They came in peace to commemorate the thousands who died in the Indian Mutiny 150 years ago. But when a British tour party arrived in the northern city of Lucknow - scene of one of the mutiny's most brutal battles - their reception was far from peaceful. Chanting anti-British slogans, an angry mob pelted their tour bus with rubbish and dirty water before laying siege to the group's hotel. The building was last night barricaded by police after the visitors received death threats.
The party of around 40 Britons - many of them elderly and some of them descendants of those killed in 1857 - were unable to leave as scores of nationalist protesters shouted "English go home" and called them "descendants of savages"...
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http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23413861-death-threats-and-a-hotel-siege-for-the-britons-trapped-in-the-indian-mutiny-2007.do
After reading this article, I pictured in my head how violent this attack was on the britons. The britons came in peace to commemorate thepeople who have died in the Indian Mutiny battle. Then, their tour bus was ambushed by an angry mob chanting anti-british slogans. I felt that this ambush was extremely effective and destructive on the britons.
ReplyDeleteAlthough it is difficult to justify violence, I think the actions taken by these Indians are quite understandable. Given the evident resentment some Indians still harbor towards the British, the visit of this British tour group to commemorate the Great Mutiny was an obvious provocation. The decision of these British to visit India was both ill-timed and ill-informed, and I find it hard to blame Indians for their volatile reaction. While I only support violence when used in self-defense, the visit of this British tour group was a slap to the face of Indians - one with such a sting, that it was impossible for these Indians to turn the other cheek.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Irvin. I think that the Indians react this way because, somehow, they're still a little bitter about the British colonization.This is perfectly understandable: how could you allow someone to come into your country, rule it, and take all the resources. It's just like I told you that tomorrow, I'm going to come to your house, and live their instead of you. That's why I think that colonization was an authoritarian way of getting resources, I think that trading, in the same way, would have worked, and maybe would have been more effective on the civilizing part.
ReplyDeleteAlthough the Indians were taken advantage of by the British during this time I'm not really sure if this gruesomeness was really that necessary. Yes, the Indians did need to show that they wanted to be left alone and govern themselves on their own but I don't feel that it had to go down this violent road. A more peaceful way could have been put into effect to solve this.
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