HC Deb 31 July 1975 vol 896 cc2400-12

9.3 a.m.

Mr. Greville Janner (Leicester, West)

I am happy and relieved to have the opportunity to raise a matter which causes concern not only to the Jewish community in the United Kingdom but to ex-Service men of all faiths and those who are concerned with the preservation of the dignity of the memories of those who have fallen in the service of our country.

I declare an interest. I am the acting President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews and Vice-President of the Association of Jewish Ex-Servicemen and Women.

The Jewish community is united in its dismay and indignation at the way in which the Commonwealth War Graves Commission has seen fit to carry out its functions in the preservation of the graves and the memories of fallen British Service men in the Baghdad North Gate War Cemetery. The difference of view about tactics should not be taken as showing any lack of appreciation of the work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission or of that of the British commissioners, who include among their number the hon. and learned Member for South Fylde (Mr. Gardner), whose presence I appreciate this morning.

We recognise the difficulties involved and the excellent work which has been accomplished. I do not wish the Government to view this as a personal criticism of the Department, which has been kept in blissful ignorance of what has been happening but which I believe takes a mistaken view.

We may have a difference of view as to tactics or the proper method of dealing with the matter, but, just as I accept that the Department is doing its best, I hope that it will accept that the view that I am about to put forward is held very deeply and sincerely by many people, by no means only by those who are members of the community of which I have the honour to be one of the leaders.

The matter came to light in a curious way. I received an anonymous telephone call from a gentleman who said that he had just returned from Baghdad and thought that it would be a good idea for me to make inquiries, as he put it, into the disgraceful way in which certain graves had been vandalised in Baghdad North Gate British War Graves Cemetery. He declined to give his name. He said that he was not Jewish but felt very strongly that this was a thoroughly shocking matter. He would give me no details. I should like publicly to pay tribute to this gentleman, to say how much his approach is appreciated and how greatly I regret that I cannot thank him personally.

I investigated the matter and asked whether the graves in the war graves cemetery in Baghdad had been vandalised. The answer was one of the most curious, and in many ways one of the saddest, one could conceive. Briefly it was this. In 1969 a single headstone on a Jewish grave was vandalised. Apparently, there is a secondary school nearby. There has been some vandalism over recent years. Since 1969, 39 Christian graves, one Indian grave and this one Jewish grave have been vandalised.

When a headstone is destroyed one would expect it to be replaced, and one would expect a complaint to be made. But that did not happen. What happened was that all the other Jewish gravestones in the cemetery were removed, thus preventing any possibility of the vandalising of those headstones. This was described in a series of letters from the Minister to me as being a temporary measure.

That occurred in 1969, and no change would have occurred had this matter not come to light, thanks to my anonymous informant. Since 1969, not only has the damaged headstone been replaced by a temporary marker but the undamaged headstones have been replaced by temporary markers. Those temporary markers were to be replaced by marble headstones which were to bear no indication of the religion of the deceased.

I am no expert in this matter. It may be that there are religions whose adherents believe that it is not important that a symbol should mark the last resting place of the deceased. There was one headstone of an Indian national with no religious symbol. But that is certainly not so in the Jewish religion. It matters to the families of men who have fallen in defence of their country and are lying alongside their comrades in arms that the graves, even if not in a Jewish graveyard, should at least be marked by a symbol of their faith. It matters very much, and it is totally contrary to Jewish religious lore, observance and tradition that the graves should be unmarked.

I assumed that there would have been consultations at least with the senior Jewish chaplain, the deputy chaplaincy, the Chief Rabbinate or other Jewish bodies to explain the difficulties. Inquiries revealed that there were and had been no such consultations.

I next assumed that at least there had been consultations with the Association of Jewish ex-Servicemen and Women because this is a matter with which that association normally deals. Again there were and had been no such consultations.

I then assumed that the next of kin would be informed. When graves are vandalised one would expect the next of kin to be told, but I understand from my inquiries that they have not. The excuse given was that this was an interim measure. The families had not been informed because it would cause them unnecessary suffering and it was a matter about which they could do nothing.

