TNAG-0112-FCO40-148-Detainees-and-prisoners-following-19671968-disturbances-1969 — Page 65

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Oral Answers

17 FEBRUARY 1969

Mr. Roberts: There is a Question down about that.

Mr. Whitaker: I agree with what was said in the last supplementary question, but is it not regrettable that several prac- tices carried on in Hong Kong inhibit Britain's acceptance of the Human Rights Convention? Would it not be better to accept the request of the Hong Kong Bar Association for trial by jury, as is the normal practice, instead of deten- tion without trial, which is totally un- British?

Mr. Roberts: That is a large question. It depends on what view one takes of human rights. When there is a question of intimidation and the threat of a bomb outrage it is up to the authorities to do what they can to prevent people being intimidated and being bombed. I would have thought that freedom from intimida- tion and being blown up by a bomb were basic human rights.

Mr. Fletcher-Cooke: Are not the Gov- ernment of Hong Kong at the moment reducing the number of people in deten- tion almost to vanishing point?

Mr. Roberts: That is so.

-China (Mr. Anthony Grey) ——– 34. Mr. Molloy asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further state- ment regarding the illegal imprisonment of Mr. Anthony Grey by the Chinese authorities.

Mr. M. Stewart: I have nothing to add to the reply my hon. Friend the Under- Secretary of State gave to the hon. Mem- ber for Bury St. Edmunds (Mr. Eldon Griffiths) on 20th January.-~[Vol. 776, c. 29-30.]

Mr. Molloy With respect, that is not a completely satisfactory reply. One would have thought that there would have been something more to report to the House. Is my right hon. Friend keeping in touch with the relatives of Mr. Grey and his colleagues in the journalistic profession? Will my right hon. Friend assure the House that he will endeavour to keep up the pressure to see that this disgusting crime which the Chinese have perpetrated on this man -ży ended as swiftly as possible?

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Oral Answers

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Mr-Stewart-1-Yos: My reply did net mean that we had ceased to make repr- sentations about this. We have kept in touch with both Mr. Grey's relatives and his colleagues. I think that the House agrees with the description given by my hon. Friend of the Chinese Governnfent's action.

Mr. Peyton: Although the Govern- ment may have been absolutely justified at the start in observing an attitude of great restraint towards the Chinese Gov- ernment, has not the time come, for some international condemnation .of their totally uncivilised policies?

Mr. Stewart: There has been wide- spread condemnation of the Chinese Government's action, not only by this country but by other countries. We are by no means the only country whose citizens are being treated in this manner. I would remind the House that in recent months some British subjects who were previously detained have been released. For the present we must proceed to handle this matter as we now are.

Mr. Manuel: Does my right hon. Friend not recognise that some of us have constituents who have been detained for many months and that we are reaching the end of our patience? Will he con- sider relieving hon. Members from the constant anxiety and messages from relatives? Will he send someone out from the Foreign Office to see where these people are? We cannot even dis- cover where they are or what prison they are in.

Mr. Stewart: I by no means under- estimate the anxiety of the families of these British subjects or the feelings of hon. Members about this. My hon. Friend will realise that our power to dis- cover even in some cases where they are is limited, but we are in continual touch with the Chinese Government about this. We have been able to make some pro- gress.

Sir Alec Douglas-Home: Although we are naturally very impatient-I have no doubt that the right hon. Gentleman un- derstands that and it is very important that our restraint should not be misunder- stood overseas, is it not at the same time necessary for all of us to recognise that what we are trying to do is the best for "Mr."Grey"?