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A big thank you to all the Dawn readers who took the trouble to complete my Axis of Evil survey; many in some detail. There are some fascinating results, which I will report on separately once I have analysed them properly. At first glance, it is clear that an overwhelming majority of people formed their impressions of Iraq, Iran and North Korea from the news media. As an artist concerned with perceptions generated this way, I have no doubt that the results and comments will go on to be the basis of further work.
Israel, India, Pakistan and the USA scored highly in the suggestions for a new Axis of Evil in 2011. But as a former British diplomat concerned with public diplomacy and nation branding, I was curious to see that 15 per cent of respondents named Britain as categorically Evil.
Last month, Dawn writer, Eshwar Sundaresan took me by surprise in his piece Why we Enjoy an Ailing Britain in my response I perhaps revealed confused naivety – stating that inhabitants of the South Asian sub-continent had shown me “nothing but hospitality, grace, and warm spirit, regardless of my nationality”. As a result of my blog exchange with Mumbai based Eshwar, my inbox overflowed with Indians telling me that they really did like the British an awful lot more than Eshwar had indicated. Not convinced, I nevertheless quietly filed a request with the British Government to officially lobby them for an apology for the Amritsar massacre (mentioned in Eshwar’s article).
In the same week that British Foreign Secretary delivered a key speech on British Diplomacy, mentioning improved relations with India, I learned from the British Government that my application to e-petition the British Foreign Office had been successful. If I can get 100,000 British signatures in support of the statement below – it will be debated in British Parliament.
Whilst Amritsar may be old history, and, as many Indian correspondents indicated in recent weeks – the actions of a single madman (General Dyer) and “nothing to waste time on”, I feel even if an apology could make a small difference, it would be worth it (and really wouldn’t cost much). Now that I have learned about the events of Jallianwala Bagh, I feel moved to do something. As Martin Luther King said “He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it”.
I entirely agree with one person who completed my Axis of Evil survey that “one cannot call any particular country evil” I also concur that it boils down to “some elements and people in the society who might have evil plans”. I write this article in a week when we are remembering the Evils of another madman, Osama Bin Laden, and myself and others are contemplating the “evil plans” which lead to the loss of thousands of innocent civilians, not just in the 9/11 attacks, but in the wars that followed. Amritsar is a gruesome reminder that Evils are nothing new to this world – a massacre on the instructions of one man, but carried out by many, who were part of a colonial power and a history that I feel very uncomfortable with. Whilst it may be too soon for Britain to address those in the world who consider them Evil as a result of their involvement in more recent conflicts, it is certainly a chance to revisit the perception of Britain generated by a legacy of oppressive violent colonialism.
This is an appeal for the UK Government to Issue an Apology to the People of Amritsar for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre which took place on April 13th 1919. Hundreds of men, women and children were gunned down by British Indian Army soldiers under the command of General Dyer. The UK Government (and Queen) have issued other apologies for massacres committed in times past – for example The Bloody Sunday killings in Ireland. Plenty of people have demanded a full apology for the Amritsar killings – to do so could only bring our nations closer.
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/11893
I appeal to readers in the UK to consider signing this e-petition and sending it on to others to do the same. Readers in the Asian sub-continent and beyond do please forward this article to friends and family in the UK who might be moved to put their name to this.
Caroline Jaine is a UK based writer, artist and film-maker with a background in media strategy,training and diplomacy. Her book A Better Basra, about her time in Iraq was published in August 2011. More about Caroline’s work and her contact details can be found on www.jaine.info and facebook.
The views expressed by this blogger and in the following reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Dawn Media Group.
There is a danger, if I may say so, in such symbolic gestures – of people forgetting the real, devastating, monumental atrocities and "moving on". In fact, it is the scholars, including many who are British, who are peeling off the dust of time and revealing the brutality of the colonial administration that took away food, as taxation, from starving farmers, causing tens of millions to die during its rule. They are revealing the meticulous ruthlessness with which they planned and promoted the systematic division of Indians by religion and caste. What journalists and writers can do is to bring these understandings of their manipulated past to the people of the subcontinent. The British intellectuals have a particularly important role to play in bringing the reality out and discussing it openly, as a Pakistani or Indian writing about the true nature and extent of colonial depredations will be seen to be biased and pandering to a self pitying victim-hood. It is only when we understand, that we can truly forgive.
Why The British packed up from India is still a million pound question to me?.
Having ruled India for 200 years, they were in full control, they could have arrested all the big guns of freedom movement and continued to rule India !!!.
Because Hitler knocked the stuffing out of them!
Look at the so called English cricket team, half of them were born elsewhere (all white though!) England today is very different from the imperial days. It has a mature multi cultural society that has adapted its laws and attitudes to accomodate a large South Asian immigrant population. Kudos for that….
Do the evil Pakistanis need to apologize to America for hiding bin Laden?
Time for America to cut off foreign aid to Pakistan. You can go it alone against your "guests" from Afghanistan. Pakistan is dangerously close to getting no foreign aid from America.
Bin Laden was Americas best friend just a deacade before 9/11. Perhaps you need to learn that the US aids terrorists to terrorise other nations (i.e Saddam Hussein, Osama Bin Laden) and later on plays a drama (i.e weapons of mass destruction, war on terror) to get rid of these pets! Its a norm. History proves it.
