4th August 1972 – a date that is indelibly etched on the minds of Ugandan Asians all over the world. It was on this day, exactly 50 years ago, that the contribution that Asians had made to the development of Uganda over the last 150 years was wiped out in one fell swoop. It was the day President Idi Amin Dada decreed the expulsion of UK passport-holder Asians and those who were not Ugandan citizens - about 60,000 people - from Uganda within 90 days. 90 days to say goodbye to the country of birth, friendships, and relationships, indeed to the homes and lives that it had taken many years and immeasurable effort to build and form the backbone of the Ugandan economy.
The ethnic cleansing of Asians in Uganda was conducted in an Indophobic climate. During these turbulent times, many Ugandan Asians were violently murdered. Those who survived found expropriation of their properties and businesses, assets confiscated, their possessions looted and their extremely hard-earned bank balances stolen. Amin’s soldiers during this period were engaged in theft and physical and sexual violence against the Asians with impunity. Their treatment was brutal.
Even today, I still vividly remember visiting Makindye Prison with two of my friends, Hasu Masrani and Moti Bali to get Mr Kanti Shah of Mabale released from the prison. We found many Ugandan Asians cramped like animals in tiny cells. We were able to release one of the prisoners, but I later learned that many had been tortured and killed. A friend of mine, Harshad Patel, was hanged on a tree and shot repeatedly. None of these events made any sense.
I am not alone in these experiences and so I urge my fellow Ugandan Asians not to forget 4th August, a very sad day for us all, and to remember and sympathise with the families of those who lost their loved ones.
Below I narrate the background of expulsion.
On 4th August 1972, President Idi Amin Dada declared, on the Ugandan Television and Radio Uganda coupled with the world press that the British Government would need to take on the responsibility for the British Subjects of Asian origins. He exaggerated the figure to 80,000 British passport holders. He accused Asians of “sabotaging Uganda’s economy and encouraging corruption”.
Amin gave Asians three months (8 November 1972) to leave Uganda. Fifteen days from his first decree, he expanded to include citizens of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
There was immediate worldwide condemnation including from India.
The Asian community in Uganda thought that this was one of Amin’s dreams and did not take it seriously until they witnessed Ugandan soldiers engaged in theft and physical and sexual violence against the Asians.
Amin also imposed restrictions on the sale and or transfer of private businesses by Asians.
The Indian Government warned Uganda of dire consequences but as usual, took no action when Amin ignored the ultimatum. India continued to maintain diplomatic relations with Uganda and provided no assistance financial or resettlement to Ugandan Indians. A delegation of Asian leaders met with Amin but was unable to convince him to reverse his decision.
Of the 80,000 Asians in Uganda 27200 came to the UK, 6000, mainly Ismaili went to Canada, 4500 to India, 2500 to Kenya, Malawi, and Pakistan, 1000 to the USA, 1000 to Germany, and a smaller number to New Zealand, Mauritius, Norway, Australia, Austria, and Sweden. Only a few hundred remained in Uganda.
Indians in Uganda
The years 1894 to 1962 South Asians were, by deliberate choice, brought to Uganda by Britishers to serve as a buffer between white Britishers and black Africans in the middle rungs of trade and administration.
Prior to this in the 1890s, under a labour contract, 32000 British Indians were brought to East Africa to build the East African railways. Most of the surging Indians went back home but 6724 remained in Uganda after the completion of railway lines.
The Britishers had established educational institutions for the Asian minorities in preference to that of indigenous Ugandans.
By 1970 many Asians who made up only 1% of the population, were working in the Banking sector. While not all Ugandan, Asians were well off but better than the indigenous Ugandans. Asians received a fifth of the National income.
After the independence in 1962, President Milton Obote’s government gradually pursued a policy of Africanisation, which included policies, targeted at Asians.
In the 1960s, the Israelis had helped train Ugandan Army including Amin. When Amin became Chief of Staff of the new Army, he ran a sideline operation for the Israelis, supplying arms and ammunition to the rebels in South Sudan. Many of Amin’s people, Kakwa, lived in South Sudan. When Obote’s intelligence agency informed him of Amin’s dubious double act, he sacked him in 1970.
At the dawn of 25 January, 1971 Radio Uganda announced that Idi Amin Dada was Uganda’s new President having overthrown Obote. Many people suspected that Britain had a hand in the coup but it was a different conspirator, Israel. Amin was helped by Colonel Bar-Lev, the Israeli defence attaché who was advising Amin at the time.
Amin during his time degenerated anti-Asian terms as “dukawallas” who looked after their families and possessed an attitude of superiority. He announced a review of the citizenship status awarded to Asians. On 7 and 8 December 1971, after declaring the census of Uganda’s Asian population, he convened an Indian conference. He presented a memorandum seeking to narrow “the wide gap” that existed between Asians and Africans. He also accused a minority of Asians of disloyalty, non-integration, and commercial malpractice.
Finally, on 4 August 1972 Amin expelled Asians from Uganda.
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The coat of arms of Uganda is described as:
- For the shield: Sable, upon the fess point a sun in splendour and in base an Uganda drum Or, the skin and guy ropes...
- Sable, upon the fess point a sun in splendour and in base an Uganda drum Or, the skin and guy ropes Argent, a chief barry...
- For supporters : Dexter a male Ugandan Kob (Adenota kob thomasi - Bovidæ); sinister, a Crested Crane (Balearica pavonina...
Dexter a male Ugandan Kob (Adenota kob thomasi - Bovidæ); sinister, a Crested Crane (Balearica pavonina)
