HC Deb 23 February 1953 vol 511 cc1706-8
20. Mr. S. O. Davies

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to make a statement on the shooting of prisoners of war on Koje Island, South Korea, on Monday, 9th February, when one was killed and 38 wounded, 13 seriously.

Mr. Eden

Yes, Sir. As is now usual in these incidents, the prisoners started a demonstration in deliberate defiance of orders from the camp authorities, and attacked their guards with stones. After three unsuccessful attempts to restore order by the use of what are officially termed "non-toxic irritants"—I understand this is a form of tear gas—United Nations troops entered the compound, and, on orders from the Camp Commander, made use of tear gas and concussion grenades and opened fire with light weapons. Order was restored when the troops forced entry into the prisoners' huts. Casualties were one prisoner killed and 50 injured, of whom four have since died. There were no United Nations casualties. Subsequent inspection showed that the prisoners had made careful preparations for the incident, including the piling of stones inside the compound.

Mr. Davies

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that, according to responsible American newspapers who had their representatives on the spot, the only disturbance, or the only crime, that was committed by those who were massacred in this particular massacre was that they sang some of their folk songs and their own national songs? Is not it time that the right hon. Gentleman should, at long last, protest against these recurring massacres of unarmed prisoners?

Mr. Eden

I can only doubt that the hon. Gentleman's account of what happened is entirely accurate, because if one wants to sing folk songs one does not either have to pile up stones to do it or throw them at other people in the melee.

Mr. S. Silverman

Would the right hon. Gentleman not agree that whether one piles up stones when considering the desirability of singing folk songs or not may perhaps depend on what happened on previous occasions when one wished to have a perfectly innocent demonstration? Can the right hon. Gentleman tell us what was the character of the demonstration on 9th February which the United States authorities thought it fair and legitimate to prevent, and can he further state whether we have yet had any information whatever about the incident that took place on 1st October last year?

Mr. Eden

Yes, Sir. On the last part of the question, we have had a full account of the October incidents. I think that it has been made available in the Library. I have asked for a fuller report of this incident. Of course, it is not easy for anyone who is not present on these occasions to pass judgment, but it is fair to say that my impression of these incidents is that they are carefully prepared Communist demonstrations for a deliberate political purpose.