Jallian wala bagh massacre was a henious crime, where thousands of Indians ( Sikh,Muslim,Hindus) were killed. Whenever I visit jallianwala bagh & see bullet marks on walls n the well, which was filled by dead bodies, it disturbs me n all. But can these apologies have any significance now? However yet it is nice to hear & accept that such barbaric acts needs to be codemned. What u think about 1984 Sikh massacre, godhra riots, afgan n Iraq killings by Todays so called secular democracies..They must be condemned by one and all.
Jallianvallabagh incident was heinous massacre..Can't justify killing of innocent women and children under the pretext of maintaining law and order. When British left India finally, they played a key role in splitting into India and Pakistan. Apologise or not, history will teach u lessons!
Amritsar Incident is thing of the past now. We should remember the people who died there as martyrs who sacrificed there life for freedom. But an apology today will not make mcuh difference. World is different place today so we should also move on.
Massacre of Jallianwala Bagh and the lakhs of mutineers hanged in 1857 revolt ,both have to be apologised,
apart from all the Inhuman Atrocities committed by the Invading and Ruling British and for the Bengal
Famine and famines to which countless millions of Deaths occurred and also Partition which cause lakhs of innocents to be murdered and the biggest migration in history based on religion
Do not mix 1857 withJalianwala. Sikh soldiers stayed away from the 1857 revolt. They were more loyal to Brits than Hindu and muslims.
Let us call a spade a spade . You are right.
As an Indian, I do not care whether British apologises or not. No apology can compensate the loss of so many precious lives- Sikh, Hindu or Muslim. However, I get angry with people who try to justify British occupation by citing so called benefits – unification of the country, railway, stability, etc. People forget the same people who claim bringing about the unity of the country conveniently forget the division of the country and mayhem that followed. Stability, my foot- India was involved in two world wars it has no interest in and lost thousands of men fighting for the British. Even small countries which were not ruled by British have Railways. More than 3 million pepole died during Bengal famine the British just ignored. Thousands of poor farmers were sent to foreign lands as indentured labour to grow sugar plantations of the British which is in reality a new form of slavery. The media in the West never let an opportunity to slip to mention Tiananmen square incident, but seldom mentions Jalianwala Bagh massacre.
General did the right thing at that time. Rebellions of those who dont want to be part of system must be crushed immediately. This is the rule for the rulers for hundreds and hundreds of years. Any one deviated from this principal paid by hsi life and family.
Extremely sad to hear your view. Even in army, a soldier has the right to refuse and unlawful order. Instead of understanding the need to change, we continue to live in tunnels and have thus developed tunnel vision.
very rightly said. we need to wake up to current realities and that people aspirations can not and should not be crushed with brute force. peroid.
I am agree with Mr Zafar on this. Reality is bitter but even today it is happening
Go back to the middle ages
The author has quoted Martin Luther king as saying “He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it”. If that is so then the majority of the British people are evil because they not only have been silent over the Amritsar Massacre, they defended the general who carried out that massacre!! Now an apology won’t work!
Not only defended but also REWARDED the thug on his return to Britain!
Very difficult to weigh up these things. I certainly do not approve of that incident as I do not approve of us forgetting the support the British provide today. The thought processes and the ethos of those days was such that the British dealt with people in their own country not much different. Not many years before that there was a PeterLoo mascare where the Manchester people were treated the same way.
Care to look at the history? Very enlightening, if you are fair minded!
Shafiq
Does this justify the killings at either place or even provide a resonable justification?
Mr. Arif siad it right.
And Mr. Shafiq, perhaps you do not know that the evil 'officers' who have ruled colonies were not allowed to serve at back home. they were not deem fit to. they were retire.
Diplomatic ties should not be affected by a certain depressing event which happened decades ago. We should respect this fact that those responsible and those who suffered for the Amritsar event belonged to an entirely different parliament, chain of command and mind set. It will be unjustified to judge a whole country on past events. What would the Indian natiuonalists do if they were to be judged on Gujrat conflicts and so on???
No need to apologise. After you left the role has been taken over by military and government and terrorists.
We should move on. England of today is an accommodating country, and we all have relatives or friends owing their livelihoods to that accommodation. Gen Dyer was an senseless of his time. Our Sher Paji's sorted him out. The Queen has apologized. We move on.
God forgives but HIS people refuse to forgive, O people give up your hates. I appreciate the British apologizing. When was the last time Indians or Pakistanis apologized to each other? Sikhs and Muslims and Hindus need to apologize to one another for massacring each other in 1947, it will be much better once you apologize, your own burdens will be lightened and you can live in friendship and harmony instead of bitterness and acrimony all the time.
