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Council blames computer glitch for 'paki' blunder
Ross Lydall26.08.09
A London council has apologised after the term "Paki" appeared several times in an official document describing the nationalities of schoolchildren.
Conservative-run Redbridge council initially tried to blame a technical error, saying Pakistani had been automatically abbreviated by computer software.
But investigations found there was plenty of space on the spreadsheet for Pakistani to appear in full, and Asian pupils were elsewhere referred to on the document as "Pankistani", "Pak" and on three occasions "Pakis".
Anti-racism campaigners said it was "almost impossible to believe" that anyone could fail to understand the offensive nature of the term, while official watchdog the Equality and Human Rights Commission said the document has been passed to its legal enforcement team.
Kevin Blowe, of anti-racism organisation Newham Monitoring Project, told the Guardian: "The council must know that a generation of Asians in east London grew up in the Seventies with the threat of violence from 'Paki-bashing' and with its association with skinhead gang culture." He said the monitoring project had been set up in 1980 in response to the racist murder of Asian teenager Akhtar Ali Baig in East Ham. Mr Blowe added: "It is almost impossible to believe that, nearly 30 years on, anyone would fail to understand how racially charged the word Paki is, or that it would ever be appropriate to use in council records, internal or not."
The term appears in a council document providing the ethnic breakdown of children at Redbridge schools. The council, which has one BNP councillor, later admitted it was not an automatic abbreviation by the computer, but human error was to blame and said an investigation had been launched. It said in a statement: "Redbridge council fully accepts the use of this abbreviated term is wholly unacceptable and inappropriate and would never condone the use of such language.
"The document also contains a variety of abbreviations and spelling mistakes and was circulated in error. When this was realised, those present were asked to hand in the document so it could be destroyed. The author of the spreadsheet apologised."
Keith Vaz, Labour chairman of the Commons home affairs committee, said: "It is important that councils are careful to avoid the use of offensive terms."
Reader views (15)
Anil from Glos, whilst I completely think the term is offensive you do not make a very good argument. You yourself say you have lived in this country for 30 plus years and that most English people do not the difference between people from different countries. You then go on to say 'People in MY country'. which country is this? not the one you have spent the last 30 years? It's all about education and in my own experience I have found that most people between the ages of 18-45 would know which country someone originates from, and if they didn't and wanted to know would just simple ask.
Amir, I am afraid that you yourself are stereotyping, I can only guess that you fall outside the 18-45 age bracket and poor education is to blame for your ignorance
- Stephen, London England
Typical . They are a council stuck in the 1970s and this certainly does not surprise me at all. Demographically Redbridge is changing and this is the Council that cut the Ethnic Minority Budget to improve other services and then changed the name of the Ethnic Monority Adviser to more "... community role ..." A disgrace. It is not about being politically correct it is about giving human beings the right to exists without fear of prejudice England has always been proud to be multi cultural we still have a Commonwealth
- Fforbes- Hamilton, Redbridge
Did any actual Pakistanis read this document?
If not there was nobody to take offence apart from the holier than thou PC brigade who seem to feel they have to stand up for every minority regardless of whether that minority are perfectly capable of standing up for themselves. More often than not most minorities have the dignity not to even bother responding as they have risen above childish name calling.
Ask yourself this. If someone in a london pub tells a racist joke does anyone in Pakistan (way out of earshot) give two hoots?
- Jimbob, Kensington
And they say Brit is never a term of abuse! Brits out was the refrain of Northern Ireland for nearly 40 years.
- Steve, Brentford
You have to be utterly naive not to understand why these terms are offensive and NOT the same as "scouser" or "Aussie". Or just someone who wants to gloss over the obvious because of their own innate racially-charged contempt disguised as an "innocent" frustration with that old chestnut "political correctness". Sad.
- Geoff Townshend, London
The main difference about using these terms is that I've never heard 'aussie', 'scouser' 'cockey' 'brummie' et al being used as offensive terms by Asian or Black people. Guess there must be exceptions.
'Paki' and similar are almost always used as derogatory terms, designed to stir up racial hatred. I get called Paki while waiting for buses in picturesque westcountry areas. I put that down to 'yokelness' and general lack of education amongst those who hurl this abuse at me. I'd like to explain to them that I'm not from Pakistan and that country is a result of British playing empire games in the past; but I fear my efforts will be in vain.
After 30 plus years in this country, I've discovered that most white British people are unable to tell apart those from different areas of Asia or Africa. In my country, for example, most people will immediately know the difference between someone from Slovakia and another from Britain.
The British person would be the one speaking English all the time. The Slovakian person would have learnt some of the country's language before thay arrived.
- Anil, glos
I think Amir has the right idea. Nobody goes Yank bashing or Aussie bashing. We haven't had Spaniards or Swedes beaten to death for being Spanish or Swedish. Pakistanis can't say the same though.
The point is, this is a non-story. Simple human error, an apology, 40 or so people - some Asian - who received the document and who accepted the apology, an investigation that confirmed the author - who had English as a second language - did not mean any offence.
And yet we find what is just an admin error story sharing space with stories of race hate and racial murder! I think the kindest word I can use to describe this report is 'overkill'....
Cllr Gary Monro (Redbridge Council)
Cabinet Member, Children's Services
- Gary Monro, London, England
Come on Jilly from London. You're not being naive, I think you are being awkward. That term is offensive to Pakistani people - full stop. You shouldn't even question why it's offensive.
- Louise, London
for those who don't understand the difference between calling someone a scouse or an aussie and calling someone Paki, it's like saying, you called me welsh so I'll call you a n****r. I suppose if there weren't racial crimes committed against Pakistanis or Blacks, then those words would just be words too.
- Amir, London
As an Australian, I am completely used to being called an Aussie. It's not meant to be offensive and no offence is taken. What is wrong with Paki? And, yes, this is a naive question, but I still don't really get the point.
- Jilly, London
This is what happens when you let the BNP in!!!
- Joe Baygon, Abbeywood, UK
I haven't really followed this sort of thing, I must admit, but why do words that are perfectly OK at some time suddenly become offensive? Am I still allowed to call someone from Liverpool a Scouser? What about Cockney, etc? For goodness' sake they're just words...!
- Observer, East Anglia
It could only happen in Redbridge, Barking or Dagenham!
- Nowan King, London
A racist computer and racist software? Whatever next!
- Graham Rodhouse, Helmond, Netherlands
I wish these politically correct busy bodies would find something useful to do with their time instead of making mountains out of molehills.
- Thomas, London
