Special Report for Pravasi Magazine: NRIs Struggle for Their Rights and Freedom

India and NRIs benefited from NRIs who suffered imprisonment, beatings, exile, torture and even death in their struggle for better working conditions and human rights. This strife for human rights became a cornerstone for the fight for independence in the former British colonies. In the fight for freedom for their adopted lands, NRIs also helped in liberating their own Motherland.

NRIs suffered imprisonment, beatings, exile, torture and even death in their struggle for better working conditions and human rights. This strife for human rights became a cornerstone for the fight for independence in the former British colonies. NRIs formed trade unions that later emerged as political parties but these parties were merged into national parties in most cases. To present their grievances to the public and build public support, NRIs started newspapers and magazines that became the vanguard for the struggle for equality and freedom.

This is true in the Caribbean, Southern and Eastern Africa and the Far East. Once these countries attained independence, it was natural that the Indians who had taken a pro-active role in this struggle should be elected to positions of power. As a result, four NRIs are the heads of state in four countries today. Hon. Anand Satyanand is the Governor-General of New Zealand. Hon. S. R. Nathan is the President of Singapore. Hon. Bharrat Jagdeo re-elected the President of Guyana for the third time. Hon. Sir Anerood Jugnauth is the President of Mauritius while Dr Navin Ramgoolam is the Prime Minister of Mauritius. Mahendra Chaudhry was elected Fiji's Prime Minister in 1999 and is now the Minister for Finance.

The NRIs first started their political activities in countries where they had gone to work on sugar plantations after the abolition of slavery in 1834. These were mostly in the Caribbean states, the Far East, South Africa and Mauritius. Here, the sons of sugar plantation workers served their communities by demanding better working conditions, human rights and opposing racial discrimination termed 'colour bar' or apartheid. They continued the struggle to demand to 'one-man-one-vote' for their elected representatives. Once elected, they entered parliament later to become top national leaders and heads of state.


SOUTHERN AFRICA

South Africa - In a bitter and sometimes violent struggle over 150 years in South Africa, Indians have cooperated with Africans to end racial discrimination. With Africans, Indians suffered imprisonment, beatings, exile, torture and even death in their protests.

The struggle in South Africa also launched 'satyagraha' or non-violent resistance that later led to India's independence. It climaxed with South Africa's first democratic election in 1994 giving birth of 'rainbow children of God'. Indians assisted in framing its constitution and are enjoying the fruits of freedom as its full-fledged citizens.

Before the end of the 18th century, Indians started to establish their associations in Natal and later Transvaal and The Cape, among other settlements to fight against colour bar. A young lawyer, M. K. Gandhi, arrived in 1893 and was elected a year later as the secretary of the Natal Indian Congress (NIC). He launched 'satyagraha' or non-violent resistance against racist laws in 1896 and a founded newspaper in 1903 for their grievances. As early as 1910, the Indians supported the African People's Organisation - and later the African National Congress (ANC) - against the government policy of denying voting rights to Indians, Coloured and Africans in the British Colonies called the Union of South Africa. In 1924, the South African Indian Congress became the umbrella for the Indian associations for a united Indian front. Throughout the struggle against apartheid, the South Indian political organisations maintained close contact and cooperation with Indian National Congress also fighting for freedom from British rule in India. The great common leader was, of course, Mahatma Gandhi, who started his political career in South Africa and moved to India in 1914.

During the 1920s, the Indians continued their passive resistance but by the end of this decade urbanization and depressed economic conditions brought radical Indian leaders to fore. Trade Unionists and Communists, H. A. Naidoo and George Poonen took up workers' issues in 1930s. Between 1934 and 1945, Indians had 43 unions that organised almost 50 strikes in this period. A radical leadership by Indian professionals emerged at this time. While studying in Edinburgh, Indian students influences Dr. G. M. Monty Naicker, Dr Yusuf M. Dadoo and Dr Kesavaloo Goonam. Returning home, they joined politics to forge a common Non European identity. Other moderate Indians cooperated with the authorities in signing the Pretoria Agreement in 1944 amounting to voluntary segregation.