"Evil British" ?. Britain is made up of all races and religions and for the most part live in relative harmony with each other. im interested to know who you are refering to with the headline? and as fro the other blog about boycotting britain…..well the national health service wouldn't be so stretched. Move on and find something worthwhile to write about.
you are right moreover Queen Elizabeth already appolizes on behalf of British people when she visited Amritsar few years ago
The British or the West owes nobody an apology. The British took their chances as they came. We South Asians were so embrolied in fighting and killing ourselves that the it was us South Asians who presented the British with the opportunity to rule South Asia. And the British took that opportunity. I am tired of us South Asians blaming everyone else but ourselves for our short comings. Particularly us Punjabis who keep blaming everyone else for Punjab's partition but ourselves. Some estimate half of a million Punjabis died in the 1947 during the Punjabi partition and why blame others. It was Punjabis killing Punjabis. Let us Punjabis face up to the sombre truth.
What the British did is a legacy of the colonial powers. All most all colonial powers committed atrocities on the people they colonized. I forgive them because they were there to colonize and hold on to something they valued for economic and egotistic reasons.
Let us concentrate on post colonial era. As the subject is oppression of Sikhs, let us see the oppression of Sikhs in modern, secular, democratic India. First the year 1984 when 20,000 Sikhs were killed, burnt alive in the streets of Major Indian Cities by the mobs led by Hindu Leadership of the congress party after Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh Body Guards. These mobs were actively assisted by the Delhi and Uttar Pardesh Government. Did India ever prosecute any one? Not a single Hindu was ever prosecuted in modern India? Did India every apologize? Then between 1984 and 1992 30% of all Sikh population was dislocated from India. They were either killed in an extra-judicial actions of KPS Gill police, or jailed or they simply left the country. Did India ever make an effort to bring back those who went into exile? Or were Hindus of India thankful that such large number of Sikhs have left the country?
This in not India under a colonial power. This is India 2 to 3 decades back. How can India ask for an apology from the British when their own record of treating minorities is dismal.
Did Bhidrawala apologized for murders of innocents dragged out of buses, including sikhs and muslims apart from Hindus.
Did he ever leave Harminder sahib to fight. or used it as a hiding place and issuing threats.Those who left India they left for GREEN CARDS by making fake stories. Did Khalistanis apologize for using Harminder as their their Home and bath rooms.
No doubt what happened after Indira is deplorable
In Jallianwala bagh, Amritsar (my city), not only Sikhs but Hindus and Muslims also died and their blood flow together for our common motherland at that time. I wish that same love, trust and mutual respect for each other should return and India pakistan should live like brothers. But what is reference of picture of Sant Bhindrawale ji in this.
@Dawn- Good that you have changed the photo.
@Caroline
Now I feel that your article has got substance
Well said SherePunjab!
Absolutely correct.
i think via media and multual understandings of the problem we can come to that objective of making sub-continent (pak, india and bangla) a place of brotherhood- as all of us aspire to.
So they need a petition to apologize?
Are not they civilized people? They need to do it in civilized way!
I am overwhelmed by readers' comments to this blog. Trend is clear. Most Indian readers are not interested in this symbolic apology. We don't want to get bogged down by the past and want to move on. We think of colonial rule as result of our own shortcomings and not the conspiracy of Britishers. They might have conspired, but problem was within us as well. Acceptance is first step to success.
I am very happy to see rational rather than emotive responses. This bodes well for future of India. With such a citizenry, no bomb blasts or scams or riots would hinder our progress. Yes, there would be obstacles, moments of despair, but a self-correcting society always finds its way.
Keep it up guys. Let us do well in whichever field we are in and contribute in our small way to "Wonder that is India".
Sachin
The photo definitely has nothing to do with the Jalianwala. It shows Bhinderanwala who headed the terrorist movement in Panjab in the 80s. It is a disservice to the people who died in 1919.
MS you are right.
British ruled and Indians were killing fellow Indians. (I believe along with some British men mostly it were Indian policemen who were shooting) At the time vast majority of Indians had accepted British rule because it brought peace and stability to the subcontinent after a long long time. It is unthinkable that Britishers ruled for almost 200 years (Including rule by East India Company) and except for 1857 war for freedom (Some of our own Historians termed it as "Mutiny" one proof of acceptance of British as legitimate rulers of India) there was no attempt to move them out
Your points are valid but still do not justify the evil.
I agree with your views
Why everybody is talking about Sikhs only. It was a combined effort by Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs against the british.
You are right.
My brother she is talking about the vast majority(95%killed including women and little Sikh kids were Sikhs)
This is a nice way for someone to kill time as horrible as it was it is still an historic event and what about today thousands dying all over the world directly or indirectly as a result of western foriegn policy.. when will the apoligies start for these events when Madeliene Albright was ask about 500,000 Iraqi children starving to death as a result of sanctions she replied "we think it was worth the price" and this lady expects support for her cause
Have you read that on the Qaeda website ? 500,000 deaths even in Somalia would cause an outrage. Food items were never banned during the U.N. embargo. In fact under "Food-for-oil" program Iraq was free to import food items against oil.
Brother you are relying too much on mainstream media. Sania as I remember deaths of children were more due to shortage of medicine than food. In fact from mainstreem media only BBC covered this topic before 2nd Iraq war.
Shamsher please google the topic and you'll know the truth!
Instead of working on something that nobody cares about, perhaps you can work on getting your country to better assimilate its minorities and provide economic opportunities for them? Your country is becoming the European center for terrorism.
