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Lord Bassam of Brighton moved Amendment No. 2:
- Page 1, line 4, leave out ", subsections (2) to (5) are repealed" and insert "is amended as set out in subsections (2) and (3).
On Question, amendment agreed to.
Clause 1, as amended, agreed to.
House resumed: Bill reported with amendments.
Lord Carter: My Lords, before we move to the Statement on the volcanic eruptions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, I should inform the House that there will be a second Statement today on the detention of British nationals in Guantanamo Bay.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Amos): My Lords, with the leave of the House, I shall now repeat a Statement being made in another place by my honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development. The Statement is as follows:
"Last Thursday at about 10 o'clock in the morning the Nyiragongo volcano near Goma in the DRC erupted. That evening the quantity and rate of lava flow from the volcano increased and further fissures opened up in Goma itself. Much of the town was engulfed and destroyed.
"Early reports suggest that about 100 people have lost their lives, but the death toll may rise further. Hundreds of thousands of people have had to flee their homes. Many crossed to Rwanda in the east to seek shelter in and around the town of Gisenyi. Others fled west in the direction of Sake inside the DRC. Some who were trapped in the town and under threat from the heat and from noxious gases have been helped to safety.
"The volcano continues to erupt and the whole area, including Gisenyi, is subject to continuing earth tremors. There also concerns that gases given off, especially deep in Lake Kivu, may be disturbed and could threaten the lives of civilians who remain in or return to the area.
"In spite of these dangers, many of those displaced are now moving back into Goma itself. Those affected naturally want to find out the extent of the destruction of their homes and property and to see what the chances of returning may be. It also appears that many would rather be in the DRC than seek refuge in Rwanda. Irrespective of where people choose to locate themselves, there is an urgent need for water and sanitation, healthcare, shelter and food. Cholera is a particularly serious threat.
"The response of the international community and of the Rwandan Government has been as follows. The Rwandan Government have already provided assistance to civilians trapped by the lava flows. The UN has redeployed resources from the DRC, and staff from Geneva, to lead the relief operation. MONUC, the UN peacekeeping operation in DRC, has made its logistical capacity available. The International Committee of the Red Cross and major international NGOs based in the area are already working to help those affected. The relief agencies have a presence and capacity on both sides of the Rwanda/DRC border and will be able to offer support where it is most needed—although the challenge will be considerable.
(2) For subsection (2) there is substituted—
"(2) But—
(a) no application under section 14B of the Football Spectators Act 1989 (banning orders made on a complaint) may be made, and
(b) no power conferred on a constable by section 21A or 21B of that Act (summary measures) may be exercised,
after the end of the period of five years beginning with the day on which section 1 of the Football (Disorder) (Amendment) Act 2002 comes into force."
(3) Subsections (3) to (5) are repealed."
3.38 p.m.
"With permission, Mr Speaker, I should like to make a Statement about the volcanic eruptions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
21 Jan 2002 : Column 1344
"Appeals have been made to donors to help finance the relief operations. DfID has set aside £2 million to help fund the relief operation through Oxfam, Merlin, a UK emergency medical response agency, and the British Red Cross. We will also respond to the UN appeal. Oxfam has been asked by the UN to take on the role of providing water and sanitation, and a flight with equipment and supplies left RAF Manston on Saturday evening. That was paid for by DfID funding. Merlin will be providing healthcare to those affected. The organisation has considerable experience in the DRC and has a large and experienced team of Congolese professionals already present on the ground. The Red Cross will continue to deliver emergency help in Goma and Gisenyi.
"As the situation changes, DfID will continue to provide support to agencies already engaged on the ground and we stand ready to consider further help if necessary. Earlier this year, the ICRC received £5.5 million from DfID for its programme in DRC, including a significant element for humanitarian assistance.
"These two countries have already suffered a great deal from the conflict that has affected the region. This human catastrophe is another burden for the people of Goma to bear. I am sure the whole House will wish to express its sympathies to all of those who have been affected and who have lost loved ones".
3.43 p.m.
Lord Astor of Hever: My Lords, the House will be grateful to the Minister for repeating the Statement. I apologise to her for missing the first minute of her speech. I was informed that the Statement would follow the speech by the noble Lord, Lord Dubs, in the Northern Ireland debate.
Anyone who saw on television the weekend's harrowing scenes cannot fail to have been deeply moved. On behalf of these Benches, I should like to express our condolences to the many families who have lost loved ones. The region around Goma has suffered so many man-made problems that this natural disaster must be particularly hard to bear.