NIC started passive resistance in 1946 for property ownership and voting rights but basically against compulsory segregation. A delegation to India succeeded in India cutting all trade relations with South Africa and raised the race issue in the United Nations that called South Africa to treat Indians as per its charter. Thousands were imprisoned until passive resistance ended in 1948 while the new government under the National party adopted apartheid.

The South African Indians fought against unjust laws in the 1950s and the 1960s as independent India put pressure on the world scene to isolate South Africa. In 1961, South Africa declared itself a republic, left the Commonwealth. Indians were made permanent residents. Nelson Mandela headed ANC's new military wing, which launched a sabotage campaign. Three years later, Mandela was sentenced for life. In 1974, South Africa was voted out of the UN. In 1989 President FW de Klerk met Mandela, desegregated public facilities and freed many ANC activists. After 27 years in prison, Mandela was released in 1990 much to the joy of Africans and Indians. Throughout this struggle, Indians in South Africa played a key role as lawyers for African leaders, faced treason charges in court and later prison sentences, supported ANC, augmented release Mandela campaign and the struggle for social justice. Indians voted in the 1994 elections and Trade Unionist Jay Naidoo became a member of South Africa's first non-racial cabinet; and Frene Ginwalla, a Speaker of the National Assembly under President Mandela. Before the end of apartheid, Indians did not emigrate from South Africa in large numbers but stayed on to fight the repressive regime and now live in the /rainbow' country as its full citizens.

Mauritius - Indians fought for independence and when the British agreed for self-government in 1961, they entered the political arena in a big way and have dominated it ever since. A coalition of the Mauritian Labour Party (MLP) founded by Indians and Creoles, the Muslim Committee of Action (CAM) of Sir Abdool Razack Mohamed, and the Independent Forward Block (IFB) of Hindus won a majority in the 1967 election. Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, MLP leader and chief minister in the colonial government, became the first prime minister on independence in 1968 until 1982. In 1970s, some Indian leaders joined a new party, Mouvement Militant Mauricien (MMM) that came to power with Anerood Jugnauth as Prime Minister and Harish Boodhoo as the Deputy Prime Minister. Jugnauth broke away forming the Mouvement Socialiste Mauricien (MSM), which became the governing party, with Jugnauth as Prime Minister while Sir Seewoosagur subsequently became Governor-General. after his death, his son, Navin, took over MLP. Jugnauth was re-elected in 1991 while Navin's coalition won in 1995 and he became the Prime Minister.


EASTERN AFRICA

In the East African countries of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, Indians have traded at the Coast since Biblical times but moved inland right up to Uganda after building the Uganda Railway at the turn of last century. As craftsmen and shopkeepers, these Indians, called Asians, were not allowed to own land. They fought against colour bar and for independence, were elected to parliament and served as Ministers, Speakers of the House and even as the Chief Justice.

Kenya - Asians formed political parties, started newspapers and magazines and courted arrest in their freedom struggle. In 1914, Indians formed the East African Indian National Congress later renamed Kenya Indian Congress to fight discrimination. The white British settlers raised 'the Indian Issue' that the Indians contested. Trade Unionist Makhan Singh was jailed while Pio Game Pinto was assassinated. When allowed representation in the Legislative Council, Asians formed political parties like the Kenya Freedom Party. After Kenya's independence in 1963, they dissolved these political parties and some were appointed as judges and rose to become the Chief Justice, like C. Madan. Kenya's first Vice President was an half-Indian, Joseph Murumbi, the first Speaker was a Goan, Dr Fitz DeSouza and an Assistant Minister was an Ismaili Jan Mohammed. Later, lawyer Krishan Gautama was elected as an MP but after him the Asians left the political scene but used their economic clout to survive.

Uganda Active in trade and industry, Indians supported Uganda's independence struggle. Asian leaders like Gurdial Singh and Shafiq Arain, founded Uganda Action Group in 1958 to change the direction of Asian involvement in East African politics. Following self-government in 1961, the group joined the Uganda People's Congress, led by Milton Obote. After Uganda attained independence in 1962, the Asians were unaffected until the Africanisation policies in 1970. Two years later, despot Idi Amin forced 75,000 Indians to leave within 90 days. Then the Uganda Indian leaders assisted in bringing down Idi Amin. After Obote again became the President, Arain was appointed Ugandan High Commissioner to Britain and Gurdial Singh to India. In colonial times, former Kampala Mayor, Sir Amar Nath Maini, became Uganda's Minister of Corporations and Regional Communications. After independence, Shafiq Arain, UPC Specially Elected Member, was the Minister of the East African Telecommunications.

