53. Mr. John Hallasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps are being taken by the Somaliland Government to deal with the increasing number of tribal killings in Somaliland; and what increase in tribal clashes has taken place since the implementation of the Anglo-Ethiopian Agreement.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydThere has been no increase in the number of tribal clashes in Somaliland recently, and the Anglo-Ethiopian Agreement of 1954 has not led to any increase in the number of deaths in tribal feuds. The Protectorate Government has been endeavouring for some time to stop tribal fighting. It prefers, wherever possible, to punish individuals who are responsible rather than to resort to collective punishment. But, in the absence of support for its efforts to fix individual responsibility, it has been obliged to make it clear that it will take action against leaders of tribes responsible and will, if necessary, use its powers to impose collective fines.