Oral answer to question provided on Monday, 30 April 2007 in the House of Lords, by Lord Triesman (Labour).

Sudan and Chad

Answer: My Lords, it is certainly true that in the past week and a half there have been a couple of incidents of bombing about which we have made the appropriate representations to the Government of Sudan. The problem will plainly not improve until not just the heavy support package but the whole of the hybrid African Union and United Nations force can be deployed. Discussions are proceeding on that but, I agree, far too slowly. It is a matter for businesses to decide whether they will impose sanctions; I hope that whatever sanctions they impose do not impact on the people of southern Sudan who are not guilty of any of the crimes that have been described by the noble Lord. However, each time one of those decisions is taken, it seems to reflect a very sound ethical principle.

This is an answer to the Oral question asked on Monday, 30 April 2007 by Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench).

Question: My Lords, as the hourglass recorded at the weekend, on the fourth anniversary of the war in Darfur with reports of the Sudanese military continuing to bomb Darfur,some 4 million people are now dependent on aid, some 2 million people have been displaced, and some 400,000 people have been killed during the conflict. Can the Minister tell the House when the heavy-duty package which he referred to when we last discussed this issue will be put in place? Will he contrastthe welcome decision of Rolls-Royce to proceed immediately with divestment in Darfur because of the humanitarian catastrophe there with the craven and ineffectual response of the international community to impose a no-fly zone or to impose any form of sanctions against a regime responsible for these deaths?

Secondary information

Type: Oral answer to question
Reference: 691 c868
Session: 2006-07
Chamber / Committee: House of Lords chamber
Subjects: Armed conflict Humanitarian aid Sudan Internally displaced people Darfur Chad
Link: View this Oral answer to question on www.publications.parliament.uk