by AJAY KAMALAKARAN
Lured by glowing promises of work and land, hundreds of Sikhs reached Argentina in the 1910s, only to confront discrimination, destitution and broken promises.
In the early 1900s, Argentina was among the wealthiest countries in the western hemisphere. Its economy was booming and, fuelled by foreign investment, its vast, fertile lands had made it a major exporter of livestock and agricultural produce. New industries sprang up, creating a demand for labour that European migrants alone could not meet.
Noticing how Indian workers were employed across the Caribbean, the authorities in Buenos Aires approached their representative in India to explore the possibility of encouraging migration from the subcontinent.
In a letter dated February 13, 1911, the Argentine consul in Calcutta wrote to Foreign Secretary Henry McMahon, requesting that Argentina be added to the list of countries Indians were permitted to emigrate to.
Promoting his country as a promising destination, the consul wrote, “It is because, with the aid of a kindly climate, and a fertile soil, the seed sown in our fields by the labourer gives a return of a thousand to one, and because domestic happiness and prosperity flourish under the aegis of an honest, wise and progressive government, which requires from its immigrants nothing except honesty and diligence.”
With the letter, the consul enclosed a pamphlet outlining the “laws and decrees” applicable to immigrants and investors.
The response in Calcutta was one of surprise. An internal memo noted that under the Indian Emigration Act of 1908 – the very law cited by the diplomat – a colonial committee was needed to assess a destination’s annual labour demand and the facilities it offered.
“But the Committee considered the case of British colonies only,” the memo observed, adding that “it might be questioned by some whether the settlement of Indians in a foreign country is equally desirable.” To deal with this unusual case, the memo said, approval from the Secretary of State in London would also be necessary.
The memo went further: “It may be added that the Government of India do not regard with favour any proposals for the extension of emigration to foreign countries. The objection is not so much on the score of obtaining good laws as of getting them well administered in the interests of the Indian immigrant.” Suriname, where “coolies” were said to be treated well, was listed as the only “foreign” country suitable for Indian migration.
Calcutta informed the consul that the matter would have to be taken up between the British and Argentine governments, though this was hardly the end of the issue.
Dashed dreams
Despite official discouragement, word spread in Punjab of the abundant opportunities supposedly awaiting agricultural and industrial labourers in Argentina. Much like in the 21st century, families sold land and pooled resources to send young men on the long journey to South America.
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