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The Indenture Labour Route
Symbolic of the increasing importance of the diaspora in the global arena, UNESCO has adopted by acclamation the initiative entitled: “The International Indenture Labour Route Project”.
As a key element of the Indian Diaspora, it was one of the initiatives I supported on the UNESCO Executive Board. The motion was therefore co-sponsored by Trinidad and Tobago, Angola, Namibia, Nigeria, Togo, Uganda, India, Dominican Republic, Gambia, Gabon and St Kitts and Nevis.
The project was supported by a cross section of countries cutting across regional groups including major international players such as the Russian Federation, France and India along with key members of the Caribbean such as Trinidad and Tobago, Dominican Republic, St Kitts and Nevis, Cuba and Papua New Guinea, Argentina and Brazil as well as Morocco, and Mauritius traditional partners in Africa including Nigeria, Gambia, Namibia, Angola, Malawi, Gabon, Ethiopia and Mali.
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UNESCO – Slave Trade Archives Project
From the Archives Celebrating New Routes
Friday, 31 October 2014 14:00
Arrival of Indentured Labourers celebrated Featured
The activities that are organised by the Ministry of Arts and Culture and the Aapravasi Ghat Trust Fund to mark the Arrival of Indentured Labourers in Mauritius take a special significance this year, as they commemorate the 180th anniversary of the landing of the first Indian immigrants on Mauritian soil. They also take a new dimension, as the celebrations will be held in the presence of Shrimati Sushma Swaraj, Indian Minister of External Affairs and Overseas Indian Affairs.A most joyous news came on the eve of the celebrations with the acceptance of the Indenture Labour Route Project by UNESCO. The official function takes place at the Aapravasi Ghat on 2 November as from 10 a.m and will be followed by a one-day programme at the Mahatma Gandhi Institute under the theme: ‘Towards the Conceptualisation of the Indentured Labour Route.’
The main activities taking place at the Aapravasi Ghat include namely a wreath-laying ceremony, a re-enactment scene depicting the arrival of the first batch of indentured labourers to Mauritius, dance performances by local and foreign artists, launching of a Souvenir Magazine, inauguration and guided visit of the Beekrumsing Ramlallah Interpretation Centre and unveiling of the bust of late Mr Beekrumsing Ramlallah.
A Hindi and a Bhojpuri conference precede the 180th anniversary celebrations. The International Hindi conference started on 29 October while the Bhojpuri conference ends on Saturday 1 November. At a press conference, Arts and Culture Minister Mookhesswur Choonee elaborated on the visit of the Chief Guest for the occasion. Shrimati Swaraj will attend all functions related to the arrival of indentured labourers.
“The privileged relationship and consideration which Mauritius entertains with India is reflected in the visit of Mrs Sushma Swaraj to our island. Surely she will be having a special message from Mr Modi for our Prime Minister who was the only Head of government to be invited to his swearing in ceremony outside the SAARC. We are particularly proud of the support given to us by India in the International Labour Route Project as India and Mauritius are the two pillars of this route,” Choonee said.
After her speech on 2 November at the Aapravasi Ghat, she will proceed with the launching of publications issued on the occasion. Afterwards, she will inaugurate the Beekramsingh Ramlallah Interpretation Centre. On 3 November, she will be at the Mahatma Gandhi Institute for the launching of the Indenture Labour Route project 2014 to give a speech. The conference extends to 5 November where various themes will be discussed: the modus operandi of the entrepreneurs who gathered and sent the Indian immigrants in various counties of the world as well as the migration of workers in the 19th century.
The Indenture Labour Route
Symbolic of the increasing importance of Mauritius in the global arena, UNESCO has adopted by acclamation the initiative brought by Mauritius and entitled: “The International Indenture Labour Route Project”. It was co-sponsored by Angola, Namibia, Nigeria, Togo, Uganda, India, Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, Gambia, Gabon and St Kitts and Nevis, the project was supported by a cross section of countries cutting across regional groups including major international players such as the Russian Federation, France and India along with key members of the Carribean such as Trinidad and Tobago, Dominican Republic, St Kitts and Nevis, Cuba and Papua New Guinea, Argentina and Brazil as well as Morocco, and Mauritius traditional partners in Africa including Nigeria, Gambia, Namibia, Angola, Malawi, Gabon, Ethiopia and Mali.
The highlights of the debate included felicitations to Mauritius for having, a developing country with two World Heritage Sites, one dedicated to the Abolition of Slavery (Le Morne Cultural Landscape) and the other at Aapravasi Ghat to pay homage to the memories of Indentured Labour. It was also noted that Mauritius, by offering this project to the International community was building synergies and inter-linkages between the slave route and the Indenture Labour Route.
