[{"topic":"Asia","id":"44171","proposer":"10258","edm":"39","session":"2012-13","title":"Missing Bangladeshi Mp Illias Ali","text":"That this House notes the recent disappearance of the Bangladeshi National Party former member of parliament and organising secretary of the Central Committee of the Bangladeshi National Party, Illias Ali, and his driver; is concerned for their personal safety; further notes that Mr Ali has family in the UK and many of his supporters have expressed deep concern over his disappearance; encourages the Bangladeshi government to do everything it can to ensure the safe return of Mr Ali and his driver; and urges the Government to make representations to the Bangladeshi government to ensure that they do everything possible for the safe return of Mr Ali and his driver.","date":"2012-05-09","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"44099","proposer":"11798","edm":"2991","session":"2010-12","title":"Missing Bangladeshi Mp Illias Ali","text":"That this House notes the recent disappearance of the Bangladeshi National Party former Member of Parliament and Organising Secretary of the Central Committee of the Bangladeshi National Party, Illias Ali, and his driver; is concerned for their personal safety; further notes that Mr Ali has family in the UK and many of his supporters here have expressed deep concern over his disappearance; encourages the Bangladeshi government to do everything it can to ensure the safe return of Mr Ali and his driver; and urges the UK Government to make representations to the Bangladeshi government to ensure that they do everything possiblefor the safe return of Mr Ali and his driver.","date":"2012-04-23","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"44069","proposer":"13864","edm":"2961","session":"2010-12","title":"Aung San Suu Kyi","text":"That this House offers sincere congratulations to Nobel peaceprize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi on theelectoral success of her party in the Burmese elections; encourages the National League of Democracy in its attempt to bring peace and stability; and offers the support of this House in the establishment of a truly democratic process in Burma.","date":"2012-04-17","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"44078","proposer":"10133","edm":"2970","session":"2010-12","title":"Bahrain Grand Prix And Human Rights","text":"That this House is astonished that the Bahrain Formula 1 race is going ahead despite huge concerns over abuse of human rights expressed by Amnesty International and others; notes that a trial is continuing of 52 medical professionals who tried to help victims of the suppression of protests; believes that the Formula 1 race will be used by the Bahrain government as an endorsement of its policies of suppression of dissent; and accordingly calls for its cancellation.","date":"2012-04-17","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"44050","proposer":"10519","edm":"2942","session":"2010-12","title":"Burma (No. 2)","text":"That this House recognises the enormous sacrifices made by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi throughout her long confinement and congratulates her and the National League for Democracy on their success in the by-elections in Burma; welcomes the reform steps taken so far by President Thein Sein; supports a limited relaxation of EU sanctions, in order to encourage further reform while maintaining trade and investment sanctions, until the unconditional release of all political prisoners and an end to military attacks against ethnic minority civilians are met; expresses concern that hundreds of political prisoners remain in jail and that the International Committee of the Red Cross is still being denied access to assess conditions and the number of prisoners; and calls on the British Government to ensure pressure is maintained on the government of Burma to begin repealing repressive laws and making sustainable democratic reforms.","date":"2012-04-16","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"44057","proposer":"10527","edm":"2949","session":"2010-12","title":"Aid For Burma","text":"That this House welcomes the political reforms already taking place in Burma and the election of Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League of Democracy to the Burmese Parliament; still recognises that there are huge humanitarian and political problems in Burma that need to be addressed; supports the fact that the UK is working together with non-governmental organisationsto provide assistance to 27,500 internally displaced people in Kachin State as well as with the UN to provide basic aid to families involved in the conflicts; and urges the Government to do more to help provide the peoples of Burma with the basic aid they need as well as to encourage more political reform and a handover of power from the military to the democratically elected parliament.","date":"2012-04-16","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"43984","proposer":"24857","edm":"2879","session":"2010-12","title":"China's Forcible Repatriation Of North Korean Refugees","text":"That this House notes with grave concern China's policy to forcibly repatriate North Korean refugees; expresses outrage at the recent repatriation of at least 41 North Koreans; urges Chinese authorities to desist from further repatriations; further urges China to allow safe passage for refugees to third countries; further notes that China is a signatory to the 1951 United Nations Refugee Convention and the Convention against Torture; further urges China to uphold international law and respect the principle of non-refoulement; further urges China to recognise that economic migrants from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) are refugees sur place, defined by the United Nations, on account of the persecution they are likely to faceupon return; further notes that North Korea announced in December 2011 its intention to annihilate up to three generations of a family if a person fled during the 100 day period of mourning of Kim Jong-il; further notes that in 2010 the DPRK Ministry of Public Security issued a decree making defection a crime of treachery against the nation; further notes widespread reports of arrest, imprisonment, torture and execution faced by North Korean refugees upon return; further notes that North Korean refugees suspected of contacting South Koreans, converting to Christianity, or possessing a Bible face especially severe punishment; calls on China to allow United Nations access to all North Korean refugees in China; further calls on the DPRK to desist from arresting or persecuting those who have been repatriated; and further urges the Government to raise this as a matter of urgency with China, the DPRK and inthe United Nations.","date":"2012-03-15","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"43988","proposer":"10133","edm":"2883","session":"2010-12","title":"Jeju Island","text":"That this House acknowledges the five-year struggle of the Gangeong villagers of the World Heritage site of Jeju Island against their government's plans to build a huge naval base which will wipe out totally the village and nearby coastline's unique ecosystems and farmlands and fishing grounds; notes the forced arrests of local residents, priests and international activists who require the UK's support; most significantly notes that the naval base will afford the USthe right to have a station there which may increase tensions between the US and China and jeopardise South Korea's national security; and calls on the Government to make representations to the Jeju government against the building of the naval base.","date":"2012-03-15","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"43965","proposer":"10203","edm":"2861","session":"2010-12","title":"Azerbaijan","text":"That this House considers that the Eurovision Song Contest provides a unique opportunity to promote a peaceful and just solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in accordance with international law; calls for the fulfilment of the UN Security Council resolutions 822, 853, 874 and 884, thereturn of all refugees to their homes and the establishment of a permanent peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan;further calls on Azerbaijani authorities to release all political prisoners, to respect human rights and freedom of expression and speech, and to end its persecution of the opposition; and further calls on Azerbaijani authorities to allow and enable the Council of Europe's Rapporteur on political prisoners, Christoph Strasser, to visit Azerbaijan to fulfil his mandate and to produce the much-delayed report on political prisoners.","date":"2012-03-13","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"43950","proposer":"10203","edm":"2846","session":"2010-12","title":"Fukushima And Nuclear Liabilities","text":"That this House expresses its concern and support for the 100,000 Japanese citizens displaced from their homes, businesses and communities following their forcible evacuation in the wake of the serious accident at the Daiichi nuclear power plant at Fukushima on 11 March 2011; notes that the most recent estimate of the real cost of damages to citizens and businesses is $260 billion, and that the overall costs of the Fukushima accident, including compensation and decommissioning the Daiichi plant's six reactors, have been projected to reach up to $650 billion; believes that Government plans to increase liability for damages on UK nuclear power operators to just 1.2 billion is manifestly inadequate in light of the contemporary Fukushima experience; and calls on the Government to require all operators of any new nuclear power plants to secure full private insurance cover sufficient to compensate to the levels demonstrated are required from the Fukushima experience prior to any operating licence being issued.","date":"2012-03-08","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"43810","proposer":"24857","edm":"2710","session":"2010-12","title":"Burma","text":"That this House welcomes the steps taken by President Thein Sein to release some political prisoners, enter into ceasefire negotiations with armed ethnic groups and allow more political space in Burma; further welcomes the visit to Burma by the Foreign Secretary and his meeting with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi; expresses continued support for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the people of Burma in their ongoing efforts to secure human rights and democratic reform; notes with concern that hundreds of political prisoners remain in Burma's jails, and that there has been an increase in human rights abuses in ethnic states; further notes that reforms made so far have mostly not been enshrined in law and no constitutional changes have been made; believes that international pressure has played an important role in encouraging reforms so far; and calls on the Government to ensure that EU sanctions on Burma are not relaxed prematurely before substantially more political prisoners are released, conflict isended and there is an inclusive dialogue process to secure further and irreversible reform.","date":"2012-02-08","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"43814","proposer":"10614","edm":"2714","session":"2010-12","title":"UK Relations With India","text":"That this House is deeply concerned by recent events which have served to undermine the excellent relationship between India and the UK; notes that the Top Gear India Christmas Special, featuring the unhelpful comments of Jeremy Clarkson and Dow Chemicals' sponsorship of the London 2012 Olympics in particular have had a very negative reaction in India; is concerned that Indian student applications to UK universities are falling; is disappointed by Britain's failure to secure the fighter jet contract from India despite the efforts of successive defence ministers; and calls on the Government to re-energise this vital, special and enduring relationship which ought to be one of the closest and most beneficial in the world.","date":"2012-02-08","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"43815","proposer":"10256","edm":"2715","session":"2010-12","title":"Deteriorating Human Rights In Tibet","text":"That this House strongly condemns the Chinese security forces' unwarranted use of force including opening fire on unarmed demonstrators to quash peaceful protests in Tibet; is greatly saddened by the loss of life both of Tibetans who were shot and killed whilst protesting and the instances where Tibetans have resorted to self-immolation in an effort to draw attention to the ongoing repression by the Chinese authorities; is alarmed by the imposition of de facto martial law in Tibetan regions, the restriction of movement for Tibetans and the complete ban on foreign media; calls on the Prime Minister to make a public statement of concern on the deteriorating human rights situation in Tibet; further calls on the Government to urge the Chinese government to ease tensions by withdrawing its armed forces from Tibetan areas, to release full details of all incidents involving its forces opening fire upon civilians and to give foreign journalists, humanitarian agencies and independent observers full and unfettered access to Tibetan areas to ascertain the current situation; and further calls on the Government to work with other governments to safeguard Tibetans' rights and interests and instigate a multilateral approach whereby international governments together urge the Chinese government to enter into immediate and unconditional negotiations with representatives of the Tibetan people in order to resolve the Tibetans' underlying grievances.","date":"2012-02-08","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"43816","proposer":"11420","edm":"2716","session":"2010-12","title":"Bangladesh, Democracy And The Rule Of Law","text":"That this House supports democracy and the rule of law; condemns the attempts by fringe elements in Bangladesh to undermine democracy and the rule of law through the use of violence; and calls on the Government to take all appropriate steps to support democracy and the rule of law in Bangladesh.","date":"2012-02-08","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"43819","proposer":"24852","edm":"2719","session":"2010-12","title":"Aid To Victims Of Conflict In Burma","text":"That this House welcomes the continued increase in UK aid to Burma and the visit to Burma in 2011 by the Secretary of State for International Development; further welcomes political reforms made by the government of Burma; is, however, deeply concerned that the number of people displaced last year in that country by conflict and human rights abuses doubled to almost 150,000; is alarmed that the government of Burma is continuing to block humanitarian aid to hundreds of thousands of people in conflict zones; calls on the British Government to increase aid to populations displaced by conflict, including significant increases in cross-border aid which can be the only way to access large numbers of displaced people; expresses deep concern that refugees in camps in neighbouring Thailand who have fled conflict are facing cuts in rations of 22 per cent. which could cause increased malnutrition in children; looks forward to free and fair elections with the participation of Aung San Suu Kyi and her party; and calls on the Government to significantly increase funding for Burma to support food and shelter for refugees.","date":"2012-02-08","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"43742","proposer":"10383","edm":"2645","session":"2010-12","title":"Eu -\u0000 India Free Trade Agreement","text":"That this House notes that the EU and India aim to conclude a free trade agreement at their summit in Delhi in February, but that numerous expert non-governmental organisations have expressed concern that the agreement may secure free trade but will not deliver fair trade and that vast numbers of India's rural poor will be further impoverished by this agreement; and therefore calls on the UK Government to insist that a human rights impact assessment particularly relating ot the right to food is undertaken openly and transparently involving all the key stakeholders, especially the most vulnerable, before any agreement is issued.","date":"2012-01-25","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"43739","proposer":"10220","edm":"2642","session":"2010-12","title":"Illegally-Sourced Timber And The Proposed Japan-Eu Free Trade Agreement","text":"That this House notes that Japan is one of the world's largest importers of tropical timber and that in 2008 Chatham House estimated the value of illegally-sourced wood products imported by Japan at US$2.3 billion; further notes that informal discussions about a possible free trade agreement are taking place between the EU and Japan; believes that any such agreement should have provisions to counter imports of illegally-sourced timber into Japan which would as minimum render Japanese import controls commensurate with Regulation (EU) No. 995\/2010 (the Timber Regulation) that prohibits placing illegal timber on the EU market; and urges the Government to call on the EU to demand stringent and effective illegal logging provisions as a pre-condition for any future free trade agreement with Japan.","date":"2012-01-24","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"43703","proposer":"10231","edm":"2607","session":"2010-12","title":"Kashmir Graves","text":"That this House notes with sadness and regret the discovery of over 6,000 unmarked graves in the area of demarcation known as the Line-of-Control on the border between Indian and Pakistani controlled Kashmir; further notes that this discovery was the focus of a recent Crossing Continents programme entitled Graves of Kashmir produced by BBC Radio 4; believes that these graves, the majority of which appear to be the bodies of unknown young men, constitute a large proportion of the estimated 8,000 to 10,000 who disappeared during the conflict in Kashmir, one of the heaviest militarised zones in the world; and calls on the Government to press for co-operation on this matter between the governments of India and Pakistan, and for the early use of forensic and DNA techniques to investigate and establish the identify of those in the graves so that relatives may finally know the fate of loved ones.","date":"2012-01-17","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"43660","proposer":"11494","edm":"2565","session":"2010-12","title":"International Whaling","text":"That this House condemns the departure of the Japanese whaling fleet for Antarctica with the intention of killing almost 1,000 whales; believes that whaling is cruel and unnecessary and that there is no humane way to kill a whale; opposes the accession of Iceland to the EU unless it ceases whaling; welcomes the record of successive UK governments in taking the lead in opposing whaling at the International Whaling Commission (IWC); andurges the Government to take diplomatic action at the highest level to urge Japan, Iceland and Norway to end their whaling for commercial purposes and to ensure that the IWC becomes a true conservation body for the protection of whales.","date":"2012-01-10","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"43415","proposer":"10256","edm":"2327","session":"2010-12","title":"Self-Immolations In Tibet","text":"That this House is greatly saddened by the disturbing news of 10 incidents of self-immolation in eastern Tibet by young Tibetan monks, former monks and a nun, five tragically losing their lives; condemns the Chinese government's ongoing repression in Tibet that serves to exacerbate the frustration and desperation felt by the Tibetan people; calls on the Prime Minister to make a public statement of concern about this grave situation; and further calls on the Government to make urgent representations to the Chinese government to urge that it takes measures to ease the situation by withdrawing its troops from Kirti monastery, to verify the condition and whereabouts of the monks who have disappeared since self-immolating, to allow international independent observers to visit the region and to respect the fundamental human rights of the Tibetan people including the right freely to practise their religion.","date":"2011-10-31","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"43424","proposer":"10231","edm":"2336","session":"2010-12","title":"Anniversary Of Occupation Of Kashmir (No. 2)","text":"That this House records that 27 October 2011 marked the 64th anniversary of the Indian occupation of large areas of the state of Jammu and Kashmir; notes and applauds the improvement in confidence-building measures which had led, until recently, to a welcome improvement in relations between India and Pakistan; regrets, however, that recent demonstrations have led to a totally unacceptable number of deaths, particularly amongst young protesters; and believes that ultimately such demonstrations will only cease with the prospect of meaningful change, an end to repression and the right of the people of Kashmir to determine their own future.","date":"2011-10-31","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"43341","proposer":"24852","edm":"2258","session":"2010-12","title":"Release Of Political Prisoners In Burma (No. 2)","text":"That this House acknowledges the reported release of approximately 100 political prisoners in Burma, according to figures from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners; welcomes the release of any political prisoners; is, however, concerned that the number of releases is small relative to the high number of political prisoners who remain in detention; notes that previous mass releases of political prisoners in Burma have not historically led to significant democratic reform or a long-term reduction in the number of political prisoners; further notes the view of the Burma Campaign UK that the release of political prisoners would have to be a significant change from what has gone before if it is to signify the possibility that real change is on the way, and the view of the National League for Democracy which has stated that the release of all political prisoners is a key benchmark for change; is further concerned by reports that activists are still being arrested and jailed, and that the laws that allowed them to be arrested are still in place; and calls on the Government to make representations for the release of all political prisoners and the promotion and protection of human rights in Burma.","date":"2011-10-17","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"43332","proposer":"10383","edm":"2250","session":"2010-12","title":"Colonel Chanan Singh Dhillon","text":"That this House notes with sadness, and marks with honour, the passing of Colonel Chanan Singh Dhillon, who was renowned as a Punjabi Sikh hero of the Second World War, who worked tirelessly on behalf of Indian veterans of the war and their families, and who successfully campaigned to persuade the British and allied governments to recognise the major contribution by Indian soldiers and civilians to the allies' war efforts.","date":"2011-10-13","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"43321","proposer":"10941","edm":"2241","session":"2010-12","title":"Release Of Political Prisoners In Burma","text":"That this House warmly welcomes the release of political prisoners in Burma, particularly that of Zarganar, the comedian and film maker, who was originally sentenced to 58 years' imprisonment for alleged public order offences; and calls on the Burmese authorities to follow up this gesture with the further release of all prisoners of conscience and the introduction of genuine democratic reforms.","date":"2011-10-12","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"43324","proposer":"10203","edm":"2204A1","session":"2010-12","title":"Azerbaijani Independence Twentieth Anniversary","text":"leave out from `1991;' to end and add `notes the concern expressed by human rights groups that Azerbaijan has grown increasingly authoritarian in recent years; further notes with alarm the Human Rights Watch report, Beaten, Blacklisted and Behind Bars, which documents government efforts to limit freedom of expression and silence dissenting journalists; further notes that in 2010 Azerbaijan was further ranked 134 out of 178 in the World Corruption Index by Transparency International; is dismayed that Azerbaijan's independent election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Centre could not consider last year's election democratic, free and fair; is disappointed at the reports of voter intimidation and disqualification of opposition candidates highlighted by the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe; is appalled at the brutal suppression of those who demonstrate against perceived corruption, including the jailing of two bloggers who mocked the government and the alleged harassment by police of citizens who voted for an Armenian song in the Eurovision Song Contest; and regrets the gullibility of those who place their trust in this oppressive government.'.","date":"2011-10-12","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"43284","proposer":"10884","edm":"2204","session":"2010-12","title":"Azerbaijani Independence Twentieth Anniversary","text":"That this House congratulates Azerbaijan on the 20th anniversary of its independence from the Soviet Union on 18 October 1991; notes that in this time it has joined the Council of Europe and formed close links with the EU; recognises the vital assistance which it has provided to NATO in Iraq and Afghanistan; further recognises that it provides a valuable alternative source of oil and gas for the European market; applauds the fact that despite being a predominantly Muslim country it has thriving Christian and Jewish communities; further notes that it now has one of the fastest growing economies in the world and that the UK is the principal source of foreign direct investment; and wishes the country well on its path towards becoming a fully-fledged member of the community of European democratic states.","date":"2011-10-10","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"43295","proposer":"11199","edm":"2215","session":"2010-12","title":"Taiwan-Eu Economic Co-Operation Agreement","text":"That this House supports the signing of an Economic Co-operation Agreement between the EU and Taiwan; notes the rapprochement between the two governments across the Taiwan Strait, which has so far led to the signing of 15 mutual agreements, including the Economic Co-operation Framework Agreement (ECFA), which reduces the trade barriers of mainland China's market to products of Taiwanese origin and vice versa; acknowledges that the expansion of cross-strait economic relations is in the interest of those on both sides and of the EU; recognises that Taiwan achieved 10.88 per cent. GDP growth in 2010, is the EU's 14th largest trading partner globally and its 6th largest trading partner in Asia, with total trade volume of 37 billion; observes that Taiwan's high-tech industry, economic growth and expanding trade provide a mutually beneficial opportunity for co-operation between the EU and Taiwan; commends the fact that the European Parliament unanimously passed a resolution on 11 May 2011 supporting the further strengthening of Taiwan-EU trade and economic ties and the signing of a bilateral economic co-operation agreement; and calls on the Government to encourage the EU to conduct negotiations with Taiwan with the goal of agreeing a Taiwan-EU Economic Co-operation Agreement.","date":"2011-10-10","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"43296","proposer":"11199","edm":"2216","session":"2010-12","title":"Taiwan's Participation In International Civil Aviation Organisation And Un Framework Convention On Climate Change","text":"That this House supports Taiwan's continued efforts to participate in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO); commends the fact that the European Parliament unanimously passed a resolution on 11 May 2011 reiterating its support for Taiwan's meaningful participation as an observer in relevant international organisations, such as the UNFCCC, World Health Organisation and ICAO; recognises that Taiwan is a key transport hub in international air travel, serving more than one million flights and 40 million passengers per year; notes that Taiwan suffers unnecessary obstacles in terms of remaining up to date with the latest ICAO standards and procedures as a result of its exclusion, which leads to risks to international aviation safety; further recognises that, being deeply integrated in the global economy, Taiwan both contributes to and is affected by global warming; acknowledges that Taiwan can contribute to and benefit from global coordination against climate change via participation in the UNFCCC; and calls on the Government to support efforts for Taiwan to be invited to participate in the meetings and activities of ICAO and UNFCCC as an observer.","date":"2011-10-10","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"43267","proposer":"11420","edm":"2189","session":"2010-12","title":"Human Rights Abuses In Jammu And Kashmir","text":"That this House notes with concern the reports of human rights abuses in Jammu and Kashmir; believes that a key element in working towards the resolution of the Kashmir issue is the cessation of human rights abuses; and calls on the Government to use its influence with the United Nations to encourage an internationalinvestigation into the human rights abuses in Jammu and Kashmir.","date":"2011-09-15","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"43276","proposer":"11323","edm":"2198","session":"2010-12","title":"Public Sector Pension Changes","text":"That this House notes that public sector pension funds have already been re-negotiated to ensure financial sustainability; further notes that the new changes proposed are primarily to reduce spending from the public purse and will lead to a decrease in pension payments to individuals; further notes that the proposed changes will force many public sector workers out of their pension schemes due to the additional payments making public sector pension funds unsustainable in the medium term; and calls on the Government to reconsider its proposals, agree a pension solution that encourages membership to ensure a sustainable public sector pension system and avoids forcing hard-pressed public sector employees into industrial action.","date":"2011-09-15","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"43264","proposer":"10128","edm":"2186","session":"2010-12","title":"Killing Of Mohajir People In Pakistan","text":"That this House is deeply concerned at continuing reports of the large-scale murder of Urdu-speaking Mohajir people in Karachi and Sind region in Pakistan, including shootings in broad daylight (such as five staff and engineers of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board on 22 August 2011), kidnapping from buses and burning of property; is alarmed at the apparent lack of response from the police and the Pakistan government; and calls on the UK Government to raise concerns about such alleged ethnic cleansing with the government of Pakistan at the highest level as a matter of urgency.","date":"2011-09-14","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"43247","proposer":"24735","edm":"2169","session":"2010-12","title":"Chinese Fur Farms","text":"That this House notes the film evidence of extreme animal cruelty in Chinese fur farms gathered by undercover investigators and revealed by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals through its China's Shocking Fur Trade campaign; believes that such barbaric treatment of animals should not be tolerated anywhere in the world; calls on the Government to urge the Chinese authorities to stop the cruelty in fur farms and take urgent action to improve standards of animal welfare; and urges the Government to push the EU to impose a country of origin label to ensure consumers are able to make fully informed choices about products made from fur.","date":"2011-09-13","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"43226","proposer":"10614","edm":"2150","session":"2010-12","title":"New Delhi Bombing","text":"That this House condemns the perpetrators of the bomb blast in New Delhi on 7 September 2011; sends its condolences to the families of the 11 people that were killed and the many others that were injured; remembers also those who lost their lives in the Mumbai tragedy of this year; and urges, on the eve of the 10th anniversary of 9\/11, eternal vigilance against those who would destroy communities with terror.","date":"2011-09-07","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"43172","proposer":"10222","edm":"2101","session":"2010-12","title":"Aung San Suu Kyi And The Martyr's Day March","text":"That this House notes that the winner of the Burmese general election and pro-democracy and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been invited to march in the city of Yangon on Martyr's Day, 19 July, to mark the tragic assassination of her father, General Aung San, and eight other independence leaders in 1947; seeks the reassurances of the Burmese government that it will protect the security of both Aung San Suu Kyi and those supporters who are expected to join her; furthernotes with concern that, despite the release of Aung San Suu Kyi in 2010, the reported human rights situation in Burma has not improved; calls on the Burmese authorities to permit free speech and peaceful protest; and further calls on the Government to make representations to the Burmese government to ensure these protestors are not exposed to danger.","date":"2011-07-18","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"43150","proposer":"24857","edm":"2079","session":"2010-12","title":"Humanitarian Situation In North Korea","text":"That this House notes the continuing reports of violations of human rights in North Korea, including public executions, infanticide, severe and systematic torture, slave labour, dire living conditions and below subsistence-level food rations in the prison camps, religious persecution, sexual violence and extreme punishments inflicted on North Koreans forcibly repatriated from China; further notes that an estimated 200,000 people are incarcerated within a system of camps known as North Korea's gulags; recalls that the families of prisoners are often punished for guilt by association; further notes the reports of former UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Mr Vitit Muntarbhorn, who has described the egregious and endemic human rights situation in the country as dire and desperate; welcomes the former Special Rapporteur's recommendation that the international community should `mobilise the totality of the United Nations to promote and protect human rights in the country [and] support processes which concretise responsibility and accountability for human rights violations, and an end to impunity'; further notes the call made by the European Parliament for the establishment of a United Nations Commission of Inquiry to investigate crimes against humanity; urges the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to abolish its system of prison camps; and calls on the Government to seek the establishment by the United Nations of a Commission of Inquiry to investigate whether these human rights violations amount to crimes against humanity and to recommend further action to bring an end to the suffering in North Korea.","date":"2011-07-13","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"43151","proposer":"10220","edm":"2080","session":"2010-12","title":"Bombings In Mumbai","text":"That this House expresses its shock andrevulsion at the terrorist attacks on the Zaveri Bazaar, Dadar and the Opera House in Mumbai; is deeply saddened by the loss of life and suffering of so many victims and their families in a city which has already suffered so terribly; sends its deepest support to the people of Mumbai and India; and urges the world's largest democracy to continue to stand as a beacon of peace and tolerance in the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi.","date":"2011-07-13","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"43139","proposer":"10203","edm":"2068","session":"2010-12","title":"Fukushima","text":"That this House notes that the disaster of Fukushima continues and intensifies; is gravely concerned at the evacuation of the plant on 10 July 2011 following another powerful earthquake; is alarmed at the dangerous condition of three reactors that are in out of control melt-through, leaking radiation, without hope of remedy for many months; and regrets that the Government is seeking to prematurely judge the consequences of the disaster in order to shore-up collapsing public and investor confidence.","date":"2011-07-12","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"43093","proposer":"10197","edm":"2022","session":"2010-12","title":"Uk-China Trade","text":"That this House welcomes last week's visit to Britain by Premier Wen Jabao; notes the important trade and cultural links between the UKand the People's Republic of China and supports the British Prime Minister's assertion that trade with China represents `a huge opportunity' for the UK; further welcomes the announcement of $2.2 billion of trade deals between British companies and China and the Prime Minister's goal of expanding trade from $63 billion in 2010 to $100 billion by 2015; further notes Britain's comparatively weak trade relations with China were highlighted later in the week of the visit when Germany announced trade deals with China worth $15 billion and targeted an increase of annual bilateral trade from $189 billion in 2010 to $290 billion by 2015; further notes that, on the basis of the latest published figures, there is a 17 billion trade deficit between the UK and China, which is by far the UK's biggest deficit with any trading partner, and therefore while congratulating the Government on the signing of the agreements, suggests that there is significant room for improvement; and calls on the Government to work towards a broad enhancement of the UK's relationship with China in order to build a stronger, balanced partnership that offers