Vancouver – Premier David Eby has issued the following statement on the anniversary of the Komagata Maru incident (April/May 23, 1914):
“On this day 110 years ago, the Komagata Maru arrived in Vancouver carrying 376 prospective immigrants from India, including among them students, labourers and former soldiers. The passengers, who were Sikhs, Muslims and Hindus, sought to build a new life here. Instead, they were met with hostility in one of the most notorious acts of discrimination in Canadian history. This was due to Canada’s racially restrictive immigration laws at the time.
“Canadian immigration officials refused to allow most of the passengers to disembark or communicate with members of the South Asian community already living in British Columbia. On board, conditions deteriorated as supplies of food and drinking water were limited. After two months, the Komagata Maru was forced from the harbour under the escort of a warship.
“This disgraceful event remains a dark mark on the history of our province. In 2008, the Province of British Columbia issued a formal apology in the legislative chamber for its role in this incident.
“For more than a century, people from South Asia have been calling this province home, though it has not always been a welcoming place. Public engagement has begun so British Columbians can share their vision for a Canadians of South Asian Heritages B.C. museum. This museum will be the first of its kind in Canada and will preserve the rich history of the diverse South Asian communities in this province for generations to come.
“It is important to share and preserve the stories of all who call B.C. home. We all benefit from living in a more inclusive province that is safer and more equitable for everyone.”
Background from Wikipedia:
The Komagata Maru incident involved the Japanese steamship Komagata Maru, on which a group of people from British India attempted to immigrate to Canada in April 1914, but most were denied entry and forced to return to Budge Budge, Calcutta (present-day Kolkata). There, the Indian Imperial Police attempted to arrest the group leaders. A riot ensued, and they were fired upon by the police, resulting in some deaths.
Komagata Maru sailed from British Hong Kong, via Shanghai, China, and Yokohama, Japan, to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on April 4, 1914, carrying 376 passengers from Punjab province in British India. The passengers comprised 337 Sikhs, 27 Muslims and 12 Hindus, all Punjabis and British subjects.[2] On May 23, 1914, of these 376 passengers, 24 were admitted to Canada, but the other 352 were not allowed to disembark in Canada, and the ship was forced to leave Canadian waters. The ship was escorted by HMCS Rainbow, one of Canada’s first two naval vessels.[3] This was one of several incidents in the early 20th century in which exclusion laws in Canada and the United States were used to exclude immigrants of Asian origin.
