Tag: conflict

Bishop of Norwich calls for resourcing of medics and hospitals to address humanitarian situation in Gaza

The Bishop of Norwich spoke in a debate on the situation in Gaza on 8th February 2024, asking that the government give greater support to medics in Gaza and Israel to facilitate resupplying of hospitals in order to address the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza strip:

The Lord Bishop of Norwich: My Lords, I visited Gaza on 4 October, just three days before Hamas’s evil attacks, to see the Anglican-run 80-bed al-Ahli hospital. The World Health Organization reported on Tuesday that there are 150 patients there—all are critically ill. Everyone is fearful, stressed and exhausted. Medical staff have been detained, shackled and blindfolded by the IDF, and, on release, they are deposited in Rafah and not allowed to return to the hospital. There is an urgent need for medical staff, fuel, food and critical medical supplies, such as bone stabilisers, antibiotics and anaesthetics, across Gaza’s hospitals. Will His Majesty’s Government hear the cries of medics in Gaza and press the State of Israel for the WHO to have sustained access to resupply hospitals across the Gaza Strip so that they can continue to function?

Hansard

Bishop of St Albans asks about rebel groups in Democratic Republic of Congo

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 30th January 2024:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the launch of the new Congolese rebel group known as Alliance Fleuve Congo and the consequences for relations between the East African Community and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

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Bishop of Worcester asks about steps towards a ceasefire and investigation into the conflict in Gaza

The Bishop of Worcester received the following written answer on 29th January 2024:

The Bishop of Worcester asked His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking (1) to secure a ceasefire, and (2) to press for an investigation by the International Criminal Court of violations of international humanitarian law, in Gaza.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Con): The UK wants to see an end to the fighting in Gaza as soon as possible. We are calling for an immediate humanitarian pause to get aid in and hostages out, and as a vital first step towards building a sustainable, permanent ceasefire, without a return to destruction, fighting and loss of life. But to achieve that:

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Bishop of Newcastle speaks in debate on conflict in Ukraine

The Bishop of Newcastle took part in a debate on the current conflict in Ukraine on 26th January 2024, asking about the government’s planning for future conflict scenarios:

The Lord Bishop of Newcastle: My Lords, it is very good to be able to participate in this debate. I acknowledge the collective wisdom in this Chamber and the contributions of noble Lords in the preceding speeches. I pay particular tribute to the noble Lord, Lord Camoys, and congratulate him on his most excellent maiden speech, especially his reminder to look up and look out. I also thank the Minister for bringing this debate today.

This is not the time for platitudes and what could be construed as naive statements about hope. Evil and indeed illegal acts that lead to immense suffering demand decisive response. We know also that there is potential for and actual massive cultural damage in conflict, including the destruction of religious sites and a clamping down on the freedom of religion and belief. These and other matters in the Ukraine war require continued engagement and response. Ukraine depends entirely on money and weaponry from the West and our support in this is vital.

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Bishop of Worcester asks about efforts to uphold international humanitarian law in Israel-Gaza conflict

The Bishop of Worcester received the following written answer on 25th January 2024:

The Lord Bishop of Worcester asked His Majesty’s Government:

  • what steps they are taking to ensure that (1) international humanitarian law is upheld in Gaza, and (2) civilians are protected there.
  • what assessment they have made of whether international humanitarian law is being respected in the war in Gaza.
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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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