Today Jean Lambert, London’s Green MEP, attended an interfaith vigil in Walthamstow to commemorate the horrific terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka last month [1]. The event was held by the Mayor of Waltham Forest, Councillor Sally Littlejohn.

Jean, who is Chair of the European Parliament’s South Asia Delegation and has visited Sri Lanka numerous times over the years, expressed her condolences to the families and friends of those killed and injured in the attacks. 

She also expressed her condolences to the people of Sri Lanka, who are still on the path to reconciliation following the brutal conflict that country has known.

It is time for the Sri Lankan Government to lead on reconciliation and peace, to bring its diverse communities together.

Notes:

[1] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-48010697

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Jean Lambert MEP, Chair of the European Parliament’s South Asia Delegation, has condemned the Myanmar military for seeking “to wipe out an entire community” and will be calling on the EU to lead on referring these crimes to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The statement follows a damning new UN report, alleging that the Myanmar army was responsible for war crimes and crimes against minorities across the country.[1]

Ms Lambert visited Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh earlier this year, and has urged the international community to work towards a sustainable solution that addresses the root causes of this humanitarian crisis.[2]

Jean Lambert, London’s Green MEP and Chair of the European Parliament’s South Asia delegation, said:

“The UN report simply underlines the appalling reports we’ve already heard: Myanmar’s military has committed the most horrifying of crimes against the Rohingya people.

The military, acting without any condemnation from the civilian government, has sought to wipe out an entire community – violently and indiscriminately killing tens of thousands of people. During my visits to Cox’s Bazar I’ve witnessed the devastating aftermath of this violence, and the living nightmare that continues to be experienced by the Rohingyas who escaped with their lives.

In June, the European Parliament passed a resolution urging the Commission and Member States to ramp up the amount of humanitarian aid reaching the region. This is desperately needed. We also urged the international community to act to ensure that those perpetrating these atrocities aren’t let off the hook.[3] The Rohingya people need answers, and they need justice. I echo the calls of Amnesty, Human Rights Watch and others for these grievous crimes to be referred to the ICC and will be calling on the EU to lead on doing that.”

Notes:

[1] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/aug/27/myanmars-military-accused-of-genocide-by-damning-un-report

[2] http://www.jeanlambertmep.org.uk/2018/02/16/mep-demands-citizenship-for-rohingyas-following-visit-to-coxs-bazar/

[3] http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//TEXT+TA+P8-TA-2018-0261+0+DOC+XML+V0//EN&language=EN

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In a new resolution, adopted today, cross-party MEPs have called on the international community to step up its humanitarian efforts in Cox’s Bazar, as the monsoon rains begin to claim Rohingya lives. [1]

The far-reaching resolution also sends a stark warning to the authorities in Myanmar to stop their campaign of ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya people.

Jean Lambert, London’s Green MEP and Chair of the Parliament’s South Asia delegation, responded:

“The crisis faced by the Rohingya people in Cox’s Bazar is a humanitarian tragedy, and one of the most alarming refugee situations I have witnessed in my years as an MEP.

Having already experienced ethnic cleansing in Myanmar, one million refugees trapped on Bangladesh’s border – including 720,000 children – now face deathly monsoon rains.

This week has provided a glimpse of the horrors to come, with at least three lives being lost to torrential rain and mudslides. Thousands more people have been injured or seen their homes destroyed – again. [2]

During my visits to Bangladesh I’ve visited this makeshift bamboo and tarpaulin city, largely built on the soft soil of the hillsides. As the rains come, many of these shelters will be washed away, alongside latrines, clean water and medical supplies.

The Bangladeshi Government is doing what it can but, with 200,000 people at immediate risk of flooding, the sheer scale of this crisis is overwhelming. [3] The UN’s appeal to raise $951 million to meet the community’s needs this year has stalled at just 20% of its total goal. [4] And even if it’s possible to help one fifth of the refugees in immediate danger, 160,000 more lives remain on the brink.

The international community cannot shut its eyes to the ethnic cleansing and continued suffering of the Rohingya people. That’s why today’s resolution is so important. The European Parliament is urging the Commission and Member States to take action – to ramp up their humanitarian efforts, and demand Myanmar allow the safe, voluntary and dignified return of the Rohingya to their homes.

This vulnerable group has already been failed once. The international community must not fail them again.”

Notes:

[1] http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-%2f%2fEP%2f%2fTEXT%2bMOTION%2bP8-RC-2018-0292%2b0%2bDOC%2bXML%2bV0%2f%2fEN&language=EN

[2] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/13/three-rohingya-refugees-killed-as-monsoon-rains-hit-coxs-bazar

[3] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/27/rohingya-refugees-cyclone-monsoon-season-bangladesh-myanmar

[4] http://www.unhcr.org/uk/news/briefing/2018/6/5b1f88f94/first-monsoons-sweep-bangladesh-refugee-settlements-amid-ongoing-emergency.html

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It calls time on the “hostile environment”as the tragedy of the Windrush scandal unfolds, it remembers Rana Plaza five years on, it features Jean’s visit to the Wandle Valley and much more….

