Ruimveldt Riots (1905)
The Ruimveldt Riots took place in British Guiana (today Guyana) in 1905. It reflected the widespread dissatisfaction among workers with their standards of living.[citation needed] The uprising began in late November 1905 when the stevedores – dockworkers – of the capital Georgetown went on strike and demanded higher wages. The strike grew, with many workers joining in an alliance. On 1 December 1905 – today known as "Black Friday" – the situation came to a head. At the Plantation Ruimveldt, not far from Georgetown, a large crowd of porters refused a demand by the police and a detachment of artillery to disperse. The colonial forces opened fire, and four workers were seriously injured.[1][2]
News spread quickly through the capital, causing unrest on the streets. Several buildings were captured by protesters. The violence killed seven people, and injured seventeen badly. After a request from the colonial administration Britain sent troops, who soon quelled the uprising. Although the initial strike wasn't successful, the riots began the growth of an organized trade union movement.[3]
Ethnically, mainly Afro-Guyanese workers – dockworkers, factory hands, cane-cutters and gold miners, among others – went on strike, while the Indo-Guyanese sugar industry workers stayed in their homes. Some were also brought in to replace African-origin workers who had left their work. This has been described as a successful use of ethnic divisions to prevent solidarity between segments of the working class.[4]
See also
References
- ^ Westmaas, Nigel (19 December 2011). "Knowing Our Past: Current demonstrations and histories of public protest in Guyana". Stabroek News. Georgetown. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
- ^ Sirvaitis, Karen (2009). Guyana in Pictures. Twenty-First Century Books. p. 29–30. ISBN 157-505-963-0.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ^ Ishmael, Odeen (2013). The Guyana Story: From Earliest Times to Independence. Xlibris. p. 306–308. ISBN 147-979-590-9.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ^ Chand Jain, Prakash (1990). Racial Discrimination Against Overseas Indians: A Class Analysis. Concept Publishing Company. p. 65. ISBN 817-022-288-5.
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