We welcome the £2 million announced in immediate aid to the victims of the volcano. Is that amount for short-term humanitarian aid only? Are the Government planning, in addition, long-term recovery assistance? Can the Minister also confirm the report in the Financial Times that the EU has announced £3.1 million of immediate emergency aid?
If refugees are now returning to Goma, as reports suggest, will the aid be in the right place at the right time? What is being done to provide aid to those who have returned home, given the lack of water and electricity within Goma?
This disaster has taken place in an area controlled by rebels. Past experience shows that where there are competing factions, competing donors and competing aid agencies, strong co-ordination is needed. Is the
Minister satisfied with the present arrangements? What role do the Government of the DRC and the Rwandan Government have in the humanitarian effort?The volcanic eruption was, to a certain extent, predictable. Can the Minister say whether the new technology for measuring long episodes of seismic activity will be feasible in the long term to improve our response to such disasters? Finally, the Minister mentioned that gasses deep in Lake Kivu could threaten civilians in the area. Has any real measurement of this risk taken place?
3.46 p.m.
Lord Shutt of Greetland: My Lords, I, too, thank the Minister for repeating the Statement. I should like to express our concerns, from a distance, at the appalling loss of life and devastation.
It occurs to me that there are three specific responses. There is the immediate response—referred to in the Statement—and the work of aid organisations such as Oxfam. Secondly, there is the long-term response. I should like an assurance that Her Majesty's Government are doing all they can in terms of the immediate and the long-term response to bring other nations, the European Union and the United Nations on board, so that the matter is taken extremely seriously and it is seen that the developed world has a real part to play.
Thirdly, I wonder whether out of tragedy may come opportunity. We have heard reference to the Government's "Africa concerns". Is this now an opportunity for the Government, having become involved in this specific issue, to see whether something can be done in terms of the politics of the area? Not only is there devastation; there is also the continuing dreadful dispute in the region. Is not this an opportunity to take hold of the politics as well as to respond to the devastation?
Baroness Amos: My Lords, the £2 million that has been announced is for short-term humanitarian assistance. Noble Lords will wish to know that we do not have a bilateral development programme with the Democratic Republic of the Congo because of the serious conflict in the country. However, we have contributed substantially to the humanitarian situation. The £2 million is part of that.
In terms of long-term recovery, we have a development programme with Rwanda to the tune of some £76 million over three years, 2000–2003. In December last year, the European Union considered approving a national indicative programme for the DRC which in the longer term would lead to bilateral assistance between the European Union and the DRC; but it is clearly dependent on progress being made in the inter-Congolese dialogue and the peace process in the DRC. So in terms of the long term within the DRC, we shall have to sit down and think about the implications of what has happened in Goma and how
we might support long-term recovery in the DRC. As I said, currently we do not have a bilateral programme with the DRC.On co-ordination, noble Lords will be aware that because of the conflict in the DRC different groups control different parts of the country. Therefore, the eastern DRC—the part of the DRC which borders Rwanda where Goma is situated—is controlled by the RCD Goma. We have to work with them and with the international agencies such as the ICRC and the UN. We are keeping a close eye on the situation. The Rwandan Government have been involved with regard to the move of the population from Goma into Rwanda. However, the bulk of the population has moved back to Goma and co-ordination becomes even more important. Goma has been a base for the UN peacekeeping operation. Humanitarian agencies have been based in Goma. That makes our job somewhat simpler.
As to aid being in the right place, we have aid agencies working in Rwanda and Goma so we are able to provide assistance
With regard to gases on Lake Kivu, noble Lords will understand that I am not remotely technical. However, although it is a possibility, the noxious gases about which we are worried have not so far been released. A technical team is keeping an eye on the situation. Noble Lords may also have seen press reports indicating that some of the equipment for monitoring volcanic activity was looted. We have had no confirmation of that.
Finally, on the Government's priority with regard to the new partnership for African development and working towards the G8 action plan for Africa, noble Lords will be aware that my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary is currently in the DRC—the visit has been long planned—with his colleague, Foreign Minister Vedrine from France. Part of the purpose of that visit is to ensure that French and British policy in the Great Lakes region is properly co-ordinated. Both countries consider the peace process extremely important. What is happening in the DRC has an impact on countries across the region. I am sure that peace and security will be a key element of any plan which is agreed on development issues for the African continent.
3.54 p.m.
Lord Desai: My Lords, perhaps I may ask the Minister two brief questions. First, did we have any early warning about the eruption? Some time ago I worked on early warning systems for famines. Are there any early warning systems for such eruptions? If not, would not they be a good idea?
Secondly, I often hear of ourselves and the EU giving aid to Afghanistan or the DRC. Do other individual members of the EU also give aid? If the Minister cannot tell me now, perhaps she will write to me.
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