Britains dirty Kenyan secret, the Mau Mau Question.

[Ab-Titchaz]

Kenya: Evil and the Empire

For elderly Kenyans variously beaten, castrated and detained in Britain's gulag, there can be no adequate compensation

For a long time the denial was total, with even archival staff told that the damning files about Kenya belonged to somebody other than the Foreign Office. After the papers were finally dragged into the daylight, Whitehall accepted that the racially tinged barbarism they documented was a very bad business. It continued to fight litigation, however, because of supposed fears about the impossibility of a fair case, half a century on from the Mau Mau revolt. Last year, a judge dismissed this concern, pointing to "voluminous" evidence dutifully logged by a regime that ruled with the filing cabinet as well as the iron rod. A last-ditch Foreign Office attempt to bat the issue remained in play, but now the government seems ready to shift from fighting to folding, by moving to settle with victims of British abuse.

For elderly Kenyans who were variously beaten, castrated and detained in "Britain's gulag", there can be no adequate compensation for a trauma that may have shaped a lifetime, but a payment coupled to a frank confession might help draw a line, the process post-apartheid South Africa called truth and reconciliation. For the surviving victims, this is, surely, the least that justice demands.

But is there any broader purpose in stirring up the distant past? The case against securing apologies from people without personal culpability after hauling long-dead officials over the coals is not hard to make, but it is blind to the chains that link present and past. Britain's place in the world was established through imperialism, and although that place is not what it was, that same history explains why the average citizen in London still enjoys privileges and opportunities completely unknown to the average citizen in Nairobi. The first I in ICI was for imperial, testament to the role that sales to the colonies played in the building of British industry; the flow of funds around an empire on which the sun never set made sterling a reserve currency and London a world financial centre. Go further back, and the UK's proud claim to be "a trading nation" was established with consignments of the bloodstained crops of cotton and sugar, to say nothing of the human cargo that went with them.

All this, of course, goes way beyond Kenya, which was only colonised the best part of a century after trading in slaves was abolished. The point is merely that it is attendant on countries that have prospered through brute power to be honest and reflective about this. Britain may have run its empire on looser reins than some, and certainly jettisoned it more quickly. It did not, however, do so without a nasty fight in several places.

The Mau Mau case is important because it reminds us of this – and of how reliably the impulse to assert national authority beyond national borders slips from the arrogant to the violent.

Kenya: evil and the empire | Editorial | Comment is free | The Guardian

 

[Ab-Titchaz]

Mau Mau massacre cover-up detailed in newly-opened secret files

Documents reveal how British officials concocted cover story to explain death of men killed by prison guards in Kenya

Ian Cobain, Richard Norton-Taylor
guardian.co.uk,

Thursday 29 November 2012 19.00 EST

A 1952 photograph shows a round up of Mau Mau suspects captured in a raid in the Great Rift Valley in Kenya. Photograph: Popperfoto/Getty Images


The full story of the British government's attempts to mount a cover-up following a massacre of unarmed prisoners during the 1950s Mau Mau insurgency in Kenya has been disclosed with the declassification of hitherto secret files from the era.

The documents - held for five decades in a secret Foreign Office archive - show that ministers and officials were claiming that the men had died after drinking contaminated water long after they had been informed of the truth: that all 11 had been been beaten to death.

They were also aware that the deaths at Hola prison camp in the south east of the country resulted from a programme of systematic abuse that prison guards had been authorised to inflict on Mau Mau prisoners in an attempt to break their will and force them to submit to authority of the colonial government.

The files, now available to the public at the National Archives at Kew, south west London, are among the latest batch to be transferred after the foreign office acknowledged the existence of its secret archive, during litigation brought on behalf of Mau Mau veterans at the high court in London.

Among the files are a series of exchanges between Sir Evelyn Baring, governor of Kenya, and Alan Lennox-Boyd, secretary of state for the colonies, in March 1959.

In the first, sent the day after the massacre, Baring stated that the men had died "after they had drunk water from a water cart". He added that although some of the dead "were suffering from slight bruises" following a scuffle, "there is not the slightest indication that that any force used had any connection with any of the deaths". A press release to this effect was then published in Nairobi.

In fact, prison officers and guards had been authorised to beat Mau Mau detainees if they refused to carry out work at the country's prison camps, with the colony's attorney general, Eric Griffith-Jones, rewriting local law in order to decrimininalise such assaults.

Documents transferred to Kew from the secret archive earlier this year show that this redrafting was done in secret, with Griffith-Jones warning Baring: "If we are going to sin, we must sin quietly."

Another document made public shows that more than a week after being informed that post-mortem examinations had shown that the men had been beaten to death - with some suffering fractured skulls and jaws, and several dying from organ failure brought on by shock - Lennox-Boyd planned to deploy the "water cart" cover-up while facing questions in the House of Commons from Barbara Castle, the Labour MP who was campaigning for an end to the mistreatment of Mau Mau prisoners.