healthier economic prospects for both nations and allows for open and constructive dialogue.","date":"2011-07-04","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"43078","proposer":"10256","edm":"2009","session":"2010-12","title":"Actions Of Chinese Troops In Ngaba, Tibet","text":"That this House condemns the use of violence to quash a peaceful demonstration by monks and lay people in Ngaba, Tibet that has resulted in the deaths of two elderly local residents; further condemns the cordoning off of the local Kirti monastery, the political re-education of its monks and the disappearance of 300 monks; also voices grave concern about the continued high level of troops in the area, effectively putting the town under martial law; and calls on the Prime Minister to make a public statement about this grave situation to reinforce the requests made by the EU China delegation for further information on the fate and whereabouts of the disappeared monks and for an independent representative to visit Ngaba to validate the current situation.","date":"2011-06-29","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"43035","proposer":"24852","edm":"1966","session":"2010-12","title":"Birthday Of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi And Human Rights In Burma","text":"That this House recognises Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's 66th birthday and Burma Women's Day, celebrated on 19 June 2011; welcomes Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's Reith lectures on the theme of securing freedom, to be broadcast on 28 June and 5 July 2011 on BBC Radio 4; is concerned that despite the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest on 13 November 2010 the human rights situation in Burma has not improved; notes that more than 2,000 political prisoners remain in detention; is gravely concerned by the Burma Campaign UK reports that the breaking of the ceasefire between the Burmese regime and the Shan State Army has resulted in violence including against civilians in the area; and urges the Government to call for a nationwide ceasefire, to support humanitarian efforts to provide assistance in these areas and to call for the release of political prisoners in Burma.","date":"2011-06-22","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"43005","proposer":"10292","edm":"1936","session":"2010-12","title":"South China Sea Disputes","text":"That this House notes with concern the escalation of the South China Sea disputes; recognises that there are numerous territorial claims; welcomes the Chinese foreign ministry's statement that it will not use force to settle the disputes; further welcomes calls by theAssociation of Southeast Asian Nationscountries to resolve the disputes through peaceful means drawing on the United Nations Charter and international laws, the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea; calls for concerned parties to refrain from further complicating the situation in the region; and further calls for bilateral and multi-lateral approaches to resolving the South China Sea disputes peacefully and to restore stability to the region.","date":"2011-06-16","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"42998","proposer":"10256","edm":"1930","session":"2010-12","title":"Imprisonment In India Of Professor Davinderpal Singh Bhullar","text":"That this House calls on the Government to demand the immediate release of Professor Davinderpal Singh Bhullar, who was illegally deported from Germany to India in 1995, where he was immediately arrested and sentenced to death for political activism following a controversial split judgement and to work to this end with its EU partners and the Indian Government; and further calls on the Government to press the Indian authorities to immediately lift the death sentence on Professor Davinderpal Singh Bhullar.","date":"2011-06-15","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"42965","proposer":"10381","edm":"1898","session":"2010-12","title":"Violence Against Minority Communities In Indonesia","text":"That this House notes disturbing evidence of an escalation in violence, harassment and intimidation against minority Muslim and Christian communities in Indonesia; is concerned extremists who are intolerant of religious minorities have been emboldened by the brutal murder of three Ahmadi Muslims in February, violent attacks on other Ahmadi Muslims on this and other occasions, the displacement of Ahmadi Muslims from their villages, and the destruction of Ahmadiyya Muslim mosques and Christian churches, as well as other restrictions on religious freedom; further notes with concern the continuing misuse of Indonesia's Blasphemy Law, and the resulting atmosphere of radicalisation, violence and hatred; further notes that statements made by members of the Indonesian Government calling for a ban on the Ahmadiyya Muslim community are in contrast to the country's stated commitment to religious freedom and tolerance; calls on the Government to raise concerns about religious freedom, and specifically the persecution of Ahmadi Muslims and Christians in Indonesia, with the Government of Indonesia, as well as with the United Nations Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Religion and Belief; urges Indonesia to revoke the 2008 Joint Ministerial decree against Ahmadi Muslims, to repeal the Blasphemy Law that is being misused to persecute minority communities, and to uphold complete freedom of religion for all; and further calls on the Government of Indonesia to ensure that all perpetrators of violence against minority communities are brought to justice and measures are taken to protect all citizens from further intimidation, harassment and violence.","date":"2011-06-09","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"42949","proposer":"11651","edm":"1882","session":"2010-12","title":"Investigation Into Alleged War Crimes In Sri Lanka","text":"That this House notes Channel 4's documentary, Sri Lanka's Killing Fields, broadcast on14 June 2011, which features devastating new video evidence of war crimes during Sri Lanka's civil war; further notes that certain footage has been authenticated by the UN and has been declared as evidence of definitive war crimes by the UN Special Rapporteur on extra-judicial killings; condemns strongly the Sri Lankan government for dismissing outright the analysis of the UN Special Rapporteur and its unwillingness to engage in a proper accountability process; urges all hon. Members to view the Channel 4 documentary; supports the Government's policy of an independent investigation into these allegations; and calls on the UN to establish an independent, international mechanism to ensure truth, accountability and justice in Sri Lanka.","date":"2011-06-08","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"42929","proposer":"24892","edm":"1862","session":"2010-12","title":"Falun Gong (No. 2)","text":"That this House notes the12th anniversary on 10 July 2011 of the start of the persecution of Falun Gong in China; calls for the release from detention and imprisonment of all Falun Gong practitioners held for peaceful practice of their beliefs; recognises that the Chinese government divides people by class, politics, religion and economic backgrounds; and expresses its concern about this infringement of human rights.","date":"2011-06-07","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"42934","proposer":"10383","edm":"1867","session":"2010-12","title":"Death Sentences In India","text":"That this House expresses its deep regret at the decision by India's President to approve the country's first executions since 2004, having rejected the mercy petitions of death row prisoners, Professor D. P. Singh Bhullar and Mahrendra Nath Das; and calls on the UK Government to urge the Indian government to ensure that these executions do not take place and to end the death penalty in India.","date":"2011-06-07","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"42919","proposer":"24945","edm":"1852","session":"2010-12","title":"Work Of H.h. Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji","text":"That this House warmly congratulates H.H. Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji on the occasion of his 60th birthday; recognises that his life and work have been an inspiration and example to millions throughout the world and the work of the India Heritage Research Foundation with the compilation and publication of the world's first comprehensive Encyclopedia of Hinduism; and welcomes the event in Stanmore Temple in London on 3 June 2011 to celebrate the occasion.","date":"2011-05-24","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"42863","proposer":"24943","edm":"1800","session":"2010-12","title":"Human Rights In Malaysia","text":"That this House notes with concern that Mr Charles Hector Fernandez, a Malaysian human rights lawyer, faces defamation charges in Malaysia for having detailed labour rights violations of 31 Burmese migrant workers at a Japanese firm based in Malaysia on his blog; further notes that Mr Hector Fernandez had raised his allegations with the firm prior to publishing them to his blog, in order that they might correct misinformation, without response; further notes that on 11 April 2011 Mr Hector Fernandez was restricted from all further communication through his blog and Twitter; expresses deep concern at the lack of adequate labour protections for migrant workers in Malaysia and condemns discriminatory treatment of Burmese migrants in particular; further notes the critical role of human rights defenders in upholding the labour rights of migrant workers, who often suffer rights violations and deprivations; expresses deep concern at the threat to free speech in Malaysia this trial poses; calls on the Government to ensure its representatives in Malaysia are present during the hearing and trial of Mr Hector Fernandez on 13 May 2011 and 28 and 29 June 2011 respectively; and furthercalls on the Government to make strong representations in this regard, in particular calling on the Malaysian Government to ensure that the principles enshrined in the 1998 UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders are upheld.","date":"2011-05-12","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"42795","proposer":"24852","edm":"1739","session":"2010-12","title":"Aung San Suu Kyi And The Brighton Festival","text":"That this House welcomes Daw Aung San Suu Kyi as guest director of the 2011 Brighton Festival; notes that although Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will not attend the festival she plays a significant role in inspiring the programme through her plea to `use your liberty to promote ours'; congratulates the Festival organisers for their choice of guest director and planning of a wide-ranging and vibrant programme; looks forward to a dynamic celebration of arts, culture and freedom over the three weeks of the Festival; and urges the Government to maintain pressure on the Burmese regime to free the more than 2,000 political prisoners still in detention and to move towards free and fair democracy in Burma.","date":"2011-04-26","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"42759","proposer":"13934","edm":"1703","session":"2010-12","title":"India -\u0000 Winners Of The 2011 Cricket World Cup","text":"That this House congratulates India on winning the 2011 Cricket World Cup and acknowledges that India was the best team in the tournament and played excellent cricket throughout; further congratulates M S Dhoni, India's captain, on an exceptional performance in the final against Sri Lanka; and acknowledges the huge contribution to Indian cricket of Sachin Tendulkar and congratulates him on achieving that previously elusive World Cup winners medal.","date":"2011-04-04","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"42765","proposer":"24784","edm":"1711","session":"2010-12","title":"Links Between Libya And Sri Lanka","text":"That this House notes the strong diplomatic relationship between Libya and Sri Lanka in recent years; further notes that Libya was one of the countries which supported Sri Lanka when the UN Human Rights Council sought a resolution against Sri Lanka for alleged war crimes in the wake of the country's 26-year civil war; acknowledges that Sri Lanka has strongly disagreed with the NATO-led military initiative against Libya; further acknowledges that Sri Lanka believes `air strikes will simply increase the suffering of the people of Libya'; believes that Sri Lanka should have shown a similar level of concern for its own civilians, when it failed to protect citizens during the final months of the conflict on the island; and calls on the government of Sri Lanka to ensure the security and well-being of all its citizens, now and in the future.","date":"2011-04-04","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"42746","proposer":"10614","edm":"1691","session":"2010-12","title":"India Vs Pakistan Semi-Final Of The Cricket World Cup","text":"That this House welcomes the success of India in its victory at the Cricket World Cup semi-final; notes the historic importance of the match between India and Pakistan, which was watched by more than a billion people; further notes the significance of the Indian and Pakistani prime ministers meeting at the match, the first time since the Mumbai terrorist attacks of 2008; and furtherwelcomes the fact that the spirit of `cricket democracy' becomes an integral part of the countries' bilateral relations.","date":"2011-03-31","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"42713","proposer":"24852","edm":"1659","session":"2010-12","title":"Burma Earthquake","text":"That this House notes with grave concern reports of an earthquake of magnitude 6.8 in north east Burma near to the Thai border; sends its sincere condolences to those affected by the fatalities, casualties and destruction of homes and infrastructure; acknowledges the logistical and political challenges of providing assistance in this situation; and calls on the Government to take all possible steps to offer emergency aid and assistance to the people of Burma.","date":"2011-03-28","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"42707","proposer":"24852","edm":"1654","session":"2010-12","title":"West Midlands Firefighters In Japan","text":"That this House welcomes home the West Midlands Fire Service International Search and Rescue team from their relief mission in northern Japan; applauds their bravery and skill in such a challenging environment; and acknowledges with pride and gratitude their contribution and that of their colleagues from across the UK to the search and rescue efforts following the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.","date":"2011-03-24","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"42697","proposer":"10231","edm":"1646","session":"2010-12","title":"West Midlands Fire Service And The Japanese Earthquake","text":"That this House applauds the contribution made by West Midlands Fire Service personnel deployed as part of the United Kingdom International Search and Rescue response following the devastating earthquake and consequential tsunami in Japan; notes that the UK team is made up of personnel from nine UK fire services, with a total of 63 personnel, two search dogs and 11 tonnes of equipment; further notes that the UK team, like many from other UK Fire and Rescue services, has only just returned from supporting the work in Christchurch, New Zealand; and commends their professionalism and dedication to this role that they are ready and prepared to respond to the tragic events in Japan in such a short space of time.","date":"2011-03-23","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"42700","proposer":"24852","edm":"1649","session":"2010-12","title":"Burma And The Eu","text":"That this House notes that despite holding an election in November 2010, Burma has failed to meet the requests of the EU Common Position, last renewed on 26 April 2010, which called on Burma to take steps to bring about a peaceful transition to a democratic, civilian and inclusive system of government, to release political prisoners, to provide for free and fair elections, to engage with the international community and to respect international human rights and humanitarian law; further notes with concern that these requests have not been met; further notes that the November 2010 elections were widely dismissed as neither free nor fair, and that although Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has been released more than 2,000 political prisoners remain in detention; and calls on the Government to make representations in support ofa UN Commission of Inquiry into war crimes and crimes against humanity in Burma, ahead of the EU Council Position renewal in April 2011.","date":"2011-03-23","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"42665","proposer":"24966","edm":"1616","session":"2010-12","title":"British Firefighters In Japan","text":"That this House notes the contribution made by firefighters from Lancashire towards the relief work in Japan; further notes that Darren Kyle and Graham Mossop from Morecambe and Lunesdale are partof the United Kingdom International Search and Rescue team; believes they are a credit to their country; and thanks them on behalf of the people of Britain and Japan.","date":"2011-03-16","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"42632","proposer":"24919","edm":"1585","session":"2010-12","title":"Transfer Of UK Rail Jobs To India","text":"That this House is deeply concerned at the decision of the state-owned East Coast Mainline to award its customer call centre contract, currently based in Newcastle, to Intelnet Global Services and ATOS Origin, who have operations in Plymouth, Wolverhampton and Mumbai, India; is appalled that this loss of jobs, which is yet another blow to the economy and communities of the North East of England, will also see jobs exported overseas to India; believes it is completely unacceptable for a government company to transfer work abroad and calls on the Secretary of State for Transport to intervene to prevent this; further believes that this episode once again demonstrates the failure of fragmentation and sub-contracting in the rail industry; and calls for an urgent industry-wide assessment of the benefits to the passenger, taxpayer and economy of bringing all railway services in-house.","date":"2011-03-14","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"42641","proposer":"10231","edm":"1594","session":"2010-12","title":"Japan Earthquake","text":"That this House notes with the gravest concern the impact of the largest earthquake in Japanese history and the massive destructive power unleashed by the subsequent 10 metre tsunami on the people of Japan, and its economy and the populations of the wider Pacific Basin; sends its heartfelt condolences to the people of Japan for the loss of life and destruction of livelihoods; and commends the response of the Government in offering what assistance it can to the Japanese government.","date":"2011-03-14","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"42463","proposer":"10256","edm":"1434","session":"2010-12","title":"Arrests In Tibet","text":"That this House notes the deepening crackdown inside Tibet that is curtailing basic freedoms of expression through arbitrary arrest and torture of Tibetans, both intellectuals and ordinary citizens, who have publicly expressed their views and communicated news on local issues via emails, text messages, blogs, magazine articles and songs; further notes that the level of penalties being meted out to those Tibetans arrested and charged for such low-level information sharing are among the most severe in the world and that this crackdown on freedom of speech and opinion is being used by the Chinese government as a mechanism to silence any criticism of their policies in Tibet; therefore calls on the Government to make strong and direct representations to the Chinese government to observe the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to uphold the principles of freedom of expression and opinion and to develop a timeframe of adherence; and further calls on the Government to urge the Chinese government immediately to release these Tibetan prisoners of conscience.","date":"2011-02-09","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"42403","proposer":"10133","edm":"1378","session":"2010-12","title":"Jean Bertrand Aristide","text":"That this House welcomes the announcement by the government of Haiti that former President Aristide will be issued with a passport and thus able to return from exile in South Africa; deplores the manner in which he was removed from Haiti; and hopes his return will help lead to social justice and democracy for the people.","date":"2011-01-31","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"42387","proposer":"10133","edm":"1366","session":"2010-12","title":"Agent Orange And Vietnam","text":"That this House recognises the 50th anniversary of the use of Agent Orange on 10 August 1961 on the people and land of Vietnam resulting in many thousands of deaths and abnormal births; notes the continuing legacy today in Vietnam of 3.5 million people suffering from various related illnesses and deformities; and calls on the 37 chemical companies, headed by Monsanto and Dow Chemicals, to accept their responsibility for the use of Agent Orange and its consequences, and to make compensation to the Vietnamese victims and their families.","date":"2011-01-27","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"42364","proposer":"10614","edm":"1345","session":"2010-12","title":"Madame Tussauds In Mumbai","text":"That this House congratulates Madame Tussauds on unveiling its fifth Bollywood star wax work figure, Hrithik Roshan, at its London museum; notes the fact that along with Hrithik Roshan, Madame Tussauds also has figures of Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Salman Khan on display; recognises the important role that Madame Tussauds plays in showcasing international talent and world figures; and hopes that the success of the London museum, that first opened its doors over 200 years ago, can be brought to India through opening a Madame Tussauds museum in Mumbai.","date":"2011-01-26","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"42359","proposer":"10231","edm":"1340","session":"2010-12","title":"Kashmir Solidarity Day","text":"That this House records that 5 February has been designated as a day of solidarity amongst Kashmiri communities in the UK and around the world; expresses regret at the continued loss of life among all parties to this long running dispute which continues to this day; believes that the recent action of the Hindu National Party and others in marching to the border of Indian-occupied Kashmir was unnecessarily provocative; calls on the Government to take all steps possible to promote meaningful dialogue between India and Pakistan; and reaffirms the right of the people of Kashmir to determine their own future.","date":"2011-01-25","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"42301","proposer":"24928","edm":"1284","session":"2010-12","title":"Human Rights And The Cotton Production Industry In Uzbekistan","text":"That this House is concerned that the Government and associated public bodies may be inadvertently supporting human rights abuses in the cotton production industry in Uzbekistan through the procurement of cotton products for military, emergency and national health services; notes that schools in Uzbekistan are closed as hundreds of thousands of children are forced to pick cotton; further notes that children, with inadequate clothing, food and water, undertake arduous physical labour to reach assigned daily picking quotas; is further concerned that child labour is state-sponsored; and calls on the Government to respond to the voluntary bans of Uzbek cotton by some of the world's largest retailers, using its influence to support an end to forced child labour in Uzbekistan.","date":"2011-01-17","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"42237","proposer":"13934","edm":"1224","session":"2010-12","title":"Sachin Tendulkar's 50 Test Match Centuries","text":"That this House congratulates 37 year old Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar on becoming the first person ever to score 50 test match centuries; notes that this incredible achievement came on Sunday 19 December 2010 during the first test between India and South Africa at the aptly named Centurion cricket ground in South Africa; further notes that this was Sachin Tendulkar's 175th test match for India and the 107 runs he scored were his seventh test century of 2010; and agrees with Indian cricket coach Gary Kirsten, who said after Sachin Tendulkar's achievement that it was little wonder that he has been so successful over so many years because he treats every cricketing day with humility and respect and works as hard as he can on his game, that it is a great lesson for young cricketers and that he is a professor in batting.","date":"2010-12-20","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"42159","proposer":"10543","edm":"1151","session":"2010-12","title":"Death Sentence Of Asiya Bibi","text":"That this House is deeply concerned that Asiya Bibi, a Pakistani Christian woman, has been sentenced to death in Pakistan under the blasphemy laws; notes that she is the first woman to be sentenced to death under these laws; further notes that an appeal is pending; and calls on the Government and the international community to urgently lobby the government of Pakistan and to do everything it can to prevent such a barbaric act.","date":"2010-12-07","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"42133","proposer":"13856","edm":"1125","session":"2010-12","title":"Release Of Aung San Suu Kyi (No. 2)","text":"That this House welcomes the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and calls for the release of her fellow pro-democracy campaigners Htay Kywe, Mie Mie and Zaw Htet Ko Ko, who have all been sentenced to long terms of imprisonment away from their families; and urges the Secretary of State for Foreign and CommonwealthAffairs to keep their plight to the fore of any discussions he has with the Burmese Ambassador and Burmese government officials.","date":"2010-12-02","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"42120","proposer":"10256","edm":"1114","session":"2010-12","title":"Human Rights Day 2010","text":"That this House on the occasion of Human Rights Day on 10 December 2010, commends the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to Liu Xiaobo for his unceasing non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights and democracy in China; notes and furthercommends the release of Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi; condemns the rise of arbitrary arrest and detention of intellectuals in China, Tibet and East Turkestan; urges the Chinese government to uphold the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to releaseimmediatelyLiu Xiaobo and all prisoners of conscience; and encourages the Government publicly to support Charter 08, co-authored by Liu Xiaobo and signed by 300 Chinese intellectuals, which will bring about freedom, human rights and democracy for all the people of China, Tibet and East Turkestan.","date":"2010-12-01","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"42117","proposer":"11199","edm":"1113","session":"2010-12","title":"Elections In Taiwan","text":"That this House congratulates the government and people of Taiwan on the conduct of its municipal elections in the Taipei, Xinbei, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung regions; notes the constructive engagement of the Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang) and Democratic Progressive Party in the democratic process; and praises the government of Taiwan's steadfast commitment to building a lasting liberal democracy for all of its 23 million inhabitants.","date":"2010-11-30","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"42046","proposer":"10436","edm":"1056","session":"2010-12","title":"Anniversary Of Journalists' Deaths In The Philippines","text":"That this House notes the anniversary on 23 November 2010 of the world's single biggest mass killing of journalists; further notes that this occurred in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao in the Southern Philippines when 58 people were killed, including 32 journalists and media workers; further notes that to date nobody has been brought to justice for the massacre; supports the campaign by the National Union of Journalists and the International Federation of Journalists for justice for the victims and the Global Day of Action on 23 November 2010; and calls on the Government to make representations to the Philippine government to ensure that justice is done.","date":"2010-11-18","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"42023","proposer":"10941","edm":"1034","session":"2010-12","title":"Imprisonment Of Zarganar By Burmese Authorities","text":"That this House condemns the treatment by the Burmese regime of the actor, director and comedian, Zarganar, who in 2006 was banned from any public performance and who in 2008, after speaking out on behalf of millions of Burmese citizens left homeless by a cyclone, was convicted of public order offences and sentenced to 59 years imprisonment, this sentence being reduced on appeal to 35 years; believes that Zarganar has suffered a grievous miscarriage of justice; and calls on the Burmese government to release him at the earliest possible opportunity.","date":"2010-11-17","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"42003","proposer":"24852","edm":"1014","session":"2010-12","title":"Release Of Aung San Suu Kyi","text":"That this House welcomes the unconditional release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from her house arrest in Rangoon on 13 November 2010; supports her calls for a peaceful revolution and for dialogue with the ruling regime in order to work towards change in Burma; urges continued international attention to the political system in Burma; and further supports Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's belief that nothing can be achieved without the participation of the people.","date":"2010-11-16","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"41888","proposer":"10231","edm":"905","session":"2010-12","title":"Anniversary Of Occupation Of Kashmir","text":"That this House records that 27 October 2010 marks the 63rd anniversary of the Indian occupation of large areas of the state of Jammu and Kashmir; notes and applauds the improvement in confidence building measures which had led, until recently, to a welcome improvement in relations between India and Pakistan; regrets, however, that recent demonstrations have led to a totally unacceptable number of deaths, particularly amongst young protesters; and believes that ultimately such demonstrations will only cease with the prospect of meaningful change, an end to repression and the right of the people of Kashmir to determine their own future.","date":"2010-10-26","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"41768","proposer":"10401","edm":"802","session":"2010-12","title":"Nobel Peace Prize For Liu Xiaobo","text":"That this House welcomes the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to the Chinese pro-democracy activist, Liu Xiaobo; and calls on the Government to urge the Chinese authorities to release Mr Xiaobo from prison and enter into a dialogue with him and other signatories to the 08 Charter.","date":"2010-10-12","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"41753","proposer":"24852","edm":"787","session":"2010-12","title":"Aung San Suu Kyi And Elections In Burma","text":"That this House acknowledges reports that Burmese political prisoner Aung San Suu Kyi may be released on the completion of her current term of arrest on 13 November 2010; is concerned that, as this date falls six days after scheduled elections in Burma on 7 November, Ms Suu Kyi may not be permitted to utilise her vote; is further concerned that her National League for Democracy party will play no part in the election, having boycotted it on the grounds of Ms Suu Kyi's and others' continued political imprisonment, her exclusion from political office and party membership and the Burmese junta's new election laws, which ban groups including civil servants and Buddhist monks from joining a political party; firmly believes that Aung San Suu Kyi should be released unconditionally as a matter of urgency; and calls on the Government to condemn strongly the Burmese junta's recent election laws as obstacles to the free and fair conduct on democracy.","date":"2010-10-11","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"41729","proposer":"10834","edm":"769","session":"2010-12","title":"Japanese Whale And Dolphin Hunting","text":"That this House is deeply concerned that the Japanese Government issues quotas for the slaughter of over 18,000 dolphins, porpoises and other whales in coastal waters each year despite the International Whaling Commission's (IWC) moratorium on commercial whaling; is appalled that around a half million whales, dolphins and porpoises have been cruelly slaughtered in Japanese waters during the whaling ban alone; is alarmed that dolphin and porpoise meat is sold for public consumption and included in school lunches despite being contaminated with mercury and other toxins at levels exceeding public health safety limits; is further concerned that the cruel dolphin hunts are driving some populations to extinction and are partly motivated by the commercial sale of some animals to aquaria outside of Japan; and calls on the Prime Minister to make the strongest possible representations to the Japanese Government and Prime Minister calling on them to ban the sale of contaminated whale and dolphin products, abide by the international ban on commercial whaling and stop all dolphin, porpoise and other small cetacean hunts immediately.","date":"2010-09-16","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"41712","proposer":"10298","edm":"752","session":"2010-12","title":"Peace, Justice, Reconciliation And Rights In Sri Lanka","text":"That this House notes with concern the tens of thousands of Tamils still interned in camps since the end of the Sri Lankan civil war in May 2009; further notes that thousands of people, including children, are suspected of being held in secret detention without charge or access to the outside world and are therefore at increased risk of torture and extrajudicial execution; strongly condemns the restrictions and attacks on journalists and human rights defenders, the draconian emergency regulations still in place, and thelack of progress towards an inclusive political solution; urges the Government to express its concerns and to do all it can to promote a lasting peace in Sri Lanka based on justice and reconciliation; calls on the UN Secretary-General to remain firm and give full support to his panel of experts; and further calls for a full and independent inquiry into alleged war crimes committed by all parties during and since the end of hostilities.","date":"2010-09-15","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"41672","proposer":"10222","edm":"712","session":"2010-12","title":"Renewable Heat","text":"That this House welcomes the Tariff Coalition's Half the Problem campaign, aimed at raising the share of UK heat energy that comes from renewable sources; recognises that 47 per cent. of current UK carbon emissions, and 49 per cent. of energy consumption, come from non-renewable heat energy; notes that the UK delivers a lower proportion of its heating needs from renewable sources than any other country in Europe, apart from Malta; further recognises that stop-start grant schemes have created an insecure investment climate within the UK, and that current political uncertainty is seriously undermining investment in the renewable heat sector; endorses the Government's commitment to bring in a renewable heat tariff by April 2011, to deliver 12 per cent. of UK heat from renewable sources by 2020; further recognises the benefits this will bring to UK jobs and energy security as well as to woodland biodiversity, waste management and climate change targets; and calls on the Chancellor of the Exchequer to make sure that these pledges are givenpriority in the October Spending Review.","date":"2010-09-09","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"41509","proposer":"11323","edm":"552","session":"2010-12","title":"Vedanta Resources Plc","text":"That this House notes the unethical practices of Indian-owned Vedanta Resources and its subsidiaries, including the destruction of the homes, culture and livelihood of the Kond Adivasi tribal people and the devastating environmental impact of the companies' activities; welcomes recently announced investigations by the Indian Minister of Environment and Forests and the Chief Secretary of the Indian state of Odisha into the rights of the Dongria Kondh affected by plans for a bauxite mine; recognises and supports the rights of indigenous peoples and tribal groups; welcomes the decision of Dutch pensions firm PGGM to sell its shares in the company because Vedanta has made `insufficient improvements with regard to human rights and the environment'; further notes that Vedanta Resources and its subsidiaries are on the Norwegian government's list of banned companies and that the Church of England, Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, Marlborough Ethical Fund and Millfield House Foundation have sold their shares in the company; and believes that plans for mining on sacred land should be ended forthwith.","date":"2010-07-20","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"41501","proposer":"24892","edm":"544","session":"2010-12","title":"Falun Gong","text":"That this House notes the 11th anniversary on 20 July 2010 of the start of the persecution of Falun Gong in China; calls for the release from detention and imprisonment of all Falun Gong practitioners held for peaceful practice of their beliefs; recognises that the Chinese government divides people by class, politics, religion and economic backgrounds; and expresses its concern about this infringement of human