First, they can do something. Their father, grandfather, brother or son fell in the defence of this country, and they can protest at the behaviour of the Iraqui authorities and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. They are not—thank God!—powerless in this country, even though the commission may regard itself as powerless in Iraq. Nothing could cause them more suffering than to come across the information in the wrong way.

My first appeal to my hon. Friend the Minister is quietly to inform the next of kin whose gravestones have been injured —one of them by the Iraqis and three by our own War Graves Commission—so that they can decide for themselves what steps they wish to take. I ask for an assurance that there will be consultations with the families.

Secondly, I ask that even at this stage there be consultations with the Jewish religious authorities, particularly the Rabbinate, and with the Association of Jewish ex-Servicemen and Women and the Chaplaincy Service. After all, these are comrades in arms, people who were in the same battle, people with whom we are on the most friendly terms.

I am most anxious that there should be no apparent secrecy in this matter. The emergence of the story is part of the fascination of a matter which was apparently kept well hidden. My right hon. and hon. Friends knew nothing about it until it came to light in the way that I have described.

While we face a difference in tactics, it cannot be the answer to the vandalism of headstones to remove the headstones. It cannot be the answer to the destruction of the windows of the police station in my constituency to put the police station in an air raid shelter or to have no windows. It cannot be the final solution —here I bring in a sad echo—to the Jewish problem to remove the Jews, and it cannot be the final solution to the problem of the vandalism of Jewish headstones in Iraq to remove them. Without unkindness, and fully appreciating the total sympathy, kindness and friendship of approach of my right hon. and hon. Friends and the commissioners, whom I acquit of any desire other than that for a quiet life, I feel that that is not the best way to have a quiet life simply to keep silent and adopt what I and those to whom I have spoken about the matter, who are not in the Government or the commission, regard as a craven and insensitive attitude.

Having brought the matter to the attention of the House, I ask my hon. Friend the Minister to say that the problems are considered seriously, that the worry and sensitivity of ex-Service men of all faiths is appreciated, and that immediate steps will be taken to replace the present gravestones with those marked in accordance with the ordinary Jewish religious tradition. I hope that he will say that if the civilised standards of behaviour are not adhered to by the Iraqis, and they do not allow the gravestones into the country, as has been suggested, it would not be, as one Minister wrote to me, a provocative act to try to get the gravestones into the country, but that it would be most provocative, uncivilised and typical if they were kept out of the country.

This is a matter which can be put right. Although it concerns a few men who died in the service of the country it could become symptomatic of much more. While I recognise that in most cases my right hon. and hon. Friends in the War Graves Commission do their job with kindness and sensitivity, I feel that they have made a serious error here. I am glad to have been able to bring it to the attention of the House. I hope that we shall have the assurance of the hon. and learned Member for South Fylde (Mr. Gardner) and the Minister that steps will be taken to put the matter right, to inform relatives, to consult with those most concerned and, above all, to ensure that no such occurrence happens again.

9.16 a.m.

Mr. Edward Gardner (South Fylde)

I am one of those ex-Service men to whom the hon. and learned Member for Leicester, West (Mr. Janner) referred. Not only ex-Servicemen and women but anyone who appreciates the work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and the beauty that these cemeteries represent and the memories they inspire would be deeply offended by the desecration of any grave, no matter to what faith, creed or nation a person belonged.

I have to declare an interest because I am a non-official member of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. I was appointed in 1970 to represent the then Conservative Government. My hon. and learned colleague Mr. George Wallace, as he then was, now Lord Wallace, represented the then Opposition. Lord Wallace is still a member of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

The House will recognise that the commisison is an independent organisation acting on behalf of seven participating governments, of which the United Kingdom is one. It has responsibilities in 144 different countries. There are two points I wish to make, from personal experience and knowledge. The first is that these cemeteries are memorials to a multitude of men and women of widely differing faiths and races who gave their lives in two world wars. The over-riding interest which the Commonwealth War Graves Commission has lies in the fact that all these people gave their lives for a common purpose in a common sacrifice.

