Palabras clave acabo. que con lleva los éxito el y mencionados antes temas tres los tratar para que autor el utiliza poéticos mecanismos los destaco que realizo, poema del interpretación la En expulsión. la de proclama la de después año un publicó se cuestión en que poema el dado premoniciones futuro, sobre el formular para poesía la de capacidad yla dirige; se poema el cual ala emergente poscolonia la de ycarácter naturaleza la refugiado; del apátrida condición yla dolor el desarraigo del poema: del interrelacionados aspectos tres analizar en (1971) radica interés Mi episodio. este imagina African” East an as Asian of an “Portrait Jagjit de Singh, poema el cómo examina artículo Este sufrido. ha que Uganda traumáticos más episodios los de uno es Dada, Amin Idi General el momento, presidente por el del perpetrada Uganda de asiática población la de expulsión La Resumen Keywords this. he does which with success the mentioned and Ihave above, that issues three to the to deploys speak poet the that devices poetic to the attention paper, special Ipay this in Iperform that poem of the reading close the In announced. was expulsion the before year a published was poem the fact the given insights, prescient to give of poetry ability the and to; speaks poem the that emergent postcolony of the character and nature the refugeehood; and of statelessness into astate cast home, to be only as known one has aplace uprooted from of being pain the work: this in depicts poet the that inter-related issues three in interested am (1971). African’ East an as I Asian of an ‘Portrait Jagjit Singh’s in imagined is event how this examines article This suffered. has Uganda that events traumatic one most is of the Dada, Amin Idi General time, President of by the the Uganda from 1972The of Asians expulsion Abstract UN CANTO CONTRA EL SENTIMIENTO ANTI-ASIÁTICO EN LA POSTCOLONIA LA EN ANTI-ASIÁTICO SENTIMIENTO EL CONTRA CANTO UN Makerere University, Kampala (Uganda) & Stellenbosch University (South Africa) (South University &Stellenbosch (Uganda) Kampala University, Makerere Revista Canaria de Estudios Ingleses Estudios de Canaria Revista THE EAST AFRICAN POSTCOLONY: JAGJIT SING’S AFRICAN EAST THE “PORTRAIT OF AN ASIAN AS AN EAST AFRICAN” EAST AN AS ASIAN OF AN “PORTRAIT SINGING AGAINST ANTI-ASIAN SENTIMENT IN SENTIMENT ANTI-ASIAN AGAINST SINGING : Prejudice, Expulsion, Trauma, Atrocity, Asians. Expulsion, : Prejudice, DEL ÁFRICA ORIENTAL. ORIENTAL. ÁFRICA DEL : prejuicio, expulsión, trauma, atrocidad, asiáticos. atrocidad, trauma, : prejuicio, expulsión, DOI: DOI: EAST AFRICAN” DE JAGJIT SINGH JAGJIT DE AFRICAN” EAST https://doi.org/10.25145/j.recaesin.2021.82.07 Danson Sylvester Kahyana Sylvester Danson “PORTRAIT OF AN ASIAN AS AN AS ASIAN AN OF “PORTRAIT , 82 ; April 2021, pp. 95-107;April ISSN: e-2530-8335

REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 82; 2021, PP. 95-107 95 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 82; 2021, PP. 95-107 96 of the upper-case B that is usually used to render the names of countries or of empires. countries to render names used the usually is of upper-case Bthat the alower-case b, with noun why “Britain” instead the spelled is explains Perhaps this (i.e. collapsed empire British it no the a dung-heap). respect), has is that and deserves a dung-heap Empire British no (so the is more inter-related that than ittwo things: dung-heap the “into of empire” british them the (157). at least mean can line This fling they that much so disdain with given to them medals the treat them makes that them to had no that meaning war were a to fight made they that realization It this is bodies. blood dismembering and ofof discarding terms soldiership in theiracts thesees personawhy is which were fighting, they for which have acause (157). of yesterday” white wars / in not soldiers did Indian the It implied that is dismembered bodies /and blood “for discarded it was that honour sense the in false contempt, with for Britain it a is by given to imperial them Victoria medal Cross workplace accidents”and (Ojwang 10). conditions weather lions, harsh of jigger-infestations, man-eating endure –plagues to had laborers indentured thousand thirty-two the that of “theresult hardships a as were invalided” thousand ahalf and six “while of dead hundred four them 1896 between 1903, and railway thousand Kenya-Uganda overthe two left which modernity, role historic by building their in evidenced contribution African to East independentcommitment newly to the who have Asian forgotten and the nations, post-independence by shabbily the treated being who doubt politicians (Asians’) their over (156). “great of the citizenship” issue Africa are from East Asians The Asians