Britain accepts partial responsibility
Britain’s envoy, Geoffrey Ripon, announced from a press conference at Kampala that the government would accept responsibility for UK passport holders, but not for any other Ugandan Asians.
Amin steps up the pressure
Amin says of Asians with Ugandan passports, ‘If all of them go, I’ll be very, very happy’
British moral and legal declaration
Geoffrey Ripon declares that ‘The British Government accepts it has a legal duty and moral responsibility’ to accept Ugandan Asians with British passports
Negotiations with airlines
Preparations for the British airlift start; Enoch Powell states, ‘The so-called British passports do not entitle them to enter Britain’
Voluntary Coordinating Committee established
A Coordinating Committee for the Welfare of Evacuees from Uganda is set up, representing 40 charities, faith-based bodies and immigrant groups.
Appointment of Sir Charles Cunningham
The Home Office announces the appointment of Sir Charles Cunningham, a former Permanent Under-Secretary of State in the Home Office, as Chairman of the Ugandan Resettlement Board. Some of the other members of the board are also announced: Mr. Mark Bonham Carter, Chairman of the Community Relations Commission and Mr. Douglas Tilbe of the Co-ordinating Committee for the Welfare of Evacuees from Uganda, and Mr. Praful Patel, Secretary of the All-Party Committee on United Kingdom Citizenship. Seven British airlines tell the Department of Trade and Industry that they would work together to organise the airlift of 50,000 Asians from Uganda at £70 per passenger.
‘not a single Ugandan shilling’
Amin announces that ‘not a single Ugandan shilling’ will leave the country.
Heath confirms resettlement
Prime Minister Edward Heath publicly confirms that UK passport holders will be admitted for settlement.
First arrivals at Stansted
First arrival of 193 Ugandan Asians under the care of the Uganda Resettlement Board, take to Stradishall reception centre.
Over twenty-thousand resettled
Ugandan Resettlement Board announces that a total of 27,200 Ugandan Asians have arrived; 21,000 of these have been processed through URB reception and resettlement centres.
