Indian workers begin satyagraha in New Orleans

Indian workers at Signal International in New Orleans paid huge amounts of money to travel to the United States and work towards permanent residency but found bonded labor, dismal accomodation and temporary visas.

However, they have also brought something else – a vision of satyagraha – non-violent but uncompromising resistance. Workers in the Alliance of Guestworkers for Dignity have now launched an inspirational campaign to erase such international exploitation, beginning a march on Washington to confront the Indian ambassador.

As one of the workers, Sabulal Vijayan put it, “The father of our nation, Mahatma Gandhi, broke the salt tax of the British government with a satyagraha. We are following in his footsteps to get justice in this country.”

“Watch out! We’re coming!” they sang in Malayalam.

Over 100 Indian guest workers who broke an Indian-US human trafficking chain on Tuesday began a satyagraha to protest “the Indian government’s failure to protect Indian workers,” departing on foot from New Orleans on their way to confront Ambassador Ronen Sen in Washington, DC.

The workers, members of the Alliance of Guestworkers for Dignity, will travel on foot through historically racist sections of the United States, following in the footsteps of African-American freedom fighters, who marched to win basic human rights. “Mahatma Gandhi’s salt satyagraha exposed the tyranny of the British salt tax system. Our guest worker satyagraha will unmask the US guest worker programme as a system of bonded labour,” worker and organiser Rajan Pazhambalakode said.

Posted by Szamko
Just tries to tell the truth.

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