UGANDA (Hansard, 19 December 1972)

§ The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Sir Alec Douglas-Home)
With your permission, Mr. Speaker, and that of the House, I wish to make a statement. The House will be aware of the statement made on Sunday night by General Amin with its historical travesties and its insulting references to this country.
The Ugandan Government are taking over all tea estates belonging to non-Ugandans, whether owned by companies or individuals, and a number of industrial and other companies. Most of the interests affected are British. The companies taken over are being asked to submit valuations by the end of this month. I am putting a list of the companies affected in the Library of the House.
The trading licences of some Ugandan companies will not be renewed. Many of these companies are likely to be British-owned and the refusal to renew licences will bring the businesses to a standstill and result in serious loss to the British owners.
Banks are required to transfer blocked accounts to a Ugandan bank. These accounts will mainly be those left by the expelled Asians, and the banks will be deprived of important working balances.
General Amin also announced decisions affecting our aid personnel, but the interpretation of these measures is not yet clear.
On any count these actions are outrageous by any standard of civilised behaviour and certainly incompatible with the behaviour expected within the Commonwealth partnership.
Once he had expelled the Asians it was to be expected that General Amin would turn his attention to British interests and personnel. He may claim that his actions are not directed against Britain but the fact is that it is almost wholly British interests that will be affected by his new measures. We are already taking the necessary steps to protect the legal interests of our nationals, both individuals and companies.
We have already given very careful consideration to the legality of General Amin's decrees affecting the property of the British Asians whom he expelled and 1127 we have concluded that to the extent that expropriation of that property has already occurred, it is contrary to international law because it is clearly discriminatory. The Ugandan Government have publicly promised that people expelled from Uganda will be allowed to transfer their assets. But I must tell the House that I have seen no sign so far that they intend to honour this promise.
We have just received the full text of General Amin's latest decree and we are studying it urgently. We shall also be considering the legality of these measures. In any event we shall call on him to provide prompt, adequate and effective compensation for all British interests affected.
The House will be aware that we have already cancelled our £10 million development loan. We have also announced that we shall not continue supplementing the salaries of aid personnel employed by the Ugandan Government once their contracts have expired or supply any other aid in Uganda. Between August and the present time the number of our "belongers "in Uganda has been reduced from 7.000 to around 3,000. Apart from the farmers, who number about 200, most of these people affected have their base of operations in Britain.
The fact that we have reduced the target for General Amin's inhumanity does not make the treatment of those who remain any the less deplorable. Specifically, it would seem that in some cases quite unjustifiable restrictions are being placed on the money and possessions that can be taken out of Uganda.
We shall do what we can to help any of our people who are forced to leave, in particular those who, like the Asians who were forced to leave before them, have lived all or most of their lives in Uganda and made their livelihood there.
I have instructed our representatives in the United Nations to bring the matter to the notice of the General Assembly today.
We shall retain our present representation in Uganda in order to look after British interests and in the hope that one day more reasonable counsels will prevail in that country.

§ Mr. Callaghan
The language in which the Foreign Secretary has couched his 1128 statement is as severe and strong as I can recall being used in this House. It is none the less justified for that. It follows however, when one reads or hears the remainder of the statement, that the action hardly matches the words. This is a difficulty in which we are placed.
We fully accept that it is appropriate to refer this matter to the United Nations. We shall be glad to hear from the right hon. Gentleman, when he has considered the matter further, what other action he may deem it appropriate to take.
May I ask the right hon. Gentleman to consider the following? As he has said that in this view this behaviour is incompatible with Commonwealth partnership, may I ask him to consider using the machinery of the Commonwealth to call the Commonwealth nations together at some appropriate level in order that this matter may be discussed? He may find that a number of the members of the Commonwealth feel that the actions of General Amin will operate against the best interests of other Commonwealth countries and that we all have a common interest in resisting this kind of behaviour. Will he consider the possibility of inviting some of the Commonwealth countries who are members of the Organisation of African Unity to consider raising the matter in that forum to see whether there is any general standard that can be observed in these matters?
The next question I address to the right hon. Gentleman is about our "be-angers", as he calls them. I suppose that those who represent the large firms and companies will probably have their interests looked after by their own concerns. But is there not a case for the Government to look especially tenderly at, for example, those working in religious spheres or in aid organisations who have no particular large concerns to support them and who probably need additional help from the Government because of that?
Will the right hon. Gentleman consider the whole question of compensation? He said that he is studying the legality of the actions which have been taken and that he is putting General Amin on notice that he expects the legal interests to be protected. Is not this a matter where it would be proper for the Government to take over the negotiations 1129 respecting the interests of British companies and national rather than leaving it to be handled by individual companies?
I do not reach any final conclusions about these matters, having just read and heard the statement, but it seems to me that these kinds of issue are well worth pursuing further, and I hope that the Foreign Secretary will make a further statement.
One other question obviously occurs to us. With General Amin's arbitrary state of mind, there is the question of what advice or guidance ought to be given to our "belongers" who are there. Will the right hon. Gentleman tell us whether either he or the High Commissioner intends to give advice to "belongers" who are there whether they should remain at their posts or leave and come back to this country?
In short, while we support the general tenor and tone of the Foreign Secretary's statement and recognise the inhibiting difficulties presented by the fact that Uganda is 5,000 or 6,000 miles away, nevertheless we want to feel that the Government are taking all possible action, quite apart from referring the matter to the United Nations.

