Agenda item
Motion Submitted by the Labour Group - Procurement Linked to Human Rights Abuses
This Council notes:
1. The evidence collected and verified by a range of international non-governmental organisations that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is carrying out alleged crimes of Genocide and crimes against Humanity with regards to Uyghur, Kazakh and other Turkic Muslim populations.
2. On 9th of December 2021, Sir Geoffrey Nice QC delivered in London an independent tribunal’s judgement that:
- “Crimes against humanity attributable to the PRC is established beyond reasonable doubt by acts of: deportation or forcible transfer; imprisonment or other severe deprivation of physical liberty; torture; rape and other sexual violence; enforced sterilisation; persecution; enforced disappearance; and other inhumane acts.”
- “As to genocide … all elements of an intended genocide to be accomplished by a Convention-listed act imposing measures to prevent births within the group are established”
This Council believes:
It has a responsibility to act when crimes against humanity take place anywhere in the world. This responsibility extends to using all legal, political and economic powers it has at its disposal to challenge, disrupt and ultimately contribute to ending these crimes.
This Council agrees to:
1. Ask our procurement managers to develop, as quickly as possible, a revised procurement policy establishing a boycott of any product or service that has links to companies, individuals or bodies that are directly or indirectly involved in the crimes of humanity currently taking place in China.
2. To ask the Leader of the Council to write to the Chair of the Local Government Association and the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities asking that binding procurement rules are brought forward introducing this position across local government as soon as possible.
3. To share this motion with our fellow Greater Manchester councils and the Greater Manchester Mayor inviting them to adopt the same approach at forthcoming council meetings.
Minutes:
With the consent of the Council to a proposed alteration to the Motion that had been submitted, it was moved and seconded that:
“This Council notes:
1. The evidence collected and verified by a range of international non-governmental organisations that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is carrying out alleged crimes of Genocide and crimes against Humanity with regards to Uyghur, Kazakh and other Turkic Muslim populations.
2. On 9th of December 2021, Sir Geoffrey Nice QC delivered in London an independent tribunal’s judgement that:
- “Crimes against humanity attributable to the PRC is established beyond reasonable doubt by acts of: deportation or forcible transfer; imprisonment or other severe deprivation of physical liberty; torture; rape and other sexual violence; enforced sterilisation; persecution; enforced disappearance; and other inhumane acts.”
- “As to genocide … all elements of an intended genocide to be accomplished by a Convention-listed act imposing measures to prevent births within the group are established”
This Council believes:
It has a responsibility to act when crimes against humanity take place anywhere in the world. This responsibility extends to using all legal, political and economic powers it has at its disposal to challenge, disrupt and ultimately contribute to ending these crimes.
This Council agrees to:
1. Ask our procurement managers to develop, as quickly as possible, a revised procurement policy which would lawfully enable the Council to boycott entering into any future contracts for products or services that have links to companies, individuals or bodies that are directly or indirectly involved in the crimes against humanity currently taking place in China with regards to Uyghur, Kazakh and other Turkic Muslim populations.
2. To ask the Leader of the Council to write to the Chair of the Local Government Association and the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities asking that binding procurement rules are brought forward introducing this position across local government as soon as possible.
3. To share this motion with our fellow Greater Manchester councils and the Greater Manchester Mayor inviting them to adopt the same approach at forthcoming council meetings.”
Following speeches in support, the Motion was agreed with the unanimously consent of the Council and declared carried.
RESOLVED: That this Council notes:
1. The evidence collected and verified by a range of international non-governmental organisations that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is carrying out alleged crimes of Genocide and crimes against Humanity with regards to Uyghur, Kazakh and other Turkic Muslim populations.
2. On 9th of December 2021, Sir Geoffrey Nice QC delivered in London an independent tribunal’s judgement that:
- “Crimes against humanity attributable to the PRC is established beyond reasonable doubt by acts of: deportation or forcible transfer; imprisonment or other severe deprivation of physical liberty; torture; rape and other sexual violence; enforced sterilisation; persecution; enforced disappearance; and other inhumane acts.”
- “As to genocide … all elements of an intended genocide to be accomplished by a Convention-listed act imposing measures to prevent births within the group are established”
This Council believes:
It has a responsibility to act when crimes against humanity take place anywhere in the world. This responsibility extends to using all legal, political and economic powers it has at its disposal to challenge, disrupt and ultimately contribute to ending these crimes.
This Council agrees to:
1. Ask our procurement managers to develop, as quickly as possible, a revised procurement policy which would lawfully enable the Council to boycott entering into any future contracts for products or services that have links to companies, individuals or bodies that are directly or indirectly involved in the crimes against humanity currently taking place in China with regards to Uyghur, Kazakh and other Turkic Muslim populations.
2. To ask the Leader of the Council to write to the Chair of the Local Government Association and the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities asking that binding procurement rules are brought forward introducing this position across local government as soon as possible.
3. To share this motion with our fellow Greater Manchester councils and the Greater Manchester Mayor inviting them to adopt the same approach at forthcoming council meetings.