rights.","date":"2010-07-19","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"41481","proposer":"24881","edm":"528","session":"2010-12","title":"Kashmir","text":"That this House notes that 13 July is Kashmir Martyrs' Day, commemorating the murder of 22 people in 1931 and the start of the freedom struggle; further notes with concern that since this date more than half a million people have been killed by the occupying forces, numerous women gang raped and in the last two weeks a further 15 young men have been murdered; condemns this violence and agrees with United Nations resolutions that the Kashmiri people should be given the right to self-determination; and calls on the Government to do all within its powers to bring an end to the violence andto encourage self-determination and so ensure the people of Azad and Jammu Kashmir can live in peace and harmony.","date":"2010-07-15","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"41233","proposer":"11323","edm":"299","session":"2010-12","title":"Detention Of Children In Turkey","text":"That this House deplores the Turkish government's policy of detaining children under counter-terrorism laws; notes that around 4,000 Kurdish children are held in prison charged with such offences; expresses its concern that some children and youths face inappropriate sentences for offences such as attending demonstrations; further notes that lawyers defending these cases have condemned the quality of evidence being used to bring such cases to court; understands that many Turkish and international children's and human rights groups are of the opinion that the number of minors affected by Turkey's counter-terrorism legislation is increasing; believes that such prosecutions need to be brought to a halt if Turkey's democratic reforms are to have any substance; and calls for an end to the practise of imprisoning children under counter-terrorism laws in a manner which exacerbates the grievances and sense of injustice felt by Kurds in Turkey and contributes towards prolonging the conflict.","date":"2010-06-23","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"41200","proposer":"10383","edm":"277","session":"2010-12","title":"Mr S. S. Virk Of Des Pardes Weekly","text":"That this House congratulates Mr S. S. Virk for being awarded the prestigious Global Punjabi Society Media Award, recently referred on him by the Indian Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Ambika Soni, for his services to the Punjabi community in his role as Group Editor of the journal Des Pardes Weekly UK, which was established 40 years ago in 1965 by the late Tarsem Singh Purewal and which has become the largest, most popular and widely circulated Punjabi weekly newspaper representing the Punjabi-speaking community throughout Britain, Europe and across the globe.","date":"2010-06-17","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"41154","proposer":"10220","edm":"230","session":"2010-12","title":"Investigation Into Use Of UK Aid To India","text":"That this House welcomes the Secretary of State's announcement of an inquiry into the theft of over \u00a370 million of aid from the Department for International Development to the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Project to educate thousands of the poorest children in India; notes reports by India's Human Resources Development Ministry that `cash has been snaffled by officials running the massive scheme'; and urges greater transparency and joint monitoring of such projects in the future so that aid is not diverted by corrupt local officials, but reaches those in greatest need, as intended by the British people.","date":"2010-06-15","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"41121","proposer":"11309","edm":"198","session":"2010-12","title":"Trial Of Chiranuch Premchaiporn","text":"That this House notes with concern the case of Chiranuch Premchaiporn, the Director of Thai news website Prachatai, who is on trial in Thailand under its Computer Crime Act for not removing third party comments criticising the monarchy from her website quickly enough and who, if convicted, faces a maximum sentence of 50 years in jail; believes that this action threatens Thailand's reputation for tolerance of free expression and risks creating a climate of fear; further notes with concern that this particular law has led to thousands of websites being blocked in Thailand; opposes web blocking and censorship; and calls on the government of Thailand to review the situation.","date":"2010-06-10","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"41092","proposer":"24892","edm":"169","session":"2010-12","title":"North And South Korea","text":"That this House notes the report into the alleged attack by North Korea on a South Korean warship; condemns the disregard for human life; and calls on the Government to formulate a suitable response in line with its international partners.","date":"2010-06-08","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"41104","proposer":"10256","edm":"181","session":"2010-12","title":"Dalai Lama's 75th Birthday And Future Of Tibet","text":"That this House congratulates the Dalai Lama on celebrating his 75th birthday on 6 July 2010; recognises the Dalai Lama's unstinting commitment to non-violence, his pragmatism in seeking a Middle Way approach in order to reach a peaceful and practical solution for the future of Tibet and its people, and his work in inter-faith areas; acknowledges the Dalai Lama's Nobel Peace Prize awarded in 1989, his US Congressional Gold Medal in 2007 and the many other awards and honours presented for his wide-ranging work in advocating peace, non-violence, inter-religious understanding, universal responsibility and compassion; and calls on the new coalition Government to show its support for the Dalai Lama and his principles by making a public statement on his birthday acknowledging his achievements and affirming its support of his efforts to find justice for the Tibetan people through substantive and meaningful dialogue with the Chinese government.","date":"2010-06-08","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"41028","proposer":"10190","edm":"112","session":"2010-12","title":"Human Rights In Burma","text":"That this House sends its best wishes to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who will spend her 65th birthday in detention on 19 June 2010; calls for the immediate release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners in Burma; rejects the elections planned by Burma's generals later this year which, due to election laws and ongoing repression in Burma, cannot be free and fair; condemns Burma's new constitution which is designed to maintain dictatorship in civilian guise and does not grant rights or protection to Burma's ethnic minorities; notes that all diplomatic efforts to reform the dictatorship's sham roadmap to democracy have failed; recalls that the United Nations Security Council, General Assembly, Secretary General and Human Rights Council have all stated that the solution to the problems in Burma lies in dialogue between the dictatorship, Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy, and ethnic representatives; and calls on the Government to support a United Nations-led effort to pressure the dictatorship to enter into such dialogue.","date":"2010-05-27","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"41036","proposer":"10327","edm":"120","session":"2010-12","title":"Conduct Of Indian High Commissioner","text":"That this House advocates and supports a warm and close relationship between the United Kingdom and the Republic of India; notes the two countries' historical ties; further notes that India is the world's largest democracy; recognises that such a relationship can help resolve the vexing issue of Jammu and Kashmir; believes that the Indian High Commission in London has a vital role to play in fostering this friendship; regrets that the conduct of the Indian High Commissioner, Nalin Surie, is causing serious damage to that friendship; condemns the failure of the Indian High Commissioner to respond to letters from the right hon. Member from Manchester, Gorton stretching back to January 2010, in which the right hon. Member has requested that the visa application of one of his constituents initially made many months ago and for which the constituent has paid \u00a3113.86 has still not been granted; is concerned that the efforts of a right hon. Member of this House to help have been rudely ignored; further believes that Nalin Surie is not fit to hold such an important and influential post; and calls for his removal to India by the Indian government and his replacement by a diplomat who will commit himself or herself to fostering good relations between the two countries.","date":"2010-05-27","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"41022","proposer":"10170","edm":"107","session":"2010-12","title":"Marie Stopes And China","text":"That this House notes that Marie Stopes International (MSI), the international abortion provider, listed as a charity, is held in such high regard by official bodies in the UK that it has been permitted to break the law and advertise abortion on national television; further notes it has received millions of pounds from the Government to carry out abortion programmes in China, where the one-child policy has caused untold suffering and misery to millions, including forced abortions and sterilisation with imprisonment for those fighting against the law; further notes as an example a 20-day campaign in April in Puning County, where 9,559 adults were required for compulsory sterilisation with doctors working 20 hours a day to achieve the numbers; further notes that some 1,300 people were confined by force because their relatives refused to submit to the surgery; further notes that Marie Stopes claims to disapprove of force and seeks to discourage it, yet gave a red-carpet welcome in their London headquarters to Ms Lin Bin, Minister of China's National Population and Family Planning Commission, which is responsible for the one-child policy and its implementation; further notes that although MSI sought and achieved enormous publicity for its television advertising it was strangely silent regarding the visit of their honoured guest; further notes this was exposed by Tibet Truth, a human rights organisation protesting about the barbarities inflicted on the people of China and Tibet; and calls on the Government to withdraw its funds from MSI and to take steps to require the cancellation of its television advertising.","date":"2010-05-26","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"40952","proposer":"10009","edm":"38","session":"2010-12","title":"One Child Policy In China","text":"That this House notes recent reports that 21 foetuses and baby bodies were discarded in the Guangfu River, Jining City, China; further notes that the one child policy in China limits most couples to one child; further notes with concern increasing evidence, including from official sources, that the Chinese authorities continue to employ compulsory abortion and sterilisation as an official policy; and calls on the government of China to cease coercive measures, including forced abortion and sterilisation.","date":"2010-05-25","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"40972","proposer":"10521","edm":"58","session":"2010-12","title":"Treatment Of Dogs In China","text":"That this House supports the joint working of Animals Asia Foundation and the Kennel Club in continuing to highlight the inhumane treatment of dogs in China; is appalled by the acts of extreme cruelty which take place in China's animal markets; notes that millions of dogs have been skinned alive and killed for fur and meat; condemns the cruel ways in which these animals are raised, transported and slaughtered; calls on the Government to do everything in its power to encourage the Chinese government to bring about an urgent end to this barbaric practice, including raising the subject with the Chinese Ambassador in the UK; and further calls directly on the Chinese government to bring its laws and practices into the 21st century in relation to animal welfare standards.","date":"2010-05-25","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"40900","proposer":"10009","edm":"1238","session":"2009-10","title":"One Child Policy In China","text":"That this House notes recent reports that 21 foetuses and baby bodies were discarded in the Guangfu River, Jining City, China; further notes that the one child policy in China limits most couples to one child; further notes with concern increasing evidence, including from official sources, that Chinese authorities continue to employ compulsory abortion and sterilisation as an official policy; and calls on the government of China to cease coercive measures, including forced abortion and sterilisation.","date":"2010-04-06","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"40724","proposer":"10208","edm":"1091","session":"2009-10","title":"Balibo Conspiracy Film","text":"That this House congratulates Human Rights Watch on its decision to showcase an award winning film, The Balibo Conspiracy, in London on 17 March 2010; notes that the film concerns the deaths of five journalists killed at Balibo in East Timor in October 1975, including British citizens Brian Peters and Malcolm Rennie, and of a sixth journalist, Roger East, killed in East Timor in December 1975; and invites the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to encourage the Indonesian government to lift its ban on that film and further to encourage the Indonesian government to co-operate with the investigation by the Australian Federal Police into the deaths of the five journalists killed at Balibo.","date":"2010-03-15","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"40725","proposer":"10133","edm":"1092","session":"2009-10","title":"Malaysia And Anwar Ibrahim","text":"That this House recognises Malaysian Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim's contribution to promoting democracy in Malaysia and peace and understanding between the Muslim world in the West; is deeply concerned at the charges laid against Anwar Ibrahim and that his current trial flouts international standards of fairness and adherence to the rule of law; notes that this trial resembles the one he faced in 1998 in which the conduct of the judiciary was condemned by Malaysians and by the international community; further notes the renewed exhortations by international human rights organisations including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch and prominent leaders from Commonwealth nations including the Right honourable Paul Martin of Canada and the Right honourable Michael Danby and 59 other elected representatives of Australia for the Malaysian government to drop the charges against Anwar Ibrahim; and calls on the Malaysian authorities to bring an end to the harassment and persecution of members of the political opposition.","date":"2010-03-15","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"40674","proposer":"11946","edm":"1046","session":"2009-10","title":"60th Anniversary Of The Korean War","text":"That this House in the year of the 60th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War salutes the courage of all those who fought against the communist-backed forces of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea; recognises in particular the sacrificial deaths and injuries of Her Majesty's brave armed forces and those of our Commonwealth and United Nations allies; and calls on the Government to ensure that an appropriate national commemoration, fully involving British Korean veterans, be held in memory of all those who gave so much in the cause of freedom and liberty.","date":"2010-03-09","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"40659","proposer":"10288","edm":"1033","session":"2009-10","title":"Dismissal Of Thai Railway Workers","text":"That this House condemns the unfair dismissal of six union officials from the Hat Yai branch of the State Railway Workers' Union of Thailand for taking part in national industrial action amid concerns about both the health and safety record and the anti-union practices of the Thailand Railways Board (SRT); notes that a delegation from the International Transport Workers' Federation visited that country in January 2010 to investigate the case and recommend that the management reinstate the dismissed workers, stop further victimisation of union officials, drop the lawsuit for damages filed against the union and build a new safety culture in the Thai railways with the workers and the union where whistle-blowers are not penalised; and calls on the Government to make the strongest possible representations to the Thai government on this matter.","date":"2010-03-08","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"40654","proposer":"10213","edm":"1028","session":"2009-10","title":"Settlement Of Gurkhas","text":"That this House commends the work of the Gurkha Settlement Office in providing free and accurate advice to ex-Gurkhas; is concerned by reports of exploitation of ex-Gurkhas by unscrupulous agencies operating in Nepal; and encourages the Government to take urgent steps to ensure that ex-Gurkhas are fully prepared and equipped for life in the UK before leaving Nepal.","date":"2010-03-05","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"40650","proposer":"10614","edm":"1024","session":"2009-10","title":"BBC Asian Network","text":"That this House notes with great concern the BBC's plan to close the digital radio station BBC Asian Network; supports the station's unique position at the heart of the Asian community since it began in the Midlands in 1988; congratulates the station on its role as a media space for British, Asian content and culture and as a bridge between Asian youth and the mainstream BBC; further notes that the BBC has a responsibility to give a platform to minority interests and to reach wider audiences; and calls on the Government to support and encourage the national role of the BBC Asian Network as a platform for British Asian culture to further develop and grow.","date":"2010-03-04","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"40600","proposer":"10528","edm":"980","session":"2009-10","title":"Jang Group And The Times Of India Aman Ki Asha Peace Campaign","text":"That this House congratulates the Jang Group and The Times of India for launching their Aman Ki Asha campaign supporting peace between Pakistan and India; recognises a stable and peaceful relationship between the two countries is crucial to establishing peace in the wider region; welcomes the recent resumption of formal peace talks between the two nations; expresses its sincere hopes that their governments will maintain their renewed efforts for peace; and calls on the Government to continue encouraging both parties towards peace.","date":"2010-03-02","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"40583","proposer":"11309","edm":"963","session":"2009-10","title":"Save BBC 6 Music And Asian Network Campaign","text":"That this House notes with deep concern recent newspaper speculation that the BBC is considering closing its 6 Music and Asian Network radio stations; believes that both radio stations offer outlets for independent and non-mainstream music; further notes that both 6 Music and Asian Network reach out to audiences not otherwise well served by the BBC; congratulates 6 Music and Asian Network for acting as a source of talent for the BBC and other media; recognises that the BBC has a duty to represent and give a platform to minority interests that need a mainstream platform to develop and grow; and calls on the Government to encourage the BBC to continue its support for 6 Music and Asian Network for many years to come.","date":"2010-03-01","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"40575","proposer":"10465","edm":"955","session":"2009-10","title":"Thailand And The Return Of Ethnic Karen Refugees To Burma","text":"That this House condemns the actions of the government of Thailand, which is threatening to deport 3,000 ethnic Karen refugees back to Burma; is appalled that on 5 February 2010 thirteen refugees were forced to return against their will to an area which is infested with landmines, and occupied by a military force, allied to the dictatorship in Burma, which is likely to use the villagers as slave labour and children as child soldiers; expresses deep concern that the government of Thailand has made false claims to the international community that the refugees want to return; calls on the government of Thailand to turn its temporary halt of the deportations into a permanent one, and to end the harassment and intimidation of the refugees; and calls on the British Government to make the strongest possible representations to Thailand on this matter, and to examine whether the actions of the government of Thailand in forcing refugees to return could break international humanitarian and human rights law.","date":"2010-02-26","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"40572","proposer":"10123","edm":"836A1","session":"2009-10","title":"Maguindanao Massacre","text":"at end add `but also considers that the UK and its allies have accelerated the trend of killing journalists, starting with the NATO bombing of the headquarters of Radio Television of Serbia on 23 April 1999 which killed 16 people, the killing of journalists in Iraq, including the deliberate US strike against Al-Jazeera's office in Baghdad, and Israel's killing of reporters like British film-maker James Miller; and urges the Government to return to a position where it will not be a party to the killing of any journalist and will campaign for international agreement for this from a moral position, the like of which it previously held.'.","date":"2010-02-25","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"40509","proposer":"10258","edm":"900","session":"2009-10","title":"Anniversary Of Khojaly Massacre","text":"That this House calls on the Government to recognise the 18th anniversary of the Khojaly massacre and to use it as an opportunity to launch a new international peace effort to resolve the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict; notes that the non-resolution of the conflict is a threat to the whole Caucasus region as well as to UK investment in Azerbaijan; believes that the failure in reaching a peaceful resolution is largely due to the non-implementation by Armenia of UN Security Council Resolutions 822, 853, 874 and 884 which call for the withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan and for the return of the one million Azerbaijani refugees to their homes; supports the resolution of the conflict while assuring the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, and autonomy for the people of Nagorno-Karabakh; and highlights the fact that the UK is the largest foreign investor in Azerbaijan, with 5,000 expatriates and a 20 per cent. share in Azerbaijani oil.","date":"2010-02-23","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"40480","proposer":"11641","edm":"871","session":"2009-10","title":"Inquiry Into Lethal Force Against Malaysian Ethnic Indians","text":"That this House supports the right of all communities to peaceful protest; notes with concern the allegations of indiscriminate lethal force by the police against protesting ethnic Indians in Malaysia; further notes a state's right to curtail violent protest by proportionate means; and calls on the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to make urgent representations to the Malaysian government to hold an open and impartial inquiry into recent deaths of ethnic Indians at the hands of the police.","date":"2010-02-22","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"40492","proposer":"10527","edm":"883","session":"2009-10","title":"Safe Haven For Assyrian Christians Of Iraq","text":"That this House recognises the 250,000 victims of the Assyrian Genocide of 1915; further recognises that promises of Assyrian statehood autonomy made during the First World War were not honoured; further recognises that the Assyrian people also suffered persecution in 1933 in Iraq; and calls on the Government to make representations to the Iraqi and Turkish governments with the aim of ensuring a safe haven for Assyrian Christians, or otherwise to consider the other option of resettlement whereby the UK and other EU member states would become part of the safe haven.","date":"2010-02-22","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"40496","proposer":"10190","edm":"887","session":"2009-10","title":"Baluch Nationalist Campaigners In Pakistan","text":"That this House notes with concern the continuing reports from the province of Baluchistan in Pakistan of people being abducted and disappearing since the onset of an armed crackdown by the state of Pakistan against non-violent Baluch nationalists; further notes the ongoing denial in Baluchistan by the Pakistani authorities of basic rights including freedom of assembly and freedom of speech; supports calls for an independent investigation into the actions of the Pakistan authorities in Baluchistan and for those responsible for the abductions to be brought to justice; and believes that involuntary disappearances and the denial of democratic rights of assembly and protest are the hallmark of dictatorships and systems dominated by non-democratic forces.","date":"2010-02-22","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"40436","proposer":"10436","edm":"836","session":"2009-10","title":"Maguindanao Massacre","text":"That this House recalls the Government's strong backing for UN Security Council Resolution 1738 of 23 December 2006 expressing deep concern over the safety of journalists and other civilians in conflict and demanding an end to impunity for their killers; notes with dismay that at least 347 journalists and support staff have been killed since then for trying to bring news to the world; condemns the massacre of at least 57 men and women at Maguindanao in the Philippines on 23 November 2009, including 31 journalists, making this the biggest single death toll for the media in recorded history; notes with strong approval the investigation by independent international forensic experts, including Britain's Chris Cobb-Smith; seeks the ending of impunity for those who murder journalists in the Philippines and elsewhere; and urges the Government to utilise its role in the International Contact Group, and other bodies, to stress to the government of the Philippines that the perpetrators of the Maguindanao massacre should be brought to proper justice.","date":"2010-02-09","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"40391","proposer":"10106","edm":"792","session":"2009-10","title":"Mor Gabriel Monastery","text":"That this House whilst recognising that religious freedom is enjoyed by citizens of Turkey nevertheless expresses its concern at the impending threat to the future of Mor Gabriel Monastery as a result of court cases threatening to take away all or most of its lands; notes that Mor Gabriel Monastery was founded in 397AD, is of major importance to the ancient Syrian Orthodox Church and is one of the oldest Christian monasteries in the world; further notes that protection of minority rights under the Treaty of Lausanne is not extended to the Syrian Orthodox Church; and calls on the Government to make representations to Turkey on the future of this vital Christian institution.","date":"2010-02-03","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"40367","proposer":"11946","edm":"774","session":"2009-10","title":"Dog Eating In The Philippines","text":"That this House congratulates His Excellency Mr Antonio Lagdameo on his appointment as Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to the Court of St. James; notes the historic special relationship between the United Kingdom and the Republic of the Philippines and the never to be forgotten heroism shown by our Filipino allies during World War II; further notes the shared value of respect to the treatment of animals in both countries as evidenced by recent legislation in the Philippines providing severe penalties for those convicted of involvement in the dog meat trade; respectfully requests that Mr Lagdameo conveys to his government the hope of this House that a Special Filipino Task Force is created to enforce these laws thereby eliminating this cruel exploitation of animals once and for all; and calls on the Government to offer support and advice to ensure that the practice is finally stamped out.","date":"2010-02-02","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"40304","proposer":"10022","edm":"713","session":"2009-10","title":"Seventh Anniversary Of Death Sentence For Tenzin Delek","text":"That this House notes that 26 January 2010 marks the seventh anniversary of the failed appeal by Tibetan Buddhist Lama, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, against the death sentence he received in December 2002 following a closed-door trial that failed to meet even the most minimal international legal standards; further notes Ministers' public statements voicing serious concerns that international fair trial standards were not met in recent trials in China and Tibet; calls on the Government to do more than voice concerns at this ongoing lack of observance by China's internationally accepted due legal processes and an individual's right to a fair trial; urges the Government to set out and implement policies that encourage the Chinese government to bring China's legal system in line with those that are internationally accepted and draw up benchmarks for tangible progress; further calls on the Government to appeal for clemency or a re-trial for Tenzin Delek, whose death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment in 2005 but who is now suffering grave ill-health with high blood pressure, heart and leg problems; and further notes that over the summer of 2009, 40,000 Tibetans in Tenzin Delek's community in Lithang, Tibet, signed petitions asking for justice and a re-trial for Tenzin Delek.","date":"2010-01-26","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"40311","proposer":"11522","edm":"720","session":"2009-10","title":"Kurds In Turkey","text":"That this House deplores the decision taken on 11 December 2009 by Turkey's Constitutional Court to close down the Democratic Society Party (DTP), the only pro-Kurdish legal political party in Turkey which, in recent elections, demonstrated that it has the support of millions of Kurdish voters and with 21 elected Members of Parliament has been playing a vital constructive role in the resolution of the protracted conflict that has claimed so many lives over the last three decades; notes that this is a deeply dismaying decision the repercussions of which will be far reaching and is a considerable setback for the achievement of a peaceful settlement of the conflict between Turkey and the Kurds and equally for Turkey's ambitions to join the European Union; further notes that by outlawing the DTP and preventing its leaders such as Ahmet Turk, who was recently a guest in the Palace of Westminster and of the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and other prominent figures such as Layla Zana from participating in politics for five years, the Turkish authorities are behaving totally irresponsibly; believes that in taking this course of action Turkey is reverting to an extremely regressive approach to the Kurdish question which appears to contradict the much-promoted reform process of Prime Minister Erdogan and will not bring about the peace that constructive forces in Turkey desire; and calls on the UK Government to exert pressure on Turkey to fully abide by the international conventions and democratic norms to which it is a signatory.","date":"2010-01-26","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"40289","proposer":"10614","edm":"699","session":"2009-10","title":"60th Anniversary Of Indian Independence","text":"That this House joins in celebrating the joyous occasion of the 60th Republic Day of India; notes the success of the Indian government both in India and internationally; recognises the positive impact the Indian community in Britain have made and joins them in their celebrations on 26 January 2010; and calls on the Government to continue to develop and maintain its excellent relations with India and to recognise its status as one of the world's leading powers.","date":"2010-01-25","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"40292","proposer":"10647","edm":"702","session":"2009-10","title":"Taiwan And The International Civil Aviation Organisation","text":"That this House supports Taiwan's campaign for meaningful participation in international organisations; notes with concern Taiwan's continued exclusion from meaningful participation in United Nations-specialised agencies; further supports Taiwan's bid to participate meaningfully in the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO); recognises that Taiwan provides important regional air-transport services being a key air-transport hub linking northeast and southeast Asia with 2,600 weekly flights with neighbouring countries; further recognises that if ICAO is to ensure the integrity of the global civil aviation safety network then Taiwan's participation is indispensable; acknowledges that past ICAO practices and the existing legal basis allow for Taiwan's meaningful participation in ICAO meetings, mechanisms and activities; and calls on the Government to support Taiwan's bid for meaningful participation in the ICAO through observer status in ICAO decision-making bodies, technical meetings, mechanisms and direct contact with the ICAO and its Asia and Pacific office.","date":"2010-01-25","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"40293","proposer":"10647","edm":"703","session":"2009-10","title":"Taiwan And The United Nations Framework Convention On Climate Change","text":"That this House supports Taiwan's campaign for meaningful participation in international organisations; notes with concern Taiwan's continued exclusion from meaningful participation in United Nations-specialised agencies; further notes with concern that Taiwan is an island threatened by rising sea levels and extreme weather events; recognises that Taiwan has passed a Renewable Energy Act and drafted a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act; calls for Taiwan's meaningful participation in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC); welcomes Taiwan's bid to participate in the activities and mechanisms of the UNFCCC, the Kyoto Protocol and post-2012 agreements; and further calls on the Government to support Taiwan's justifiable bid for UNFCCC observer status in order to institutionalise Taiwan's meaningful participation in UNFCCC activities.","date":"2010-01-25","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"40206","proposer":"10785","edm":"622","session":"2009-10","title":"Moratorium On Mongolian Death Penalty","text":"That this House welcomes the recent announcement by Mongolian President Tsakhia Elbegdorj of a moratorium on the death penalty and welcomes his call for the punishment to be abolished within Mongolia; notes that executions within Mongolia are highly secretive with exact execution numbers and the date of the last execution unknown; further notes that Mongolia has already implemented several moratoria on the death penalty which have later been overturned and that the President faces significant opposition to his calls in the Mongolian Parliament; further notes that Asia executes more individuals than the rest of the world combined, with Amnesty International estimating that at least 1,838 individuals were executed in 11 Asian countries in 2008; and calls on the Government to support President Tsakhia Elbegdorj's call for abolition so that Mongolia can set an example to its Asian neighbours that the death penalty has no place in modern justice systems.","date":"2010-01-18","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"40162","proposer":"11309","edm":"583","session":"2009-10","title":"Technology Company Censorship","text":"That this House notes with concern Google's announcement that its corporate infrastructure was attacked from sources originating in China; further notes that the primary reason for the attempted hack was to target private email accounts of human rights activists; congratulates Google on the decision to end its policy of censoring search results in China; and further believes that other technology companies should follow Google's lead by refusing to collaborate with demands to censor their activities.","date":"2010-01-13","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"40010","proposer":"10543","edm":"440","session":"2009-10","title":"Attacks On Sikhs In Ludhiana, Punjab","text":"That this House condemns the action of police and paramilitary forces in opening fire on a peaceful Sikh protest in Ludhiana, Punjab on 5 December 2009; notes that at least one Sikh was killed and many injured; calls on the Government to condemn this action and raise the issue with the Indian government; and asks the Indian government to launch an independent investigation into this appalling act.","date":"2009-12-14","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"40001","proposer":"11784","edm":"433","session":"2009-10","title":"Unidentified Graves In Indian-Held Kashmir","text":"That this House notes with concern a recent report by the International People's Tribunal on Human Rights and Justice documenting the discovery of 2,943 bodies in unmarked and mass graves in Indian-held Kashmir; further notes reports that over 50,000 people have died since 1989 as Kashmiri groups fight for independence; and supports calls for an investigation by an independent body like the International Criminal Court or the United Nations Committee on Human Rights into the circumstances surrounding these deaths.","date":"2009-12-10","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"39958","proposer":"11323","edm":"396","session":"2009-10","title":"Turkey's Breach Of Human Rights For Ocalan","text":"That this House acknowledges the inhumane conditions of imprisonment endured by Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan under solitary confinement