§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Lord Privy Seal if he will seek to take appropriate international action to organise a free and democratic general election in Poland with the opportunity of any democratic political party or organisation to be permitted to contest such an election; and if he will ask the Government of Poland to co-operate in such an arrangement.
§ Mr. Humphrey AtkinsWe condemn utterly the repression and suspension of civil liberties in Poland. Our immediate aims, for which we are working with our Western partners in NATO and the European Community, are to see
These demands have been made clear to the Polish authorities during our various bilateral exchanges. The measures which we and our partners are concerting are designed to bring pressure on the Polish military authorities and the Soviet Government, who share responsibility for the crisis to facilitate the achievement of these aims.
- (a) the early lifting of martial law;
- (b) the release of those detained including members of Solidarity; and
- (c) a resumption of the dialogue between the regime and Solidarity and the Church which represented the most significant democratic evolution in Eastern Europe since the Second World War.
§ Mr. Tony Marlowasked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will publish a detailed summary in the Official Report of any cases of torture, imprisonment without trial, killings or other violations of human rights known to have been carried out by the Polish Government since 13 December 1981.
§ Mr. Humphrey AtkinsOfficial spokesmen of the military regime in Warsaw have claimed in public statements that 5, 937 people have been interned in Poland since martial law was imposed. On 9 January it was stated that 5, 019 were still interned. The military authorities have also claimed that nine people have been killed. Unofficial reports speak of much higher figures, but we have no way of substantiating these.