HC Deb 05 June 1985 vol 80 c170W
Rev. Martin Smyth

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) whether any representative of the British Government has visited any refugee camp in Angola;

(2) whether any representative of the British Government has visited any camp in Angola administered by the South West Africa People's Organisation; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Rifkind

No representative of Her Majesty's Government has visited either a refugee camp in Angola, or a camp administered by the South West Africa People's Organisation in Angola during the last four years, the period of which records are readily available.

Rev. Martin Smyth

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Epping Forest (Sir J. Biggs-Davison) on 17 May, Official Report, column 254, it is British Government policy to rely solely on the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to monitor and act on human rights violations in the South West Africa People's Organisation camps.

Mr. Rifkind

We are naturally concerned about all violations of human rights wherever they occur. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, as the international body charged with ensuring the welfare of refugees, is in the best position to decide whether any violations of human rights have indeed occurred in SWAPO refugee camps.

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