49. Mr. Dugdaleasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a statement on the Singapore riots.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydOn the 24th September the Singapore Government dissolved the Chinese Middle Schools Students Union, a Communist front organisation. I have placed in the Library a copy of a White Paper about the Union, published by the Singapore Government, which demonstrates the extent of the Union's subversive activity.
1433 Several thousand students defied the Government's decision by staging a sit-down strike in two Chinese schools and tried to intimidate students from other schools into similar action. The strike lasted from 10th until 26th October when, after repeated warnings to parents to remove their children, the defiant students were cleared from the schools by the police. Members of certain Communist front trade unions came out on strike and large gangs of students and strikers gathered in the streets. Rioting followed on the 26th and 27th and troops were called in to assist the police. I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT a fuller account of these disorders.
I should like to express the sympathy of Her Majesty's Government with all who have suffered during these events, and our admiration of the combination of patience and firmness with which the Singapore Government have faced this violent challenge to their authority.
Mr. DugdaleWhile joining with the right hon. Gentleman in expressing sympathy with the relatives and friends of those who have lost their lives during the riots, may I ask him two questions : first, how many of the thousand people—I understand that is the figure—who have been arrested have since been released, or are the thousand still detained? Secondly, I would ask the right hon. Gentleman why he refused to make a statement on this very important matter on Monday, while arranging for his Under-Secretary to make a statement about it in another place yesterday? Is that not showing some discourtesy to this House?
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydNo, Sir ; most certainly not. Another place also has its rights, and it seems to me quite proper that a noble Lord who is a Member of the Front Bench of the Opposition in another place, who asked a Question yesterday, should have an answer to it. As to the other questions asked by the right hon. Gentleman, I would refer him to the statement to which I have drawn attention.
§ Mr. BevanHave not a number of Chinese been deported in connection with these incidents, and are they nationals of another country?
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydI answered a Question about that a quarter of an hour ago.
§ Mr. BevanWould the right hon. Gentleman agree that it would be ethically correct for another country to intervene with force to protect its nationals in Singapore?
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydI do not know whether, from that supplementary question, the right hon. Gentleman is suggesting that the elected Ministers in Singapore have not the right—[HON. MEMBERS : "Answer the question."]—to deport Chinese nationals.
§ Mr. BevanIs it not a fact that a number of people in Singapore who have been arrested and deported, and a number who have been shot and imprisoned, are nationals of another country, and what ethical answer have the Government if another country tried to protect them by force?
Following is the statement :On the 24th September the Singapore Government dissolved the Chinese Middle School Students Union, and ordered the expulsion of some 145 students and 2 teachers from two Chinese schools. A White Paper published by the Singapore Government shows how the Union had become a Communist front organisation engaged in subversive political activities, and demonstrates the extent to which its activities were disrupting the whole Chinese educational system in Singapore.Several thousand students staged a sit-down strike in two schools on the 10th October in defiance of the Government, and attempted in daylight sorties to provoke similar action in other schools through picketing and intimidation. On the 24th October parents were warned by personal letter, and through the Press and the radio, that they must remove their children from the schools by the evening of the 25th, after which firm steps would be taken to restore discipline. There were some disorders near the schools when this ultimation expired, but the police were able to disperse the crowds and restore order.The students continued to defy both their parents and the Government, and on the morning of 26th October the police cleared them from both schools without incident. Members of certain Communist front trade unions came out on strike and large groups of students and strikers began to collect in the streets, increasingly large roving gangs began attacks on cars, buildings and police. A curfew was imposed on the Island and troops were called in to assist the police. During the rest of last Friday and again on Saturday there were a series of attacks by roving bands on vehicles and police posts. The police and the military forces who showed exemplary restraint, were constantly engaged in dispersing large mobs of up to a thousand persons and preventing their reassembly. The police were forced to open fire on a number of occasions, The situation quietened down on Saturday afternoon and Sunday passed without any serious 1435 incidents. Since then the situation has been quiet. The Singapore Government have made a large number of arrests both among rioters and those believed to be fomenting the disorders. 13 persons are reported to have lost their lives and 122 to have been injured.