HC Deb 30 October 1996 vol 284 cc638-9
5. Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contacts he has made recently with the Government of Sudan on the war there. [687]

Mr. Hanley

I discussed the continuing civil war with the Sudanese ambassador on 2 July.

We are in frequent touch with the various parties to the conflict and consistently tell them we look to all sides in the Sudanese civil war to make genuine moves towards peace.

Mr. Flynn

Will the Minister recognise the work of human rights campaigner Rev. Richard Rodgers, who is fasting at this moment outside the Foreign Office to draw attention to this war, which has received very little attention—possibly because the television cameras have not witnessed the dreadful events of that war, including flagrant abuses of human rights, tens of thousands of deaths and possible attempted genocide? Is this not the right moment for Britain to use her good standing and reputation with both sides, as a post-colonial power, and to act as an honest broker by intervening to bring the conflict to a peaceful end?

Mr. Hanley

I thank the hon. Gentleman for mentioning the work of Dr. Rodgers, of Light and Hope for Sudan. I was pleased to ask him to come and discuss his proposal with me on the 10th of this month. We had a good discussion and I asked officials to follow up his ideas with him.

However, I must admit that, despite the excellent work of our ambassador in Khartoum, Alan Goulty, and the work of officials and others—including my noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development, who has been in discussion with the parties—we do not believe this to be the right time to introduce a British initiative. We do not think it would be fruitful at the moment. We look for greater progress between the parties. If both sides ask us to undertake such an initiative, we shall of course willingly consider it.

Mr. Rowe

Does my right hon. Friend have any advice for the growing number of hon. Members in this place and the other place, including the Archbishop of Canterbury, who are increasingly anxious about the effects of the war on southern Sudan and who wash to give him effective assistance in the difficult task that he has to undertake?

Mr. Hanley

My hon. Friend is absolutely righi. We are of course gravely concerned about southern Sudan. The United Kingdom, after all, is one of the largest bilateral donors of emergency aid. We have committed more than £95 million, which includes the United Kingdom's share of EC food aid to Sudan and Sudanese refugees, since 1991. The bulk of that aid is distributed through non-governmental organisations and the UN operation Lifeline, in the south. We continue to call on the Sudanese Government not to obstruct their excellent work.