of the expulsion impending the he discussing, is of issue scene the the sets persona 1971. in Books Educational by Heinemann London in published first Rubadiri, David and by Cook edited David anthology “Public in and Butchery” African,” East an etc., “Death, etc.,”and No as Buds,” “No No Leaves, Roots, “Portrait Asian of an plays” Competition (Gregory for radio half-hour 447), new Service BBC African Freedom (Gregory literature” 447). play, include works his reading His while where University at he the of “won Sussex Studies distinction Asian and African 1969” A-levels in in 199)distinctions (Cook Rubadiri and School to of the and four School, Kololo, for obtaining aGold Medal awarded whereSecondary he was way. poignant 1949, in and Uganda in Born apowerful in “went Singh to Senior ofAfrica independent newly politicians black the East and Asians the between tension the work his imagines playwright, and poet work. Atalented his and him writers,” on do but not entry they provide African a special East most important one Jagjit as (76) of “the Singh Mwangi identify Evan and (2007), Simon Gikandi fade away soon”fade sprout must “green and /that leaves no more” (158), to say, is that [that] cells must “malignant them made has skin where colour of Asians’ the the In the final part, the persona bemoans the toxic racial situation in East Africa, Africa, East in situation the racial toxic thebemoans persona part, final the In the for treating of Indians persona remembers bravery the the II, the Part In I, the Part In parts. three in is African” East an as “Portrait Asian of an In , which “won third prize among six hundred entries in 1971 in entries hundred six among prize “won Second the , which in third The Columbia Guide to East African Literature in English Since Since in English Literature 1945 African East to Guide Columbia The INTRODUCTION Poems from East Africa East from Poems , an influential influential , an Sweet Scum of Scum Sweet

where the Asians will soon be will where Asians the future a of Hitler. Adolf imagines endured hands Thepoem at the Jews the which but undoubtedly not dire, is which to comparable that post-independence Africa, in attention of Asians plight to to intended be the the allusion to the attract in Second World the during of were contained Jews killed War. exaggeration the Iread where Shylock) millions most notorious Germany and businessman, Nazi in Jewish play, Shakespeare’s William in famous most made Europe, in attitudes to it anti-Semitic compared is that extent to the was for it to meant give important, is “citizen? ... (ibid). extraction” so, perhaps /but ofis Asian theallusion to Jews The acitizen” (157), is also Jew the proclaims reply, hostile / that the thereby attracting friendship smile of Asian awear “subordinate they government and offices, alleys (that in No of wonder, loathing). living are back in Asians atmosphere the that idea of the an reader the frown” not gives “unfriendly one is straight), while that of a shadow, perspective from the (they moreover imagined a lot are of strain underare they that “bent suggests shadow” provoked. are when The they phrase back fight to are willing not they that extentthe to have suffered Asians the that of loss refer to the pride could confidence and which soon break, will nationalists the black that “bentthe shadow” of image thepowerful ways, hence different in humiliated region, also from the not are but just on verge they expelled of the being are Asians tone why The aterrible is his of which loss, as voice one is of anguish. future. near the happen in will what ofextent presciently stating (Nemerov to “see 223), present absolute the ability with the clarity” tomeans the Mantle a Brown novel Peter Nazareth’s –like poem his 1972 which the of Asians, expulsion the imagines Singh which in themanner examine upas I for reflection, throws poem the that others view, paper, several and this this Irevisit In ascapegoat. as Asians persona’s the underlines of the expulsion community by of impending the the view atonement as committed for sins the killed being of aram practice religious Jewish (159). of history” sins away the wash /and altar to the theallusion ram the to This “lead history, of thelines victims hence are Asians the that clear it one,makes first the like part, 5).final cited Ojwang protection” George in and This (Marangoly hierarchy,“a of gendered “patriarchal sense self-identity, shelter, nurture comfort, including of aray meanings ‘home’ term having the homes, of loss with their and expulsion impending the as doom, Iread which a group of people to acertain fated VERSIFYING THE EXPULSION AS LOSS AND TRAUMA AND LOSS AS EXPULSION THE VERSIFYING each time we land (158) we land time each wrath fresh to unsheathe only world, over the all vultures unwelcome flying, Africa from East expulsion impending the depicts persona poem, the the In

