§ Mr. Fauldsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will allocate money for scholarships for Namibians chosen by the United Nations Council for Namibia to come to the United Kingdom for study.
§ Miss Joan LestorThis year the Government are again contributing £70,000 to the United Nations Educational and Training Programme for Southern Africa which can provide scholarships in Britain for Namibians. We shall also be contributing to the UN Council's Research Institute for Namibia at Lusaka. Morever, our contribution of £10,000 to the UN Fund for Namibia is specifically for humanitarian and educational purposes.
§ Mr. Fauldsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government will take steps to cancel the contract for the supply of uranium from the Rossing Mine in Namibia to the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority.
§ Miss Joan LestorNo.
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise in the General Assembly of the United Nations the use of torture by the South African police against citizens of Namibia, which is illegally occupied by South Africa, contrary to the decisions of the International Court, the General Assembly and the Security Council.
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§ Miss Joan LestorOn our general policy towards Namibia and South Africa's unlawful presence there I refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. Friend's statement in this House on 4th December. —[Vol. 882, c. 1555–1566.]
There has been widespread concern about the treatment of SWAPO leaders. We have taken up cases with the South African Government, including the Ovambo floggings. We have also sent embassy observers to the SWAPO trials. The whole question was debated fully in the General Assembly in October.
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise in the United Nations Security Council the proposed creation by South Africa in Namibia of a Bantustan in Ovamboland, since this is contrary to Security Council resolutions on the future of Namibia.
§ Miss Joan LestorAlthough there have been speculative Press reports about this, I have no evidence that the South African Government propose to create a Bantustan in Ovamboland. Should we receive any we should naturally consider seriously what action to take since we regard South Africa's presence in Namibia to be unlawful.