15 Sep 16. UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia must stop until allegations of human rights abuses in Yemen fully investigated. Claims that UK-supplied weapons have been used in military actions in Yemen that contravene International Humanitarian Law must be fully investigated by an independent, international inquiry. Until this has been completed, the UK must halt the sale of all weapons that could be used in the conflict between the Saudi-led coalition and rebel forces in Yemen.
The findings come in a joint report published today by the International Development Committee and Business, Innovation and Skills Committee of the House of Commons.
We heard during our inquiry that there have been clear violations of IHL. For example, the UN was told that military aircraft dropped two missiles resulting in the complete destruction of a two-story house during a wedding party. 47 civilians, including 21 women and 15 children were killed, and 58 wounded.
Under criterion 2c of the UK’s arms export licensing criteria the Government should not grant a licence where there is a clear risk that the items might be used in the commission of a serious violation of IHL. Given the evidence we have heard and the volume of UK-manufactured arms exported to Saudi Arabia, it seems inevitable that any violations of international humanitarian and human rights law by the coalition have involved arms supplied from the UK. This constitutes a breach of our own export licencing criteria.
The Saudi-led coalition has established a Joint Incidents Assessment Team (JIAT). However, they have been very slow to report their findings and of the nine incidents they have reported on, at least two contradict the evidence gathered by the UN High Commissioner of Human Rights. To address the uncertainty around the conduct of the conflict in Yemen, the UK Government must take the lead in establishing an international inquiry, backed by the United Nations, to provide credible and conclusive evidence. The message must be sent, to all participants in the conflict in Yemen, that humanitarian law must be respected.
Until claims of human rights abuses in Yemen have been fully investigated, and adequate guarantees in place that UK-made weapons are not being used in contravention of International Humanitarian Law, no new arms export licenses should be granted.
The Committees concluded that, in the case of Yemen, the arms export licensing regime has not worked. Following corrections to written answers and statements made in Parliament by Ministers on the conflict in Yemen, it is unclear what analysis the Government has undertaken to assess the risk that the UK arms transfers to Saudi Arabia might be used in breach of international humanitarian law. It must do more to establish a robust, transparent arms licensing process that responds to changing international circumstances and reacts to evidence of serious infractions.
On publishing the report, Chris White, who chaired the inquiry of the Committees on Arms Export Controls (and is a member of the Business Innovation and Skills Committee), commented:
“The UK led the way in establishing international humanitarian law to govern the sale of arms. The conflict in Yemen has raised serious concerns that we are not showing equal determination in ensuring that these are respected.
“During this inquiry we have heard evidence from respected sources that weapons made in the UK have been used in contravention of International Humanitarian Law. The Government can no longer wait and see and must now take urgent action, halting the sale of arms to the Saudi-led coalition until we can be sure that there is no risk of violation.
“We call on the Government to continue the UK’s long-standing commitment to IHL and lead the international community in establishing a strong, independent inquiry. The circumstances surrounding incidents in Yemen, such as allegations of the use of cluster bombs, must be firmly established and send a clear message to all