Over a year since the Syrian uprising - and the UN fails its own Mandate on the Responsibilty to Protect

It has now been well over a year, since the Syrian people began their uprising against the Assad Dictatorship. Over a year and still the free world does nothing.

Tonight on our Television news, we see more horrific pictures of the Syrian army murdering citizens - through city after city

The excuse for non-intervention is that there is no mandate from the United Nations. Yet the UN is flouting its own conventions. Under the UN Responsibility to Protect (RtoP), (introduced in 2005, agreed by the Security Council in 2006 and General Assembly in 2009), the UN has a duty to intervene to stop genocide.

RtoP was brought into being primarily because of the 1994 Rwandan genocide and has three core principles:

1. A state has a responsibility to protect its population from mass atrocities,
2. The international community has a responsibility to assist the state if it is unable to protect its population on its own.
3. If the state fails to protect its citizens from mass atrocities and peaceful measures have failed, the international community has the responsibility to intervene through coercive measures such as economic sanctions. Military intervention is considered the last resort.
(Courtesy of Wikipaedia)

If the UN refuses to act under its own laws of RtoP, then leading UN nations - like the United States - should step up to the plate and take responsibility. This means a no fly zone, and armed support to the opposition movements to Assad.

If the free world does nothing, then no doubt, once it is all over, and the extent of the Assad genocide is revealed, the world will wring its hands and say "never again". Will President Obama be remembered in a different way? "We did nothing".

You can read more about the UN 'Responsibility to Protect', here: http://responsibilitytoprotect.org/index.php/about-coalition/our-understanding-of-rtop and here: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Responsibility_to_protect

I wish he wasn't dead....he should have faced trial first

So Gadaffi has finally gone. For at least two generations of Libyans, this will be a strange sensation. For families and friends of those murdered from Gadaffi terrorist atrocities, some sense of relief. Relief too for those Jews and Italians, who had their homes and businesses stolen by the regime. Justification for Neo-Conservatives who believe in intervention to stop dictatorship. Courage for the Prime Minister and armed forces, who acted to stop the genocide of the people of Benghazi. Hope for oppressed people in other dictatorships - that a tyrant can be destroyed.

And yet and yet.... whilst Gadaffi's death means vengeance, it doesn't necessarily signify justice. If he had been kept alive, he could have appeared in the International Court, to be questioned for war-crimes. It might have been possible to find out about his activities with terrorist groups such as the IRA, the Lockerbie bombing and much more besides. We might even have gained a real insight into the Dictator's close relationship with members of the last Government. Through a trial the people of Libya would have been able to demonstrate a respect for the rule of law, and the workings of newly open and democratic legal system.

I am not saying Gadaffi should never have been put to death. Far from it: the experience of Nuremburg after the second world war, makes the case for those who carry out mass murder and organise genocide to face capital punishment. There would have been a strong suit for Gadaffi - if he had been convicted by the International Court, to be put to death: although that should have been a matter for the Libyan people to decide.

If reports are accurate, it may be that there is still a chance to capture members of Gadaffi's immediate family and entourage - especially his son: 'LSE PhD'er', Saif. Every possible effort should be made to ensure that they face the courts. Only then can those who fight for freedom, ever have any chance of ensuring that vengeance-and justice-go hand in hand.

Libya and the Lockerbie Bombing

Regular readers will know that I have been campaigning in the House of Commons, to know the truth about why the Lockerbie bomber was released by the last Labour Government.

I have previously raised this in Parliament, and yesterday had the chance to make a short speech, setting out the concerns that many British people have.

I said:

"I congratulate my hon. Friend Damian Collins on securing this important debate and on the way he set out his argument, particularly the questions he has asked the Minister. The question being discussed today is whether al-Megrahi should have been released in the way he was. Some of my constituents have written to me on the issue. They and many others across the country are worried that the former Prime Minister or his colleagues did a secret deal on the release of al-Megrahi to help BP win oil contracts with Libya, and that devolution was used as a fig leaf for commercial purposes. It is a serious accusation to make. Like many people in Scotland and across the country, everyone is anxious to know the real facts.

As I noted last year in my early-day motion 575, in September 2007 Mr Straw, the then Justice Secretary, assured the Scottish Government that al-Megrahi would be excluded from the final prisoner transfer agreement. In December 2007, the Scottish Government were told by the UK Government that they had been unable to secure an exemption for al-Megrahi and had decided to go ahead with the agreement

"in view of the overwhelming interests of the UK".

