Human Rights in Kenya (Hansard, 27 January 1988)

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

§ The Minister of State for Defence Procurement (Lord Trefgarne)
My Lords, we make our views clear on these matters in our regular contacts with the government of Kenya.

§ Lord Mulley
My Lords, I have greatly admired the progress and achievement of Kenya since I visited it as a member of a parliamentary delegation at the time of Mau-Mau and again after independence. Does the noble Lord not agree that its reputation has been gravely tarnished by the allegations of serious violations of human rights? His right honourable friend the Prime Minister is inevitably extremely well briefed. Did she not make representations on these matters during her recent visit to Kenya, and can he tell us something about the results?

§ Lord Trefgarne
Yes, my Lords, I can. It is true, as the noble Lord said, that some anxiety has been expressed, not least by Amnesty International recently. My right honourable friend raised the matter when she was in Kenya and it was therefore particularly satisfying to have the very robust response to her representations which emerged from President Moi's speech at the banquet at the end of her visit. Perhaps I may let the noble Lord have the words that he used, which were most reassuring.

§ Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos
My Lords, what have been the results of that robust response? Can the Minister say what Her Majesty's Government's reactions are to the recent report of Amnesty International, which makes the most grave allegations? This a matter which saddens all of us in view of our high regard for Kenya and its government. Can he say whether anything has been done in relation to political prisoners since the Prime Minister was there?

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords, it is the case, as the noble Lord said, that Amnesty International issued a report last year saying that there were some problems in this area in Kenya. We have been making representations on that matter, including in particular those made by my right honourable friend. Perhaps I could let the noble Lord have the detail of some of the matters that have emerged and some of the very satisfactory responses we have observed in Kenya since the issue of the Amnesty International report, not least, as I said earlier, the response of President Moi on the occasion to which I referred.

The Lord Bishop of Manchester
My Lords, many of us will be glad to hear the Minister's response and to learn that representations have been made in private. Can he also give us some assurance that when government Ministers at any level go on official visits to countries where human rights are in question no impression will be given that everything in those countries is in order, but there should be a public indication to make people aware of the anxieties which have been caused by the policies of such governments?

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords, I am not without sympathy for the point that the right reverend Prelate makes, but I would, if I may, counsel a little caution. 628 I recall on one occasion being asked to make such representations in a country I was visiting. I was told, yes, there was one political prisoner remaining in prison, waiting for a visa to enter the United Kingdom. Needless to say that slightly took the wind out of my sails. But the right reverend Prelate is right. It is necessary to make representations at the appropriate level but not in too scatter-gun a fashion, because in that way we lose the effect of what we can do in specific cases.

§ Lord Mulley
My Lords, I thank the Minister for his encouraging reply. I do not wish for him in any sense to have the wind taken out of his sails, which I should think is a rare occurrence. Can he not say now whether anything of substance has happened, in the sense that some people have been let out of gaol or put on trial? Can we assume that the threat to arrest any members of Amnesty International who should chance to arrive in Kenya is now withdrawn?

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords, on the noble Lord's last point, we have made our views known that any such action would not meet with our approval. I certainly have not heard of any such action having been taken. I am aware of at least one political prisoner who has been released recently and I hope that more will be in the future.

§ Lord Hatch of Lusby
My Lords, will the noble Lord assure the House that Her Majesty's Government arc completely behind the work of Amnesty International and will let this be known in any country where its representatives may be visiting?

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords, I certainly think that Amnesty International does a great deal of very useful and worthwhile work. But whether it would be of benefit to make the public representations to which the noble Lord is referring I am not quite so sure.