
Joe Morris (Hexham) (Lab)
Does the Minister share my concern that the situation in both Syria and Gaza threatens stability in the wider region, and can she reassure me that the Government are acting urgently to support humanitarian needs in both Syria and Gaza?
Anneliese Dodds
Yes, I can reassure my hon. Friend on that. It is important for us to understand the situation in many countries in the region. Jordan has a very large proportion of Palestinian refugees, and also has many Syrian refugees. I had the absolute privilege of meeting some of them when I visited the Zaatari camp in Jordan. The UK has been working with Jordan on the Jahez programme, which we announced recently, but we have also been working with the country to ensure that, where possible, we can push forward access for aid into Gaza. I pay tribute to the Jordanian Government for that.
Gaza and Lebanon
Debate between Anneliese Dodds and Joe Morris(2 months, 1 week ago)
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Anneliese Dodds
The new UK Government have made it absolutely clear that when it comes to international humanitarian law, the jurisdiction of both the ICC and the ICJ is paramount. It is legitimate, and we have been explicit about that. We have called repeatedly for a ceasefire, and we believe that bilateral and multilateral engagement are very important. The UK should be seeking to exercise leadership in a move towards de-escalation in the region, but, on top of that, we have of course sought to fulfil our responsibilities in respect of provision of the humanitarian aid that is so desperately needed by people there.
Joe Morris (Hexham) (Lab)
I have been heartened to hear the Minister’s call for a ceasefire in Lebanon and Gaza. Can she assure me and my constituents that we are evaluating and exhausting every available diplomatic effort not only to secure that ceasefire, but to get much-needed aid into those regions?
Anneliese Dodds
Yes, I absolutely can. The UK Government take our responsibility incredibly seriously. We worked very hard to ensure that we were the first country in the G7 to call for a ceasefire in Lebanon. We have worked very hard to encourage other countries to do the same, and we have consistently been calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza as well. That must be followed by the surge of aid needed, but before that, we need to make sure that there is no blockage of aid into Gaza and that people in Lebanon are adequately provided for as well. I have been working very hard on that as the Minister for Development.