In January 2008, Libya ratified a major oil deal with BP that had previously been stalled. That is why I asked the current Prime Minister on 6 September 2010 what meetings his predecessor or his predecessor's officials had held with BP or the Libyan Government between July 2007 and March 2008, and whether the subject of any such meetings was

"oil drilling off the coast of Libya."

The Prime Minister replied:

"I have asked the Cabinet Secretary to review all the papers relating to this issue, and we will report shortly on his conclusions."


A few months later, I asked when the Cabinet Secretary might finish his review. I am grateful to the Prime Minister for his reply, which was:

"The Cabinet Secretary expects to conclude his work shortly. Dependent upon the outcome, this may include publishing additional relevant papers."

In the end, al-Megrahi was released not under the prisoner transfer agreement but on compassionate grounds. Despite the reports of terminal cancer, he is still alive today.

Whatever the commercial effects on BP, al-Megrahi was tried and convicted in a British court of murdering 270 people. A mass murderer convicted by our courts was let out of prison and sent back to a dictatorship where he was welcomed as a hero and now lives in freedom. That is not something that we can forget. We need to know whether the release was legitimate, or whether it was a distortion of the will of a British court.

Let me be clear: the coalition Government are doing absolutely the right thing on transparency and opening up information to the public. I welcome this debate because Britain deserves to know the facts. I urge the Cabinet Secretary to move swiftly, so that the Government can report as soon as possible on his conclusions. Devolution or not, never again must a known mass murderer be released under such controversy."

P.S. A Parliamentary Motion that I tabled on this subject can be seen HERE.

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

Saddam's Genocide of the Kurds

Today was a harrowing day in Kurdistan, as we went to visit the Genocide Memorial in Halabja. This was the City that Saddam Hussein bombarded with mustard gas on 16 March 1988, as part of his plans to exterminate the Kurds (which had started in 1976).

Over 5,000 Kurds - men, women and children - died because of the chemical attack - and thousands more were injured and maimed for life.

After, we went to a special Memorial Garden with one of the survivors, which commemorated the dead.

The dignity of the Memorial Centre and Garden contrasted greatly with the barbarism of the Iraqi Baathists who had committed the genocide.

We came across another example of that barbarism as we later visited a former Saddam torture Chamber. The blood was still on the floor cells, the torture equipment still on the tables, the writings of the prisoners still on the walls. We were shown cells where Kurds were beaten, electrocuted and hung. One part had been called the 'party area' by the Baathist Guards. This was because it was by a women's Cell - whose inmates were used as raping meat by their tormentors. Outside there was an incinerator in which the Guards threw babies or foetuses to be burnt. This is not a place, I ever would like to see again.

There will be those who have strong views about the Iraq war. One thing is for sure: his removal, stopped the torture and genocide of the Iraqi Kurds. For that, all of us should say a blessing.

P.S. You can read more about the Halabja genocide here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halabja_poison_gas_attack

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Rwanda Diary

Readers of this blog, will be aware that, Rwanda is a subject close to my heart having spent two summers in Rwanda, teaching English to Rwandan English Teachers. I was delighted to see this Rwandan Diary from Shadow Secretary of State, Andrew Mitchell MP, published on Iain Dale´s website today. It is well worth a read.

Time to support the Tamils

I was very pleased to be invited yesterday to the British Tamil Conservative Association (BTCA) & Tamil Essex Conservatives dinner, in Brentwood Essex. With over a hundred people there, it was a remarkable occasion. Lee Scott (Ilford North MP) and Shadow Home Office Ministers' James Brokenshire, and Andrew Rosindell, were guests of honour. There were also a number of local Tory Parliamentary Candidates like myself in attendance.

You could not fail to be struck by the warmth of the Tamil community - and their love of Britain. The toast to the Queen that took place during the meal, was a clear demonstration of this as was the traditional - and Delicious English Roast Lamb that was served.

As we sat down over dinner, I was glad to have an opportunity to discuss the ever increasing misery for the Tamils in Sri Lanka with senior members of the BTCA. After a number of speeches, including a short one I gave myself, there was a very moving talk, given by Jane Jananayagam, from Tamils against Genocide, who described how the killings of the Tamils, had been in line with other scientific genocides, such as that which happened in Rwanda in 1994. As so often, the International Community had failed to properly intervene.

It is not hard to remember the images on our TVs and in our newspapers, earlier this year as thousands of Tamils were killed, or displaced from their homes, in the civil war that took place. As The Times reported on May 29, 2009, up to 20,000 Tamils lost their lives in the final stages of the war alone - as a result of Sri Lankan Government shelling of Tamil encampments.

