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mojatu.com | Nottingham connected Obama snubbed Winston Churchill: His role in spreading torture from India to Zimbabwe When Barack Obama got into power, one of his first actions was to have a big growling bust of Churchill returned to Britain. George W. Bush had left it near his desk in the White House, in an attempt to associate himself with Churchill’s heroic stand against fascism. Obama’s choice of action is not difficult to understand. His Kenyan grandfather, Hussein Onyango Obama, was imprisoned without trial for two years and tortured on Churchill’s watch, for resisting Churchill’s empire. Winston Churchill is fondly remembered for having led Britain through her finest hour, against the Nazis. However, it is clear that he was one of the biggest and most proactive leaders and proponent for some of Britain’s most shameful acts. He was very active in planning, establishing and maintaining the British colonial rule and its machinery. He advocated and fought for white supremacy and created concentration camp networks of his own. According to Richard Toye, book, “Churchill’s Empire”, it is vividly clear that Churchill was a white supremacist. Churchill grew up when the superior white man was conquering the primitive dark-skinned natives, and bringing them the benefits of civilization. When he was of age, he set off to play his part in “a lot of jolly little wars against barbarous peoples.” In Pakistan, Churchill concluded that the Pakistanis seeking to drive the white man from their land were just some deranged jihadists whose violence was explained by a “strong aboriginal propensity to kill.” Having taken part in offensive against the fighters he wrote that, “We proceeded systematically, village by village, and we destroyed the houses, filled up the wells, blew down the towers, cut down the shady trees, burned the crops and broke the reservoirs in punitive devastation.” After Pakistan, he headed to Sudan, where he boasted to his friends that “I had personally shot at least three “savages.” During his time in South Africa where at least 14,000 died, his only irritation was “that kaffirs should be allowed to fire on white men… though it was great fun galloping about.” In the 1920s when he was a war secretary and later a colonial secretary, he sent the notorious Black and Tans on Ireland’s Catholics, to burn homes and beat civilians. When the Kurds rebelled against British rule in Iraq, he said he was “strongly in favour of using poisoned gas against uncivilized tribes.” When Gandhi began his campaign of peaceful resistance, Churchill angrily stated that Gadhi “ought to be lain bound hand and foot at the gates of Delhi and then trampled on by an enormous elephant with the new Viceroy seated on its back.” He later added: “I hate Indians. They are a beastly people with a beastly religion.” In 1943, when famine broke out in Bengal, due to British mismanagement, Churchill refused to offer ant aid leading to hundreds of thousands deaths. He raged that it was the Bengali’s own fault because they “breed like rabbits”. The ruling on Mau Mau is a resounding victory for Barack Obama whose grandfather Hussein Onyango Obama suffered under Churchill orders. Churchill believed the most fertile land in Kenya, the highlands, was only to be used by white settlers. He approved the clearing out of the local “kaffirs and savages” to ensure the land was available for the whites. When the Kikuyu’s rebelled during Churchill’s premiership, over 150,000 of them were forced into detention camps. Obama never truly recovered from the torture he endured. The ruling by the High Court in London last week may be the start of a long journey to justice for many Obama’s in the world who suffered untold misery under Churchill and British colonial government Get a copy of ‘Churchill’s Empire: The World that Made Him and the World He Made’ by Richard Toye Mau Mau torture victims win ruling against UK government High Court in London ruled that three Kenyans tortured by British colonial authorities can proceed with their case against the UK government. They argued that tho ugh the torture and abuse happened during the 1950s Mau Mau uprising, time should not be a hindrance to justice. Veterans clap, cheer and dance as news comes through from London of high court ruling that they can claim compensation “This is a historic judgement”, said the lawyers representing Paulo Muoka Nzili, Wambuga Wa Nyingi and Jane Muthoni Mara. The case will now go to a full trial. But last year, the High Court ruled that claimants - had “arguable cases in law”. The claimant’s lawyers claim that Mr Nzili was castrated, Mr Nyingi was severely beaten and Mrs Mara was subjected to appalling sexual abuse in detention camps. Thousands of people were killed during the Mau Mau revolt against British rule in Kenya (see story in page 18-19) “I am very, very happy. The British government has done justice because it is a just government,” said Wambugu Wa Nyingi, 85, speaking in the Kikuyu language. “I just wanted the truth to be out. Even the children of my children should know what happened,” he said. However, this ruling spells fear for British government. It is afraid that Kenyans’ victory will pave way for others groups to take action against UK government for torture and abuse suffered during colonial-era. There are fears that such ruling will lead to further cases brought about by allegations from countries such as Cyprus and Aden. - By Florence Kanaiya See Kelvin Browns Mau Mau story in page 20-21. 9