– prophesied. context this it Suffice to thatmention in prophesy

an idea of how serious the Africans’ resentment idea of how Africans’ an the serious

The Merchant of Merchant The Venice

(which features a In In

REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 82; 2021, PP. 95-107 97 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 82; 2021, PP. 95-107 98 for “eight long years” by selling him high-tech military and surveillance equipment surveillance and military high-tech for him “eight by long selling years” to power, there not kept did Amin him Idi but just bring that also Israel like allies ( wounded them one leaving of themselves, to defend try Asians the as erupts Ahuge fight watch. and personnel stand just camp the Asians, three to beat try and come camp to the white four people When refugees. as them marking clearly badges wear and cards to carry asked are dwellers eventually, camp camp; to from this bad worseget in Things passports. British who carry those even helpless refugees, like treated and ‘wogs’ called are Asians the Kensington, in camp arefugee in For instance, Asians. Uganda(n) expelled the against of racism British examples many gives Mamdani memoir his about In expulsion the racist. is when or it black coloured to people comes denying citizenship intoand country the passport-holding between makes Britain that distinction the that is terms– crude thus: issue on this comments Rushdie Salman worthless. passports British D-class their made which of 1968 the Act because Immigration country from the barred are Africa from East Asians while enter without difficulty any countries Britain other commonwealth from families White grounds. on racial Amin’s, based like was of which, expulsion Britain’s that holders to welcome clear a kind is itsis reluctance coloured passport book their in of this account adetailed give 126). Ward “Negotiating” Michael Derek Humphrey and (Kahyana responsibility were Uganda’s who held those even its passports, Asians, the that worse: it claimed second novel Nazareth’s in characters one to its non-white its responsibility D’Costa, David of the as disown citizens” not did decide just “to Britain that fact given the important particularly is “wrath” The word of or whether held not passports. British they irrespective for –Britain– most of headed them were not country they the well-received in from Uganda, proved were not expelled if perceptive, prophetic,land”) for Asians when indeed the we time each wrath over world, fresh the only to all unsheathe unwelcome vultures (10). homeland of mind” –“an the India imaginary an calls Rushdie Salman to, but to what return rather he one not is wishes aphysical that knows persona the India The would not arise. upon arrival question of the then wrath descent, of of persona’s the land Diaspora”), his in country were the India, if since return (“Writers probably repeated” be will of dispersal nation whereanother ritual the (Singh “Portrait” 158), for both the British passport and Britain itself that the Asians (Singh “Portrait” 158), Asians the that itself Britain and passport British the for both of white race” the kindness “the false calls persona of It the to what bear. evidence is (Mamdani Rushdie is being diplomatic here, for what he is actually saying –if stated in in stated –if saying diplomatic being here, is for heRushdie actually what is (133) black. to be happen they because rights, these denied are citizens British many whereas grandparent; one British-born of having here, by virtue residence and entry of non-Britons white other right automatic have and Africans South Rhodesians, many that is law immigration of British aspects One more of curious the / flying, be itlinesabove Suffice to the that mentionsoon shall (“and we “[t]he lines, place, to of another is Simatei’s these In reading really gesture Imperialism From Citizen From 1), this segregated treatment of Amin’s victims becomes hard hard becomes 1), of treatment Amin’s victims segregated this 127). If we remember that it was Britain with its 127). with Britain we it remember If was that The General Is Up Passports and Politics and Passports From Citizen to Refugee puts it did (44), but actually (1974), where it , Mahmood , Mahmood that this is Mrs Naranbhai’s first visit to Africa, her attitude towards Africans does does Africans towards her attitude Africa, visit to first Naranbhai’s Mrs is this that thus: muses Africa East in her in second novel Naranbhai Mrs is character One such appalling. is Africans prejudice against crass whose