Britain has shown magnanimity and care by announcing that it is ready to allow 3million Hongkong residents to come and settle in the UK. This is a significant number when you note that Hongkong’s population is 7.5 million.This shows that deep down, majority of the British really care and Britain will fully accept its moral responsibility in the World. As a UK citizen I am proud to be British. The British values stand out in the world.
As an ex-Ugandan refugee who settled in the UK, this announcement from the Government brings vivid memories of the plight of the 60,000 Ugandan Asians who were forced to leave the country that they had regarded as their home. It did not matter that many of them were Uganda citizens. They all had to leave. There were some 28,000 who arrived in UK in autumn of 1972 as they held British passports.
Many young generations will not be aware of the trauma and trepidation faced by their parents when Idi Amin, the then President of Uganda called them ‘blood suckers of the economy ‘ and ordered them to leave the country in just 90 days. Most Asians did not believe Amin for the first 30 days. Then the UK government got involved to persuade Amin to change his position. They failed and another 30 days passed. In reality the people had just around a month to leave all of their history and belongings behind and leave the country just with one bag and some money.
There was a lot of debate about the decision to allow the Uganda Asians to settle in UK. A notable minority was against the decision but a good proportion of the UK people sympathised and and supported the new immigrants. It is now 48 years since they settled here.
As Lord Popat, UK trade envoy for Uganda has mentioned, the Ugandan Asians are recognised widely as a model immigrant group in UK’s history of immigration.
The Ugandan Asians have made amazing strides in all aspects of UK economy and life. I believe the generation of young Ugandan Asians, to which I and many of my friends belong to, have outshined in a number of areas. In my opinion they have done three notable and unique things.
They genuinely looked after and cared for their parents as many of the older arrivals struggled to settle and earn a living. This showed that they took responsibility.
Secondly, they worked very hard to economically progress. In my own case, I studied full time for my A levels but on Friday and Saturday evenings I worked at a nightclub in Leicester to collect and wash glasses. On Saturday morning, I worked at a menswear shop and on Sunday, I worked in a petrol station filling tanks. My sister worked at an insurance company and after work she would go to work the evening shift in a biscuit factory. My brother worked as an apprentice car mechanic in the day with all evenings and weekends at a petrol station. This was typical of many of my generation.
We were together, worked hard and saved together. We did not go the the government for any help. We just got on with it. We faced all kinds of discrimination and racism but this did not deter us. This characteristic of hard work and meeting any challenges that come gives a strong message to the debate on Black Lives Matter. It shows how one can succeed irrespective of racism and discrimination. Just look at the economic progress of Ugandan Asians in UK despite them having lost everything and arriving penniless.
The third value created by Uganda Asians was to give the best education to their UK born children. This was not easy but required a lot of sacrifice.The proof now is that Asian children are the best achievers in education and moving on to very successful careers.
The example of Ugandan Asians in UK can give confidence to the society that immigrants can contribute to the society and succeed. The Hongkong residents worried about the unfortunate Chinese aggression can succeed in the UK if they decide to come over. If 28,000 can achieve so much, why not the 3 million.
(The columnist is Founder Chairman, Charity Clarity, Former Chairman, London Chamber of Commerce and Commissioner Department of International Development).
