Labour clears the way: To Human Rights violations that will give the government a free pass on torture
JVL Introduction
Nothing could illustrate more starkly the moral degradation of the parliamentary Labour Party under Keir Starmer’s leadership than the fact that only 18 Labour MP’s defied their leader’s orders to abstain in the vote last week on the second reading of the government’s Overseas Operations Bill, a bill which would effectively make members of the armed forces immune to prosecution for the most egregious war crimes committed abroad, including torture, after the elapse of a mere five years. This is a bill which brazenly defies all civilised legal norms, and has been condemned by military leaders and voices from across the political spectrum. The bill has yet to return for its third reading.
Those few Labour MP’s with the courage to defy their leader’s chauvinist posturing included Jeremy Corbyn as well as three MP’s who have now lost their front bench positions as a consequence: Nadia Whittome, Beth Winter, and Olivia Blake. JVL applauds the manifestation of human decency of all who oppose this bill, from whichever party.
For the original article in Labour Heartlands see here. An article by Bell Ribeiro-Addy can be found here
GW
This article was originally published by Labour Heartlands on Fri 25 Sep 2020. Read the original here.
Labour clears the way: To Human Rights violations that will give the government a free pass on torture
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I believe there has been far too little discussion on the left about the related issue of what the British armed forces are doing engaging in military adventures in the Middle East and now the Far East. For example why does Britain maintain military bases on Cyprus, whose only purpose is to support regime change in places like Iraq and Afghanistan ? Our recent adventures have made a bad situation even worse and have been a collosal waste of money. The only purpose of two collosal aircraft carriers (approved by New Labour) is to support a neo colonial military. If British soldiers intervene in cultures they don’t understand, human rights abuses are almost inevitable. Comrades will remember that a right wing section of the PLP blocked an investigation into Britain’s role in supporting the Saudi Islamic fascists starve Yemeni children to death.
So I would I would urge comrades to see the wider picture. A Labour leader who is soft on human rights abuses by British soldiers is also likely to be an enthusiastic supporter of a neo colonial British military. Billions wasted annoying the Chinese to no particular purpose are billions that cannot be spent on hospitals, schools and decent housing.
I have no respect whatsoever for SKS. I am proud of those who voted against this Bill.
Under this bill will a soldier who refuses to carry out human rights violations,such as participating in torture or massacering civilians etc., be subjectto punishmentfor disobeying an order in the face of the enemy.
Starmer is a total disgrace. He and his self serving, two faced traitors robbed Labour of the chance to be in office, just because they hate a decent man that has socialist leanings, that wants to genuinely help people. Starmer and the traitors must be kicked out of the Labour Party.
same here Starmer is now revealing his true colours
This latest situation added to Starmer’s refusal to answer my many pleas for confirmation of the party’s stand against the Likud government’s treatment of Palestinians has made me rethink my 50 years of loyalty to Labour. I desperately fear for the future of our party.
Why does David Hawkins assume that British military persecution of people with cultures they (or their commanding NCOs and officers) do understand, is benign? Look at Derry and Ballymurphy, to name but two tips of the iceberg of murder and torture inflicted on the people of the Six Counties?
We need a Campaign for Armed Forces Democracy as well as the excellent Campaign for Military Justice. (report in this thread), which all should study and endorse.
Social scientists from at least Evans-Pritchard onwards have played a disgusting role in infiltrating and betraying the ‘natives’ they study. Look at the Kings College London military psychiatrists’ role in the persecution of Julian Assange (linked by Craig Murray’s reports).
The pretence of ‘supporting our boys (and girls)’ against democratic critics and juridical exposers of UK’s unprovoked aggressions and oppressions is a paltry excuse for those aggressions and, as the CMJ points out, reduces the feeble protections against oppression by officers and the MoD.
This is astonishing! Physical and mental torture ( as well as being against the universal protection of human rights) is proven to be counter productive..