HL Deb 16 November 1909 vol 4 cc599-602
LORD LAMINGTON

My Lords, I rise to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, if he has not already done so, he will make a representation to the Government of the Transvaal on the hardship inflicted on Mahomedan political prisoners by the prison authorities making no concession during the Fast of Ramadhân in respect of their meals.

This deals with only one small feature of the larger question so ably presented to your Lordships by my noble friend on my right, but it is important as it affects the religious scruples of our Mahomedan fellow- subjects in India. As your Lordships are aware, the Fast of Ramadhân is a very important and stringent Fast and must be observed. No food or drop of water must pass the lips of a Mahomedan from sunrise to sundown, the only exemptions being cases of sickness or when a man is travelling. What Mahomedan political prisoners complain of is that the prison authorities make no concession to them during the Fast of Ramadhân in respect of their meals. No food is allowed to be given to them at special times which would enable them the better to stand the rigours of the Fast. They ask, if food cannot be so supplied by the prison authorities, whether their friends can be allowed to bring it in to them. I think it is very hard that there should not be greater humanity displayed towards those who are strictly political prisoners. The noble Earl the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in answering my noble friend, said, as I am sure is the case, that his sympathies are with our Indian fellow-subjects generally, and he added that what we should like to see is very difficult of attainment, and that there is rather a hardening than any weakening of the attitude of Colonial authorities against the other subject races of the Empire. But I think there is also, on the other side, a gathering force of opinion, particularly in India, in this matter which ought to be recognised, and recognised particularly by those who, after all, are the trustees of their interests. These people have no Government of their own to which to make representations; they must trust the Imperial authorities. The feeling to which I refer is crystallising, and wherever you look in the East you see indications that races which have hitherto been subject races mean in future to make themselves more felt, and, therefore, I think it is more necessary that in cases like this something should be done to meet grievances. The number of Mahomedans affected is no doubt very small. But it is a matter that affects their religious scruples and consciences, and one which should be given attention to, and I shall be glad if the noble Earl can say he has done or will do something in the matter.

THE EARL OF CROMER

My Lords, what with Suffragettes in this country who will not eat at all and Mahomedans who will only eat at certain hours, it is pretty clear that the question of feeding prisoners is a rather difficult one. I am not familiar with the details of this question, and I cannot state offhand what was the practice in Egypt where there were a few political prisoners; but I should like to testify to the extraordinary importance that Mahomedans generally attach to this matter. The Fast of Ramadhân is, perhaps, one of the most important features of the Mahomedan religion, and I cannot help thinking that the refusal of this concession would not only affect the prisoners themselves, but would be calculated to have a bad influence on the opinions of Mahomedans generally. I therefore hope the noble Earl will be able to communicate with the Transvaal authorities and that they will make this concession. It can only be a question of prison arrangements and of providing food at special hours; and I think it is a concession which, considering the interests involved, might reasonably be made.

THE EARL OF CREWE

My Lords, the matter is one to which I think your Lordships' attention may very reasonably be drawn, and the noble Lord opposite has, if I may say so, stated the case quite fairly. As soon as we heard that this question had been raised we communicated with the Transvaal Government. Indeed I sent two separate communications on the subject. They were under the impression that in India the prison arrangements were not made to facilitate the keeping of the Fast of Ramadhân. I understand, however, that that is not altogether the case, and that in some parts of India—

THE EARL OF CROMER

May I ask whether that is in the case of political prisoners or ordinary prisoners in India.

THE EARL OF CREWE

I do not know how that may be. I do not know that a distinction is drawn in the Transvaal between political prisoners or other prisoners any more than it is in the case of certain prisoners in this country. But, so far as I can gather, in India the practice is not absolutely uniform. I confess that, speaking entirely for myself, I should be very glad if this concession could have been made, because the idea is disagreeable to everybody of adding to the punishment of any person an extra penalty, more particularly if that penalty is connected with the observance of his religion. But the difficulty, I understand, which the Transvaal Government have in agreeing to this is that in the Cape Colony, where, of course, there are many more Mahomedans than in the Transvaal, it has never been the practice to make arrangements for the observance of Ramadhân in prisons, and they find it difficult to differentiate their practice from that of their neighbours. I understand that, so far as the religious duty is concerned, by the ordnances of Islam those who are in prison or are prevented by any such means from keeping Ramadhân can keep it another time; but, however that may be, it is certain that the practice is not invariable through-out the Empire for the maintenance of its observance. That is all the information I can give.

LORD LAMINGTON

The noble Earl is incorrect in saying that exemptions, other than in the case of sickness or travelling, are allowed. I have that on the authority of one of the heads of the Mahomedan religion. He also implied that no difference was made in this country in the case of prisoners being political or not, but surely political prisoners have been treated differently till they have broken the common law. Therefore the case to which I have called attention is one of extreme hardship, and I trust that some good may result from the raising of the question.

THE EARL OF CREWE

I am afraid the question has ceased to be a practical one for the moment, because the month of Ramadhân is, I believe, now over.

House adjourned at half-past Five o'clock, till To-morrow, a quarter-past Four o'clock.