Jean today sent a letter to the UK Foreign Secretary expressing her grave concerns over Turkish military action in north-western Syria (Afrin province).

You can read the full text of her letter below.

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Dear Foreign Secretary,

Re: Turkish military activity in Afrin province, Syria

A number of my constituents in London have written to me to express their grave concerns over military activity by the Turkish Government in north-western Syria. I share these concerns and would be grateful if you could raise this with the Turkish authorities at your very earliest convenience. It is unacceptable that a NATO ally should be attacking Syrian Kurds in Afrin province – especially after their contribution to recent military efforts against so-called Islamic State fighters. This also raises the question of the propriety of UK arms sales to Turkey, including fighter jets, and I would also ask you to reconsider the UK Government’s position on this matter.

Thank you for your kind consideration; I look forward to your reply.

Yours sincerely,

Jean Lambert MEP
Green Party Member of the European Parliament for London

LETTER 2018 01 26th Foreign Secretary [Afrin]

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Next Tuesday, the European parliament is due to elect its president for the remainder of this term and the contest is more open than it has ever been. Every political group has its own candidate and I have been nominated for the Greens/EFA (European Free Alliance).

With the UK set to leave the EU, my nomination has been met with raised eyebrows at home and in Brussels. One MEP described it as “surreal” – others are more enthusiastic. However, neither I nor my group feel that my nationality should disbar me. Indeed, it may well be the last chance MEPs have to elect a Brit to the post.

As a remain campaigner, I have thought a great deal about the value of the EU and the need to communicate that to people across Europe. I believe I’m well-placed to understand what is happening in the UK, as well as the rest of the EU. I am proud to represent the UK and passionate about the EU, so I know that the UK’s exit must be, as far as possible, a win-win situation for Britain and our European neighbours. But the parliament’s president is not in charge of the negotiations – although MEPs have a vote at the end of the process, as I hope MPs will.

There are many other issues facing the EU within a shifting political landscape, and the European parliament must be a global standard-bearer for human rights and democracy; solidarity and environmental progress. I want to help the EU to rediscover its place and purpose in the face of major challenges.

Principally, the EU must battle to maintain its position as a strong advocate of universal human rights, which are coming under continued threat internally and externally. The parliament, especially, must strengthen its commitment to promoting and defending democracy worldwide. I will fight to ensure the EU is working to safeguard people’s everyday needs, be it job security or the ability to provide a future for themselves and their families.

The EU must work for ordinary citizens – it cannot be seen as an ally of unscrupulous bankers and big business. We must also increase our willingness to show solidarity with those people elsewhere in the world who are in need, including refugees. The EU has been a leader on climate change, but it needs to pursue its goal of delivering a sustainable future for Europe and its citizens with a renewed vigour, if it is to maintain that role. The parliament must exploit its powerful role within the EU to ensure that happens.

To fulfil our role as the directly elected representatives, we have to ensure our own house is in order and that we are an “open” institution. The parliament needs to be more transparent and, as president, I will ensure recent rule changes on opening up the law-making process, dealing with lobbyists and any conflicts of interest for MEPs are put into effect. I will also push for the creation of a strong ethics committee. With me at its helm, the parliament will be more independent and do a better job of holding the European commission to account.

I also want to see it become more environmentally conscious: we can cut our use of plastic, promote energy efficiency and reduce our carbon footprint still further – a single seat for the parliament would help do this, although that’s not in our hands. Under my presidency, the parliament would be even more inclusive of civil society and we need to continue and develop the diversity programme that we have.

Electing a female president would certainly help the gender balance at the top level. I will also push for the parliament to take greater social responsibility, safeguarding the rights and wellbeing of workers, not least by improving the working conditions of those on precarious contracts.

I’m convinced that the parliament needs a president who isn’t one of the usual suspects; a stereotypical Brussels insider. I have been an MEP for a long time, and as a member of a smaller political group am often critical of EU policies and a passionate advocate for those who do not have the benefit of living in the world’s richest region.