I can assure the House from personal knowledge that the commission's staff, most of whom I know well, are equally concerned to solace the bereaved as to honour the fallen. To my knowledge they carry out duties with compassion and sensitivity. They pay scrupulous regard to the traditions and customs of the many faiths with which they are called to deal.

The task of the commission is a nonpolitical, humanitarian task. I cannot believe that there lies behind what the hon. and learned Gentleman has seen fit to address to this House any intention to imply that the commission is motivated in any way by any unworthy sectarian considerations.

Mr. Greville Janner

I thought that I had made that plain. If not, I am happy to do so. The commission, as I said many times during my speech, carries out its task in the main with compassion and understanding on behalf of all those who were proud to serve their country and on behalf of their surviving relatives. My case is that it has here made a mistake.

Mr. Gardner

I am grateful to the hon. and learned Gentleman for that assurance. I have visited graves in cemeteries looked after by the commission in many parts of the world. I am particularly interested in Europe and the Far and Middle East. I am sure that those people who have had the experience of going round these graves will agree that they have a rare beauty, and that their purpose is fulfilled in providing a memory of a sacrifice and a warning of what war can mean. I am sure they will be the first to acknowledge the wonderful work that is being done and has been done by the commission in keeping the graves.

Unhappily—and I have seen this, and I would impress this upon the hon. and learned Gentleman as forcibly as I can —in Europe, the Middle East and the Far East, I have seen vandalism of the graves, vandalism that has been indiscriminate and in all cases shocking. It is the kind of vandalism that must cause grief to any relatives or next of kin of the people whose graves are affected. It is easy enough to say that the Governments of the countries concerned should ensure that vandalism does not take place. but everyone knows that it is impossible to provide a police force to keep guard over a cemetery, for example, and prevent vandalism. There is no way of preventing it.

Sometimes the vandalism is no more than outrageous and wicked behaviour. Sometimes, although I have no evidence of this, it may be provoked by a political grievance. The fact is that in Iraq the commission has to face unusual difficulties. Wherever we have had vandalism of headstones and other memorials, may I make it plain that it has been a settled practice of the commission not to inform relatives and next of kin. That has been the commission's practice because it is felt that it would do more harm than good to give notice of such vandalism to the relatives concerned.

Mr. Greville Janner

Does that apply to cases where the gravestones have not been replaced in due course with similar ones with the marking of the religious symbols of the faith concerned?

Mr. Gardner

I shall come to that. I am sure that the Minister will be able to give the factual background which will provide an answer to that matter. As I was saying, it has never been the practice of the commission to get in touch with relatives to tell them that vandalism has taken place. It is felt that to do so would be to add to the grief and distress that would obviously flow from such an act.

As regards the vandalism that has taken place in the Baghdad North Gate War Cemetery, like all vandalism it is an appalling act that must give rise to indignation of the very deepest kind. However, I am saddened to hear the hon. and learned Gentleman talk about the craven act of the commission in not doing something about the headstones in the cemetery. I do not want to be offensive, I want to be responsible and I want to keep the debate on the smoothest level possible, but I am bound to say, as a matter of fact, that if it had not been for the publicity and the stirring up of feelings here and abroad which has been caused by the complaints which the hon. and learned Gentleman has made, the commission feels that the headstones would not only be back in the Baghdad cemetery but the religious markings on them would also by now be restored.

Unhappily, there are now difficulties. These have nothing to do with the attitude of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. The commission has been trying to replace these headstones with their markings as soon as it could. In every case of vandalism, a temporary marking is put up to replace the headstone that has been vandalised and damaged, and it is left there until a new stone can be brought in and affixed there.

In Iraq, because of the political situation, there has been difficulty in importing certain articles or goods, and one of the difficulties which we anticipated was the importation, for the moment at any rate, of a headstone with certain religious markings on it.

