Catherine McKinnell MP challenged Foreign Office Ministers today on the humanitarian catastrophe taking place in Yemen, and the need to ensure UK-made weapons are not being used to target civilians.

The conflict in Yemen between the forces of President Hadi joined by a Saudi-led coalition, and Houthi rebels, has been ongoing for a year.  Several thousand civilians have died as a result of the conflict, 3.15million people have been displaced, and 14.4million are ‘food insecure’ – 7.6million of these being severely food insecure, according to the World Food Programme.

The United Nations also estimates that 21.2million people in Yemen currently require humanitarian assistance to meet their basic needs for food, water, sanitation and healthcare.

The British Government has faced significant criticism, including from Amnesty International, that it has supplied £2.8billion worth of UK-manufactured arms to the Saudi Arabian military during this conflict – and that insufficient measures are in place to ensure these weapons are not being used to target Yemeni civilians, despite the UK’s obligations under the Arms Trade Treaty, EU and international law.

Speaking during questions to Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) Ministers in the Commons today, the Newcastle North MP said:

‘The scenes of destruction and starving children in Yemen put the international community to shame.

 ‘Does the Minister share my concern that British-made weapons should, under no circumstances, be used to target civilians? If so, what is his Government doing to ensure that?’

 In response, the FCO Minister Tobias Ellwood said:

‘The hon. Lady has raised the important question of who is doing the bombing, what is actually happening, and how those responsible can be made accountable.

‘There is no doubt that this is a very difficult war. One of my reasons for inviting the Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister, Adel al-Jubeir, to the House yesterday to meet Parliamentarians was to ensure that everyone here could put those very questions, and so that he could hear from our Parliament about concerns that have been expressed not just yesterday, or indeed today, but over a number of months. A coalition has been put together under United Nations resolution 2216 to support President Hadi. We must ensure that that war is legitimate, but let us not forget that the devastation has been caused by Houthis as well.’

Commenting afterwards, Catherine said:

‘The humanitarian situation in Yemen is absolutely appalling, and it’s clear that violations of international humanitarian law have been committed by both sides.

 ‘The British Government should have been taking every possible step to ensure that UK-made weapons are not used to target innocent civilians in this conflict – including a suspension of sales to Saudi Arabia if that is what it takes, but the Minister’s response to me today was less than clear.

‘The Government needs to do much more to demonstrate it is taking our international obligations seriously.’

Tags: