Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether there has been genocide of the Yazidi people at the hands of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to the prevention and punishment of genocide as appropriate under the Genocide Convention, to which the UK is party. It is the long-standing policy of the British Government that any judgment as to whether genocide has occurred is a matter for a competent national or international court, rather than for governments or non-judicial bodies. However, this policy does not inhibit the UK from taking robust action to address the egregious human rights abuses committed by Daesh.
We condemn in the strongest terms the atrocities committed by Daesh against all civilians, including Yazidis, Christians, and other minorities, as well as Muslim populations in Syria and Iraq. We note the conviction in a German court on 30 November 2021 of a former Daesh fighter for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. We are following this case and its review closely. We will continue to use our position at the UN, including as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, to raise situations of concern and to support the deployment of all appropriate tools available to the UN in dealing with potential mass atrocities. Our focus is always on securing an end to violence and protecting civilians.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll and Bute)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the findings of the Yazidi Justice Committee in its report on State Responsibility and the Yazidi Genocide, published on 6 July 2022, on Iraq and punishment of genocide, if she will make it her policy to urge the UN Security Council to refer Iraq to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court under Article 13(b) of the Rome Statute.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
We note the findings from the Yazidi Justice Committee support. The UK has focused on supporting the Government of Iraq to take the necessary actions to secure justice for the Yazidi people and many other victims of Daesh's crimes. We will continue to use our position at the UN, including as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, to raise situations of concern and to support the deployment of all appropriate tools available to the UN in dealing with potential mass atrocities. Our focus is always on securing an end to violence and protecting civilians.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures they are taking to secure the safety of Yezidis in Sinjar following attacks by Turkish military; when they last discussed long-term security of the Yezidi people with (1) the Kurdish regional government, and (2) the government of Iraq; and what response they received.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are following closely the situation in northern Iraq. FCDO Ministers and senior officials regularly reiterate to the need for dialogue and cooperation between Turkey and Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, to combat terrorism, ensure regional security, and protect civilians. Our diplomatic missions are in regular contact with Turkish and Government of Iraq and Kurdistan regional Government authorities. Our focus is always on securing an end to violence and protecting civilians. The UK continues to champion on the rights of minorities, including Yazidis, in Iraq, including through working with a wide range of actors to ensure full implementation of the Yazidi Survivors Law.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll and Bute)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Yazidi refugees have been resettled in the UK since 2014; what resettlement schemes were used for those people; and how many successful Yazidi applicants were made under each resettlement scheme.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The Home Office provides resettlement solely on the basis of needs, identified by UNHCR. Individuals ethnic and religious background is not part of this consideration.
We therefore do not publish a religious or ethnic breakdown of those who have been resettled.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to work with (1) the #BringBackThe Yazidis initiative, and (2) international partners, to ensure that missing Yazidi people are located and rescued.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We continue to press the Iraqi and Kurdistan Regional Governments for more progress on security and services in the liberated areas of Iraq and to solve disputed internal boundaries. The passage of the Yazidi Survivors Law in March 2021 is a welcome first step toward justice and reparations for survivors of Daesh atrocities. This law also includes provisions to search for missing survivors. The UK is supporting the implementation of the law, including through support to the Directorate for Survivors Care. We are also funding psycho-social care for female minority survivors of conflict-related sexual violence in Iraq.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of arrests by Faylaq Al-Sham of people in Yazidi villages near Afrin in northwest Syria on 4 December; what assessment they have made of the wellbeing of those who have been arrested; and what representations they have made to the government of Turkey about (1) the release of any such people, and (2) the protection of Yazidis in Afrin.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are aware of reports of arrests near Afrin in north-west Syria. Ministers and officials regularly discuss the situation in Syria with the Government of Turkey. In those discussions we make clear the importance of all parties to the Syrian conflict abiding by their obligations under international law. We have not raised the specific report of arrests near Afrin or made any assessment of the welfare of those detained.
Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risk that the agreement reached on 9 October between the government of Iraq and the Kurdish Regional Government about the Sinjar district poses to Yezidi people; and what action they are taking as a result.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK continues to closely monitor the recent agreement between the Government of Iraq (GoI) and Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) over governance sharing in Sinjar. We are committed to supporting the rights of the Yazidi community and other minority groups in Iraq. HMA Baghdad has recently discussed this matter with GoI and KRG leadership, as well as senior representatives of the Yazidi community, urging for representation of minority groups. The UK's Minister for the Middle East and Minister for the Armed Forces travelled to Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region of Iraq on 30 November, and discussed security cooperation with GoI and KRG leadership. The UK will continue to engage closely with all relevant parties in order to support the rights of the Yazidi community and other minority groups through this agreement.
Asked by: Anthony Mangnall (Conservative - Totnes)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he plans to make to the recently appointed Prime Minister of Iraq on support for Yazidi people in Iraq.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
We welcome the appointment of Mustafa al-Kadhimi as Prime Minister of Iraq. The UK is committed to supporting the new Government to address the significant economic, security, health and human rights challenges facing Iraq. As part of this we will urge the protection of minorities, including the Yezidi people, in our engagements with the new Government and emphasise the importance of reconstruction and reconciliation in those areas liberated from Daesh.
Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support his Department is providing to (a) promote truth and reconciliation and (b) prevent the re-emergence of conflict between Yazidi people who have returned to their home areas in Iraq and non-Yazidi people living in those areas.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The UK is supporting the development of inclusive and representative reconciliation processes, involving Yazidis and other minorities, at both national and community levels in Iraq, through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund. We have also contributed £23.5 million to the UN's Funding Facility for Stabilisation, which is helping to rebuild and develop inclusive local governance in areas liberated from Daesh, including those to which Yazidis are returning. To support the efforts to promote the truth of Daesh's crimes, in July we announced a further £1 million to the UN Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Daesh which is investigating, among other incidents, the atrocities committed against the Yazidi community in Sinjar province.
Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent diplomatic steps he has taken to support the Yazidi people in Iraq and Syria.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
We are committed to supporting the rights of the Yazidi community, like other minority groups, in Iraq and Syria and assisting them to overcome the appalling suffering they faced from Daesh. We support the safe, voluntary and dignified return of displaced members of the Yazidi community to areas liberated from Daesh in Iraq and continue to engage with the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government on this. I discussed this with Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali Al-Hakim on 25 June. We have also contributed £23.5 million to the UN's Funding Facility for Stabilisation to help Iraq rebuild liberated areas to enable return. In north-east Syria, DFID supports UN and other humanitarian agencies to provide life-saving aid to displaced persons, including Yazidis. This assistance includes healthcare; child protection and education; and emergency supplies such as shelter and food.