Following its formal adoption by UNESCO Executive Board on 30 October 2014, Mauritius, as the initiator and host country, would formerly establish the Secretariat of the International Labour Route project at the Aapravasi Ghat and would initiate the necessary measures for implementation, including the development of an International database on Indentured Labour located at Aapravasi Ghat. An International Scientific Committee will also be established shortly and headquartered at Aapravasai Ghat. Member States were particularly appreciative that this project would further promote a culture of peace, cultural pluralism and intercultural dialogue, symbolic of modern Mauritian society today.
Mahen Utchanah together with Dr Armoogum Parsooramen spent more than two weeks in Paris to present the Indenture Labour Route at the seat of UNESCO so that the project is accepted. Mahen Utchanah, the chairman of the Aapravasi Ghat is back in Mauritius and shall give a report on the works accomplished in this direction during the workshops at the MGI. “Our interest at presenting the Indenture Labour Route as a World Heritage at the seat of UNESCO is because we have enough documents and archives related to the historical event. Furthermore Mauritius was the first country where British colonisers tried the concept of indenture labour in sugar cane fields. It worked well and from here the concept was copied in other colonies,’ Mookhesswur Choonee told the press early this week.
As for Mahen Utchanah he told News on Sunday that ‘the Indenture Labour Route was in the drawer of the Aapravasi Ghat since 2004. When I took over as chairman, I contacted Dr Parsooramen and Minister Choonee and started to give frame to the project. In three months, we completed the project fully documented and in five days we had it adopted by the UNESCO executive committee. This is a miracle done. I have to thank my friend Dr Parsooramen and in particular the director of UNESCO Irena Bokova.’
The International Labour Route Project was submitted to Cabinet by Mookhesswur Choonee, Minister of Arts and Culture, fully supported by Dr Navin Ramgoolam, Prime Minister of the Republic Mauritius. Endorsed by the Government of Mauritius, the project was submitted to the UNESCO Executive Board at its 195th Session. The Mauritian delegation to UNESCO comprises Roy Bissoondoyal, Minister-Counsellor of the Mauritius Embassy in Paris, Mahen Utchanah, Former Minister of Energy, Water Resources and presently Chairman Aapravasi Ghat Trust Fund, Dr Armoogum Parsuramen, Former Minister of Education and Former Director UNESCO, Ambassador Bhaswati Mukherjee Former Ambassador of India to UNESCO and Mr Gowoothum Soobarah, Director of Culture.
Dr Parsooramen said that ‘this is a historic moment for Mauritius. After having been able to put it as an item on the agenda of the session we had the capacity to convince UNESCO of the importance of such a route. For me it was more of an emotional and moving enterprise to give weight to the project as it reminds me of the struggle and pains of our forefathers who came as indentured labourers from India. It was an ultimate action at thanking them for the legacy they left today. It was not easy to get the executive committee to accept the project, now that it is done we have to work seriously to make the Secretariat functional and set up a scientific committee to work out the Route.” The Minister simply added that “It is a big day for Mauritius after the recognition of the Aapravasi Ghat.”
Shrimati Sushma Swaraj – A portrait
Sushma Swaraj is the serving Indian External Affairs Minister and Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs under Prime Minister Narendra Modi from May 2014. She is only the second woman to hold this position after Indira Gandhi. During her tenure in office Sushma Swaraj undertook the following official visits: to Dhaka, Bangladesh, Kathmandu, Nepal, Naypidaw, Myanmar, Singapore, Hanoi, Vietnam, Manama, Bahrain, Kabul, Afghanistan, Dushanbe, Tajikistan, New York and Washington, D.C., United States.
In 1977, she became the youngest ever Cabinet Minister in the country at 25 years of age. In 1979, she became State President of Janata Party, Haryana State at the young age of 27. Sushma Swaraj was the first female Spokesperson of a national political party in India. She has many firsts to her credit as BJPs first female Chief Minister, Union Cabinet Minister, General Secretary, Spokesperson, Leader of Opposition and Minister of External Affairs. She is the Indian Parliament’s first and the only female MP honoured with the Outstanding Parliamentarian Award. She has contested 11 direct elections from four states. She has been a member of parliament/legislator for 30 years.
She has served as the President of the Hindi Sahitya Sammelan in Haryana for four years. Swaraj is married to Swaraj Kaushal, a senior advocate of Supreme Court of India and a criminal lawyer who served as Governor of Mizoram from 1990 to 1993. Swaraj Kaushal was a member of parliament from 1998 to 2004. They have a daughter, Bansuri, who is a graduate from Oxford University and a Barrister at Law from Inner Temple.
