Ex-British Army soldiers win racial discrimination case

The two former paratroopers plan to sue for compensation

PICTURED: Nkululeko Zulu, left, and Hani Gue

TWO EX-British Army soldiers have won a racial discrimination case against the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

Nkululeko Zulu and Hani Gue were subjected to a “degrading, humiliating and offensive environment” as a result of the racial harassment they experienced during their time as paratroopers, an employment tribunal has found.

Employment judge, Richard Baty, found that the Zulu and Gue had been subjected to racism when photos of the pair were defaced.

Photos of Gue and Zulu were vandalised with the drawing a swastika, a Hitler moustache and the n-word.

“The conduct was unquestionably unwanted; the graffiti in question was of the most unpleasant nature, set out on Mr Gue’s personal photographs and was racially highly offensive,” The Guardian reported Baty said in a written statement.

The person responsible for the racist graffiti has not been identified but Baty said that the motivation of the act could only be to violate Zulu and Gue’s humanity and create an “intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating and offensive environment for them”.

Baty did not rule in Zulu and Gue’s favour over other claims of racial harassment, such as their allegations that their barracks in Colchester were decorated with Nazi flags.

The lawyer representing Zulu and Gue said that the pair plan to seek compensation for the harassment they faced and recommendations for the MoD to tackle the issue.

“The claimants have succeeded in establishing their claim against the MoD that they suffered racial harassment during their time in the army and that the MoD did not take all reasonable steps to prevent such harassment,” The Guardian reported Amy Harvey of Banks Kelly Solicitors said.

She added: “The claimants intend to seek compensation and recommendations from the tribunal that the MoD implement better equality and diversity training within the armed forces.”

Zulu, who is from South Africa, served as a lance corporal in the Parachute Regiment in the army, which he joined in 2008.

Gue, who is from Uganda served the 3rd Battalion (3 Para) A Company.

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4 Comments

  1. | Clarkey

    my good friend was in the parachute regiment army during the 70s, faced 10 times more racial harassment during that period; do black people ever think this will end of course not they don’t want us as part of there establishment, because we become better soldiers so that becomes a threat, I call on black men & women to join a Caribbean or African forces then all we would have to worry about is who has the biggest portion of food on there plate.

    Reply

    • | Jac

      Very well said, i have never understood why people of colour, would choose to join, a white dominated army. And then to expect to be treated any different, to what these too gentleman, have been treated. There are so many more professions, that can be joined. And i wonder why someone form South Africa and Uganda, would want to join the British Army?

      Reply

    • | anti-racist

      Event: Racism in the British Army
      Racist Clarkey: What’s the problem?
      Surprise surprise.

      Reply

  2. | Safia Boot

    Calls for ‘better’ Equality training is of limited value. MOD needs to be subject to audit of their recruitment and promotion processes that allow racists into the system and rise through the ranks. I doubt they currently seek any evidence from interviewers and candidates of pro-active acts to demonstrate their anti-racism. The fact they failed to identify the perpetrators shows deficiencies in the investigation process and Culture that closes down the ranks amounting to bystander complicity.

    Reply

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