There is a need for a designated day to remember the many adults and children who were forced and tricked into the cruel and oppressive indentureship system.  It is in this context, that I want to invite you to observe International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Indentureship on 29 May. This is the second global observance of this special day.

On the United Nations calendar of special days, there are designated days to remember the victims of tragedies and genocides. However, there is no special day to remember the many victims of indentureship.

Some of us are aware of the beginning of indentureship but we need to acknowledge the end of this horrible system. They faced racism, religious discrimination, were exploited and endured inadequate housing, low wages and physical abuse. Also, they endured no proper medical facilities, a lack of clean drinking water, insanitary surroundings,  mosquito  infestation  and few latrines. Many of them were ill with  malaria and some endured cholera, yaws, leprosy and typhoid. 

For many people, indentureship is associated with Indians from India. (An estimated 1,3 million Indian indentured labourers were inveigled into servitude between 1844 and 1917 in what was called the Great Experiment. Only about 21 per cent returned; the rest merged into the greater Indian Diaspora)

There were other ethnic groups  that were briefly part of these indentureship schemes including the Chinese, Syrians and Portuguese. These indentured workers were transported on ships and when they arrived in ‘new’ homelands, these indentured labourers were treated with contempt.

Females were recruited and forcibly taken to be part of this horrible immigration system. Unfortunately, many of these women were abused in the recruitment process and these incidents were often unreported and thus absent from the historical records. 

Some of us do not view the indentured labourers as victims. There are myths such as that all descendants of indentured labourers are wealthy and privileged.

On 29 May, let us create global awareness of a horrible system as we annually observe International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Indentureship. 

See below link for one of the online reports.

10-year-old Emma seeks official UN day for Indentured workers - 103.1 FM

(The writer is  a primary school student from Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean. She can be reached at victimsofindentureship@gmail.com)