NEW HEBRIDES (Hansard, 13 June 1980)

§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. Peter Blaker)
It would be for the resident commissioners to declare a state of emergency should they consider it necessary. A request for the declaration of a state of emergency has been made by Father Lini. After consultation with the two resident commissioners, he is reconsidering his request with his Cabinet colleagues. He has not yet approached the resident commissioners again.

§ Mr. Dalyell
Is there any truth in the statement in this morning's edition of Le Monde that moves are afoot for a delay in independence after 30 July? Did France act unilaterally in sending back the 55 gendarmes sent on Wednesday, in returning them to New Caledonia? Do the Government agree with the French assessment that the situation is calm in the condominium, and with the French Government's view that the only chance of a reasonable outcome lies in negotiation and conclusion of compromise between the Anglophone people, the Francophone people and the secessionists?
Is it a fact that British troops of 42 Commando will be sent in, probably on Sunday, when the French troops will not be there? Was there any agreement on this matter? If Anglophone soldiers went in, would it be easy to withdraw them without fear of revenge, or would those who would be seen as their friends and of their faction be in danger, in which case it might be very difficult to withdraw the Marines once they were sent in? Is it not easier, as we have said before, to put in troops than to take them out of tribal, factional situations of this kind?

§ Mr. Blaker
I shall endeavour to answer as many as I can of the hon. Gentleman's questions.
I cannot be responsible for a statement in Le Monde, but, in respect of the date of independence, I have nothing to 1023 add to what I told the House two days ago.
As for the return of the French gendarmes to New Caledonia, we were informed that the French intended to make that move, and they did.

§ Mr. Dalyell
Informed or consulted?

§ Mr. Blaker
We were informed that the French intended to make that move. My information is that the situation in Vila is calm, but that the situation in Tanna is uneasy. However, the hon. Gentleman will recall that there are two platoons of police mobile units in Tanna.
The hon. Gentleman asked about the objective of the French and British Governments. We adhere to the intention to try to resolve the problem by peaceful means.
It is the intention that the company of British troops will proceed to Vila, as already announced.

§ Mr. Kershaw
Will my hon. Friend say what are the legal consequences of a state of emergency? Is there anything about it in the present constitution? If so, what does it say?
Will my hon. Friend also confirm that the dissidents on Espiritu Santo lost the election and are a minority on that island? It is not a question of a whole island revolting against the rest of the federation or country.

§ Mr. Blaker
On that last point, my hon. Friend is right, and this is a very important factor to bear in mind.
My hon. Friend asks about the legal consequences of a state of emergency. I think that the best course for me is to place in the Library the emergency regulation, which is a fairly long one and will spell out for the House what the consequences are. However, I can say that the reason why Father Lini is again consulting his Cabinet colleagues about his request for a state of emergency is that it has been pointed out to him that one of the consequences of a state of emergency would be that the New Hebrides Government would hand over to the resident commissioners control of their own police and of the radio. Father Lini is now considering the implications.

§ Mr. Shore
The situation in the New Hebrides clearly is deteriorating rapidly and in a much more serious way than 1024 was apparent a fortnight ago when the Minister made his first statement.
May I elicit from the hon. Gentleman a clear reaffirmation of what he told the House on 3 June, which is that Britain and France jointly support the properly elected Government in the New Hebrides, that Britain and France are agreed to discharge their joint responsibilities for law and order, and that they are prepared to make one more effort to persuade the dissident and rebel forces in Espiritu Santo to conform with the requirements of law and order and acceptance of a freely conducted and democratic election?
I have to put this brutally to the Minister of State. Is it not plain that while Britain is determined to carry out its side of this joint declaration, there is evidence—unhappily confirmed by the French withdrawal of the gendarmes who were sent there, without consultation, but only with the lodging of information to the British authorities there—that the French have not the will to sustain their side of the bargain? That creates a situation of the greatest seriousness.
I put one final question to the Minister of State. We are all aware that the declaration of a state of emergency, to which I believe the chief Minister, Mr. Lini, is entitled, can be granted only with the joint agreement of the French and British authorities. But, regardless of whether a state of emergency is declared, is there not an obvious and bounden duty on the still colonial and lawful powers—and in the absence of any separate executive authority belonging to the elected Government of Mr. Lini—to support the civil power in restoring law and order in the New Hebrides?

§ Mr. Blaker
It is true that the maintenance of law and order has deteriorated since I made my statement to the House some days ago. That is why we took the decision to send in a company of Royal Marines. However, it would be wrong to give the impression that there has been a deterioration in the maintenance of law and order within the past 48 hours.
The right hon. Gentleman asked about the respective attitudes of the French and British Governments. I have made a number of statements jointly with my French opposite number, Mr. Dijoud, which are on the record, saying that the 1025 French Government, like the British Government, support the constitution which we hammered out together last September and support the legally elected Government of the New Hebrides and the integrity of the New Hebrides.
I hope that the right hon. Gentleman will recognise his responsibility in this case, bearing in mind that some of his hon. Friends appeared to be failing to do so in connection with the earlier private notice question. The right hon. Gentleman himself has a role to help to secure a satisfactory and peaceful solution. It does not help to inflame the situation by exaggerating any problems that there may be.
A state of emergency requires a joint decision of the resident commissioners. As I say, at the moment Father Lini has withdrawn his request.

§ Mr. Shore
Of course I am not anxious to inflame the situation. If it is being inflamed, it is being inflamed by actions taking place in the New Hebrides and by the failure of the two colonial powers to act resolutely, jointly and effectively. Let that be registered clearly.
In this matter, actions really do speak louder than words. Whatever the French Minister has said so far—I hope very much that we shall get clear and emphatic evidence that he meant what he said—to withdraw without consultation the French gendarmes' presence is a major setback to the cause of restoring peace and order and an orderly evolution to independence in the New Hebrides.

§ Mr. Blaker
I think that the right hon. Gentleman is failing to understand the facts. This has been a feature of questions from the Opposition over the past couple of weeks.
The French gendarmerie are based in New Caledonia, which is right next door to the New Hebrides. The French Government believe that the situation in Vila, which is where the gendarmes went, is now stable, and I share that view. If the gendarmes are required again, they can be sent back to Vila within three hours.
That is not the position with us. We are a long way away. We do not have a neighbouring dependent territory, as the French have.
1026 As for the problem of running the condominium, as the right hon. Gentleman will understand if he reflects for a moment, this is a more difficult problem than that of running a colony where only one metropolitan power is responsible. Naturally, the two metropolitan powers tend to have different perceptions of the situation on the ground because of the circumstances, but we are resolved to work together to produce a peaceful solution. That is what counts.