Komagata Maru and British Columbia

British Columbia: As we commemorate this resilient journey and the determination of people, we honour their legacy including descendents who have persevered and established their lives here despite so many barriers. Now, 100 years later, the story of the Komogata Maru is being celebrated as an historical event that occurred at a time when "Our city looked very different", according to Rabble. In August of 2010, 492 Tamil refugees made the three-month journey from Sri Lanka to British Columbia. Upon their arrival in Vancouver, the refugees, including 49 children and their mothers, were forced into three detention centres across the Lower Mainland amidst a national hysteria and racist discourse regarding "illegals" and "criminals." One hundred years ago the 376 passengers of Komagata Maru were refused entry into British Columbia by Canadian immigration officers. They experienced racism and hostility. Their inability to land caused hardship for the passengers, who soon lacked food and water, were denied access to medical attention, to communication with their family and to proper legal counsel. For many however, these changes are not evident. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.