characters, some Asian of ignorance the depicts sarcastically Siddiqi, Jameela writing. for instance, their in depict shown by they what as prejudice some among of Asians racial existence the honest (74). about are writers Asian Africans the Most Ugandan and them between intercourse (and sexual) social against militated naturally, it almost to comes them that organisation social caste-centered their in of exclusion, ingrained so is which notion the with together of Asians, superiority on part the of racial feeling this that (Seidenberg of Neolithic Age the 7). remnants Tiropatavistic Peter Simatei suggests and members of lowest caste, the regarded whom they superior Africans to the considered themselves they people, Black which in relationship with of their area the in is This countries. contributed troubles to post-independence their in African East (159)corrupted” they which in one puts persona it, the instance for at least is there as (Seidenberg Europe in merchants 14). Jewish were to found be concerning as Asians about the assumptions negative same the epithet contained which an “Jews of Africa,” as them imagined which of history, that including victims are Asians the respect, it lording this In over, was force to servitude. that them colonial subjecting the and of part as consider Asians the Africans the made inevitably which system, tiered three- this beneficiaries” (Ojwang 13). who engineered colonialists the British is It economy, were never cash its new sole they the or primary even although against “absorb them made most which of resentment the Africans” the and Europeans the 101) “Narrating” (Kahyana to “to and providebetween abuffer Africans” black the and white colonizers the between intermediary the as by interests acting imperial the to serve Asians the “the used British which in structure racial three-tiered babies” –a brown baby-sitting white and water and fetching wood, hewing bottom class, the Africans the and class middle the Asians the upper the class, constituting whites the society, with stratified creation of “a colonial not the did racially engineer Indians the place, first the In scapegoats. as and of history victims as them casts Uganda respectively. unreliable, and out fake post-independence turn ultra-nationalist politicians against security with associated INTERROGATING SOME OF THE POEM’S ASSUMPTIONS POEM’S OF THE SOME INTERROGATING While the novel makes it clear that this crass prejudice is a result of the fact prejudice of fact the aresult is crass this that it clear novel the makes While (101-102) humans? eat they blue? it Is true sparkly and clear so lakes and rivers the whySo were black? turn water the Did off? washed had dirt the all when know they How did wash? Did they colour? skin from apart dirt how do you tell skin dark or not? such With were clean they whether one know […] dark so to be have they did How could Why natives. the about apity [W]hat or were “the not of unintentionally history completelyBut Asians victims the from Asians theexpulsion the of that There is no theaboutfact question Bombay Gardens , who on arrival , who on arrival

REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 82; 2021, PP. 95-107 99 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 82; 2021, PP. 95-107 100 M.A. Tribe writes about in his article “Economic Aspects of Expulsion,” the “Economic who Tribe Aspects article about his M.A. in writes that those to exploitation, tantamounted for not if instance that economic sabotage, practices business Therethosewhocompletely involvedwerewere unethical clean. in were Asians the not however,does all mean, This that industrialists. and traders were Asians agroup erroneous, is for all impression as it the that gives Asians against labelled exploitation of usually thecharge Expulsion” 272).that Asian means This “Ugandan (Mamdani 50 families” around “constitute [of] minority atiny numerically residential” “pre-1972 and the commercial industrial, property: of owners large-scale “Adventures” 383), (Nazareth lawyers” and clerks, while bank servants, doctors, civil most were teachers, were transportation: industry, involved and business, in Asians 10 percent than “[f]ewer of the Besides, charge. of this Freedom”) make shamelessly Mantle In aBrown Nazareth’s (as in depicted like Gombe-Kukwa government black corrupt officials most the even that fact given the true, mostly is 97), this Responsibility” “Social (Nazareth developmentcountry” the in egalitarian thelack of for excuse an to find exploiters who for real want[ed] the “the scapegoats as served Asians the that view the for As exploited from Uganda. 