§ Mr. J. Johnsonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has yet fully investigated the reports that the Esa tribe had suffered a massacre at the hands of Ethiopian troops near Diredawa in Ethiopia last February; and whether he will make a statement giving the actual numbers killed and how many of these were British Somalis.
§ Lord John HopeHer Majesty's Government are satisfied that British protected Somalis belonging to the Esa tribe were killed during the incident which took place last February. This has been denied by the Ethiopian Government, in their reply to a note of protest, which was lodged by Her Majesty's Ambassador on 21st July. I am awaiting a further report from Her Majesty's Embassy on the exact number of British Somalis involved.