– Remarks by GAWU’s General Secretary, Cde Aslim Singh at Martyrs Wreath laying activity
Comrade Chairman, on June 16th, seventy-four (74) years ago, not too long after sunrise at Enmore, gun shots, at the behest of the sugar barons, pierced the cries for justice and dignity which had ensnared the East Coast Estates for two (2) months. When the dust settled, snuffed out were the lives of Lallabaggie, Dookie, Rambarran, Harry and Pooran. The tragedy represented another incident of repression on behalf of the plantocracy carried out with the support of the then State. These five young men have come to be known as the Enmore Martyrs. They and their comrades-in-arms were, like us all, seeking a better day, improvement in their work life, and economic justice.
We must ask:- Did their just demands require their massacre? Was essentially cold-blooded killing an appropriate response? Comrade Chairman, the answer is a resounding no. In our day, such a reaction would be deemed extreme and uncalled for. And, it would elicit all-round and widespread condemnation.
But, in that colonialist era, reasonableness was not a ready consideration. Though forced labour had ended several decades prior to Enmore 1948, the sugar barons still saw the workers as mere commodities whose only function was to realize profits and super-profits on their behalf. There was simply no empathy for the workers and their families’ well-being and when the workers raised their voices, brute force and carnage was the go-to response.
The response to the workers resistance at Enmore was a script that was employed, time and time again, by the plantocracy. In every case the response of the plantation oligarchy and the colonial police was stark, brutal and uncaring. That script, with a different cast, was to be replayed at Enmore in 1948 and the plantocracy had high hopes of previous success.
Alas, Comrade Chairman, Enmore proved to be a turning point. It, indeed, marked a proud departure from the sordid history of worker killings at the instance of the plantocracy and colonial domination. It was a landmark struggle that triggered a new phase in our history and our march toward freedom. The question is often asked, why Enmore 1948? This is reasonable question and its answer can only enrich the remarkable and enduring contributions stemming from the struggle of 1948.
Alongside the sustained resistance demonstrated by the sugar workers was the active leadership and guidance of the Cheddi Jagan-led Political Affairs Committee (PAC) which was formed two (2) years prior. History recorded that Dr Jagan, his wife and others of the PAC, along with the leaders of the Guiana Industrial Workers Union (GIWU) actively supported the striking workers and stood together with them as they sought to advance their gains and secure improvements in their lives.
Dr Jagan in his well-known West on Trial wrote about his association with the striking workers. There he spoke about the support moral and other support he and his comrades lent to the struggle. He shared that he rubbed shoulders with the workers and in that process developed close relations with them. Dr Jagan also wrote about the deep impact the killing had on him and the emotion that had overcome him as he witnessed the burial of the Martyrs and the cries of their relatives. We all well-know of the silent pledge Dr Jagan took, a pledge to dedicate himself to releasing the Guyanese people from the clutches of bondage and oppression; it was a pledge that guided his work and life in the service of the Guyanese people and it was a pledge that he upheld and committed himself until he left us.
As we pay tribute to the Martyrs we cannot fail to reflect on the sugar industry which has now received a new lease of life. Following the change of Government, we have seen focused attention and support directed to reversing the fortunes of the beleaguered industry. We recognize that the efforts of the Government are not without detractors. Several who pushed the industry to the precipice are making what we consider wild and irresponsible statements are they push their warped narratives. We remain at a loss for their vigorous opposition to the success of the industry. It appears they have some deep-seated vengeance against the industry and Guyanese associated with it. It certainly, in our view, speak to their character as national leaders. Undoubtedly they deserve our widest condemnation.
Comrades, our times, in many ways, differ from the era in which the Enmore Martyrs lived. Conditions are not the same and the demands, we make, are different yet continue to revolve around the fight for decent and rising wages, better working conditions and safeguarding livelihoods. Indeed, such are the struggles before the workers in Guyana and the world over. And, while demanding, on one hand, these class struggles hold out the promise of further achievements and significant social changes in the future.
Many years have gone by since that fateful period when the workers from Enmore were killed. They dared to challenge the existing socio-economic order for a better day. But improvement is a constant feature of our existence and in our day, a new generation continues to raise its voice and make fresh demands for all-round improvements.
In our fight of today, we also remember past battles and those like the Enmore Martyrs who had been the victims of colonial plunder and exploitation and fatal violence. GAWU feels that history’s lessons should not be forgotten lest workers lower their vigilance and succumb to disunity which would be to their detriment. Workers struggles have not come to a close. Indeed, their struggles continue but in a different context and in different circumstances than what faced the Enmore Martyrs.
Long live the Enmore Martyrs!
Long live the Working Class!
The struggle continues!
