HC Deb 17 March 1958 vol 584 cc902-5
14. Mr. Zilliacus

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will draw the policy of repression in Algeria to the notice of the Security Council under Article 34 of the Charter as a circumstance tending to cause friction between France and her Arab neighbours; and if he will put on the agenda of the United Nations General Assembly, under Article 10 of the Charter, the systematic violation of the French Army authorities in Algeria of Article 5 of the Declaration on Human Rights, approved by the General Assembly in 1948, which prohibits torture or cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and punishments.

17. Mr. Fenner Brockway

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will, under Article 24 of the 1950 Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, draw the attention of the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe to the breach by the French military authorities in Algeria of Articles 3 and 15, paragraph (2), of this Convention, prohibiting torture or inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment even in times of war or public emergency, and request him to bring the matter to the notice of the European Commission on Human Rights.

Commander Noble

No, Sir. It would not be appropriate to take such action.

Mr. Zilliacus

Will the right hon. and gallant Gentleman at least make it clear that the Government no longer adopt the position they did when Her Majesty's Ambassador in Paris on 14th July, 1946, sent a message to the French Government stating: We are on your side in Algeria. We ardently desire the success of your efforts in Algeria. Will he make it clear that the people of this country stand on the side of the gallant minority in France who are struggling to uphold the great traditions of French civilisation and against the torturers and Fascists who are dishonouring their country?

Commander Noble

I think we should make it clear that the allegations which have received publicity recently relate to events which took place some time ago, and that the Commission set up by the French Government to investigate the allegations of torture has published its report. This shows that the French Government are taking the matter very seriously.

Mr. Brockway

In view of the fact that a Convention on Human Rights has been adopted by the Council of Europe, is it not desirable that when such a convention is challenged by charges there should be an opportunity for those charges to be proved or disproved in the way proposed in these Questions?

Commander Noble

I do not think I have anything to add to my reply, in which I said that the French Government appointed a commission and have published its report.

Mr. Edelman

To keep the matter in proportion, is it not the case that the French authorities, far from condoning outrageous behaviour of the kind mentioned in the Questions, have convicted and punished 363 individuals, who have been condemned for behaviour of this kind?

Commander Noble

Yes, Sir.

15. Mr. Benn

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to what extent the Algerian refugee problem is being considered by the Anglo-American good offices committee now at work.

Commander Noble

Our purpose in the good offices is to help the French and Tunisian Governments to come to an agreement on certain acute issues and to resume their direct negotiations. It is of course of the essence of the good offices procedure that the discussions should remain confidential.

Mr. Benn

Is it not a fact that 100,000 Algerian refugees are now in Tunisia, that recently they were coming over the frontier at the rate of 400 a day, that over 50 per cent. of them were children, and that the United Nations refugee workers have described these as the worst conditions they have ever come across? Will not the British Government say anything about this problem, which is at the centre of Franco-Tunisian difficulties at the moment?

Commander Noble

I do not think this comes within the terms of reference of the good offices of which I have just told the House. I think I have myself answered a Question put by the hon. Gentleman on this subject. I believe he knows that the International Red Cross is at present organising the distribution of relief to Algerian refugees in Tunisia and that voluntary bodies in this country, such as the Save the Children Fund, are assisting the International Red Cross in this work.

16. Mr. Benn

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what action Her Majesty's Government will take at the United Nations, as a signatory of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to raise the question of the violation of human rights by the French authorities in establishing a no-man's land in Algeria.

Commander Noble

This question has already been drawn to the attention of the United Nations by means of a letter from the Tunisian representative dated 26th February and a reply from the French representative dated 5th March. Both of these letters have been circulated in the United Nations as Security Council documents.

Mr. Benn

Will the right hon. and gallant Gentleman not tell the House what is the view of the British Government in this matter, in that an area thirty miles wide and 250 miles long is to be cleared of all its inhabitants, who number 350,000 people, and that this is probably one of the greatest forced evictions of civil populations ever made? Will not the Government give some indication that they take this matter seriously?

Commander Noble

The statements of the two representatives at the United Nations, to which I have just referred, give a very different picture of what has happened. The facts have not been established, and it would be unwise to place reliance on various reports that have been made public, some of which seem to have been considerably exaggerated.

Mr. Bevan

If it is the fact that the French Government are proposing to clear a large number of people along the frontier, would the British Government make representations to the French Government that they should hold their hand in this matter until the good offices committee has done its work or some counter-proposals have arrived from President Bourguiba, which I think are expected?

Commander Noble

I do not think this arises out of the Question, which refers to the good offices committee.

Mr. Bevan

No, no——

Mr. Benn

In view of the totally unsatisfactory nature of those replies, I beg to give notice that I shall raise the matter on the Adjournment.