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Darfur

Volume 462: debated on Wednesday 11 July 2007

I have presented many petitions in the House. They are an important constitutional right and a way to improve public engagement in politics and strengthen our democracy. They are all important, but few are as pressing, well conceived and moving as the petition that I now have the honour to present. It was compiled by students who are typical of young people today, and I urge the media to portray them more positively.

The petition states:

To the House of Commons

The petition of Hannah Marshall, Elliott Ward and students of the Anglo European School and of the South East declares that the children and young people of Britain are the future of this country and want a future without violence and unnecessary suffering, bred by inequality, believe that genocide in Darfur should be tackled more appropriately by the UK and other nations, and that this genocide should be more widely publicised, and further declares that there are over 20 million refugees in the world, many of whom are children or young people, like the petitioners, but many of whom do not have a family or even a country and need our help as their brothers and sisters.

The petitioners therefore request the House of Commons to urge the Government to take a more positive role in bringing attention to the Darfur genocide, in helping those refugees in need in Darfur, and in getting a solution to the political and security problems and giving appropriate aid so issues are dealt with in a sustainable manner.

And your Petitioners remain, etc.

To lie upon the Table.