Stephen's views on Darfur
Many constituents have understandably contacted me about Darfur, and I and my Liberal Democrat colleagues have repeatedly called for action to end the ongoing atrocities being committed there.
While we welcomed progress such as the Comprehensive Peace Agreement negotiated in May 2006, we have always maintained that political agreements are of limited value, as was demonstrated by the outbreak of more fighting mere months after the agreement was signed.
We need to ensure that an effective international peacekeeping force remains in place, and that the Sudanese government cooperates in full. This is particularly vital in the run-up to the Sudanese elections taking place in April 2010. As we know only too well, the mere holding of an election is by no means a guarantee that free democracy is taking place. The UN presence in the region should be committed to keeping the elections fair and unbiased, and ensuring that the results are upheld by the ruling powers, even if this means a continuing presence after April.
We have sought to draw attention to the crucial need for peacekeepers to remain within the region and to highlight the unwillingness of the country's government to support United Nations measures aimed at maintaining an already deteriorating peace process. My colleague Susan Kramer MP, then Liberal Democrat Shadow International Development Secretary, called for the international community to take immediate action on the crisis in Darfur and tabled a parliamentary motion to this effect on 9th October 2006, which I signed. I have signed further parliamentary motions since then, including a motion tabled in January of this year, which calls for international supporters of the CPA to engage urgently and multilaterally in addressing both the current crisis and root causes of the conflict such as land ownership, national reconciliation and local governance.
In terms of the UK response, the Government has argued persistently in the UN for an international inquiry into events in Darfur, for the transfer to a UN mission and that crimes against humanity and war crimes are referred to the International Criminal Court. I support the ICC's arrest warrant for the Sudanese president, Omar al-Bashir, for war crimes and crimes against humanity. But without a strong and effective peacekeeping force in the area, such measures are difficult to enforce and they remain toothless and ineffectual - and all the while the crisis continues, and more Sudanese lives are lost.
The UK remains the second largest national donor to the Darfur humanitarian crisis after the United States, having donated £190m since 2004. Nevertheless, we believe that financial commitment only represents one factor in securing a peaceful solution to the crisis in Darfur. Peacekeeping and humanitarian efforts are also vital for ensuring stability in the region. In March 2009 I voted for an amendment to the United Nations Personnel Act which designated the roles of and provided protection for UN personnel involved in emergency peacekeeping, humanitarian and political assistance.
On a related note, I am also concerned about the plight of Darfuri refugees. It was not long ago that the British Government maintained a policy of deporting Darfuri asylum seekers back to Sudan, where they faced imprisonment, torture and even death under the assumption that they were Western spies. This was clearly unacceptable and I am glad that the policy has been addressed.
However, many hundreds of thousands of refugees remain in camps near the Darfur region, in unsanitary and life-threatening conditions. We have a moral responsibility to help these people in their desperate situation. In June I spoke at the opening of a new community association for refugees from Darfur in Sudan, which aims to help these refugees productively integrate into the wider community.
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