I believe that if we could have handled this matter discreetly—that is not to say in any craven way—we could by now have had the headstones restored, and we could have had back the religious markings on them.

I am wholly in sympathy with the indignation felt by the hon. and learned Gentleman, on his own behalf and on behalf of all ex-Service men, about what has been done, and I can assure him that his indignation is felt and shared by all members of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. We are determined to put right what has been wrongly perpetrated against the memory of the men and women who lie in that cemetery. I can assure him—I hope that he will accept my assurance—that it is no craven fear that is inspiring what we have done. We have done what I believe is in the best interests of the next of kin. I can assure the hon. and learned Gentleman that at the first opportunity we shall put right and resore to those headstones the religious markings which he quite rightly wishes to see back there again.

9.26 a.m.

The Under-Secretary of State for Defence for the Royal Navy (Mr. Frank Judd)

I am sure that the whole House will want to express its appreciation to the hon. and learned Member for South Fylde (Mr. Gardner), with his very special knowledge, as a member of the commission, of all the many aspects of this case.

I appreciate the deep feelings of my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Leicester, West (Mr. Janner), but before I deal with the matter in detail I think it would be helpful if at the outset I reminded the House of the history and the work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in its full international perspective.

The commission was established by Royal Charter in 1917. Its duties are to mark and maintain the graves of the members of the Forces of the Commonwealth who were killed in the two world wars, to build memorials to those who have no known graves, and to keep records and registers, including, after the Second World War, a record of the civilian war dead.

One million seven hundred thousand men and women of the Commonwealth Forces died in these wars. Over 900,000 are commemorated by individual headstones, and the remainder, who have no known grave, are commemorated on memorials. There are war graves in 144 countries, mostly in the commission's 1,500 cemeteries and plots, but there are also war graves in civil cemeteries and churchyards throughout the world.

The cost of the work is shared by the partner Governments—the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India and Pakistan. Other Commonwealth countries contribute by bearing the cost of maintenance of graves and memorials in their own lands.

The commission is composed of official members representing its participating Governments and non-official members appointed by Royal Warrant, one of whom we have been glad to hear participating in this debate. The Secretary of State for Defence, on whose behalf I am replying, is by virtue of his appointment an official member of the commission and, ex-officio, its chairman.

My hon. and learned Friend has criticised in no uncertain terms the commission on specific points this morning. He has also recently written to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence for the Army. I recognise the deep anxiety and commitment of my hon. and learned Friend. The facts behind the matters about which he complains are as follows.

In 1969, a headstone in the North Gate War Cemetery, Baghdad, bearing the Star of David was destroyed by vandalism. Since then, 39 Christian headstones and one bearing no religious symbol have been similarly desecrated. These incidents have been reported to the local police, diplomatic representations were made in 1970, 1972 and 1973, and special representations were made at top level by the commission to the Baghdad municipality in July 1974.

Until the destruction of the Jewish headstone, however, there had been no headstones destroyed in that war cemetery, where there are 6,000 graves altogether, for nearly five years, and it appeared that the headstone had been singled out. The incident was regarded, rightly or wrongly, as a manifestation of the anti-Zionist feeling that was particularly prevalent in Iraq at the time.

In view of the circumstances, therefore, the three remaining headstones bearing the Star of David at the Baghdad Cemetery and nine others elsewhere in Iraq were removed, in order to protect them from the risk of further vandalism, and were replaced with temporary markers. The intention of the commission was and is to replace these markers with headstones as soon as possible, and that they should bear the Star of David as soon as circumstances allow. It had in any case been decided earlier this year, and before my hon. and learned Friend began his inquiries, that the time had come to replace the markers with permanent headstones. Because of the lack of suitable local materials the stones must be imported into Iraq. As it seemed that the Iraqi customs authorities would almost certainly have refused to allow headstones bearing the Star of David into the country, the intention was to erect plain ones and to engrave the religious emblem on them as soon as it was considered feasible. As a consequence of the widespread publicity now surrounding these headstones, the Iraqi authorities have undoubtedly been alerted, and this plan, which I believe was once a reasonable possibility, has now been seriously undermined.