since 1999 on the Imrali island prison in the Mamara sea, Turkey; regrets Ocalan's deleterious mental and physical condition suffered as a result of his inhumane conditions of imprisonment since that time; notes that these conditions have included allegations in 1997 of heavy metal poisoning and that the existence of exceptionally high levels of heavy metals in Ocalan's blood was evidenced by laboratory reports and confirmed by the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT); supports the findings of the CPT that Ocalan's conditions of imprisonment contravene international law on the rights of the prisoner, and the CPT's recommendations that Ocalan be moved; further regrets that in moving Ocalan to a new prison, Turkey has provided conditions of imprisonment significantly worse than before; further notes the new conditions of imprisonment including the fact that the cell is half the size of that in which he was previously held and lacks air circulation, thus causing Ocalan severe breathing difficulties and loss of bodily functions; further notes reports from Ocalan and his lawyers that the current conditions are seriously deleterious to his health and life; urges the UK Government to request the CPT urgently to conduct a visit and inspection; and further urges the UK Government to put the utmost diplomatic pressure on Turkey to provide humane conditions of imprisonment to Ocalan.","date":"2009-12-08","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"39945","proposer":"10021","edm":"384","session":"2009-10","title":"Kurdish Peace Initiatives In Turkey","text":"That this House supports the steps taken by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) of Turkey and the Kurdish Movement, to initiate a just democratic solution to the issue of the rights of the Kurdish people; recognises that the Kurdish Movement includes the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and its imprisoned leader, Abdullah Ocalan; notes the positive steps taken by Ocalan to initiate a peace process including a unilateral PKK ceasefire and sending peace groups of PKK activists and refugees to Turkey to support peace efforts; further notes the appeal to the EU by the Society for Threatened Peoples to support the peace initiative of the PKK and the legal pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party; regrets that the AKP has prevented the peace groups entering Turkey; believes that the PKK should be recognised as a party to the dialogue in order to achieve a just and peaceful solution; further believes that the continued listing of the PKK as a terrorist organisation is an impediment to the resolution of the conflict; further regrets that the Turkish opposition parties, the Republican People's Party and the Nationalist Movement Party, have opposed the initiative for peace; urges the Government to de-list the PKK to facilitate its recognition as legitimate party to the negotiations; and also urges the Government to put the utmost diplomatic pressure on Turkey to turn away from conflict and to open negotiations with the Kurdish Movement forthwith to bring stability to the region.","date":"2009-12-07","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"39905","proposer":"10282","edm":"345","session":"2009-10","title":"Human Rights In Tibet And China","text":"That this House notes the Foreign Affairs Select Committee's recent statement that there is little evidence that the Government's policy of constructive engagement is leading to any significant human rights improvements in Tibet and China; further notes that the change made in 2008 by the Government to view Tibet henceforth as part of China was made without parliamentary oversight and has failed to lead to the human rights gains in return that were predicted by the Foreign Secretary at the time; recognises that the Government's weakening commitment to protect human rights in Tibet in recent years has coincided with a dramatic worsening of the human rights situation in Tibet; and calls on the Foreign Affairs Select Committee to conduct a formal inquiry into the effectiveness of strategies being employed by the Government within its overall policy towards China, to protect and promote the human rights of the Tibetan and Chinese people.","date":"2009-12-03","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"39812","proposer":"10647","edm":"269","session":"2009-10","title":"Taiwan's Participation In The Un Framework Convention On Climate Change","text":"That this House regrets that Taiwan has been excluded from the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its related mechanisms; notes that the 15th Session of the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties will convene between 7 and 18 December 2009; recognises that global warming is not restricted by political boundaries and there should be no gap or weak spot in the collective international network to reduce global carbon emissions and combat climate change; contends that the UNFCCC should not ignore the basic rights of the 23 million people of Taiwan; applauds Taiwan's voluntary declaration of reduction goals and schedules for greenhouse gases and its commitment to assuming its responsibilities and obligations as part of the global community; welcomes the WHO Director General's recent invitation for Taiwan to attend the World Health Assembly as an observer; further notes that Paragraph 6 of Article 7 of the UNFCCC states that observers to UN specialised agencies may be represented as observers at sessions of the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties; observes that other non-UN member states were likewise made parties to the UNFCCC; strongly encourages the Government to support Taiwan's justifiable bid for UNFCCC observer status in order to institutionalise Taiwan's meaningful participation in UNFCCC activities; and urges the UNFCCC Executive Secretary to invite Taiwan as an observer.","date":"2009-11-26","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"39814","proposer":"10203","edm":"271","session":"2009-10","title":"Adnan Hajizade And Emin Milli","text":"That this House condemns the imprisonment of young Azerbaijani bloggers Adnan Hajizade and Emin Milli, and agrees with Amnesty International and other human rights groups, that their detention and trial were politically motivated and aimed at stifling freedom of speech in Azerbaijan; joins Amnesty International in calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Adnan and Emin; and appeals to President Ilham Aliev to fulfil Azerbaijan's commitments, as a member of the Council of Europe and OSCE to respect human rights and freedom of speech, and end the persecution of opposition activists and independent media.","date":"2009-11-26","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"39781","proposer":"10785","edm":"238","session":"2009-10","title":"Human Rights In Burma","text":"That this House expresses severe concern at the escalating systematic human rights abuses being perpetrated against the people of Burma by the Junta military dictatorship; notes that there is well documented evidence over many years of widespread torture, forced displacement, sexual violence, extra-judicial killings and forced labour with civilians being deliberately targeted; further notes that these actions constitute crimes against humanity and war crimes; and calls on the Government to urge the United Nations to establish a Commission of Inquiry into these crimes in addition to supporting the International Labour Organisation's calls to refer the use of forced labour to the International Court of Justice.","date":"2009-11-25","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"39790","proposer":"11245","edm":"247","session":"2009-10","title":"Independent Inquiry Into The Armenian Genocide","text":"That this House supports Turkey's application for membership of the EU; but is concerned about the welfare of thousands of Crypto-Armenians in Turkey; notes the substance of Geoffrey Robertson QC's legal opinion on the Armenian Genocide; calls for an independent inquiry into the revelations of that opinion; and urges the Government to acknowledge that the events which befell the Armenians and Assyrians of Turkey of 1915 amounted to genocide.","date":"2009-11-25","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"39793","proposer":"11963","edm":"250","session":"2009-10","title":"Human Rights In The Philippines","text":"That this House expresses serious concern for the welfare of Jonas Joseph Tronqued Burgos, who has been missing since 28 April 2009; is deeply troubled at reports that Mr Burgos was last seen being bundled into a van by four armed men and a woman outside a restaurant in Quezon City; notes that the plate number of the vehicle concerned, TAB 194, was traced to a vehicle in the custody of the 56th Infantry Battalion of the Armed Forces of the Philippines; further notes Mr Burgos has a history of campaigning for peasant rights in the Philippines; fully supports the campaign for his immediate release led by his mother, Dr Edita Burgos; and calls on the Government to lend every assistance possible to the campaign and to press the Philippines Government for a proper investigation into the disappearance of Jonas Burgos and for his immediate release.","date":"2009-11-25","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"39727","proposer":"11923","edm":"187","session":"2009-10","title":"Bhopal Disaster","text":"That this House remembers with sadness and outrage the tragedy that took place in Bhopal, India, resulting from the leak of thousands of tonnes of chemicals in December 1984; admonishes the Indian government for its negligence in failing to clean up the chemical waste following the disaster; highlights with great sadness the thousands of lives lost directly after the leak and in the 20 years after and the 100,000 people continuing to suffer from health problems from contaminated water supplies and daily exposure to chemicals; and calls on the Indian government to act immediately to end this injustice and clean up the area so that local people can be free from this suffering and distress.","date":"2009-11-24","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"39728","proposer":"11923","edm":"188","session":"2009-10","title":"Imprisonment Of Hakamada Iwao","text":"That this House denounces the injustice of the imprisonment of Hakamada Iwao who has been in jail on death row in Japan for 41 years for a crime he did not commit; condemns the fact that for 29 of these years Mr Iwao was in solitary confinement which has led to him suffering from mental illness; highlights that he was convicted in 1968 for the murder of a family of four on the basis of a confession he says was extracted under duress and which he retracted at his trial; notes that of the three judges at Mr Iwao's trial, one has publicly stated that he believes Mr Iwao is innocent; and calls on the Japanese government to end this injustice immediately and give Mr Iwao the fair trial which he deserves.","date":"2009-11-24","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"39730","proposer":"10608","edm":"190","session":"2009-10","title":"Dow Chemicals And The Bhopal Disaster","text":"That this House regrets that a quarter of a century after the world's worst industrial massacre, the people of Bhopal remain in an endless cycle of suffering that has cast them in a perpetual state of victimhood and that, 25 years on, Dow Chemicals continues to express contempt for the rule of law by refusing to produce the prime accused in court or abide by the universal obligation of the polluter pays principle thereby denying those grievously harmed the remotest prospect of natural justice; further notes that as a direct consequence 25,000 people are daily, exposed to water heavily contaminated with volatile organic chemicals known to cause cancer, organ damage and birth deformities arising in a third generation of Bhopal victims; believes that ethical corporate governance is a prerequisite of international commerce today and until it is made to be accountable Dow Chemicals' culpable neglect of Bhopal creates a legacy of corporate impunity; and urges the EU to proactively engage the government of India through its Empowered Commission to set the agenda for a site contamination assessment of the former Union Carbide Corporation site in Bhopal City as a prelude to brokering an agreement to clean up the site 25 years after the disaster.","date":"2009-11-24","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"39761","proposer":"11323","edm":"221","session":"2009-10","title":"Vedanta Resources Plc","text":"That this House notes the unethical practices of Indian-owned Vedanta Resources and its subsidiaries, including the destruction of the homes, culture and livelihood of the Kond adivasi tribal people and the devastating environmental impact of the companies' activities; condemns the long-term and continuing support provided by the Department for International Development for the company and its subsidiaries, including arranging their introduction to the UK Stock Exchange in December 2003 and their continuing support through various agencies including Building Partnership for Development; further notes that Vedanta Resources and their subsidiaries are on the Norwegian government's list of banned companies; and urges the UK Government to launch a thorough investigation into the support that the Department for International Development and other Government departments and sectors continue to give to Vedanta Resources and their subsidiaries.","date":"2009-11-24","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"39661","proposer":"10295","edm":"124","session":"2009-10","title":"Dolphin Slaughter In Japan","text":"That this House condemns the annual Japanese dolphin hunt that takes place between September and March; questions the Japanese government's claim that the slaughtering of dolphins is necessary pest control; finds no reason to slaughter on average thousands of dolphins in Japanese waters; is concerned that the majority of Japanese people are not aware of the practice and are buying chemically enhanced dolphin meat disguised as whale meat; notes the work of the British group Campaign Whale and their work in collaboration with the international Save Japan Dolphins coalition; and calls on the Government to support these groups in raising awareness of the issue.","date":"2009-11-19","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"39550","proposer":"10521","edm":"13","session":"2009-10","title":"Treatment Of Dogs In China","text":"That this House supports the joint working of Animals Asia Foundation and the Kennel Club in continuing to highlight the inhumane treatment of dogs in China; is appalled by the acts of extreme cruelty which take place in China's animal markets; notes that millions of dogs have been skinned alive and killed for fur and meat; condemns the cruel ways in which these animals are raised, transported and slaughtered; calls on the Government to do everything in its power to encourage the Chinese government to bring about an urgent end to this barbaric practice, including raising the subject with the Chinese Ambassador in the UK; and further calls directly on the Chinese government to bring its laws and practices into the 21st century in relation to animal welfare standards.","date":"2009-11-18","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"39431","proposer":"10657","edm":"2133A1","session":"2008-09","title":"Human Rights In Tibet And China","text":"at end add `and regrets that no debate took place in the House at the time of the Government's change of policy towards Tibet.'.","date":"2009-10-27","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"39395","proposer":"10123","edm":"2150","session":"2008-09","title":"Executions In Lhasa, Tibet, 20 October 2009","text":"That this House is shocked and saddened by the news of the deplorable judicial executions of Lobsang Gyaltsen and Loyak in Lhasa on 20 October 2009; fully supports the Minister of State's condemnation of these executions and the doubts expressed in his Statement on the lack of due legal processes in these cases; calls on the Government urgently to follow up its concerns about lack of due process; further urges the Government to state clearly what measures it will take to ensure the Chinese government reviews the cases of those who remain under sentence of death for their alleged involvement in last year's unrest; and further calls on the Government to obtain clarification on reports that two further Tibetans were executed at the same time and, if the report is verified, under what legal processes these executions were carried out since there is no information on any other Tibetans having received death sentences without reprieve.","date":"2009-10-26","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"39367","proposer":"10282","edm":"2133","session":"2008-09","title":"Human Rights In Tibet And China","text":"That this House notes the Foreign Affairs select committee's recent statement that there is little evidence that the Government's policy of constructive engagement is leading to any significant human rights improvements in Tibet and China; further notes that the change made in 2008 by the Government to view Tibet henceforth as part of China was made without parliamentary oversight and has failed to lead to the human rights gains in return that were predicted by the Foreign Secretary at the time; recognises that the Government's weakening commitment to protect human rights in Tibet in recent years has coincided with a dramatic worsening of the human rights situation in Tibet; calls on the Foreign Affairs select committee to conduct a formal inquiry into the effectiveness of strategies being employed by the Government within its overall policy towards China, to protect and promote the human rights of the Tibetan and Chinese people.","date":"2009-10-21","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"39311","proposer":"10231","edm":"2080","session":"2008-09","title":"Kashmir Conflict","text":"That this House records that 27 October 2009 marks the 62nd anniversary of the Indian occupation of large areas of the state of Jammu and Kashmir; welcomes the improvement in confidence-building measures between India and Pakistan; but notes that the respective governments have made little progress in settling the core issue at the heart of the Kashmir dispute, which is the right of the people of Kashmir to determine their own future.","date":"2009-10-19","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"39318","proposer":"10421","edm":"2087","session":"2008-09","title":"Dolphin Hunting","text":"That this House notes with concern that the Japanese government continues to issue quotas for the slaughter of around 20,000 dolphins, porpoises and whales in its coastal waters each year despite the International Whaling Commission's ban on commercial whaling; is appalled that almost half a million dolphins, porpoises and whales have been cruelly slaughtered in Japanese waters since implementation of the international whaling ban in 1986; is further concerned that the dolphin hunts are driving some populations to extinction; is alarmed at the considerable health concerns arising from high levels of mercury and other toxins found in whale, dolphin and porpoise products that are sold for public consumption, and even included in school lunches in Japan; and urges the Prime Minister to make the strongest possible representations to the new Japanese government calling on it to stop all whale, dolphin and porpoise hunts immediately.","date":"2009-10-19","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"39272","proposer":"11892","edm":"2042","session":"2008-09","title":"Persecution Of Christians In Orissa State","text":"That this House condemns the violent persecution of Christians in Orissa State, India; calls for the immediate ending of this religious persecution and for the Government to press the Indian authorities to ensure the safety and religious freedom of Christians throughout India to ensure that the perpetrators are tried and that justice is done on behalf of the victims; to urge that this should include a witness protection programme; to call upon the Indian authorities to give priority to the continued protection of the Christian minority; and to restoring peace and promoting reconciliation so that Hindus, Christians and all other religious minorities can live once again in a culture of tolerance and respect.","date":"2009-10-14","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"39248","proposer":"10351","edm":"2019","session":"2008-09","title":"Relations Between Republic Of Turkey And Republic Of Armenia","text":"That this House welcomes the recent Protocols on the Development of Relations and the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the Republic of Turkey and the Republic of Armenia, signed by the Turkish Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu and his Armenian counterpart, Edward Nalbandian in Zurich on 10 October 2009; finds these developments very encouraging for the creation and maintenance of an atmosphere of trust and confidence between the two countries; applauds the desire by both sides to develop bilateral cooperation in political, economic, cultural and other fields; notes the mutual commitment to respect equality, sovereignty and non-intervention in the internal affairs of other states, territorial integrity and inviolability of frontiers and condemnation of all forms of terrorism, violence and extremism irrespective of their cause; welcomes the agreement to open the common border between the two countries and establish an intergovernmental bilateral commission for regular political consultations between the two countries; notes the agreement to implement dialogue on the historical dimension with the aim of restoring mutual confidence between the two nations; and believes these developments will strengthen peace, security and stability in the region as a whole.","date":"2009-10-13","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"39197","proposer":"10133","edm":"1970","session":"2008-09","title":"Sanctions Against Sri Lanka","text":"That this House welcomes the work of Act Now and the British Tamil Forces in hosting a meeting in the House of Commons on 21 July 2009; notes the continual suffering of the Tamil people in camps and reports of depopulation of the east of the country; further welcomes the proposals of the meeting calling for the suspension of Sri Lanka from the Commonwealth in view of the human rights violations; calls on the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund to refuse development aid and loans; further calls on British-based and owned banks not to engage in activity with the government of Sri Lanka; and further calls upon the Government to take all possible diplomatic action to isolate the government of Sri Lanka in view of its abuse of human rights.","date":"2009-07-21","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"39124","proposer":"10001","edm":"1902","session":"2008-09","title":"Vedanta Resources Plc And The Niyamgiri Region","text":"That this House supports the Kondh tribal people of Niyamgiri, India in opposing the British-listed company Vedanta Resources plc project to construct a bauxite mine in the area; recognises that the plans will cause immense irreversible environmental damage to an area of great conservation significance; further recognises that Niyamgiri is also the ancestral and spiritual home to thousands of people who depend on it for their food, livelihoods, culture and as the seat of their god; and calls on the Government to take action to prevent Vedanta Resources plc from constructing the bauxite mine in that area.","date":"2009-07-15","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"39080","proposer":"10203","edm":"1860","session":"2008-09","title":"PRESIDENT ALIEV'S VISIT TO BRITAIN","text":"That this House is deeply concerned with the rapidly deteriorating human rights situation in Azerbaijan; condemns the attacks and imprisonment of youth activists in Azerbaijan on 10 July 2009; calls on the Government to demand their immediate release and an end to prosecution of independent media and opposition activists and to restore BBC Radio broadcasting, shut down by the Aliev government earlier this year; and hopes that the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs will robustly defend human rights during President Ilham Aliev's current visit to the UK.","date":"2009-07-13","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"39022","proposer":"10120","edm":"1813","session":"2008-09","title":"East Timor","text":"That this House welcomes the exhibition in Parliament this week, from 6 July 2009, highlighting the sufferings of the Timorese people under the illegal Indonesian occupation between 1975 and 1999; commends the UK Government for funding part of the truth and reconciliation process in East Timor, culminating in the release of the Chega! report in 2006; hopes that Parliament in East Timor will soon debate the report and establish a mechanism to facilitate the implementation of its recommendations; and calls on the UK Government to act on the recommendations addressed to it in the Chega! report, and to consider contributing financially to the establishment and the work of the mechanism agreed upon by the Parliament in East Timor.","date":"2009-07-03","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"39023","proposer":"11473","edm":"1814","session":"2008-09","title":"Religious Freedom In China","text":"That this House notes the Chinese government's systematic persecution of those peacefully expressing their beliefs, including detention without trial, torture and judicial execution; further notes, in particular, that July 2009 marks the tenth year of the use of these measures against Falun Gong practitioners; further notes the Vice-President of the European Parliament\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s request to the UN Secretary General to initiate an inquiry into this issue; and calls on the Government to support unequivocally the Vice President\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s call for an inquiry, and to make representations to the UN Secretary General to that effect.","date":"2009-07-03","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"38879","proposer":"10785","edm":"1688","session":"2008-09","title":"Samantha Orobator (No. 2)","text":"That this House notes the decision by the Laotian court in Vientiane on 3 June 2009 to sentence Samantha Orobator to life imprisonment; further notes that Samantha pleaded guilty to the charges of drug smuggling; further notes the recent agreement between Britain and Laos regarding prison transfers; calls on both nations to ratify the agreement as a matter of urgency; and further calls on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to do all it can to ensure Samantha returns home as soon as possible so she can serve her sentence in the UK.","date":"2009-06-17","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"38781","proposer":"10356","edm":"1603","session":"2008-09","title":"Political Prisoners In Laos","text":"That this House expresses profound concern about the human rights situation in Laos; notes that political prisoners continue to be held in detention in harsh conditions; condemns the continuing imprisonment after more than nine years of peaceful protestors Thongpaseuth Keuakoun, Seng-Aloun Phengphanh and Bouavanh Chanhmanivong; calls for a review of the charges against ethnic Hmong Thao Moua and Pa Fue Khang, imprisoned after a politically-motivated trial in June 2003 for their involvement with European journalists in researching a news story about the plight of the Hmong hiding in the jungles of Laos; further condemns the refusal of the Lao government to allow independent observers, including UN agencies, to monitor the situation of Lao Hmong refugees and asylum seekers returned to Laos from Thailand during the past three years; and further calls on the Government to draw these violations of human rights to the urgent attention of the UN.","date":"2009-06-08","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"38766","proposer":"10169","edm":"1588","session":"2008-09","title":"Historic Treatment Of Minorities In Turkey","text":"That this House notes the statement by the Turkish Prime Minister recognising that Turkey's minorities have been ethnically cleansed; calls on the Government also to recognise this fact; suggests that a measure of restitution which could be made by the government of Turkey to demonstrate its good intentions would be the return to the jurisdiction of the respective Patriarchates the 2,000 Armenian, Assyrian and Syriac churches and religious monuments which were expropriated in 1923 by the Turkish State under the law of abandoned properties following the events of the 1915 Genocide; and urges the Government to make representations to Turkey to this effect.","date":"2009-06-03","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"38750","proposer":"10218","edm":"1572","session":"2008-09","title":"Tipaimukh Dam","text":"That this House notes that the Indian government intends to proceed with the building of the Tipaimukh Dam near the border with Bangladesh; further notes that there is widespread and justified concern amongst many Bangladeshis, people of Bangladeshi origin, environmentalists and naturalists about the implications of this project and in particular for the future of Sylhet; further notes that many British citizens have family and property in Sylhet; and believes that the British Government should make urgent representations to the Indian government not to proceed with this project until such time as there are sufficient reassurances about water supply, the security of the dam and its full environmental impact, and that the project should be abandoned if such reassurances are not forthcoming.","date":"2009-06-02","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"38727","proposer":"10785","edm":"1550","session":"2008-09","title":"Samantha Orobator","text":"That this House is seriously concerned by the incarceration of the pregnant Briton Samantha Orobator, currently detained in deplorable prison conditions in Laos; is concerned for Samantha's health given the poor dietary provisions in Laos prisons; voices its concern that it has not been possible to ascertain how Samantha became pregnant four months after her arrest; notes that Samantha has not been granted adequate access to counsel; further notes that the Laos authorities have moved Samantha's trial date on numerous occasions, causing distress to Samantha and making her legal defence difficult; further notes that due to Samantha's pregnancy it will be unsafe for Samantha to fly after 6 June 2009; and calls on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to do all it can to ensure that the Laos authorities set an immediate trial date as a matter of urgency and ensure that Samantha returns to the UK before 6 June 2009.","date":"2009-06-01","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"38681","proposer":"10614","edm":"1511","session":"2008-09","title":"Indian Election","text":"That this House congratulates the Congress Party on its victory in the recent Indian election; applauds the leadership of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Party President Sonia Gandhi; commends the successful administration of the electoral process in the world's largest democracy; and looks forward to the Indian and British governments continuing to work together in the future.","date":"2009-05-18","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"38692","proposer":"10383","edm":"1522","session":"2008-09","title":"Protection Of Sikh Families In Pakistan","text":"That this House notes the deep concern felt within the British Punjabi community at the reports of attacks on Sikhs by Taliban militants in the Aurakzai area of Pakistan, which has resulted in the demolition of Sikh homes and businesses and the flight of Sikh families to seek refuge in gurdwaras; and calls on the Government to urge the Pakistani government to do all it can to ensure the protection of Sikhs from attacks by extremists and, wherever necessary, compensate and secure the safe relocation of Sikh families.","date":"2009-05-18","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"38661","proposer":"10120","edm":"1490","session":"2008-09","title":"Aung San Suu Kyi","text":"That this House deplores the decision of Burma's regime to move the democracy leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Aung San Suu Kyi, to Insein prison to face charges relating to an incident involving a US citizen who broke into her compound last week; is dismayed by her unlawful detention under house arrest for 13 of the 19 years since the military junta refused to recognise the 1990 landslide victory of her party, the National League for Democracy; is concerned that this incident could give the military junta a convenient reason to extend her unlawful detention, which was meant to end shortly; is concerned about reports of a deterioration in Ms Suu Kyi's health; calls on the international community to do more to secure the release of political prisoners in Burma and to disregard the results of next year's elections if they are not free and fair; and applauds the European Union for extending its sanctions against the regime, including an arms embargo, a travel ban on Burma\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s leaders and a freezing of their assets in Europe.","date":"2009-05-14","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"38617","proposer":"10578","edm":"1452","session":"2008-09","title":"Political Prisoners In Burma","text":"That this House welcomes the Free Burma's Political Prisoners Now campaign being organised by former political prisoners from Burma; congratulates the organisers on securing 250,000 signatures in support of the campaign; notes that more than 2,100 political prisoners languish in Burma's gaols, having committed no crime other than to want freedom and democracy, or to deliver aid to victims of Cyclone Nargis; expresses deep concern that political prisoners are deliberately being denied medical treatment; supports the call for UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to make it his personal priority to secure the release of all of Burma's political prisoners; and calls on the Government to do all it can to assist the UN Secretary General in this objective.","date":"2009-05-07","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"38605","proposer":"10133","edm":"1441","session":"2008-09","title":"Dr Binayak Sen","text":"That this House is concerned that Dr Binayak Sen, a public health and human rights campaigner in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh, has been detained for nearly two years on what Amnesty International considers politically-motivated and trumped-up charges to silence his dissent of State authorities and activities; is aware that Chhattisgarh is of particular interest to the UK as one of six focus states of India for the Department for International Development; is concerned that there have been repeated delays in giving Dr Sen a fair trial and that he has been denied his constitutional right to bail repeatedly; recognises Dr Sen's contribution to community health and human rights as attested by the award of the 2008 Jonathan Mann Award for Global Health and Human Rights; expresses concern about the deterioration of Dr Sen's health due to lack of appropriate medical care; and therefore calls on the Chhattisgarh state government to release Dr Sen immediately on bail pending a fair and prompt trial so that he is able to carry out his work as a public health and human rights activist without harassment and free from fear; and calls also on the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to intervene in this grave case of violation of human rights.","date":"2009-05-06","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"38521","proposer":"10526","edm":"1362","session":"2008-09","title":"Settlement For Former Gurkha Soldiers And The Home Affairs Select Committee","text":"That this House believes that the new guidelines announced by the Home Office for the settlement of former Gurkha soldiers are unnecessarily restrictive, morally wrong and offensive to those dedicated Gurkha soldiers who are denied the opportunity to serve for the 20 year minimum period afforded to those of the rank of Warrant Officer and above; supports the decision of the Home Affairs Select Committee to call Ministers from the Home Office and Ministry of Defence to examine the consequences of this decision and to ascertain how many former Gurkhas would qualify for settlement and how many of the approximately 1,500 Gurkhas, including Falklands veterans, currently awaiting the outcome of their appeals would face deportation under the new guidelines; and calls on the Government to withdraw these guidelines and bring forward a new and more equitable ruling.","date":"2009-04-28","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"38532","proposer":"10282","edm":"1373","session":"2008-09","title":"Death Penalty In Tibet","text":"That this House opposes the use of the death penalty; condemns the recent imposition of the death penalty by the Lhasa Intermediate People's Court on Tibetans, Lobsang Gyaltsen and Loyak, having found them guilty of arson attacks in Lhasa in March 2008 which led to confirmed deaths; further condemns the recent imposition of the death penalty, each with a two year reprieve, by the same court on Tibetans Tenzin Phuntsok, Kangtsuk and on a 21-year-old Tibetan woman, Penkyi, also for arson attacks in Lhasa in March 2008, which led to confirmed deaths; is concerned that evidence against these individuals is unsound, with one of the convicted found guilty on the basis of a confession only months after the UN Committee Against Torture concluded that China regularly uses torture as a means of extracting confessions in criminal proceedings; is further concerned that the trials of those named above were not conducted in accordance with judicial standards and that the death sentences passed are therefore unsafe; calls on the relevant Chinese authorities to rescind the