§ 12. Mr. Molloyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement concerning the situation in Nigeria.
§ 19. Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the further efforts made by Her Majesty's Government to seek to end war and starvation in Biafra.
25. Mr. Edward M. Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement concerning the situation in Nigeria.
§ The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Michael Stewart)Since the statement by my right hon. Friend the then Commonwealth Secretary on 27th August, I regret to say that there has been no progress towards peace. At the beginning of September we learnt that some leading Ibos wanted early negotiations with the Federal Government on a basis of acceptance of the principle of one Nigeria. My right hon. and noble Friend Lord Shepherd visited Lagos to discuss the position with the Federal Government. Unfortunately on 26th September Colonel Ojukwu announced his decision to fight on. Lord Shepherd had been assured by the Federal Government that they were prepared for peace talks at any time on the basis of a united country in which the Ibos would have a fair and honourable place. The Federal Government's attitude is in line with the Resolution adopted in September by an overwhelming majority of African leaders meeting in Algiers.
1069 Colonel Ojukwu's decision has prevented help reaching many of those in need. There has been a welcome increase in the scale and effectiveness of relief operations in Federal territory. The International Red Cross have had to be content with a modest and still inadequate increase in the supplies they are able to send in by air to the Ibo areas. Lord Shepherd has examined both with the Federal Government in Lagos and with the International Red Cross in Geneva how future operations can be improved with particular reference to our own programme of assistance.
§ Mr. SpeakerIt would help if long Answers came at the end of Question Time.
§ Mr. StewartWith great respect. Mr. Speaker, I would point out that I am answering three Questions together and this is the briefest way of doing it.
§ Mr. MolloyI am grateful for many of the points my right lion. Friend has reported to the House, but is he aware of the profound feelings of the British people about what is happening in Nigeria and also the feeling that we in some way, because of the arms policy, have contributed to it? Would he not agree that he ought to press on with resolving all these issues and that there ought to be preparations made to follow this up with another military type operation based on compassion and sanity to bring immediate relief to the starving and the suffering in that part of the world?
§ Mr. StewartWe have made every effort to bring the suffering to an end in Nigeria. Indeed, I do not think any Government have been more active than the British Government in promoting relief or in trying to seek a settlement.
§ Mr. AllaunDo the Government really intend to step up supplies to Nigeria following the expected request from Lagos? Will the Government, instead, reject such an approach, refuse further supplies, as requested by the Labour Party conference, and ask for a cease-fire, because the so-called "quick kill" is proving quite illusory?
§ Mr. StewartFor reasons which I have often explained, it is not the policy of the Government to cut off supplies. We have not received the further request to which my hon. Friend referred, but we have on 1070 more than one occasion sought to promote a peaceful solution of this dispute and, if further opportunities offer, we shall go on doing so.
Mr. TaylorAs the Government's estimate last month that the war was about to come to an end has not materialised, would the Minister consider calling an international conference to see if all supplies can be stopped? Is it not intolerable that supplies of Saracens with 76mm. guns should go out to Nigeria when our own forces in South Arabia were prevented from using these freely because of the devastation and civilian casualties which would arise?
§ Mr. StewartThe House should realise that it has always been the view of the Government that the starting of this rebellion in Nigeria was wrong and was a tragic error. That is a view which is shared by the great majority of African States concerned for the welfare of Africa. To have cut off the supply of arms to a fellow Commonwealth territory whose traditional supplier we were would have been tantamount to expressing sympathy with the rebellion. Now that the situation is such that it is possible to feed the starving and relieve the misery, we intend to do so, and we are doing so.
§ Mr. BraineThe right hon. Gentleman says that it is now possible to teed the starving. Is he aware that there are reports of persistent starvation in Federal held areas, not the Ibo heartland? Can he say whether the constructive recommendations of the Hunt Mission in this connection are being implemented? Is he satisfied that relief is being brought by all possible means?
§ Mr. StewartThe recommendations of the Commission are being implemented, but there are further Questions later relating to this matter.
§ 17. Mr. Barnesasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will give details of the amount of aid to Nigeria provided by the British Government which has reached those in need in Nigerian-held and Biafran-held territory, respectively, during the period since Lord Hunt's Mission.
§ 20. Mr Hugh Fraserasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a 1071 statement on the international and financial actions of Her Majesty's Government and its envoys on Nigerian famine relief.
§ Mr. M. StewartThe House was informed on 2nd July and 22nd July about the contribution of £250,000 made by Her Majesty's Government for relief in Nigeria. This was intended to be available for use on either side of the fighting lines, wherever the need was greatest. However, because of Colonel Ojukwu's refusal even to discuss its possible distribution in the area under his control, only the Federal areas have benefited from our programme. Most of the £250,000 has now been used on relief teams, transport and supplies.
We have continued to give support to the International Red Cross in their efforts to organise effective relief on both sides. This was an important aspect of my right hon. and noble Friend Lord Shepherd's recent discussions in Lagos with the Federal Government and with the co-ordinator of the Red Cross operations, Dr. Lindt, which was followed by my noble Friend's visit to Geneva to see representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross.
§ Mr. BarnesIs my right hon. Friend not aware that, although certain amounts of high protein food are now getting to Biafra, there will soon be a serious shortage of carbohydrates, and by the end of the year an estimated 2 million Biafrans will have died of starvation? Is not the British contribution derisory against this background, and is it not the case that it is Britain as much as Colonel Ojukwu or anybody else who is now keeping the war going?
§ Mr. StewartI cannot accept, and I do not believe that anyone who studies the facts can accept, the suggestion at the end of my hon. Friend's question. It is true that the total relief coming from many sources, not only British, is probably not adequate to the terrible need that now exists, but I am not prepared to regard our contribution as derisory, and I must make clear that Colonel Ojukwu's resistance to the bringing in of supplies by land is the major cause of starvation in the areas under his control.
§ Mr. FraserWould the right hon. Gentleman not read what the Prime Minister said only two days ago, that there 1072 has been obstruction from the Federal side to supplies getting in? Will he also bear in mind that since the setting up of the Hunt Mission by the British Government, food has been prevented from getting through to Biafra because of the banning of air flights? We have pressed again and again for the consideration of relief supplies being sent by air. Why has nothing been done by Her Majesty's Government?
§ Mr. StewartSome supplies are going in by air, with the help of the International Red Cross. But transport by air can only, tragically, provide some proportion of what is needed. What is required is the setting up of mercy corridors by land.
§ Mr. BraineWill the Minister now answer my question about the Federal-held areas? He has described the administrative arrangements, which are by no means derisory, but is effective aid being brought to the people now dying of hunger?
§ Mr. StewartThere is no doubt about that. Of the £250,000 of aid that we have contributed £160,000 has already been spent and has been effective in giving help, £40,000 is earmarked to help Save the Children teams. Of the other £50,000, we are awaiting suggestions from the International Red Cross as to the best use of it. The effort that we have put forward is not being wasted.