The UK definitely needs to address provision of equality of opportunities to all races. The status quo of retaining corporate jobs primarliy for whites is counter-productive to the progress of the nation.This is pervasive especially in the SouthEast.
In Dawn today, 3 children died in an attack by gunmen in Peshawar Pakistan… Nearly everyday there is a suicide attack, killing innocent passbyers, and drones are inflicting their indiscriminate sense of retaliation, blind to the silent suffering of ordinary pakistani citizens… And nobody is there to apologise! There is no political risk in asking the Brittish government to apologise for the events of Jallianwala Bagh, as horrific and painful as they remain! But there are some other calls to justice that nobody are ready to pay! too much risk! Who will stand for justice today in Pakistan? 3 children died : who has enough time and compassion to care?
One more thing
THE GREAT WEAPON TO KILL YOUR ENEMY IS another ENEMY!
A doubtful friend is worse than a certain enemy. Let a man be one thing or the other, and we then know how to meet him
We don't need to kill, we need to care!
Is it not another form of British arrogance. What will it prove. Nothing.The current generation cannot be held responsible for the sins committed by their previous generations. We are responsible for our wrongs and tresspasess and for others.
Generations come and pass, yet the policy of colonization to neo-colonization stays. But a mere apology is nothing if it doesn't come with a change as it a confession is nothing without repentance.
The current generation cannot be held responsible for the sins committed by their previous generations. Well said. Lets hold then responsible for the murders of numerous innocent people in Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine.
But why is everybody discussing Sikhs only ? An alomst equal number of Hindus and Muslims perished in that massacre too.
For your information I used to live near Jallianwala bagh in Amritsar. 93%people killed according to data available there were Sikhs
Nonsense !
Soman jee how can you say that equal no of Hindus and other died in this incident without verifying the facts. Have u ever visited Amritsar? or Have u checked names on the wall of Jallianwala bagh
I dont think there is a plaque listing names of those killed. Even the number of those killed is disputed. But in no renowned book is it mentioned that the majority killed were Sikhs – even "Freedom at Midnight" mentions that all communities were present. Amritsar wasnt a sikh majority city then.
You are totally wrong. first go to Amritsar and check yourself. We are talking about majority other communities were also there Even the revenge of this gruesome act was taken by a Sikh 'Shaheed Udham Singh'. Details of most of the people present there is certainly there.
100 % CORRECT
Can't agree more.
I understand that there were Hindus and Muslims to who died in the tragedy, but the vast majority of the victims were Sikhs.
May God bless everyone in this world.
"A massacre, on the instructions of one man but carried out by many"
- That line right there says it all. We will come through many people with clever minds that will leave behind legacies or negativity in the world. An apology is not only the right thing to do when wrong has been done, but it is also acceptable; the only way to move forward in the world is by learning from the mistakes, losses and acceptance. Through the losses that Indians, many sikhs, have taken is nothing compared to the outcome of strength, honor, love and pride that they have shown. Wrong has been done in the past, is being done all around the world now and there is no doubt that wrong will be done in the future as well.
We cannot be thankful enough for all the sacrafices of our sikh individuals who united together to keep the love and respect of One God and justice for all.
A "sorry" will not bring back the families, lives of young and old, but sikhs who fought like lions for the sake of religion, humanity and their shelters deserve a recognition throughout the world.
My apologies if I may have said anything wrong to offend any individual.
Jaspreet Kaur Sajjan
Millions of sikhs r living happily in Britain and enjoying the equal status …this is much bigger than any apology. Move on already.
Millions ? C'mon – I dont think that the figure is even close to 1 million ?
Per the census in 2001, the figure was 336,179. That is one third of one million. And also, Sikhs were an essential part of the Queen's army back in the day, so UK is not doing the Sikhs any favor by absorbing 300,000 of them.
For your information they are enjoying not equal but special status because of services renderd in world war 1& 2(180,000 died)
Millions? Equal? and not paying any costs? and …..
I appreciate your sentiments Caroline. I doubt though that Britain can ever apologise enough for what it did to us. There were worse crimes than Jalliawallah Bagh. Think of the Bengal Famine , 1942 which carried off over 3 million people. Also , think of the Partition of 1947 and the awful consequences.
The English ran India like a plantation, producing raw materials for their mills and opium for the chinese market. They efforts just about destroyed Indian agriculture, till then a self sustaining economy. When you travel around England and admire the stately houses and grandeur of the !8th and 19th century , spare a thought for the nameless millions that died to make that happen.
And btw, England will never apologise. It would open a Pandora's box.
This looks useless to me now, after so many decades what is the use of asking Britishers to give apology, if they give also how will it help people in Amritsar, If UK is so bad then why every Punjabi from India is dying to go there?
If Sikhs hate them so much they should boycott UK and should never go there. Only this will teach them a lesson.
Well thats not gonna affect even all sikhs come back to india.. the Only thing is Pak/india SHOULD become Brotherhood and represnt whole Asia…. So these countries think of the consequence before they do any thing. American and British have always been HYPOCRATE. THEY always think of their own advantages they dont care about other people and their skins their Religion. Lets be united and think for the future of our countries. May God Support us. safe
In present world, apologies mean nothing. It changes nothing for those who have already suffered and their decendants. I don't think Sikhs are waiting for it. The truth anyway is – if Britain were still a economic or political power (like it was 100 years back), you would not be writing such columns in the first place.
