Indians should integrate in Uganda
Apr 23, 2007
SIR — Ugandan Asians in their quest for recognition as one of Ugandan tribes should seek to integrate themselves among the local people. Secluding themselves using the Indian caste system is detrimental and only helps to build a wall between them and the Ugandan society, well known for hospitality
SIR — Ugandan Asians in their quest for recognition as one of Ugandan tribes should seek to integrate themselves among the local people. Secluding themselves using the Indian caste system is detrimental and only helps to build a wall between them and the Ugandan society, well known for hospitality towards visitors.
Ugandan Asians ought to make more visible efforts to discard a social system where some are Brahmins and others are Untouchables. This caste system has, in the past, formed the basis for some Indians’ relationship with Ugandan people. Moreover, there are also African enclaves in India of people of African descent who went to that subcontinent for various reasons.
Probably, these African enclaves survived as a result of the Indian caste system. Some Africans went to India a long time ago as soldiers, sailors, musicians and others were taken there as slaves.
Among the Untouchables in India, are the country’s Africans who are discriminated against, though not many people want to talk about it. To have a win-win situation, it is better to address some of the social inequalities before calling Ugandans racist, which is injurious to the country’s reputation. A few Indians in Uganda tend to harbour some kind of apartheid-like attitudes of self-segregation.
Moreover, Indian investors in Uganda often ghettoise the Africans into low skilled jobs in their enterprises, while hiring unskilled persons from India christened ‘expatriates’ as managers. This is not to fan hatred towards Indians in Uganda or to sabotage foreign investment but Indians have to realise that we all have a part to play in harmonious co-existence.
The Indian diaspora in Uganda, who are most of the time more privileged than the average Ugandans, could start using their wealth for local social programmes for the benefit of all. Build maternity hospitals and schools; sink boreholes to save women walking long distances to draw water.
Jenn Jagire
jmjagire@yorku.ca
Ugandan Asians ought to make more visible efforts to discard a social system where some are Brahmins and others are Untouchables. This caste system has, in the past, formed the basis for some Indians’ relationship with Ugandan people. Moreover, there are also African enclaves in India of people of African descent who went to that subcontinent for various reasons.
Probably, these African enclaves survived as a result of the Indian caste system. Some Africans went to India a long time ago as soldiers, sailors, musicians and others were taken there as slaves.
Among the Untouchables in India, are the country’s Africans who are discriminated against, though not many people want to talk about it. To have a win-win situation, it is better to address some of the social inequalities before calling Ugandans racist, which is injurious to the country’s reputation. A few Indians in Uganda tend to harbour some kind of apartheid-like attitudes of self-segregation.
Moreover, Indian investors in Uganda often ghettoise the Africans into low skilled jobs in their enterprises, while hiring unskilled persons from India christened ‘expatriates’ as managers. This is not to fan hatred towards Indians in Uganda or to sabotage foreign investment but Indians have to realise that we all have a part to play in harmonious co-existence.
The Indian diaspora in Uganda, who are most of the time more privileged than the average Ugandans, could start using their wealth for local social programmes for the benefit of all. Build maternity hospitals and schools; sink boreholes to save women walking long distances to draw water.
Jenn Jagire
jmjagire@yorku.ca