LONDON, June 6 (UPI) -- The British government announced compensation Thursday for more than 5,000 Kenyans tortured in the 1950s during the Mau Mau uprising.
Foreign Secretary William Hague denied legal responsibility for wrongdoing by the colonial government, The New York Times reported. But he said the government understands "the pain and grievance" felt by those injured in the violence.
"The settlement I am announcing today is part of a process of reconciliation," he said. "In December this year, Kenya will mark its 50th anniversary of independence and the country's future belongs to a post-independence generation."
Hague announced the payment of 19.6 million pounds (about $30 million) to 5,228 people.
While no court has yet ruled Britain is legally responsible for the actions of the colonial government, a decision last year gave three Kenyans the right to sue in British courts. The government takes the position the current Kenyan government is responsible for actions of its colonial predecessor.
The uprising by members of the Kikuyu tribe began in the early 1950s and effectively ended in 1956. In 1960, Kenya began a transition to independence.
"The British government recognizes that Kenyans were subject to torture and other forms of ill-treatment at the hands of the colonial administration," Hague said. "The British government sincerely regrets that these abuses took place and they marred Kenya's progress toward independence."