§ Sir Alec Douglas-Home
I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for the way in which he put his supplementary questions.
I will begin with the last. The Acting High Commissioner is in continuous touch with and giving advice to those on the spot. As far as anybody can tell, so far there is no danger to the lives of British citizens in Uganda.
This is the last day of the sitting of the United Nations. I have taken advantage of a resolution there in which it is appropriate to raise the case and to put it before the General Assembly on this the last day of the Session.
I should like to consider the appropriate Commonwealth forum in which to raise this matter. We have been in constant touch with most Commonwealth Governments from the moment when General Amin removed the Asians. I will consider getting in touch with the OAU which, if I am not wrong, has already taken some action on this matter in the past, but without affecting General Amin's intention. I think that the Com- 1130 monwealth Prime Ministers' Conference, if and when that takes place, is the right forum in which this matter should be raised.
Firms and companies will undoubtedly look after their own personnel. However, I think the Government ought to be very ready to help deserving cases when they come along. We will help the companies, too, if they so desire in relation to compensation.

§ Sir Robin Turton
I applaud my right hon. Friend's very firm statement on this matter. Will he assure the House that when those who have been engaged in technical or other aid arrive in this country, their assets having been confiscated by General Amin, they will be properly looked after—this has not been happening previously—and will be compensated for what has been confiscated by the Ugandan Government? There is no reason why they should suffer the loss of all their belongings through action for which they are not responsible. The British Government alone should be responsible and negotiate with the Ugandan Government.

§ Sir Alec Douglas-Home
Those who are engaged in technical aid will, if they so desire, and only if they desire, serve out their contracts in Uganda. I think that very few of those who will return will need help, but we will do all we can to assist those in difficult circumstances. I have already spoken to the Home Secretary about possible ways of reeciving them in this country.
As my right hon. Friend knows, compensation as a result of action by foreign Governments in peace time is, and always has been, a difficult question. I cannot say anything on that matter.

§ Mr. Thorpe
Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the sense of outrage that he has expressed at the latest behaviour of this black Hitler will gain support and sympathy throughout the House? May I ask him whether there are Ugandan assets in London and whether he would consider in law whether they might not be frozen against payment of compensation? Second, would it not be desirable in the present climate to encourage as many of our "belongers" to leave Uganda as possible? Third, would he make it plain to our Commonwealth 1131 partners that, so long as the Commonwealth professes to be non-racial, Uganda, under its present leadership, is unlikely to be a welcome partner in that organisation for very much longer?

§ Sir Alec Douglas-Home
On the first question, I have made some inquiries about Uganda property. There is little or nothing to freeze, although I will make some further inquiries. As for the Commonwealth, this matter certainly must be discussed and I do not know what action the Commonwealth will decide jointly to take, but it must be discussed, and I believe it should be discussed at the top level of a Prime Ministers' conference when that comes. I forget the right hon. Gentleman's third question—

§ Mr. Thorpe
I asked whether, in the present climate, we might consider encouraging as many of our "belongers" to return as possible.

§ Sir Alec Douglas-Home
I do not know whether the right hon. Gentleman noticed what I said, but between August and now we have reduced the number from 7,000 to 3,000.

