A night of emotion: Expelled Ugandan Asians share their story 50 years on

Authors, rappers and journalists came together,at Newbury Rugby Club on Saturday (September 25),to share intimate stories of their journeys through a variety of outlets from speeches to music and book reading.

Many who came to the UK found their traumas were lost in history and are now speaking up in a bid to establish their identity.

Organiser Pragna Hay said: “People are now realising that we have got to fifty years and their voices have still not been heard.

“People weren’t really willing to talk about their traumas but as some families lose the first generation, they think I need to get family story out there.”

She added: “Most councils have acknowledged what’s happened, our council has not once acknowledged it. It’s about time that 50 years on, that this happened here.

“Leicester have acknowledged that they made a massive mistake in stopping people coming there. It impacted so many people, there were protests because people did not want us to come.”

Speaking on the evet itself, which was around five months in the making, she said: “It was a really successful event, people found it moving, celebratory and they said the food was great.

“People have said it gave a fantastic insight into real traumas.”

Amongst the speakers was Harish Joshi who shared a similar experience to many, coming to the UK with nothing after being sent to Uganda under British colony rule but working to make a new life for himself in London.

Former resident of the Greenham Settlement Deborah West shared the story of her late father who came face to face with Idi Amin.

London based musician and rapper NX Panther put on a performance with a song written especially for the night.

National journalist Yasmin Alibhai Brown spoke of her experience coming to the UK in 1972 and opened up about the racial disparities and hierarchies in Uganda.

Speaking after the event, the former Independent writer said she has previously been ostracised for attempting to tell what she called an incomplete story.

She said: “For fifty years we have told one story but we need to look at things that are not easy to look at.

“The African people suffered much more.”

Mrs Alibhai-Brown told Newbury Today: “We Asians lost stuff, you can get stuff back. But they died.”

The Mayor of Newbury councillor Gary Norman said: “I found it immensely enjoyable. I remember it happening when I lived in Suffolk, a lot of Ugandan people came to an RAF camp.

He said: “It was a really privilege, everyone kept saying I am honoured to meet the mayor but some ways I felt like the least important person in the room.

“I managed to meet Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, she is someone who I have always admired. I was privileged to meet her.”

He added: “It was all great, there were great speakers, the stories were moving and really poignant.

“The music and dancing at the end was great. It was a really great night out.”

Deputy Lieutenant of Berkshire Carol Jackson-Doerge said she did not know about Greenham camp until meeting Pragna Hay.

“I had known the expulsion had taken place but I was not aware of all of this,” she said.

“I felt privileged to be there and listening to these personal stories.

“They spoke about how there was no Sunday trading in the UK but they saw an opportunity with corner shops. They worked hard and they got on with life.”

Other dignitaries included the Sheriff of Berkshire Alka Kharbanda, Chairman of Greenham Parish Council Steve Jones, Ugandan philanthropist Hon Jaffer Kapasi, Ugandan High Commissioner for the UK Nimisha Madhvani.

More information can be found on Facebook page ugandanasians or Uprooted50yearsago on Instagram.

An exhibition on the expulsion can be viewed at Greenham Controll Tower until December 18