"We fully recognise there can be no legal liability upon you but public opinion is extremely sensitive on Hola problem, and Kenya government are widely regarded rightly or wrongly as under a moral obligation for the deaths," Lennox-Boyd wrote to Baring.

"We could I fear maintain a rigid stand on the legal rights and wrongs at best only at the cost of a great deal of bitter and unnecessary political trouble here. I am sure you will agree we should try to let this unhappy incident drop out of sight as soon as possible. If a 'niggardly' attitude is taken this will be impossible".

Baring advised Lennox-Boyd to avoid the water cart claim, and suggested he should simply evade the question on the grounds that it would be "inappropriate" to anticipate the outcome of an inquest.

The colonial authorities then decided that they should scour their files for evidence that the dead men were criminals. When it was discovered that none of them had been convicted of committing any criminal offence, and had been held without trial because of their support for the insurgency, Baring instructed that "an exercise should be done on the dossiers" in order provide some useful material. He also suggested that they should secure an opinion that the dead men may have been more susceptible to injuries as a result of suffering scurvy.

When the inquest was held, witnesses described how the men had been sitting down, refusing to dig an irrigation ditch, when the guards began beating them with clubs. The prison's superintendent, Michael Sullivan, and his deputy, Walter Coutts, had been present. When called to give evidence, Coutts attempted to tell the magistrate who was presiding over the inquest that the 11 men had "willed themselves to death".

The magistrate concluded that the men had been beaten to death, but that the question of criminal charges was a matter for the attorney general, Griffith-Jones - the official who had altered the law in order to permit the beatings. Griffith-Jones concluded that nobody should be prosecuted, as it was impossible to ascertain which guards had inflicted which blows.

The secret archive was held at Hanslope Park, north of London, and acknowledged only once historians employed by lawyers representing the Mau Mau veterans realised that some documents from the era were being withheld. One of those claimants, Wambuga Wa Nyingi, was among the prisoners who survived the beating at Hola.

The Hanslop Park archives holds late-colonial files from many other parts of the world. However, many of the most damning documents were destroyed on the instructions of ministers.

Mau Mau massacre cover-up detailed in newly-opened secret files | World news | guardian.co.uk

 

[Ab-Titchaz]

 

[Ab-Titchaz]

 

[Ab-Titchaz]

Britain seeks to settle Mau Mau case out of court

Updated Tuesday, May 7th 2013 a 00:00 GMT +3

By Paul Wafula

Kenya: More than 10,000 Kenyans tortured at the hands of the British Government during the Mau Mau rebellion of the 1950s have moved closer to being compensated after London changed tack and started negotiations.

Lawyers familiar with the case said Britain has been forced to negotiate after a series of defeats in courts in London.

"Discussions have been ongoing but nothing official has been concluded," Paul Muite, the Mau Mau war veterans' lawyer told The Standard in a telephone interview Monday.

The lawyer, however, declined to give details of the offer that the British government has placed on the table on grounds that it would jeopardise the negotiations.

"The consultations continue to be confidential until a settlement is reached, but I am confident the matter will be concluded amicably," Mr Muite said.

Although the individual amounts will vary depending on the nature and impact of the torture, the total compensation is likely to run into billions of shillings.
"The British government's attitude has been very immoral only raising technicalities in the case on two occasions.

It has never filed a defence on the merits. It had challenged the case on grounds that it was time barred and also went ahead to argue that we should have sued the Kenyan government instead. But we won both petitions," Muite said.

Settle case

It is understood that the British government is now hoping to settle the case out of court, as it seeks to mitigate the implications of an unfavourable ruling if the case goes to full determination.

British media reported Monday that the confidential talks between lawyers for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and solicitors representing the Kenyan litigants started last month.

Should the lawyers get a deal for their clients, then this would be the first compensation settlement resulting from official crimes committed under colonial rule. Britain is afraid that a verdict in favour of the Kenyan case could pave the way for many other claims from around the world.

The Guardian newspaper reported that instead, Britain is offering to start negotiating a settlement.

Standard Digital News - Kenya : Britain seeks to settle Mau Mau case out of court

 

[Kabaridi]

The reality of the matter it after britains realization of all the
attrocities comitted the genocide, they wanted to walk out
and leave kenya's leadeship with a collaborator in the name o
f Oginga Odinga. but unlike South africas persuasive tycoon
cecil rhodes ( apartheid's chief architect and the maestro of
coalition politics), Odinga Snr
couldn't take the mantle, they watched helplessly as too much blood
had been shed.

 

[Ab-Titchaz]

The reality of the matter it after britains realization of all the
attrocities comitted the genocide, they wanted to walk out
and leave kenya's leadeship with a collaborator in the name o
f Oginga Odinga. but unlike South africas persuasive tycoon
cecil rhodes ( apartheid's chief architect and the maestro of
coalition politics), Odinga Snr
couldn't take the mantle, they watched helplessly as too much blood
had been shed.