aforementioned death sentences and to provvide unfettered access to Tibet and all Tibetan-populated regions, including court proceedings, for journalists, consular staff based in Beijing and independent observers; and further calls on the British Government publicly to raise its concerns regarding the cases with the Chinese government.","date":"2009-04-28","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"38513","proposer":"10383","edm":"1358","session":"2008-09","title":"Settlement For Former Gurkha Soldiers","text":"That this House expresses its extreme disappointment at the Government's announcement of new guidelines for the settlement for former Gurkha soldiers which limits applications for settlement to former soldiers who have served 20 years or more or who have been awarded the highest military honours; believes that the Government's decision fails to recognise the long history of dedicated service to this country by Gurkha soldiers; and calls upon the Government to think again on this issue and bring forward a new and more positive statement.","date":"2009-04-27","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"38487","proposer":"10057","edm":"1336","session":"2008-09","title":"Human Rights In Burma","text":"That this House expresses profound concern at the desperate and deteriorating human rights situation in Burma; condemns the continuing widespread and systematic use of rape as a weapon of war, torture, forced labour, forced relocation, religious persecution, forcible recruitment of child soldiers and use of human minesweepers by the military regime; further condemns the military offensives in eastern Burma, including attacks on civilians, resulting in the internal displacement of one million people and the destruction of more than 3,300 villages in eastern Burma alone, and the imprisonment of over 2,100 political prisoners and continued detention of Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi; calls on Her Majesty's Government to draw these gross violations of human rights to the urgent attention of the UN Security Council and the Secretary-General; urges Her Majesty's Government, along with other governments, to propose the establishment of a commission of inquiry to investigate allegations of crimes against humanity and war crimes in Burma; and urges the UN to invoke the principle of Responsibility to Protect in relation to the crisis in Burma.","date":"2009-04-23","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"38479","proposer":"10614","edm":"1328","session":"2008-09","title":"Child Poverty In Mumbai","text":"That this House notes the serious problem of child poverty in Mumbai; congratulates Celador Films and Film4, the makers of Slumdog Millionaire, for their commitment to provide a \u00c2\u00a3500,000 funding package to tackle child poverty in Mumbai; notes with grave concern recent media coverage regarding the child actors in the film, in particular Rubina Ali; welcomes the efforts of the Indian authorities to investigate these allegations; encourages other filmmakers to provide sufficient support for the communities in which they produce films; and calls on the Government to work with the Indian government and the organisations involved in the delivery of the funding package to ensure that the film leaves a positive legacy in Mumbai.","date":"2009-04-22","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"38458","proposer":"10147","edm":"1311","session":"2008-09","title":"Sri Lanka (No.4)","text":"That this House notes with concern reports from the International Red Cross that ongoing fighting between Tamil and government forces in Sri Lanka continues to leave a trail of civilian casualties in its wake while depriving access to substantive medical care and hope of evacuation away from areas of conflict; calls on the Sri Lankan government and Tamil forces to work towards a ceasefire to protect the civilian population from further harm as a result of this conflict; and urges the UK Government to work with international partners to do all in its powers to enable full access to humanitarian assistance for the people of Sri Lanka while continuing with exhaustive efforts to achieve a durable ceasefire that will minimise human suffering in that country.","date":"2009-04-21","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"38381","proposer":"10647","edm":"1257","session":"2008-09","title":"TAIWAN'S PARTICIPATION IN WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION","text":"That this House regrets that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has opposed including Taiwan's participation as an observer to the World Health Assembly (WHA) on its agenda since 1997; notes that the 62nd WHA will convene between 18 and 27 May 2009; recognises that disease knows no boundaries and there should be no gap in the global public health network; contends that the WHO should not ignore the health rights of the 23 million people of Taiwan; applauds the valuable medical assistance and humanitarian aid provided by Taiwan's public and private sectors worldwide exceeding US$450 million over the last decade; applauds President Ma Ying-jeou of Taiwan having improved the cross-Taiwan Strait relations while effectively safeguarding Taiwan's sovereignty since assuming office on 20 May 2008; welcomes WHO's recent inclusion of Taiwan in the mechanisms of the International Health Regulations; further notes that the Mainline Chinese leadership has recently expressed certain goodwill in Taiwan's bid for WHA observer status; urges mainland China to play a positive role further in Taiwan's participation in international organisations where Taiwan wishes to make a contribution; regrets that the UK Government has only supported Taiwan's meaningful participation in the WHO rather than Taiwan's WHA observer status; strongly encourages the UK Government to support Taiwan's justifiable bid for WHA observer status to institutionalise Taiwan's meaningful participation in WHO activities; and urges the WHO Director-General to invite Taiwan on its own merits as a WHA observer to ensure no gap in the global public health network.","date":"2009-04-01","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"38132","proposer":"10022","edm":"1034","session":"2008-09","title":"Political Situation In Tibet","text":"That this House condemns the state of de facto martial law that Tibet has been subjected to by the Chinese government on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the Tibetan Uprising and the flight of the Dalai Lama; recognises the severe impact on basic human rights and freedoms the present Chinese approach is having on the Tibetan people; notes that Tibetans continue to be tortured and killed and that thousands are subject to arbitrary and heavy-handed restrictions of movement; and calls on the Chinese government to end the de facto martial law and to lift the official ban on access to Tibet for journalists and aid organisations.","date":"2009-03-10","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"38097","proposer":"11522","edm":"1003","session":"2008-09","title":"Sri Lanka (No. 3)","text":"That this House is concerned at reports of continuing loss of civilian lives in safety zones through military bombardment in the conflict in Sri Lanka; and calls on the Government to renew its efforts to secure an end to hostilities.","date":"2009-03-09","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"38090","proposer":"10123","edm":"998","session":"2008-09","title":"Venerable Palden Gyatso And Human Rights In Tibet","text":"That this House welcomes the arrival to Britain, at the invitation of the Tibet Society, of the former political prisoner, the Venerable Palden Gyatso, to speak of his experiences; notes with deep regret the suffering and torture he endured during 33 years of imprisonment following detainment in 1959 for peaceful protest; commends his commitment to peacefully calling for the rights and freedom of his people; further notes with sadness that 50 years on the human rights situation in Palden's homeland of Tibet remains critical, with continuing oppressive measures being imposed upon the Tibetan people by Chinese government policies, such as patriotic re-education, arbitrary arrests and torture in detention and the use of brutal force against Tibetans who publicly demonstrate; and offers its support for a just and fair solution for the Tibetan people.","date":"2009-03-05","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"38059","proposer":"13934","edm":"975","session":"2008-09","title":"Attacks On Journalists In Pakistan","text":"That this House condemns the recent murderous attack on journalists by unknown armed gunmen in Pakistan including the recent brutal killing of Maulana Iftikhar Ahmed Habibi, the renowned scholar and leader of Jamaat Ahl-e-Sunnat Wal Jamaat-Noorani province and regular Islamic commentator on Pakistan TV; and calls for the British Government to urge the Pakistan government to do all it can to catch and punish the perpetrators of these attacks, to devise a strategy and policy to ensure journalists' safety and to protect essential freedoms of the press in a democratic society.","date":"2009-03-04","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"38061","proposer":"13934","edm":"977","session":"2008-09","title":"Attacks On Sri Lanka Cricket Team In Pakistan","text":"That this House condemns the murderous attacks on the Sri Lanka cricket team and match officials by unknown armed gunmen in Lahore, Pakistan on 2 March 2009 that left six policemen and the driver of one of the buses in the team's convoy dead and seven players and officials injured; expresses sincere condolences to all those affected by these vicious attacks on innocent civilians; further condemns the targeting of cricket, a unifying and peaceful force in Pakistan, by the perpetrators; and calls for the Government to work with the Pakistan government to do all it can to catch and punish the perpetrators of these attacks and to devise a strategy to ensure that at some point in the future cricket can again be played in Pakistan without fear of terrorist attack.","date":"2009-03-04","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"38062","proposer":"10022","edm":"978","session":"2008-09","title":"50th Anniversary Of The Tibetan National Uprising","text":"That this House notes the 50th anniversary on 10 March 2009 of the Tibetan National Uprising; draws attention to the unique historical position of Great Britain and Tibet whereby Great Britain had direct diplomatic and trade links with Tibet and maintained a permanent diplomatic mission in Tibet between 1933 to 1947; further notes that the Written Ministerial Statement of 29 October 2008, which changed the British Government's long-held position on the status of Tibet, was made without receiving any assurance from the Chinese government that it will make genuine progress on the issue of Tibet; in view of the Government's strong concerns on human rights issues inside Tibet, also expressed in the Ministerial Statement, including the situation of those remaining in detention, the increased constraints on religious activity and the limitations on free access to the Tibet Autonomous Region by diplomats and journalists, urgently calls on the Government to act on these concerns and give effect to its stated commitment to seek a solution for Tibet; and further calls on the Government to draft a list of practical actions that address these issues, with a clear framework to monitor progress, that the Chinese government can adopt in order to work to bring about genuine justice to the Tibetan people.","date":"2009-03-04","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"38014","proposer":"13934","edm":"935","session":"2008-09","title":"Sri Lanka (No. 2)","text":"That this House notes with grave concern the deepening crisis in Sri Lanka, in which more than 2,000 lives have been lost since January alone; laments the dearth of coverage in the Western media of the crisis and thus the failure of the media to tell the world what is happening in Sri Lanka; further notes the extensive and appropriate coverage of the conflict in Gaza in which estimates suggest 1,300 lives were lost; highlights the meeting of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group in London on Wednesday 4 March; and calls on the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group to suspend Sri Lanka from the Commonwealth until a ceasefire has been established and its government grants a UN monitoring mission unfettered access to the country, allows international aid agencies access to the Vanni region and resumes peace negotiations.","date":"2009-03-02","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"37986","proposer":"10459","edm":"907","session":"2008-09","title":"Detention Of Abdullah Ocalan","text":"That this House notes with deep concern the continued isolation and reported ill-treatment of Abdullah Ocalan on Imrali Island since 1999; further notes that in 2005 the European Court of Human Rights Grand Chamber unanimously concluded on his case that the applicant did not have a fair trial and that the Council of Europe Anti-Torture Committee defined physical and psychological assaults against him as torture; believes that a fully inclusive and peaceful solution to the Kurdish question in Turkey is possible and should be pursued by the Turkish government as a priority; and calls on the Government to raise the treatment and continued confinement of Abdullah Ocalan with the Turkish authorities and support a sustainable solution to the Kurdish question.","date":"2009-02-26","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"37972","proposer":"10258","edm":"893","session":"2008-09","title":"Anniversary Of The Khojaly Massacre","text":"That this House calls on the Government to recognise the 17th anniversary of the Khojaly massacre and use it as an opportunity to launch a new international peace effort to resolve the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict; notes that the non-resolution of the conflict is a threat to the whole Caucasus region, as well as to UK investment in Azerbaijan; believes that the failure in reaching a peaceful resolution is largely due to the non-implementation by Armenia of UN Security Council Resolutions 822, 853, 874 and 884 which call for the withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan and for the return of the one million Azerbaijani refugees back to their homes; supports the resolution of the conflict while assuring the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, with high autonomy for the people of Nagorno-Karabakh; and highlights the fact that the UK is the largest foreign investor in Azerbaijan, with 5,000 expatriates and a 20 per cent. share in Azerbaijani oil.","date":"2009-02-25","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"37803","proposer":"10785","edm":"746","session":"2008-09","title":"Iwao Hakamada And The Death Penalty In Japan","text":"That this House notes with concern Japan's continued and increasing use of the death penalty; further notes the particular case of Mr Iwao Hakamada who will turn 73 on 10 March 2009; is concerned to hear that Mr Hakamada has spent almost 43 years in detention, including 29 years in solitary confinement on death row and as a consequence is suffering from serious mental illness; further notes the serious concerns raised about the manner of Mr Hakamada's conviction; further notes that former Judge Kumamoto, one of the judges in the original trial, has stated he believes Mr Hakamada to be innocent; further notes that former Judge Kumamoto travelled to the UN office in New York in 2008 where he further voiced his concerns regarding Mr Hakamada's case; commends Amnesty International and a range of other organisations in raising the profile of Iwao Hakamada and other death row inmates; calls on the Japanese Minister of Justice to review the case and order a retrial; and further calls on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to raise these concerns with its Japanese counterparts and continue its valuable work with all governments and the United Nations to achieve a global moratorium on executions.","date":"2009-02-10","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"37781","proposer":"11522","edm":"726","session":"2008-09","title":"Bombing Of Ponnampalam Memorial Hospital In Sri Lanka","text":"That this House expresses its gravest concern at the bombing and destruction of Ponnampalam Memorial Hospital in Puthukkudiyiruppu killing scores and wounding many; and notes that Article 18 of the Fourth Geneva Convention which Sri Lanka ratified in February 1959 states that the civilian hospitals organised to give care to the wounded and sick, the infirm and maternity cases, may in no circumstances be the object of attack, but shall at all times be respected and protected by the parties to a conflict.","date":"2009-02-09","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"37782","proposer":"11522","edm":"727","session":"2008-09","title":"Conduct Of The Sri Lankan Government","text":"That this House notes the strong cross-party consensus of concern expressed during the topical debate on Sri Lanka about the conduct of the Sri Lankan government, including a robust statement from the Minister of State; and asks that the Government give voice to this concern at the UN Security Council.","date":"2009-02-09","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"37715","proposer":"11923","edm":"664","session":"2008-09","title":"Polavaram Dam","text":"That this House notes with concern the displacement of over 200,000 people from the largely tribal communities and marginalised castes in Andhra Pradesh, southern India as a result of the proposed construction of the Indira Sagar Polavaram Dam; further notes with concern that if built the dam will submerge an area equivalent to the size of the Isle of Wight at 147 square miles; expresses concern that the environmental and social damage this will cause and the impact this will have on forests, wildlife sanctuaries and fertile agricultural land; and calls for the proposals to build the Polavaram Dam to be reconsidered with immediate effect.","date":"2009-02-03","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"37721","proposer":"10785","edm":"670","session":"2008-09","title":"THAILAND'S TREATMENT OF ROHINGYA REFUGEES","text":"That this House is appalled that Thailand's navy has left around 1,000 Rohingya refugees adrift in the ocean in boats without engines or food or water; is deeply concerned that hundreds may have died as a result; notes that the Rohingya people face severe persecution in Burma, including denial of citizenship, a ban on marriage without government permission, severe restrictions of movement, religious persecution, extortion, land confiscation and restrictions on access to education; and calls on Thailand to grant UNHCR access to Rohingya refugees in Thailand, to end forced repatriations and to allow Rohingya and other refugees in Thailand to claim asylum and be given sanctuary.","date":"2009-02-03","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"37722","proposer":"10785","edm":"671","session":"2008-09","title":"Closure Of Churches In Rangoon","text":"That this House expresses deep concern at recent events in Burma with authorities in Rangoon ordering that services cease in at least a 100 local churches with a threat of prison for non-compliance; notes the concern of some of the local Christians who believe that the immediate cause of the crackdown is church involvement in providing relief for victims of Cyclone Nargis; further notes continued widespread discrimination against religious minorities and in some places violent persecution of Christians and Muslims in other parts of Burma; calls on the Government to raise concerns about religious freedom with the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC); urges the United Nations Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Religion and Belief to investigate violations of religious freedom in Burma; and calls on the United Nations Secretary General to increase and intensify efforts to urge the SPDC to cease its widespread violation of human rights, including violations of religious freedom, to release all political prisoners, to open all parts of the country to unhindered access for international humanitarian organisations and to engage in meaningful tripartite dialogue with the National League for Democracy and the ethnic nationalities.","date":"2009-02-03","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"37696","proposer":"11522","edm":"646","session":"2008-09","title":"Sri Lanka Ceasefire March","text":"That this House notes the importance of the march by the 100,000 people, a number as estimated by the Metropolitan Police, to have passed by the Palace of Westminster seeking a ceasefire in the conflict in Sri Lanka.","date":"2009-02-02","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"37697","proposer":"11522","edm":"647","session":"2008-09","title":"Sri Lanka Hospital Shelling","text":"That this House expresses its concern that according to reports from the International Committee of the Red Cross Puthukkudiyiruppu Hospital in the northern Vanni region of Sri Lanka has been shelled, so killing and injuring innocent civilians and hitting a crowded paediatric ward; and supports the Red Cross' call on both parties involved to respect their obligation to spare medical facilities and activities, as required by international humanitarian law.","date":"2009-02-02","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"37691","proposer":"10381","edm":"641","session":"2008-09","title":"Sri Lanka And The Commonwealth","text":"That this House notes the Harare Commonwealth Declaration 1991, which states that members share a commitment to certain fundamental principles including respect for human rights; further notes with grave concern the deepening crisis in Sri Lanka; and calls on the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group to suspend Sri Lanka from the Commonwealth until a ceasefire has been established and its government grants a UN monitoring mission unfettered access to the country, allows international aid agencies access to the Vanni region and resumes peace negotiations.","date":"2009-01-29","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"37661","proposer":"10256","edm":"615","session":"2008-09","title":"BBC Persian Television Service","text":"That this House congratulates the BBC World Service on its successful launch of BBC Persian Television on 14 January 2009, bringing high-quality accurate and impartial news, information and analysis on television from a global perspective to audiences in Iran, Afghanistan and beyond; recognises that the BBC has a distinguished history of broadcasting in Persian over 68 years with audiences that regard it as one of the most trusted, impartial and objective international radio news providers in the Persian-speaking world; applauds the BBC's decision to augment news with programmes on arts, culture, science, technology and sport in order to attract a diverse audience; notes that the channel will offer a vital opportunity for Persian speakers to debate and discuss major global issues; and further notes that in the same month the BBC's first specialist language television channel, BBC Arabic, which has made a substantial impact on the local television news market, was extended from 12 to 24 hours a day offering Arabic speakers round-the-clock news on television to supplement the existing radio and online services.","date":"2009-01-28","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"37643","proposer":"11522","edm":"606","session":"2008-09","title":"Year Of The Ox","text":"That this House looks forward to a munificent Year of the Ox, noting that the last Year of the Ox was munificent only for some.","date":"2009-01-27","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"37624","proposer":"11522","edm":"590","session":"2008-09","title":"Deaths In Sri Lanka","text":"That this House expresses its gravest concen at reports of the deaths of 350 internally displaced people in a safety zone in Varnn.","date":"2009-01-26","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"37588","proposer":"11522","edm":"559","session":"2008-09","title":"Bombing In Sri Lanka","text":"That this House expresses its grave concern about the bombing of the intensive care unit and the surgical site of the Mullaiththeevu hospital facility at Va'l'lipunam school in Sri Lanka.","date":"2009-01-22","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"37450","proposer":"10218","edm":"430","session":"2008-09","title":"Democratic Rights In South Korea","text":"That this House is concerned that the South Korean authorities have arrested leading figures in the Candlelight movement, which is protesting over the risk of BSE from imported US beef; notes that in addition to the arrest of Lee Seok-haeng of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, the house of the only Candlelight movement leader to escape arrest, Kim Kwang-il, has been illegally searched, and his telephone records used to harass other activists; further notes that Amnesty International has voiced concern at these actions and is investigating; believes that South Korea took a huge step forward with the end of the decades of military rule in 1988; strongly condemns this new 1980s-style repression; and calls on the South Korean authorities to respect the right to freedom of assembly and expression.","date":"2009-01-13","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"37413","proposer":"10614","edm":"398","session":"2008-09","title":"Ceasefire In Sri Lanka","text":"That this House condemns the violent atrocities in Sri Lanka which have resulted in the deaths of so many civilians, including the shocking murder of Mr Lasantha Wickramatunga and the entrance of armed guards into the offices of the country's largest private television broadcaster; believes that such incidents are a direct attack on press freedom; and calls for the British Government to take urgent action to help secure an immediate ceasefire on the part of all included in these conflicts.","date":"2009-01-12","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"37383","proposer":"11323","edm":"368","session":"2008-09","title":"Democratic Society Party And Turkey","text":"That this House deplores the proceedings taken in the Turkish Constitutional Court to ban the Turkish political party known as the Democratic Society Party (DTP), which has a large and important following among Turkey's Kurdish populace including 22 elected Kurdish members of the Turkish National Assembly, constituting its fourth largest faction dedicated to democratic principles and almost the only specifically Kurdish political voice available to the 18 to 20 million Kurdish-speaking people of Turkey who have long been deprived of due and proper ethnic recognition; urges the Government to call on the Turkish government actively to seek the withdrawal of those proceedings which endanger the fundamental principles of pluralistic democracy, and instead to ensure that the DTP and other political parties are permitted to participate in democratic activities and parliamentary procedures so that the political and cultural rights of the Kurdish people in Turkey and their social and economic development are not impeded by the state but are supported and encouraged; and notes that political and democratic conditions are created that will end the armed conflict and resolve the Kurdish question through peace, negotiation and dialogue.","date":"2008-12-18","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"37352","proposer":"10021","edm":"341","session":"2008-09","title":"Kurdish Politician Leyla Zana","text":"That this House strongly condemns the unfair trial, conviction and sentencing of the Kurdish politician and former DEP MP, Leyla Zana in Diyabakir Court, on 4 December 2008, under the Turkish Penal Code and the anti-terror law for comments which she made in nine speeches; recalls that Leyla Zana had previously been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment and spent 10 years in gaol following a trial subsequently declared unfair and unlawful by the European Court of Human Rights and that one of the crimes of which she was accused and convicted was having used the Kurdish language in the Turkish Parliament; notes that she is acknowledged across the free world as a courageous fighter for the human rights of the Kurdish people, including their freedom of speech, assembly and of association, all of which are rights enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights, of which Turkey is a signatory; further recalls that she was awarded the Sakharov Prize by the European Parliament in 2005 for her courage and integrity; and calls upon the Foreign Secretary to make known the revulsion of this House at this breach of Turkey's commitments in the context of the Copenhagen Criteria and this House's concern at current interpretations of the Turkish Penal Code and the unjust use by the Turkish authorities of Turkish anti-terror laws to target Kurdish politicians, which casts doubt on the sincerity of the assurances given by the Turkish government in support of its application to join the European Union.","date":"2008-12-17","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"37354","proposer":"10028","edm":"343","session":"2008-09","title":"United Nations And Political Prisoners In Burma","text":"That this House condemns the arrest of over a thousand further political prisoners since the democracy uprising in September 2007, bringing the total to more than 2,100; further condemns the sentencing of hundreds of these activists to long jail terms; notes that many of the prisoners have been moved to jails hundreds of miles from where their families live; further notes that the United Nations Security Council, United Nations General Assembly, European Union and ASEAN have all called for the release of political prisoners in Burma and that these calls have been ignored; further notes that 37 visits by United Nations envoys have failed to secure a single reform; calls on the United Nations Secretary General to travel to Burma to negotiate the release of all political prisoners; further calls on the United Nations Security Council to pass a resolution giving full support to the Secretary General's efforts; and further calls on the British Government to continue to work for a Resolution by the Security Council.","date":"2008-12-17","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"37314","proposer":"10527","edm":"305","session":"2008-09","title":"Human Rights In Kazakhstan","text":"That this House notes with concern the findings of the Human Rights Watch report An Atmosphere of Quiet Repression, detailing the poor state of human rights in Kazakhstan; furthers notes that serious improvement should be expected for when Kazakhstan chairs the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe in 2010; believes that too little progress has been made to improving the situation; and calls on the Government to put more pressure on the Kazakh government to rectify the poor regard for human rights in the country.","date":"2008-12-16","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"37317","proposer":"13934","edm":"308","session":"2008-09","title":"Recent Attacks Against Christians In Orissa India","text":"That this House is deeply disturbed by the systematic attacks perpetrated against the Christian community in Kandhamal and other districts of Orissa state in India following the deplorable assassination of Swami Lakhmananda Saraswati, which has been characterised by brutal murder, arson, destruction of Christian institutions and places of worship, looting of property and retributive rape and which has resulted in a significant number of deaths; notes the European Parliament resolution of 24 September 2008 which `expresses deep concern at the recent attacks on Christians in Orissa'; further reports that Christians in the area have been coerced into renouncing their faith; observes that anti-Christian violence has intensified in other states since the outbreak in Orissa; strongly condemns the violence; further notes that no effective prosecutorial action was brought after an outbreak of anti-Christian violence in Kandhamal district in December 2007; further notes that relatively few complaints have been registered by police in Orissa and that the capacity of the police force to investigate the violence is very limited; and calls for bilateral representations to be made to the Indian government to call for the restoration of peace and stability in Orissa and the bringing to justice of inciters and perpetrators of the violence, and to consider what assistance the UK may offer for relief and rehabilitation and addressing the root causes of the violence.","date":"2008-12-16","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"37329","proposer":"10295","edm":"320","session":"2008-09","title":"Cafod And The Hallmark Nickel Project In The Philippines","text":"That this House supports the work of CAFOD in exposing the significant reservations about the Hallmark Nickel project in the Philippines run by BHP Billiton, the world's largest mining company; notes the potential impact this project will have on the local community which relies mostly on fishing and farming to survive; expresses concern that CAFOD's investigation has found flaws in the community consent process, allegations of bribery by BHP Billiton's local partner and Philippine government officials, lack of transparency and information sharing with the community and potential dangers to the environment and to local livelihoods; calls on BHP Billiton and the Philippine government to act on the recommendations in CAFOD's report; recognises that the private sector is an essential part of economic growth but that businesses need to operate within an effective regulatory framework which balances profits against the needs of citizens and reduces the risk of bribery; calls on the UK to adopt a new anti-bribery law that complies fully with the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development Anti-Bribery Convention and covers corporate liability for corruption abroad; and calls on the Government to introduce legislation requiring companies to disclose information about the human rights, environmental and social impacts of private sector projects as well as the payments they make to governments on a country by country basis, in order for citizens to access the information they need about the costs and benefits of such projects.","date":"2008-12-16","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"37275","proposer":"10220","edm":"274","session":"2008-09","title":"Celebrating Vibrant Gujarat","text":"That this House celebrates the United Kingdom's role as the largest foreign direct investor into the State of Gujarat, birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi; and welcomes the Festival of Vibrant Gujarat linking commerce and culture as a focus of community harmony for all the people of Gujarat.","date":"2008-12-11","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"37240","proposer":"11199","edm":"242","session":"2008-09","title":"Bears In China","text":"That this House welcomes the progress that is being made by the Animals Asia Foundation towards bringing an end to the abhorrent abuse of over 7,000 bears on farms in China; recognises that bear farmers and stakeholders in the industry continue to maintain that conditions on the farms are humane, whilst some evidence points to the contrary; notes that bears are kept for up to 22 years in cramped, rusting cages, with little room to stand up or turn around; further notes that bears continue to suffer in the most deplorable conditions, with metal catheters implanted deep into their gall bladders and infected fistula holes in their abdomens, enabling farmers to milk the bears for their bile twice daily; congratulates the Chinese government's work in partnership with the Animals Asia Foundation in rescuing 247 bears from bear farms to date; and calls on the British Government to do everything in its power to encourage the Chinese government to bring about an urgent end to this barbaric practice.","date":"2008-12-10","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"37145","proposer":"10614","edm":"153","session":"2008-09","title":"England Cricket Team And Test Series In India","text":"That this House welcomes and applauds the decision of the England cricket team to return to India for the Test series; considers that this will further strengthen the sporting links and the bonds of friendship between the UK and India; and wishes both teams the best of luck for what will be an excellent sporting occasion.","date":"2008-12-08","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"37130","proposer":"10258","edm":"139","session":"2008-09","title":"Pandas From China","text":"That this House expresses its concern at the proposal to bring giant pandas from China to London, Edinburgh and Colchester zoos; considers that there are serious animal welfare problems attached to the keeping of giant pandas in zoos; notes that captive breeding of giant pandas has resulted in no successful reintroduction to the wild; believes that the best way to conserve the giant panda population is to support in situ projects such as panda reserves and habitat conservation; and requests the Scottish and UK governments not to become involved in using animals in the course of diplomatic exchange.","date":"2008-12-04","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36993","proposer":"10521","edm":"1","session":"2008-09","title":"Legal Right For Former Gurkhas To Live In The United Kingdom","text":"That this House believes that former Gurkha soldiers who served in the British Army for more than four years should be treated fairly and have the legal right to live in the United Kingdom; and calls on the Government to introduce legislation to grant those who left the Army before 1997 the same rights of residence in the UK as those who have left since 1997.","date":"2008-12-03","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36998","proposer":"10521","edm":"6","session":"2008-09","title":"Inhumane Treatment Of Dogs In