Diasporas and Deportation

Its been a couple of weeks since the publication by the Observer article about Deportation.
While the responses or comments from the readers varied from anger to more cool
recognition of inconvenient truths, something else has emerged with equal and opposite significance-talk about a Dispora Ministry.
The vice president of Uganda Edward Kiwanuka Sekandi addressed a group in the U.K where he  spoke of a new ministry in the works whose functions would include the creation of policy documents for those in the diaspora as well as inclusion in parliament or if you please representative and legislative space.
This was probably in response to or in addition to some comments which were
made by the Oxfam director Winnie Byanyima at a separate event held in Texas. If this were a chess game and indeed it may well be,
Dr. Besigye has done a great job on Deploying his queen in some very strategic posts in global governance. This after a stint in the African Union.  
Her comments centered around the same subject and were probably propelled by the increase in remittances
from those living abroad as well as the frustrations that are not uncommon amongst those with little or no desire to return.
There have been many recent developments that have led to an interest in development projects fuled by
regional groups such as the Northern Uganda Caucus. This group like many others have began to feel an increasing amount of pressure from their constituents for development and investment. Even if there has been a fair amount of criticism for the NGOs, they have contributed positively in transforming the manner in which funding for projects takes place and the
methods that are used to keep them accountable. With weaknesses in implementation, the proliferation of
projects and programs around rehabilitation, resturcturing and development have helped raise the bar of and for change.
NUSAF I and II, NAADS and PRDP some examples.

While the bulk of these projects were developed by NGOs and thus predominantly grass root movements,
the rise in interest in Uganda from those living abroad has also caused quite a stir.  
Ugandans living abroad in the U.S have created groups with a primarily developmental goal and even if many of these have taken on the form of culture-Ganda, Ankole, Bamasaba, the ultimate concern has been that of development.
There is no doubt that these group will be watched by government for elements of subversion but they must
be assisted and promoted. Development works in the interest of all of us and must there be used to help
rebuild our damaged pysche.

The deportations that took place in the U.K are not new but they present some interesting questions for British Citizens.
Firstly, who will fill the gaps that are left by those that are expelled? Nature abhors a vaccum. Eastern Eurpoeans who come with similar porblems as their counterparts South of the Equator may be too willing to take these spaces but what about U.K Citizens. When will they reclaim their space in their own land. What will it take to revive slumbering spirit?
You could argue that the problem is mirrored by the football leagues. The Premiership is great and offers a lot of money in the
short term, but in the long run, English soccer will suffer and the chances of producing World Cup teams and developing local
talent will continue to diminish.
The Second question regards British identity. More than ever and with every deportation, the nation will have to ask itself what it means to be British.

To be fair to the British,  the First Victim of troubled economic times is the alien or foreigner. This the the case in the Greece, to a small extent in the U.S with the Financial Crisis (Wall Street), Uganda with its measured response to the Chinese, South Sudan with its expulsion of Uganda Motor Cycle Men, South Africa's manifestations of Xenophobia, Tanzania with its crisis with Rwandese Refugees to name just a few.  
 
The bigger picture is probably a response to globalization and the refusal to deal with the global village and its direct results. The more pressing question for citizens is whether they can continue to flourish in their own environments or if the time has come to place their roots some place else.

Those who chose to return must realise that you do not have to bring containers full of stuff to be welcome. You carry more than you realize. You bring with you experience and knowledge of distant lands, you bring with you ideas and hopes.