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MPs call for immediate halt of UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia MPs call for immediate halt of UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia
(35 minutes later)
An all-party group of MPs has called for an immediate suspension of UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia and an international independent inquiry into the kingdom’s military campaign in Yemen.An all-party group of MPs has called for an immediate suspension of UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia and an international independent inquiry into the kingdom’s military campaign in Yemen.
The call from the international development select committee follows evidence from aid agencies to MPs warning that Saudis were involved in indiscriminate bombing of its neighbour.The call from the international development select committee follows evidence from aid agencies to MPs warning that Saudis were involved in indiscriminate bombing of its neighbour.
Related: The Guardian view on the Gulf arms trade: not a good deal after all | EditorialRelated: The Guardian view on the Gulf arms trade: not a good deal after all | Editorial
The UK government supplied £1bn worth of arms to Saudi last year and has been accused of being involved in the conduct and administration of the Saudi campaign in Yemen. The UK government has supplied export licences for close to £3bn worth of arms to Saudi in the last year, the committee said, and has also been accused of being involved in the conduct and administration of the Saudi campaign in Yemen.
In their letter to the international development secretary, Justine Greening, the committee urged the UK to withdraw opposition to an independent international inquiry into alleged abuses of humanitarian law in Yemen. In their letter to the international development secretary, Justine Greening, it urged the UK to withdraw opposition to an independent international inquiry into alleged abuses of humanitarian law in Yemen.
A leaked UN report last week found Saudi Arabia involved in breaches of humanitarian law, and in response the Saudis set up an internal inquiry, a move welcomed by the Foreign Office.A leaked UN report last week found Saudi Arabia involved in breaches of humanitarian law, and in response the Saudis set up an internal inquiry, a move welcomed by the Foreign Office.
Ministers should, however, do all they can to ensure the creation of an independent international inquiry, the letter said. It said the committee was astonished the UK prevented efforts for such an inquiry, proposed by the Netherlands last September at the UN. The committee said it was astonished to hear the extent to which the government had watered down calls for an independent inquiry proposed by the Netherlands last September at the UN.
“We need an independent, international fact-finding mission to uncover the truth. Until then we should cease selling arms to Saudi Arabia,” said the committee chairman, Stephen Twigg. “All parties to this conflict should review their obligations under international law and undertake to put civilians and humanitarian work above other interests.” “It is a long standing principle of the rule of law that inquiries should be independent of those being investigated. Furthermore given the severity of the allegations that the Saudi backed coalition has targeted civilians in Yemen, it is really unthinkable that any investigation led by coalition actors would come to the conclusion that the allegations were accurate.”
It said it was “shocked” that the UK government can claim there has been no breaches of humanitarian law and significantly increase arms sales to the Saudis since the start of its intervention in Yemen.
“We received evidence that close to £3bn worth of arms licences have been granted for exports to Saudi in the last six months. This includes £1bn worth of bombs rockets and missiles for the 3 month period from July to September last year - up from only £9m in the previous three months,” the MPs said.
The committee said it had heard reliable evidence from humanitarian organisations including the head of Unicef Yemen that the Saudi-led coalition was involved in actions that risked civilian deaths and breached humanitarian law.The committee said it had heard reliable evidence from humanitarian organisations including the head of Unicef Yemen that the Saudi-led coalition was involved in actions that risked civilian deaths and breached humanitarian law.
The UK has increased aid to Yemen by a further £10m, prompting claims that the government was supplying arms that led to devastation that then was cleaned up with British aid money. “We need an independent, international fact-finding mission to uncover the truth. Until then we should cease selling arms to Saudi Arabia,” said the committee chairman, Stephen Twigg. “All parties to this conflict should review their obligations under international law and undertake to put civilians and humanitarian work above other interests.”
The committee said the deteriorating security situation in Yemen was exacerbated not only by the coalition but also by the atrocities committed by the rebel Houthis.
The UK has recently increased aid to Yemen by a further £10m, prompting claims that the government was supplying arms that led to devastation that then was cleaned up with British aid money.
Twigg said there was a “clear paradox” in the government’s actions.Twigg said there was a “clear paradox” in the government’s actions.