China","text":"That this House supports the joint working of Animals Asia Foundation and the Kennel Club in continuing to highlight the inhumane treatment of dogs in China; is appalled by the acts of extreme cruelty which take place in China's animal markets; notes that millions of dogs have been skinned alive and killed for fur and meat; condemns the cruel ways in which these animals are raised, transported and slaughtered; calls upon the Government to do everything in its power to encourage the Chinese government to bring about an urgent end to this barbaric practice, including raising the subject with the Chinese Ambassador in the UK; and calls directly on the Chinese government to bring its laws and practices into the 21st century in relation to animal welfare standards.","date":"2008-12-03","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"37028","proposer":"10220","edm":"36","session":"2008-09","title":"Terrorist Attacks In Mumbai","text":"That this House expresses its outrage and disgust at the terrorist attacks on Mumbai; is appalled and deeply saddened by the suffering of so many victims and their families; sends its wholehearted solidarity to the people of Mumbai and India; notes with pride the support and succour provided by the Indian community in the UK; and urges the world's greatest democracy to continue to stand as a beacon of peace and tolerance in the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi.","date":"2008-12-03","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"37029","proposer":"11475","edm":"37","session":"2008-09","title":"Terrorist Attacks In Mumbai (No. 2)","text":"That this House unreservedly condemns the terrorist outrage in Mumbai; offers its sympathies and condolences to the victims and families of victims of the attacks; and expresses its support and solidarity for the government and people of India.","date":"2008-12-03","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"37034","proposer":"13934","edm":"42","session":"2008-09","title":"Terrorist Attacks In Mumbai (No. 3)","text":"That this House condemns the terrorist attacks in Mumbai on 26 to 27 November 2008 that killed 172 innocent people and injured over 300 more; believes that these attacks are targeted at the basic fabric of India, represented by its secularism, democracy, tolerance, unity and faith and that they are an attack on democratic values and institutions in India and throughout the whole world; and notes that the UK stands united with India and its people at this difficult time and offers its deepest sympathies and support to all those affected by this heinous crime and will do all it can to assist India in stopping further attacks and bringing to justice the perpetrators of these indiscriminate attacks on innocent civilians including ensuring that the UK is not used as a base for supporting this kind of terrorist attacks.","date":"2008-12-03","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"37036","proposer":"10177","edm":"44","session":"2008-09","title":"Freedom Of Religion In Pakistan","text":"That this House warmly welcomes the appointment of the prominent human rights activist Shahbaz Bhatti, President of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance, as Federal Minister for Minorities Affairs; applauds the decision by the Government of Pakistan to include this ministerial position in the Cabinet for the first time; encourages the President and Prime Minister of Pakistan to provide Mr Bhatti with full support in his efforts to promote religious freedom and equal rights for all the people of Pakistan; calls on the Government to engage fully with the President, Prime Minister, Minister for Minorities Affairs and other ministers on issues of human rights and religious freedom; and urges the Government of Pakistan to make significant progress towards the repeal of the blasphemy laws which are so widely abused and cause so much injustice for so many people.","date":"2008-12-03","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"37050","proposer":"11522","edm":"58","session":"2008-09","title":"Sri Lanka","text":"That this House notes that the civil war in Sri Lanka remains unresolved with vicious atrocities escalating on all sides; expresses its greatest concern at the suffering of the large number of Tamil, Muslim and Singhalese people caught up in the conflict who have lost family members to violent deaths or abductions or who have been displaced from their homes, in some cases to live out in the open; implores the Sri Lankan government to recognise that a military solution that inevitably involves waging war on innocent Sri Lankan men, women and children will end in failure; and urges the Government to redouble its efforts in the difficult task of promoting moves to secure peace and harmony in Sri Lanka.","date":"2008-12-03","status":"o"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36981","proposer":"13934","edm":"2556","session":"2007-08","title":"Recent Attacks Against Christians In Orissa","text":"That this House is deeply disturbed by the systematic attacks perpetrated against the Christian community in Kandhamal and other districts of Orissa state in India following the deplorable assassination of Swami Lakhmananda Saraswati, which has been characterised by brutal murder, arson, destruction of Christian institutions and places of worship, looting of property and retributive rape and which has resulted in a significant number of deaths; notes the European Parliament Resolution of 24th September 2008 which expresses deep concern at the recent attacks on Christians in Orissa; takes note of reports that Christians in the area have been coerced into renouncing their faith; observes that anti-Christian violence has intensified in other states since the outbreak in Orissa; strongly condemns the violence; further notes that no effective prosecutorial action was brought after an outbreak of anti-Christian violence in Kandhamal district in December 2007; further notes that relatively few complaints have been registered by police in Orissa and that the capacity of the police force to investigate the violence is very limited; calls for bilateral representations to be made to the Indian government to call for the restoration of peace and stability in Orissa and the bringing to justice of inciters and perpetrators of the violence; and asks the Government to consider what assistance the UK may offer for relief and rehabilitation and addressing the root causes of the violence.","date":"2008-11-25","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36983","proposer":"11522","edm":"2558","session":"2007-08","title":"Sri Lanka","text":"That this House notes that another Parliamentary year has passed with the civil war in Sri Lanka remaining unresolved and vicious atrocities escalating on all sides; expresses its greatest concern at the suffering of the very large number of Tamil, Muslim and Singhalese people caught up in the conflict who have lost family members to violent deaths or abductions or who have been displaced from their homes, in some cases to live out in the open; implores the Sri Lankan government to recognise that a military solution that inevitably involves waging war on innocent Sri Lankan men, women and children will end in failure; and urges the Government to redouble its efforts in the difficult task of promoting moves to secure peace and harmony in Sri Lanka.","date":"2008-11-25","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36924","proposer":"10383","edm":"2509","session":"2007-08","title":"Amritsar International Airport","text":"That this House appreciates the concern within the Panjabi community at the threat to Amritsar International Airport from the withdrawal of direct flights by Singapore and Jet airlines from the airport, caused partly by the imposition of high landing charges and delays in freight duty repayments; notes that this airport is important to many members of that community visiting the Darbar Sahib, Golden Temple, and Mata Vaishno Devi; and calls upon the UK Government to urge the Indian government to do all it can to secure the future of Amritsar International Airport and maintain its accessibility.","date":"2008-11-17","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36902","proposer":"10444","edm":"2495","session":"2007-08","title":"Wild Tigers","text":"That this House notes with grave concern the illegal trade in Asian big cat parts and derivatives and the diminishing population of big cats; further notes that tiger farming in China represents a significant threat to the remaining wild populations by stimulating demand; welcomes the measures taken by the Indian government in recognising the importance of intelligence-led law enforcement in tackling wildlife crime through the foundation of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau; calls for the Government to convey its gravest concerns to the Chinese government about its role as the major consumer of tiger parts and to urge China to complement efforts in India by closing its tiger farms and consolidating and destroying all stockpiles of tiger parts and to maintain and enforce its 1993 State Council Order banning the use of tiger products; recognises the negative impact of industrial encroachment on tiger forests; and urges the Government to develop enhanced regulations for UK-based companies and their subsidiaries operating in tiger range states to ensure their actions do not harm tigers or their habitat.","date":"2008-11-12","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36867","proposer":"10231","edm":"2463","session":"2007-08","title":"Kashmir Conflict And Trade Relations","text":"That this House records that 27th October 2008 marked the 61st anniversary of the Indian occupation of large areas of the state of Jammu and Kashmir; welcomes recent confidence building measures which have seen a trade agreement between the governments of India and Pakistan allowing the resumption of a modest level of trade along the Jhelum Valley Road and across the line of control; notes, however, that the respective governments have made little progress in settling the core issue at the heart of the Kashmir conflict and recognises that the question of self-determination for the people of Kashmir remains unresolved; and calls on the Government not only to support vigorously the UN resolutions of 1948, 1949 and 1957 which upheld the right of the Kashmiri people to self-determination through a United Nations supervised plebiscite but also to take the lead in raising these matters again in the United Nations.","date":"2008-11-10","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36798","proposer":"13934","edm":"2406","session":"2007-08","title":"Terrorism In India And UK","text":"That this House condemns the bomb blast that killed 71 people in the Indian state of Assam on 30th October; is deeply concerned about the continued terrorist attacks and loss of human life in many cities in India; calls for greater cooperation between India and Britain to wipe out the threat of terror to both countries; further calls on the Home Office to become more vigilant in investigating British charities which are suspected of having links to terrorist groups abroad and may be funding them; reiterates its opposition to terror in all its forms; and wishes to ensure that British soil is not used as a base for supporting any form of terror against any country in the world.","date":"2008-11-03","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36737","proposer":"10614","edm":"2356","session":"2007-08","title":"Flooding In Yemen","text":"That this House expresses grave concern over the humanitarian situation in Yemen in the wake of severe flooding in the south of the country, claiming 90 lives and displacing 20,000 people; notes the concerns of the UN World Food Programme over difficulties to get relief to remote regions because of the destruction of roads due to the flooding; and calls on the Government urgently to supply more aid to the region to help prevent further loss of life.","date":"2008-10-28","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36743","proposer":"10252","edm":"2362","session":"2007-08","title":"Speaker Abbot Award","text":"That this House applauds Jonathan Paye-Layleh from Liberia and Michel Kilo from Syria, joint winners of the 2008 Parliamentary Press Gallery Speaker Abbot Award, supported by the Silbury Fund, given since 2003 to international journalists considered to have made the greatest contribution internationally to the protection, promotion and perpetuation of parliamentary democracy; notes that while Jonathan Paye-Layleh was able to receive his award from Mr Speaker in October 2008 at a reception in Mr Speaker's apartments at Westminster, Michel Kilo was arrested on 14th May 2006, accused of publishing `mendacious and exaggerated reports with the aim of discrediting the government' and `defaming the president and the courts', and remains in prison in Syria; and calls on the authorities in Syria to release Michel Kilo and allow him to continue the struggle for democracy in Syria.","date":"2008-10-28","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36718","proposer":"10614","edm":"2338","session":"2007-08","title":"Launch Of First Indian Unmanned Mission To The Moon","text":"That this House congratulates the Indian Space Research Organisation on launching its first unmanned space craft, Chandayaan-1, on an historic mission to the moon; applauds India for its noble aspirations which will contribute to the scientific knowledge and understanding of all nations; welcomes the massive investment this $79 million project represents for the common global wealth of knowledge; and looks forward to the achievement of plans to send an astronaut into space by 2014 and a manned mission to the moon by 2020.","date":"2008-10-23","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36710","proposer":"10123","edm":"2331","session":"2007-08","title":"Tibet And Assurances From The Chinese Government","text":"That this House expresses deep concern that despite assurances given by the Chinese government to the international community on the situation in Tibet, the Tibet Autonomous Region and other areas of Tibet remain under tight security following the widespread demonstrations in March and April; notes there has been no independent access to assess the humanitarian situation following the demonstations; further notes that thousands remain in detention, their whereabouts unknown; further notes that trials are being conducted without due process of legal representation as recognised under international legal conventions; further notes that in the wake of an 6.6 magnitude earthquake near Lhasa inside Tibet that has affected over 60,000 people, the Chinese authorities have not invited international agencies to furnish emergency practical aid; and calls on the Government to urge strongly the Chinese authorities to grant immediate access into the Tibetan Autonomous Region and other areas of Tibet to the International Red Cross, the UN and other independent humanitarian aid organisations.","date":"2008-10-22","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36673","proposer":"10133","edm":"2305","session":"2007-08","title":"Manual Scavengers Movement","text":"That this House notes with immense concern that some 1.3 million Dalits, formerly called untouchables, in India, mostly women, are still employed as manual scavengers, a job which consists of removing human excrement from dry toilets and sewers using basic tools such as flimsy thin boards, not even shovels, and baskets, despite this inhumane practice being abolished by law in 1993; welcomes the initiative of Safai Karmachari Andolan, the Manual Scavengers Movement, and the Dalit Solidarity Network (UK) to work together to try to eradicate manual scavenging in the whole of India by the start of the Delhi Commonwealth Games in October 2010; and calls on the Department for International Development to assist the Indian government to implement its own legislation and re-training programmes and to end, once and for all, the inhumane and dangerous practice of manual scavenging.","date":"2008-10-21","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36662","proposer":"10451","edm":"2294","session":"2007-08","title":"Thai-Cambodia Border Dispute","text":"That this House notes with concern the recent outbreak of fighting on the Thai-Cambodia border in the area around Preah Vihear; further notes that this appears to be the result of an unprovoked assault by Thai troops and to have more to do with internal political tensions in Thailand than any dispute with Cambodia; and calls on the government of Thailand to restrain its armed forces and to resolve peacefully any territorial dispute with its neighbours, if necessary by seeking international mediation.","date":"2008-10-20","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36550","proposer":"10157","edm":"2200","session":"2007-08","title":"Glasgow Rangers And Unicef","text":"That this House congratulates Glasgow Rangers Football Club on establishing a partnership with UNICEF which will see the Rangers Charity Foundation raising \u00c2\u00a3300,000 by 2011 to fund a UNICEF education programme in India called Reducing the Gender Gap: Quality Education for Girls, which will focus on improving the quality of children's education and working to ensure that all children, especially girls and those from disadvantaged or socially excluded backgrounds, have access to schools in the Indian states of Assam, West Bengal, Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajastan, Gujurat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala; further notes that the five other football clubs which have a partnership with UNICEF are Manchester United, Barcelona, Boca Juniors, Feyenoord and AC Milan; and welcomes this example of a great Scottish institution looking beyond its own midden to help the less fortunate elsewhere in the world.","date":"2008-10-08","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36481","proposer":"11784","edm":"2132","session":"2007-08","title":"Unidentified Graves And Disappeared Persons -\u0000 Jammau And Kashmir","text":"That this House supports the resolution on unidentified graves and disappeared persons in Jammau and Kashmir tabled by Liz Lynne MEP in the European Parliament on 8th July; is concerned at the hundreds of unidentified graves which have been discovered since 2006 in Jammau and Kashmir, including at least 940 persons found in Uri district alone, and that the Srinagar based Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons, whose report issued on 29th March 2008, indicates the existence of multiple graves close to the line of control with Pakistan for which it is prevented from investigating; notes that the estimates of persons having gone missing vary greatly between the associations of families of victims and the Indian central and state governments; is further concerned that human rights violations committed by the armed forces of India continue despite the Indian government's commitment in September 2005 not to tolerate human rights violations in Jammau and Kashmir; calls therefore on the Indian government to ensure independent and impartial investigations into all suspected sites of mass graves in Jammau and Kashmir; further calls on the Indian government to ratify and implement the UN Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance without reservation and to grant access to Jammau and Kashmir for the UN Special Rapporteurs on Torture, on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions and the UN working group on Enforced or Voluntary Disappearances; and asks the UK Government to raise these matters with the Indian government as a matter of urgency.","date":"2008-07-22","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36488","proposer":"10133","edm":"2139","session":"2007-08","title":"Murder Of Munir Said Thalib","text":"That this House recognises and supports the work of KASUM (The Committee for Solidarity With Munir) to bring those responsible for the murder of Indonesian human rights defender Munir Said Thalib to account; welcomes the progress made so far in connection with the case; further welcomes the recent arrest of Major General Muchdi Purwoprandjono, a former member of the Indonesian state intelligence agency BIN; requests the UK Government to ask the Indonesian government to make public the report by an independent fact-finding team into the Munir case, ordered by the Indonesian President, and to ensure that all those responsible for Munir's death are brought before the courts; further requests the UK Government to monitor closely the continuing developments in the case; and encourages the UK Government to support human rights defenders, independent journalists and civil society activists in Indonesia.","date":"2008-07-22","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36451","proposer":"11420","edm":"2104","session":"2007-08","title":"Death Of Balkar Singh And Sikhs In India","text":"That this House notes with grave concern an unarmed Sikh, Balkar Singh, was shot dead in Mumbia on 20th June, with the killing resulting in widespread protests by Sikhs in cities throughout Punjab, Haryana and in Mumbia; is deeply concerned that since the incident the Indian armed forces and police have beaten and attacked unarmed Sikh men, women and children and thousands of Sikh activists in Punjab have been arrested to try and suppress peaceful protests; further notes that Bal Thakeray the chief of Shiv Sena, a right wing nationalist group, is fuelling the situation by reminding the Sikh minority of the anti-Sikh pogroms of November 1984 and that this is causing considerable distress to British Sikhs; and for this reason urges the Government to act immediately by raising its concerns with the Indian authorities.","date":"2008-07-21","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36467","proposer":"10295","edm":"2120","session":"2007-08","title":"CHINA'S DOG MEAT POLICY","text":"That this House congratulates the Chinese government on its decision to ban the sale and consumption of dog meat during the Olympic Games this summer; applauds China's willingness to listen to the wishes of the international community; calls on the Chinese government to extend its temporary policy to become a permanent change to the country's approach to animal welfare; and asks the Chinese government to acknowledge the British attitude to dog ownership by recognising that a dog is for life, not just for the Olympics.","date":"2008-07-21","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36439","proposer":"10258","edm":"2092","session":"2007-08","title":"TAIWAN'S NAME IN THE BEIJING OLYMPICS","text":"That this House calls for the Chinese government to use the established and recognised name of Taiwan (in Chinese translation `Chinese Taipei') for the Beijing Olympics; regrets that the Chinese government tries to manipulate the name of that country's sports teams to bring up the political issues of Chinese-Taiwanese relations; stresses that the name `Chinese Taipei' was agreed upon by the Olympic committees of both Taiwan and China in 1989; and opposes the Chinese intention to name Taiwan as `Taipei, China', which presents Taiwan as a part of China and violates the 1989 agreement.","date":"2008-07-17","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36373","proposer":"11245","edm":"2032","session":"2007-08","title":"Palm Oil And Acacia Plantations","text":"That this House notes that the expansion of palm oil production threatens rainforests around the tropics; further notes that some 3,200,000 hectares of oil palms in Indonesia and Malaysia are grown on peatland; further notes that such cultivation on deep peat releases many more times greenhouse emissions than the palm oil can save when used in biodiesel, yet such biodiesel can be labelled as making a carbon saving according to the Department for Transport's carbon and sustainability reporting requirements published in January 2008; further notes that EU palm oil imports are being used to replace vegetable oils in for-bioenergy generation; further notes also that the expanding cultivation of acacias for woodpulp on peatlands erodes the peat even faster; further notes the WWF report which indicates that these industries are causing an alarming decline in Sumatran elephants and tigers, and that most future forest clearances in Sumatra will be on deep peatland; therefore urges the Government and the international community to press the Indonesian government to rescind all concessions for new plantations on peatland; further urges the Government to end the labelling of biofuels as saving emissions where this is a false statement; and further urges the Government and the EU to take action to stop the destruction of forests and to be honest about the overall impact of their biofuel policy for reducing carbon emissions.","date":"2008-07-14","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36352","proposer":"10089","edm":"2015","session":"2007-08","title":"National Asian Restaurant Awards","text":"That this House notes the importance of Asian restaurants to the British economy; notes that these exclusive culinary excellence awards benefit the Roko Cancer Charity who are assisting thousands of of cancer sufferers; congratulates Labas Miah of the Panhar Restaurant in Blyth, Northumberland on his prestigious award from the Tiffi Club as runner up in the awards; and further notes that the Panhar restaurant was representing the North East Region and has raised the profile of that region.","date":"2008-07-10","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36356","proposer":"10295","edm":"2019","session":"2007-08","title":"Japanese Whaling","text":"That this House condemns the whale-meat embezzlement ring shown by Greenpeace to be at the heart of the Japanese government's so-called scientific whaling programme; calls upon the Japanese authorities to carry out an immediate public investigation into this practice which has further undermined Japan's international obligations; and calls upon the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to demonstrate to the Japanese government that their detaining of Greenpeace activists Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki without charge only brings their alleged corruption to the attention of the international community.","date":"2008-07-10","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36345","proposer":"10057","edm":"1979A4","session":"2007-08","title":"BBC WORLD SERVICE'S EDITORIAL INDEPENDENCE","text":"Leave out `is opposed'","date":"2008-07-09","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36346","proposer":"10057","edm":"1979A5","session":"2007-08","title":"BBC WORLD SERVICE'S EDITORIAL INDEPENDENCE","text":"Leave out from `UK'","date":"2008-07-09","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36358","proposer":"10057","edm":"1979A1","session":"2007-08","title":"BBC WORLD SERVICE'S EDITORIAL INDEPENDENCE","text":"leave out `is opposed' and insert `notes'.","date":"2008-07-09","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36359","proposer":"10057","edm":"1979A2","session":"2007-08","title":"BBC WORLD SERVICE'S EDITORIAL INDEPENDENCE","text":"leave out from `UK' to end and add `recognises that the BBC's World Service is rightly admired for its editorial independence; accepts that the occasional short notice content did not allow either third party alteration or non-transmission of programmes; and is confident that BBC World Service staff working in other countries, as in the UK, know they have full backing for the integrity and professionalism of their work.'.","date":"2008-07-09","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36311","proposer":"10218","edm":"1979","session":"2007-08","title":"BBC WORLD SERVICE'S EDITORIAL INDEPENDENCE","text":"That this House is opposed to the outsourcing of BBC World Service jobs from the UK; is gravely concerned at the arrangement the BBC has entered into with the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), detailed in a letter from the Corporation's South Asian Business Development Manager to PEMRA on 12th May 2007, which gives the Pakistan authority, an agency of a foreign state, prior clearance for all contents and programmes transmitted on behalf of the World Service by local Pakistani stations; notes that a commitment to editorial independence is enshrined in the BBC's Charter; believes that the arrangement with PEMRA jeopardises that independence; and calls on the Government to withhold its approval for this and similar arrangements.","date":"2008-07-08","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36320","proposer":"10040","edm":"1988","session":"2007-08","title":"Referral Of Burma To The International Criminal Court","text":"That this House condemns ongoing crimes against humanity in Burma, whereby the dictatorship systematically commits crimes against civilians including torture, rape of ethnic women, systematic sexual violence, slavery, murder, mass imprisonment, forced labour, persecution of dissidents, conscription of child soldiers and forced relocation; further expresses deep concern that the dictatorship refused to allow humanitarian assistance to survivors of Cyclone Nargis; welcomes the European Parliament Resolution of 22nd May 2008 calling for the dictatorship to be referred to the International Criminal Court; and calls on the British Government to use its membership of the United Nations Security Council to secure support for the Council to refer the situation in Burma to the International Criminal Court.","date":"2008-07-08","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36294","proposer":"10383","edm":"1970","session":"2007-08","title":"Indian Prisoners Of War","text":"That this House notes the sacrifice made by many members of the British Army recruited from the Indian sub-continent who were taken prisoner of war in Europe and North Africa in the Second World War and who often suffered extreme hardship in captivity; further notes that this was never officially acknowledged by the British Government and that unlike the prisoners in the Far East no financial compensatory award was made to these ex-soldiers; and therefore calls upon the Government to recognise officially the sacrifice of these former soldiers and to do all it can in liaison with the Indian Government to ensure that they are receiving adequate support in their old age.","date":"2008-07-07","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36281","proposer":"10133","edm":"1958","session":"2007-08","title":"Human Rights In Papua","text":"That this House notes the continued repression and intimidation of the indigenous people of Papua by the military (TNI), and other elements of the Indonesian security forces; further notes the climate of fear, intimidation and violence under which human rights defenders in Papua have to work, referred to in the January 2008 report of the UN Special Representative on Human Rights; and accordingly calls on the Foreign Secretary to make representations to the Indonesian government urging it to look carefully at the role of the TNI and other security forces in Papua, to account for its failure to implement special autonomy in Papua, to allow the Papuan people to voice their concerns and aspirations by exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly, and further to allow free and unfettered access to Papua by foreign journalists and international human rights organisations.","date":"2008-07-03","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36250","proposer":"10203","edm":"1928","session":"2007-08","title":"Helmand Incursion","text":"That this House salutes the courage and professionalism of NATO troops in Afghanistan; mourns the record 45 deaths of NATO soldiers in June 2008, including 13 British soldiers; recalls statements in 2006 of both the hope that the Helmand incursion would be over in three years without a shot being fired and the warning that the mission would be futile and dangerous as the Charge of the Light Brigade; and calls for a reassessment of the aims of the Helmand incursion now that the total numbers of British fallen nears the number killed in the Charge of the Light Brigade.","date":"2008-07-01","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36200","proposer":"10521","edm":"1882","session":"2007-08","title":"Inhumane Treatment Of Dogs In China","text":"That this House supports the joint working of Animals Asia Foundation and the Kennel Club in continuing to highlight the inhumane treatment of dogs in China; is appalled by the acts of extreme cruelty which take place in China's animal markets; notes that millions of dogs have been skinned alive and killed for fur and meat; condemns the cruel ways in which these animals are raised, transported and slaughtered; calls upon the Government to do everything in its power to encourage the Chinese government to bring about an urgent end to this barbaric practice, including raising the subject with the Chinese Ambassador in the UK; and calls directly on the Chinese government to bring its laws and practices into the 21st century in relation to animal welfare standards.","date":"2008-06-24","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36169","proposer":"10295","edm":"1859","session":"2007-08","title":"Japanese Whaling Policy","text":"That this House condemns the controversial Japanese policy of hunting whales under the bogus banner of scientific research; supports the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and Greenpeace objectives to expose the practice as commercial whaling under the guise of science; calls on the Government to give full backing to the IWC in its objective to forbid Japan from using a scientific research programme to kill an increasing annual quota of whales; and fully supports the IWC's proposal to assign a region of the Atlantic Ocean for a permanent whale sanctuary where all hunting will be banned.","date":"2008-06-23","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36183","proposer":"11312","edm":"1854A1","session":"2007-08","title":"Snatch Land Rovers In Afghanistan","text":"at end add `notes that other organisations, such as the HALO Trust, have carried out modifications to Land Rovers that have reportedly made them less susceptible to attack by mines and improvised explosive devices; and urges the Government urgently to carry out such work on military Land Rovers to give enhanced protection to United Kingdom troops prior to the date on which the vehicles are withdrawn.'