CODE 18-77

CONFIDENTIAL COVERING SECRET

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quy

Walker

Reference.

Kązek MS foulds, International Sechan

калек

Miss Kazer Mr-Walker

NATIONALITY OF LOCAL OFFICERS IN PREVIOUS COLONIAL GOVERNMENTS:

INDIA/PAKISTAN, CEYLON AND BURMA

1. Please refer to the minute of 20 April 1990 from Mr Stone, Hong Kong Department, to Mr Walker.

2. What information I have been able to find in response to Mr Stone's queries in paragraphs 3 and 4 is as follows:

Nationality 'Split'

India Pakistan:

In 1939 the composition of the elite Indian Civil Service (ICF) was 759 British and 625 Indians. A further sizeable number of Indians entered the Service until 1943 when normal recruitment procedures were suspended. At Independence in 1947 there were a total of 955 members of the ICS; 103 were Muslims of whom 93 migrated to the newly created State of Pakistan and a further 354 were British who took early retirement. The composition of the remaining members as between Indians and British who stayed on is not known although Indians almost certainly constituted the overwhelming majority.

Ceylon:

In 1947, the year before Independence, there were 32 British and 116 Ceylonese members of the elite Ceylonese Civil Service (British proportion 21.6%). In 1950 there were 10 British and 124 Ceylonese officers (British proportion 7.5%).

Burma:

In 1941 there were 81 British, 10 Eurasian and 54 Burmese members of the Higher Civil Service in Burma (British proportion 55.9%). In 1948, the year of Independence, there

no British, 5 Eurasian and 48 Burmese officers.

Citizenship of Local Officers

The 1914 British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act formally recognised all residents of British colonies as subjects of the Crown. Following World War Two, Britain agreed with members of the 'old Commonwealth' as well as newly independent states that each country could enact its own laws determining citizenship but that each was also to

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CONFIDENTIAL COVERING SECRET

CODE 18-77

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