Letters - 11 June 2021
From Priorities to Promise
Priorities
I have received information from Médecins Sans Frontières about the desperate situation in the Yemen: children, women and men, without shelter, dying of starvation and diseases, including cholera.
We now know that the government is to reduce the UK’s money for foreign aid which will seriously impact on help for the Yemenis and other areas where people are living in war ravaged areas and absolute poverty.
Yet this very same government can find money for an increased military budget announced in the Integrated Defence Review which stated that there would be a rise of £24 billion for the military.
The replacement of the Trident nuclear-armed submarine fleet will cost £205 billion in total and there will be further additional costs with the proposed increased limit in the number of warheads from 180 to 260.
These spending priorities beggar belief. I hope Quaker voices will be raised to protest not only at the insane expansion of the military which will not bring people anywhere security but also to restore funds for foreign aid.
Rae Street
Trophy hunting
May I ask fellow Friends to consider contacting their local MP and asking them to support Early Day Motion 86 – ‘Ban on trophy hunting imports’?
The government has agreed to bring forward legislation which prohibits British hunters from bringing home trophies of animals they have shot abroad.
However, the ban only covers certain species. The trophies of many species will still be permitted into the UK, including those of the common zebra, striped hyena, reindeer, and up to 100 other animals that are currently popular with trophy hunters. Many of these animals are at risk of extinction, and hunting is one of the many threats they face to their survival.
Early Day Motion 86, tabled by David Amess MP, urges the government to ensure that the government’s ban covers all species hunted for trophies. It has the support of MPs across the political spectrum. Securing a comprehensive ban here in the UK will be an important step in helping to secure a global end to a cruel ‘sport’ that I believe Friends will agree must be abolished. Should Friends wish to get in touch with their local MP on this matter, their contact details can be found at https://members.parliament.uk/FindYourMP.
Eduardo Goncalves
Founder, Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting (www.bantrophyhunting.org)
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