Anup Kumar Mudgal: “The presence of Smt Swaraj testifies to the immense love and goodwill of the people of India towards Mauritius”
In a statement to News on Sunday, the Indian High Commissioner in Mauritius indicated that “The External Affairs Minister of India, Smt Sushma Swaraj, shall be on an official visit to Mauritius from 1 to 3 November 2014 on the invitation of the Government of Mauritius to attend as Chief Guest the National level celebrations being organised to mark the 180th anniversary of the arrival of Indian Indentured labourers to Mauritius. Smt Swaraj will be accompanied by an official delegation that will include senior officials of the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, and the Indian Council of Cultural Relations.
The presence of Smt Swaraj at these national celebrations testifies to the immense love and goodwill of the people of India towards the people of the Republic of Mauritius. Several events are being organised in the context of these celebrations, including International Bhojpuri Mahotsav, International (regional) Hindi Conference (which was inaugurated on 29 October at IGCIC), a Food Festival with guest Chefs from India, a painting exhibition on Women by Women artists (at IGCIC, Phoenix), the commemorative ceremony at the Aapravasi Ghat on 2 November, which includes the inauguration of the BRICS museum by Prime Minister Ramgoolam and Smt Swaraj, and the release of special publications, and the international Conference on the Indentured Labour Route, to be inaugurated by Minister Swaraj on 3 November at MGI.
A Civic Reception will be hosted in honour of the visiting Minister, who will also attend a Business Meeting at Cyber City Ebène, bringing together leaders of the Mauritian business and investment community. During her visit, Smt Swaraj will also meet several Mauritian high dignitaries and leaders, and discuss the various dimensions of the unique and special Indo-Mauritian partnership.”
GOPIO Women League
A GOPIO women’s league was launched on Wednesday 29 October 2014 at Triolet by Mukeshwar Choonee, Minister of Arts and Culture, in the presence of Satyaprakash Ritoo, Minister of Youth and Sports, and His Excellency Anup K. Mudgar, High Commissioner of India. Kritilata Ram is the initiator of the project who said on the occasion that she wants GOPIO to be known to the people of Indian origin at the grass root level.
‘It is good that people in rural areas also are made aware about GOPIO and the activities organised. They should be informed of the various facilities offered when they are registered and have their P.I.O. cards. GOPIO objectives, as a non partisan and secular global organisation, is to promote the well being of people of Indian origin (PIO) and to make a bridge between people of Indian origins living in different countries through cooperation and communication.”
She also said that ‘we should not forget that our 36 first ancestors who came from India on the Atlas ship in 1834 as indentured labourers were those people who have lifted and shaped our Mauritius from generation to generation, towards whom we should all feel very proud.’ In this context she invites all women to attend the Women’s Conference organized by the Women’s League of Gopio International to be held on Sunday 1 November 2014 at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Indian Culture Phoenix.
GOPIO International
GOPIO International invited GOPIO Chapters Worldwide and its members to participate in the Commemoration of the 180 Years of the Arrival of Indian Immigrants in Mauritius from 29 Oct to 5 Nov 2014. A Youth Conference is being held from 31 Oct to 5 November and 3 to 5 participants from Country Chapters have been invited. GOPIO International takes care of the boarding and lodging and local transport for all the Youths attending the Conference. It has also invited the participation of women to attend a Women’s Conference starting on 1st Nov 2014.
Regarding the air fare, Air Mauritius, the National Carrier, is giving a 15% discount to all participants from Australia, India, Singapore, Malaysia, South Africa, Kenya, Reunion Island, Madagascar, and Seychelles. A 20% discount is being given for participants coming from UK and France. Many Country chapters are participating in this one week Indian Diaspora and Indentured Festival.
A Mega Concert by artists from India, Suriname, Guyana, Trinidad, South Africa, UK and Mauritius has been organised by GOPIO International at the Anjalay Stadium on the 1st Nov as from 7 p.m. H.E Sushma Swaraj, Minister of External Affairs and Overseas Indian Affairs, and other Ministers from PIO Countries will attend the 2nd November celebrations. On the same day, Beekrumsing Ramlallah Interpretation Centre (Museum on Indenture) will be inaugurated jointly by the Prime Minister of Mauritius and H.E. Sushma Swaraj.
A coffee table book on the Aapravasi Ghat World Heritage Site and several other publications relating to Indenture and Indian Culture and traditions will be launched. The Commemoration will be followed by a Gala Dinner cum Cultural Show at the Swami Vivekananda International Conference Centre. An International Conference will be held on Indenture Labour Route Project with some 150 participants from 25 countries belonging to the Indian Diaspora from 3rd to 5th Nov 2014.
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