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“No more will the disrespect be tolerated…”- Coalition
1823 monument site battle…
By Abena Rockcliffe
Deep reflections, meaningful symbolism, African drums and singing of inspirational songs characterized the Libation ceremony held yesterday at Independence Park by the Coalition of the 1823 Parade Ground Movement.
The Libation was hosted by the Coalition to register its continued demand for the 1823 monument to be situated at the former Parade Ground, which was renamed Independence Park.
Yesterday, scores of persons gathered around sticks with face-like sculptors, which were intended to depict slaves that were beheaded on the very grounds they stood upon.
Dressed in African garments, persons stood in the sun on the ground itself and participated in a ceremonial procession then proceeded to the tarmac where speeches and dramatic readings were recited.
The basic message coming out from Coalition was “Not in our name will the marginalization and disrespect of Africans be tolerated. We will accept only one official site for our monument to the 1823 martyrs.”
A section of the gathering at yesterday’s proceedings.
The group maintained that the Independence Park is where “our fore parents were murdered, beheaded, their bodies hung on poles, their heads displayed on staves and left to be consumed by crows”, therefore it is the most appropriate site.
The coalition claimed that the fact that former President Bharrat Jagdeo buried coins and turned the sod at the said location in 2000 is a historical and symbolic reason why Independence Park should remain the site for the monument.
During the ceremony, patrons were asked to face the East to observe Africa, “where our ancestors came from. We must remember and recognize all that our ancestors went through so that slavery could have been abolished and Africans could have been emancipated.”
It was said that the “1823 rebellion must remind us that our fore-parents said ‘enough is enough’; now we must do the same.”
A contributor urged the gathering to “stop subsidizing the north, stop running to the US as soon as you get a degree, and know your roots because anything without a root will die.”
Patrons were presented with two bags, one containing questions relating to African history and the other had the answers.
The gathering was instructed to read the questions and find the persons in possession of the answers.
Portraits of Marcus Garvey, an African icon who stood for race unity and who promoted that Africans should stand up for their rights, was mounted under a tent next to a painting called “Jogyo returning- a concept of returning to oneself”.
Charlene Wilkinson, member of the Coalition who represented the People’s Parliament, said that the paintings stood as symbols to “remind us of who we are.”
Wilkinson told Kaieteur News that since last November, letters relating to the concerns at hand were written to the President and Minister of Culture Youth and Sport “but they never responded and we have not been in communication since. They are completely ignoring us.”
However, Fredrick Kissoon, also a member of the Coalition and the People’s Parliament, said that the body intends to continue its demonstrations until its concerns are heeded. He added that “it is a disrespect not to site the monument here, utter disrespect.”
The event was attended by numerous high-standing members of society, including Alliance For Change (AFC) Chairman Nigel Hughes, A Partnership For National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament Jaipaul Sharma, Veteran broadcaster Chandra Narine ’C.N’ Sharma, Social Activist Mark Benschop and former Chief Magistrate Juliet Holder-Allen.
African groups, other stakeholders and the government agreed to put the monument at Independence Park in 2000. The official sod turning ceremony took place August 1, 2000.
“In secrecy, without consulting stakeholders and against all reasonable pleadings, Government has decided, on their own, to place this monument opposite GDF on Carifesta Ave,” the Coalition’s newsletter stated.
The 1823 monument will be mounted to pay homage to the enslaved Africans with a thirst for freedom who staged a rebellion on the East Demerara plantations from Aug. 18-22, 1823. About 12,000 Africans were involved. It was bigger than Kofi’s 1763 uprising. It was the largest and most significant fight for freedom anywhere in the English-Speaking Caribbean.
After the revolt was quelled, ring leaders were taken to Parade Ground where they were beheaded.
Their heads were nailed to posts around the ground and along the roadside from Plaisance to Mahaica.
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