EARL ALEXANDER OF HILLS-BOROUGHMy Lords, may I ask a Question, of which I have given the Government Private Notice? The Question is: "Whether Her Majesty's Government could make a statement on the present situation in Tanganyika?"
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMONWEALTH RELATIONS AND FOR THE COLONIES (THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE)My Lords, the noble Earl will have seen the statement made in another place yesterday by my right honourable friend, and noble Lords will have read in to-day's newspapers of the measures that have been taken, in case the need arises, to protect British lives. Since then, reports from Dar-es-Salaam have been more reassuring.
So far as the centre of the town and the main residential area are concerned, the night was quiet, with Field Force police patrols. We have heard within the last hour that everything is still quiet. Police are in control and the troops are back in barracks. There are, however, some reports of rioting and 808 looting in two African and Arab suburbs, and it is possible that these were accompanied by casualties. This morning there was free movement in the centre of the town, both for pedestrians and for vehicles, and some shops were open.
The only new factor in what is still a very confused situation is that British officers of the Second Battalion of the Tanganyika Rifles at Tabora have been relieved of their posts. This, however, has apparently been done in an orderly manner, and arrangements are under way to fly them away. There is still no news of the whereabouts of President Nyerere, but it has been announced over the Dar-es-Salaam radio that he is to broadcast to the Tanganyika nation this evening.
EARL ALEXANDER OF HILLS-BOROUGHMy Lords, I am grateful to the noble Duke for giving the House this statement. I appreciate the arrangements that were made for securing, if required, the safety of British persons, and I hope that steps will continue to be taken to protect British interests in general. I should like to ask: is it not strange that our British Intelligence in East Africa should have been so ill-informed, in two separate cases now, within a comparatively few days? What is wrong here? Is the noble Duke able to tell us how it is that we are not given longer warning that this sort of thing was likely to happen? And is he aware that there are many people in this country who are very anxious about the situation of the President of Tanganyika during the last few days? Any further information which the Government could give us on this matter would be helpful.
THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIREMy Lords, in reply to the noble Earl, I would say this for Intelligence. These countries are now independent countries, independent members of the Commonwealth, as individual and as separate as we are; and it is not as if we should know what is going on, as was the case when they were still part of our Colonial empire Whilst it is early days to understand exactly what has happened either in Zanzibar or in Tanganyika, I would say with some assurance that these events were as mach a surprise to the Governments of these territories as they were to ourselves. As 809 to the point about President Nyerere, I share the noble Earl's anxiety as to the position of this most distinguished Commonwealth statesman, but I feel that I can add nothing more to what I said in my original Answer.
EARL ALEXANDER OF HILLS-BOROUGHMy Lords, may I ask the noble Duke whether our Intelligence stops operating when a country within the British Commonwealth takes independence? Surely we have good access to Intelligence even in countries that are not in the Commonwealth at all, which has to be relied upon. We continue to have our British representatives in office in certain posts in these places. Surely there must be some Intelligence coming through.
THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIREMy Lords, I must confess that when it comes to questions of Intelligence I find myself on rather difficult ground. I have no doubt that Intelligence channels exist with various countries with which we have dealings. If there has been—and I emphasise the word "if"—a failure of Intelligence, no doubt it will be gone into in due course. But I would add that these are very new happenings. Certainly they have come as a surprise to us; but they have also come as a surprise to the Governments concerned. If the noble Earl wishes to put down a Question as to the efficacy of our Intelligence service in Commonwealth countries, I am sure it will be answered in due course.
§ LORD MORRISON OF LAMBETHMy Lords, these surprises are becoming a little frequent. I follow the noble Duke's answer vis-à-vis Tanganyika, who have had independence for round about two years—though even there the time is short—but in relation to Zanzibar, independence there has existed for some eleven days or a fortnight. Surely the British must have had some responsibility, and ought to have known—anyway, it was desirable that they should know—when they were in control of Zanzibar whether such an event as has taken place in Zanzibar was likely or not. While I can follow the noble Duke's attitude as regards Tanganyika, British responsibility vis-à-vis Zanzibar is quite clear, and I think he must answer why the British did not know that this coup d'êtat was going to take place.
THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIREMy Lords, I am rather distressed that the noble Lord is not quite so Commonwealth-minded as I should have wished. Zanzibar has been independent for five weeks, not eleven days. I take the point that this coup in Zanzibar has come very soon after independence; but I have no doubt that had plans been under way for this coup while Britain was still responsible for Zanzibar's affairs, it would have been duly reported.
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYMy Lords, whatever may be true about the efficiency or non-efficiency of our Intelligence service, would the noble Duke not agree that these very disturbing events, occurring so close after each other in Zanzibar and Tanganyika, seem to indicate that they are not due to merely local troubles but are part of deep-laid conspiracy by the Eastern Powers, China and Russia, and, so we understand from Zanzibar, Cuba, as well, to disrupt the whole Continent of Africa and bring it gradually over from one side to the other: as we move out, the others move in? Will the noble Duke give an assurance that the Government will take this important factor into account in assessing their future policy to those few portions of Africa that still remain loyal to the West?
THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIREMy Lords, I can give an assurance that events in East Africa will be duly weighed by Her Majesty's Government in considering their future policy. In answer to the first part of the question, I would say that it is still far too early to know what other, if any other, influences have been at work behind these two recent coups.
§ LORD STONHAMMy Lords, the noble Duke mentioned British officers who have been relieved of their command. Since, apparently, the elected Government of Tanganyika is not functioning, can he say by whom they were relieved of their command, and by what authority?
THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIREMy Lords, late last night the Tanganyika Minister for Defence and External Affairs appointed a new Commander-in-Chief of the Tanganyika Army, a gentleman called Elsia Kavona. It is on his 811 authority that officers of the Second Battalion have been relieved of their posts.
§ LORD BALFOUR OF INCHRYEMy Lords, according to Press reports, wives and children have had to leave all their worldly possessions behind on flying to Kenya from Tanganyika. Would Her Majesty's Government take steps to see that our representative in Dar-es-Salaam ensures, so far as possible, that the household goods, houses and personal effects of those who have been forced to fly are safeguarded by anybody who has responsibility for law and order?