§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what information he has concerning the organisations which will be responsible for the registering and processing of Namibian detainees held by the South West Africa People's Organisation after the implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution 435;
(2) if he will make a statement outlining the provisions which are made in the United Nations settlement plan for the safe return of Namibians held in South West Africa People's Organisation camps in Angola and Zambia;
(3) what information he has on the number and names of Namibians currently detained in South West Africa People's Organisation camps in Angola and Zambia;
(4) what representations he has received during the last year concerning the fate and condition of Namibian detainees held by the South West Africa People's Organisation in Angola and Zambia;
(5) what steps he is taking to encourage the establishment of mechanisms in Angola and Zambia to ensure that Namibians resident outside Namibia are given a free and voluntary choice whether to return to Namibia to take part in free and fair elections under the United Nations plan; and if he will make a statement;
625W(6) what recent steps he has taken within the United Nations or other organisations to ensure that the lives of those Namibians detained by the South West Africa People's Organisation are not endangered and that they are permitted to return to Namibia to participate in the forthcoming elections;
(7) what recent representations he has made to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees concerning the Namibian detainees held by the South West Africa People's Organisation in their camps in Angola and Zambia; and what response was received to these representations.
§ Mr. EggarWe condemn human rights abuses whenever they may occur. We are aware of allegations of ill-treatment by SWAPO of detainees held in their camps in Angola and Zambia. This is primarily a matter for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to investigate, but we have raised the issue with SWAPO. We have also made our concern known to the office of the high commissioner.
The United Nations plan for Namibian independence provides for the release of political prisoners and detainees and the voluntary return of exiles. We shall naturally do everything we can do to assist the United Nations Secretary General and his staff to ensure that all the provisions of the United Nations plan are implemented.
§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will make a statement on the status of the informal understandings reached in 1982 on the question of United Nations impartiality during the implementation of the United Nations settlement plan for Namibia;
(2) what is Her Majesty's Government's policy as to the extent to which the United Nations is to be regarded as responsible for guaranteeing that relevant parties adhere to the letter and spirit of the impartiality package referred to in the United Nations Secretary General's report of 23 January on the question of Namibia;
(3) whether he has any information about any mechanisms which may be in place to ensure that all relevant parties concerned with the United Nations settlement plan for Namibia adhere to the provisions of the impartiality package;
(4) whether he will place in the Library a copy of the details of the impartiality package referred to in the United Nations Secretary General's report on 23 January on the question of Namibia.
§ Mr. EggarThe provisions of the impartiality package referred to in the hon. Member's question have not been made public. However, the United Nations Secretary General confirmed in his report of 23 January (United Nations document S/20412) that the package remained binding on the parties. The Secretary General's report was in turn approved by United Nations Security Council resolution 632 of 16 February. We for our part shall do all we can to assist the United Nations Secretary General and his staff in ensuring that the provisions of the impartiality package are fully applied.