I was born in Fiji, and have been a San Francisco Bay Area resident since 1985. My great-great-grandparents were brought from Inida in slavish conditions, to slave in the hot sun from sunrise to sunset in the cane fields to enrich British run "Colonial Sugar Refinery" (CSR) which paid our grandparents 4 pennys a week tops, while their yearly income in 1920 ran into over 50 million Fiji Pounds. We have survived all hardships. If you research and dig deeper, you will find our grandparents did not come to Fiji on their own freewill.

The British by force and bully, using the power of the gun and fear tactics, raped and tortured our ancestors with no respect for their choices and human values. Neither did their respect constitution and institutions that protected these rights. They were governing by decrees for THEIR INTERESTS. They did not accept the diversity of human values. They lied, abused, discriminated. To me it is criminal.  "GUNS IS FORCE AND FORCE IS RAPE."!!

It was about democratic rights and freedom for our ancestors, NOT power and control of the British. Freedom is the process of happiness and peace and isn't this what we all want and need to be a good and satisfied human being.
 
How can good come from evil unless there is story telling and from this process, remorse, learning and forgiveness for the moral and spiritual level of man's understanding to drive the expected good over evil that started in1870.

God was on the side of the Girmitians. God moves in many ways. And more things are brought by prayer that this world dreams of. No one can stop human conscience or choice to serve our God.
  
"Because I believe in a higher purpose that life was given to show God's love and grace. Accordingly, it is for the good of humanity and the Public to show this value, especially now with the effects of the global financial crises, climate change and environmental changes, nuclear arms race, increase in poverty levels, ...global food shortage, rising prices, and spread of disease (Flu, HIV & Aids, Cardio Vascular Disease, Drugs related etc)."

"We need to connect with our maker daily for peace and satisfaction." ~ Dr. Mere Samisoni

HOW CAN WE FORGET!

Regards,
Abdul Kaiyum

Message received via email 31 December 2010

"Congratulations for all the work you have done.  I grew up in Nacovi, Nadi and went to Korovuto Indian School.  I remember the stories my grandmother told me about the days of Girmit and also how hard my parents worked to raise us and educate us. My passion to help those left behind (most of them so very poor) led me  to build a health clinic where I was born. I initially spent my own money to do so but have a lot of other people helping us. We are able to take medical volunteers from here to help the very poor. We go out to poor settlements and villages to  provide free medical care.  We would be so appreciative if in your path you could perhaps mention to people you know about our volunteer work.  Would love to get more help from people around the world. Our website www.fijiaidinternational.com".

Kind Regards, Damyenti Chandra 

"I commend and congratulate you in your newer effort to put on the web the details of our ancestors sojourn to Fiji - and perhaps our diaspora to many parts of the globe from there - Ek Dil Ke Tukare Hazaar huwe, Koi yaha gira koi waha gira"

Govind Sharma - Canberra, Australia via email 20 May 08

"We are proud of your contributions towards this worthy cause and  determination to move forward. We are with you for any support possible from the Shandil Family".

Sukhendra Shandil - Sydney,                           

Via email 12 May 08

"I was born and brought  up in Singapore and served in the Singapore Army for 30 years.  My ancestors, from Eastern UP,  were part of a group that were exiled as political prisoners to Singapore by the British authorities in the 1920s.   Some of the family members came to Singapore in search of a better life. Today, we are 3rd Generation in Singapore.  Like you and Satish Rai, we are very proud of our ancestry and our history.   We started a Society called Bhojpuri Society Singapore which links all the Bhojpuri Speaking from UP and Bihar in Singapore with the Indian Disapora.

I am proud of what you are doing. We have a 5000 Year History behind us that we can be proud of".

Retired Major Ram Janam Misra, Singapore Via email 19 May 08

"Girmitunited.org is a new website that highlights a forgotten history - "Girmit and Girmitiyas", which are an integral part of the past and the present of "Bhojpuri culture and Bhojpuriyas" . This new website puts together all the broken pieces of history in one place to trace your roots and will definitely result in renewed interests of several diasporic bhojpuriyas from all continents. The efforts of  both Vanita Nair and Satish Rai from Australia and Thakur Ranjit Singh from NZ are brilliant and commendable".

Sailesh Mishra - President, BANA

Bhojpuri Association- North America - Via email 16 May 08