Your obsession with the Odinga's is phenomenal and borders on absurdity bwana Kabaridi!

 

[Kabaridi]

Your obsession with the Odinga's is phenomenal and borders on absurdity bwana Kabaridi!

. Ab-Titchaz,
When you go through posts thoroughly you will find that i mention names
to emphasize a point. I meant Odinga oginga not raila. You can agree
postulations on kenyan forums are odingacentric or kenyattacentric,
either as as smear campaign or to dignify. I am always grateful that i
severally have torn into the apple of your eye. you have come
to a common point with me. Until that time people understand that
campaigns have come an end and should discuss constructively on
the matters outside kibaki-raila/kikuyu-luo ambivalance which is a
common phenomena on very many contraptions.

personally in this forum I have felt it confined to either jubillee or CORD,
which is becoming too common I beleive kenya is blessed with a large diversity
of tribes, cultures to confine politics narrowly to this historic and symbolic ethnic struggles
between the 'big tribes'....I am not accusing anybody of anything, it is just an observation
I have witnesed that I wanted to say it out loud but failed to have the means
of expressing it until now that iah ve released it.

There are other pressing matters that should be attended to, i have
checked the attendance of the ICC posts here, there are not always
attended to, sometimes they have zero attendance. Is there something
you can do my friend abtichaz? the only way
to put an end to the political obsessions is to put very many topics ranging from
those affecting kenyans from flash floods, insecurity even outside our borders on
top of the political news etc and get active topical participation; other attractions being allowed also:coffee:

sorry if I become a bit harsh

 

[Ab-Titchaz]

. Ab-Titchaz,
When you go through posts thoroughly you will find that i mention names
to emphasize a point. I meant Odinga oginga not raila. You can agree
postulations on kenyan forums are odingacentric or kenyattacentric,
either as as smear campaign or to dignify. I am always grateful that i
severally have torn into the apple of your eye. you have come
to a common point with me. Until that time people understand that
campaigns have come an end and should discuss constructively on
the matters outside kibaki-raila/kikuyu-luo ambivalance which is a
common phenomena on very many contraptions.

personally in this forum I have felt it confined to either jubillee or CORD,
which is becoming too common I beleive kenya is blessed with a large diversity
of tribes, cultures to confine politics narrowly to this historic and symbolic ethnic struggles
between the 'big tribes'....I am not accusing anybody of anything, it is just an observation
I have witnesed that I wanted to say it out loud but failed to have the means
of expressing it until now that iah ve released it.

There are other pressing matters that should be attended to, i have
checked the attendance of the ICC posts here, there are not always
attended to, sometimes they have zero attendance. Is there something
you can do my friend abtichaz? the only way
to put an end to the political obsessions is to put very many topics ranging from
those affecting kenyans from flash floods, insecurity even outside our borders on
top of the political news etc and get active topical participation; other attractions being allowed also:coffee:

sorry if I become a bit harsh

Wewe sasa unaanza kuleta janja mingi... Jamiiforums inasehemu nyingi tu za ku-hang out...may be you just
come here to the Kenyan Politics forum forgetting that there are other fora you can participate in. Feel free
to engage others too.

In regards to this thread, hapa ishu ni kuwajadili mabeberu na jinsi walivyowafanya watu watumwa. Ishu
inayoendelea ni kama jamaa wa Mau Mau watalipwa fidia afu tuone kama wakalenjin nao pia watadai chao...kisha
kila kabila Kenya liende kukata rufaa huko Uingereza mpaka tuwafilisi!..Huo ndo mdahalo husika.

Jinsi ulivyomuingiza Odinga Snr katika hii mada hata hueleweki!

 

[Kabaridi]

Wewe sasa unaanza kuleta janja mingi... Jamiiforums inasehemu nyingi tu za ku-hang out...may be you just
come here to the Kenyan Politics forum forgetting that there are other fora you can participate in. Feel free
to engage others too.

In regards to this thread, hapa ishu ni kuwajadili mabeberu na jinsi walivyowafanya watu watumwa. Ishu
inayoendelea ni kama jamaa wa Mau Mau watalipwa fidia afu tuone kama wakalenjin nao pia watadai chao...kisha
kila kabila Kenya liende kukata rufaa huko Uingereza mpaka tuwafilisi!..Huo ndo mdahalo husika.

Jinsi ulivyomuingiza Odinga Snr katika hii mada hata hueleweki!

OK I have a very simple reason why I stick to participate in politics. because at least politics does not demand people to particpate with a 'collective mindset' which does not gve the right to think differently. of late there have been a lot of symbolsims that is why i plea that let political discussions take a different shape from now on. we have a diverse culture and therefore ethnic whims meant to massage some egos must be suppressed at all costs.

we also can always have a culture where forumming does not need to have firepower alongside just because the other party does not agree with the other party! Ok this time I accept my conduct I disgressed the topic. pole mkuu