HC Deb 20 October 1954 vol 531 cc1195-6
19. Mr. Brockway

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will initiate the offer of amnesties in Malaya and Kenya.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

As far as Malaya is concerned, I have nothing to add to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Colonial Affairs gave to the hon. Member for Eccles (Mr. Proctor) on 28th July. In Kenya, the surrender offer of August, 1953, remains open to any individual terrorist who wishes to surrender. The Kenya Government has always been ready to end the fighting and to consider any approach for a mass surrender from gang leaders who are able to influence large numbers of terrorists into surrendering.

Mr. Brockway

In Malaya, do the surrender terms now include a promise, as they do in Kenya, that those who surrender will not be put to death? Secondly, in view of the fact that 1,000 Mau Mau participants in Kenya gathered together to lay down their arms last April and, according to the statement of the right hon. Gentleman's predecessor, they dispersed because of an unfortunate accident, will the Minister now urge that renewed efforts should be made with some negotiations similar to the "General" China negotiations by which an end to the fighting might be brought about?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

The need to speed up surrender is clearly understood by the Governor and the War Council in Kenya. There are other Questions later about the rate of surrender, and I will answer them.

Mr. J. Griffiths

Will the Colonial Secretary—he will have an opportunity next week when he makes his fuller statement—give particular attention to the report which the War Council has just published, particularly to the sentence which, according to my memory, says that unless an alternative is provided, these leaders are likely to go on fighting indefinitely, with all that that means for Kenya? Will he give consideration to the desirability of proclaiming the terms of surrender and give some time to this matter when he makes his statement next week?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

I will certainly deal with the surrender position when I make my statement, and I shall, of course, take very seriously indeed anything that the War Council says.