§ Sir Harmar Nicholls
Would my right hon. Friend bear in mind that, although one recognises that, in these difficult circumstances, he should not be precipitate, as he is in the driver's seat, the right hon. Member for Cardiff, South-East,Mr. Callaghan) truly reflected the reaction of the people of this country—that, while the words are stern, at this minute there seems to be a lack of action, which one understands? My right hon. Friend said that the only thing that the Commonwealth can do should be done by the Heads of the Commonwealth at a Prime Ministers' Conference. But is it not possible to call a special conference instead of waiting for the routine calling of the Prime Ministers' Conference, in order to emphasise the special need and problem which arises here?

§ Sir Alec Douglas-Home
No, Sir. I must tell the House that it would not be possible to call a special conference on this. The right hon. Member for Cardiff, South-East (Mr. Callaghan) said that there will be no particular standard applied in the United Nations. It is better, in those circumstances, if there may be a Com- 1132 monwealth Prime Ministers' Conference in 1973, to take it there.

§ Mr. Callaghan
While it may not be appropriate or possible to get the Prime Ministers together at the moment, I hope that the right hon. Gentleman will not rule out the possibility of a conference on a different level. It need not be only the Prime Ministers who meet. It could be the High Commissioners or the Foreign Ministers or whatever who could meet to discuss the problem and perhaps prepare the way for the Prime Ministers' Conference later.

§ Sir Alec Douglas-Home
I take the point, but I hope that the right hon. Gentleman will take it from me that I think that this would not work. We have made some inquiries about this matter and I do not think that, at that level, it would be acceptable. I am not sure, and I will of course continue to look at this, but I must tell the right hon. Gentleman that I think it would not.

§ Mr. Sydney Chapman
I appreciate that my right hon. Friend must use his diplomatic skills, because what is of paramount importance still is the security and safety of the 3,000 British subjects who are still in Uganda. But would he not think that there is a time when perhaps principle is more important than political expediency and that, if the spirit of the Commonwealth means anything, the mother country should be responsible for convening a meeting of representatives of the Commonwealth countries with a view to Uganda being suspended from membership while General Amin and his policies reign there, and that this meeting should be before the next Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference?

§ Sir Alec Douglas-Home
As the right hon. Member for Cardiff, South-East has asked me, I will look at other possibilities of convening a Commonwealth meeting. I must repeat that, in my judgment, this will not be successful, but I will look at every means of bringing this question to the notice of the Commonwealth.

§ Mr. Alexander W. Lyon
Now that the right hon. Gentleman has learned how rash it was to cheer at the removal of Obote, and since Amin is a disaster for Uganda and Africa as well as for this country, would he recommend to the 1133 World Bank the action that he recommended in the case of Tanzania—namely, that it should reconsider any aid programme to Uganda? In the framework of the Community, would he consider with our Community partners whether they, too, would think it wise in these circumstances to invest in Amin's Uganda? Libya cannot provide all the development capital which is required in that country. This, therefore, would be the best way of bringing Amin to his senses.

§ Sir Alec Douglas-Home
I will certainly consider those two suggestions. I think that General Amin has gone a very long way to ruin his country anyhow.

§ Sir J. Langford-Holt
Has my right hon. Friend made a public statement—and if not, will he do so—that Her Majesty's Government's reaction to the illegal and inhuman action on the part of General Amin should not be taken as a precedent?

§ Sir Alec Douglas-Home
Yes, Sir. I have already said this, and I will repeat it.

§ Mr. Faulds
Will the right hon. Gentleman accept that he has the backing not only of the whole House but, I am sure, of the whole country in his dealings with this idiot adventurer? Until wiser counsels prevail in Uganda, will he accept that the country will back him in whatever tough dealings he has to follow with this bully-boy?

§ Sir Alec Douglas-Home
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman.

§ Mr. Warren
While applauding my right hon. Friend's stern line, may I ask whether he would, in return, bring to General Amin's attention the need to turn 1134 his mind to the dire plight of many of his own citizens who are in this country as students and who he has abandoned without financial support of any kind?

§ Sir Alec Douglas-Home
Yes, Sir. I think that he has done untold damage to the reputation of Uganda and the economy of Uganda and to the Ugandan people.

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. We must move on. We have an important debate ahead of us and many hon. Members wish to speak in it.