Dear Editor,
A lot of emphasis is placed on Enmore Martyrs’ Day in June, which commemorates the five sugar workers who were gunned down by the colonial police. However, the Guyanese population, especially the schoolchildren, know hardly anything about the earlier disturbances of the East Indian immigrants in this country.
The first major sugar workers’ riot took place on September 29, 1872 at Cabbage Dam, Devonshire Castle on the Essequibo coast. About 200 persons demonstrated over low wages, long hours, arbitrary deductions from pay and ill treatment, among other things. When the riot act was read, the immigrants responded, “Queen na hay, Queen in England.” In the crowd there were several women who were with their husbands throughout their historic resistance. During the melee the police opened fire and five sugar workers were killed (Kaulica, Baldeo, Beccaroo, Ackloo and Maxidally), and seven were injured.
Yours faithfully,
Zallin Ahmad Zahaur