.","date":"2008-06-23","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36163","proposer":"10312","edm":"1854","session":"2007-08","title":"Snatch Land Rovers In Afghanistan","text":"That this House expresses deep concern at the vulnerability of British troops deployed in Afghanistan in Snatch Land Rovers; and urges the Government to publish a date by which Snatch Land Rovers will no longer be required for British military operations in Afghanistan, except as required for lower-profile, less protected operations.","date":"2008-06-20","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36142","proposer":"10328","edm":"1834","session":"2007-08","title":"Democracy In Bangladesh","text":"That this House supports the declaration made by the Foreign Secretary on his visit to Bangladesh on 10th February 2008 that Britain will help Bangladesh and its people who are striving to achieve a democracy that will endure; expresses concern that the caretaker government have arrested thousands of political activists from the main political parties according to Human Rights Watch and Bangladeshi newspaper reports; notes the desire for free and fair elections to be held in December 2008 without intimidation or harassment; and calls on the UK Government to use its good offices to ensure the caretaker government of Bangladesh provides an environment conducive to the establishment of a sustainable democracy that involves all the main political parties.","date":"2008-06-18","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36134","proposer":"11245","edm":"1760A1","session":"2007-08","title":"Global Action To Improve Maternal And Child Health","text":"leave out from `services' to `services' in line 8.","date":"2008-06-17","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36135","proposer":"11245","edm":"1760A2","session":"2007-08","title":"Global Action To Improve Maternal And Child Health","text":"leave out from `World' to `and' in line 12.","date":"2008-06-17","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"36060","proposer":"10378","edm":"1760","session":"2007-08","title":"Global Action To Improve Maternal And Child Health","text":"That this House notes with concern that maternal and child death rates are still extremely high in developing countries, owing to the inadequacy of human resources and the absence of quality health services, particularly in rural areas of Africa, Asia and Latin America; acknowledges that the international community agreed to reduce maternal mortality by 75 per cent. by 2015 under Millennium Development Goal 5; therefore welcomes the emphasis placed on strengthening health services, especially sexual and reproductive health and rights, including maternal and child health and family planning services, in the Department for International Development's Achieving Universal Access, The New UK Strategy for Halting and Reversing the Spread of HIV in the Developing World; further notes that United Kingdom medical organisations, including the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists are working to ensure that training and expertise are provided in developing countries; and calls upon the Government to highlight maternal and child health at forthcoming key events in the European Parliament, the G8 Summit and UN meetings.","date":"2008-06-11","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35935","proposer":"10190","edm":"1653","session":"2007-08","title":"Aung San Suu Kyi","text":"That this House is saddened that Aung San Suu Kyi, the opposition leader in Burma, has had her house arrest extended by the Burma junta; notes that she has been held without trial for more than 12 of the last 18 years; and calls on the Government to urge the Burma junta to release Aung San Suu Kyi and the further 2,000 political prisoners so that democratic politics can be restored to Burma.","date":"2008-06-02","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35911","proposer":"11494","edm":"1630","session":"2007-08","title":"Animal Welfare In China","text":"That this House is appalled by the treatment of animals in China, which includes live feeding and performance animals at zoos, organised horse fighting and the mass slaughter of companion animals; notes with deep concern that there are no animal welfare laws in place for the purpose of protecting China's domestic, farmed and captive animals; recognises the unique diplomatic opportunity presented by China's hosting of the Olympic Games in August which will include a meeting between His Excellency Hu Jintao, President of the People's Republic of China, and the Prime Minister; and urges the Prime Minister, in his discussions with the Chinese President, to raise the issue of animal welfare standards.","date":"2008-05-21","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35855","proposer":"11768","edm":"1578","session":"2007-08","title":"Burmese Constitutional Referendum","text":"That this House condemns the announcement by Burma's ruling junta that a new constitution was given overwhelming backing in a referendum carried out on 10th May in the midst of the catastrophe caused by Cyclone Nargis; notes that the draft constitution has been designed to entrench military rule in Burma and is opposed by pro-democracy groups within Burma; is appalled that the regime continued with the planned referendum even as thousands of Burmese men, women and children were dying in the devastated Irawaddy Delta region; dismisses the claims by the generals that voter turnout was 99 per cent. and that the constitution was approved by more than 92 per cent. of all eligible voters; again calls on the junta to release all political prisoners inside Burma including Aung San Suu Kyi; and encourages the Government to continue working with international partners to overcome the resistance of the regime in Burma to a full international humanitarian effort to bring relief to the cyclone survivors.","date":"2008-05-15","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35860","proposer":"11995","edm":"1583","session":"2007-08","title":"Elections In The Republic Of Maldives","text":"That this House welcomes the forthcoming presidential elections in the Republic of Maldives as the country's first multi-party elections; notes with concern that there is no independent election commission in the Maldives; further notes with concern that state-run media institutions, including the country's only television channel, are under no obligation to provide equal coverage for all political parties and their candidates, including the main opposition party, the Maldivian Democratic Party; encourages the Government to establish an independent field presence in the Maldives to monitor the election process, or assist the EU to send at least 30 election observers to the Maldives; and further encourages the Government to emphasise the importance of a free and fair electoral process as part of the continuing political and constitutional reforms.","date":"2008-05-15","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35865","proposer":"10258","edm":"1588","session":"2007-08","title":"Pandas From China","text":"That this House expresses its concern at the proposal by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) to lease two giant pandas from a research centre in China for exhibition and captive breeding at Edinburgh Zoo; considers that there are serious animal welfare problems attached to the keeping of giant pandas in zoos; notes that captive breeding of giant pandas has resulted in no successful reintroduction to the wild; believes that the best way to conserve the giant panda population is to support in situ projects such as panda reserves and habitat conservation; urges the RZSS to reconsider this plan; and requests the Scottish and UK Governments not to become involved in using live animals as currency in the course of diplomatic exchange.","date":"2008-05-15","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35841","proposer":"10220","edm":"1565","session":"2007-08","title":"Solidarity Against Terrorism In Jaipur","text":"That this House condemns unreservedly the series of bombings in Jaipur, India that have resulted in the death of 60 people; expresses its contempt for those who, by placing devices in crowded markets, sought only to terrorise innocent civilians; and affirms its solidarity with the parliament and the people of India whose democracy will never be undermined by such cowardly acts.","date":"2008-05-14","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35844","proposer":"10754","edm":"1568","session":"2007-08","title":"Forced Marriages Of People With Disabilities","text":"That this House notes that the majority of cases of forced marriage reported in the United Kingdom involve South Asian families; further notes that the Department of Health's report Learning Disabilities and Ethnicity found that learning disabilities are up to three times higher in South Asian communities than in other communities; further notes that the Director of UK Visas has stated that of the 250 `reluctant sponsors' for visas dealt with by the consul in Pakistan in 2007, 86 involved adults with severe disabilities; expresses concern that limited information on forced marriages of people with disabilities may hinder effective responses to this problem; and asks the Government to commission research into the prevalence and causes of forced marriages of people with disabilities.","date":"2008-05-14","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35845","proposer":"10022","edm":"1569","session":"2007-08","title":"PRIME MINISTER'S MEETING WITH THE DALAI LAMA","text":"That this House is disappointed and concerned that the Prime Minister has decided that his forthcoming meeting with the Dalai Lama should take place in Lambeth Palace and that he is apparently only prepared to meet the Dalai Lama in his capacity as a spiritual leader, despite the fact that successive British governments have never recognised Chinese sovereignty over Tibet; further notes that the Dalai Lama on previous visits was received at 10 Downing Street by both John Major and Tony Blair; regrets that, especially at this time of crisis for the Tibetan people, the Prime Minister has not given sufficient weight to the appalling brutality of the Chinese in occupied Tibet, in contrast to the Dalai Lama, who has always advocated a non-violent approach; and calls on the Prime Minister to switch the venue of the meeting to Downing Street.","date":"2008-05-14","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35804","proposer":"10057","edm":"1533","session":"2007-08","title":"Earthquake In China","text":"That this House expresses its sympathies to China and to the Chinese suffering from the consequences of the recent earthquake.","date":"2008-05-12","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35784","proposer":"10001","edm":"1515","session":"2007-08","title":"Burmese Cyclone","text":"That this House is shocked by the news of the cyclone that has struck Burma; is saddened by reports that 22,000 people have lost their lives and 41,000 people are missing; is concerned by reports that almost one million people have been made homeless; and calls on the Government to follow up its generous aid contribution with the highest level of support for aid agencies working in the area.","date":"2008-05-08","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35744","proposer":"10428","edm":"1478","session":"2007-08","title":"European Steel Industries","text":"That this House is aware that currently 250,000 people are directly employed throughout Europe in steel production, with approximately a further eight million plus engaged in other related metal sectors; notes that until two years ago China imported large quantities of steel; however, today they report a 25 per cent. minimum over capacity in their steel manufacturing; recalls that until recently China gave export tax breaks to its steel producers, a financial benefit it has recently transferred to its exported finished products sector; and calls upon the Government to investigate why Chinese steel is today up to 30 per cent. cheaper than its European counterparts, yet largely unavailable in Europe, a situation which is leading many manufacturers in Europe to believe that imported finished products are likely to be the future order of the day.","date":"2008-05-06","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35747","proposer":"10499","edm":"1481","session":"2007-08","title":"Multilateral Action Against Climate Change And World Hunger","text":"That this House notes that China is the fastest growing major economy in the world and India the second fastest; further notes that China will soon overtake the United States as the world's single biggest source of carbon emissions; expresses its concern at the role played by the growing demand for biofuels in world food price increases; is alarmed at the World Bank's prediction that food price inflation could set the fight against Third World hunger back by seven years; urges the Government to do all it can to help tackle global food poverty; recommends that the UK leads on change to regulations to drop any requirement to divert crops to fuel, as arable land is needed for food; further recommends that the Government uses its leverage to persuade the US, China and India to proceed on a multilateral basis to tackle climate change; and recognises that if the UK proceeded unilaterally it could drive fuel-intensive industries into jurisdictions with less stringent regulatory and fiscal regimes, which would cost British jobs whilst failing to reduce the world's total carbon output.","date":"2008-05-06","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35736","proposer":"11816","edm":"1471","session":"2007-08","title":"Basmati Rice","text":"That this House is concerned about the rising cost of rice which is causing problems for many South Asian restaurants and takeaways; condemns the EU for imposing tariffs of up to 65 euros per ton on basmati (brown long grain) rice from Thailand, Egypt, Uruguay and the US; believes in the principle of free trade; and therefore calls on the Government to regain trade policy from the EU and abolish these tariffs for the benefit of these restaurants, takeaways and the customers they serve.","date":"2008-05-01","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35696","proposer":"10616","edm":"1435","session":"2007-08","title":"Human Displacement By Monocultures","text":"That this House notes with interest the Friends of the Earth report Losing Ground on the many adverse human rights and environmental effects of large-scale palm oil plantations in Indonesia and Malaysia; further notes the widespread reports from the global South of human rights abuses and harm to local environments amid the advance of monocultures associated with the present commodities shock and biofuel drive, including of palm oil elsewhere and of soya, cotton, sugarcane and jatropha; further notes that 11,000 villagers are being displaced in Tanzania by jatropha plantations cultivated for the UK firm Sun Biofuels; urges that British and European decision-makers consult more actively with Southern non-governmental organisations when devising trade and energy policies; and also recognises the need to reduce the UK's ecological footprint in its national choice of energy sources, and the value of individuals doing so within a balanced diet by reducing consumption of animals.","date":"2008-04-28","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35705","proposer":"10022","edm":"1444","session":"2007-08","title":"Human Rights And Tibet","text":"That this House is both alarmed and disappointed by the refusal by the Chinese government to accede to a request from Louise Arbour, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, to grant access for a delegation from the UN to visit Tibet in April in order independently to assess the current working situation; urges the Government to express its grave concern to the Chinese authorities over this decision, to ask why it is not convenient at this time and to press for an early date at which it would be convenient; and further urges the Government actively to support the recent European Parliament's resolution on Tibet wherein it calls for an open and independent inquiry, under the auspices of the United Nations, into the recent riots and repression in Tibet; and urges the Chinese authorities to issue a standing invitation to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and other UN bodies to visit Tibet.","date":"2008-04-28","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35708","proposer":"11245","edm":"1401A1","session":"2007-08","title":"Ivory Trade","text":"leave out from `poaching;' to `any' in line 13 and insert `and calls upon the Government to use all possible means to oppose.'.","date":"2008-04-28","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35675","proposer":"10177","edm":"1424","session":"2007-08","title":"ANNIVERSARY OF BISHOP JOHN JOSEPH'S DEATH AND PAKISTAN'S BLASPHEMY LAW","text":"That this House recalls the death of Bishop John Joseph on 6th May 1998, who shot himself to protest against the blasphemy law and the sentencing of Ayub Masih to death for blasphemy in Pakistan; notes that abuses continue to occur under Pakistan's blasphemy law including sentencing Younis Masih to death for blasphemy last year; notes that those who are accused suffer retributive attacks and severe mistreatment, particularly in prison, and even those who are acquitted remain at risk of violent attack by extremists and are therefore forced to live in hiding or exile; notes that the blasphemy law is open to abuse as it only requires the testimony of one person for charges to be brought, no proof of intent is needed and the definition of blasphemy is inadequate; further notes that lawyers and human rights defenders regularly receive death threats when defending blasphemy cases; further notes the recent election of a new government in Pakistan under Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani; and so calls upon Mr Gillani's government to repeal the blasphemy law and for Pakistan to adhere to its responsibilities under international law.","date":"2008-04-24","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35651","proposer":"10097","edm":"1401","session":"2007-08","title":"Ivory Trade","text":"That this House is dismayed that 20,000 elephants a year are still being slaughtered to supply the illegal ivory trade; notes with concern that China remains the major destination for illicit ivory; further notes that Chinese citizens have been convicted of illegally trading ivory in 22 of the 37 African elephant range states; is aware that China may request to buy ivory stockpiles at the forthcoming Standing Committee meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in July; recognises the commendable progress China has made in recent years to improve illegal wildlife trade enforcement; is concerned, however, that ivory market controls in China remain insufficient to prevent continued illegal trade in ivory; is further concerned that any sale of stockpiled ivory to China may provide a smokescreen for further illegal ivory to be laundered into the system creating an incentive for more elephant poaching; welcomes the Government's role as a European Union representative on the CITES Standing Committee; and calls upon the Government to use that position to bring together EU partners in opposition to any attempt by China to buy ivory stockpiles.","date":"2008-04-23","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35665","proposer":"10647","edm":"1415","session":"2007-08","title":"TAIWAN'S PARTICIPATION IN THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION","text":"That this House regrets that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has opposed including Taiwan's participation as an observer to the World Health Assembly (WHA) on its agenda since 1997; notes that the 61st WHA will convene between 19th and 24th May 2008; recognises that disease knows no boundaries or politics and there should be no gap or weak spot in the world's disease prevention network; contends that Taiwan should not become the only gap in the global public health network; applauds Taiwan's strong desire to work with international health institutions through medical co-operation and emergency humanitarian work; further applauds the valuable medical assistance and humanitarian aid provided by Taiwan's public and private sectors worldwide exceeding US$450 million over the last decade; further notes that Palestine, the Holy See, the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, the International Red Cross, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and the Inter-Parliamentary Union have been granted observer status to the WHA; regrets that the Government has not supported Taiwan's WHA observer status or WHO membership; welcomes the fact that Taiwan would be willing to accept an arrangement to be a WHA observer so as to engage in direct access to and communication with the WHO before attaining WHO membership; strongly encourages the UK Government to support Taiwan's justifiable bids for WHO membership and preliminary WHA observer status; and urges the WHO Director-General to invite Taiwan as a WHA observer before granting WHO membership to ensure no gap in the global public health network.","date":"2008-04-23","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35634","proposer":"10123","edm":"1387","session":"2007-08","title":"Humanitarian Suffering In Tibet","text":"That this House expresses deep sadness and concern for the current situation in Tibet which sees the country in severe lockdown by the Chinese authorities following recent demonstrations by the Tibetan populace that resulted in over 140 Tibetans killed, over 4,000 Tibetans in detention, a lack of medical aid for those injured, restricted movement, many in hiding for fear of their lives, leaving villages deserted at the crucial time of year when crops need to be sowed and severe food shortages in the cities; and calls on the Government to urge the Chinese authorities to end this suffering by allowing humanitarian aid, under the auspices of the International Red Cross, the UN or other independent bodies, into the Tibetan Autonomous Region and other areas of Tibet.","date":"2008-04-22","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35588","proposer":"10231","edm":"1344","session":"2007-08","title":"Recognition Of Bangla As An Official Language Of The United Nations","text":"That this House welcomes the campaign initiated by Bangladeshis in the United Kingdom to get Bangla, which is the fifth most spoken mother language in the world, recognised as an official language of the United Nations; and calls upon the Government to give its support to this proposal.","date":"2008-04-21","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35594","proposer":"10062","edm":"1350","session":"2007-08","title":"South African Trades Unions And Zimbabwe","text":"That this House congratulates the members of South African trades unions who have refused to unload a Chinese vessel containing weapons bound for Zimbabwe; notes that the An Yue Jiange is thought to be carrying around three million rounds of ammunition, thousands of mortar bombs and rocket-propelled grenades; shares the fears of the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union, the main trade union at the port of Durban, that the arms would be used by President Robert Mugabe against the Zimbabwean people in an attempt to prop up his tyrannical regime; and calls on the UK Government to exert pressure on the Chinese government to stop the shipment and to support an international ban on the sale of arms to Zimbabwe.","date":"2008-04-21","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35600","proposer":"10218","edm":"1356","session":"2007-08","title":"Future Of Restaurant And Curry Industries","text":"That this House notes the enormous economic contribution made by immigrants into Britain through the restaurant trade and other industries; notes that many restaurants are having great difficulty finding staff owing to visa restrictions on the entry of workers from outside the European Union, while at the same time significant numbers of such workers are already in the UK but whose temporary work permits have expired; and therefore believes that enabling these workers to work legally through an extension of their permits makes economic sense and would avoid them having to return to countries outside the EU in order to apply for their permits from there, where there is the very real possibility these permits would be refused.","date":"2008-04-21","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35611","proposer":"10012","edm":"1367","session":"2007-08","title":"Treatment Of The Actress Tang Wei","text":"That this House is concerned at the treatment of Tang Wei, the successful Chinese actress and star of the award-winning film Lust, Caution directed by Ang Lee; is alarmed by reports that she has effectively been blacklisted by China's State Administration of Radio Film and Television; understands that the broadcast of advertisements featuring Tang Wei have been halted and access to internet references to her have been removed within China; believes she may be made a scapegoat for involvement in a film that is viewed unfavourably by the Chinese authorities; and calls on the UK Government to make representations in support of artistic freedom for Tang Wei and all Chinese citizens.","date":"2008-04-21","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35614","proposer":"10428","edm":"1370","session":"2007-08","title":"Missing Persons Cyprus","text":"That this House notes that in the recent European Court of Human Rights judgement Varnava and others v Turkey it was found that Turkey was guilty of violating the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR), through its failure to investigate or take action over the fates of the nine applicants to the Court who, although witnessed alive and under the detention of the Turkish Army in both Cyprus and Turkey following the illegal invasion and hostilities on the island in 1974, remain today missing persons, believed dead; believes that Turkey's violation of those persons' liberty was and remains a crime against humanity; further believes that the fates of more than one thousand others connected to the same conflict, many of whom are the relatives of British citizens, should be similarly categorised; and calls upon the Government to demand of Turkey that it immediately complies with the judgement of the ECHR in this case and also promptly provides full details of other missing persons in its charge before their disappearance.","date":"2008-04-21","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35536","proposer":"10428","edm":"1300","session":"2007-08","title":"Gurkhas Right To Remain","text":"That this House recalls the Government's announcement in September 2004, following a lengthy 18 month review of policy, that Gurkhas who had served in the British Army and who wanted to settle in the UK with their families should be allowed to do so and that immigration rules would be changed to enable this; was therefore alarmed to learn that this offer had only been extended to cover those Gurkhas who had served at least four years and been discharged after 1st July 1997, the date at which their brigade's headquarters had moved to the UK from Hong Kong; notes that Nepalese Gurkhas have played an active front line part in the British Army's activities in times of war and peace for nearly 200 years, with approximately 300,000 of them fighting alongside UK soldiers in both World Wars and other conflicts since, with 45,000 of them either killed or wounded in the process; and believes that, given the exceptional service they have given to the UK, their ties to the nation should be immediately interpreted as sufficiently strong as to warrant their fast track eligibility for either the right to remain or citizenship.","date":"2008-04-01","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35539","proposer":"10123","edm":"1303","session":"2007-08","title":"Global Coal Management Mine In Bangladesh","text":"That this House notes the World Development Movement's belief that plans for a coal mine in Bangladesh which are being pushed through by a UK company, Global Coal Management, should not go ahead; expresses deep concern that the Asian Development Bank should be funding this type of project; and considers that money earmarked for development should not be used for projects that will displace 40,000 people from their land and place a further 100,000 people at risk from a reduced or contaminated water supply.","date":"2008-04-01","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35510","proposer":"10436","edm":"1275","session":"2007-08","title":"Employment In Ethnic Catering","text":"That this House welcomes the major contributions that Chinese, Indian, Malaysian and other ethnic restaurants, curry houses, takeaways and catering businesses make not only to culinary diversity, interest and excitement but also to the economy and British society in general; is concerned about their increasing difficulties in recruiting chefs and cooks of all kinds which have forced many to employ asylum seekers many of whom are now being dismissed or arrested under the Stop Illegal Working drive; feels that these problems are compounded by the new points-based system which requires unreasonably high English language skills at a level not attainable in the schools of their country of origin and formal qualifications not attainable by those who acquire their cooking skills from experience, often in family businesses; points out that all this has produced real difficulties for ethnic catering, excessive overtime hours, tens of thousands of staff shortages and in several cases closures of these small and medium enterprises; and observes that these problems are all brought out in the research report compiled for the Chinese Immigration Concerns Committee which comes to the conclusion that, if Chinese catering cannot quickly replace its workforce there is a real danger of a meltdown, a problem which also faces other ethnic catering businesses unless they are urgently recognised as an area of skill shortage with rules relaxed accordingly to allow urgent recruitment.","date":"2008-03-31","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35511","proposer":"10197","edm":"1276","session":"2007-08","title":"China And The Olympic Games","text":"That this House, remembering that those nations attending the 1936 Olympic Games in Nazi Germany believed that by participating in the Games the Hitler regime would be civilised, calls upon the Government and individual competitors in the 2008 Olympics in China to begin thinking how they will prevent a 1936 replay with a totalitarian state again using the Games for their own propaganda purposes.","date":"2008-03-31","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35500","proposer":"10608","edm":"1266","session":"2007-08","title":"Bhopal 23 Years On","text":"That this House deplores the continuing suffering of the people of Bhopal 23 years after the world's worst industrial disaster; notes that Amnesty International has reported ongoing violations of human rights, that contaminated factory land is still not properly cleaned up, that high quantities of organochlorines and lead pollute local water supplies, that there are continuing occurrences of birth deformities and ill health and that 15 people die each month as a result; congratulates the work of the Sambhavna medical clinic in treating victims of gas and water poisoning and that of the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal in trying to make the government of India meet its obligations to provide clean water and adequate medical, social and economic rehabilitation; and further applauds the campaign for pursuing polluter pays principles against Dow Chemical and extradition of its fugitive subsidiary Union Carbide, which refuses to face charges in India of culpable homicide in connection with the deaths of 23,000 people.","date":"2008-03-26","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35503","proposer":"10133","edm":"1269","session":"2007-08","title":"Bangladesh And Democracy","text":"That this House notes the 37th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence of Bangladesh; expresses deep concern at the present political situation in Bangladesh where the caretaker administration, supported by the military, has already been in office for 15 months; therefore calls for an end to the state of emergency, resumption of normal political activities, and that all political prisoners should have immediate access to independent legal representation and their cases heard in independent civilian courts; and furthermore expresses deep concern at the denial of medical care to any prisoner including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.","date":"2008-03-26","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35473","proposer":"11093","edm":"1239","session":"2007-08","title":"Tigers","text":"That this House notes the number of tigers has halved in the last quarter century to approximately 3,500; also notes that the South China tiger could be on the verge of extinction; does not accept this as a necessary decline and notes that the World Wildlife Fund does not accept it either; and calls for the Government to work with the Indian, Indonesian, Chinese and other governments to reverse the decline.","date":"2008-03-20","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35484","proposer":"10383","edm":"1250","session":"2007-08","title":"Death Penalty In Pakistan","text":"That this House notes with concern that a man arrested by Pakistani authorities as Manjit Singh has been sentenced to be executed at the end of April 2008; notes that the man's family claim he is a victim of mistaken identity, and that his name is Sarabjit Singh; further notes that he was arrested in 1990 on charges of having worked for Indian intelligence, but has since been convicted of involvement in lethal bomb attacks in 1990; and calls on the Prime Minister both to make representations to the President of Pakistan to use his powers under Article 45 of the Constitution to commute the death sentence, and further to encourage Pakistan to abolish the death penalty.","date":"2008-03-20","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35470","proposer":"11656","edm":"1201A1","session":"2007-08","title":"Behaviour Of Chinese Forces In Tibet","text":"leave out from `and' to end and add `welcomes the Prime Minister's announcement that he will meet the Dalai Lama when he is in London in May.'.","date":"2008-03-19","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35446","proposer":"10527","edm":"1220","session":"2007-08","title":"Diabetes-Induced Miscarriage And Stillbirths In South Asian Women","text":"That this House recognises that South Asian women have over twice the risk of losing a baby in the early stages of pregnancy, compared to European women, due to complications caused by type 2 diabetes; notes that poor social conditions, language barriers and an unhealthy diet all contribute to these poor pregnancy outcomes; recognises that those of Asian background are up to six times more likely to develop diabetes and that diabetes affects this community five to 10 years earlier than the general population; understands insulin, which can provide a solution to many of the problems associated with diabetes during pregnancy, unfortunately carries a stigma within the South Asian community; congratulates local initiatives such as the Apnee Sehat social enterprise which has developed a targeted educational DVD to provide guidance and practical information for pregnant women; commends such educational resources being tailored to raise health risk awareness in South Asian communities and promoting lifestyle changes to prevent this disease; and urges the Department of Health to use this beacon DVD as a best practice tool and calls for this to be made available to primary care trusts across the UK.","date":"2008-03-18","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35423","proposer":"10543","edm":"1197","session":"2007-08","title":"Mrs Sheikh Hasina Wajid","text":"That this House notes with grave concern that Mrs Sheikh Hasina Wajid, a former Prime Minister of Bangladesh and Leader of the Bangladeshi Awami League, has been under arrest for the last eight months by the military-backed government in Bangladesh; further notes that though various charges have been laid against her that she has not been offered due legal process or the right to a trial in an open, fair and transparent court; further notes that she is seriously ill in jail but has not been offered the appropriate hospital treatment; and calls upon the Government to make representations to the government of Bangladesh to either offer Mrs Sheikh Hasina Wajid a fair trial or to release her, to afford her immediate hospital treatment and, more generally, to uphold its democratic obligations to the country.","date":"2008-03-17","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35427","proposer":"10022","edm":"1201","session":"2007-08","title":"Behaviour Of Chinese Forces In Tibet","text":"That this House condemns the brutal policing by the Chinese authorities in quelling spontaneous demonstrations by local Tibetans, monks, nuns and lay people in Lhasa and elsewhere in Tibet which has endured 49 years of subjugation by China; notes with deep sadness that this heavy-handed response has resulted in the slaughter of at least 100 Tibetans; calls on the Government to strongly denounce the Chinese government's overreaction in sending in troops and tanks to Lhasa, to support the Dalai Lama's calls for an independent UN delegation to visit Tibet urgently to report on conditions and verify the number of injured, deaths and arrests and to call on the Chinese authorities to start genuine negotiations without preconditions with envoys of the Dalai Lama for a settlement of the Tibet issue; and further reiterates its call for the Prime Minister to meet the Dalai Lama when he is in London in May.","date":"2008-03-17","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35379","proposer":"10295","edm":"1159","session":"2007-08","title":"Free Tibet March On China","text":"That this House notes the Free Tibet movement march on the Chinese border; notes that the march aims to reach the border when the Beijing Olympics close in order to highlight the injustice of treatment of Tibet by the Chinese authorities; and calls on the Chinese government to recognise the rights of Tibetans and in the spirit of the Olympic Games adopt a tolerant and respectful stance towards the beliefs and rights of Tibetans.","date":"2008-03-11","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35363","proposer":"10190","edm":"1143","session":"2007-08","title":"BURMA'S CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM","text":"That this House notes the decision of the Burmese military regime to hold a referendum on a new constitution in early May 2008; is concerned that clauses in the draft constitution would preclude the election of Aung San Suu Kyi or other legitimate non-military opposition leaders; condemns the harsh restrictions in place against campaigners against the referendum; further notes that among those Burmese citizens to be denied the opportunity to vote within Burma will be approximately 350,000 Buddhist clergy, 500,000 internally displaced Burmese and 160,000 refugees on the Thai-Burma border; further notes the opportunity to vote will also be denied to an estimated 150,000 Burmese migrant workers in Malaysia, Singapore, China and India, to 50,000 Burmese refugees in India, and to an estimated four million Burmese living in exile around the world, including in Britain; calls for the referendum to be held in an atmosphere of freedom and respect for basic rights; looks forward to the day when all Burmese citizens over 18 are afforded the right to vote, without regard to religion, gender, ethnicity or political affiliation; and calls on the Government to continue to press the EU, the US and Burma's neighbours to take a strong and united position on Burma and to support the Burmese people in their struggle for full democratic rights.","date":"2008-03-10","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35349","proposer":"10001","edm":"1129","session":"2007-08","title":"Chinese Investment In Darfur","text":"That this House believes that the continuing crisis in Darfur could be eased by a reduction in foreign investment, most notable of which is Chinese investment in the Sudanese oil industry; and notes that oil revenues have been used to fund the continuing conflict and that, given the international focus on China in the run up to the Beijing Olympic Games, the Government should urge China to reduce its investment in Sudan and join the international community in applying pressure to all parties in the conflict for a peaceful settlement.","date":"2008-03-06","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35299","proposer":"10133","edm":"1091","session":"2007-08","title":"Recent Arrest And Detention Of Ethnic Indian Human Rights Defenders In Malaysia","text":"That this House notes with concern the recent arrest and detention without trial in Malaysia of five ethnic Indian human rights defenders from the organisation Hindraf following a peaceful gathering demanding basic rights; further notes that these men are being held by the Internal Security Act which allows detention without trial for an unspecified period; further notes that these arrests come on top of other actions taken by the Malaysian government to curtail the human rights of the minority Indian community in Malaysia including the freedom of religion; calls on the Government to make representations to the government of Malaysia on serious human rights violations against the ethnic minority Indian community; calls