'Waugh had stood for Parliament before, in 1969, in a bid to draw attention to the Biafran famine. He had been to Biafra and seen for himself the effects of the blockade by the Nigerian federal government (Biafra had declared independence from Nigeria), supported by the British. With the South African activist Suzanne Cronjé, he published Biafra, Britain's Shame, made a speaking tour of universities and attended rallies in Trafalgar Square. It was a role that 'did not come easily', as he admitted, but he thought that if people knew the truth they would change their minds. His election meetings were thinly attended, then Biafra collapsed and the cause was dead. It was Waugh's only attempt to take up a public cause, 'with all the pomposity and self-importance' required, and it convinced him of 'the fatuity of politics' and the 'wickedness of politicians', who were prepared to commit any atrocity in the pursuit of power 'if they think they can get away with it'.
No comments:
Post a Comment