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Jean Lambert, London’s Green MEP, has called for action following a visit to Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh – a region that has faced an influx of more than 688,000 Rohingya refugees since August 2017.

Ms Lambert, in her capacity as Chair of the European Parliament’s South Asia delegation, visited Rohingya refugee camps to gather first-hand information on the ongoing humanitarian crisis, and to speak to Rohingya people about their experiences, living conditions and concerns for the future. [1]

It is hoped that the situation will be discussed by the European Parliament in a plenary session later this month.

Jean Lambert, London’s Green MEP and Chair of the European Parliament South Asia delegation, said:

“The crisis faced by the Rohingya people in Cox’s Bazar is a humanitarian tragedy, and one of the most alarming refugee situations I have witnessed in my years as an MEP. This community has been exposed to unimaginable violence and deliberate destruction.

In extremely difficult circumstances the Bangladeshi authorities have shown huge commitment to providing assistance. However, I am worried that – if past experience is any guide – there is unlikely to be a swift resolution to this complex crisis.

As the monsoon season approaches, I hope the Bangladeshi Government will find additional land to relocate Rohingyas whose makeshift shelters are not built to withstand landslides and flooding. The construction of these shelters and loss of so many trees for firewood from the soft soil of the hillsides has created a very vulnerable environment that will put some 125,000 people particularly at risk when the rains come.

However, if we hope to forge a truly sustainable solution to this crisis, Myanmar must respect the dignity of the Rohingya people. I am calling on Myanmar to put in place citizenship rights for the Rohingyas, which were revoked in 1982. It must immediately grant access to humanitarian organisations and the international community to Rakhine State. Any return to Myanmar must engage UNHCR and be voluntary, safe and secure for the Rohingya people.

I promise that MEPs will do what we can to make sure this issue does not fade from international attention, and that more money is provided. We must not turn our backs on the people of Bangladesh and the thousands of Rohingyas who urgently need our support. We will continue to work towards a sustainable solution that addresses the root causes of this catastrophe.”

Notes:

[1] The European Parliament’s South Asia delegation visited Cox’s Bazar on 12 January, alongside a delegation from the Parliament’s Sub-Committee on Human Rights. After the visit, the Human Rights committee continued into Rakhine State. The South Asia delegation visited Dhaka to discuss the Bangladesh Sustainability Compact that aims to improve working conditions in the garment sector, and the Bangladeshi elections scheduled for 2019.

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Sri Lanka has experienced its heaviest rains since 2003, causing widespread flooding and devastating mudslides [1].

Jean Lambert, London’s Green MEP and chair of the European Parliament’s South Asia delegation, says:

“On behalf of the European Parliament Delegation for relations with the countries of South Asia, I express our most heartfelt sympathies and condolences to the people of Sri Lanka for the terrible loss of lives and extensive damage to property caused by flooding and mudslides triggered by the monsoon rains last weekend.

It is with deep sadness that we learn that the monsoonal floods and landslides, the worst in the last 14 years, have left at least 194 people dead and affected more than half a million. We recognise the efforts of the Government and the NGOs that are providing first aid, distributing food, water and supplies, as well as rescuing those still stranded. While the water levels are slowly receding, water-borne diseases represent a threat to the displaced population, in particular to children – about one in tenth of those displaced are aged below five.

This is a humanitarian emergency that requires an international coordinated relief effort. I invite the European Union and its Member States to respond to the Sri Lankan Government’s appeal and support it in the relief operations. As an immediate response, the European Commission has mobilised an envelope of €300 000 to respond to the most urgent needs. Disaster preparedness programmes can play a key role in reducing casualties and destruction, and I would therefore encourage the EU and Sri Lanka to strengthen their cooperation to this end.”

[1] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/28/floods-and-landslides-and-in-sri-lanka-kill-at-least-150-people

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28 April 2017

Members of the European Parliament yesterday voted in favour of restoring GSP+ status to Sri Lanka. This removes import duties on many Sri Lankan products, in exchange for the country’s commitment to ratify an​d​ implement 27 international conventions on human rights, labour conditions, protection of the environment and good governance [1].

The duty concessions make Sri Lankan exports to the European Union cheaper and more competitive. The EU is Sri Lanka’s main export destination, absorbing 31% of Sri Lankan exports in 2015 [2].

Jean Lambert, London’s Green MEP and Chair of the European Parliament’s Delegation to South Asia says:​​

“We must be clear that restoring GSP+ status to Sri Lanka should not be viewed as a reward but as a mutual commitment. The deal allows the EU to offer certain trade benefits designed to help the country’s development and, in exchange, the Sri Lankan Government takes meaningful steps to improve human rights, labour rights, environmental protection, and good governance. Sri Lanka will need to work hard to improve implementation of the 27 International Conventions it has ratified in these areas. This, in turn, will have a positive impact on the people of Sri Lanka.

