Freedom fighters

WE should never confuse the huge differences between so-called “freedom fighters” and terrorists.

A good illustration of this occurred during my childhood in Kenya (E. Africa). Known as the Mau Mau emergency – circa 1950s and occasionally given as an example of an anti-white uprising.

Estimated casualties were approximately 100 European settlers, approximately 45,000 local non Mau Mau indigenous people and Mau Mau terror ists, a couple of thousand dead and thousands of prisoners entered into “Hotelli ya King George” (prison).

The censoring of the horrendous and disgusting oathing ceremony publication of which was forbidden in South Africa and Britain may have changed history and handed the soon to be independent nation into kinder hands.

Our fathers were ex-officers from World War II encouraged to invest their moneys and our futures in the Crown colonies, with various assurances given.

Had the horrendous details been published, Britain would have found McMillan’s “Winds of Change” colonial sellout politically costly and it is probable that a portion of the South African military would have headed north to help secure civilised law and order.

There were many Afrikaans farmers scattered over East Africa giving additional production of foodstuffs and jobs and stability.

The largest tribe was and is the Kikuyu – comprising many clans. Most clans were involved and supportive of the Mau Mau, which had an almost exclusive Kikuyu membership. Most joined willingly, some were coerced and a few refused.

Such was the Lari village. One night Mau Mau terrorists surrounded the village, torched the thatched roof huts and as the half asleep, half smoke blinded occupants stumbled out of their huts. What happened then was a massacre. The photos and all publicity were heavily censored but in our small settler population (approximately 65,000) the truth is hard to conceal.

One of the leaders was Jomo Kengatta, another was General China – African leaders are great at assuming names and titles.

At the time of writing the current President of Kenya is a son of Jomo Kengatta, Uhuru (Freedom) Kengatta. A considerable improvement on his father – one cannot blame the son for the sins of the father.

Something some of the people in the US might remember as they torch their cities. It was the Yankees who torched Atlanta for the first time.

PERRY J B JEWELL, Grantham