Tag: conflict

King’s Speech Debate: Bishop of Chelmsford speaks on conflict in the middle east

On 15th November 2023, the Bishop of Chelmsford spoke in the Kings Speech debate on the topic of conflict in the middle east, particularly with regards to the current humanitarian situation in Gaza:

The Lord Bishop of Chelmsford: My Lords, whatever the Government’s foreign policy priorities for this Session of Parliament, we know that they can quickly be upended by unexpected global events. The world is being reshaped by ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and in Israel and Gaza. The terrorist actions of Hamas on 7 October must be condemned, as we have heard several times today, and Israel’s right to self-defence must be affirmed. We must also continue to affirm that this right needs to be exercised in adherence with the principles of international humanitarian law. The violation of international humanitarian law by both sides is shocking and will, I fear, have repercussions beyond the confines of this war, as will the killing of more than 100 UN aid workers, the highest number in the UN’s history.

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King’s Speech Debate: Bishop of Southwark speaks on global conflict and foreign affairs

The Bishop of Southwark spoke in the Kings Speech debate on the topic of global conflict on 15th November 2023, calling for better resources for the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, the gracious Speech set out a number of the key challenges impinging on our security and His Majesty’s Government’s intentions in addressing them. I shall focus to some degree on the fragility of the international order at present.

I suspect that many of us have an underlying anxiety about the future in terms of the potential for conflict and our ability to either forestall or manage it should it arise. However, in the perspective of much of the world we already live in an era of endemic warfare. By one count, there are 110 international or internal armed conflicts under way as I speak. Only North America is free of any armed clash, and even there the United States is facing historic challenges to its democratic norms.

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Bishop of York asks about tackling online disinformation

During a debate on misinformation relating to the conflict in Israel and Gaza on 24th October 2023, the Archbishop of York asked a question on the proliferation of disinformation on X, (formerly Twitter):

The Lord Archbishop of York: My Lords, it is good to hear that the Government are engaging with the social media platforms on this incredibly serious issue. Twitter has most aptly been renamed X, but without irony: one goes into this area with great caution, as it is distressing and nasty. I am told that X is currently laying off people whose job it is to monitor and remove posts that contain disinformation. Given this, and given that we have made progress in looking at social media platforms, what are we doing to require them to do this other than simply engaging with them?

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Bishop of Coventry asks about future of the Nagorno-Karabakh region

The Bishop of Coventry received the following written answers on 17th October 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Coventry asked His Majesty’s Government what (1) humanitarian assistance, and (2) financial support, they are offering the government of Armenia to meet the needs of refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh.

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Bishop of Chichester speaks in debate on ongoing conflict in Ukraine

The Bishop of Chichester spoke in a debate on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine on 21st September 2023, raising the importance of religious freedom and the social role played by cultural and religious institutions during times of conflict:

The Lord Bishop of Chichester: My Lords, I, too, am grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Goldie, for introducing this debate and for the time that it gives us to rehearse the serious moral issues confronting us as a result of the conflict in Ukraine. Following the noble Lord, Lord Hannay, I echo my appreciation for the stirring comments from the noble and gallant Lord, Lord Stirrup, reminding us with great clarity of the issue of war crimes in this conflict, and the noble Lord, Lord Robertson, for reminding us how high the moral stakes are for us all.

I wish to place on record the importance of the ecclesial and religious dimensions of the political and military conflict in Ukraine, and the historic importance that religion has for the people of that land as the gateway of Christianity in the Orthodox tradition for this whole stretch of northern Europe, from the Baltic to the Black Sea.

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Bishop of Chichester asks about military action by Azerbaijan against Nagorno-Karabakh

The Bishop of Chichester tabled a question on Azerbaijan’s military actions in the Nagorno-Karabakh region on 21st September 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Chichester: To ask His Majesty’s Government what representations have been made to the government of the Republic of Azerbaijan concerning the military action against Nagorno-Karabakh.

The Earl of Courtown (Con): My Lords, Tuesday brought devastating news of the resumption of armed conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. The Government urge Azerbaijan to cease military action and return to peaceful dialogue. Violence is never the answer. Yesterday details emerged of a ceasefire. We call on parties to respect this and encourage Baku to continue talks with the local population on a settlement that protects the security of all and enables the humanitarian needs of residents to be met.

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Bishop of Coventry asks about humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh

The Bishop of Coventry received the following written answers on 18th September 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Coventry asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the prospect of a negotiated peace settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan that provides for the wellbeing and protection of the Karabakh Armenian population.

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Bishop of Leeds asks about effect of cuts to overseas aid on Sudan

On 14th September 2023, the Bishop of Leeds asked a question about the affect of cuts in overseas development aid on UK partnership with Sudan, in light of the ongoing conflict there:

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, I have a particular concern about Sudan. The conflict there has now fallen off the media headlines. The cuts in overseas development aid have made a big impact there. What will partnership look like in the light of those cuts? We hope that they will one day be restored. Secondly, how are the UK’s diplomatic efforts in Sudan being reinforced at a time of greatest need?

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Bishop of Leeds asks about effects of sanctions on Russia

On 11th September 2023, Bishop of Leeds tabled a question on the effectiveness of sanctions placed upon Russia following their invasion of Ukraine:

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of sanctions against Russia in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Con, Foreign Office): My Lords, sanctions by the United Kingdom and its international partners have starved Russia of key western goods and technology, degrading Russia’s military and restricting its capacity to fight a 21st-century war. UK exports of machinery and transport equipment have decreased by 98%. Sanctions also limit Russia’s financial resources. The UK has sanctioned 29 Russian banks, accounting for over 90% of the Russian banking sector. We have also frozen over £18 billion-worth of Russian assets in the UK. Without sanctions, we estimate that Russia would have over $400 billion more to fund its war machine.

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Bishop of Exeter asks about international efforts to combat food insecurity in conflict areas

The Bishop of Exeter asked a question on government efforts to work internationally to combat food insecurity in areas of conflict on 7th September 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Exeter: My Lords, as the president of the International Rescue Committee rightly noted, conflict is one of the primary drivers of food insecurity around the globe, so what steps are His Majesty’s Government taking, in co-operation with our partners, to convene dialogue and work with local peacebuilders and faith leaders to help in areas of conflict?

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Con, Foreign Office): We are working in many areas, including an area in which I lead on the initiative of preventing sexual violence in conflict. 

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