April 2012
Dear
,
I write to you as a candidate in the forthcoming local election regarding Birmingham City Council’s
waste management contract with Veolia Environmental Services. This is a multi-million pound
contract and as a Council taxpayer I believe that the Council has a responsibility to interrogate ethics
and business practice of a major contractor for the Local Authority.
I am seeking your support and commitment to call for a scrutiny review of Veolia’s suitability as a
contractor with Birmingham City Council and to call the Company to account for its breach of
international humanitarian law through its commercial activities in the Occupied Palestinian
Territories. We believe this request is consistent with the spirit of the All-party motion passed in full
Council on 13th January 2009 following Israel’s attack on Gaza.
There are significant grounds for a Scrutiny review to consider which we set out below:
1.
Violation of International Law
Veolia and its subsidiary companies are working in the Occupied Territories of Palestine to provide
infrastructure projects for illegal settlements and in so doing are complicit in Israel’s crimes under
international law, specifically the Fourth Geneva convention articles 49 and 53, the Hague
Conventions 1897 and 1907 and contrary to six UN Security Council Resolutions.
Security Council resolution 465 unanimously: “Calls upon all States not to provide Israel with any
assistance to be used specifically in connection with settlements in the occupied territories.”
Veolia is complicit in supporting Israel to break international law in the Occupied Territories of
Palestine by servicing transport and waste agreements for illegal Israeli settlements in the following
ways:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Veolia was a lead partner in the Citi-pass consortium which constructed the
Jerusalem Light Railway specifically linking illegal settlements in East Jerusalem with
West Jerusalem.
Veolia will assist in running the Jerusalem Light Railway and its discriminatory
operational recruitment campaign excludes Palestinians by requiring candidates to
speak Hebrew as mother-tongue and past military/ civic service. Past military/ civic
service discriminates against Palestinians both in occupied Jerusalem and the West
Bank as well as those living in Israel because they do not serve as conscripts; civic
duties are managed by bodies directing work almost entirely within Jewish
communities.
Veolia subsidiary Connex runs two bus services which use roads linking illegal West
Bank settlements built on Palestinian land.
Veolia subsidiary TMM has been operating the Tovlan landfill site which processes
waste from illegal settlements and is located in occupied territory, Veolia continues
in a consultancy role to the current owners – the illegal settlement itself.
Illegal settlements by Israel in the Occupied Territories are not only illegal they also have a serious
daily impact on Palestinian communities close to where they are sited including:
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2.
land and property theft and destruction
reduced water supply
reduced access to farm land
settler destruction of crops
restricted movement of Palestinians hindering access to health, education and social
resources
increased risk of violence against civilians
pollution of Palestinian land with settlement sewage.
The position of the UK Government
Veolia’s commercial activities are also undermining and counter to the foreign policy of the UK
Government in the region. The key aspects of this policy are set out below:
The Foreign Office states: “Attempts by Israel to alter the character or demography of East
Jerusalem are unacceptable and extremely provocative. Settlements, as well as the evictions and
demolitions of Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem are illegal.”
Alistair Burt, U.K. Minister for The Middle East,speaking while on a recent visit to The West Bank,
declared: “Our position on settlements is generally well known. We hold settlements to be illegal
in the Occupied Territories.”
UK is a High Contracting party to the Geneva Conventions which means: “Each High Contracting
Party shall take measures necessary for the suppression of all acts contrary to the provisions of the
present Convention”
3.
Veolia’s suitability as a contractor
Under the Public Services Regulations (2006) specific section Regulation 23(4)(e) states that the
Council can “treat an economic operator as ineligible or decide not to select an economic operator”
on the grounds of grave misconduct.”
Veolia’s commercial activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territories should be investigated by
Birmingham City Council to enable the Council to consider whether Veolia’s breach of international
humanitarian law and UN Security Council resolutions constitutes ‘grave misconduct’.
A scrutiny review should give consideration to the suitability of Veolia as a future contractor with the
City Council and should review the current contract with Veolia.
I would be grateful if you could confirm your response to this letter in writing.
Yours sincerely