No wonder there were heartfelt demonstrations in Parliament Square by the UK Tamil community, as they sought to highlight to the world, the tragedy that was befalling their Community.

Yet, months after the war has ended - and when the Sri Lankan Government say that they have completely vanquished the Tamil Tigers - close to 300,000 Tamil refugees are being kept in Internment camps without real access to proper food or decent sanitation. Why is it that these refugees have not been allowed to return to their homes? It is no surprise that Amnesty International has written to President Obama urging him to call an inquiry into war crimes committed against the Tamils, as well as ensuring that those refugees in the camps are protected. But much more needs to be done by the International Community. There must be full and proper access to the camps by aid workers and the Sri Lankan Government should announce a timetable in which the refugees will be permitted to leave.

This desperate situation cannot continue. It does nothing to bring about peace, and if anything exacerbates long held grievances felt by the Tamils.

As the Economist magazine (a journal noted for4 its impartiality, suggested in an article in October1, 2009:

"So long as Tamils feel abused by a racist Sinhalese state, the conflict may resume. Economic development of their shattered regions, which the government is planning, is unlikely to change that. Hence the government’s continued war-footing—but this is in turn also reinforcing Tamil grievances".

The Tamils have a right to their dignity and respect, and to be treated equally before the law. They also have a right to some autonomy in the regions in which they are a majority. Such actions by the Sinhalese Government would do much to bring back stability and peace to the Island.

The Tamils deserve nothing less.

P.S. I was delighted to be sitting next to Mr Tony Arul, a structural engineer who works for Harlow Council. He is second from left, standing next to me in the second photograph down.

By Rob Halfon ~ Working hard for Harlow, Hastingwood, Nazeing, Roydon & Sheering. http//roberthalfon.blogspot.com

Spirits Low and spirits regained

I wrote a piece for Conservative Home (www.conservativehome.com) on a film I watched in the Solace Ministry in Rwanda. The article is reproduced below:

Spirits Lost and spirits regained:

Last night I saw one of the worst films I have ever seen. It wasn't because it was bad. Far from it. In fact the story was accurate, the acting too real and the scenery entirely on location.

So, what was the matter?

I say it was one of the worst - because the story was a tale of profound human misery - of man's inhumanity to man.

This film was called 'Shooting Dogs' - about a particular and desparate episode, during the Rwandan genocide -when thousands of Tutsis were massacred at famous school in Kigali known as 'L'Ecole Technique Officielle'

I happen to know this school, having visited the buildings and walked around the classrooms. I have seen the markings of Machetes on nearby trees. The trunks were used for weapon sharpening, before the Interahamwe (the extremist Hutu Militia) went into into the school to slaughter the Tutsi innocents.

So I knew the backdrop to this film, and I was aware of what had happened.

We were watching the film at the Solace Ministry in Kigali - which many members of Project Umubano are staying at for accommodation. Accompanying us were some survivors of the genocide. One in particular was an eye-witness whose oral evidence is at the Kigali Memorial Museum.

Broadly the story of the film - and what actually occurred is follows: L'Ecole Technique was an excellent school run by a Catholic Priest. The school had been protected by the United Nations Peace Keeping Forces.

When the Genocide began in April 1994, thousands of Tutsis fled to the school, knowing that it had some kind of protection from the United Nations. A number of Westerners, caught up in the conflict were also taken to the school for protection.

Meanwhile, as the Genocide continued apace, hundreds of Interahamwe (the extremist Hutu Militia) gathered outside the school, high on banana beer and waving machetes at the UN soldiers. After some days, lorries and French Troops arrived - amazingly, not to assist the terrified Tutsis - but to merely transport the Westerners who were at the school to the Airport, so they could get out of the country. A few days later, the UN Force announced it was withdrawing from the school - as it had no mandate to assist the Tutsi refugees. Despite anguished pleas from the Tutsis - begging the UN Forces to at least take women and children, the UN left the school taking only the remaining Westerners. Some of the Tutsis had even urged the UN to shoot them dead with rifles, rather than face death by machete.

A short time after the UN Forces left, the Interahamwe were given the orders by a Government official to charge the school and murder every Tutsi with a Machete. Barely anyone survived bar a few, who were able to recount the massacre, the UN fiasco, the indifference of the French troops and the astonishing ignorance of the outside world of the true nature of the genocide in Rwanda.

As the film ended, the reaction of the audience said it all. Andrew Mitchell, Shadow International Development Secretary who had organized the event, was comforting those who were most distressed.