Respected Ma’am,
The Amritsar massacre, to use your words, by the standards of the British Indian government, ever since India came directly under the rule of the Crown, post the 1857 Revolt/Mutiny/First war of Independence (the phrase is subjective to individuals political opinion) at best can be describe as an one off incident perpetrated by a person who's proprieties were different from that of the Government. This being said so I would also like to add that as an Indian, India (including Pakistan and Bangladesh) had a benevolent Colonial power that was ruling us. This is so as the atrocities that were committed by Europe in other parts of the world would even put Adolf Hitler to shame not to mention the likes of Saddam Hussein, Col. Gaddafi and the others. Europe would like to forget or has conviviality skipped the violence to which it was party to and also sowing the seed for future conflicts. On this note, two of the world’s outstanding and volatile conflicts are that of Kashmir and Palestine, for both the British can be blamed, even if it is for propaganda.
Ma’am, if Her Majesties Government wants to apologies for its mistakes and atrocities Amritsar will be at the last incident to say sorry for. The British government and her cousins of continental Europe will be saying sorry till the end of time. For it is not just individuals who have been humiliated and killed but identities/communities that have been destroyed and erased from the face of the planet (check out the native population of the American continent). The West including the British, I must say with an heavy heart have not really changes post Second World War, the only difference now when compared to the past is the degree of direct involvement the extent to which the Europe and the United States live up to their past blood lust. Even today the west wishes to turn the other way if the circumstances suites them or come down heavily if it is otherwise.
Regards
sripathi narayanan
In addition to our sikh bretheren the muslims and even some hindus were murdered. An appology is only a recognition of the fact that it was a wrong doing.The British Colonials or for that matter any one else should never be allowed to play God.
Instead, we must all together work for peace in our world. Stop indulging in each others' affairs, do justice will all, do good for other and make world a wonderful living place for all the beings.
The British should definitely apologize.
THE WORD APOLOGISE MEAN nothing… JUST think about how many women widowed how many sons lost their father and think of the life they ve been living since that masscare. The only thing after the apology is to build their city support them give them a good life so these people have a good future, and they stopped thinking about revenge and only they think of their bright future.
MAY PEACE BE WITH YOU
Do you really believe if hypotetically speaking- Osama could have called Bush and told him- Look mate, regrets.. too bad too many died.. i lost a few as well.. lets call it quits and catch up sometime.. cheers…
Iam Sorry Caroline.. it just doesnt work that way.
Do any of the present day British even know about this massacre?
Caroline what about apologies by British for having brought famines in India through their policies that directly lead to starvation deaths of millions of Indians? If you don't know about that do you expect present day British to even have any kknowledge about J bagh massacre?
What about returning gold diamonds that the queen has that are property of India?
I can go on and on.
It was a terrible massacre, but I have one major objection to such an apology. The troops who fired on the crowd were Indians. The troops had two options. 1) They could have disobeyed General Dyer's orders and refused to open fire on the crowd. 2) They could have trained their guns on General Dyer and shot him instead. I think the first option would my choice, and the choice of any decent human being.
There were many other events that came immediately after Jallianwala Bagh. The most infamous was the "Crawl order". But here too, India sepoys were involved. It is true that the British took back a lot of unearned wealth, but let us not forget that Indians have oppressed Indians for millenia before the British showed up.
The troops were not Indian but Gurkhas exclusively commanded by British officers
And in a hundred years from now Britain will be apologizing for the deaths of innocent Afghans and Iraqis, occurred as a result of this War on Terror. What principal in the British constitution says that murderers must be killed even if it means 10 innocent deaths to kill one murderer? Whats the point of apologizing if you can't learn from your past mistakes.
No need to bring up a subject of the past to life just for the sake of an article. Matter has been settled and apology delivered by Queen of England while she visited Sikh temple few years ago. Please freshen your memory or look for her speech in Amrasir at golden temple. England has a lot more to apologize than one incident long time ago, or may be an apology for them to be British, a curse upon humanity.
this is a good move but i must say that no Sikh can forget 84's riots against Sikhs. In Indian freedom, more than 80% sikhs have sacrificed their lives but still in today's India we are treated like a prisoners.
Because the Indian Prime minister is Sikh who is respected world over ?
These are meaningless charades – the British have a lot to apologize to – for running guns, for opium wars, for encouraging slavery, for centuries of colonization thereby stripping locals of economic power and their dignities. Caroline seems to think an apology is all it takes.
While this is a good start, there were many shameful acts of commission and omission by the British in the sub-continent that deserve to be condemned. The nonchalant manner in which they conducted the partition is probably the most painful episode of British colonialism. (In 2007, BBC released a documentary that depicts what happened during the partition. You should definitely watch it.) But then the British owe an apology for colonialism all over the world. Have they done that?
Firstly, I admire anyone willing to earnestly appologize for past wrong doings especially when it involves hundreds or thousands of innocent people; this includes those who rise and fight against tyranny. So yes, the British should apologize for the sordidness in their past. Indeed a collective apology for occupying southeast asia would not be out of place.
