Posted on Apr 22, 2021
‘Pervasive racism’ blamed for failure to commemorate black and Asian troops
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Tens of thousands of predominantly black and Asian service personnel who died fighting for the British Empire were not properly commemorated due to "pervasive racism", a report has said.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission apologised after it found individuals were not formally remembered in the same way as white troops.
"The events of a century ago were wrong then and are wrong now," it said.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace will address MPs about the findings later.
The inquiry found at least 116,000 mostly African and Middle Eastern casualties from World War One "were not commemorated by name or possibly not commemorated at all".
But that figure could be as high as 350,000, according to the report first seen by the Guardian.
It also cited racist comments such as the governor of a British colony saying in 1923 that: "The average native... would not understand or appreciate a headstone".
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission apologised after it found individuals were not formally remembered in the same way as white troops.
"The events of a century ago were wrong then and are wrong now," it said.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace will address MPs about the findings later.
The inquiry found at least 116,000 mostly African and Middle Eastern casualties from World War One "were not commemorated by name or possibly not commemorated at all".
But that figure could be as high as 350,000, according to the report first seen by the Guardian.
It also cited racist comments such as the governor of a British colony saying in 1923 that: "The average native... would not understand or appreciate a headstone".
‘Pervasive racism’ blamed for failure to commemorate black and Asian troops
Posted from bbc.com
Racism
United Kingdom
World History
Posted >1 y ago
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I agree -- "The events of a century ago were wrong then and are wrong now,"
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I don't disagree. However, punishing people now for historic racism also makes no sense.
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PO3 Phyllis Maynard
Lt Col Charlie Brown I agree with you. As the world moves forward, especially now, in an uncertain future, it makes sense the make things right in the here and now. I believe acknowledging the matter and ensuring it has its' place in history and the minds of the world is needed.
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Lt Col Charlie Brown
PO3 Phyllis Maynard - when things are wrong NOW, fix them, educate people or punish them, defend those who have been wronged but to keep re-plowing old ground serves no one.
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