HC Deb 20 January 1964 vol 687 cc711-5
Mr. Bottomley (by Private Notice)

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and for the Colonies whether he will make a statement about the action Her Majesty's Government are taking to protect British personnel in Tanganyika.

The Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and for the Colonies (Mr. Duncan Sandys)

Serious developmentstook place during the night in Dar-es-Salaam. Since the situation is very obscure, and is changing from hour to hour, I think that it would be best for me to give the House an account of the various messages I have received, in chronological order.

In the early hours of this morning we heard from our acting High Commissioner in Tanganyika that the First Battalion of the Tanganyika Rifles have mutinied in Dar-es-Salaam and had detained several of the officers, both British and Tanganyikan. He added that the troops had broken out of their barracks and were roaming round the town.

Later, we heard that some European civilians had been seized and maltreated. Most, if not all of these, seem to have been subsequently released together with the British officers.

Our acting High Commissioner has been in continuous touch with the Tanganyikan Minister of External Affairs, Mr. Kambona, but he was unable to contact President Nyerere, whose house was surrounded by a strong guard. It was not clear whether this was for his protection, or his detention. In view of this whole situation, the Tanganyikan Minister of the Interior appealed to the Government of Kenya to send troops to help restore order.

In the meantime, the situation improved, and the Minister sent a message to the Kenya Government stating that he no longer considered that it was necessary for help to come in from outside. However, three-quarters of an hour ago I received a further message that the situation was again deteriorating. It seems that the troops have once more broken out of their barracks and may have taken control of the airport.

Earlier this morning, H.M.S. "Rhyl", with a company of Staffords on board, was ordered to proceed at once from Zanzibar to Dar-es-Salaam, where she has now arrived and is standing by close inshore. A quarter of an hour ago, just before leaving for the House, I heard that the commander had established contact with our High Commissioner on shore.

Meanwhile, the acting High Commissioner has advised British nationals to remain indoors. For the information of the House, there are about 20,000 United Kingdom citizens in Dar-es-Salaam, of whom 5,000 are of United Kingdom origin and 15,000 of Asian origin. In other parts of Tanganyika there are a further 10,000 United Kingdom citizens of United Kingdom origin and upwards of 40,000 of Asian origin.

We are keeping in continuous touch with our High Commission in Dar-es-Salaam, and in the light of developments we will consider any further action which may be necessary.

Mr. Bottomley

In view of the Government's other very heavy commitments overseas, can the Secretary of State assure the House that everything possible will be done to safeguard the lives of British personnel and others in Tanganyika?

Further, can he say whether there is any truth in the allegation that the troubles arise because of a disagreement between the British officers and African personnel?

Mr. Sandys

Our prime consideration, of course, is to carry out our first obligation, which is to do everything we can in this difficult situation to protect British lives.

The right hon. Gentleman referred to our commitments elsewhere. That problem does not arise in this connection at all. If it were a question of sending any British troops, we have troops in Kenya within a very short flight from Dar-es-Salaam. But it is not always wise to rush troops into another country, even in a situation of this kind.

I hesitate to express a view about the cause of the mutiny, but I understand that it was, in part, concerned with two problems. One was a complaint about the slow rate of Africanisation of the Tanganyikan Army. The rate of Africanisation is, of course, entirely a matter for the Tanganyikan Government themselves to decide. The other was a question of pay. But there may have been other causes and there may have been other influences at work of which I am not yet aware.

Mr. Hastings

Would not my right hon. Friend agree that it would, on the face of it, be most unusual for a mutiny of this kind to take place in an African battalion without outside provocation and encouragament? Would he not also agree that Dar-es-Salaam has for a long time now been a centre, if not the centre, for the build-up of Communist-inspired and Afro-Asian subversion in East and Central Africa, and if so, does he not think that there may be some connection?

Mr. Sandys

I said just now that I did not know what other influences might be at work in this affair.

Mr. Paget

Could the right hon. Gentleman tell us whether the slow Africanisation of the Tanganyika forces is not solely caused by the fact that there are not enough trained Africans either to officer or to act as N.C.O.S of these forces? Will he further bear in mind, in view of the experience of the Force Publique in the Congo, the appalling danger of having an armed force on the loose inadequately officered and particularly without N.C.O.S? As to whether any co-operation is required by the Tanganyikan Government, I hope that he will be able to give us his assurance that that will be available.

Mr. Sandys

I do not think that it would be very appropriate for me at the moment, when troops are actually in a state of mutiny, to start making any comments beyond the ones which I have already made, which were communicated to me by the Tanganyikan Government. Comments of my own would I think, be out of place.

Sir G. Nicholson

May I ask my right hon. Friend a question about Indian and Pakistan nationals in Tanganyika? Do Her Majesty's Government here recognise any protective obligation towards them?

Mr. Sandys

No more than towards any other Commonwealth citizen who is not a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies, but we have quite enough citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies to look after in this particular case, as I have already indicated to the House.

Mr. Brockway

While I appreciate the very full information which the Minister has given, and also the difficulties, may I ask him whether he could take the opportunity of this occasion to express appreciation, which I am sure is held on both sides of the House, of President Julius Nyerere and his Government in Tanganyika, our confidence that they have the support of the great majority of the people and our hope that they may pass through this situation in such a way that their stable and democratic Government may be maintained?

Mr. Sandys

I do not think that this in a moment to utter eulogies. The purpose of my statement was to give the House the very latest facts about a very difficult situation.

Sir A. V. Harvey

Can my right hon. Friend give an assurance that if, unfortunately, the situation deteriorates further, there are sufficient naval forces available to deal not only with British subjects, but also with Commonwealth subjects who may be lacking the protection which our people get? In the broader aspect, is my right hon. Friend considering initiating discussions with adjacent countries or with any others to try to do something to help in the worsening situation in that part of Africa?

Mr. Sandys

The last part of my hon. Friend's question is of rather wider character than that asked by the right hon. Member for Middlesbrough, East (Mr. Bottomley).

As regards the adequacy of naval vessels, I think that my hon. Friend is asking rather a lot. He asks whether we have enough naval vessels to deal with—I suppose that he means evacuate—not only the United Kingdom citizens, who, as I have indicated, total 75,000, but also with all other Commonwealth citizens. The answer, of course, is, "No".