Ugandan Migration: 90 Days to Leave

The expulsion of Asians from Uganda in 1972 was brutal.

Twenty eight thousand refugees arrived in Britain. The government scrambled to find homes and jobs for them.

Not everyone was pleased about it. But if Ugandan Asians held British passports they had the right to come here — and most of them thrived. Why did they do well — and can it teach us anything about how we treat refugees?

Neena Lakhani was 14 when she was forced to leave Uganda. She tells Ros Taylor what it was like to start a new life in Britain, while King’s College London professor Jonathan Portes talks about what happened to the East Asian migrants who arrived.

‘My father said please don’t touch my children. You can kill me but don’t kill my children.’ - Neena Lakhani

‘Everybody around us was welcoming, and that was such a joy.’ - Neena Lakhani

‘The benefits of promoting successful integration, as we know with the East African Asians, are very large.’ - Jonathan Portes

JAM TOMORROW is written and presented by Ros Taylor. The producer is Jade Bailey. Voiceovers are by Seth Thevoz. Music is by Dubstar and artwork by James Parrett. The managing editor is Jacob Jarvis and the group editor is Andrew Harrision. JAM TOMORROW is a Podmasters production.

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