India

1857/2007: Imperialism, ‘Race’, Resistance
An international conference on the 150th anniversary of the 1857 uprisings

Speakers include: Indian human rights lawyer Nandita Haksar, who most recently has defended the accused in the Parliament Attack case; writer, film-maker and anti-war activist Tariq Ali; historian and writer on colonialism and patriarchy Kumkum Sangari; radical historian from Pakistan Mubarak Ali; Editor of Indian left monthly Liberation Kavita Krishnan; spokesperson of Cageprisoners Adnan Siddiqui; eminent civil-liberties lawyer Gareth Peirce; Iraqi Democrats Against Occupation spokesperson Hani Lazim, historian and writer on British imperialism John Newsinger; feminist educationalist Rubina Saigol from Pakistan

Organised by South Asia Solidarity Group, The 1857 Committee and the Centre for South Asian Studies, SOAS

1857 saw a sustained and widespread uprising against British rule in India. Although dubbed the ‘Indian Mutiny’ in many colonial history books, the uprising, which spread across much of the northern half of South Asia (at that time called India, now including India, Pakistan and Bangladesh) and lasted almost two years, had all the characteristics of a war against imperialism and for independence.

The aim of this conference is not only to remember what happened in 1857, but to highlight the continuities and parallels with the situation in South Asia and globally today. We will be looking at 1857 as one of the high points of continuing popular anti-imperialist resistance, in which people identifying with different communities and religions but sharing many aspects of culture consciously came together to resist an aggressively racist colonial power. In the process we will talk about contemporary imperialism, racism and the rise of the religious right, and the struggles against them in South Asia and here in Britain.

Currently the rise of intense anti-Muslim racism in Britain (along with other developments, like the rise of Hindutva in India) has polarised South Asian communities. It is urgent to reclaim our shared history of anti-colonial struggle and draw parallels with the British state’s current role in imperialism and war.

Some of the key themes of this conference include

- The repressive state in Britain and South Asia and the construction of ‘terror’
- People’s resistance to corporate capital from the East India Company to today
- Land alienation, globalisation of agriculture and people’s struggles for resources
- ‘Divide and rule’, the religious right and popular movements against communalism
- Changing strategies of state intervention and control: ‘culture’ ‘race’ and gender

Register now for the conference as places are limited. To register for the conference, complete and return the form below. For more information contact sasg@southasiasolidarity.org or see the South Asia Solidarity group website.