Letter – We must stop funding oppressive foreign governments
Dear Editor,
Ethiopian state security forces have tortured, raped and burnt more than 5,000 people. Meanwhile, our government has given Ethiopia over one billion pounds and the country is the second largest beneficiary of British aid.
Ethiopian state security forces have tortured, raped and burnt more than 5,000 people. Meanwhile, our government has given Ethiopia over one billion pounds and the country is the second largest beneficiary of British aid.
This is another example of how badly managed our Aid budget is. We must
ensure the money we give makes a genuine difference, rather than being handed to
oppressive or corrupt governments and a list of world powers that recently has
included India, Russia and Argentina.
Globally, people face crisis, disease and poverty everyday. Even here in
the UK, in these cold winter months, millions of our most vulnerable people are
faced with the choice of heating or eating. Aid can be a positive thing if we
make sure the resources are used where they are needed most, so they have the
best possible impact.
We need a full, comprehensive review of our foreign aid budget – both
into how much is spent and where it is spent. We must ensure that taxpayer’s
money is not given to corrupt foreign governments who torture their own
people.
Jonathan Arnott MEP
UKIP, North East