Following my hon. and learned Friend's criticism, the Association of Jewish ex-Servicemen and Women has called the commission's plan a calculated act of appeasement. If by this it is urging the commission to engage in a deliberate confrontation, I must point out that this cannot be the role of a body with the objects and aims of the commission.

As I have said, over the past five years representations have been made formally and informally to the Iraqi authorities through diplomatic and other channels. As a result, there has been increased police surveillance, but the authorities, as in any country, could not undertake, or be expected wholly to prevent acts of vandalism, however regrettable and despicable these acts may be. The commission remains in touch with the British Ambassador, who has over the past year visited the site on a number of occasions. But their task is made more difficult by continuing restrictions on access to and movement within the country by its supervisory staff.

I am quite certain that all member Governments of the commission, and indeed the great majority of ex-Service associations which hold the commission in very great esteem will agree with me that the decision taken over the headstones in question was, in the light of conditions prevailing, sensible and understandable. It is never easy to pick one's way through religious minefields but I am sure that after 60 years' experience the commission does it much better than most.

There remains the question of informing the religious authorities and next of kin of the steps taken over the grave markings. I fully appreciate the concern about the principles at stake here. We shall, of course, look very carefully at what my hon. and learned Friend has said. However, the graves were still tended and the erection of plain headstones was intended to be a temporary expedient to be rectified as soon as practicable. It was not seen as a permanent decision of principle which would make it necessary to approach the religious authorities in Britain. The same kind of considerations apply to informing the next of kin. Indeed, the general question of informing the next of kin about incidents of this sort, as I am certain my hon. and learned Friend agrees, is clearly one that always needs the most delicate handling. From many years of experience the commission believes that the effect would be to cause needless distress to people in a matter over which they have no control.

In the case in question it seems that to have contacted the next of kin would probably have proved impossible in any case. One grave was that of a First World War soldier, and the last next-of-kin address dated from the 1920s. Of the three 1939–45 burials there are no recorded next-of-kin for two, and the third was recorded as Indian domiciled in the 1950s.

All decently minded people deplore the desecration of a grave, wherever it happens and whatever the circumstances. However, I cannot accept that any condemnation whatever can be attached to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission for its handling of the Iraqi problems in recent years. It has worked under most difficult and trying circumstances. It is the view of the Government that it would be wrong for them, as one of the commission's participating Governments, to advise the commission just at this time, particularly after all the recent publicity which has been given to the matter, to seek the agreement of the Iraqi Government to erecting headstones with the Star of David on these war graves. In the context of recent publicity it is perhaps not without significance that, after a lapse of two years without vandalism, a report was received this week that three other headstones at the North Gate cemetery had been broken. A further message was received yesterday evening that there had been widespread vandalism involving at least 25 graves of various denominations at a nearby smaller war and post-war RAF cemetery, for winch the British Government are responsible.

I must draw attention to the considerable harm that has been done by certain statements which have recently been reported in parts of the Press, alleging that the Iraqi authorities demanded the removal of the Star of David from headstones bearing it. At no time has any such demand been made by the authorities of that country.

I also remind the House that the commission depends upon the good will of the host country in carrying out this important task.

I believe that my hon. and learned Friend will endorse my view when I say that we must all be extremely careful lest the way in which these matters are raised in this House and elsewhere should adversely affect the commission's ability to continue to carry out its obligations to the Commonwealth war dead buried in Iraq.

However, I should like to assure my hon. and learned Friend that we recognise his deep feeling about this issue. We have listened carefully to all that he has said in this short debate. I am able to assure him that the Director-General of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission wrote to the chairman of the Association of Jewish ex-Servicemen and Women yesterday saying that he would be willing to discuss the issues at stake with him. I also understand that he would have no objection to meeting the Chief Rabbi to discuss the issues.