I am a firm believer in the need for international cooperation to tackle many of the problems the world currently faces. We are stronger as a parliament when we promote the values of democracy, universal human rights and solidarity on a sustainable planet. It’s on that basis that I put forward my candidature for the post

See the article in the Guardian here

ENDS

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Ahead of the United Nations Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference in New York, Green MEP Jean Lambert will speak and participate in a number of anti-nuclear events in the city, and will take part in sessions relating to the main UN conference.

Speaking at a workshop entitled ‘Disarm Now: Breaking the Cycle of War and Nuclear Weapons!’ organised by CND as part of the Peace and Planet conference in New York on Saturday, April 25th she will say:

‘Trident is not only eye-wateringly costly it is a relic.  Nobody can think we would actually deploy a nuclear weapon, the world has changed. In the UK where people are using food banks it is surely long over-due to admit the simple truth: the money is better used elsewhere, almost anywhere else.

‘Continuing to maintain that weapons of mass destruction are necessary ignores peaceful and constructive investments. Investments like securing our energy needs through renewable energy, or the provision of zero-carbon housing.

‘We can develop high-quality jobs through ensuring a living wage, decent working hours, protection against unfair dismissal and so many other initiatives that the UK government considers unnecessary.

‘It is 2015 and in the UK we are entering the final days of an election campaign that sees other national parties out-doing each other to show macho support for Trident. It is depressing but more than that is symptomatic of a broken system. Across the world Greens continue to stand up for humanity and for that profoundly important but invisible thing to other politicians – the very future of our planet. The UK coalition government say that they can give an assurance that the UK will not use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear weapon states parties to the NPT that are compliant with the treaty.

‘There is currently no direct threat to the UK that could ever be neutralised through deploying a nuclear weapon, it is an insanity and one that must stop if we want, and we of course do want, a just and sustainable peaceful world.’

Jean also spoke at another workshop and addressed a rally in Manhattan.

75% of Labour candidates polled oppose Trident, it’s clear that internal pressure on the Labour leadership is weak – with more Green voices to support progressive policies and end support for ideas from a different age, this country can invest in what matters, where it matters: schools, hospitals and housing – not waste 100 billion pounds on a relic.

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Jean wrote to the UK Government’s Department for International Development, DFID, to raise the issue of support for sugar cane farmers, who will be affected by changes to EU rules governing EU sugar beet production.

You can read Jean’s letter here and DFID’s reply here.

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The Commission of the European Union presented an analysis of the outcome of a public consultation today, January 13^th, on the investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanism in the proposed EU-US trade and investment partnership, known as TTIP. Over 150,000 people responded to the consultation with most respondents raising fundamental concerns with the proposed legislation. Over 50 000 replies were from the UK.

Jean Lambert, Green MEP for London said:

‘This public opposition won’t go away, and opposition is only rising the more people find out about these proposals. Multinational corporations cannot be allowed to reduce standards and hard fought for regulations across a range of policies including environmental and labour standards. ISDS moves legal disputes between corporations and governments away from the public area of the Courts to the secrecy of tribunals and is not to be promoted.’

Greens in the European Parliament have consistently opposed TTIP – ISDS is just one reason.

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Congolese gynaecologist Denis Mukwege is this year’s recipient of the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. The European Parliament has been awarding the Sakharov Prize for 16 years to exceptional individuals or organisations for their efforts to foster human rights and freedom of expression.

Jean Lambert said “Denis Mukwege is an inspiring figure who has not only done much to help individual victims of rape in DRC but has also helped to raise the issue of rape as a war crime at the international level. He is clear that men cannot remain silent but must speak out against the small minority who can set their humanity aside and use rape as a weapon of war ‘

Dr Mukwege received the award during a special ceremony in Strasbourg today, 26 November.

About the Sakharov Prize

The prize is named after Andrei Sakharov (1921-1989), the Russian physicist who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1975 for his work to defend human rights and highlight the dangers of the nuclear arms race.

Supporting human rights

The European Parliament takes all human rights violations seriously, no matter where they take place. MEPs regularly highlight abuses, help monitor elections around the world, ensure that human rights are protected in the EU’s external economic and trade agreements, and award the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought every year.

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Statement from Jean:

“As one of the people who nominated Malala Yousafzai for the Nobel Peace Prize I’m absolutely delighted she has won it. I met Malala in 2013 in ​Strasbourg when she won the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for human rights. She is an inspiration to me and to many many around the world.