After much consideration, I voted against yesterday’s proposal of rejection of GSP+. This is not because I believe that all is well in Sri Lanka. I know it is not. The country has many obstacles to overcome, including reconciliation and a post-conflict political settlement. However, rather than casting Sri Lanka aside, I want to give its Government an incentive to implement tangible measures towards human rights and sustainable development. GSP+ gives us a framework to work toward this, and closely monitor its progress.

I am not naïve about Sri Lanka keeping to its promises. The nature of the agreement is that action is required from both the European Union and the Sri Lankan Government. If one party doesn’t deliver its promises, the other can call time on the deal – as Sri Lanka well knows.”

Notes

• Sri Lanka benefited from GSP+ in the past. However, in 2010 the European Union halted the preferential treatment for Sri Lankan imports u to the country’s failure to comply with international human rights obligations. In 2015, the state’s new government embarked on a path of major reforms aiming for national reconciliation, respect of human rights, the rule of law, good governance principles, and sustainable economic development. The Sri Lankan government reapplied for GSP+ in July 2016 [3].

• The proposal that GSP+ should not be granted to Sri Lanka Was defeated by 436 against and 119 in favour with 22 abstentions.

[1] http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2017/january/tradoc_155235.pdf

[2] http://www.ft.lk/article/612002/Sri-Lanka-secures-crucial-EU-GSP–vote

[3] http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-17-34_en.htm

ENDS

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Together they called on the European Union and other international stakeholders to work together to speed up implementation of the Paris Agreement and give new impetus to global action on climate change.

The link between the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was also highlighted during the meeting, as participants emphasised how fighting climate change will also help achieve the seventeen SDGs and vice-versa.The importance of Goal fourteen of the SDGs, which is dedicated to the conservation of oceans and seas, was given particular consideration due to its specific relevance to to small islands developing states.

Speaking following the meeting Jean said “Low lying island states, like the Maldives are particularly vulnerable to the threat of climate change. Now more than ever, the EU needs to lead the charge working to achieve the SDGs and fighting to achieve deeper emission cuts to limit global warming to below 1.5 degrees Celsius in keeping with the Paris Agreement. There is growing concern about commitments from the US and other developed countries in terms of action an climate change and we must all work together to protect the legitimacy and integrity of the Paris Agreement”.

ENDS

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Even if an agreement is reached in Paris to limit global warming to 2° Celsius, up to 80 percent of the glaciers in the Himalayas may still be lost by 2100. This was one of the key messages given by Dr. Philippus Wester, chief scientist at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), at a meeting chaired by Jean Lambert MEP in the European Parliament on the effects of climate change in South Asia.

The Himalayan glaciers are a source of freshwater for 10 major river systems in Asia, making it a lifeline for about one third of the world’s population. Dr. Wester highlighted that fact that the whole of Asia is likely to warm this century in line with global average predictions of 2°C, and the increased likelihood of extreme rainfall and drought events. Even more worrying, ICIMOD predicts the Himalayan mountain range will see a temperature increase of about 3-4°C, almost double the global average.

As the meeting was focused on the upcoming COP21 negotiations in Paris, a number of representatives from South Asian embassies also took the floor to outline their position and what they hoped to achieve in Paris. Having heard the mountain perspective, the Ambassador to the Maldives, the country with the lowest natural highest point at 2.4 metres, took the floor to highlight that the country is already dealing with an increase in ‘freak waves’ which threaten to submerge islands entirely. ‘The Maldives fully understands that melting glaciers link to rising sea-levels.’ The Maldives (currently chair of the Alliance of Small Island States) called on the EU to support them in seeking a binding deal in Paris, as without one, the country may soon cease to exist.

The Nepalese representative made the link between Sustainable Development Goal 13 and COP21, highlighting that it is often the most vulnerable countries and people within the countries who feel the impacts of climate change the hardest. With a proposed EU-Bhutan cooperation agreement on climate change on the table, the Bhutanese representative stressed the need for a lot more resources on adaptation and mitigation. Bhutan is one of the only ‘carbon-negative’ countries in the world, its forests absorbing more emissions than the country emits, yet feels the negative effects of climate change like its South Asian neighbours.

Following the meeting, Jean Lambert, London’s Green MEP and Chair of the European Parliament South Asia Delegation said:
‘We have heard resoundingly today from intergovernmental organisations and countries alike that it is essential the COP21 negotiations yield a legally binding, ambitious agreement if we are to have a hope at ensuring a sustainable future. South Asia is home to about one third of the world’s population, many of whom are some of the poorest in the world and who depend on the region’s icy mountains for their water. Climate change hits vulnerable people the hardest, and we have seen this happening already with devastating floods, droughts, and heatwaves destroying livelihoods in the region over the past few years.‘

The European Parliament recently voted its position on the upcoming COP21 summit, underlining the need for the EU to push for a binding deal that limits global warming to below 2°C. Jean commented: ‘Small island states are clear – even two degrees is too much to guarantee their survival. And for the mountain water system, plus two degrees at ground level can mean four degrees on Everest. The Paris Conference has to deliver.‘