§ 2.41 p.m.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what action has been taken, in view of statements by both General Gowon and General Ojukwu that they are prepared to enter negotiations unconditionally, to encourage a meeting between representatives of both sides in the Nigerian/Biafran war.]
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, African statesmen from many countries are working hard to get negotiations started. The Government are giving their full support to these efforts.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, while thanking my noble friend for his Answer, may I ask this question? In view of the fact that both sides have now indicated that they are prepared to enter negotiations without any conditions, is it not desirable that the British Government should use their influence with the Nigerian Government to accept this opportunity, rather than increase the arms supply to Nigeria, which has shocked and shamed many of us on these Benches?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, my noble friend knows that pressure of international opinion in favour of peace is not lacking, and that recently African statesmen have been most actively seeking to bring about this peace. There is no lack of friends on both sides who would wish to help if they were asked, but it is the opposing sides alone who can make this possible. We are satisfied that the Federal Government is willing to send representatives to any mutually acceptable place to talk with Colonel Ojukwu and his representatives, without any conditions, to explore whether the basis of a settlement can be found. Colonel Ojukwu knows this well. Is he willing to accept? Some of his recent statements have been bellicose. He is reported to have said on November 16 that Biafra would refuse to rejoin Nigeria, even if the security of its people were guaranteed. He is therefore apparently still seeking sovereignty and independence, rather than the security of his people. Until the two sides can find an acceptable basis for talks, I do not believe that any special initiative by this country would prove successful.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, again thanking my noble friend, may I ask: in view of the facts he indicated, that the difficulty is opposition on both sides, and that while Colonel Ojukwu is making certain statements, on the other side similiar statements, which make peace difficult, are being made, is it not now the responsibility of the British Government, who are providing arms to one side, to use their influence with that side to try to bring about negotiations, which both sides have accepted without conditions and which, with British pressure, could be brought about?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, my noble friend is as well aware as I am that 843 Her Majesty's Government, through many months, have taken considerable initiatives with the Federal Government of Nigeria. We are satisfied that the Federal Government would seek a settlement, provided that one Nigeria would remain. It is the failure of Colonel Ojukwu and those in Biafra to come together and talk in realistic terms that has kept the two sides apart.
§ LORD GRANTCHESTERMy Lords, will Her Majesty's Government make it clear that, so far as they are concerned, the tribes of Africa, which I understand number over 2,000, have a perfect right to group themselves as they wish without interference or advice from outside? May I also ask the Minister what conclusion he expects Biafrans to draw from the supply of arms for use against them, other than that the British Government want to continue the war for their own ends?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, I think that that is a most outrageous statement in the noble Lord's question. We believe that the fragmentation of Africa, if it were to continue, would be very dangerous for the peace of Africa and for its economic growth. We believe that the problem of Nigeria is an African problem and therefore something for the Africans themselves to solve. We certainly will do all we can.
I would remind the noble Lord that Nigeria is a Commonwealth country, which has looked to us as a traditional supplier of arms. If we were to say, as the noble Lord and many of his friends suggest, that the supply should be discontinued, that would be an arbitrary and unilateral act against a lawful Government in Africa.
§ LORD GRANTCHESTERMy Lords, is it for the British Government to decide how these tribes wish to group themselves?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, how the tribes of Africa are grouped is a consequence of history. But Nigeria is a sovereign country. It came into being by the united voice of its people, and it is not for any of us here, I suggest, to seek to break it up.
§ LORD ALPORTMy Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether he is aware that it is contrary to the interests of Africa as a whole that the development of tribalism should be assisted from outside sources, and that there are many people who fully support Her Majesty's Government in carrying out their obligations to the Federal Government, as a Commonwealth Government, under the defence Agreement by the supplying of arms?
THE LORD BISHOP OF CHICHESTERMy Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether more could be done to assist the needs of the starving while this is going on? Does the statement made by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in another place yesterday, in reply to a Question about assisting mercy flights, that it would not be proper for Her Majesty's Government to assist in such flights over the air space of a friendly country, imply that the difficulties in promoting those flights do not rest with Biafra only, but with both sides?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, that is another question different from that on the Order Paper. It is one that we have gone over many times, and if the right reverend Prelate will put it down on the Order Paper I should prefer to deal with it as a separate question.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, is my noble friend aware how very deeply many of us on these Benches feel about this issue? Indeed, is he aware that some of us have doubted whether we ought to continue to receive the Whip while the policy of the Government proceeds? But we are reassured by the fact that the Labour Party Executive and the Labour Party Conference support us in our view, and that it is Her Majesty's Government who are defying the Labour Party on this issue.
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, I know that my noble friend has very strong feelings on this matter. I am sure that, knowing my own particular interest in it, he will agree, that I share equally the same desires that he does, but I see it in a different light.
EARL FERRERSMy Lords, could the noble Lord say whether the statement that appeared in the Press about a 845 fortnight ago, in which Colonel Ojukwu was reported to have said that he was prepared to enter into negotiations without the secession of Biafra as a precondition, was in fact true; and, if so, did this not give some glimmer of light?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, one of the difficulties right through these many months has been to know what was, or was not, an authorised statement. The noble Earl has put one statement. May I remind the House of a statement that was issued and was printed in the Guardian yesterday, November 17? It said that Colonel Ojukwu said that he would be ready to accept a cease-fire during peace negotiations provided that a time limit was set. He then said that Biafra would refuse to join Nigeria, even if the security of its people were guaranteed. Some three or four weeks ago he was standing on the security of his people. Now he is getting away from it. But, as I have said on many occasions, one of the difficulties is to know what is the voice of Colonel Ojukwu and what is the voice of propaganda.
§ LORD MILVERTONMy Lords, may I ask the noble Lord one question? We have heard a good deal about strong feelings on this and that. I understand that in other circumstances strong feelings are felt by certain Members of this House about the rebellion and the way it ought to be treated. May I therefore ask whether it is not being overlooked by many Members, and especially by the noble Lord who asked this Question, that in this case we are dealing with a rebellion, because in 1960, after lengthy discussion among every section represented in Nigeria, a document on which the Federation was founded was signed by every representative of every section, stating that secession was not to be permitted unless it was universally agreed upon?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, I will not follow the noble Lord in his long supplementary, but I would agree with him that there was this statement. There was a Constitution that was accepted by the representatives of the people of Nigeria; and it was on that that Parliament gave independence to Nigeria.