Britain’s House of Commons has voted to declare that a genocide is underway against Christians, Yazidis and others in Syria and Iraq. The vote, by 278 votes to zero, marks the first time the House of Commons has declared a genocide while it was taking place.
The motion, moved by Fiona Bruce MP, recognised that genocide is happening in Syria and Iraq “at the hands of Daesh” (ISIS), and called on Prime Minister David Cameron’s government “to make an immediate referral to the UN Security Council with a view to conferring jurisdiction upon the International Criminal Court so that perpetrators can be brought to justice”.
Ms Bruce acknowledged that conferring jurisdiction on the International Criminal Court would require support from other countries on the UN Security Council, but said this should not stop the UK from initiating the process. Pointing out that “there is precedent for the Security Council to establish a fact-finding committee of experts”, she urged the government to consider recommending this.
David Lord Alton commented that Parliament “has had to force the Government’s hand”, saying that “if what is happening to groups like the Yazidis and Assyrian Christians doesn’t meet the high technical standard of what constitutes a genocide it’s hard to imagine what would”