1972 in Amin Idi Asians that the when he expelled thereby contributing environment tense to the Africa, and Asians relationship between world their into disarray. thereby throwing happens, unimaginable (Simatei was what Asian” 93-94).the other words, In for Asians, the and WhiteMan the both of fit if servant be a to only as treated hitherto African of freedom the and on equality principles it achieved as is such because precisely independence relationship themaster-servant because is “precipitates in This crisis a economic and privileges. racial their thereby dismantling turn, structure racial the of tables should the to of say, is sorts of peril ablack that fear their future, their about (Seidenberg anxiety 7). caste members Finally, of lowest social the Asians’ the were regarded Africans scheme of things, this In positions or of servitude. privilege social people different in places which system caste Asians’ the Second, Africans. the superior to therefore second British, racially to and the as Asians the placed which above, discussed already structure racial colonial the First, discussion. this for suffice you know,No culture, us” (9). not like Africans]. beating shoe [a the of and some stick reference practice Asians the to the Bloody empty-headed, can’t money, their work, to drink want just only understand you know. sentiment: nature, “It their in this is shares here” son, (7). his Shamsu, And don’t[barbarians/savages] money, how know to make you know. It on grows trees shenzis black “These says: sentiments. Her Ramzan, uncle, racist similar depicts 136). “Negotiating” bone, to the shows (Kahyana he himself works as even African lazy typical the of being whom he accuses Jannasani, her servant, with her relationship worse it as gets of novel; the course anything, the if in not change rents, and improper use of personal transfers” (144). transfers” improperrents, of and personal use and profits ofas such incomes factor declaration under-invoicing false of exports, siphoned “over-invoicing like money methods out using of Uganda and of imports Needless to mention, these toxic sentiments of racial superiority soured the to mention, the superiority soured toxicNeedless sentiments of racial these will prejudice,this three but explain can which onein ways many are There herIn memoir ) and Dr.) and (as Ebongo play depicted Singh’s “Short radio in Scum No Place like Home like No Place , Yasmin Alibhai-Brown Alibhai-Yasmin , Yasmin Alibhai-Brown Asians’ presence in the sense that before their arrival, the region was “swamp region was the arrival, before their that sense the presence in Asians’ to the owe themselves modernity and civilization African East that to saying be (156). bazaar” persona the Indian into burst an Iunderstand /that of greenness sleeping savagery /swamp decided to “forget blood black has from amnesia: arising as Asians the mete on nationalists that black the hostility Thepersona attributes savage. dark the of civilizing language imperialist the using Africa East pre-colonial demonstrates. powerfully so discussion under poem Location but same not Bhabha’s the “almost quite” (Bhabha phrase, to paraphrase famous but were They citizens not quite, of white colonialists. the those as wide-ranging as were not privileges were non-native their they some with rights, for and although Africa, East colonial British in of Asians place the the to explain adequately failure Subject and (Mamdani of need tutelage” in “an all-round and considered uncivilized native, the subject being the rights) (the and white, with non-native,civilized usually the being citizen the enterprise, with colonial the sustained had that formulation– famous Mamdani’s subject use –to and citizen between distinction the collapsed ‘citizen’ it since category suspect, the made that to Ugandanisation Africanisation fromaction of of affirmative terms the shifting It shrewd the is Expulsion” 94). “Uganda (Mamdani service civil the and business, retail farming, large-scale industrialisation, like areas various in of Africans the expense at the Asians the and 1945 whites favoured the that 1949, and discrimination end to racial an called which of strikes government’s colonial British peasant the as nationalist to the response amoment. in were up Iexplain to, as capitalists the game the see they were action” for able to nationalists theblack angered (95). affirmative This now it a position in incorporation of was tofrom even benefit companies, local and ‘[b]y of citizenship, that so from ‘Africanisation’action to ‘Ugandanisation’ virtue of affirmative terms the shifting in of succeeded 1960s, the middle by the “had who, capitalists/bourgeoisie of some Asian shrewdness to the partly this attributes nation” (Simatei 99). a multiracial project of building failed the Mamdani Mahmood