HL Deb 08 May 1984 vol 451 cc797-8

2.49 p.m.

Lord Molloy

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make representations to the Government of Iran about the human rights situation in that country; and whether they intend to support the Iranian Government in exile in Paris.

The Paliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces (Lord Trefgarne)

My Lords, we have on many occasions made clear to the Iranian authorities our concern about violations of human rights. We co-sponsored the resolution on this question which was adopted by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights on 14th March. We avoid taking any action involving Iranian exiles which might be misconstrued as interference in the internal affairs of Iran.

Lord Molloy

My Lords, is the Minister aware that his reply will give great encouragement to many people involved in this Question and that it is a proud thing that our Government have given such a lead in what is now becoming a horrendous situation? Is he further aware that following the earlier reporting in the British media the terrible atrocities in Iran have been highlighted again this weekend in an article in the Observer? Is he further aware that the exiled National Council of Iran, led by Masuud Rejavi, is the only beacon of hope that many thousands of Iranians have? Will the Government continue in their efforts to bring this terrible situation to the notice of world governments? Not only will that do the Government great credit, but I am sure that it will be applauded by the people of our country.

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, the noble Lord may be further encouraged to know that the European Community have made a number of demarches to the Iranians. I think that the most recent one was in July last year, but there were no fewer than four previous ones.

Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos

My Lords, is it not the case that the United Nations Commission on Human Rights asked for a representative to be appointed to make contact with the Government of Iran on this issue? Can the noble Lord say what progress has been made in the appointment of such a representative and what further steps Her Majesty's Government are proposing through the United Nations to seek some amelioration of this terrible situation?

Lord Trefgarne

Yes, my Lords, the noble Lord is quite right. The resolution of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, to which I referred, called for the appointment of a rapporteur to look further into this matter. But we have yet to hear what will be the reaction of the Iranian Government to that appointment.

Lord Molloy

My Lords, is the Minister aware that Iran has been very short on human rights ever since the last war? Nevertheless, bearing in mind the appalling increase in atrocities in Iran, if our Government will continue to give their lead and perhaps even call a conference, that could help at least to ease off the atrocities and then perhaps allow pressure to be applied, so that democracy can be returned to Iran.

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, I hope that our representations will have some effect upon the situation, but I have to say that, following previous experience, I doubt whether they will.

Viscount St. Davids

My Lords, are not the noble Lord the Minister and the House interested to see that the noble Lord who asked this Question, and those with whom he sits, are precisely those who asked an identical Question to that which is now on the Order Paper at the time when the Shah ruled in Iran and it was the Ayatollah who formed the government in exile in Paris? Does this not show that, however gently unsatisfactory a situation may be, it is always possible, with a good, firm push, to make it a great deal worse?

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, I leave to your Lordships the conclusions to be deducted from the parallel which the noble Viscount draws.

Lord Molloy

My Lords, this is an appalling situation in which literally millions of human beings are being done to death and I do not think it would become this House to leave the matter in a spirit of merriment. The Ayatollah certainly received some support to go back to Iran because the ordinary people of Iran were under the heel of the Shah. Then they were double crossed by people who meant well and thought that there was going to be a reintroduction of decent human rights. That has not taken place. Will our Government continue to make the remarkable endeavours they have undertaken since the Ayatollah went back?

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, I am not sure that it profits us much to hark back too far in these matters, but certainly the present situation is totally unsatisfactory and that is why we have made the representations that we have made.