Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will give a full apology today (May 18) in the House of Commons for the Komagata Maru incident where the government in 1914 turned away a ship carrying hundreds of South Asian immigrants.
The chartered Japanese ship Komagata Maru sailed into the Vancouver harbour on May 23, 1914, with around 376 people, mostly Sikhs from Punjab. But the Canadian government allowed only 24 to land.
No words can fully erase the suffering of Komagata Maru victims. Today, we apologize and recommit to doing better. pic.twitter.com/NsryzhUbp1
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) May 18, 2016
The rest, after two months in Vancouver’s harbour, were forced to return to India. On July 23, 1914, the Komagata Maru left to return to India, upon returning some were killed and some were imprisoned by the then British Indian government authorities.
“We failed them utterly,” Trudeau said at a Vaisakhi celebration on Parliament Hill on April 11. “As a nation we should never forget the prejudice suffered by the Sikh community at the hands of the Canadian government of the day. We should not, we will not.”
The Prime Minister said that while an apology will not ease the pain and suffering of those who lived through the experience, it is the right thing to do. “It was in the House of Commons that the law that prevented the passengers from disembarking were first passed and so it is fitting that the government should apologize there on behalf of all Canadians.”
Former Prime Minister Stephen Harper apologized for the incident in 2008 at an event in British Columbia, but members of Canada’s Sikh community have long said an apology should be offered formally in Parliament.
Many from the South Asian community have appreciated and supported the Prime Minister’s decision. After Trudeau made his decision public during the Vaisakhi celebration, Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan, the first Sikh-Canadian to command a Canadian army reserve regiment, tweeted that he is “truly honoured” by PM’s commitment to a formal apology.
Minister Sajjan was commander of the regiment involved in forcing the Maru out of Vancouver harbour. He was the first Sikh to lead the British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught’s Own) in 2011.
Punjab’s Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal was appreciative of this decision.
MP Jenny Kwan said in a statement, “The Komagata Maru tragedy is a reflection of the discriminatory exclusion laws that existed in Canada. I would like to acknowledge the hard work of the Professor Mohan Singh Memorial Foundation of Canada for initiating the call for justice in 2012 and for not losing sight of the pre-election promise that the now Prime Minister made when he said he would make the apology within the first 90 days of his mandate. Thank you to the Government for honouring this significant commitment.”
Many descendants of the passengers of the Komagata Maru, along with Premier Christy Clark, will be present at the House of Commons to hear the apology. One of the attendees will be Sukhi Ghuman, whose great grandfather Harnam Singh Sohi, came via Komagata Maru from Punjab hoping to work in Vancouver to provide for his family in India.
“I along with many others will have the honour to witness Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau’s official apology in the House of Commons today regarding the Komagata Maru incident.
I don’t think my great grand-father, Harnam Singh Sohi ever thought this moment would come, however I will be present in remembrance for all those that are no longer with us to witness the apology and I can take great comfort in knowing the Government of Canada is accountable and apologizing for their actions in 1914. Let this apology open the door to more dialogue, education and awareness as an integral part of Canada's History,” says Ghuman.
Komagata Maru incident has left a mark in the hearts of South Asians residing in Canada and the event has expressed through various art forms as well. In 2014, the 100th Anniversary of the incident was celebrated through exhibitions and events at eight institutions across the Lower Mainland. Naveen Girn of Vancouver, has curated exhibitions about the Komagata Maru at Simon Fraser University and Lower Mainland museums.
Surrey artist Jarnail Singh’s created a four-panel painting titled Saga of the Komagata Maru, which convey the ship’s chilly reception through colourful images and text, including newspaper headlines. Toronto-based filmmaker and new media artist Ali Kazimi has dealt with the issue in his documentary Continuous Journey, and a book, Undesirables.
Recently the Canada India Centre for Excellence at Carleton University announced the opening of an art exhibition on May 18 to commemorate the events around the Komagata Maru incident. Barj Dhahan, member of the Board of the Canada-India Centre has donated 10 paintings to Carleton University for a permanent display of these paintings. The paintings will be part of Carleton’s collection of original art.
The paintings in this exhibition show a quest for truth and justice by depicting the struggle of Komagata Maru passengers. They are part of a full series of 21 paintings included in the large format book A Journey with the Endless Eye. The book includes stories by Ajmer Rode and paintings by Jarnail Singh.
On May 23, Naveen Girn will be organizing a historical Komagata Maru Walking Tour that retraces the lost - and remaining - buildings in Downton Vancouver that echo with the stories of the Komagata Maru. Historians, artists, and community members will share the living legacy of the Komagata Maru Episode and how it continues to influence the city today.
