“I think that we all accept the controversy and unease about this matter, but by attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Sri Lanka we will be using the opportunity to cast a spotlight on the unacceptable abuses there. As I said earlier, of course there will be consequences if the conduct of the Sri Lankan authorities does not change. The Commonwealth matters to us all, and it is based on a number of values.” Nick Clegg the Deputy Prime Minister of the UK said today.
Nick Clegg made above remarks at the Prime Minister’s Questions today. As David Cameron is currently overseas, PMQ’s was conducted by Nick Clegg. The questions and answers from Hansard are available below.
Simon Hughes (Bermondsey and Old Southwark) (LD):
I have to tell my friend that I cannot support the decision of the Prime Minister to go to the Commonwealth Heads of Government conference in Sri Lanka because of the human rights record of the Sri Lankan Government. What can the Deputy Prime Minister tell us about how we can respond to that terrible regime’s record? What can we do to make sure that in future the Commonwealth does not just say it believes in human rights, but does something about it?
We are all aware that the decision that the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary will attend the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Sri Lanka is controversial, especially in the light of the despicable human rights violations during the recent civil war. But I assure my right hon. Friend that the Government condemn those violations, the way in which political trials, regular assaults on legal professionals and suppression of press freedom continue, and the fact that too many recommendations of the lessons learnt and reconciliation commission have not been implemented. If such violations continue, and if the Sri Lankan Government continue to ignore their international commitments in the lead up to the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting, of course there will be consequences.
Siobhain McDonagh (Mitcham and Morden) (Lab):
In answer to the question the right hon. Member for Bermondsey and Old Southwark (Simon Hughes) asked on Sri Lanka, the Deputy Prime Minister gave a long list of atrocities committed by the Sri Lankan Government. Why, then, are his Government going to the Commonwealth Heads of Government summit in Sri Lanka, why are they announcing that six months ahead of time, and why do they want to see an alleged war criminal as Chair of the Commonwealth?
I think that we all accept the controversy and unease about this matter, but by attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Sri Lanka we will be using the opportunity to cast a spotlight on the unacceptable abuses there. As I said earlier, of course there will be consequences if the conduct of the Sri Lankan authorities does not change. The Commonwealth matters to us all, and it is based on a number of values. Where I accept the hon. Lady’s implicit criticism is in relation to this point: all Commonwealth Governments should do more to not only talk about those values, but ensure that they are properly monitored and enforced.
J.Muthu / May 16, 2013
Hooray, all sinhala modayas If you dont change hope u will..face it u cant u will face ..just wait ….I told u so, ….good boys and girls dont ignore it…dont follow tamil animal ball squeeze doctors, they allways mislead you and …your choice…
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ONE / May 16, 2013
“I am sorry, I am sorry, I am so Sorry. UK the known american poodle.
How can anyone trust the former colonisers?
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Pol Pot / May 16, 2013
“Let He who is without Sin, Cast the First Stone” said Jesus Christ. David Cameron is only following the teaching of Jesus Christ. The others are’Hypocrites’ who pretend that their Country is Not Guilty of supporting the Same Crimes they are accusing Sri Lanka of!
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Ben Hurling / May 16, 2013
Siobhain McDonagh, Simon Hughes & Nick Clegg,
You guys should at once leave the UK. Bycott UK. And never return to UK. If “HR violations” upset you so much. Don’t pay taxes to UK.
No nation on the planet has violated human rights as much as UK has. End of story.
PS: This is no defence of the family run Rajapassa dictatorship in SL. But, British hypocrisy is too much to bear.
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ONE / May 16, 2013
Democracy is only in the dictionary but its Hypocrisy that is practiced in the west.
The man who follows the honest policy is not an honest man.
cMoron is no trailer of Christ but follow the ancient BC story of
“Fox and the Crow” see the colours how they shine?
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kris / May 16, 2013
These people have to make these statements to survive in their political life , we don’t have be serious of these statements, CHOGM will go head as usual, then all the people will forget commonwealth values until the next meeting , only LTTE diaspora will have to work hard to collect more money( drugs, prostitution, credit card scams, money laundering, people smuggleing for their next fail agenda
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Safa / May 16, 2013
Has the UK to wait til November to cast the spotlight? What is happening now?
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John / May 16, 2013
Leave alone UK, who cares concerns of Diaspora donkeys & monkeys, holding candle to LTTE the worst terror group world has ever known & mass murderer, blood sucker V.Praba who is in hell on a million year term.
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tito olsen / May 16, 2013
“As I said earlier, of course there will be consequences if the conduct of the Sri Lankan authorities does not change.”
Really Mr Clegg, and how much forget must the rule of law and order decline for their to be consequences? What what consequences?
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Native Vedda / May 16, 2013
tito olsen
Where you’ve been all these years?
Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and Syria are recent examples.
The West is not coming to fix you stupid man they will be there to mess you up. How? Go learn, you could start with LTTE.
Go run hide behind Hindians.
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Aney Apochchi! / May 16, 2013
Was Nicholas Clegg unaware of the Sri Lankan government’s purchase of Rolls Royce engines for its airline and the purchase of Rolls Royce cars for the CHOGM to have said this or is this a simple ploy to, maybe, have MR equip the entire transport board’s fleet with Rolls Royce cars instead of Tata Benz and Ashok Leyland buses? One fringe benefit of that could be that all those riding to the government’s “protest rallies” will, in addition to the kasippu and buth packets provided free of charge, be able to say they rode in a Rolls Royce!
Truly “A Land Like No Other” and the Nicholas Cleggs of this world are busy promoting it!
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Ben Hurling / May 16, 2013
Ha..ha!
Nicholas Clegg failed you at the end?
Just wait. Harper of Canada will do the same. He already does. Behind the scene. CHOGM boycot of Harper is a show for the LTTE gallery in Toronto.
PS: Western political hypocrites are in it fot themselves. Sri Lanka is truly in shark infested waters. Only intelligent patriotism will save us. We have no gurantees of survival.
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Watcher / May 16, 2013
These Brits used to cut Kenyan balls (mau mau) and now they want to preach HR for us… Cmon guys get a life.
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crazyoldmansl / May 16, 2013
so because the brits violate human rights and the americans do the same then we must all join them and violate each others human rights it would seem????
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Watcher / May 17, 2013
we only violate terrorist rights..
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tasil samarasinha / May 16, 2013
what a lot of fools all you guys are.what does it matter to us what the uk did in any other country what must matter is what they are doing to us.all this is leading up to the northern pc election if we have the election we are fixed. if we do not have we are fixed well and truly.this is the sword hanging over our head.how can we get out of this? ask india for help not a chance.china here is a non player.remember one thing my friends the world will listen to what the uk says they could not care a damn to what we say.
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dirty seththu / May 16, 2013
hello ! the backboneless britisher.
Keep your CHOGm closer to you there.
No need to hold it Sri Lanka………
This slavish tongue in cheek harpoon playing the Harper/Baird game to undercut Cameron votes.
David Mili Banda got kicked in his teeth left politics for USA to settle there and head some organisation…….
Wait for your turn………instead of talking out of turn.
You were sleeping while they debated to hold the CHGOM in Sri Lanka?
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Siri / May 17, 2013
They say everyone has his price. The promise of buying RR engines for Sri Lankan planes was enough to get the British PM. The purchase of 15 RR cars in addition was enough to buy Prince Charles.
But it looks as if we cannot afford the Queen, after all.
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len / May 17, 2013
Cleggie is pushing to add couple of more air craft engines to last order.
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