I do take exception with the title of this article however. An entire nation, or its history, or its culture cannot be "evil". That premise is simply unfair and wrong at its very core.
During the course of its existence, a nation goes through several phases that are all aimed at its survival and progress. Usually governments operate in a manner that serves the interests of that nation. I can understand how the British wanted to increase their wealth by setting up imperial control of regions across the world, but somewhere down that road the government lost its way and unspeakable horrors were created by shallow characters including generals and viceroys, etc.
People generally are gullible and so most Britishers didn't even know what was being perpetrated in their name. Britain, and the British themselves are not "evil". They have stood for much good in this world also. There continue to be evil personalities in recent governments too, and one of can include the evil that lies in corporations here.
In that same vein, the Japanese, the Germans, the French, the Chinese, or for that matter the present-day US governments is not "evil" either.
An apology isn't going to do much. There's enough evil out there and it doesn't seem like our world is going to become a better place anytime soon. Another massacre like this will most likely happen and we aren't going to do anything about it either because that's the way we are, we don't care anymore.
Carolin Jaine is right in asking the British Government to apologize. Our history is our memory of what happened. An apology would put balm on the emotional bruises left by colonial days. And also help the British government to show to the world that greatness and power can and ought to make one humble and not arrogant.
If Britain starts apologizing for the actions of past governments or rulers, then there is no limit to it. It is really sad that the author and other similar individuals feel there is a need for an apology for an individual massacre. The whole idea of colonization was bad. The systematic way to control the lives of others, gain access to their resources, and have sorry feeling for only a part of the whole activity, indicates a sorry state of affairs. I think instead of going for apologies, the whole of European continent should be educated about how poor and weak idea colonization is. Most of the so called colonial powers should be ashamed of their past, of what their ancestors had done to the world.
Some readers have comended the Sikhs. Jalianwala Bagh was a meeting against the British rule by Indians i.e Sikhs, Hindus, Muslims and Christians. An apölpgy is a must. Nobody will ask for compensation. What kind of Rule of Law? To ask & fight for freedom is ones fundamental right. Who was breaking the Law – the ruled or the rulers?
Hi Caroline:
You got the wrong picture, It reflects the opposite of what the people who died in Jallianwala. They were not fighting with guns ,. they were unarmed , they did not believe to instigate people in the name of religion, This picture has taken half of the spirit of the Jallianwala away,.
In the past I wrote many comments on various news web sites about this issue. Jalianwala Baug Massacre was definitely the act, which requires condemnation from the whole world. Even though it may not bring anyone we lost and even we may say bygone is bygone, apology and compensation will bring some relief to Indians. When Germany/Japan are made to apologize for World War II atrocities, why Britain is not forced to comply and do the same to India? Also return all it's wealth they stole during the Raj? Britishers basically treated Indians like slaves and committed atrocities.
Thank you Mr.Shah. Infact the peasantry of Punjab has a wonderfull spirit.
Appreciate your thought process and kind heart for thinking along those lines.
However, apology would have made more sense if British Government was NOT involved in "nowadays" killings around the world. While they would apologise for an act carried out 100 yr ago, but they are repeating the same act again (albeit in different ways).
Only history and time will avenge the deaths, losses and sufferings of all those died in that massacre and billions other massacres of the past and present. Justice will be served sooner or later.
And please do not get me wrong, its not only UK that is invovled in such wrongdoings but also governments like Indian, Pakistani, US etc etc.
Thanks for your initiative.
Caroline, I understand that your campaign is motivated by the noblest of intentions, but are we trying to balance the books here? It was in the structure and mindset of colonialism that made the massacre happen. Will Britain now apologize for its colonial ventures? I am an Indian, and I have no qualms in saying that Britain doesn't need to apologize for this. Britain will never gain moral prestige by sifting through historical minutae and issuing apologies for every instance of injustice done by British people. The phenomenon of colonialism was a historical necessity (commerce and technology) and the acts of mutual cruelty resulting from that phenomenon should not have moral reverberations now. Like I said in your survey, states cannot be evil. Nor can they be moral. The state functionaries can be, and perhaps Britain can issue a statement condemning General Dyer in stricter terms for his lack of certain morality. The British gave India a lot of good things as well, and I don't expect any Indian President to thank Britain for that. Neither should we guilt trip an ex-colonial power and extract apologies from its people for sins of their long-dead ancestors. Decency yes, self-flagellation no!
Out of all past foreign invaders, the British were probably the least repressive. They did not break a single temple or mosque and did not force any conversions. They united India into it's present form after centuries of fragmentation and gave a common language English which helped lift India from the darkness of centuries into modern age. Of course, there a a lot of negatives of British rule, but I won't go into them right now.
Different perspective and I totally agree with you. I think English language is the best thing happened to India, and is the one of the prime reason for India's growth in the last two decades.
I am a Pakistani and I visited Amritsar JallianWallah Bagh to pray and pay my respects to all the men, women and children (My People) who were massacred by the British. May God keep their souls rest in peace forever. It truly wished if British had not only just apologized for this massacre but also for all their other crimes including occupying the sub-continent, changing our ways of lives and subsequently partitioning us.
