- Conference
- Date
- June 16, 2017
- Decision
Conference notes that in March 2015, a Saudi led coalition intervened in Yemen’s civil war in support of the country’s recently deposed president. The move was backed by a deeply slanted UN security council resolution, in which the Saudi’s and other regional monarchies took a leading role in drafting, and which was then rubber-stamped by their western allies.
At least 10,000 people have been killed, including about 4,000 civilians, mostly by coalition airstrikes.
A UN report documented more than 100 strikes on civilian’s targets in the first nine months of the intervention, describing a pattern of such attacks that was “widespread and systematic”. The world’s leading human rights organisations and humanitarian non-governmental organisation’s all agree with that assessment.
Whitehall has approved £3.3 billion of arms exports (including bombs and missiles) to Saudi Arabia since the intervention began, a huge rise on the equivalent preceding period.
According to the UN World Food Programme, 14 million Yemenis are going hungry, half of them now tipping into outright starvation, an outcome long predicted by aid agencies.
Conference recognises that all sides in the conflict have been guilty of siege tactics and indiscriminate attacks on civilians, but the coalition is responsible for the vast majority of the suffering, and the coalition is the side that Britain is actively supporting.
Last year the Parliamentary Labour Party moved a motion “That this House supports efforts to bring about a cessation of hostilities and provide humanitarian relief in Yemen, and notes that the country is now on the brink of famine; condemns the reported bombings of civilian arears that have exacerbated the crisis, believes that a full independent UN-led investigation must be established into alleged violations of international humanitarian law in the conflict in Yemen”.
Conference believes such a motion is in line with UNISON policy.
Conference is disappointed therefore that almost 100 Labour MP’s failed to support this motion despite there being a whip imposed.
Conference refutes the suggestion by John Woodcock MP that “the support we are giving is largely to help train pilots in targeting practices that reduce civilian casualties, trying to influence the Saudis into unambiguous compliance with humanitarian law”.
Conference therefore condemns the abstentions as a direct betrayal of Yemeni civilians caught up in the ongoing assaults.
Conference is also concerned that in moving the motion Emily Thornberry describe the Labour Party position as “Saudi Arabia will remain a valued strategic, security and economic ally in years to come”.
Conference therefore agrees:
- That a country with the appalling human rights record of Saudi Arabia should not be considered a ‘valued ally’;
- To call for an end to all military links with Saudi Arabia;
- To work through Labour Link to call on the Labour Party and the Parliamentary Labour Party to adopt a similar position.
Wolverhampton General Branch
NEC POLICY: SUPPORT AND AMEND
66.1
Delete from first paragraph: “The move was backed by a deeply slanted UN security resolution, in which the Saudi’s and other regional monarchies took a leading role in drafting, and which was rubber-stamped by their western allies.”
At end of second paragraph, after “coalition airstrikes.” add:
“A further 42,000 have been injured and over 3 million people displaced.”
Delete seventh paragraph after “the country is now on the brink of famine;” and replace with: “condemns the reported bombings of civilian areas that have exacerbated this crisis; believes that a full independent UN-led investigation must be established into alleged violations of international humanitarian law in the conflict in Yemen; and calls on the Government to suspend its support for the Saudi Arabia-led coalition forces in Yemen until it has been determined whether they have been responsible for any such violations.”
Add to the end of the ninth paragraph, after “whip imposed”:
“and condemns those MPs who voted against the motion”
Delete tenth, eleventh and twelfth paragraphs starting “Conference refutes the suggestion” and replace with: “Conference is concerned that the Conservative government has disregarded violations of human rights and the humanitarian crisis in Yemen in its trade negotiations with Saudi Arabia, and calls for human rights to be prioritised in all UK trade deals.”
National Executive Council