of nation, “symptomatic the of indeed of sickness from Uganda, the expulsion their later and of citizen, category from the exclusion the of Asians the thereby making or foster, to inscribe designed is tool of citizenship pedagogical the that unity the (Singh 157).overrides race in extraction” of difference reality other words, In the sardonically, replies “perhaps so, but nationalist black the of acitizen, Asian as himself/herself declares Asian as whytheto when the reason is This or sexuality. gender, ethnicity,“DissemiNation” 294),class, race, in of differences the irrespective one” “out as and “the many nation to as the belonging one” of many (Bhabha people the tool to construct meant apedagogical as of citizenship failure the colour. signals This he/she skin simply adifferent because has status, citizenship of his/her irrespective of alien the category he/she the in acitizen: is remains Asian for post-independence it the the not is that that enough it clear nationalist, black On the issue of Asians taking on East African citizenship, the poem makes makes poem the citizenship, African on East taking of Asians issue On the Perhaps the most contentious aspect of the poem is the way it imagines Perhapsway it the is imagines of poem most contentious the the aspect early the came in into being action,1950s, it berecalled, should Affirmative 89) –a thing that remains true even after political independence as the the independence as political after even true remains that thing –a 89) 17). The insightfulness of this formulationis howeverhaunted this by of its 17).insightfulness The Citizen

REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 82; 2021, PP. 95-107 101 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 82; 2021, PP. 95-107 102 text, Dr Ebongo, the Minister of the ridiculously large ministry of Commerce and of and Commerce ministry large of ridiculously the Dr Ebongo, Minister the text, (114). to friendly” be trying are they bosses, the we now are latter and the that In we won Independence our until from us kept aloof they people [because] into sea the brown these “If novel, Iwere power,the in all he declares, ominously Iwould chase We here. do without We your kind can of enough exploiters” have had (75). in Later from. came they where go back must country comewho this “Those to mind, his in Asians the with thus, states Gombe-Kukwaya called character former, African an novel Nazareth’s like texts imaginative in statements captured have been racially-charged example of The happenings. racially-charged independence, and soon after made politicians nationalist statements many racially-charged shown by the as countries, the all in widespread people’s Black regionthe was the in resentment Asians to the that firstthe being one this, explaining twoways of are at Thereleast African.” East an as Asian 1972. in title,evident an place in “Portraitis its of to This take was by 1970constituted where expulsion not the and Uganda just of focus, its area as position for for aprivileged Asian. the notif acall, adesire, as read be might out of bringer modernity the now is throwing that Africa savage modernized and civilized having as Asians the he constructs that fact the post-independence in Africa, East Africans and of equitablelack of treatment Asians for alament as read be might poem his While native. the of civilizing name the in of world the who conquered other parts region and the colonialists, British the with he since identifies partisan, as therefore off comes post-independence Africa East in Africans and Asians between on friction the Singh’s attempts. paper take this what is problems” (Ojwang 164). to historical such responses contextualization This solely on affective the focuses one that than rather relations, exploitativeand social accumulation of unevenpatterns the in approach to “the locate is better conflict a yet observes, Ojwang as one attitudes” and of consciousness fundamentally is problem memory, the in that to it afailure since “suggests Africans the and Asians Class Politics and of iron importation British products (Mamdani of mass aresult as of country the Britain’s with colonisation ceased which of knives iron implements and hoes like 105-07), (Reid her respect about production and write with Morton Stanley Henry and Pasha, John Emin Buganda’s Speke, that pre-colonial impressive highways for of period, instance achievements the Africans’ black elides Singh jungle, and mere being swamp as Africa East diaspora pre-Indian and pre-colonial imagining condemned. By and to exposed be needs that aform of is ingratitude of Asians (“Portrait” Switzerland in 156), run they shabby treatment their it implied that is accounts bank the and wear they suits black the drive, they Benzes Mercedes the (Ojwang 164), of modernity” by about seen pleasures quibbles the as whatsoever (ibid). no of greenness” “have sleeping savagery nationalists black the Since African government says this as part of his speech in parliament: in speech of his part as government this says African post-independencein a East Affairs Foreign Cultural and Trade, Broadcasting, In a In It is significant that the poem takes the entire region of East Africa as Africa the entire East region of takes the poem that It significant is the blood bad between the aproblem is there attributing Besides, with

