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Hilary Benn: UN vetoes can prevent necessary interventions Hilary Benn: UN vetoes can prevent necessary interventions
(35 minutes later)
The United Nations security council should not have an absolute veto over a coalition of nations taking military action to protect citizens facing genocide or war crimes, the shadow foreign secretary has said.The United Nations security council should not have an absolute veto over a coalition of nations taking military action to protect citizens facing genocide or war crimes, the shadow foreign secretary has said.
Hilary Benn said: “An increasing number of voices are saying that leaving people by the roadside of conflict to fend for themselves simply cannot be right”. Hilary Benn said: “An increasing number of voices are saying that leaving people by the roadside of conflict to fend for themselves simply cannot be right.”
The speech, cleared with Jeremy Corbyn, is bound to be seen in the context of the continuing discussions inside the Labour party about the wisdom of US-led military intervention not just in Iraq, but also Libya and Syria. The speech, cleared with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, is bound to be seen in the context of the continuing discussions inside the Labour party about the wisdom of US-led military intervention not just in Iraq, but also Libya and Syria.
David Cameron has held off from seeking Commons support for British airstrikes against Isis in northern Syria because he does not believe Labour is willing to support such action. Some Labour voices oppose military intervention without the explicit authorisation of the security council, a precondition that in effect hands a veto over UK actions to Russia.David Cameron has held off from seeking Commons support for British airstrikes against Isis in northern Syria because he does not believe Labour is willing to support such action. Some Labour voices oppose military intervention without the explicit authorisation of the security council, a precondition that in effect hands a veto over UK actions to Russia.
Benn, in a speech to mark Remembrance Day, challenged the absolute veto and tried to lay out some legal and moral ground rules by which Labour should judge whether military intervention is justifiable. The issue is likely to re-emerge in the wake of next year’s publication of the report into the Iraq war by Sir John Chilcot. Benn, in a speech to mark Armistice Day, challenged the absolute veto and tried to lay out some legal and moral ground rules by which Labour should judge whether military intervention was justifiable. The issue is likely to re-emerge in the wake of next year’s publication of the report into the Iraq war by Sir John Chilcot.
Speaking at an event in Coventry, Benn asked: “What if the UN will not, or cannot, act? Then what? Is that an argument for standing on one side? Not in all cases, some would argue, including me, as our support for intervention in Sierra Leone and Kosovo demonstrated.”Speaking at an event in Coventry, Benn asked: “What if the UN will not, or cannot, act? Then what? Is that an argument for standing on one side? Not in all cases, some would argue, including me, as our support for intervention in Sierra Leone and Kosovo demonstrated.”
Benn also praised a French government proposal that in cases of mass atrocities permanent members of the security council – Britain, Russia, France, China and the US – would voluntarily agree not to use their veto. Benn also argued the doctrine of the responsibility to protect sees state sovereignty not as a privilege, but a responsibility. Benn praised a French government proposal that in cases of mass atrocities permanent members of the security council – Britain, Russia, France, China and the US – would voluntarily agree not to use their veto. Benn also argued the doctrine of the responsibility to protect sees state sovereignty not as a privilege, but a responsibility.
At present the responsibility to protect seeks to prevent and stop genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. It explicitly accepts that the international community does have a responsibility to act in certain circumstances.At present the responsibility to protect seeks to prevent and stop genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. It explicitly accepts that the international community does have a responsibility to act in certain circumstances.
Benn, discussing the principles behind intervention, argued: “One of the problems we face is national sovereignty. A country invading another is one thing but when terrible events happen within a country some still say that this is an internal matter and none of anyone else’s business”. Benn, discussing the principles behind intervention, argued: “One of the problems we face is national sovereignty. A country invading another is one thing, but when terrible events happen within a country some still say that this is an internal matter and none of anyone else’s business.”
Drawing a parallel with domestic violence he argued: “Forty or 50 years ago, if the police were called because of reports that a man was beating up someone in the street, he would be swiftly arrested. But if the victim was his wife or his partner behind a closed front door, then the prevailing attitude was ‘it’s a domestic dispute and not for us to get involved’.Drawing a parallel with domestic violence he argued: “Forty or 50 years ago, if the police were called because of reports that a man was beating up someone in the street, he would be swiftly arrested. But if the victim was his wife or his partner behind a closed front door, then the prevailing attitude was ‘it’s a domestic dispute and not for us to get involved’.
“That doesn’t happen anymore. A crime is a crime, and the sovereign state of the kitchen or the bedroom no longer provides any protection against enforcement of the law. I think we are currently witnessing the world going through exactly the same process internationally for exactly the same reason. An increasing number of voices are saying that leaving people by the roadside of conflict to fend for themselves simply cannot be right.”“That doesn’t happen anymore. A crime is a crime, and the sovereign state of the kitchen or the bedroom no longer provides any protection against enforcement of the law. I think we are currently witnessing the world going through exactly the same process internationally for exactly the same reason. An increasing number of voices are saying that leaving people by the roadside of conflict to fend for themselves simply cannot be right.”
He suggested Britain needs to do more to contribute to the UN peacekeeping forces saying the defence secretary, Michael Fallon, should make this a priority in the strategic defence review. He suggested Britain needed to do more to contribute to the UN peacekeeping forces, saying the defence secretary, Michael Fallon, should make this a priority in the strategic defence review.
At present there are close to 125,000 military and civilian UN peacekeepers compared with only 11,000 a quarter of a century ago. Benn said: “This is not enough for all the missions the UN would wish to run, and to the high standards we expect of them. For as well as numbers, there is also the question of training, equipment, and capacity, particularly as regional institutions build their own peacekeeping. At present there are close to 125,000 military and civilian UN peacekeepers, compared with only 11,000 a quarter of a century ago. Benn said: “This is not enough for all the missions the UN would wish to run, and to the high standards we expect of them. For as well as numbers, there is also the question of training, equipment, and capacity, particularly as regional institutions build their own peacekeeping.
“This is an area in which Britain could and should play a much bigger part given the skill, experience and expertise of our armed forces. There are currently just under 300 British peacekeepers contributing to UN missions, although another 300 are soon to deploy to South Sudan and Somalia.“This is an area in which Britain could and should play a much bigger part given the skill, experience and expertise of our armed forces. There are currently just under 300 British peacekeepers contributing to UN missions, although another 300 are soon to deploy to South Sudan and Somalia.
“That simply is not good enough and I call on the government to set out in the forthcoming strategic defence and security review how the UK can play a much bigger part in UN peacekeeping in the years ahead.”“That simply is not good enough and I call on the government to set out in the forthcoming strategic defence and security review how the UK can play a much bigger part in UN peacekeeping in the years ahead.”