Guyanese author pens book to celebrate the abolition of indentureship

“Champions of Indo-Guyanese Welfare, 1838-1938” is a well-documented study and Dr Basdeo Mangru, an overseas-based Guyanese, latest book on Indian immigration into Guyana.

It was published to commemorate the centennial of the abolition of indentureship in March 1917. This system, which lasted 87 years, was described as “a new system of slavery, slavery in another guise, regulated serfdom” and was a stigma on India. It took a massive anti-indentureship campaign, solely confined to India, to bring an end to this iniquitous system.

“Champions of Indo-Guyanese Welfare, 1838-1938” concentrates on individuals and groups who championed the welfare of Indian workers in the 100 years following their landing in Guyana in May1838.  It captures their valiant efforts to expose the plight of those exploited workers from a system geared to dehumanise them and reduce them to a state bordering on slavery. The book highlights issues which have either been neglected or glossed over in existing literature.

Additionally, the book is geared to promote an awareness of our history and culture. While the Afro-Guyanese community is somewhat familiar with their heroes, the Indian community is largely unaware of those who sacrificed their careers for championing the rights and welfare of Indians. Moreover, many of us are unfamiliar with the roles played by Indians themselves to resist the plantation system. Indian workers, both men and women, showed they had the capacity to resist efforts to subjugate them when working and living conditions became intolerable. They adopted such self-liberating activities as strikes, beating of estate personnel, torching cane fields and desertion.  In the process, they were “knocked down” several times, but were never “knocked out.” Indian resistance is a significant contribution to Caribbean historiography.

“Champions of Indo-Guyanese Welfare” details the activities of five individuals and three groups that exposed the atrocities perpetrated on indentured workers, the most exploited group in the Caribbean. It commenced with the crusade of James Crosby, the longest serving Immigration Agent-General who so championed the rights of Indians that the Immigration Department became known as the Crosby Office.  Chief Justice Joseph Beaumont and Stipendiary William Des Voeux were humiliated and lost their jobs in the pursuit of justice for Indians.

In addition, the book discusses the various allegations of Bechu, the fearless Bengali, who criticised planter tyranny and neglect. Bechu had so condemned the indenture system that the planters cancelled his indenture contract and repatriated him. The book devotes considerable attention to the invaluable report of C.F. Andrews, an Emissary of Mohandas Gandhi, who condemned the education system, the blatant attempt to Christianise Indian children, poor housing conditions , the failure to recognise Indian marriages and the spread of alcoholism in the Indian community. It also describes the activities of the British Guiana East Indian Association in promoting the interest and welfare of Indians and emphasising their multilateral contributions.

This book has received favourable reviews from Drs Tyran Ramnarine, Gary Girdhari and Frank Birbalsingh.

For more information on this book, contact the author at bmangru@york.cuny.edu. (Text from press release by Dr Mangru)