Tanzania - In 1950s Indians founded the Asian Association. Tanzanian Asians have always shown loyalty to the ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM). Asian freedom fighters who stood by Julius Nyerere and then the Tanganyika African National Union (TANU) in its independence struggle. After independence in 1961, Abdul Karim was the first Speaker of the Parliament; Amir Jamal became the Finance Minister and Al Noor Kassum, the Minister for Energy and Minerals. Gradually, Asians moved out of active politics.

Zambia - Elected on Forum for Democracy and Development ticket in 2001, Dipak Patel, currently Minister of Commerce, Trade & Industry,


THE CARIBBEAN

Guyana - Dr. Cheddi Jagan, the towering figure of the Caribbean politics struggled to liberate Guyana by founding People's Progressive Party, fighting for the restoration of democracy for 28 years and finally becoming its freely elected President. The founder of the country's first mass political movement, he was the leading political figure in Guyana for over half a century. Bharrat Jagdeo is the current President of Guyana,

Trinidad - In the 1950s- 1960s, the Indians founded the People's Democratic Party, United Democratic Party and United Labour Front to fight for workers' rights. With differences in 1980s, Basdeo Panday won elections in 1995 with the United National Congress with Barendra Sinanan. Pandey became the first Indian-origin Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago and later served as the Leader of the Opposition. Ms Kamla Persad-Bissessar was the first woman sworn as Attorney General and later appointed as Minister of Legal Affairs, Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Education until 2006 when she became the Leader of the Opposition. Ms Linda Baboolal headed Trinidad's House of Representatives and Senate respectively.

Suriname - Jagernath Lachmon, founder of the Hindoostaans-Javanese Politieke Partij later on became the Verenigde Hindostaanse Partij, and regarded as the most famous of all political leaders of Indian origin in Suriname. Ram Sarjdoe is the current Vice President of Suriname. In 1988, Ramsewak Shankar became the first Indian origin President of Suriname.


ASIA

Singapore - Indians arrived with the British when they established Singapore in 1819. Later, Singapore was ruled by the colonial Indian Government from Calcutta for almost 50 years in the 19th century. As Singapore developed, Indian labourers and merchants played a key role in the last century. During the Second World War under Japanese occupation, Singapore became a focus for political and military struggle to liberate India from British rule. In 1943, Netaji Subash Chander Bose arrived in Singapore. Bose established a Free Government of India in Singapore and gave the cry, "Challo Dilli" or 'March to Delhi' to his Indian National Army. The campaign failed. After the War, Indians contributed to the struggle for Singapore's independence that came in 1965.

After contributing to the freedom struggle, Indian leaders have been prominent since then: journalist S. Rajaratnam as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister; economist S. Dhanabalan as a minister; jurist S. Jayakumar as a minister and a Deputy Prime Minister; and trade unionist C. V. Devan Nair as an opposition leader. The current President S.R. Nathan has worked as a distinguished civil servant.

Malaysia - Indian labourers, mostly South Indians, organised themselves as trade unions to obtain better working conditions. These trade unions later morphed into political parties. Indian professionals, mostly North Indians and businessmen, formed Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) in 1946. In 1954, MIC joined two other parties to form an Alliance for the elections. Malaysia became free in 1957. V. David, a notable trade unionist, formed Malayan Labour Party. Promoting Tamil culture, V. T. Sambanthan, was elected President of MIC in 1955. S. Samy Vellu is the longest serving MIC President since 1979. The only Indian in the Malayasian Cabinet, he is the Works Minister.

Fiji - After fighting for freedom from the British for over a century, the Indians in Fiji have faced hostility from the indigenous Fijians for the last 35 years. From sugar plantation labourers and merchants, they established political parties, became ministers and even the head of the government. After the military coup in 1987, thousands of Indians left Fiji to settle in other countries notably Australia and New Zealand but most stayed on in the country they consider it their home. They continue to play a leading role on the political scene and after being elected as the heads of government earlier, they are still fighting for equal treatment.

