<font size="5"><center>Minister of Defense ignored race claims,
says soldier who set up black 'union'</font size>
<font size="4">Black soldiers attacked by white colleagues
dressed as members of the Ku Klux Klan </font size></center>
The Telegraph (London)
By Thomas Harding, Defence Correspondent
Last Updated: 1:57am GMT 08/03/2007
A soldier from the Caribbean who claims that he was attacked by white colleagues dressed as members of the Ku Klux Klan has set up a "union" to fight alleged racism in the Army.
Pte Marlon Clancy, from Belize, says his tormenters said they were going to "take the n i g g e r to burn". They also said that black soldiers should not have rights in the Forces, he claims.
Pte Clancy, a chef in the Royal Logistic Corps, told Today on Radio 4 yesterday that "Commonwealth soldiers are third-class soldiers".
He said: "First, you have the British-born white soldiers. Then you have the British-born black soldiers. Last, you have the black Commonwealth soldiers. In some units, the white soldiers will be given priority for courses over the black soldiers." He also alleged that where a Commonwealth soldier was promoted, white soldiers were told "not to follow his lead".
Pte Clancy has set up the British Commonwealth Soldiers Union, which is a union in name only because, under Queen's Regulations, troops cannot belong to a workers' organisation. Although powerless to strike or negotiate, the union will give advice to members and act as a pressure group.
"I'm hoping this will open a door to let people know their rights and give them what they are entitled to and the justice they are entitled to," he said.
Pte Clancy added that during eight years in the Army he had taken his complaints through the chain of command but they were never acted on. When he complained, he was victimised "all the more".
In the past seven years the number of serving Commonwealth troops has increased from 430 to more than 6,000 from 50 different countries.
They are vital in manning, particularly in the infantry, where recruits from Britain have been in short supply. They can apply for British citizenship after five years of service.
Last night Lt Gen Sir Freddie Viggers, the Adjutant General, who is in charge of personnel, said that while the Army did experience incidents of racism it had "an active programme of training and education to ensure that the chain of command is alive to the risks" of bad behaviour.
"I can assure you that by lunchtime today, commanding officers and sergeant majors will be looking at their organisations to make sure that if there is anything going on, it is corrected very quickly," he said.
The Ministry of Defence denied that it had ignored racism in the ranks, adding that there had been 26 complaints in the past year.
"We investigate all substantive allegations and would encourage anyone who has experienced inappropriate behaviour to come forward," said a spokesman.
It said promotion was based on merit. Analysis had shown that the prospects for Commonwealth soldiers were "broadly comparable" to those of British-born troops. There was also no evidence to suggest that ethnic soldiers were excluded from courses.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/03/08/nrace08.xml
says soldier who set up black 'union'</font size>
<font size="4">Black soldiers attacked by white colleagues
dressed as members of the Ku Klux Klan </font size></center>
The Telegraph (London)
By Thomas Harding, Defence Correspondent
Last Updated: 1:57am GMT 08/03/2007
A soldier from the Caribbean who claims that he was attacked by white colleagues dressed as members of the Ku Klux Klan has set up a "union" to fight alleged racism in the Army.
Pte Marlon Clancy, from Belize, says his tormenters said they were going to "take the n i g g e r to burn". They also said that black soldiers should not have rights in the Forces, he claims.
Pte Clancy, a chef in the Royal Logistic Corps, told Today on Radio 4 yesterday that "Commonwealth soldiers are third-class soldiers".
He said: "First, you have the British-born white soldiers. Then you have the British-born black soldiers. Last, you have the black Commonwealth soldiers. In some units, the white soldiers will be given priority for courses over the black soldiers." He also alleged that where a Commonwealth soldier was promoted, white soldiers were told "not to follow his lead".
Pte Clancy has set up the British Commonwealth Soldiers Union, which is a union in name only because, under Queen's Regulations, troops cannot belong to a workers' organisation. Although powerless to strike or negotiate, the union will give advice to members and act as a pressure group.
"I'm hoping this will open a door to let people know their rights and give them what they are entitled to and the justice they are entitled to," he said.
Pte Clancy added that during eight years in the Army he had taken his complaints through the chain of command but they were never acted on. When he complained, he was victimised "all the more".
In the past seven years the number of serving Commonwealth troops has increased from 430 to more than 6,000 from 50 different countries.
They are vital in manning, particularly in the infantry, where recruits from Britain have been in short supply. They can apply for British citizenship after five years of service.
Last night Lt Gen Sir Freddie Viggers, the Adjutant General, who is in charge of personnel, said that while the Army did experience incidents of racism it had "an active programme of training and education to ensure that the chain of command is alive to the risks" of bad behaviour.
"I can assure you that by lunchtime today, commanding officers and sergeant majors will be looking at their organisations to make sure that if there is anything going on, it is corrected very quickly," he said.
The Ministry of Defence denied that it had ignored racism in the ranks, adding that there had been 26 complaints in the past year.
"We investigate all substantive allegations and would encourage anyone who has experienced inappropriate behaviour to come forward," said a spokesman.
It said promotion was based on merit. Analysis had shown that the prospects for Commonwealth soldiers were "broadly comparable" to those of British-born troops. There was also no evidence to suggest that ethnic soldiers were excluded from courses.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/03/08/nrace08.xml
