Peterborough families celebrate 50th anniversary of arriving in UK after expulsion of Uganda's Asian community

Peterborough’s Asian community came together over the weekend to further celebrate 50 years since their community arrived in the city – with a special exhibition.

It was one of the many celebrations to mark 50 years since refugees were welcomed in the city after being forced to leave the African nation, Uganda.

The event took place at the Hindu Community Centre, in Rock Road, on Saturday (January 21).

It brought together over 150 people, who shared their stories, memories and experiences of the expulsion and moving to Peterborough.

Fifty years ago, on August 4, 1972, Ugandan’s third president, Idi Amin, who seized power in a military coup and ruled the country from 1971 to 1979, ordered the expulsion of Uganda’s entire Asian population.

The order gave over 50,000 people just 90 days to leave the country.

Many Indians had settled in Uganda after the the British government, of which India was under the colonial rule of, sent over 40,000 labourers from India in 1896 to build a railway running from Kenya to Uganda.

"Many people were penniless when they arrived in Peterborough,” organiser Ratilal Joshi, who moved to the UK from Uganda in 1972 and now lives in Yaxley, said.

"The late Charles Swift (a Peterborough City Council councillor for 62 years, who passed away in August last year) took the initiative to accept 50 families into Peterborough.

“We would like to say thank you to Peterborough City Council and the late Charles Swift for welcoming us to Peterborough as refugees.”

The event included a photographic exhibition and a screening of video clips from the announcement in 1972.

SEE MORE: ‘Success story’ of family who moved to Peterborough in 1972 on 50th anniversary of the Ugandan Asian expulsion order