§ MR. DAVITT (Mayo, S.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether certain British soldiers have been charged with an indecent assault upon a native woman at Rangoon; whether such soldiers have been brought before any tribunal for this alleged crime; and if any punishment has been inflicted for this outrage.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (LORD G. HAMILTON, Middlesex, Ealing)This matter has for some time 897 past been occupying the attention of the Indian Government, with whom I have been in communication on the subject. I regret to say that it is true that an outrage was committed upon an elderly Burmese woman of unsound mind by a party of soldiers, who are said to have been under the influence of liquor. On appearance of police and a corporal the soldiers dispersed; but one of them was arrested, and tried by jury on the 10th of May, but was acquitted on the ground that he was not proved to have committed or attempted the offence with which he was charged, and the Recorder concurred in the verdict. So far, no other person has been brought to trial; but the Government of India are determined that the matter shall be thoroughly investigated, and that the culprits shall be brought to justice; and they have impressed their views very strongly upon the civil and military authorities of Rangoon, who have undertaken that no effort shall be spared to bring the facts to light. Accordingly, a special Court of inquiry has been summoned to investigate and report upon the whole matter.