HC Deb 13 February 1987 vol 110 cc401-4W
Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contacts have been established by British diplomatic staff with the South West Africa People's Organisation.

Mrs. Chalker

British diplomatic staff have contacts from time to time and at various levels with the South West Africa People's Organisation, which is a negotiating party to the United Nations Plan for Namibia endorsed by United Nations Security Council resolution 435.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contact British diplomatic staff resident in Angola, Zambia and South Africa have had with the South West Africa People's Organisation in the last two years; and if he will give the place and time of all such contacts.

Mrs. Chalker

British officials resident in Angola, Zambia and South Africa have had various contacts with representatives of the South West Africa People's Organisation in the last two years. A comprehensive list is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has made to the United Nations concerning the use of United Nations funds in South West Africa People's Organisation camps in Angola and Zambia.

Mrs. Chalker

In the course of discussions on the United Nations programme and budget, we regularly urge the economical and efficient deployment of resources throughout the organisation. This includes funds administered through the United Nations Council for Namibia and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to be informed of the results of the European Commission's investigation into conditions in South West Africa People's Organisation camps.

Mrs. Chalker

Our European partners share our concern over allegations of human rights abuses in Namibian refugee camps. Together with our partners in the Twelve we are continuing to pay close attention to these allegations, as we do to all questions of human rights abuses wherever they may occur, but so far as we know there has been no investigation by the European Commission.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has made to the Governments of Angola and Zambia concerning the detention of the SWAPO One Hundred in SWAPO controlled camps in Angola and Zambia.

Mrs. Chalker

The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is the administering authority for refugee camps in Angola and Zambia. We have not, therefore, made representations on this subject to the Governments of Angola and Zambia.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has concerning the detention without trial of 600 to '700 persons by the South West Africa People's Organisation.

Mrs. Chalker

We have no independent source of information on allegations of detentions without trial by the South West Africa People's Organisation.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he or any of his staff have received concerning the detention by the South West Africa People's Organisation of 100 Namibian refugees; and what information he has concerning the conditions under which they are detained.

Mrs. Chalker

We have received representations about the detention of Namibian refugees by the South West Africa People's Organisation from the International Society for Human Rights, the Namibian Parents' Committee and from right hon. and hon. Members. We have no independent source of information on the conditions under which they are detained.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has about conditions in those South West Africa People's Organisation camps for which British funds have been indirectly made available.

Mrs. Chalker

We have no independent information on conditions in camps for refugees from Namibia. We have expressed our concern at alleged human rights abuses in the camps to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, who is responsible for the administration of the camps.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he or a Foreign Office Minister last met a vice-president of the South West Africa People's Organisation.

Mrs. Chalker

The then Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Edinburgh, Pentlands (Mr. Rifkind) met Mr. Hendrik Witbooi, Vice-President of the South West Africa People's Organisation, on 16 February 1984.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) whether he or any officer of his Department has raised in discussions with the South West Africa People's Organisation allegations that the South West Africa People's Organisation employs torture in camps it controls in Angola and Zambia; and if he will make a statement;

(2) whether he or any officer of his Department has raised in discussions with the South West Africa People's Organisation, allegations that the South West Africa People's Organisation is detaining between 600 and 700 Namibians in inhuman conditions in camps in Angola and Zambia; and if he will make a statement;

(3) whether he or any officer of his Department has raised with representatives of the South West Africa People's Organisation the case of Ben Boois, a Namibian refugee, reported by the International Society for Human Rights in its analysis of "Human Rights and Namibia" published in the United Kingdom (ISBN 3–89248–006–0) and also by the Namibian Parents Committee as having been murdered by SWAPO;

(4) whether he or any officer of his Department has raised with representatives of the South West Africa People's Organisation the case of Nadapdula Mpupa, a Namibian refugee, reported by the International Society for Human Rights in its analysis of "Human Rights and Namibia" published in the United Kingdom (ISBN 3–89248–006–0) as having disappeared from a SWAPO controlled camp;

(5) whether he or any officer of his Department has raised with representatives of the South West Africa People's Organisation the case of Elia Shikwambi, a Namibian refugee, reported by the International Society for Human Rights in its analysis of "Human Rights of Namibia" published in the United Kingdom (ISBN 3–89248–006–0) to be held in detention by SWAPO, without trial, in contravention of the United Nations universal declaration on human rights and the United Nations standard minimum rules for the treatment of prisoners;

(6) whether he or any officer of his Department has raised with representatives of the South West Africa People's Organisation the case of Tauno Hatuikulipi, a Namibian refugee, reported by the International Society for Human Rights in its analysis of "Human Rights and Namibia" published in the United Kingdom (ISBN 3–89248–006–0) as having been tortured and then executed by the South West Africa People's Organisation.

Mrs. Chalker

We are concerned at all violations of human rights and have expressed our concern to representatives of the South West Africa People's Organisation about the various allegations of human rights abuses in Namibian refugee camps.

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