Prince Harry condemned over racist remarks

London: British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said on Monday said Prince Harry's comments about colleagues were unacceptable and have “no part in our life''.

The 24-year-old prince has been criticised by lawmakers, Muslim groups and the Pakistani public after videos showed him using derogatory terms, including “Paki'', to describe colleagues.

The videos were made in 2006 while Harry was a cadet at Sandhurst military academy.

Prince Harry issued an apology, and a statement from his office said he had used the term without any malice.

Opposition Conservative Party leader David Cameron said the comments were a "completely unacceptable thing to say and it is right that he has apologised".

The recording was made a year after Harry was pilloried for wearing a Nazi uniform at a costume party, a gaffe that sparked an international outcry.

In some of the footage, Harry is behind the camera and can he heard making a mock commentary.

"Anyone else here ... ah, our little Paki friend ... Ahmed," Harry says as he zooms onto the face of an Asian officer cadet while waiting at an airport to fly to Cyprus.

Harry was also shown telling another officer cadet wearing a camouflage veil during a night manoeuvre in Cyprus, "You look like a raghead" - an offensive term for an Arab.

Mohammad Shafiq, director of the Ramadhan Foundation, said the prince's remarks were racist.

"I am deeply shocked and saddened at Prince Harry's racism which upsets and offends many British Asians. The use of this sort of racism has no justification and I am saddened by those that advocate that using this term is not racist," he said.

But a spokesman for Harry said the prince understood how offensive his language towards his comrade was.

"However, on this occasion three years ago, Prince Harry used the term without any malice and as a nickname about a highly popular member of his platoon," the spokesman said.

The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), an umbrella group for British Muslim organisations, said Harry's language was unacceptable and had harmed the image of the army.

But MCB spokesman Inayat Bunglawala said Harry had done the right thing by apologising.

Have you heard of similar incidents in the past? Should public figures be more responsible with their conduct?

Some of the comments show that most of the people don't know why calling a Pakistani "paki" is a racial slur. It has an uneasy history in Britain for a long time. I would not like to share the whole background, but it's very offensive to Pakistanis living specially in the UK
Agha Salman
Dubai,UAE
Posted: January 12, 2009, 16:26

This incident happened three years ago. Any reasonable person would, I think, admit that Prince Harry has grown up and matured immeasurably since then.
Abdulelah Dandachi
Doha,Qatar
Posted: January 12, 2009, 15:55

It is not a matter of using the word Paki for Pakistani. As far as saying Paki to a Pakistani is concerned, that's fine for me too. But the problem is that this word in EU and US is considered as a bad word to treat someone. Some people use it for abusing. So it is really bad when you use it so.
Imran
Dubai,UAE
Posted: January 12, 2009, 15:38

Paki?! I'm a proud Paki!!
M Faisal
Dubai,UAE
Posted: January 12, 2009, 15:29

For those who don't know, "Paki" is considered a racist term in the UK and is very often used as such. Growing up in the US, and living in Dubai, I don't consider it pejorative by any measure, but in the UK it certainly is. Prince Harry was in the wrong, and his apology is evidence of that. That being said, we should accept the apology, be grown up about this and move on with our lives.
Omar
Dubai,UAE
Posted: January 12, 2009, 15:23

Brown would be better of criticising Isreal over Gaza, not waste his time on Political Correct trivia. Politicians - there's not a good one in a thousand.
Richard
Dubai,UAE
Posted: January 12, 2009, 15:10

When I lived in Dubai it was completely normal to call ourselves 'Paki'. When I moved to the UK I found out that 'Paki' is used to insult Asians. But I don't think it is offensive at all. Prince Harry was probably just trying to be 'funny' not realising that 3 years down the road he will have to apologise for such a small thing. Considering he apologised, we all must appreciate that and MOVE ON!
Hira
Manchester,United Kingdom
Posted: January 12, 2009, 15:06

I note that people in this blog who think "Paki" is short for Pakistani are not from the UK. I don't think you understand the context. FYI - in the UK "Paki" is used in the same context as the "N" word in the US. UK racists and racist groups call everyone from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Arabs, etc. "Pakis" in a derogatory manner and usually coupled with racist acts. This is different from a British person being called a "Brit".
Z
London,UK
Posted: January 12, 2009, 14:56

Apologising from his part is part of formality, the attitude from himself towards Asians will be the same.
Sajan
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: January 12, 2009, 09:26

I don't take it as racist. I am a Pakistani and I don't mind if anybody calls me "paki" it is just a short for Pakistani and Harry might have said it in a friendly gesture.
Khalid Nawaz Malek
Dubai,UAE
Posted: January 12, 2009, 08:56