NIGERIA: RELIEF NEEDS (Hansard, 21 January 1969)

§ LORD SORENSEN
My Lords, I beg leave to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

§ THE MINISTER OF STATE, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (LORD SHEPHERD)
My Lords, on December 12 Her Majesty's Government announced a grant of £700,000 to the International Committee of the Red Cross, and this, with previous amounts, will bring our contribution to Nigerian relief to nearly £1 million. With other national efforts and private contributions this should meet the immediate requirements of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

§ LORD SORENSEN
My Lords, while thanking my noble friend for his reply may I ask him if he can say whether the rumours and reports that, temporarily at least, supplies of food and medicine for distribution in Eastern Nigeria have been suspended are true or untrue?

§ LORD SHEPHERD
My Lords, I regret that, due to difficulties which have been raised by Equatorial Guinea, there is a temporary halt in night flights to Fernando Po. I hope that steps will be 894 taken so that these flights will shortly be resumed.

§ LORD BROCKWAY
My Lords, while appreciating what the British Government have done in this matter, may I ask my noble friend, first of all, whether he is aware that there is a very great danger of the hunger increasing because of the exhaustion of local carbohydrates? Secondly, is that danger not increased by the likelihood of the bombing of the one airstrip through which relief goes? Thirdly, may I ask my noble friend whether it would not be possible for the British Government to take the initiative in calling a conference at Geneva, with observers from Governments, the United Nations Agencies and the relief organisations, in order to plan the massive relief which is necessary if the starvation of thousands is not to occur?

§ LORD SHEPHERD
My Lords, I have myself expressed concern about the situation which might arise, particularly in the Biafran area, when the carbohydrates run out. But I would say to my noble friend that I have received some information, in a report by Dr. Gussing, the United Nations observer, that the situation is perhaps not so bad as many of us have feared, although there are considerable dangers that from March onwards a serious position may arise. This, clearly, is one of the reasons why I have attached so much importance to the establishment of road land corridors. As my noble friend will be aware, when I was in Lagos in December the Federal Government undertook that we could have land routes and that these could be guaranteed by observers of O.A.U.
In regard to the bombing of the airstrip, what my noble friend says is true. On the other hand, this is an airstrip that is being used to bring in military supplies by night. This is another reason why I am very anxious to see the establishment of flights by day, so that this effort can be taken well away from the military use of the airfield.
In regard to massive planning, this may be necessary, but I should think that at this stage the International Committee of the Red Cross is the right organisation for this planning, and we have already made it clear—and so, I understand, have the United States and other friendly Governments—that we 895 shall always be ready to give any assistance which they may require.

§ LORD SORENSEN
My Lords, may I further ask what is the reason for the inability to make day flights to supply food and medical necessities?

§ LORD SHEPHERD
My Lords, to put it briefly, it is Colonel Ojukwu. He has said that he would be prepared to allow daylight airlifts only if night flying proved inadequate.

§ BARONESS SUMMERSKILL
My Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether there is any difficulty in getting British armaments to Nigeria?

§ LORD SHEPHERD
My Lords, I should have thought that was another question. I know the point behind it, but I do not think that it arises on this Question.

§ LORD BROCKWAY
My Lords, is my noble friend aware that I urged upon Colonel Ojukwu that both road and air relief should be possible under international supervision, and is he also aware that Colonel Ojukwu has now agreed to day flights to a neutralised airstrip? Could my noble friend tell me what has been the response to that?

§ LORD SHEPHERD
My Lords, I know that my noble friend had discussions with Colonel Ojukwu. If I may say so, I applaud the fact that the noble Lord, at his advanced age but in his undoubted health, decided to undertake this hazardous mission to Biafra. However, may I tell my noble friend that what Colonel Ojukwu may have said to him does not bear much relation to what he has said publicly. May I quote what he said at Christmas, speaking about air flights? He said that he accepted this in principle, and that any relief organisation which found the present facilities inadequate would be permitted to build an airport or airstrip for daylight flights, but it was based on whether the night flights were inadequate.