Tag: Lord Ahmed

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ahmed on 2016-03-14.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports that chemical weapons are being used against the Turkmen community in the Kirkuk region of Iraq by ISIS.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

There are credible reports that Daesh have used chemical weapons in Iraq. We cannot confirm these reports with certainty, but we would condemn any such attack unreservedly. We are continuing to monitor these allegations very closely. Such behaviour would be consistent with Daesh’s record of complete disregard for human rights and international humanitarian law. The Government of Iraq is investigating allegations of chemical weapon use in Iraq by non-state actors with support from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ahmed on 2016-06-09.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the total number of Iraqi civilians killed since the start of the 2003 Iraq war.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The Government has not made an estimate of the number of Iraqis killed as a result of terrorism and war-related violence since 2003. While the security situation in Iraq has greatly improved since violence peaked in 2006-2007, Iraqi civilians have been victim to Daesh’s atrocities since the summer of 2014. We utterly condemn such violence and call for those responsible to be brought to justice. The UK is committed to supporting the Government of Iraq as it works to defeat Daesh and put Iraq on the path to long-term peace and stability.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ahmed on 2015-11-11.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of statements made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding minority communities in India including Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and Dalits, and how in the light of those statements Prime Minister Modi’s visit to London will enhance community cohesion.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

India is a country with a strong history of democracy and pluralism, which guarantees human rights within its constitution. During the press conference with the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), Prime Minister Modi was clear in his commitment to and respect for India’s core values of tolerance and freedoms, as well as reaffirming the importance of social harmony and inclusive development.

Mr Modi repeated these messages in his address in Parliament and at Wembley Stadium, where 60,000 British Indians of all faiths turned out to welcome Prime Minister Modi to the UK.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ahmed on 2016-03-14.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the reports of  the use of chemical weapons against the Turkmen village, Taza in Southern Kirkuk, killing children and injuring 617 people, including 17 who are in critical condition.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

We are aware of allegations that Daesh attacked the village of Taza on the morning of 8 March 2016 with a chemical agent, possibly sulphur mustard. There have been reports of multiple casualties, including the death of a young girl. We unreservedly condemn the use of chemical weapons by anyone, anywhere. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is supporting the Government of Iraq to investigate allegations of the use of chemical weapons in Iraq by non-state actors. The UK is at the forefront of pressing for an effective international response to the use of chemical weapons through the UN Security Council and the OPCW.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ahmed on 2016-06-09.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have gathered any evidence of Iranian fighters in Iraq.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

We are aware that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps is on the ground in both advisory and combat roles in Iraq and that Iran is providing significant funding, training and equipment to elements of Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces.

Along with our international partners, the UK has consistently made clear that there is a role for all of Iraq’s neighbours in helping defeat Daesh. We have no difficulty with contributions from around the region to the goal of ridding Iraq of the Daesh threat, provided that those contributions are authorised by the Iraqi government. We will continue to work closely with our international partners to encourage all of Iraq’s neighbours to play a transparent and constructive role in its affairs.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ahmed on 2015-11-11.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have made any assessment of whether there are tensions between the British Pakistani/Kashmiri community and the British Indian/Hindu community in (1) London, and (2) Leicester.

Lord Bates

The operational policing of protests and demonstrations are principally a matter for Chief Officers of each force in England and Wales. As is the case with visits of this nature, careful plans have been put in place to ensure the safety and security of the visit by the Prime Minister of India, in discussion with the Indian High Commission. The right to peaceful protest is guaranteed under UK law and we respect protesters’ rights to express their views peacefully. As part of the planning for the visit the police will have assessed any issues which could give rise to public disorder and will have factored this into their planning accordingly.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ahmed on 2016-03-14.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Iraq and Kurdish Peshmerga forces in relation to defending Turkmen civilians.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

We are aware of reports that Turkmen civilians have been targeted by Daesh in Iraq, as well as Christians, Yazidis, Muslims and others. In October the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood), met the President of the Iraqi Turkmen Front to discuss the situation for Turkmen in Iraq.

We condemn in the strongest terms the targeting and persecution of all communities by Daesh. We continue to urge the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional government to do all they can to ensure the security and rights of all Iraqis.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ahmed on 2016-07-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of India about the reported killing and injuring of civilians by the Indian security forces in Indian-administered Kashmir.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

I am deeply saddened by recent reports of unrest in Kashmir and offer my condolences to the victims and their families. Our High Commission in Delhi is monitoring the situation closely and we have updated our travel advice. We have not made any representations to the government of India on this issue.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ahmed on 2015-10-23.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the government of India about the number of attacks on minorities by extremist groups in that country, in particular black ink attacks carried out by Shiv Sena.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

We are aware of reports of attacks by Hindu extremists on minority groups in India. The UK raises human rights matters with India, including attacks on minority groups, both bilaterally and through the EU-India human rights dialogue. As part of an EU delegation, our High Commission in New Delhi met the Indian National Commission for Minorities in early October to discuss a range of current issues. Our High Commission also maintains regular contact with civil society organisations and senior faith leaders working on religious freedom across India.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ahmed on 2015-10-23.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to raise with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi the case of three British citizens murdered in Gujarat in 2002 when he visits the United Kingdom in November.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs , my right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), has previously raised this case with Prime Minister Modi in his former role as Chief Minister of Gujarat. We continue to raise consular matters with the Indian authorities at all levels. Our officials have provided consular support to the families since 2002 and will continue to provide assistance to them as needed.