Rank: Elder Joined: 2/22/2009 Posts: 2,449 Location: Africa
|
heri wrote:Shak wrote:Lolest! wrote:Caroline Elkin's 'Britain's Gulag' A sad, embittering collection of accounts from detainees during the 1950s emergency. Brings to light facts like Winston Churchill govt's knowledge and permission of use of torture in detention just after WW2 where the Nazis were condemned for the same. Torture included beatings(to death), starvation, forced labour (detainees labour gave us JKIA, Yatta irrigation & Mwea Irrigation schemes), castration, stuffing sand through mouth or anus  Life wasn't any better for those left in concentration villages. There was forced labour, beatings, rape, famine and many deaths Not yet done with it but would recommend it for anyone interested in Kenyan history This is such a difficult read. My parents lived through this period right in the heart of the violence but somehow came out unscathed. Parts of it ring familiar from the stories they told us but I now realize how much they censored them for the sake of our young ears. I feel a range of emotions: bitterness, hurt, disgust and I'm not yet halfway through.... You realize we were cheated all along being made to idolize home guards . You should also read 'Histories of the hanged' I'll look for it once I'm done with this one.
|