Refugee councillor wants warm welcome for Afghans

Vijay Manro says his family received a warm welcome in the UK in the early 1970s

A councillor who escaped terror in Uganda during the reign of Idi Amin wants his town to do all it can to welcome refugees from Afghanistan.

Swindon Borough Council member Vijay Manro was a refugee himself, escaping Uganda in 1972 with his family.

Recalling the hospitality they were shown in the West, Mr Manro wants the same welcome extended to Afghan refugees.

"They will contribute to this society, not take things from it," he said.

Thousands of South Asian people, including Mr Manro's family, were encouraged to move to Uganda when it was a part of the British Empire, only to then have to leave the country during the crackdown by Amin.

General Idi Amin ordered the expulsion of Asian people from Uganda in 1972

Mr Manro said he sees parallels between the situation his family faced and those of Afghan refugees now.

"Sometimes these people don't get food for a day or two, and they have to go and beg or whatever," he said.

"In Uganda, there were poor families who had to go to the temples or churches or gurdwaras to get food because the government had frozen their bank accounts.

"That has happened in Kabul as well."

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Mr Manro has fond memories of his family's arrival in England, being given winter clothes as it was very cold before being taken to a fully-furnished house in Bath.

"The neighbours looked after us as well," he recalled.

"The city council used to organise monthly meetings for all these families [from Uganda] and they would tell them to bring some food and sit down and eat together."

Thousands of people tried to enter Kabul Airport when the Taliban retook the Afghanistan capital

Mr Manro and fellow Conservative councillor Dan Smith have submitted a motion to be debated at a council meeting later emphasising Swindon's commitment to refugees.

He said people often had the wrong impression that refugees came to the UK not intending to contribute to society.

"We are integrated now, you can see myself. I came here with £2, I did all my education here and worked to pay the fees, and here I am now," he said.

"The majority of people don't want benefits. They will contribute to our society, not take things away from it."