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][ self-published source]
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. pp. 29–30. ISBN 978-157-505-963-1.
- ^ Ishmael, Odeen (2013). The Guyana Story: From Earliest Times to Independence. Xlibris. pp. 306–308. ISBN 978-147-979-590-1.
- ^ Chand Jain, Prakash (1990). Racial Discrimination Against Overseas Indians: A Class Analysis. Concept Publishing Company. p. 65. ISBN 817-022-288-5.