Thread: If you were British would this BBC report on abuse in Kenya make you ashamed?

The BBC has just published this report from the archives of torture in Kenya during the Mau Mau uprising: BBC News - British Mau Mau abuse papers revealed

One man was burned alive, many were killed and 1000 sent to the gallows for terrible crimes. But, if you were British, would reading this report make you feel ashamed of your own government, a government of a so-called Christian country? What is your answer?

Why would this make you feel any more ashamed of the colonial past of the British empire? Far more terrible crimes were committed historically, or is this one worse because some of the victims might still be alive?

Frankly, First World interference in the Third World is still quite prevalent, and has now extended in to the Second World with the decline of Communism.

This doesn't really draw much of an emotional response from me.

Why would I be ashamed of something that hasn't occured in my lifetime, or by me, or because of my opinion?

I shouldn't. If people were ashamed by their countries past, everyone would have a cloud of guilt hanging on their heads.

Until, just a few years ago, I would religiously watch the BBC Evening news ( tired of the DNC preparing scripts for the alphabet American networks). Anyway, over the span of a couple of years, I picked up that there was this HUGE sense of British guilt towards Africa, especially Kenya. I mentioned it to a British friend who felt otherwise. Now I know why the guilt is going on.

Originally Posted by ewan

But, if you were British, would reading this report make you feel ashamed of your own government, a government of a so-called Christian country? What is your answer?

I see that you recently joined so probably haven't perused the Reparations for Blacks thread. It's many pages long with a lot of good input from people. The subject's very similar and, I think, also the opinions.



http://www.writingforums.com/debate/...ns-blacks.html

Yes.

On second thoughts there's a lot of new members since then, with their own opinions. I'll bump this, hoping to hear these new opinions. (especially as that thread's gonna get trashed in the next few weeks anyway.)

Originally Posted by spider8

On second thoughts there's a lot of new members since then, with their own opinions. I'll bump this, hoping to hear these new opinions. (especially as that thread's gonna get trashed in the next few weeks anyway.)

Trashed!!!

or Thrashed!!?

I don't think I could be ashamed of something I didn't take any part in. I think it is sad yes, but for something that I couldn't stop from happening or was a part of I don't think I would think any different then I do now.

Originally Posted by ewan

Trashed!!!

or Thrashed!!?

Trashed. I think any threads that haven't had posts for over a year will be deleted to clean up the site, apparantly.

Ya, my post count just took a DRAMATIC hit. Now I have a peasant-level post count. Sad. That's what I get for taking some time away!

Ah well, a weekend in the game section and I'll be back in the thousands, ha ha!

Not ashamed and I'm British. It states in the article that our government is not being held responsible for a former colonial.

I'm British and ashamed of it for many reasons and too many to mention here, I'd prefer to call myself Northern European because my Mums ancestry originates from Austria, and my Dads from Scandinavia.

Originally Posted by m alexander

I'm British and ashamed of it for many reasons and too many to mention here, I'd prefer to call myself Northern European because my Mums ancestry originates from Austria, and my Dads from Scandinavia.

You could move to either of those countries, if you really felt that strongly about it. Anything less is complicity through complacency.

Originally Posted by BipBopRealGoodNop

Not ashamed and I'm British. It states in the article that our government is not being held responsible for a former colonial.

Your government is disavowing any responsibility, which is quite a different matter entirely.

Archive searches connected with the case have led to the discovery of thousands of files from former British administrations, including some about the Mau Mau uprising, which are to be made public by the Foreign Office.

David Anderson, professor of African politics at Oxford University, who has examined some of the withheld documents, said the files proved Whitehall not only knew what was being done to Mau Mau suspects but also had a part in sanctioning their ill-treatment.


His witness statement in the case says the papers he has inspected include candid admissions of wrong-doing.

Kenya was under British Rule, the governor was a political appointee of the Colonial Office. Just saying 'we aren't repsonsible' isn't good enough. It was British troops, British governance and tacit, if not explicit, approval from the Government of Britain that resulted in these incidents.

If they were to happen today, the perpetrators, as well as their bosses, would be in the Hague responding to allegations of war crimes, just as has happened to soldiers and politicians from Serbia.