indian harling

Highland News & Media

21/10/2023

Tribute paid to Isobel Harling at SNP conference

Transcript

00:00 We'll move now on to resolution number 27, which is entitled "History of South Asian Soldiers."

00:07 Resolution 27 will be moved by Amjad Bashir from Scots Asians for Independence,

00:13 and seconded by Alexandra Macrae of Arbroath and District Branch. So welcome to Amjad.

00:27 Good afternoon, delegates. I want to introduce a lady who's 100 years old, Isabel Harling.

00:34 And she's an amazing woman because she spent 60 years of her life tending to nine graves of

00:42 British Indian Army soldiers who are buried at Kenussi Cemetery.

00:49 And these soldiers belong to the 4th K 6th Regiment. And when people ask Isabel, "Why have

00:57 you spent so much time looking after these graves?" Her answer is very simple. Her brother got killed

01:04 in Second World War in Belgium, and she said, "Other people are looking after my brother,

01:10 and it's quite right that I look after my boys." And that's how she describes it, "my boys."

01:15 [Applause]

01:21 Hard to believe I'm 55 years old. I know I look much younger.

01:26 But for most of my life, I did not know about the British Indian Army and their contribution

01:33 in World Wars I and II. There were soldiers that came from pre-partitioned India,

01:41 which is modern Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and other countries. And they consisted of Hindus,

01:47 Sikhs, Muslims, Gurkhas, Christians, people of other faiths and no faith.

01:53 They fought along the Allied troops in World Wars I and II.

01:59 Four million British Indian soldiers served along the British and the Allied forces.

02:07 A hundred and sixty thousand made the biggest sacrifice, their lives. Two hundred and fifty

02:14 thousand were injured. Thirty-nine of these soldiers were awarded the highest bravery

02:21 award, that's the Victoria Cross. And in Scotland, we have a unique,

02:26 deep connection with these soldiers, because 1,700 of them were stationed here in the Highlands.

02:35 So, Glasgow's claim that they were the first to have curry, I dispute that, because curry was in

02:42 the Highlands well before that. And they had full lives here. And 14 of those soldiers

02:49 passed away here in Scotland. And out of these 1,700 soldiers, half of them were evacuated from

03:02 Dunkirk. So, they took part in every front, from the Western Front to the East to the African.

03:09 So, they made a huge contribution. And military historians will say, clearly, had it not been

03:17 for the contribution of these soldiers, the outcome of the war would have been probably very different.

03:29 Another sort of claim to fame we have is the Tin Church in Laird, which is reported to be the first

03:37 most northern mosque in the Western Hemisphere, because that was the first makeshift mosque.

03:45 Quite simply, we've got a very rich history. As someone who was brought up in this country,

03:52 I didn't know that. The question of belonging was always asked me, and for other people similar to

03:58 myself, what have you contributed to this country? This rich history has been missing from our

04:05 school curriculums. It's not taught. And it's time now that we address that and we

04:11 acknowledge the sacrifice of these forgotten heroes.

04:14 And on that note, I want to acknowledge the great work of Colourful Heritage, particularly the

04:26 founder, Omar Sheikh, who has spent the last decade championing this and realising the work

04:35 that's been, the sacrifices that have been made. And hopefully we'll see a memorial outside

04:42 Kelver Grove Museum to mark the British Indian Army's sacrifice. So, quite simply, we need our

04:49 curriculum. At the moment, our curriculum, the history that's taught about the British Raj,

04:58 colonisation, it's very different from what really happened. And we have to address that. We have to

05:03 recognise these contributions. And why is it so important to highlight to the present and next

05:08 generation, the shared history we have that's forgotten, and the shared future we have.

05:16 It shows that Asians, South Asians have a stake in this land. And it gives them a sense of

05:22 belonging. And it helps shape their identity. And it's also a hard hitting against the anti-migrant

05:32 narrative that's often portrayed by the far right and the Tories. So, conference, I ask you today

05:40 to pass this motion, not just for us, not for those people that went before us, but those that

05:47 come after us. Let the sacrifices of these brave men and women not be forgotten, and let it be

05:55 taught in our schools. Thank you very much. Thank you very much, Amjad. I have no cards in to speak

06:05 against this resolution. And no cards in for the amendment. So the amendment will necessarily fall.

06:14 But for the resolution with no cards in against, can I take it that it is passed by a claim?

06:26 [BLANK_AUDIO]

Category

Transcript

Recommended