Source 4

Transcript

UNRRA means United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration
formed to provide economic assistance to European nations after the Second World War and to repatriate and assist the refugees who would come under Allied control.

From
Captain A.W.T. Webb, CBE.,
Principal Refugee Officer,
Government of India,
Commonwealth Relations Department,
NEW DELHI, 3.

To
The Secretary of the
Government of India
Department of Commonwealth Relations
NEW DELHI, 3.

No. 50/46-Poll (Evn)

Dated New Delhi, the 31stAugust, 1946.

Subject:- Maintenance of Evacuees accommodated in India
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Sir,
In accordance with instruction, I have the honour to submit a tenth periodical report on the reception and accommodation of the other matters concerning evacuees, for whom His Majesty’s Government have accepted financial liability, or who are evacuees sponsored by Allied Governments. This report covers the period January 1946, to date.
2. The lapse of time, since the submission of my ninth periodical report, may be excused the imputation of delay, since its preparation was put off from time to time in the pious hope that some finality was just over the hill. To this hope strength was added by the discussions in London during my recent deputation to the United Kingdom and Egypt. Since now our legitimate expectations have been dashed to the ground, there remains no excuse for further delaying a record of the events of the past eight months.
3. Polish Evacuees
The trickle of Poles willing to return to Poland shows signs of developing into something which, if not a spate [flood] is, at any rate, a flow of unexpected volume. In the last two weeks, the numbers have increased from 70 to 170 and there are distinct signs that more persons may yet give in their names. This, undoubtedly, is satisfactory and all arrangements for their repatriation by UNRRA, Mideast, have been made, on paper. Unfortunately, paper makes but cockle shell vessels and the apparently insuperable difficulty which faces us at present is that, whereas it is only fair to these people that they should reach their homes before the worst of the winter sets in, no suitable shipping can be provided till November or December, 1946, at the earliest. It is difficult to forecast the results of this delay, but it would be idle to suppose that it can encourage others to come forward. The most likely effect will be to wring from these people an exasperated:-“Let down again!” Unfair of course, but typically Polish.
Whereas it is the ardent desire of the Government of India to be relieved of all European refugees by the end of 1946 at latest, it is apparently only in respect of 400 Polish Orphans that realisation of this wish is likely. Here, at least, we have definite information that the Government of Australia is sympathetic to the proposal that these children should find a new and permanent home in that country. Curiously enough the only reactions to the proposal which might cause a hitch comes from the Chairman of the Polish Refugee Welfare Committee in India, Bombay. That dignitary sought to impose the conditions that the orphans should be kept together in Australia under Polish guardians and teachers and brought up in Polish traditions. He, apparently, has taken umbrage at the obvious retort that Australia wants new settlers who will become absorbed into the life of the country, that Australia, as the piper, is entitled to call the tune, that it is obviously improper to attempt to prejudice the future of these inarticulate minors for political ends which may never mature, and that, in any case, these children
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now mostly over fourteen years of age, can, on reaching majority and if they so wish, return to Poland or join any wild-cat [risky] scheme their brother ex-patriates may launch.
Of the remaining approximately 4,000 Poles in India, some 2750 can claim to dependants (under the definition of that word just made known) of Members of the Second Polish Corps; some 1,000 as dependents of other Members of other Polish Forces who served under British command; some 170 are willing to return to Poland; and the balance, approximately 680, including the orphans, are in a state of mind bordering on hysteria, compounded partly by ignorance on which the forces of propaganda have worked distressingly, partly of nervousness about the political situation in India, and partly of the deepest distrust of the intentions of the UNRRA. As illustrating the pass to which this hysteria has reached, I may instance the absolute refusal of a number of Poles to be measured for warm clothing. Because those Poles, who have asked to be repatriated, were measured at the same time, they argue that everyone to be given warm clothing was destined to be sent to Poland. And nothing that anyone, including their own Welfare Committee, might say could persuade them otherwise. Others, it is rumoured, are turning an ear to the hazy blandishments of a certain-crack-brained Pole of feminine gender, who has turned theosophist, apes Indian modes of life and dress, and would have as many Poles as possible remain in India “to help in India’s fight for freedom”. By this, presumably, she means remain behind and fight the British!
