§ 57. Mr. Peter Freemanasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that on 24th January fighting took place in the Haud between the Habr Toljaala and Habr Yumis tribes before the handover to the Ethiopian Government, and that 38 deaths resulted, and 24 persons were wounded; whether he will make a statement in respect of this conflict; and how far the tribes who were parties to the conflict were from the British Protectorate and how far Ethiopian tribes were also concerned.
§ Mr. HopkinsonYes. The fighting which took place on 24th and 25th January arose out of a blood feud following the murder of a member of one30W tribe by a member of the other in a quarrel over a camel bell. The relatively small number of tribal police available near the spot were not able to prevent the conflict, but order was restored on 26th January and the dispute has since been settled in agreement with the leaders of both tribes. The tribes concerned were both from the Somaliland Protectorate and no Ethiopian tribes were involved.