- Title: UGANDA: TIME RUNNING OUT FOR ASIANS IN UGANDA.
- Date: 17th March 1970
- Summary: 1. GV EXT BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION OFFICE, KAMPALA 0.03 2. CU POLICE SENTRY 0.06 3. MV BLANKETS TILT TO ASIANS WAITING OUTSIDE OFFICE 0.16 4. CU GROUP OF ASIANS CHATTING 0.21 5. CU PAN MORE ASIANS 0.29 6. CU ASIAN BEING INTERVIEWED 1.02 7. SV INT WOMAN CLERK DEALING WITH ASIANS AT COUNTER 1.04 8. CU BRITISH PASSPORT TILT TO OWNER LOOKING AT IT 1.10 9. MV PAN REFUGEES AT COUNTER 1.17 ASIAN: "DEMONSTRATING MIGHT BRING US A NICE REASON FOR GETTING US STRAIGHT THROUGH TO LONDON" NEWSMAN: "BUT HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WAITING IN THE QUEUE?". ASIAN: "I'VE BEEN SINCE THIRTEEN MONTHS". NEWSMAN: "WHAT COULD YOU DO IF YOU GOT TO ENGLAND"? ASIAN: I'LL JOIN MY BROTHER. HE'S GOT A SHOP OVER THERE, AND I'LL WORK FOR HIM. IF NOT I'LL JOIN SOME OTHER FIRM. YOU KNOW, FOR A MECHANICAL JOBS". NEWSMAN: "YOU'RE A MECHANIC". ASIAN: "YES". NEWSMAN: "WHY DO YOU WANT TO GO TO BRITAIN RATHER THAN INDIA?" ASIAN: "BECAUSE ALL MY FAMILY IS IN BRITAIN, NO ONE IS IN INDIA". Initials RJ/VS&B/JF/MH Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 31st March 1970 13:00
- Keywords:
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- Location: KAMPALA, UGANDA
- Country: Uganda
- Reuters ID: LVAA5LLAHX4JJ99IL1M1QH97HU81
- Story Text:FOR NEARLY HALF OF THE 100,000 ASIANS LIVING IN UGANDA TIME IS RUNNING OUT. ON MAY THE FIRST THIS YEAR THE GOVERNMENT'S NEW IMMIGRATION ACT WILL COME INTO FORCE. UNDER ITS TERMS UGANDANS WILL GET MOST OF THE AVAILABLE JOBS AND CARRY OUT MOST OF THE COUNTRY'S TRADING. THE UGANDAN GOVERNMENT STRESSES THAT THE ACT ISN'T DESIGNED TO BE ANTI-ASIAN.....IT SAYS IT MERELY A REALISTIC WAY TO BALANCE THE TRADING SYSTEM WHICH WAS VIRTUALLY CONTROLLED BY THE ASIANS.
WHEN THE ACT COMES INTO FORCE IT WILL VIRTUALLY ISOLATE THE ASIANS. REALISING THIS THEY HAVE MADE DESPERATE ATTEMPTS TO GAIN ENTRY TO BRITAIN. BUT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ONLY ALLOWS 1,500 ENTRY VOUCHERS FOR THE WHOLE OF EAST AFRICA EACH YEAR, AS A RESULT THERE'S BEEN A RUSH ON THE BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION OFFICE IN KAMPALA. THE ONLY ALTERNATIVE TO BRITAIN FOR THE ASIANS IS INDIA....BUT THAT COUNTRY WILL ONLY ALLOW ASIANS IN IF THE BRITISH AUTHORITIES AGREE TO STAMP THEIR PASSPORTS AND ALLOW THEM INTO BRITAIN IF THEY WISH TO DO SO.. OR IF THEY WILL BECOME INDIAN SUBJECTS.
THE BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION HAS CLOSED ITS WAITING LIST FOR ENTRY VOUCHERS AND SOME ASIANS SAY THEY'VE BEEN WAITING FOR VOUCHERS FOR WELL OVER A YEAR.
A SMALL GROUP OF ASIAN HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATING AT THE HIGH COMMISSION FOR WEEKS...... - Copyright Holder: REUTERS - SOURCE TO BE VERIFIED
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