HC Deb 06 June 1932 vol 266 cc1571-2
11. Captain CAZALET

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many raids into British territory from Abyssinia have taken place since the publication of the White Book (Cmd. 3217) in 1928; and whether it is proposed to issue, before the meeting of the Assembly of the League of Nations, a further Government Paper upon the subject?

Sir J. SIMON

I am circulating in the Official Report particulars of the raids referred to. As at present advised, I do not think a further White Paper will be necessary.

Captain CAZALET

Can my right hon. Friend say whether that account includes details of the raid which took place a few months ago in the south-east territory?

Sir J. SIMON

Yes, Sir. It will be found to include it.

Mr. RHYS DAVIES

Will the information contain anything about the operations of the Sudan Slavery Patrol and the number of casualties which took place in consequence?

Sir J. SIMON

I would ask my hon. Friend to wait for the answer in the report. It is a very full one, and I think that it will give him the information about which he is asking.

Sir ARTHUR STEEL-MAITLAND

I could not quite hear the supplementary answer to my hon. and gallant Friend. Will full information be given in the answer about the raid which is said to have occurred in March of this year?

Sir J. SIMON

Yes, Sir. My right hon. Friend will find that the answer includes information about it.

Following are the particulars:

With the exception of two raids into Kenya in 1929, particulars of which were given in the House by the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies at the time in reply to a question on the 13th November, 1929, from the information available it appears that there has been no organised raiding, properly so called, into the British territory since 1928, although spasmodic frontier disturbances due to inter-tribal feuds have taken place on certain parts of the Kenya-Abyssinia frontier.

A serious raid, however, into the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan took place last March when a party of Abyssinian Anuak, assisted by a few Sudanese Anuak, and numbering approximately 600 in all, attacked the Beir tribe and penetrated some 50 miles into the Upper Nile Province. The Beir losses were 27 men killed, 27 women and 55 children captured, and some 800 head of cattle taken. Immediate representations were made by His Majesty's Minister at Addis Ababa to the Abyssinian Government, who agreed to send urgent instructions to the Abyssinian local authorities to investigate the raid and take measures for the release of the captives and the punishment of the raiders. The Abyssinian Government also agreed to establish a new frontier post in the Baro salient in the endeavour to hold these unruly and largely un-administered tribes in check. It is not yet known what effect has been given to the requests of His Majesty's Minister for the release of the captives and the punishment of the raiders. Arrangements have, however, been made for representatives of the Sudan and Abyssinian Governments to meet at Gambeila to-day to settle the organisation of punitive and preventive measures.