Among the documents that appear to have been destroyed were: records of the abuse of Mau Mau insurgents detained by British colonial authorities, who were tortured and sometimes murdered; reports that may have detailed the alleged massacre of 24 unarmed villagers in Malaya by soldiers of the Scots Guards in 1948; most of the sensitive documents kept by colonial authorities in Aden, where the army's Intelligence Corps operated a secret torture centre for several years in the 1960s; and every sensitive document kept by the authorities in British Guiana, a colony whose policies were heavily influenced by successive US governments and whose post-independence leader was toppled in a coup orchestrated by the CIA.-- "Britain destroyed records of colonial crimes: Review finds thousands of papers detailing shameful acts were culled, while others were kept secret illegally." Guardian, April 17, 2012.
The documents that were not destroyed appear to have been kept secret not only to protect the UK's reputation, but to shield the government from litigation. If the small group of Mau Mau detainees are successful in their legal action, thousands more veterans are expected to follow.
These assholes are pursuing subpoenas of academic archives?
No punches pulled there Chris!
ReplyDeleteThere are no punches to pull! The thing is shameful on its face. My god.
ReplyDeleteBritish Architect of Terrorism, Frank Kitson' discloses in his book, 'Gangs and Counter-gangs' (1960), about a man hiding under a pile of rags and clothes. Kitson candidly reveals to the reader that he was aware that the man was there and decided to search for him by plunging a machete into the rags. Kitson explains how he felt a sense of satisfaction when his machete found its mark and the man howled in agony.
ReplyDeleteIn Kenya and Malaya (Kitson was in both) the Brits would cutoff the heads and hands of all their victims (alleged insurgents) and carry them around for days until they got back to some village. Then villagers would be brought out to identify (more probable to terrify them) the dead. The hands would then be fingerprinted. Somehow, given the heat, insects and weight involved in lugging about numerous body parts in the jungle or mango groves the Brits never thought it would be easier to bring a camera with them and an ink pad and paper??
I am surprised that documented their grizzly deeds to begin with.
PS: Speaking of records; 1968 is the only year that a British soldier has not been killed on active service in over 200 years. Its funny how in every country they ever occupy there are always terrorists in them? Is that bad luck or what?
ReplyDeleteWell, see, that's the whole problem right there -- they just need to occupy nicer people.
ReplyDelete