Open Letter to Toby Perkins MP on Yemen

Dear Toby,

I am writing on behalf of Chesterfield Liberal Democrats to ask you to sign and endorse Early Day Motion 136 regarding the United Kingdom's relationship with Saudi Arabia.I am particularly concerned about the way in which Saudi Arabia is pursuing its campaign to re-establish the elected Government in Yemen.

I recognise that this is a complex issue. The international coalition action in support of the Yemen's Government is specifically mandated by the unanimous United Nations Security Council Resolution 2216. I also note that the United Kingdom has licensed over £3.7bn worth of arms to Saudi forces since the bombing of Yemen began, many of these arms manufactured by BAE Systems. On a political level this may all appear to be appropriate.

However, on a humanitarian level it is turning into one of the world's worst crisis.

After four years of unrest - in addition to the current conflict- over 21 million people now need humanitarian aid in Yemen. In the current conflict over 10,000 people havedied in indiscriminate bombing of hospitals, schools and markets, with over 4,000 of them innocent civilians. Many thousands more have suffered grievous injury. The United Kingdom provides Yemen with £85m in aid to fund development and infrastructure projects, only for the these projects to be destroyed by British made bombs.

How can we say that we abhor the use of such weapons in Aleppo yet supply similar weapons to bomb civilians in Yemen?

All of this is set in the context of Saudi Arabia's appalling record on human rights in its own country that contributes to instability and extremism.The El-Sauds policy of growing nationalism and militarism is also a worrying portent. In addition, BAE Systems has been fined in the United States for corruption in connection to related arms deals with the KSA. Morality appears to be in short supply in this area, while expediency, fraud and bad faith with the British public (who underwrite these deals) seem to have common currency.

You may feel, as I do, that, however well intentioned, EDM 136 does not go quite far enough and that what is required is an urgent suspension of arms sales to Saudi Arabia until an independent inquiry into alleged breaches of international law has been completed. This approach has been supported by both the International Development Committee and the Committees on Arms Export Controls.

I would welcome your response.

Yours sincerely,

Tom Snowdon

Chesterfield Liberal Democrats Parliamentary Spokesman

Footnote:Early Day Motion 136

UK relationship with Saudi Arabia

That this House notes with considerable concern the Government's continued support of Saudi Arabia; is dismayed by continuing serious and systemic human rights violations in Saudi Arabia, such as the severe restriction of freedom of expression, association and use ofthe death penalty and flogging, and the lack of basic rights for women and immigrant workers; views with alarm the actions of the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen which has repeatedly violated International humanitarian law and created a serious humanitarian crisis;is concerned that through the provision of official support and licensing arms exports, the Government is helping to enable Saudi Arabia's repression at home and aggression abroad; and calls on the Government to continue to raise concerns about serious and systemic human rights abuses with its Saudi counterparts and to end military support to Saudi Arabia immediately, with a view to promoting longer term stability and security in that country, the region and more widely.