Almost everyone left the church hall silently. I myself felt tears that never came - in fact I just felt blocked, my spirit a little crushed as I wondered just how such things could happen.

I kept thinking and asking myself not about the extremist Hutu Regime that had organized and directed the genocide, but how it was they had managed to persuade millions of ordinary people to participate in the carnage that occurred

There is an episode in the film which shows a former Hutu assistant in the school, whom after the genocide began, became a willing participant in the slaughter.

I came to the conclusion that the worst thing about dictatorships is not even the police apparatus or the suppression of freedom and other instruments of state control. It is that dictatorship can ensure that many people become evil. Only by implicating individuals in their own desparate schemes such as genocide, can the regime buttress it's own power.

A bleak evening. But my spirits were restored today, after another round of teaching. My class learnt the song : 'Lord of the Dance'. It was uplifting to see how the students treasured the words and message of the song. Many began shouting 'Hallelulah'. The demons of the night before had been replaced by hope, friendship and love.



-- by Robert Halfon Post From My iPhone

My first day

Well, I have done it. Getting through the first day is one of the hardest things about being a Foreign language teacher. You arrive - a little nervous - knowing you have to strike a rapport with the students, from the moment you enter the classroom. You also have to have authority too: so no arriving late to class, or mobile phone use in the classrooms. Rwanda may be a developing economy, but, judging by the amount of mobile phones available, and a huge billboard I saw for an Apple I Phone on the way to the school, you can really see that Rwandans have embraced mobile technology.

My teachers are English teachers to Primary Schools all over Rwanda. I have thirty five in my class, which makes it easier than last year, when I had over fifty. The Students are hungry to learn. Whilst most of them have a good grasp of English Grammar (probably better than mine), their vocabulary and pronounciation is much weaker. For some, even the alpahabet is a struggle, so I know I will have had some success if all my students are fluent at least in A to Z by the end of the programme.

The classroom is basic, two to a harsh wooden desk and a roof made of corrugated aluminium. Although the teaching is tough, it is very fulfilling and I left the school today thinking that a modest but competent start had been made.

There was an emotional moment, when we gave the Students all the dictionaries -donated by Longmans, along with biros and exercise books. Simple to us in England, but for the Teachers, these were items that will be treasured for many a year to come.

The school - called St Familles - where all the teachers arrive, is on a hill in Kigali. I was struck by how far many of the Students had to come. Some woke up at 0500 in order to walk 20 kilometre or so to arrive for their teacher training.

Right next to the school is a church of the same name. It was in this church that a horrendous massacre of hundreds of innocent Tutsis took place. They had fled to the church seeking safety but were handed over to the Interahamwe (the Hutu militia) by the priest of the Church - whom, after the 1994 genocide ended - was caught and imprisoned, where he remains to this day. The tragic story of this church was an illustration that the ravages of the genocide are constant reminders everywhere, even as the country makes every effort - successfully - to move forward.

Tomorrow I plan to teach the students about 'time' and I have brought some magazines about watches and clocks by the way of illustration. We are Also going to do an exercise as to what makes a good teacher. It should be another exciting day.

-- by Robert Halfon Post From My iPhone

Not everyone is evil in Rwanda

So said a a lady who was giving testimony at the Kigali Memorial Centre in Rwanda. She was a survivor from the genocide of 1994 and the Centre uses her testimony to explain to people what happened. But, in her statement there was a qualification.

"Five percent were good, five percent neutral and ninety percent evil". This was because the Government at the time had made every effort to ensure that almost every member of the populace was implicated in the genocide, whether it be through carrying out the actual slaughter, manning road blocks against fleeing Tutsis, or even just by turning a 'blind eye' to what was going on.

I was visiting this Memorial Centre for my second time, and this visit was no less harrowing - or chilling than last year. What is most tragic goes even beyond the rooms of skulls and bones that you pass through. It is the Children's Memorial room where there are pictures of many individual children with small remembrance tombstones. Each tombstone says the name of the child and then lists his favourite food and hobby. For example: 'Celestine, age 10, murdered by machete. Favourite food : chocolate. Favourite hobby: football'

What struck me particularly was the scientific nature of the genocide. This was no ethnic massacre or simple civil war. It was mass murder planned over a decade in a systematic and 'scientific' way. First came the legislation to marginalise the Tutsi populace (such as banning Tutsis from attending secondary school), then came the demonisation, through the radio and newspapers. The ruling Hutu regime even published 'Ten Commandments' - a mirror image of Hitler's Nuremburg laws - which banned Tutsis from marrying Hutus and forbade any kind of social interaction between the two ethnic groups.

