§ 3.54 p.m.
THE MINISTER OF STATE, COMMONWEALTH RELATIONS OFFICE (THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE)With your Lordships' permission, I should like to make a statement on Brunei which is being made by my right honourable friend in another place.
Thanks to the prompt arrival in Brunei in response to the Brunei Government's request, under their agreement 1263 with us, of military and police reinforcements, I am glad to say that the rebels' attempted coup has already been frustrated, organised resistance has ceased and order has been largely re-established. A sufficient security force is now in the territory to deal with remaining rebel pockets.
Immediate reinforcements were on the spot very quickly indeed. A police contingent from North Borneo was in Brunei within a few hours of the outbreak of violence at 2 a.m. on the morning of the 8th December. British forces from Singapore left by air about twelve hours after the outbreak. All major centres, both in Brunei and in the affected area of Sarawak, have been cleared, and life is returning to normal in the towns and villages. Rebel activity is now virtually confined to certain rural areas. The oil installations at Seria are undamaged, and all hostages throughout the area have been released. There are no British prisoners in rebel hands. British service casualities are 7 killed and 28 wounded. Final information about police casualties is not yet available, but there were some killed and wounded. At least 2 civilians were killed and 7 wounded. Definite information about rebel casualties is not yet available, but it is estimated that between 50 and 60 have been killed and 600 to 700 taken prisoner.
Reports so far received show that the Brunei State police put up stout, and in some cases highly successful, resistance to the attacks on Government buildings.
Since the rebellion in Brunei spilled over into some adjacent areas of North Borneo and Sarawak it is obviously essential to secure the efficient co-ordination of civil and military measures in all three territories. With the approval of the Governments concerned, Major General W. C. Walker has been appointed Director of Operations and Commander of British Forces in Borneo. The Commissioner General, Lord Selkirk, and the Commander in Chief, Far East, are also in the closest touch with the situation.
I know your Lordships will wish me to take this opportunity of paying tribute to the work of the Security Farces, both Services and Police; and I am sure the House would wish to join me in extending 1264 our sympathy to the relatives of those who have lost their lives, and to those who were wounded.
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, we on this side of the House would wish to share in the tribute paid by the noble Duke to the forces who have been involved in Brunei, as well as in his condolences to the relatives of those soldiers who have given their lives. I think that the Service side in particular must be congratulated far the speed with which they operated. Our main worry now must be as to the future, and I hope the noble Duke will be able to tell us that it is the Government's intention to withdraw the military from Brunei as quickly as possible and to build up the police force. I am sure he will agree that the soldier is not always best for dealing with long-term security problems. I do not know Whether the noble Duke can say whether it is the intention of the Government of Brunei to build up its awn police force, or whether, in the interim, they would be prepared to accept policemen from the Federation of Malaysia. I have had some experience out there, and a local police force which speaks the language and well understands the customs is certainly the answer. I hope the noble Duke can give us some assurance in that direction.
THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIREMy Lords, I am happy to assure the noble Lord that certainly military personnel will remain no longer in the territory than is absolutely necessary. So far as building up a police force there is concerned, that is of course a matter for the Sultan and his Government in Brunei. There are, of course, already police seconded from the Federation of Malaya, and I feel quite certain that the Malayan Government will be only too glad to co-operate with the Government and Sultan of Brunei should they wish to extend their services.
§ LORD OGMOREMy Lords, on behalf of my noble friends on these Benches and myself. I should like to extend our congratulations to the authorities on this particularly successful operation; and to extend to the relatives of the deceased—whether Service, police or civilian casualties—our sympathy. I should like to ask the noble Duke two questions, if I may. First, does not this operation show 1265 in the facts that he has just given us how important it is to have mobility of troops, a matter upon which we on these Benches have often made representations to the Government?
§ LORD SHEPHERDAnd we on these Benches.
§ LORD OGMOREYes. When I say "these Benches", I mean the Benches all the way along.
§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAMAnd all the way round, too.
§ LORD OGMOREI am not quite sure how far round they go. Sometimes they stop in a sort of semi-circle before getting all the way. But there are certainly some noble Lords behind the noble Viscount, who have supported us in this desire for more mobility and more comprehensive forces, and less nuclear deterrent.
The second question I should like to ask the noble Duke is this. Has his attention been drawn to the report that President Sukarno of Indonesia has recently stated that anyone who does not support the rebels is a traitor; and does he regard those words as friendly when applied to the Federation of Malaya or the States for which we are responsible in Borneo?
THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIREMy Lords, if I may, I will deal with the second question first. My attention has been drawn to this broadcast. The actual text of what President Sukarno said is being studied. We, of course, view with grave disfavour such statements. We have expressed our concern to the Government of Indonesia at their reaction to the uprising. We are now awaiting their reply to our overtures. On the question of mobility of forces, I know my colleagues are fully aware of the vital importance of this aspect of our Services. As one who achieved only very humble rank, I think my own approval of this would carry very little weight. But those better qualified to know than I, do give this matter full consideration.
§ LORD COLYTONMy Lords, following on this question, may I ask my noble friend whether there is any evidence of participation or planning on the part of the Indonesian Government, or of individuals or organisations in Indonesia, 1266 in this rising, which, after all, is not limited to Brunei but includes Sarawak and also. I understand, North Borneo? And will not the question which the noble Lord opposite asked about the withdrawal of troops largely depend on the answer to the question I put, and on the existence of any further threats from Indonesian Borneo to this area?
THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIREMy Lords, I can tell my noble friend that we have no evidence of any supply of arms to the rebels from any outside country. I should not wish to go further, I am afraid, than my right honourable friend the Secretary of State in another place last week, when he said [OFFICIAL REPORT, Commons, Vol. 669 (No. 30), col. 35]:
There are indications, but they are not yet firm, that the rebel forces have received, or have undergone, a certain amount of military training outside the country.I am afraid at this stage I could go no further than that. Of course, my noble friend is quite right, that these considerations will play their part in the length of time which our services stay in the country of Borneo.