Rwanda: Refugee Crisis (Hansard, 21 July 1994)

§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey)
My Lords, Security Council Resolutions 918 and 925 of 16th May and 8th June authorised the expansion of UNAMIR and mandated it, inter alia, to provide security and support for the distribution of relief supplies and humanitarian relief operations.
Security Council Resolution 929 of 22nd June authorised member states to undertake a temporary operation to help achieve this objective pending full deployment of UNAMIR.

§ Lord Judd
My Lords, will the Minister accept, on this day of goodwill, that she enjoys very considerable respect in this House for her integrity and commitment, and that many of us are glad to see her in her place today?
Will the Minister confirm that, in its rapid rate of growth, Rwanda's refugee crisis is almost unprecedented? Will she confirm that already men, women and children are dying in disturbing numbers and that there is a real threat of a grave cholera epidemic? To avoid robbing Peter to pay Paul, what additional funds are being mobilised by the Government from contingency reserves to assist the United Nations High Commission for Refugees and the voluntary agencies? Can the Minister explain the delay in deploying the UN peacekeeping force, which is now desperately needed if the refugees are to feel secure about returning? And how does the role of the French forces relate to that? What contribution will Britain be making?

Noble Lords
Oh!

§ Lord Judd
My Lords, in view of our role as permanent members of the Security Council, can the Minister say how she sees the future role of the council in this dispute—particularly because of its grave failure at an early stage to take action to save many, many thousands of lives?

§ Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for his kind remarks. I, too, am glad to be here today.
I agree with him; it is an unprecedented refugee crisis. We are doing all that we can as a nation and as a donor country to help. Since the crisis began in April we have committed over £11 million bilaterally. I am going, I hope, next week to visit northern Rwanda. After I have done that, I shall make a further announcement about further sums which are available to help refugees where they are displaced, both within the country and outside it.
366 I am aware that getting the UNAMIR troops into Rwanda and getting the refugees back from Zaire, Tanzania and all the other places whence they have gone is an absolute priority. We have to work on that priority as hard as we can.

§ Baroness Williams of Crosby
My Lords, I congratulate the Minister on her intention to go to Rwanda. This country could not be better represented than by her. Having said that, I ask two further questions. First, does she happen to know whether the United States Administration has now definitely decided to assist in the moving of the African troops volunteered for the purpose of keeping order, since without such order no humanitarian aid will get through?
Secondly, can she tell the House whether, when she is in Rwanda, she hopes to speak to the new government in practice —the Patriotic Front—about the possibility of recognising an area of safety to which Rwandan refugees can return from Zaire, where—I am sure that the House will fully agree—there is little chance of being able to rescue them from the starvation that now confronts them?

§ Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
My Lords, I am not yet aware whether the United States is helping in moving the troops. I can say that other nations have offered various types of help to UNAMIR. We are ready to consider further requests from the UN. We have already provided 50 four-wheel drive trucks. Certainly we believe that it is most important that people come back. I have already had one meeting with the secretary general of the RPF here in London. I understand that, all being well, I shall meet other members of the RPF next week, although maybe not any of the 19 government ministers now sworn in. Certainly, it is very important indeed to get the people back from Zaire and from the other territories to which they have fled.

§ Lord Avebury
My Lords, will the noble Baroness accept that the best way to get the hundreds of thousands of refugees back from Zaire and elsewhere is by the establishment of peace and a stable government? Has the engine of administration which has been set up by the RPF applied for international recognition? If so, will the noble Baroness and the Government do their best to persuade the international community to recognise it as quickly as possible so that assurances can be given to refugees that they will return in safety?
Secondly, will steps be taken to silence the evil Radio Mille Collines, which is spreading alarm and causing many hundreds of thousands more to flee their homes in unnecessary terror?

§ Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
My Lords, I am not yet aware whether the RPF government have applied for international recognition. We recognise states rather than governments. We very much hope that that broad-based government will quickly establish order. They tell us that they will involve both Tutsis and Hutus at all levels of government. It is critical for getting people back into Rwanda and giving them places of safety to which they can go.