Essequibo observes 145th anniversary of the Devonshire Castle uprising

Sep 30, 2017 News

A grade five student lays a wreath in commemoration of the fallen labourers

The Indian Arrival Committee (IAC), yesterday commemorated the 145th Anniversary of the Devonshire Castle uprising, in which five Indentured labourers were shot and killed by colonial police in 1872.
The five labourers, after objecting to harsh conditions under the colonial rule, were unjustly slaughtered by the authorities. The IAC in collaboration with the Region Two, Democratic Council, organised and successfully held a programme of activities at the Hampton Court Primary School.
The IAC recognised that this was the very first instance of sugar workers being killed by the authorities; the five are collectively known as the Devonshire Castle Martyrs.
Present was Historian and former Deputy Vice- Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Mr. Tota C. Mangar, M.A.
Mr. Manger gave a detailed account of the events which led to the martyrdom of Maxidally, Kaulika, Beccaroo, Baldeo and Ackloo. The IAC recently conducted a research on the Devonshire Castle uprising. Findings from the research will be submitted to the National Trust of Guyana, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Social Cohesion and the Department of Culture, Youth and Sport; and the National Archives of Guyana in Georgetown.
Also in attendance at yesterday’s commemoration ceremony were former Regional Chairman, Mr. Isahack Basir CCH; Prime Minister representative, Mr. Karan Chand Ghasi; Regional Vice Chairman, Ms. Juliet Coonjah; Deputy Regional Executive Officer, Roop Kumar Persaud; and Mayor and Town Council representative, Ms. Shakeela Briglall .
This event concluded with an impressive march to the martyrs’ monument site at Cabbage Dam, Devonshire Castle led by Grade 5 and Grade 6 students and teachers of the Hampton Court Primary School.

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