Ugandan Asians

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32998, 18 August 1972, Page 12

Ugandan Asians

Sir, —I hope that New Zealand will accept on humanitarian grounds some of the British Asians threatened with expulsion from Uganda. I knew many of these people in England and had a high regard for them. They made good citizens and contributed to the economy. Most of them were well educated and spoke English. Those who succeeded in bringing their savings with them quickly bought houses, often opening their own businesses. Some obtained professional or other work in under-manned services such as hospitals and the nationalised industries; others found commercial posts or work in the British Civil Service. Despite the difficulties over entry into the European Economic Community, New Zealand still has close ties with the United Kingdom and it would be a generous and statesmanlike gesture on our part to come to the aid of the “mother country” over this human problem.—Yours, etc., FRANCES CASHIN. August 15, 1972.

Sir, —“The Walrus” writes in a vein befitting his name. What relevance has I.Q. to the situation in Uganda? Does not “The Walrus” know that I.Q. is largely a myth? There has not yet been an intelligence test devised that is capable of unbiased results. Psychologists themselves are still debating as to what intelligence is. Any I.Q. measurements, carried out in Uganda, would undoubtedly reflect the Asians’ over-all higher socio-economic level, which has a direct influence on all I.Q. results. Where does “The Walrus” obtain his information that most Asians have applied for Ugandan passports? For two years (1963-65) Asians were offered Ugandan passports. Those that are now being expelled did not accept this offer. To imply that Asians were refused Ugandan passports is gross misrepresentation.—Yours, etc., G. P. BROWNE. August 15, 1972.

Sir, —I think that the fact that there have been no protests over the ship-loads of moaning no-hopers that have been brought from Europe over the past years rather shows up the motives of those protesting about Asians coming to New Zealand now. Jobs that New Zealanders could be trained for have been taken by European immigrants without any consideration for our unemployed, so why the sudden interest now? The unemployment problem is a convenient side issue that is being used to confuse the situation. It suits t’..ese new protesters to ignore the fact that, properly managed, New Zealand has the resources to solve its problems concerning unemployment, the aged, and homeless, as well as helping a few unfortunate Asians.—Yours, etc., M.O.D.

August 16, 1972. Sir, —On hearing all about the appalling racial discrimination being applied by the Government of Uganda, one wonders where all the protesters are. Is this not worse than the racial discrimination in South Africa? There the black and coloured people are not expelled from the country. Does it not seem strange that at the slightest

hint of discrimination against coloured people by white people, the protesters are up in arms? Yet, when black people discriminate against others, none of these protesters appear interested.— Yours, etc., P.A.S. August 16, 1972.

Sir, — President Amin’s' cruel ultimatum to some Ugandan Asians cannot be condoned. But it is mild compared with the physical brutality I saw inflicted on Africans in Kenya and Uganda by Europeans. Were Africans as vindictive as their white masters, independence would have brought immediate blood-baths. The British wanted Asians as shopkeepers and tradesmen, reserving all menial tasks for Africans, who were beaten even for speaking English. To divide and rule, Indians and Africans were played off against each other. In “English” Natal, where Asians had been promised full citizens’ rights on completing their indentureships, they were disfranchised and had 87 discriminatory laws passed against them by 1943. Amin’s foolishness brings joy to the hysterical supporters of apartheid, but it really proves that there are no “homelands” for the innocent descendants of ethnic groups displaced by past generations of colonial exploiters.—Yours, etc., “JIM ABELSON ” August 16, 1972.