“As Chair of the European Parliament Delegation to South Asia, which includes Pakistan, I realise the importance of education for girls – and for boys – in Pakistan, but elsewhere too. The right to education is essential in building a better future for us all. Congratulations
​to both the winners!”

ENDS

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LONDON’S Green MEP Jean Lambert has called for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza – and added her name to a letter demanding David Cameron immediately to stop UK-based firms selling weapons to Israel and all armed groups operating in the region.

Ms Lambert, who is a patron of Waltham Forest Palestine Solidarity Campaign, also called for the EU to suspend its ongoing trade and cultural co-operation deal with Israel.

She said: “The EU-Israel Association Agreement should be suspended until the ongoing siege of Gaza is abandoned: restrictions on the Gazan economy are forcing a ‘tunnel’ economy on Gaza – and as long as the EU continues to trade with Israel it remains complicit in that.”

“Children in Gaza are being traumatised – and civilians have nowhere to run to when the Israeli missiles fall. We must have an immediate cease-fire and, while I welcome the growing voices from within Israel calling for an end to this assault, I support the UN Commission of Inquiry which will look at all violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, by all sides, and I hope those found to be responsible will be brought to justice.”

Ms Lambert spoke at a central London rally on July 26th organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign calling for an end to the fighting and human rights violations in Gaza.

She added: “We really need a long-term solution that allows all, whether they consider themselves to be Palestinian, Israeli, or neither, to live peacefully side-by-side in one of earth’s most densely-populated regions.

“The seemingly endless cycle of bloody conflict and fragile cease-fires offers no stable, peaceful future. This latest round of death and injury was sparked, apparently, by the murders of four young men, committed by those who do not want peace. Countless other deaths is not a fitting memorial.

“But with so many dead and injured, an immediate cease in hostilities must be the priority: and a complete end to all arms sales and military support to the region. I have written to Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, and, today, to Prime Minister David Cameron, to demand exactly that.”

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On the criminalisation of abortion in El Salvador

I support the campaign by the Central America Women’s Network and its Salvadoran partner, the Citizen Group for the Decriminalization of Abortion, to end the ban on abortions on any grounds in El Salvador.

State prosecutors have used a constitutional amendment which declares that life begins at conception and have charged women who have miscarried or had complications in their pregnancies, or illegal abortions with aggravated homicide. When they arrived at public healthcare facilities, often haemorrhaging and unconscious, they were accused of provoking an abortion and were turned over to the police. Many of the women were arrested and taken directly from the hospital to the jail. Some of these women have received prison sentences of up to 40 years.

I also support the demand made on 1 April 2014 to the government of El Salvador by the Salvadoran Citizen Group for the Decriminalization of Abortion – ACDATEE – to grant pardons for 17 Salvadoran women imprisoned for pregnancy complications, which is supported by many thousands of people in El Salvador and internationally.

These 17 women deserve prompt, compassionate, and humanitarian attention. Within the framework of Salvadoran legislation including the Special Law for Appeals of Grace, the Constitution of the Republic of El Salvador, the Convention of Belem do Para, and other national and international human rights legislation, the Salvadoran Legislative Assembly and the President of the Republic have the power grant these 17 women freedom through pardons so that they may return to their families and continue with their lives.

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You can read it on their website here, or, in full, below.

The true character of the Coalition’s immigration and asylum policies can be seen in the 2014 Immigration Act, which requires landlords, employers, and doctors to run checks on the status of migrants who access their services or are seeking employment. The UN has warned that the Act could create a “climate of ethnic profiling”, stigmatising vulnerable asylum-seekers and refugees, leaving them unable to secure a place to live or open a bank account.

The Government’s closed-door approach has already resulted in Britain accepting just 54 highly vulnerable people from Syrian refugee camps despite the fact that 2.8 million people have fled the region in desperate search of safety. If David Cameron genuinely wants to help those affected by disasters, including the conflict in Gaza or the brutal intolerance displayed by Isis in Iraq  he would display a sense of pride that Britain should be considered a place of refuge for troubled communities, rather than locking down our borders while watching the death-toll climb.

 
Jean Lambert, MEP for London (Green)

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