on Malaysia to ensure that the internationally protected rights of ethnic minority community, to peaceful assembly, expression and freedom of thought, conscience and religion are protected in accordance with international standards; and calls for the immediate release of the five held without trial.","date":"2008-03-03","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35191","proposer":"10001","edm":"993","session":"2007-08","title":"Campaign For Peace In Turkey And Kurdistan","text":"That this House is concerned by the ongoing military operations that are taking place in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq; notes reports that civilian villages have been subject to air strikes by Turkish military forces; further notes the Edi Bese campaign which is calling for an end to fighting from both sides in the region; and calls on the Government to aid communication between Turkish and Kurdish authorities and help bring peace to the region.","date":"2008-02-21","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35201","proposer":"10040","edm":"1003","session":"2007-08","title":"Assassination Of Democracy Leader From Burma","text":"That this House condemns the assassination of Padoh Mahn Sha Lah Phan, General Secretary of the Karen National Union; pays tribute to his tireless work to bring freedom to the people of Burma; condemns the junta ruling Burma for its terrrorist act in organising the assassination; sends its condolences to the family of Mahn Sha; and calls on the British government to take action to stop the Burmese junta's brutal attacks against the Karen and other ethnic civilians in Eastern Burma.","date":"2008-02-21","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35179","proposer":"10022","edm":"984","session":"2007-08","title":"Visit Of The Dalai Lama","text":"That this House welcomes the forthcoming visit of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to the United Kingdom in May; recognises the strong historical connections between this country and Tibet; notes that the Dalai Lama has recently had meetings with President George Bush, Chancellor Angela Merkel and the leaders of Australia, Canada and Austria; and calls upon the Prime Minister to take the opportunity to meet the Dalai Lama on the occasion of his visit, particularly in the light of the worsening human rights position in Tibet and the Dalai Lama's commitment to a non-violent solution.","date":"2008-02-20","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35106","proposer":"10327","edm":"925","session":"2007-08","title":"Presidents Of The United States And China","text":"That this House notes that the President of the United States plans to meet the President of China when visiting the Olympic Games in Beijing later this year; and further notes that these two presidents have much in common to discuss, including indiscriminate use of capital punishment, torture of political prisoners and blatant violations of international law.","date":"2008-02-18","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35072","proposer":"10484","edm":"896","session":"2007-08","title":"South Asian Arts","text":"That this House notes with deep concern the impact that the Arts Council cuts of \u00c2\u00a3500,000 in respect of the Watermans Arts Centre and \u00c2\u00a3170,000 in respect of Tara Arts will have on the increasingly popular and blossoming South Asian arts scene; fears that the Watermans may not now see a new Parminder Nagra or Tara Arts see another Natinder Verma; and calls on the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to use his best endeavours to protect the South Asian arts that are such a vital component of UK artistic life.","date":"2008-02-06","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35035","proposer":"10619","edm":"859","session":"2007-08","title":"Democratic Elections In Pakistan","text":"That this House is saddened by the tragic death of Benazir Bhutto on 27th December 2007; pays tribute to her work as the first elected woman leader of a Muslim country; and calls on the UK Government to do all it can to support democratic elections in Pakistan.","date":"2008-02-04","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"35000","proposer":"10785","edm":"832","session":"2007-08","title":"Sayed Pervez Kambaksh And The Death Penalty","text":"That this House condemns the arrest and sentencing to death in Afghanistan of Sayed Pervez Kambaksh, a journalism student accused of blasphemy after downloading and distributing to students and teachers a report on women's rights; notes with dismay that the Member of Parliament who proposed the ruling condemning Mr Kambaksh was Sibghatullah Mojaddedi, a key ally of President Hamid Karzai; expresses concern that Hafiz Khaliqyar, a senior prosecutor in Mazar-i-Sharif, where Mr Kambaksh was arrested, had warned journalists that they would be punished if they protested against the death sentence passed on Mr Kambaksh; notes with concern that a female Member of Parliament, Malalai Joya, has been suspended after criticising her male colleagues; congratulates the UK Government for funding the Institute for War and Peace Reporting, which trains media workers in Afghanistan; welcomes the campaign launched by The Independent newspaper calling for Mr Kambaksh's sentence to be overturned; calls on the UK Government to press the Afghan government to ensure the right to free speech is upheld and enforced; further calls on the UK Government to press the Afghan government to abolish the use of the death penalty; and urges the UK Government to press President Karzai to use his right of intervention and pardon Mr Kambaksh.","date":"2008-01-31","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"34937","proposer":"10614","edm":"773","session":"2007-08","title":"India And The Un Security Council","text":"That this House congratulates the Prime Minister on a successful visit to India; believes that maintaining a strong relationship with India is of the utmost importance; welcomes the Prime Minister's statement that the UK gives its support to India's membership of the UN Security Council; and calls on the Government to take whatever steps necessary to secure agreement for this to happen by the end of 2008.","date":"2008-01-24","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"34907","proposer":"10790","edm":"745","session":"2007-08","title":"Uk-India Summit And Climate Change","text":"That this House welcomes the joint statement signed by the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh following the summit meeting held on 21st January 2008; notes that in its reference to climate change the statement said that long-term convergence of per capita emission rates is an important and equitable principle that should be considered seriously in the context of international climate change negotiations; and further notes that without such an equitable arrangement it is unlikely that developing countries like India have any incentive eventually to restrict their greenhouse gas emissions.","date":"2008-01-22","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"34913","proposer":"10256","edm":"751","session":"2007-08","title":"Inquiry Into The Assassination Of Benazir Bhutto","text":"That this House notes with deep regret the murder of former Pakistani Prime Minister and Leader of the Pakistan People's Party, Benazir Bhutto, on 27th December; recognises that Benazir Bhutto was committed to democracy in Pakistan; further notes that any investigation into her death must be independent and thorough; and calls upon the Government through its membership of the United Nations Security Council to press for a formal UN investigation into Benazir Bhutto's murder similar to the inquiry into the murder of the former Lebanese Prime Minister, Rafik Hariri.","date":"2008-01-22","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"34866","proposer":"10295","edm":"709","session":"2007-08","title":"Religious Tolerance In India","text":"That this House notes with concern the report by the All India Catholic Union that highlighted 190 attacks on Christians in 2007; recognises that these attacks took the form of homicides, armed assaults, sexual harassment and lynchings; further notes that many of these attacks took place while people were worshipping within the privacy of their homes and churches; and calls on the Indian government to ensure that attacks based upon religious beliefs are stopped and religious tolerance is practised at all times.","date":"2008-01-16","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"34860","proposer":"11199","edm":"704","session":"2007-08","title":"Dogs In China","text":"That this House welcomes the positive work for companion animals carried out by the Animals Asia Foundation in China; recognises that their programmes aim to work in partnership with the Chinese government to end the confiscation of dogs within Beijing and the slaughter of thousands of dogs across many Chinese provinces; notes that high volume killing campaigns have proven to be an ineffective measure to control populations of stray dogs and prevent rabies; congratulates the Animals Asia Foundation on its work with the Nanjing authorities to adopt compassionate and long-term solutions through placing stray dogs into the custody of a local animal shelter; encourages the Chinese government to adopt cost-effective animal birth control programmes, which have been proven to reduce the number of stray animals and the incidences of rabies, and thanks the Beijing authorities for their meeting with the Animals Asia Foundation; further encourages the continuation of their positive public education programmes; and requests that confiscated dogs in Beijing are returned to their owners and the offer of free humane muzzles for large dogs by the Animals Asia Foundation is accepted without delay, whilst more constructive and compassionate dog management regulations are discussed and implemented for the benefit of both people and dogs in the community.","date":"2008-01-15","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"34841","proposer":"10295","edm":"686","session":"2007-08","title":"Animal Rights In China","text":"That this House condemns the Chinese government for the poor animal rights standards in China; notes in particular the brutal treatment of bears in bear farms where bile is removed either through permanent catheters, or during operations, and is used for traditional Chinese medicines despite herbal and synthetic alternatives being available; regards the 250 bear farms across China, housing an estimated total of 7,000 bears, as evidence of extensive cruelty; and calls on the Chinese government to bring its laws and practices into the 21st century in relation to animal rights.","date":"2008-01-14","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"34846","proposer":"10123","edm":"691","session":"2007-08","title":"Paris Agreement And The Vietnam War","text":"That this House welcomes the 35th anniversary of the signing of the Paris Agreement that took place on 27th January 1973 which led to the ending of the war between the United States and its allies and Vietnam; notes however that the US commitment to contribute to healing the wounds of war and to postwar reconstruction of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and throughout Indochina, Chapter VIII, Article 21, is one of a number of agreements outstanding; further notes that over three million Vietnamese suffer from the effects of the chemical Agent Orange used by US forces in that war; and urges the US Administration now to honour this agreement.","date":"2008-01-14","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"34769","proposer":"10685","edm":"616","session":"2007-08","title":"Chinese Engagement In Africa","text":"That this House notes the increasing engagement of the People's Republic of China in sub-Saharan Africa; warmly welcomes responsible Chinese developmental, commercial and diplomatic involvement; calls on the Government to encourage the Chinese government to ensure its activities, and the activities of Chinese enterprises and organisations, fully reflect the need for transparency, good governance, democratic accountability, corporate responsibility, and environmental protection; and further calls on the Government to engage systematically with China on these issues and to encourage other nations to do so and to work together to ensure international standards for bilateral aid, government-supported commercial agreements and similar projects are developed and respected.","date":"2007-12-18","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"34746","proposer":"11199","edm":"595","session":"2007-08","title":"Bears In China","text":"That this House welcomes the progress that is being made by the Animals Asia Foundation towards bringing an end to the abhorent abuse of over 7,000 bears on farms in China; recognises that bear farmers and stakeholders in the industry continue to maintain that conditions on the farms are humane, whilst some evidence points to the contrary; notes that bears are kept for up to 22 years in cramped, rusting cages, with little room to stand up or turn around; further notes that bears continue to suffer in the most deplorable conditions, with metal catheters implanted deep into their gallbladders and infected fistula holes in their abdomens, enabling farmers to milk the bears for their bile twice daily; congratulates the Chinese government's work in partnership with Animals Asia Foundation in rescuing 218 bears from bear farms to date; and calls upon the British Government to do everything in its power to encourage the Chinese government to bring about an urgent end to this barbaric practice and to meet Chinese government officials in order to raise serious concerns at a national level.","date":"2007-12-17","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"34683","proposer":"10428","edm":"542","session":"2007-08","title":"Hunting Of Whales","text":"That this House is extremely concerned about Japan's decision to allow the killing of endangered whales in an internationally recognised sanctuary, under the guise of science; believes that the Government must continue to build upon recent successes in whale conservation, especially given its awareness that many whale species have not yet recovered from previous onslaughts; and calls upon the Government to remain highly active against such wanton and dangerous practices in the interests of the world.","date":"2007-12-11","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"34696","proposer":"11798","edm":"555","session":"2007-08","title":"Bangladesh","text":"That this House is concerned at the circumstances surrounding the detention in Bangladesh of both the former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and the former Prime Minister and leader of the opposition Sheikh Hasina; urges the caretaker Government to ensure that all allegations against these ladies are closely scrutinised to ensure that there are no malicious or politically motivated denunciations; further notes the allegations of the apparent suppression of political free speech which has culminated in the recent jailing of four Bangladeshi university professors; and calls on the caretaker Government to ensure that lawful protest and freedom of political expression is allowed.","date":"2007-12-11","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"34663","proposer":"10492","edm":"523","session":"2007-08","title":"Arrest And Detention Of Paramjit Singh In The Punjab","text":"That this House notes the many and continuing representations to the Foreign Secretary made by British Sikhs on behalf of Paramjit Singh, a British citizen; notes that his detention in the Punjab has now continued for one year causing great concern for his safety; is dismayed that the Foreign Secretary has not given the same expeditious consideration to Paramjit's detention in a Punjab prison as he appears to have given to the plight of Ms Gibbons in a Sudanese prison; and, in the absence of the Punjab authorities providing any credible explanation for Paramjit's detention, calls on the Government to press for his immediate release.","date":"2007-12-10","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"34609","proposer":"10208","edm":"476","session":"2007-08","title":"Media Freedoms In China","text":"That this House notes with concern that the Chinese government has not granted domestic journalists the freedom to travel and report at liberty during the 2008 Olympic Games; further notes that the media liberties granted to foreign journalists are due to expire on 17th October 2008; recognises concerns expressed by foreign journalists that they are still being searched and interrogated by Chinese officials; further notes that the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Bid Committee promised when it was bidding for the Games that there would not be any restrictions on media reporting or the movement of journalists before and during the Olympics including in occupied Tibet; and calls on the Government to urge the International Olympic Committee to put pressure on the Chinese government to ensure that both foreign and domestic journalists are granted the complete liberty to report the truth at the Beijing Olympics without fear of intimidation or detention.","date":"2007-12-05","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"34616","proposer":"10123","edm":"483","session":"2007-08","title":"Detention And Treatment Of Sheikh Hasina","text":"That this House is concerned at the continuing detention in Bangladesh of former Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition, Sheikh Hasina; notes the BBC News Report of 3rd December 2007 that the main witness against her, her cousin Mr Sheikh Selim has sought to withdraw his statement, with his lawyer Syed Rezaur telling the court that Sheikh Selim was tortured repeatedly when he was on remand, and that at one stage, he could not bear the pressure and agreed to give the confessional statement; further notes that reports of interrogation under torture to obtain confessions in Bangladesh are well documented by international human rights organisations, such as Human Rights Watch; and on this basis is concerned that the case against Sheikh Hasina is politically motivated and risks not being a fair trial.","date":"2007-12-05","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"34605","proposer":"11026","edm":"472","session":"2007-08","title":"Dolphin Slaughter","text":"That this House expresses concern at the annual slaughter of dolphins and other small cetaceans by Japanese fishermen; calls upon the Japanese government to end this barbaric practice; urges both the British Government and the European Union to make strong representations to the Japanese authorities about this brutal ritual which has no place in any civilised society; and calls on the European Union to consider the imposition of sanctions if Japan takes no action to stop this slaughter.","date":"2007-12-04","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"34522","proposer":"10614","edm":"400","session":"2007-08","title":"8th Eu-India Summit, New Delhi","text":"That this House supports the EU-India summit taking place on 30th November 2007 in New Delhi; believes that good relations with India are of great benefit to the United Kingdom as part of the European Union as well as to a rapidly modernising Indian economy and growing Indian market; hopes that productive discussions will take place on a variety of issues including helping to bring an end to the civil strife and bloodshed in Burma; supports the events surrounding the event including the EU Cultural Week and the Indian Business Summit; and hopes that this summit will further improve this important, mutually beneficial relationship.","date":"2007-11-27","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"34529","proposer":"10484","edm":"407","session":"2007-08","title":"Hindu Temples In Malaysia","text":"That this House notes with grave concern the stated intention of the government of Malaysia to demolish 79 Hindu temples; and calls upon the UK Government to make the strongest possible representations to the Malaysian government both to cease the programme of demolition and to allow this legitimate voice of protest to be heard without physical interference.","date":"2007-11-27","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"34508","proposer":"10614","edm":"387","session":"2007-08","title":"Kamlesh Sharma And The Secretary Generalship Of The Commonwealth (No. 2)","text":"That this House welcomes the election of Kamlesh Sharma, the Indian High Commissioner to the UK, as the next Commonwealth Secretary General; notes that this is the first time that an Indian has held this position; acknowledges that this represents a real step forward for India, taking it to the very forefront of global decision-making; and further notes the excellent work that Mr Sharma has done to enhance links between Commonwealth nations.","date":"2007-11-26","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"34467","proposer":"10022","edm":"347","session":"2007-08","title":"Imprisonment Of Rungyee Adak In Tibet","text":"That this House notes with concern the eight year prison sentence handed down to the Tibetan nomad Rungyee Adak by the Chinese authorities for taking up a microphone at the annual Lithang horse-racing festival and calling for the return of the Dalai Lama to Tibet and for the release of the Panchen Lama; and urges the UK Government to raise the injustice of his case, and particularly in the run-up to the Olympic Games, to continue to pressurise the Chinese government to respect fundamental human rights and basic civil and religious freedoms in Tibet, including the right to self-determination.","date":"2007-11-21","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"34452","proposer":"11923","edm":"334","session":"2007-08","title":"Imran Khan","text":"That this House expresses grave concern at the arrest of Imran Khan, the former captain of the Pakistan cricket team and leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party; condemns the decision of President Musharraf to impose a state of emergency; and urges the President to lift all restrictions on freedom and opposition parties and to restore the constitution and hold democratic elections as soon as possible.","date":"2007-11-20","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"34405","proposer":"11823","edm":"294","session":"2007-08","title":"Japanese Comfort Women","text":"That this House notes that up to 200,000 women, euphemistically known as comfort women, were forced into sexual servitude before and during World War II by the Japanese Imperial Army; condemns the system of sexual slavery instituted by the Japanese military, which is both a war crime and a crime against humanity; expresses deep concern that after 62 years, survivors of Japan's sexual slavery system are still waiting for justice; welcomes the visit of Gil Won Ok and Ellen van der Ploeg who were among many women used as wartime sex slaves by the Japanese military and who are seeking justice, reparations and a full apology; is dismayed that during their lifetime, survivors have suffered physical and mental ill-health, isolation and shame, and often extreme poverty; and calls upon the UK Government to urge the Japanese government to apologise publicly to the victims for its past actions, provide formal and complete reparations and admit its responsibility in all public records.","date":"2007-11-19","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"34411","proposer":"10295","edm":"300","session":"2007-08","title":"Whaling (No. 2)","text":"That this House condemns the latest actions by Japanese whalers who are hunting minke and humpback whales; expresses grave concern at the relentless increase in numbers of whales killed by Japan, Iceland and Norway, and their pressure to overturn the moratorium on commercial whaling and the ban on international trade in whale products; welcomes the campaign by the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society to stop commercial whaling; congratulates the Government for its recent commitment to regaining a conservation majority at the International Whaling Commission; and strongly believes that, for the UK to be the most effective advocate for whale conservation, the issue needs to be elevated to the Prime Minister's agenda and adequately resourced.","date":"2007-11-19","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"34318","proposer":"10022","edm":"216","session":"2007-08","title":"Detention And Conviction Of Rongyal Adak","text":"That this House notes with concern the detention and subsequent conviction of Rongyal Adak, a respected Tibetan nomad, simply for calling publicly for the return of the Dalai Lama to his native country after 48 years in exile; condemns the brutal action of the Lithang police in response to the protests against his arrest, including the use of tear gas and rubber bullets; further notes with alarm the intensifications of effort by the occupying power, China, to suppress the free expression by Tibetans of their religious beliefs; observes that the free access provided to journalists to Tibet by China as part of that country's Olympic bid is not being honoured; and calls on the British Government to raise with the Chinese authorities the case of Rongyal Adak, and to demand that access to Tibet by journalists be allowed unimpeded.","date":"2007-11-13","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"34338","proposer":"10173","edm":"236","session":"2007-08","title":"Aviation Between The UK And Singapore","text":"That this House warmly welcomes the landmark aviation agreement between the UK and Singapore; notes that this is the first agreement which gives unfettered access to the London-US market to a non-EU or US airline; and congratulates Singapore Airlines on another first to add to its recent inaugural passenger flight of the A380 aircraft, and its persistence over more than 10 years in seeking to offer greater choice to transatlantic air passengers.","date":"2007-11-13","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"34284","proposer":"11742","edm":"182","session":"2007-08","title":"Sri Lankan Cricket","text":"That this House congratulates Sri Lanka on 25 years of Test cricket and 170 Test matches; notes how they have transformed themselves into a major cricketing nation and recognises their achievement in reaching the 2007 Cricket World Cup Final and winning the 1996 World Cup Final; notes their first Test match was against England in 1982; and wishes both teams luck in the forthcoming Test series in Sri Lanka.","date":"2007-11-12","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"34298","proposer":"11189","edm":"196","session":"2007-08","title":"Caucasus Caspian Commission","text":"That this House notes the work of the Caucasus Caspian Commission and its significant progress in promoting enhanced relations between the region and the rest of Europe, peace and reconciliation and economic development; praises the Commission chairmanship of Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel; further notes the impending publication of the Commission's report outlining future options for this emerging part of Europe; and calls on the UK Government and European Union to study and implement the Commission proposals aimed at enhancing stability and prosperity in the Caucasus Caspian region.","date":"2007-11-12","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"34301","proposer":"10231","edm":"199","session":"2007-08","title":"Self-Determination For People Of Kashmir","text":"That this House recognises that the question of self-determination for the people of Kashmir remains unresolved more than 60 years after the creation of India and Pakistan as independent states; and reaffirms its belief that the UK Government should continue vigorously to support the right of the Kashmiri people to determine their own future.","date":"2007-11-12","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"34305","proposer":"10295","edm":"203","session":"2007-08","title":"Animal Circuses In China","text":"That this House notes with concern the appalling way in which animals are being treated in order to perform in circuses across China; highlights the latest example featured in the Daily Express, where tigers are forced to stand on their hind legs and raise their paws on the instruction of the circus master, while another act involves a goat walking on a tightrope with a monkey on its back and no safety net below; deplores such acts of cruelty; and calls on the Government to work with animal welfare charities in order to place pressure on the Chinese authorities to improve their animal protection laws.","date":"2007-11-12","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"34257","proposer":"10586","edm":"161","session":"2007-08","title":"Chen Guang Cheng","text":"That this House notes the four years and three months' imprisonment of 34 year old Chen Guang Cheng, a blind Chinese human rights activist; further notes his crime consisted of acting on behalf of women undergoing forcible abortions and sterilisations; further notes that 130,000 women undergo forcible abortions per year as part of the coercive one-child policy; further notes that after Cheng's case failed in the Beijing courts he was subsequently imprisoned on trumped up charges of damaging public property and organising villagers to disrupt traffic; further notes that his attorneys were detained and prevented from appearing and that neither witnesses nor evidence were presented for the defence; further notes the detention in September by Chinese police of Yuan Weijing, the wife of Chen Guang Cheng, to prevent her from going to the Philippines to collect a human rights award on his behalf for his `irrepressible passion for justice in leading ordinary Chinese citizens to assert their legitimate rights under the law'; further notes with shame that the Chinese policy is supported with British taxpayers' money through government grants made to the United Nations Population Fund, the International Planned Parenthood Federation and Marie Stopes International, all of which finance Chinese family planning yet have failed in 20 years to change the policy of coercive abortion and sterilisation; and calls on the Government to cancel all grants to groups providing money to countries with coercive family planning policies as well as demanding that Mr Cheng be released from prison without delay.","date":"2007-11-08","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"34260","proposer":"10444","edm":"164","session":"2007-08","title":"JAPAN'S HUMPBACK WHALE HUNT","text":"That this House condemns the imminent slaughter under the guise of science of 50 endangered humpback whales, as well as 935 minke whales and 50 endangered fin whales, by Japanese whalers in the internationally designated Southern Ocean whale sanctuary; expresses deep concern that the humpbacks to be targeted by Japan form part of an endangered population of whales that is vitally important for whale watching industries in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, countries which treasure these whales alive, both culturally and economically; notes that a Resolution was adopted at this year's International Whaling Commission meeting in Anchorage which strongly criticised Japan's scientific whaling, exposing it as a sham designed to disguise commercial whaling; further notes that whaling in any form is inherently cruel and that there is no humane way to kill whales; further notes that these whales can be studied using non-lethal research methods; and calls on the Government to unequivocally condemn Japan's cruel, unnecessary and unlawful whaling activities and engage in increased diplomatic action at the highest levels to bring an end to commercial and scientific whaling.","date":"2007-11-08","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"34233","proposer":"13934","edm":"143","session":"2007-08","title":"Hindu Human Rights In Kazakhstan","text":"That this House is deeply concerned about the harassment and human rights abuses taking place in Kazakhstan against the minority Hindu communities; further notes that the local Kazakhstan government has demolished housing belonging to 100 Hindus without following any procedure, protocol or observance of human rights and has officially ordered the demolition of a Hindu temple and dairy farm that continues to be under threat; notes that despite these violations of human rights Kazakhstan is seeking to Chair the Organisation of Safety and Co-operation in Europe, a body that safeguards human rights in Europe; calls on the British Government to exert pressure on the Kazakhstan government to guarantee and promote human rights and religious freedom in Kazakhstan, return confiscated land, homes and property to Hindus and their religious institutions and compensate them for destroyed property; and urges the British Government to work with its European partners to prevent Kazakhstan chairing the Organisation of Security and Co-operation in Europe and to end human rights abuses in Kazakhstan.","date":"2007-11-07","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"34107","proposer":"10470","edm":"17","session":"2007-08","title":"Bioenergy","text":"That this House recognises the important role bioenergy can play in tackling climate change while encouraging energy security and increasing opportunities for farmers and rural communities; regrets that bioenergy represents only 1.5 per cent. of the total UK energy supply; is nevertheless alarmed by the environmental threat posed by the production for bioenergy of palm oil, sugar cane and soya in South East Asia and South America, the expansion of which is leading to a destruction of tropical forests and other highly prized ecosystems, such as the Cerrado in Brazil; calls on the Government to introduce as a matter of urgency a carbon and sustainability assurance scheme that reflects the impact of bioenergy throughout its life-cycle; urges the European Union to follow suit in developing Europe-wide assurance schemes; and calls on the Government to encourage a sustainable bioenergy sector through an ethical Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation.","date":"2007-11-06","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"34124","proposer":"11318","edm":"34","session":"2007-08","title":"Orangutans And Palm Oil","text":"That this House expresses concern about the growth of oil palm plantations in Borneo; notes that many oil palm plantations have replaced the rainforest, which is the habitat for the orangutan; is further concerned that increasing habitat destruction could lead to the extinction of the orangutan within five years; welcomes the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil; and urges the palm oil industry to take responsible action to protect orangutan habitats and become sustainable.","date":"2007-11-06","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"34149","proposer":"10439","edm":"59","session":"2007-08","title":"FIRST MINISTER'S CORRESPONDENCE WITH BURMESE JUNTA","text":"That this House welcomes the recent visit of representatives of the opposition movement in Burma to the Scottish Parliament; expresses its support for their campaign for freedom, justice and democracy in Burma; believes that all countries that share those values should put maximum pressure on the army generals at the head of the Burmese regime; notes that Burma has been heavily criticised by the United Nations for its crackdown on anti-government protests last month and the deaths and suffering caused to unarmed civilians; is therefore outraged that the First Minister of Scotland's most recent communication with the Burmese junta has been to ask for its help and support for his campaign for observer status for Scotland at the United Nations rather than in support of the international response to this crisis; believes that the First Minister could have avoided this situation if he had followed the agreed concordat with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and had discussed his letter to Burma with the FCO before it was sent; reiterates its wholehearted support for the pro-democracy protesters in Burma and condemns the oppressive actions of the military junta past and present; and calls on all political institutions, including the Office of the First Minister, to fully support international efforts to bring peace and democracy to Burma.","date":"2007-11-06","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"34154","proposer":"10528","edm":"64","session":"2007-08","title":"State Of Emergency In Pakistan","text":"That this House expresses its concern at the declaration of a state of emergency in Pakistan and the suspension of the constitution; recognises that Pakistan faces serious threats of extremism and terrorism; believes that the best way to tackle extremism and terrorism is through democracy; and calls on President Musharraf to lift the state of emergency and to restore the constitution, to lift the restrictions on press freedom, to release all political prisoners and to move towards democracy by holding free and fair elections by January 2008.","date":"2007-11-06","status":"c"},{"topic":"Asia","id":"34183","proposer":"10462","edm":"93","session":"2007-08","title":"Cyprus And The Strategic Partnership With Turkey","text":"That this House notes the signing on 23rd October 2007 of a strategic partnership document between the UK and Turkey; recalls that 37 per cent. of the sovereign territory of Cyprus is occupied by the Turkish army; questions therefore whether those clauses which refer to maintaining high level contacts with the Turkish Cypriot authorities may be incompatible with, or even in violation of, successive UN resolutions, notably 541 and 550, to which the UK is a signatory; further questions how these measures will further the purposes of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the United Kingdom and Cyprus in 2005 and the even more recent Agreement of July 2006; and asks the Government to consider whether these clauses of this bilateral agreement between two of the guarantor powers for Cyprus are compatible with the UK Government's own responsibilities as a guarantor power.","date":"2007-11-06","status":"c"}]