HC Deb 03 November 1937 vol 328 cc911-3
37. Mr. Graham White

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can give the House any information with regard to the numbers and conditions of refugees from Abyssinia in Kenya?

Mr. Ormsby-Gore

As my reply is long, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Following is the reply:

It is difficult to give precise figures, but according to my most recent information there are now in Kenya about 6,000 Abyssinian refugees, including many women and children. These have entered the Colony at various times and in varying numbers, but the main influx took place between the latter part of June and the beginning of August this year, when several parties varying from a few score up to about 2,000 in number crossed the frontier at intervals of a week or so. The majority had travelled long distances and had suffered very severe hardships. Many were sick and there were 155 cases of smallpox. Other diseases were also prevalent, though I am glad to say that fatal cases are said to be very few. The parts of Kenya into which they had penetrated are remote, arid and devoid of communications. Even water supplies are scanty and occur only at isolated places separated by considerable distances. It therefore became immediately necessary to improvise arrangements for supplying them with food, water, and medical attention, for their segregation (in their own interests) from the native population of the Colony, and for their transfer to an area where it was possible to maintain life. Supplies of vaccine were despatched by aeroplane from Nairobi, vaccination was carried out and other assistance rendered by all the medical staff available. A camp was established at Isiolo, which is over 200 miles from the frontier. This involved a 350-mile journey for some of the refugees, but such motor transport as was available was fully utilised for the transport of the necessities of life and for the conveyance of those who were too ill or exhausted to walk across the desert country.

This sudden advent of large numbers of refugees presented a grave problem to the Kenya administrative, police, military, and medical authorities, and I cannot speak too highly of the splendid work which they have performed under conditions of great stress in providing the refugees with supplies and supervising their health. With reference to a report which appeared in the Press a few days ago, there is no foundation whatever for the suggestion that the Government of Kenya took any action to invite these refugees to the Colony, though of course, when presented with the problem, they took immediate steps to deal with with it in accordance with the dictates of humanity. I may mention that owing to the stiuation of the camp at Isiolo, the refugees concentrated there are not in a position to engage in any anti-Italian activities, even if they wished to do so. I cannot say what the future of the refugees will be. They cannot be accommodated in Kenya, where it would be impossible for them to maintain themselves