HL Deb 02 February 1983 vol 438 cc808-10

3.5 p.m.

Lord Hatch of Lusby

My 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 they have taken concerning the South African invasion of Lesotho, a fellow member of the Commonwealth.

Lord Belstead

My Lords, we supported Security Council Resolution No. 527 which condemned the raid. We also expressed our views directly to the South African Government through their Ambassador in London. In Maseru last week my right honourable friend the Minister for Overseas Development donated £5,000 to the fund set up for the relief of the victim's families.

Lord Hatch of Lusby

My Lords, may I thank the noble Lord very warmly indeed for that reply, and will he accept that its contents will give a great deal of satisfaction in both political and non-political circles? May I ask him whether it is the case, as I believe it is, that last week in Lesotho at the summit meeting to which he referred, the British Government put their name to the communiqué which stated that: the conference called for the immediate cessation of such interference"— referring to South African interference? When an incident of this nature occurs, in which an alien country—that is, South Africa—invades a fellow member of the Commonwealth and leaves behind over 40 people dead, do the British Government take any different action from that which they have been taking against other aggressions in other parts of the world? What do they in fact do?

Lord Belstead

My Lords, they support the Security Council of the United Nations and support the United Nations General Assembly. That is what we do, and that is what we did on this occasion. We supported both resolutions—Resolution 527 of the Security Council and Resolution 101 of the United Nations General Assembly. I am delighted to make that crystal clear to the noble Lord. As regards the question on the conference communiqué which the noble Lord put to me, we certainly condemn all external interference which has adverse effects on the economic development of the Southern African Development Co-ordination Conference region.

Lord Gisborough

My Lords, can my noble friend say whether this raid took place just for fun or to wipe out terrorists? If the latter, can he say whether we are also condemning the presence of terrorists on the other side of the border?

Lord Belstead

My Lords, we deplore attempts from whatever quarter to achieve solutions through violence. We have made clear that one of the essential preconditions for lasting peace in Southern Africa is progress within South Africa towards a form of Government based on the consent of the South African people as a whole. That is the general context in which I am answering this Question today.

Lord Molloy

My Lords, is the Minister aware that his reply will give massive encouragement to everybody all over the world—human beings of different skins and different blood mixtures—because they will know that the Government of this island is still paramount in preserving the rights of ordinary people against the most vile régime, far more vile than that of the Soviet Union, that we have ever had to deal with—

Noble Lords

Question!

Lord Molloy

People know full well that, even if they cannot agree with the communism of the USSR, they are not picked on because of the colour of their skins. That is why our Government can win with their attitude.

Lord Belstead

My Lords, we strongly believe that each country must be allowed to decide its own future, and the relations between states in the area should strictly adhere to the principles of non-use of violence and non-intervention in internal affairs.

Lord Hatch of Lusby

My Lords, will the noble Lord the Minister tell his noble friend on the Back-Bench that women and children, not to be classed as terrorists, were among those killed in Lesotho? May I just press him one stage further in his answers to me? Will there be any further action taken after the resolution of the Security Council? Do Her Majesty's Government propose to suggest any action following that resolution which might prevent the South African Government from perpetrating similar aggressions in the future?

Lord Belstead

My Lords, the noble Lord may have noticed that Article 4 of the resolution requests the Secretary-General to enter into immediate consultations with the Lesotho Government and the United Nations Agencies to ensure the welfare of the refugees in Lesotho in a manner consistent with their security. This matter is now in the hands of the Secretary-General.