International

No trade in arms with countries where human rights are abused and where free elections are not held: this proposal from SP Member of Parliament Jasper van Dijk was adopted to day by the Dutch national Parliament. Delighted with the result of the vote, Van Dijk says, ‘The government left itself room to sell weapons to dictatorial regimes as a result of economic interests. The recent uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa have demonstrated that these weapons will be used against the country’s own population. A ban on trading in arms with repressive countries is, as this shows, entirely justified.’

SP international affairs spokesman Harry van Bommel describes himself as ‘delighted’ by the fact that his motion on freedom of association and assembly was approved on Friday by the Dutch national Parliament. The motion asks Foreign Minister Uri Rosenthal to incorporate encouragement of acceptance of the two freedoms into his human rights policy, alongside freedom of expression. ‘Over the next few years the government wants to prioritise freedom of expression in its human rights policy, above other human rights. But these rights are often indissolubly linked to each other. I’m pleased that Parliament has given me its support in this matter.’