December 30, 2020

ENGLAND: New Law Prohibits The U.K. Trading With States Accused Of Genocide. This Would Include Communist China.

Forbes.com
written by Ewelina U. Ochab, human rights advocate, author and co-founder of the Coalition for Genocide Response.
Tuesday December 8, 2020

On December 7, 2020, British Parliamentarians debated the Trade Bill, that is to define the U.K.’s post-Brexit trade relationships and engaged with the questions whether the country should trade with states perpetrating genocide.

The cross-party amendment, the so-called Genocide Amendment, tabled by Lord Alton of Liverpool, Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws, Baroness Falkner of Margravine, and Lord Forsyth of Drumlean, aims to equip the High Court of England and Wales to make a determination of genocide. A determination that could be then subsequently used to revoke international bilateral trade agreements with the state standing accused of committing genocide.

The idea behind the amendment is to ensure that the issue of genocide is considered when doing business with other countries. Currently, there is no mechanism to force such considerations. As such, the U.K. continues to do business with, for example, China, despite China facing allegations of genocide and crimes against humanity against the Uyghur Muslims.

The U.K. does not make such consideration and indeed the U.K. leaves it to international judicial bodies to determine when genocide has occurred. If international judicial bodies have not made the determination, the U.K. proceeds on the basis that genocide is not occurring. This is a position which is contrary to international law. The International Court of Justice confirmed that “a State’s obligation to prevent, and the corresponding duty to act, arise at the instant that the State learns of, or should normally have learned of, the existence of a serious risk that genocide will be committed. From that moment onwards, if the State has available to it means likely to have a deterrent effect on those suspected of preparing genocide, or reasonably suspected of harboring specific intent (dolus specialis), it is under a duty to make such use of these means as the circumstances permit.”

The very principle behind the Genocide Amendment is that: one should not trade with states perpetrating genocide. Not if we take seriously our human right commitments. Not if we take seriously our commitment to “put victims first.”

The Genocide Amendment received significant support of 287 to 161, ultimately affirming that one should not trade with states perpetrating genocide. The Genocide Amendment will now go to the U.K. House of Commons where it will be put to further scrutiny. The principle behind the Genocide Amendment has significant support there. However, the very “how” to do it, may require some polishing at the next stages of the Trade Bill.

The U.K. Government will do its best to defeat the initiative. This is very clear from the statement of the British Minister, Viscount Younger of Leckie, who in his last attempt to persuade others to vote against the Genocide Amendment reminded the value of the U.K. trade with China. As he said: “China is an important economic partner for the UK. U.K./China trade is currently worth approximately £76 billion. China is our fourth-largest trading partner, the sixth-largest export market and the third-largest import market.” He confirmed that the U.K. had no plans to commence free trade agreement negotiations with China. However, this reference to the value of the U.K./China deal is not insignificant. This is the very price of the U.K. Government being silent on the alleged mass atrocities in China. £76 billion is the price for silence in the face of genocide.

As the amendment proceeds, this model should be considered by other states too. The amendment sends a strong message that where a state is involved in genocide, business cannot continue as usual.

End Transplant Abuse published September 25, 2019: Hamid Sabi - China Tribunal - UN Human Rights Council 42nd Session (Ingenieurs du Monde)


Mr Hamid Sabi - Counsel to the China Tribunal addressed the UN Human Rights Council on the 24th September, 2019. (Footage provided by UN live feed and Ingenieurs du Monde.)

CBC News: The National published November 25, 2019: Leaked files reveal China’s mass detention camps for Uighur Muslims. Leaked Chinese government documents reveal the prison-like detention and indoctrination taking place at camps in China’s Xinjiang region, where ethnic minority Muslims — known as Uighurs — are being held. The documents were obtained, verified and translated by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists in collaboration with CBC News.

Communist China funds Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, the Marxist Democrat party, the US media, and Hollywood. (emphasis mine) 

Posted by Princess Mononoke at 4:55 PM

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)