§ 3.47 p.m.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR COMMONWEALTH RELATIONS (VISCOUNT SWINTON)My Lords, I think the House would also like to hear a statement similar to one which has just been made in another place on Kenya.
Last week four major operations were carried out by the police and military, and 350 members of Mau Mau were detained. In the three Kikuyu districts there has been an increase of confidence in the Government and a number of Home Guard units led by anti-MauMau chiefs have been formed. Nearly 10,000 Kikuyu are enlisted altogether in Home Guards and resistance groups, and more Kikuyu are coming forward to take part in cleansing ceremonies. In the Nyeri district these Home Guard units dominate large areas. There is evidence that the area under Mau Mau influence is being reduced. These developments, and the closer policing of the Kikuyu districts, have driven some of the Mau Mau leaders to more desperate measures, and the danger of savage attacks by gangs may even for a time increase.
The news of the atrocious murder of Mr. and Mrs. Ruck and their small son and an African servant will have shocked the whole House, and I am sure that the House would wish to join with me in sending a message of deep sympathy to their relatives. The House will wish to know how our plans for dealing with the emergency have been developing. On Monday, 26th January, the Governor announced the appointment of Major-General Hinde, a senior officer specially selected for this purpose, who was formerly Deputy Military Governor of Berlin, to succeed Colonel Rimbault as his Personal Staff Officer for the period of the emergency. May I explain the duties of this officer and the Governor's powers? The powers of the Governor of Kenya are closely comparable with those of the High Commissioner in Malaya. In Malaya the High Commissioner is the supreme authority. Being a soldier, he has a deputy on the civil side. Equally, in Kenya the supreme authority is the Governor and, being a civilian, he has a military staff officer, who is charged with the duty of planning and controlling military and police operations. Just as General Templer's 46 deputy on the civil side acts in his name and under his authority, so does the military staff officer under Sir Evelyn Baring in the military and police sphere. The Governor has set up an Emergency Defence Council of all races to meet regularly and to advise him on emergency measures. The responsibility for the police is being transferred from the Attorney-General to the Chief Secretary, so that the former can concentrate on the other duties of his office, which have greatly increased.
Under the Emergency Powers Orders in Council, 1939, the Governor may make such regulations as appear to him to be necessary or expedient for securing the public safety, the defence of the territory, the maintenance of public order and the suppression or mutiny, rebellion and riot and for maintaining supplies and services essential to the life of the community. Since the last statement was made in Parliament, a number of new regulations have been made by the Governor under these emergency powers. These include the introduction of the death penalty for the administration of the Mau Mau oath in cases where the oath contains a promise to kill. The powers which the Governor now has are comprehensive, and he will continue to have the full support of my right honourable friend in exercising them.
There is, I know, in Kenya some criticism by the Europeans—understandable, for they are under great strain—of what is called "Colonial Office control"; that is, the control exercised by Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. Since Her Majesty's Government and Parliament have the ultimate responsibility we must retain ultimate control, but I am under no illusion that an emergency of this kind can be handled in detail by someone 7,000 miles away. I can assure the House that there has been and will be no unreasonable interference from London and no avoidable delay in dealing with those matters of policy on which consultation may prove to be necessary. Law-abiding Europeans, Africans and Asians are living under conditions of great and daily strain and peril. The thoughts of this House are with them in their ordeal and I am sure I am speaking for everyone in your Lordships' House when I say that this House will support them in all the 47 measures required to end terrorism and the campaign of murder and mutilation and to restore peace and reopen the road to orderly progress.
§ LORD OGMOREMy Lords, I should like to thank the noble Lord for the statement he has just made. We on these Benches, and I am sure all of your Lordships, would wish to join with the noble Viscount in condemning the dreadful murder of Mr. and Mrs. Ruck and their small son and expressing our sympathy with all those who are living under conditions of such strain in Kenya. As I understand it, both from the noble Viscount's statement and from statements that have been made in the Press, conditions in the Reserves are better than they were, but settlers living in isolated farmsteads are still in peril and are likely to be for some time. We on this side should like to consider carefully the statement and also the new organisation which the noble Viscount has announced.
I may say that I had the honour and pleasure of serving with General Hinde on his staff towards the end of the war and just after it, and I believe that no better man could have been found. He is a most active and able officer and he is a great friend of mine. At a suitable date we shall, I think, ask for a debate through the usual channels, because obviously this is a matter which must be discussed at considerable length, not only as to immediate steps but also as to the root causes behind all this, and what long-term plans there may be in the Government's mind, as well as their short-term plans. May I ask one question of the noble Viscount? The basis of this matter is still a police action. Would he say that it is primarily a police action?
§ VISCOUNT SWINTONWhich action?
§ LORD OGMOREDealing with the Mau Mau.
§ VISCOUNT SWINTONYes.
§ LORD OGMOREThe crux of any police action is information. We were told on an earlier occasion when we debated Mau Mau that very little information was coming to the ears of the authorities. Can the noble Viscount inform us whether the authorities are getting more information than they were getting as to this criminal movement, or is there still great difficulty in that respect?
§ VISCOUNT SWINTONI am much obliged to the noble Lord. I am sure that what he has said about General Hinde being an excellent choice will be greatly appreciated. As regards a debate, certainly we will arrange one through the usual channels. I am not quite sure—I should not wish to postpone the debate unduly—when the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies comes back: I think it is about February 7. If it is convenient to have a debate when the official spokesman for the Colonial Office is here, that obviously will be convenient, because, although I should be glad to handle it, if necessary, it is always better for the House to debate when they can hear from and catechise the Minister who comes directly from the responsible Department.
As regards police—yes, I should certainly say that this is primarily a police matter. The military are acting in support of the police, as required. I agree that intelligence is a vital matter and that certainly that was inadequate. I was rather shocked to find that intelligence had run down in more than one place. Steps were immediately taken, after my right honourable friend went out there, to make sure that intelligence was improved. A special officer with intelligence experience has been appointed and I think that the position is now better. Certainly the Government out there, and all the authorities, are fully alive to the importance of that and are concentrating upon it.
THE MARQUESS OF WILLINGDONFurther to that, could the Secretary of State say whether he is not of opinion that the disarmament of the Kikuyu tribe would answer the problem of intelligence almost entirely?
§ VISCOUNT SWINTONI am not quite sure that I follow that remark.
THE MARQUESS OF WILLINGDONIf intelligence is not forthcoming and you completely disarm the Kikuyu tribe, as has been done in the past in Africa, you then know that everyone armed in the Kikuyu tribe is a criminal, without any intelligence.
§ VISCOUNT SWINTONIf you disarm people and then find a man with arms you know, I quite agree, that he is an armed man, and, if it is forbidden to 49 carry arms, that he is disobeying an ordinance. But, as an old intelligence officer, I would say that the intelligence I should require would go a good deal deeper than that.