Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, if he will make an assessment with the Home Secretary of the potential merits of introducing temporary protected status based on the US model for Burmese nationals in the UK to help ensure they are not in danger as a result of the military coup in that country.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The UK is deeply concerned about the situation on the ground in Myanmar, and condemns the further killings of innocent people over the weekend. I [Minister Adams] have discussed with my counterpart in the Home Office about our options to support Myanmar nationals in the UK who could be in danger if they return.
The majority of Myanmar nationals present within the UK have already utilised the switching provisions, including Exceptional Assurance, within our immigration system to continue their regularised stay.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to persuade members of the Commonwealth to join the UK in imposing arms embargoes against Myanmar.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The UK is a longstanding supporter of an arms embargo on Myanmar. We are clear that countries including those in the Commonwealth should not sell arms to the Myanmar military. The UK autonomous Myanmar sanctions regulations prohibit the provision of military related services, including the provision of technical assistance, to or for the benefit of the Tatmadaw. We will work closely with partners to pressure those who sell arms to the military.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the UK Government plans to introduce (a) economic and (b) other sanctions on the Myanmar military as an institution in addition to sanctions on individual Myanmar military and security personnel.
Answered by Nigel Adams
We are clear that the military must pay the price for their actions, that is why we are exploring all options to put pressure on their economic interests, this includes sanctions.
We remain committed to the principle of 'do no harm' with sanctions, and therefore wish to ensure that any measures balance the risk of disproportionately affecting poor people in Myanmar and imposing a cost on the military. In addition, as set out in the written ministerial statement of 25 February, we are reviewing our approach to Trade and Investment in Myanmar, and while that review takes place have suspended all trade promotion activity. The Foreign Secretary and the International Trade Secretary have written to British Companies active in Myanmar to make clear our expectation that they do nothing to support the military.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the UK Government supports the recommendation of the UN Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar that the situation in Myanmar should be referred to the International Criminal Court.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The UK is a longstanding supporter of the UN Fact Finding Mission, which we worked with partners to establish. We have worked hard to implement its recommendations. The UK is clear that there must be accountability for the acts of the military, both historic and recent. We are clear that all options should be on the table, this includes referral to the International Criminal Court. We will continue to work with partners to further the cause of accountability, including through our strong support to the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar, and through discussions at the UN Security Council.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what meetings he has had with members of the Committee Representing the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw in Myanmar.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The Foreign Secretary has not yet received any meeting requests from the Committee Representing the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), but Ministers stand ready to meet them. Officials are engaging at a working level with members of the CRPH. They are an important voice for many in Myanmar. We coordinated with them to read out excerpts from their statements at the Special Session of the Human Rights Council on 12 February, and at the UN General Assembly meeting on 26 February.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department is undertaking a review of the last 10 years of policy making in respect of Myanmar in light of the genocide and military coup which have taken place in that country.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The situation in Myanmar is complex, there are no simple answers. We work closely with civil society and parliament to ensure that our policy making is taking into account the lessons learned from the past decade.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans he has to grant diplomatic accreditation to the recently appointed Chief of Staff and Second Secretary in Myanmar's embassy in London.
Answered by Nigel Adams
Under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961, with the exception of heads of mission and military, naval and air attaches, states may freely appoint staff to their diplomatic missions.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government (a) publicly opposes the suspension of Myanmar’s UN representative Kyaw Moe Tun and (b) plans to make a public statement opposing the appointment of any new ambassador to the UN made by the Military junta.
Answered by Nigel Adams
We commend the courage of Myanmar's UN Ambassador in speaking out against the coup. He joins the people of Myanmar in resoundingly rejecting military rule. We oppose his suspension and stand with him - democracy must be restored. The Foreign Secretary tweeted his support to the Ambassador after his speech. The UK Ambassador to the UN met with him on 2 March. We do not have further plans to make a public statement against the suspension of Kyaw Moe Tun or on the appointment of any new Ambassador. We will however continue to engage with the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, who represent a body of MPs elected in November. They are an important voice for many in Myanmar. We coordinated with them to read out excerpts from their statements at the Special Session of the Human Rights Council on 12 February, and at the UN General Assembly meeting on 26 February.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to his counterpart in Bangladesh on the upholding of (a) the right to life, (b) the right to a fair trial, (c) the right to freedom of expression and (d) other human rights since the death in custody of Bangladeshi writer and journalist Mushtaq Ahmed.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The UK government was very concerned to hear about the death in custody of Mushtaq Ahmed, who was being held under the Digital Security Act in Bangladesh. In a statement on 26 February, the British High Commissioner in Dhaka, alongside other local Ambassadors and High Commissioners, emphasised the importance of freedom of expression and called for a swift and transparent investigation into Mushtaq Ahmed's death. In a tweet on 27 February, the Minister of State for South Asia, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, also called for a full investigation.
Bangladesh remains a Human Rights Priority Country for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. We continue to stress to the Government of Bangladesh, both in public and in private, the importance of respect for human rights and the rule of law. Lord Ahmad has raised concerns with the Foreign Minister, the State Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Bangladesh High Commissioner in London on several occasions.
We continue to urge the Government of Bangladesh to engage constructively with civil society and the media to ensure that legislation such as the Digital Security Act is implemented in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, as well as the Constitution of Bangladesh. We also regularly engage with the Government of Bangladesh on the full range of our human rights concerns, including the treatment of those in detention and the integrity and independence of the judicial process.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Pakistani counterpart on the 2 February 2021 arrest of Professor Muhammad Ismail, the General Secretary of the NGO Forum of Pakistan.
Answered by Nigel Adams
We are concerned about reports of Professor Muhammad Ismail's arrest. We consistently urge the Pakistani authorities to investigate any such allegations thoroughly and transparently. The UK recognises that Human Rights Defenders play an essential role in promoting and protecting democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law. We support the rights of Human Rights Defenders to carry out their work safely and without fear.
Pakistan remains a FCDO Human Rights Priority Country. We regularly raise at a senior level our concerns about the human rights situation with the Government of Pakistan. Most recently, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon discussed our human rights concerns with Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights, Dr Shireen Mazari, on 20 February. The UK will continue to urge the government of Pakistan to guarantee the rights of all people in Pakistan, as laid down in the Constitution of Pakistan and in accordance with international standards.