Douglas Alexander MP, Labour’s Shadow Foreign Secretary, has this afternoon written to David Cameron asking for urgent clarification regarding the Government’s policy towards next week’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit in Sri Lanka.

This follows reports that David Cameron has now accepted Labour’s calls for the British Government’s delegation to the summit to be downgraded because of concerns over the Sri Lankan government’s approach to human rights.

Letter:

Rt Hon David Cameron MP

Prime Minister

10 Downing Street

London, SW1A 2AA

8th November 2013

Dear Prime Minister

I am writing to you on the urgent matter of the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Sri Lanka.

As you will be aware, Labour has been urging the Government for months to do more to raise Britain’s concern over human rights in Sri Lanka in the run up to this summit.

It remains inexplicable therefore that the Government chose to hand away its influence six month ahead of the summit even taking place by confirming that both you and the Foreign Secretary would attend without condition.

Following reports of the content of your meeting on 7 November with representatives of the Tamil community, I am seeking urgent clarification on three areas of government policy towards the Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit in Sri Lanka.

First, could you clarify the status of the British delegation attending the summit?

There are reports that following your meeting with representatives of the Tamil community yesterday, you have now accepted Labour’s calls for the Government’s delegation to the summit to be downgraded.

A spokesman of the Global Tamil Forum, was quoted as saying:

“…it would have been ideal if [the Prime Minister] had said - after seeing all the evidence and after hearing us - that he is not going to go to Sri Lanka. However, he said that he will consider downgrading the delegation.”

In light of these comments, can you clarify if the British delegation is indeed to be downgraded, and if so, which Government Minister will now not be travelling to the summit?

Since these reports have come to light, I note that in the Foreign Secretary’s subsequent comments to the press on 7 November, he seemed to suggest that both you and he would still be attending the summit.

"We’ve decided to go there because this is the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting… I will be holding events in Sri Lanka on sexual violence in violence, meetings NGOs, promoting reconciliation; we believe that will have a better impact than sitting in London and not being there.”

In light of this subsequent statement, I hope you will understand the need to clarify urgently the status and seniority of the British delegation attending the summit.

Second, could you clarify the Government’s position on President Rajapaksa becoming the Chairperson-in-Office of the Commonwealth?

Following the meeting already referred to above, it was also reported that you are also now willing to consider Labour’s call for the automatic passing of the Commonwealth’s Chairperson-in-Office to President Rajapaksa following the summit to be reviewed.

The spokesman of the Global Tamil Forum, was quoted as saying of the meeting that:

“He [the Prime Minister] said he will consider speaking to the rest of the delegation about breaking the tradition of, for two years, Sri Lanka to be the president of the Commonwealth”.

Serious questions will be raised by the prospect of President Rajapaksa representing the Commonwealth on an international stage.

Failure to address this would run the risk that upcoming events such as the Commonwealth Games - which will be a proud moment for Scotland and a celebration of world-class sporting achievement - risk being a time of sustained questions about President Rajapaksa’s Commonwealth role and human rights record of his government.

If the Government is now willing to address this issue, you would have Labour’s support, but given the apparent reluctance to accept the need for review up until this point, I hope you will understand the need for urgent clarification on this matter.

Third, could you clarify if the Sri Lankan government’s recognised failure to make sufficient progress ahead of the summit has elicited any ‘consequences’?

The Deputy Prime Minister in the House of Commons in May stated that there would be “consequences” if the Sri Lankan Government continues to ignore their international commitments in the lead up to the summit.

In light of your public acknowledgement that the Sri Lankan authorities have failed to make sufficient progress on human rights in the run up to the summit, can you set out what have been the specific “consequences” of this failure, or if there have been none at all, can you explain why?   

Given the degree of concern, felt not just in the international community, but also amongst the Tamil community here in the UK, about this issue, I will be releasing this to the press in the hope that further clarification is provided and that urgent progress in the remaining time can still be made.

Yours sincerely,

Douglas Alexander MP

Shadow Foreign Secretary