§ Mr. Peter Freemanasked the Secretary of State for War (1) what is the reason for the policy adopted in Eritrea in areas where there has been fighting with the Italians, of seizing as hostages the ten most prominent residents of each village and retaining them at Tessenei in the Western Province; how many hostages have thus been seized; how many of them are over 50 years of age; in what conditions they are confined; and whether he will, in default of evidence sufficient to convict these hostages of breach of the law, return them to their villages;
(2) whether he is aware that the Chief Administrator of Eritrea has decided to levy collective fines on villages in areas where Italians have been killed; how many Italian and Eritrean deaths, respectively, have occurred in areas where such measures have been taken against the population; and whether he will give instructions to discontinue this practice.
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§ Mr. Ernest DaviesI have been asked Ito reply. His Majesty's Government are responsible for the maintenance of law and order throughout the whole of Eritrea by all means which are authorised by the law of the territory. I am not aware that any policy of seizing "hostages" has been adopted or that any hostages have been seized.
Under the law of the territory, the Chief Administrator has power, if he considers it necessary in the interests of public order, to require individuals to reside in a specified place. I have no information that any individual has as yet been so required. There is also in the laws of the territory provision for the imposition of collective fines. I have no information that any collective fine has in fact been imposed. I am, however, asking the Chief Administrator for a special report on both these matters and I will write to my hon. Friend.