Thank you Caroline for thinking that the Brits need to apologize.
Dear Caroline,
I wonder at the so called wisdom of the British parliament. Do you need 100,000 signatures from Britons to discuss an atrocity ?
How many Britons signed for your millitary action on Libya (and Iraq)? Perhaps, Punjab needs a few billion barrels of oil reserves to make Britishers apologize.
If so much of death and tears failed to make him or the subsequent generations of Britons apoligize, then demanding apology is meaningless.
Remember, apology is not a salary that one demands but a expression that comes out of self or sometimes induced repentance.
Looks like Britons still think Dyer and Dwyer were right.
Dear Caroline Jine,
I appreciate your efforts. I 'm in Canada and even Canadian govt. apologies for kamagatamaru incident. So Jalian Wala Bagh apology is long due and it should be there in England parliament with 1 minute silence.
If an apology, should come from within. A petition for that, sounds cheesy.
And honestly, today, in this age, Indians don't think they need an apology from a country, whose clout has vaporized.
As an Indian I don't need an apology. I have met a lot of Brit who are uncomfortable with their colonial past and then there are some who are rather proud of it. An apology wouldn't make a difference in the way I treat either of them.
Besides what less do you expect from an occupying force. I would rather ask for an apology from the kings and queens of India who practically offered the country on a platter to the British. And they are still roaming around, even in parliament. An apology from the Britain is the last thing on my mind.
I think that no purpose would be served by raking up the past and an incident buried in history. The Indian people have forgiven and forgotten the whole Dyer and his actions. At the same time, it would be a nice gesture for the British to return the Kohinoor as some kind of restitution and goodwill gesture.
It happend long long ago. It has no material impact now. India is progressing today.
How about an axis of goodness? Perhaps it is worthwhile highlighting the good that ordinary men and women in our societies commit without recognition or praise. Although it is our instinct to criticize and condemn, perhaps we can also find virtue in the opposite now and then. Perhaps that will be more uplifting and worthwhile.
Nice article. Thousands of Brave Sikhs died in this massacre.The sacrifices(90%) made by Sikhs in India's freedom struggle is unparrallel
The purpose of apology is only political stunt. The damage is done. So what is the point now? More ever, General Dyer was killed by Shaheed Udham Singh to teach him a lesson for his role in Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
The wisdom lies in not repeating those type od mistakes instead of apologising for the past while continuing with new ones!!
a meaningless sorry ain't going to do it. we Indians know what British did when in India, some good and some bad. the thing is India needs to take care of itself like it is trying to do now, economically, politically, military. Apology now is a white wash.
Lets try to get the jewels taken by the British, BACK for starters.
Wait. Should the British apologize for withdrawing all security forces at the time of partition and leading people to massacre eachother or does the fault lie within us? I think the petition should focus on forcing the British Government to keep its paws out of developing countries, especially the Middle East.
It's been more than 80 years since the incident took place. In the meanwhile, relations between India and UK have generally been warm and cordial even after independence. Indians, who are British citizens, are generally treated on equal footing and are respected as a law abiding, and a model minority. At this stage, apologizing for this long gone incident is not necessary. We, as Indians, know that Britishers do not have anything against us. Opening up this incident will start some fruitless debates, and achieve nothing productive.
Caroline, i am touched by your thought and action and am also appreciative of the fact that the British pariliament has a provision to take up 'citizens' requests.
Though I am an Indian, I am not in favour of nations seeking and giving apologies for past crimes. The world was different then. Indians (and other colonies) had as much right in those days to cross the oceans, conquer lands and 'subjugate' people. If the Europeans did that, it was because they had something in them that the colonies did not. If they could, they too would have done so.
Let us not open a pandora's box. As heart-wrenching Amritsar was, where do you stop? The next thing will be somebody claiming that parliamentary apologies are meaningless and the British government should show that they mean it by some other means – prosecute the General posthumously and take away his rank or even compensate the heirs of the victims of the massacre.
The only time apologies would make sense is when there is acrimony and enemity currently and an apology could ease these.
Hello Caroline,
Apology by any British Government for past actions of its official mean nothing now. We should let bygones be bygones and move forward.
Let us try to learn from the past follies and unitedly make this world a wonderful place for all living creatures (including humans).
Well put..we move on..look ahead..
What does "past" mean ? yesterday, last month, 10 years ago ?
And how does one learn from the past if not through formal (and judicial) inquiry ?
And without which, how can we learn from our mistakes, and make the world better ?
An Apology would be a bare minimum, and would honor the dead. That their deaths were not in vain.
Then perhaps we have a chance at a better world. Just perhaps.
Well, if no apologies are asked for from the British Government, then could the British now be asked to sincerely resolve the divide and rule mess thay have let in its commonwealth countries? The Kashmir and Paletinian problem will be at the top. And, yes, Please have the British return Jibralter to Spain and Falkland Islan to Argentina!
The fact that you need 100000 British Signatures to make it "an issue worth debating" says a lot. The government would/should have already apologized. Our politicians could not care less and many of the youngsters have no idea at all.
