Namibia: Police Force Personnel (Hansard, 11 October 1989)

§ The Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Trefgarne)
My Lords, we continue to support the efforts of the United Nations in Namibia to ensure free elections and a peaceful transition to independence. We have urged the South African Government to disband ex-paramilitary units in the South-West African police in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 640.

§ Lord Hatch of Lusby
My Lords, my point is not as to whether Koevoet has been disbanded. I believe that it has been officially disbanded, but it is also widely reported that members of Koevoet have been included in the police force that is now in charge of law and order before the elections.
Perhaps the noble Lord will tell us whether he has read the report by the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Manchester, whom I am glad to see in his place. Has he observed the statement made by the right reverend Prelate and his wife, who were in Namibia last month, about the need for increased police monitoring by the United Nations and for the British Government to take a lead at the United Nations in providing for a great increase in police monitoring before the elections?

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords, I am sorry to have to say that I have not yet seen the right reverend Prelate's report, but I shall take an early opportunity to look at it. I doubt equally whether the noble Lord has yet seen the report of the Secretary-General of the United Nations which was published very recently and in which he stated: I am glad to be able to report to the Council that all the parties involved have increasingly complied with the requirements of the settlement plan and will continue to do so". I hope that the noble Lord is thus reassured.

The Lord Bishop of Manchester
My Lords, is the Minister aware that I wrote to the Foreign Secretary on this matter? The reply that I received stated that the matter of more UN police personnel was a subject for the United Nations. There was no assurance that the British Government would use their best efforts to make sure that more United Nations police were sent there. Is the noble Lord further aware that the total number of UN police for a population of some 650,000 in Ovamboland is no more than 400 at the present time, which is totally inadequate for the task required?

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords, I think I am right in saying that the numbers of police personnel in Namibia under the aegis of the United Nations is rather larger than the right reverend Prelate has suggested, but it may be that they have been increased since he was in the country. We certainly fully support the activities of the Secretary-General and his special representative in Namibia and we shall continue to give careful consideration to any request that he may make.

§ Lord Hailsham of Saint Marylebone
My Lords, I should like to ask my noble friend to lighten our darkness. Those of us who are less well informed than others do not know what a Koevoet is. Will he tell us?

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords, Koevoet is part of the security forces under South African control which have maintained law and order in Namibia up to now. Perhaps I may add to what I said to the right reverend Prelate a moment ago. I understand that there are now about 1,000 police in Namibia and that the number is being increased to 1,500.

The Lord Bishop of Manchester
My Lords, perhaps I may say that the Minister misheard me slightly. I said that there were 400 UN police in Ovamboland for a population of 650,000, which is the approximate population.

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords, I apologise to the right reverend Prelate.

§ Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos
My Lords, does the noble Lord recall that we have had exchanges in the House about the relative strength of UNTAG and that the number of UNTAG forces was reduced 18 months ago, with the agreement at that stage of Her Majesty's Government and for reasons which at that stage appeared to be good reasons? Is it his view that the strength of UNTAG is up to the difficult task 295 that it must perform in Namibia? Further, is there not strong evidence that the Koevoet forces which are supposed to have been disbanded are actively engaged in destabilising Namibia at the present time? What action are Her Majesty's Government taking about that?

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords, the noble Lord takes an unduly gloomy view of the situation. We certainly believe that the forces should be demobilised and then disbanded. So does the United Nations and it is seeking to achieve that, I believe, with considerable success. It is true that the United Nations Transitional Advisory Group (UNTAG), to which many noble Lords referred, was slightly reduced in numbers so far as concerns soldiers. On the other hand, the numbers of police have been increased. Both of those changes were at the specific request of the UN Secretary-General.

§ Lord Kennet
My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that the Afrikaans word "Koevoet" means "crowbar", which just about correctly describes its function hitherto in Namibia?

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords, whatever may be the translation of Koevoet's name, we agree that it no longer has a role in Namibia.

§ Baroness Blackstone
My Lords, is the Minister aware that, under Resolution 640, Koevoet was meant to have been disbanded and demobilised by 30th September? The date now is 12th October and that has not happened. Although 1,000 personnel were demobilised earlier this week, there are still another 1,000 members of Koevoet in the South West African police force. Does the Minister agree that unless they are rapidly removed from that role there will be continuing intimidation of voters and members of the civilian population in the north of the country which will jeopardise free and fair elections? In those circumstances, is it not important that the United Kingdom Government, as a permanent member of the Security Council, should use every pressure that they possibly can to bring that about?

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords, I certainly agree that any intimidation would be wholly counterproductive and inappropriate. So do the Secretary General and his special representative. It is they who now have the responsibility for bringing Namibia to independence, first, through the election that is to take place next month. I believe that our role is best played by giving the Secretary General every possible support. We shall continue to do that and certainly make our views known about any inappropriate activities of remaining South African personnel.

§ Lord Hatch of Lusby
My Lords, in answer to the noble and learned Lord on his side of the Chamber the Minister spoke of Koevoet as being the preserver of law and order. Does he really believe that? Is he not aware that Koevoet has been a state terrorist organisation organised by the South Africans? Will he answer the question which has been put by several 296 noble Lords as to what the British Government are doing through the Security Council to ensure that the members of Koevoet, disbanded though it may be, are not included in the police force which, under South African direction, along with the South African defence force is engaged in destabilising and terrorising parts of the country before the elections?

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords, Namibia is now moving into an election, and I hope to independence, and will then take its place in the world community. It is doing so with the support of all the parties concerned including South Africa. I do not believe that that process is assisted by the kind of pejorative words used by the noble Lord. Of course we deplore violence and intimidation from whichever side it may come. We want to see that process succeed and not fail. Thus, as I said, we shall support the United Nations' Secretary General.