I was glad to have gone back. Not to dwell on the past atrocities but to contrast with what is happening in Rwanda today. The country is now forward looking and doing all it can to end ethnic division. Moreover, as I spend my second day here, having arrived late on Thursday evening from Brussels - on a flight which lasted ten hours - you can see the difference, even from a year ago. There seems to be loads of construction going on and new buildings sprouting everywhere, including some smart new hotels. Prices have gone up to and it is harder to find the bargains that were available last year.

I now am frantically revising my lesson plan as I begin teaching on Monday. Today is a free day - so I am going with friends, (including Wendy Morton, and Mark Pawsey Parliamentary Candidates for Tynemouth & Rugby respectively) to Lake Muhazi for some stunning views. We are also going to the Kiribunto orphanage which was part refurbished by Conservative volunteers in 2007. In the evening we will be in a place called 'Heaven' of which I shall post more about at a later date.

In Kigali, Saturday seems to be a 'wedding day' so wherevery you travel around, you see many couples having their marriage celebrations. It is a lovely sight to see.

P.S. The pictures show me with my friends as described, at the Kigali Memorial Centre (KMC), and with a survivor of the genocide. There is also a picture of the hills of Kigali, as viewed from the KMC.

-- by Robert Halfon Post From My iPhone

Back to Rwanda

Many of you will know that last year I went to Rwanda to teach English to English Teachers When I came back, the Harlow Star newspaper, published an article from me about my experiences, the country and what I had seen and learnt. You can read the article HERE.

Without doubt, my time there was one of the most moving and incredible experiences of my life, which is why I have decided to go back. I arrive in the capital Kigali on Thursday, ready to begin another two weeks of teaching - in a different school from last time. People ask me why I am going back - to which the answer is simple. I just want to make a difference, albeit in a small way.

This is a country in which one million people were murdered in 100 days in 1994 - in what was a scientific and carefully planned genocide. At the time the world did nothing. Yet, despite the tragedy, Rwanda is a place that learns from the past but does not live in the past. It is a country that has a great future, good Government and is slowly building civil society with a strong economy.

This time I go better prepared. I have done another TEFL teaching course over one long day, to brush up my somewhat inadequate teaching skills. Last year I was terrified before I taught my first class and then found that I loved it. I realised teaching was hard work - but fulfilling and fun too.

Determined this year not to provide free meals to wandering mosquitos, today I went shopping for plenty of mosquito repelllent and some great Summer trousers from the new GO Outdoors Store just off Edinburgh Way (where the old MFI used to be). If you have a discount card, you can get real value for money. The staff in this store could not have been more helpful and friendly and I am glad that GO Outdoors has opened in Harlow.

I am also really excited as, this time, I have some great gifts to hand to my students.

Thanks to the kindness of Harlow Council Chair, Cllr Edna Stevens, I have loads of Council pens to hand out. These are items that will be treasured by the Rwandans.

In addition, Gary O'Donnell, Director of Langley Rangers (a club I am closely involved with having helped with some fund-raising), has given me 55 Langley Rangers Football Shirts. I can't wait to give these out and I know they will be a huge hit with the students, who, like us in England, are just crazy about all things to do with Soccer and the beautiful game! The generosity of Langley Rangers is quite extraordinary, particularly since they go to great efforts to raise funds to pay for their own kit and sundry items.

I can't wait to go back to Rwanda, although I will greatly miss Vanda who has to stay in England to study for her important advanced English exams in August. But, I have promised to bring her back some nice presents!

Rwanda is a truly captivating country. Rolling hills, lush greenery everywhere, dignified and kind inhabitants. I think after last year, my return was inevitable and I look forward to updating my blog - when I can - as email is limited - as to what happens, whilst I am there.

P.S. The pictures show me on my teaching course, with my friend, Pauline Latham, a Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Mid-Derbyshire who is going to Rwanda. I also include some photos from last year.

Lighting a Candle for Rwanda

Rwanda is one of the most special places I have ever been to. I went there for two weeks last August, to teach English to English teachers and wrote about it in the Harlow Star and elsewhere. I hope to go again this Summer.

I have just learnt that there is a special commemoration to light a candle for Rwanda to remember the million people who lost their lives in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsis. This is because this Tuesday, 7 April, marks exactly fifteen years since the genocide began. David Cameron has lit a candle having visited the country in 2007. You can see the You Tube video HERE.

Have a look at this website and light a candle of hope for this unique country.