HL Deb 22 May 2003 vol 648 cc936-8

11.17 a.m.

Lord McNally

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What recent initiatives have been pursued by the Department for International Development to help resolve the difficulties faced by the Biharis community in Bangladesh.

The Secretary of State for International Development (Baroness Amos)

My Lords, DfID's objective is the reduction of poverty and we provide £ 80 million of development assistance a year to Bangladesh —our third largest programme—for that purpose. We work closely with the Government of Bangladesh and a range of NGOs to bring the benefit of sustainable development to as many poor people as possible. It is not our policy to single out particular groups for special attention and DfID has not taken any recent initiatives with regard to the Biharis in Bangladesh.

However, the British Government are concerned by the periodic reports of discrimination against minorities. The British High Commission in Dhaka frequently raises human rights concerns, including on minorities, with the Government of Bangladesh.

Lord McNally

My Lords, I slightly regret the jobsworth tone of that reply. I recognise the commitment to Bangladesh by the Secretary of State's department. However, the point of the Question, like the point of the long campaign by the late David Ennals about this matter, is that the Biharis—a community of some 300,000—have been left stranded in Bangladesh. Is it not one of the world's refugee problems that is manageable and soluble given goodwill and initiative? Are not Her Majesty's Government well placed, with their good relations with Pakistan and with Bangladesh, to take such an initiative?

Baroness Amos

My Lords, I agree with the noble Lord, Lord McNally, that, in a sense, the Biharis have been left stranded; they are basically stateless because Pakistan is not making any particular effort to put in place the mechanisms that would allow those who chose to take Pakistani citizenship at the time the country of Pakistan was created to move into Pakistan. Some 66 camps now house those left in Bangladesh. The Government of Bangladesh provide rice and flour; water and electricity is supplied for free, while NGOs provide medical facilities. The Biharis are free to work, to carry out their business and to move in and out of the camps at will.

There may well be a chink of light here. On 5th May a court case was heard which may lead to some changes. Ten Biharis lodged a case on voting rights at the time of the 2001 elections. The high court ruled in their favour and granted them voting rights. In the past, the Bangladeshi Government have said that those Biharis who remain in Bangladesh could take up Bangladeshi citizenship, but administratively that has not worked out. However, we think that this ruling may well facilitate a process which would allow the Biharis to take up Bangladeshi citizenship and remain in that country.

Baroness Rawlings

My Lords, despite her responses to the noble Lord, Lord McNally, can the Secretary of State explain why assistance to the Bihari people was not mentioned once in the Bangladesh strategy paper? In the light of that, what proportion of UK aid to Bangladesh is allocated to the Bihari people? Furthermore, is any aid to Bangladesh made conditional on resolving the issue of the Biharis?

Baroness Amos

My Lords, I think I made it clear in my initial Answer to the Question tabled by the noble Lord, Lord McNally, that we have not singled out any particular groups for special attention in Bangladesh. However, we have established a new human rights and governance fund to be used to finance human rights and governance activities by smaller NGOs. Bids have been made in respect of that fund to support the Biharis in Bangladesh, but I cannot say to the noble Baroness that a specific proportion of the £ 80 million allocated to Bangladesh is earmarked for work with the Biharis.

Baroness Gardner of Parkes

My Lords, does the noble Baroness agree that, no matter what support is offered by the Government and NGOs, Bangladesh still needs an enormous amount of help? Is she aware that a number of noble Lords are to form part of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association delegation that will visit Bangladesh later this year? I am one of those fortunate enough to be part of the delegation.

Baroness Amos

My Lords, I am aware of the visit of the CPA delegation to Bangladesh. In my previous role as the Minister with responsibility for the Commonwealth, it had been anticipated that I would join part of that delegation visit; that will not now be the case. However, I recognise the concerns that have been expressed. Of course there is an urgent need for development assistance in Bangladesh. Through our High Commission, we shall continue to raise the issue of discrimination against Biharis when it is brought to our attention.

Baroness Northover

My Lords, speaking of the Commonwealth, might not there be scope for a Commonwealth or European Union initiative to help resolve this human rights problem? Would the Secretary of State be willing to take that forward?

Baroness Amos

My Lords, it is possible that there would be scope for an initiative through the Commonwealth, but it is important for the House to remember that Pakistan is currently suspended from the Commonwealth. However, the context in which the Commonwealth could consider this situation would be in terms of human rights as set out in the Harare Principles. There are a number of areas under those principles by which an initiative could be taken forward. I would be happy to take up this point with the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth.

Lord McNally

My Lords, is the Secretary of State aware that her supplementary responses were far better than her original Answer? I hope that that is a sign of her influence on the department. She made the point about possible new rights for the Biharis in Bangladesh. Does she agree that that offers a chink of light? There are signs that the younger generation of Biharis see this as a long-term solution. Is not that something which could and should be encouraged?

Baroness Amos

My Lords, I agree entirely with the noble Lord, Lord McNally, that the younger generation of Biharis strongly envisage their future within Bangladesh. If we can sort out the issue of citizenship, it would mark a promising way forward.

I am pleased that the noble Lord found my supplementary responses more informative than the original Answer, but if I had given everything away, there would have been no opportunity for noble Lords to come back on this issue.