Source 6

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.

The Principal Refugee Officer Government of India
Commonwealth Relations Department
NEW DELHI 3.
The Secretary of the
Government of India
Commonwealth Relations Department
NEW DELHI 3

No. 50/46-Poll (Evn)

Dated New Delhi, 6th January 1947.

Subject:- Maintenance of Evacuees accommodated in India
Sir
In accordance with instructions, I have the honour to submit an eleventh report on the reception and accommodation of and other matters concerning evacuees, for whom His Majesty’s Government have accepted financial liability, or who are evacuees sponsored by Allied Governments. The report covers the period 1.9.46 to date.
2. General Remarks
The period under review may fairly be described as one of frustration. The absence of any decision by His Majesty’s Government concerning our proposal for the resettlement of Maltese and Balkan evacuees (vide paragraph 4 of my last report), or even of His Majesty’s Government’s agreement to provide passages for such of these persons who have secured visas for countries in Europe and elsewhere and who have guaranteed maintenance there (vide [consult] our telegram No. 10642 dated 17.12.46), has caused widespread dissatisfaction as evidence by the large number of letter received and couched, often, in abusive terms. These people feel they are being kept in India unnecessarily, are suffering in health and losing opportunities for re-establishing themselves. They cannot understand why priority of departure has been accorded to Prisoners of War and Civilian Internees. Nothing that we can say mollifies [appeases] them. Indeed , if the truth be told, we have done all we can to speed their departure, but so far, our efforts have been in vain. Unless something is decided soon, as to the future of these people, it is certain that they will get badly out of hand. Already the Commandant of the British Evacuee Camp, Coimbatore, is complaining that his position is becoming intolerable, and discipline is lax.
In respect of the Poles the situation is no better. The changeover of paymaster from his Majesty’s Government to UNRRA has necessitated such drastic cuts in the budgets that the Poles are convinced that there is a plot to force them back to Poland. Where before we had their trust and esteem, we are now coming to be regarded as co-plotters with UNRRA and the Provisional Polish Government. But the worst effect is the apparent probability that the Government of India may now, unless a strong line is taken, become involved in Polish politics. This matter will be dealt with more fully in the paragraph which follows.
3. Polish Refugees.
Since last August 1946 funds for the maintenance of Polish Refugees in India are being provided by UNRRA. The agreement reached between His Majesty’s Government and UNRRA is essentially a financial one, and UNRRA have not undertaken administrative responsibility for these refugees. UNRRA, however, have reserved the right to request the removal of any Poles who indulge in any undesirable political activities or who prove and obstacle to repatriation. Mr. Eggers, in his d.o. dated 9.11.46 to the undersigned summed up the position as follows:-
“ The position under the agreement is really that the Government of India are now administering Polish refugees in behalf of His Majesty’s Government whereas, between July 1945 and the end of July 1946, they were doing this on behalf of the Interim Treasury Committee. For practical purposes I recognise that there is little fundamental difference between the two positions, but it does mean the Polish administrative staff, who have regarded themselves as employed by the Interim Treasury Committee must no longer maintain contact with the Committee. In so far as the Government of India may decide to retain their services either in administrative, educational, welfare or other capacities such Poles will now be directly employed by the Government of India and answerable to them and their contact.”
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This reservation as to UNRRA’s right to ask for the removal of any Poles for political reasons may, or certainly will, if put into effect, have embarrassing repercussions for the Government of India. As early as July 1944, when the question of UNRRA assuming financial responsibility was under discussion, it was made clear (vide telegram to the Secretary of State No. 9063 of 10.7.44) that it was considered essential for the Government of India to exercise, as in the past the fullest discretion, both administrative and financial, in dealing with these refugees. The present Polish staff, it must be realised, was selected before the present political differences arose. They were chosen for their suitability and qualifications; their political views were not criterion. If now politics are to become a criterion and those who are hostile to the present regime in Poland are to be considered unfit for office, it is safe to say that every single one of them will have to be removed. It is not believed that the present Polish Government could provide sufficient doctors, school masters/mistresses, priests, administrative officers etc. required for so large a camp. Even if they could, it is safe to assert that they would be boycotted, the schools emptied and that the whole administration and life of the camp would come to a standstill. Openly at least there is no attempt to dissuade persons from returning to Poland if they wish to do so, but our experience with Miss Burakiewicz, sent from Cairo to persuade persons to return to Poland, do not encourage the idea that mere talking or even financial curtailments will have any effect. The present population of the Camp is too well indoctrinated with anti-Warsaw views, and the only thing which might change them would be letters from their friends and relatives, assuring them that conditions there are better than painted. In any case, the Government of India would seem to have no choice but to insist that no changes in staff be made at the dictates of UNRRA which would not impede or disrupt the present administration. Should this view not be accepted, then the alternative would appear to be to ask for the Poles to be removed from India.
On the financial side, the Government of India are doing everything possible to keep expenditure within the UNRRA capitation grant of £5/- p.m. [per month] Should, despite every effort it prove impossible to keep within this limit, then the Government of India must call upon His Majesty’s Government to make good the difference. This was always a condition of the Government of India’s agency in respect of foreign nationals who took war-time refuge in India.
The chief difficulty to be faced is the face that the estimated life of the camp buildings has been exceeded, and it is certain that extensive renovations will be necessary. We are awaiting a report from the Central Public Works Department of the amount involved. For the rest, the fluctuations in population cause concern. Recently, 154 Poles were repatriated and more recently a dozen or so girls left for Bombay for training as hospital nurses. The loss in capitation grants for these people is serious since administration costs will remain, practically, the same.
Balachadi and Panchgani camps have been closed and all the Polish refugees have been concentrated in the one remaining camp at Kolhapur.
Lt. Col Neate’s services have been terminated from 31.12.46 and Lt. Col. Bhalla, a Sikh officer of the I.A.M.C. [Indian Army Medical Corps] has been appointed in his stead. The selection of a medical officer as Commandant has one great advantage. He can check up on the work of the Camp Hospital staff. It is there that the biggest ramps [outbursts] have been perpetrated in the past.
4. The British Evacuee Camp, Coimbatore
As already mentioned many of the inmates of the camp are becoming restless at their prolonged stay in India. This restlessness is most evident among the Balkan and Maltese evacuees. Their morale has declined and there are serious complaints from the civil authorities concerning their lack of discipline and ill-behaviour in the town and elsewhere. Evacuees from Malaya and Hong Kong have now all been repatriated. Concerning evacuees from Burma; a request to the Burma Government for their early repatriation is being pressed.
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A novelty has been complaints by a number of evacuees about their individual accounts. In the past all were only too pleased to get every penny they could out of the Government. Now, with repatriation in view, they have begun to question the fairness of debits for rent, light, water and supervision. A suitable reply has been sent to them.
There is no good in shutting our eyes, however, to the fact that the majority of these people will never be able to repay the assistance rendered to them. Every month they remain adds to the weight of debt which will eventually have to be written off. Any reasonable scheme, to resettle them, therefore, would appear to be justified financially.
5. For the sake of convenience statistics are given in an appendix. The health of the camps, during the period under review, has been good.
I have the honour to be,
Sir
Your most obedient servant.
(Signed) Arch. W. T. Webb
The Principal Refugee Officer,
Ex-officio: Deputy Secretary,
Commonwealth Relations Department