4. Balkan and Maltese evacuees
Here, too, the restlessness among them, mentioned in my last two reports is growing apace. It is high time these people left India and I personally, am more than ever convinced that, if our suggestion to His Majesty’s Government were accepted, that they should be given free passages plus a cash grant for resettlement not exceeding £200/- in any family, or a small old-age pension to those over sixty years of age or incapacitated, then a very large number of these persons could, in a very short time, return to the countries whence they came from or find new home in other countries. I am aware that in the views of the British Treasury, cash grants raise difficulties of comparison with what is being done for demobilised soldiers. The facts remain, however, that without such cash grants these people cannot fulfil the immigration rules of the countries in which they wish to settle, that the alternative suggestion, of small monthly allowances until they can get on their feet again, cannot take the place of capital sums for the purpose of immigration, tend to debase morale or, at any rate, do not heighten morale in the way that a capital sum in hand does and will, in the long run. Lastly, comparison of the cases demobilized soldiers with those of displaced refugees does not seem reasonable. The former return to their own homes and people, young and fit; the latter have lost their all, have suffered in health and morale and have to start life afresh often in new and unfamiliar surroundings. Were they assured of cash grants for re-settlement, many of them, on their own initiative or with our assistance, could obtain permission of entry to countries of their choice. And the greater part of the problem would be served early and satisfactorily. Admittedly, responsibility for the future resettlement of these people rests with His Majesty’s Government and with the Government of India. But since His Majesty’s Government have, so far, found no way to hep India get rid of them, India may, perhaps, be excused for making suggestions in her own interest and even of offering help in the attainment of her own wish to secure their early removal.
5. Far Eastern Refugees
The repatriation of non-Indian evacuees from the Far East, exclusive of Burma, may be said to be almost complete. The few that remain are held up for lack of shipping. Those Indians, for who the Colonial Office are not providing free passages, are being assisted in procuring shipping by the Controller of Civil Passage Priorities for the Far East. At present, shipping is very considerably below the requirements of persons to who priority certificates have been issued. Repatriation of non-Indian evacuees from Burma is being handled by the Government of Burma. A very large number of persons, especially Anglo-Burmans and Anglo-Indians still remain in India.
6. Statistics concerning European evacuees have been relegated to an appendix, to facilitate reading.
7. Barely two months ago I was deputed to proceed to the United Kingdom to bring to the notice of His Majesty’s Government the imperative [vital] necessity for removing from India all European evacuees at the earliest possible date and not later than the end of 1946. The reason for the Government of India’s request was, in the main, the political situation in India. The voice of India through her elected representatives in the Assembly was being raised against the continued presence, after hostilities had ceased of a large number of European refugees, for whom India felt no responsibility and had accepted only under pressure, and especially at a time when the food situation was acute and Indians in certain countries were receiving allegedly unfair treatment at European hands. Added to this was the grave possibility of widespread disturbances and War Department’s categorical assertion of inability t provide any protection whatever for these refugees, should the civil government break down.
In the light of the above, the Ministerial Committee’s refusal to comply with India’s request came as a surprise. Even allowing for all the undoubted difficulties which His Majesty’s Government are surrounded- and they are great- refusal to relieve India of the functions of agent in respect of these refugees, when the agent had clearly and with reason expressed unwillingness and inability to continue the agency, seems to ignore the very basis on which the agency came into being. It is sincerely to be hoped that His Majesty’s Government’s decision may be reconsidered in light of our last telegram No. 7190 of the 18 August, 1946.
I have the honour to be,
Sir
Your most obedient servant,
(Signed) A.W.T. Webb.
Principal Refugee Officer,
ex-officio; Deputy Secretary,
Commonwealth Relations Department