Lord Dholakia, Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords, spoke during a debate on the Channel 4 Dispatches Programme 'Undercover Mosque' on April 20, 2009.

Lord Dholakia began by saying, 'There can be no doubt that the screening of the “Undercover Mosque” programme by Channel 4 raised a number of broad policy issues that required explanation.' He said that these included the implications on the future of prosecutions of incitement to racial hatred and the effect of such decisions on civil liberties issues.

He went to say that it was 'disturbing and worrying' that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had been pressed by the police to investigate the possibility of criminal charges against Channel 4 following the programme despite the CPS's insistence that there was no evidence that an offence of incitement to racial hatred had taken place. He was also concerned that the police had not sought an independent review by Ofcom.

Lord Dholakia added, 'I abhor extremism of any kind; it should have no place in a democratic society. The media have a role in exposing extremism; many agencies are too patronising towards individuals in our communities and often political correctness inhibits actions that could prevent the preaching of hatred in some of our so-called religious institutions. It beggars belief that instead of complimenting Channel 4 for exposing hate merchants who peddle extremism, the West Midlands Police force concluded that, “there was no case to answer in terms of the Criminal Law as it applied at that time and there was no prosecution capable of being mounted against those preachers who appeared in that programme”. Yet it was perfectly happy to consider instituting proceedings against Channel 4 for inciting racial hatred'.

He continued, 'It is not good enough to say, “We got it wrong and we have apologised.” We are entitled to know why the West Midlands Police and the CPS did not regard 'Undercover Mosque' as serious programme dealing with a legitimate area of concern. Neither body gave thought to the freedom of expression so fundamental to our civil liberties. At best it smacks of self-censorship, and I am glad that this misguided approach to improve community relations backfired. It has undoubtedly damaged community relations. We are entitled to know what motivated the actions and complaints against the programme.'

Lord Dholakia then noted that the National Secular Society complained to various agencies including the police themselves, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) and the police authority regarding the actions taken following the broadcast of 'Undercover Mosque'. He said, 'In effect, the police did not even have to investigate the complaint. That sounds very odd. I find it difficult to accept that the Police Reform Act is sufficient to deal with the actions of the police, as mentioned by the Home Office Minister. I am not surprised that the IPCC is now reviewing the police complaints system and revising its statutory guidance to consider any changes that may be necessary.'

Enterprise for International Trade

Queen's Award for Sun Mark Ltd

Her Majesty the Queen has been graciously pleased to award the prestigious Queen's Award for Enterprise 2009 to Sun Mark Ltd for International Trade in her Birthday Honours List.

Sun Mark Ltd specialises in marketing products in some of the most difficult territories of the world, such as Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean. It operates in markets where multinational companies find it difficult to penetrate. Sun Mark Ltd not only markets product under her own brands but also markets products for companies like and including Unilever, Cadbury, Nestle, Premier Foods, Twining, Weetabix, Princes, etc.

Dr Rami Ranger MBE, FRSA, Managing Director of Sun Mark Ltd explained that the company specialises in marketing FMCG products worldwide. The company sustains hundreds of British jobs with her activities. This recognition is a feather in the cap for all the staff who go the extra mile for the success of their company.

Dr Ranger's other company, Sea Air & Land Forwarding Limited, was also the proud recipient of this prestigious award 10 years ago for export achievement. This just shows the expertise the group has developed for marketing products overseas.

The award recognises the company's tremendous growth over the past three years. The company continues to grow in spite of the global economic downturn. Its turnover is approaching £60 million Sterling.

Sri Lanka

Call for speedy ceasefire

All Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils (APPG-T) join the Co-Chairs in their calls for an immediate ceasefire in Sri Lanka. We want an immediate and permanent ceasefire and not a humanitarian pause.

Medical staff and the civilians in the conflict zone fear that the Sri Lankan military is planning a major offensive into the safe zone in the next few days. Given the Sri Lankan military's behaviour, including the deployment of internationally banned chemical weapons on civilians, there is a well founded fear that a large number of civilians will be killed.

It is reported even after the 48 hour 'ceasefire' that was unilaterally declared by Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) in mid-April there had been artillery fire from the forces into the 'no fire zone'. Photos of injured civilians including very young children have appeared.

Members of the APPGT have been trying to speak to someone within the conflict zone to get first hand information. Last month, we managed to speak with Dr. T. Varatharajah, regional director of Health Services in Mullaitivu. Dr Rajah was able to confirm that there are more than 300,000 civilians within the no-fire zone, whilst the Government of Sri Lanka report figures almost one third this number. There is an acute shortage of medicines and there are no antibiotics available. There is a grave risk that diseases will spread, particularly amongst young children, due to lack of proper sanitation and drinking water. Dr Rajah also confirmed that the Sri Lankan forces are firing 800m from the makeshift hospital, “I can see them with my bare eyes. Yet they are using RPG and firing at us,” he informed us. Still, the indiscriminate aerial bombardment and shelling continues, targeting the visible safe zone and the civilians living there. There is a desperate need to call for permanent ceasefire at the UN Security Council.

Despite calls from international community the Government of Sri Lanka refuses to show distinction between civilians and armed combatants. The humanitarian crisis in Vanni has already gone beyond the crisis level and tens of thousands of innocent Tamil civilians are at immediate risk of being slaughtered.

APPG-T appreciates that the foreign secretary has been calling for a humanitarian ceasefire at many occasions in the recent past. However we now urge our government to take this very serious issue to the UN Security Council to pass a resolution that will cover the following:
1.An immediate, permanent, internationally monitored ceasefire
2.Unfettered access by international humanitarian organisations and the UN
3.An unimpeded flow of humanitarian relief, especially adequate food and medicine, to the civilians in the conflict zone
4.Full and immediate access to the 'safe zone' for the international media.
We fear any further delay in action will result in even greater loss of innocent civilian lives especially the lives of the children.

Virendra Sharma MP
Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils

top