In the 1930s and 1940s, Indians led the freedom struggle as they outnumbered the indigenous Fijians. The income and the communications gap between them and the Fijians widened as although at one time they had a common political platform. By 1940, Indians found leaders in London-trained lawyers: S. B. Patel and A.D. Patel, the latter becoming a major figure after World War II. Patel and Ratu Mara led the fight for freedom and Mara became the first Prime Minister after independence in 1970. In 1987, Brig. Gen. Sitiveni Rabuka staged a coup to prevent an Indian-dominated coalition party from taking power. The military coup caused an exodus of thousands of Indians who suffered ethnic discrimination.

Mahendra Chaudhry launched the Fiji Labour Party in 1985 and became the Finance Minister two years later and was a leading political figure in the 1990s. He became Fiji's first Indo-Fijian Prime Minister in 1999. After an army coup in May 2000, the democratically elected government of Chaudhry was not restored to power as a Fijian Great Council of Chiefs took over appointing an interim government. Commander of the Armed Forces Frank Bainimarama took power as the head of the Interim Military Government in 2000. Elections were held in 2001, but no party achieved a majority. In 2006, Bainimarama again assumed power and Chaudhry became a major voice of the opposition. In January 2007 he was appointed Minister of Finance in the Bainimarama Cabinet.


NORTH AMERICA

USA - Indians have concentrated on their professions and business to establish them securely in the upper middle class. However, they continued to support India's independence movement with mass meetings. After independence, they have contributed to many development projects and made investments. In 1956, Democrat Dalip Singh Saund, an advocate, became the first Indian to be elected to Congress. In the last 15 years, they have started to exercise their influence and their lobby in Washington to influence the US government for pro-India policies. Many Indians have been elected Mayors. Republican Piyush Bobby Jindal from Louisana is the second Congressman of Indian origin.

Canada - Herb Dhaliwal, is the Minister for Natural Resources and Political Minister for British Columbia. Among the MPs elected in 2004 are: Ujjal Singh Dosanjh, Gurbax Malhi, Ruby Dhalla, Deepak Obhrai, Navdeep Singh Bains, Rahim Jaffer, Gurnam Grewal, Nina Grewal and Yasmin Rattansi.


EUROPE

Britain - Raja Rammohan Roy, poet, reformer and journalist, first Indian to enter politics in 1830 by submitting 'the first authentic settlement of Indian views'. Traditionally, Indians have voted Labour. Dadabhai Naroroji was the first Indian to be elected to the House of Commons in 1892 followed by Sir Manchergee Merwanjee Bhownaggree in 1895. A trio of Indian MPs in the Commons during the last half century of Empire represented the full parliamentary spectrum. Dadabhai Naoroji represented the Liberal Party, Shapurji Saklatvala represented Labour (while being a paid-up member of the Communist Party) during the 1920s.

Since then, NRis have usually been elected on Labour and Liberal party votes but more recently some have been given Conservative tickets as well. All three parties have a Pro-India Parliamentary Lobby groups today. Over 12 Indians have entered the House of Lords. Lord Dholakia is the Chairman of Liberal Democratic Party. Keith Vaz is a prominent MP and another, Piara Singh Khabra, the oldest MP at 82, died recently. More than 250 Indians have been elected councillors and over a dozen as mayors.


ANZAC: AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND

Australia - Indians have been fighting 'White Australia' policy for many years through their cultural and religious associations but have no presence in the government. Different Indian bodies have formed umbrella organisations in different states such as Victoria.

New Zealand - Near Auckland, Punjabi migrants came to farm vegetables. In the south, between Queen Town and Milford Sound, a district was named Punjab but recently the local people changed its name to Five Rivers as it has five small rivers as well. Sukhi Turner is the first Indian to become a mayor in Dunedin town. The current Governor General Anand Satyanand traces his roots to Fiji and originally from India.

South Africa shaped Mahatma Gandhi as a leader of passive resistance and he moved to India to lead its non-violent independence struggle. Indian independence was the catalyst for NRIs in other countries to accelerate the fight for their independence. In the fight for freedom for their adopted lands, NRIs also helped in liberating their own Motherland.

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