UK Government reveals new plans for human rights sanctions regime to get tough on abusers
UK Government reveals new plans for human rights sanctions regime to get tough on abusers Other proposals from Boris Johnson’s team include compulsory Foreign Office religious literacy training and leading on human rights at the UN The UK Government has revealed it is set to sanction high-profile individuals with a track record of human rights abuses around the world. The news comes as a resurgent ISIS and negligent leaders in West Africa have left Commonwealth countries such as Nigeria dangerously exposed to terrorism and exploitation. During a recent debate in the House of Commons, a representative of Boris Johnson issued a number of key revelations about the future direction of the Foreign Office and Department for International Development with regard to human rights abuses. Following similar developments in the US and the EU, the Government is working to publish the UK’s first autonomous global human rights sanctions regime, which will aim to deter officials from committing serious human rights violations and hold those that do accountable. The Government has also committed to providing religious literacy training for relevant Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) officials posted around the world. In addition, it reaffirmed its work to table a UN Security Council resolution on the persecution of Christians and other believers in the Middle East and North Africa region. Speaking at Westminster Hall, Nigel Adams, the Minister of State for Asia and International Development, said: “Work is under way to ensure that British diplomats and officials in relevant roles receive enhanced religious literacy training, to help them understand the role that religion plays in many people’s lives and in the decisions they make. “We are also working to establish the UK’s first autonomous global human rights sanctions regime, which will aim to deter individuals from committing serious human rights violations or abuses and to hold those who do accountable.” Noting the particular urgency of addressing the troubling incidents emerging in West Africa, where over 1300 Christians have been slaughtered in the last year, he added: “Our commitment has also led us to agree to work towards tabling a UN Security Council resolution on the persecution of Christians and people of other faiths or beliefs in the middle east and north Africa region. “For more than a decade, Islamic insurgents including Boko Haram—Islamic State in West Africa—have caused immense suffering to the Muslim and Christian populations. We have made clear to authorities at the highest levels in Nigeria the importance of protecting civilians and we regularly raise our concerns about the increasing violence.” Connecting the security issue with trade in the region, he concluded: “The UK will also be a global champion for free trade, which is a force for good that underpins stable, open and prosperous global economies.” Jim Shannon MP, who led the debate, made core demands of the Government, including sending peacekeeping forces to Nigeria, renewing its offer to assist in the search and rescue of Leah Sharibu and other ISIS captives, focusing more or most of its international development aid on Nigeria to assist the victims and protect the vulnerable, and providing security advice and warnings to British investors in the region. During the debate, the DUP MP, who is also the party’s Human Rights spokesman insisted: “There are indications that there are more attacks on Christians than on anyone else. That does not lessen what is happening, but it indicates to me that there are many attacks on Christians across the whole of Nigeria. “To mention just a few of those attacks, there were five major attacks against Nigerian Christians in Kaduna state between January and November 2019, resulting in an estimated 500 deaths. There were at least another five attacks in Bassa and Riyom local government areas, as well as many attacks in Taraba state. Boko Haram remains in power around the Chad border region, including parts of Borno state. “Some 1,000 Christians have been slaughtered in north-eastern Nigeria since January 2019,