HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH'S ASSESSMENT OF THE HUMANITARIAN CASE FOR WAR IN IRAQ

Early day motion 524, tabled 2 February 2004 by Harry Cohen (Labour). Signed by 32 members.

That this House notes the Human Rights Watch has stated that the US and Britain had no justification for invading Iraq on a humanitarian mission, that, according to its executive director, Mr Kenneth Roth, such interventions should be reserved for stopping an imminent or ongoing slaughter and not to address atrocities that were ignored in the past, that there were no mass killings going on, that war was not the only option as legal, economic and political measures could have been taken; that there was no evidence that humanitarian purpose was the main one for launching the invasion, that the attack did not have the backing of the United Nations or any other multinational body; and that the situation in the country has not got better.

Signatures by party: Labour 19, Liberal Democrat 6, Plaid Cymru 3, Scottish National Party 3, Labour/Co-operative 1.