Brown Mantle Brown 34-35). and Singh’s radio play “Sweet Scum of play Freedom.” Singh’s “Sweet radio and Scum the In painful re-membering, a putting together of the dismembered past to make sense sense to make past of dismembered together the aputting re-membering, painful gone involves time by, the remembering writing since “aanymore, itself is which from write it, not he could upon bear expelled much so loved being that Uganda Singh that proposing: Iam that one hypothesis the ways, of being many them in read be can expulsion the after silence His plays. and publish poetry to and write not would had have continued happened, it expulsion Singh the possible is if that p’Bitek’s a“proudbe averse from Okot use /of /shot –to Uhuru” arrow /by down the eagle to said be he can respect, 1972, this In of him. published after became or what even altogether, scene it he what much so notwrote and is that known literary African Terrorism in collected writing creative expulsion, and the after years Uganda,” published “Farewell in for instance articles, kept writing Tejani Bahadur University and at whothe of Iowa United the in of States America, critic based literary and academic an as active who remained Peter Nazareth unlike country. the verge ofthe leaving We Times Good Had,” “What in woman before who on –just she murdered– is is the and “Leaving”) (who in Tanzania Aloo lives like representedare by characters M.G.In Vassanji’s entitled collection short story numbers. large in Tanzania and Kenya leaving Asians –the however same the was with more subtlety. subtle effected albeit tough, approachesThe these result of end Kenyatta’s brutal, and Nyerere’s cruel and question was human to the were also Amin’s for while ‘solution’ case, the Nyerere) not is which historically beauties, the as (Julius Tanzania and Kenyatta) of leaders (Jomo Kenya the and beast, the as Amin to present is unique to I guess, Amin’stherefore Idi is erroneous. Its purpose, Uganda been having as Asians theexpulsion the of (Ojwang 96). The tendency portray to John Okello called man led sharecroppers” by aUgandan and laborers of peasants, Revolution of 1964 by “aZanzibari (Ojwang 13), crew motley organized was which the during from Zanzibar of Asians the expulsion mass the is example good very a (Theroux 47-48).happenings, of Africans tothe black racially-charged those For economic and interests cultural social, to their subordinate refuse they leave if Kenya Asians that occasions, Moi, on whoPresident Arap bluntly several demanded, Daniel President first by the those Independentof his and Vice Kenya JomoKenyatta will never allow them to have one foot in Britain, the other foot in India and only only and India in foot other the one Britain, to have in foot them allow never will We Asians. the now ... warn But Imust community Asian to the of course referring Iam country. our in alot have of We foreigners oppressed. still –economically you Itell oppressed, very, very still is now independent] African the [Although After the expulsion, Singh disappeared from the East African literary scene, scene, literary African East from the disappeared expulsion, Singh the After instance life, for actual in made those statements reflected imagined These (45) trade. and commerce our with prostitutes like playing Africa in hands their Song of Prisoner of Song (2009). For Singh, the expulsion from East Africa meant leaving the East East the leaving meant (2009). Africa from East For expulsion the Singh, (94), with the shooter being Idi Amin Dada himself. For himself. Dada (94), shooter Amin Idi the being with CONCLUSION Uhuru Street Laughing in the Face of Face in the Laughing , these departures departures , these Transition two two

REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 82; 2021, PP. 95-107 103 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 82; 2021, PP. 95-107 104 of 21 the nations African East the in place takes citizenship) still (of practice invalidating this prejudice intolerance and of time, the of racial the aresult 1970s as been having as of 1960s nations the and African East the in citizenship of Asian invalidation the development. and depicts poem For the while survival for national to harnessed be inconvenience an or a burden like to got be treated rid of, is citizen not and aresource under adictatorship, where ordinary lived the who has to anybody recognizable history. in place and time at aparticular experienced Asians African East the dejection that and of despair feelings the and anxieties and (138)– experiences the Singh’s phrase it alive keeps that sense the in Batliwala Rashna “a use to –to It a people memorial aplace” also and is trauma. and anguish group untold this thereby or causing residents– citizens Asian itconstituted –the of one itself of groups that the nation cleansed it how documents Ugandan the of atrocity, that archive sense the an in African” East an as “Portrait Asian of an makes put This it) exploiters of economy are Amin the remains. (milkers they as that citizenship), stereotype the Tanzanian and Kenyan on Ugandan, taking and initiatives, industrialization economies through African contributing East to the Kenya, in struggles anti-colonial the in participating (by Africans East as accepted be work to hard for Asians when even the more Singh’s is fate sealed, or that less likely it politician, the is have not he avoided could persona had if fate assassinated his to mention but p’Bitek’s afew. insularism, While ethnic isolationism, and racial Africans, colour,–prejudiceagainst already this some identified have of been which with associated “the of history” and sins skin for colour of the (read: his expelled) shot is detention, down latter and the to while say,is arrest for his cause is there a post-independence of a head (presumably leader state), political that assassinating p’Bitek’sbetween Singh’s: former for and persona shot the is (read: down detained) But belonging. adifference is there and on of idea the self particularly psyche, 1976as on their caused expulsion the (Tejani that 48), Koshi trauma and the and stateless Tejani as Bahadur remaining with experienced, they of statelessness the wound terms adeep in do experience who were expelled Asians Ugandan Likewise, it shot. which is with arrow by the wounded or grounded, killed is perhaps eagle the that suggests image The on had some expulsion the of its victims. toll that the 1972. after silence lost, hence he his had about country the writing to continue too traumatized became Singh Asians, about to happen to Ugandan was that atrocity the prophesying after that me conclusion to it the likely guided is that representation (2). of experience” the insight This a truthful to articulate inability of one’s silent face the in to remain pressure the visible and trauma the make and compulsion the at atrocities: play representing to in speak process “a contradictory is there that observation Kebaya’s by Charles informed Iam insightful hypothesis, of present” the 123). “Remembering” (Bhabha of trauma the this formulating In national Police force, which acts in partisan ways during elections (Abrahamsen and and (Abrahamsen elections during ways partisan in Police acts national force, which the like inter-sex queer and people, hounded apparatuses by are state trans-sexual, opposition, members of political gay, lesbian, the and groups, for instance bisexual, The helplessness and despair that the persona experiences in the poem is the poem in experiences thepersona that andThe despair helplessness to underline it seriousness deserves, the p’Bitek’s with invoking I am image st century, but in a different form. In Uganda, this is seen in thewaysome in seen is this century, butIn form. adifferent Uganda, in after it was published. it was after (Green 95). other words, In Singh’s today, continues poem to relevant be 50 years of clients” the leanings or “the political peoplethe power in by blood, marriage, one’s or whether is not not matters does one what care acitizen; is to relationship jobs” tenders, and (Mwendacontracts, 29). to mention, machine Needless this form of the government in “typically is which put been place, in has that machine huge patronage to the do not they have access because opportunities particular form of the people denied being takes invalidation the sometimes counting), still President In (in Museveni’s Yoweri powerstatus. 1986 Uganda since Kaguta and Jjuuko 6and Mutesi and 269-270),(Xie citizenship of respectively, their irrespective homophobic them enact which 3), parliament Bareebe targeting national the laws and Revised paper accepted for publication: 28/01/2021 publication: for accepted paper Revised Reviews sent to author: 10/12/2020 author: to sent Reviews

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