Still, I appreciate the fact that you atleast think there was wrongdoing on that unfortunate date and are willing to then act on it. Your heart is in the right place but for the WORLD to take notice, deaths of Asians particularly Indians/Pakistanis does not really amount to a whole lot.
Nice Article and great Initiative. I would request every one to share this with their friends in UK.
Noticed one thing here though, the picture in the article is of Jarnail Singh Bhindrawala, Khalistani Leader of 80's. He wasnt even born at the time of 1919 Jalalianwala massacre in Amritsar.
The picture of the article has nothing to do with the 1919 massacre,but of a person who tried to 'use' religion
Yes, I think they better do apologise with the Sikh brothers.
As far as I know along with Sikhs thousands who gathered at Jalalianwala also included Hindus and Muslims and several of them died too.
Why only Sikh brothers? Indians including Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian brothers were the victims.
I think the writer is talking about the majority.I live in Amritsar and the majority of victims(90-95%) were Sikhs followed by our dear Muslim brethren and some Hindus & christians also(about 2-3%) according to war memorial constructed in Jallianwala bagh
Although, your feelings are appreciated; you failed to understand that the crowd was consisted of Hindu; Muslim and Sikhs alike. Baisakhi was not a communal festival in pre independent India. Although; it will not make any difference if they decide to apologize; they have to do it with the people of Indian subcontinent.
They were together-Muslims, Parsis, Sikhs and Hindus. It was not a religious conference but for Freedom of India..
Let religion be as it may.
I think the writer refers to the majority who were no doubt Sikhs
I am surprised to hear why apology to only Sikh brothers. there were Hidus and equally in number of Muslim brother too, they all were killed togather. I visited this place in Amritsar about 35 years ago and still remmember the small place and in the middle was a water "well" which they said was filled with bodies when people jump into it to escape the firing. I just thought people should know the fact
She is possibly referring to Majority
Instead of demanding an apology they should leave UK and come to India
How can you say this? For 300 years they exploited us as we were not a visa regime. Now there is reverse migration that is all. No one has a moral right to conquer and exploit weaker people using their positive strengths. One day UK will go totally into the hands of Asians – for better or worst. But it will.
Why should they leave UK? Migration to better places has been going in this world since centuries. It is a non-stopable behavior from the human being.
US deported Japanese ethnic US Citizens from California and Hawaii in 1945 during world war II. But later on in 1983, US Government have apologized for their behavior with Japanese American.
This is quite normal for any Government to apologize for their past act.
The people of Jalianwala Bagh were engaged in a peaceful demonstration. There were women and children present using words and their culture to express a desire for freedom. They were displaying their humanity as a means of communication to request peace. Civilisation is not geographic – it is shown by deeds.
No doubt British are the great administrator and ruler. They did this for the rule of the law, this type of thing is necessary in today’s world also in any third world country.
Great administrator?
Really, 2-3 millions Pakistani and Indians died during partition because of the inept British raj. Look at the way London riots went on for days and their police did nothing?
Do you mean to say they acted correctly by killing unarmed, peacefull protestors?
Institutionalise Evil and run it for centuries to make a profit. When enough wealth is made, make the head of the institution make an apology for the misdeeds ( do no forget to retain the wealth in safety ), to gain some moral high ground. All these recent flood of apologies happening in and around the world is mere hypocrisy. Do not insult the victims of your misdeeds.
So true Mr Sharma; unfortunately many people will not understand what you are talking about.
Well said, Anil Sharma!
The British always "like to learn from their mistakes" so they feel they can continue making them so that they can learn more. The cost to humanity is ignored. It is not so much the dead, but their loved ones who suffer the most, and also not ignoring the financial impact especially of young men dying on their families. The author has her heart in the right place, but apologies don't count. The West has committed atrocities not comparable to most of other nations, and continue to do so.
Agreed…..and seconded
Ofcourse it is expected of the British to apologize to the Sikhs for the Amritsar massacre, but this has only been one occasion.
We understand that Amritsar massacre cannot absolve britishers by just passing on apology to us. However we have to move forward in our lives. We have to create better tomorrow for our children. We have to create a secure, educated and smart India so that nobody even dare to even think of repetaing it again!!!
Wah!
Yes its quite a auspicious sign of redeeming that Britishers had done in subcontinent but apologizing for amritsar massacre is not enough.
It's a start though. No?
Yes it is and an act to be appreciated. But where will this redeeming the reputation end? Tomorrow the victimzed families may ask for compensation and a pandora's box may open. I hope the aim of such considerations on past attrocities is more meaningful rather than just repairing tarnished reputations and feel good acts.
I commend your efforts on an official apology. hope it will be from Her Majesty!!
Yes. It is very important to think like this. Apology is a gesture of wisdom. SW
NO and a very big no they ensalved us for two centuries,took our wealth and when leaving, broke my country, no appology is ever going to be enough….as far as I am concerned I will never forgive them, regardless….
@Caroline
What message are you trying to send by publishing Bhindranwale's photo?
God bless our Sikh brothers always the first to stand up to oppression and tyranny.
Why only Sikh brothers? Indians including Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian brothers were the victims. And, they together stood "up to oppression and tyranny".
They were part of the struggle as were muslims or hindus .By mentioning religion only it despise the people who died. They were above all this.