SUPPORT DALAI LAMA'S TIBET.

SUPPORT DALAI LAMA'S TIBET.

With deep pleasure last week I watched the ceremony at US capitol Building where US President George W. Bush personally handed the Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama the most prestigious Congressional Gold Medal. This medal is a great reward not only for Dalai Lama and his Tibetan people but also for a person like me who supports the movement of Dalai Lama for getting rid of Beijing imposed autocratic rule in Tibet. This medal is a great reward for the people all around the world including me who support religious freedom in Tibet for the Tibetans. Dalai Lama is asking not heaven from Beijing but the necessary freedom for him and his people to practice Bhuddism as per Dalai Lama's instructions which Beijing refuses. China refuses to accept the religious authority of Dalai Lama and wants its authority over the appointment of Bhuddist Head like what used to happen in Goa during Portuguese era. The Patriarch of Goa was appointed by the Vatican on the advice and approval of Portugal following the jurisdiction of Padroada. Dalai Lama is not asking independence from Beijing but just an autonomy for Tibet and that also Beijing denies. In this medal there is a victory for the cause of Dalai Lama and a defeat for the rule of Beijing in Tibet for the suppression it practices against
Tibetans.

Like Tel Aviv’s principle of creating greater Israel by annexing Arab lands thru force, Beijing is also trying to create a greater Communist China by forcibly annexing lands of others as it did for Tibet thereby displacing the locals from their original homeland. Jews have also done the same way for the poor and weak Palestinian Arabs in Israel. China currently is lording over thousands of acres of Indian land whcih it forcibly grabbed by imposing its war on India in 1962 and still claiming some parts from North India. By denying them the full freedom to practice their own Buddhist religion in Tibet, Beijing is killing the human urge of Tibetans for their spiritualism. I condemn the harsh treatment Beijing is meting out to Dalai Lama and his people. I admire Americans in general and American Congress in particular for recognizing the services of Dalai Lama to attain freedom for him and his people from the repression and suppression of Communist China. Moreover, I immensely admire President Bush for ignoring Beijing’s threats and personally attending the ceremony of Medal presenting to Dalai Lama. This act of President Bush is a great rebuke for Beijing and its harsh policies against Dalai Lama and his cause.

By presenting this gold medal to Dalai Lama, American Congress bared the ruthlessness of Communist China and world was made more educated on the cause of Tibet. Dalai Lama the Nobel Laureate is a peace loving man working for peaceful world. Every peace loving person in this world must support his cause. Shortly the next Olympics Games will be held in Beijing where not only the sportspersons from all around the world will congregate there but also the world as a whole will witness this great and majestic event. Sports persons are on record to highlight the plight of the suffering people all around the world. Sports persons are known to raise the issue of human rights abuses in many countries. The great Boxer Mohammed Ali propounded the cause of ending the American involvement in Vietnam. Dr. Socrates the great foot-baller captain of Brazil soccer team in 1982 exposed the ills of dictatorship in his own country by wearing the Headband in support of democracy. Likewise, there were innumerable incidents at regional and international levels where sportsmen used their celebrity status to highlight the plight of suffering people in their and other countries. By doing this sportsmen have succeeded where others have failed. When the great and world renowned personality the philosopher cum mathemathecian Prof. Betrand Russel and his team of equally world renowned personalities failed in their mission to awaken the world conscience against American involvement in Vietnam, Prof. Betrand Russel finally approached the celebrity status of the then sportsman, boxing world champion Muhammed Ali and finally the required result has been produced. When sportsman Mohammed Ali acted, not only Americans got awakened but the entire world too and everyone mounted pressure on American administration to end its involvement in Vietnam.

Prof. Betrand Russel formed a committe of great and world renownwed scientists and intellectuals to conducted the trial of American involvement in Vietnam - Nuremburg type of trial - but only having moral sanction. And finally the trial passed a verdict against Americans saying as Prof. Russel quoted to Mohammed Ali to encourage him to fight against American involvement in Vietnam "In the history of humanity, there was not a single war which was more barbaric than this war in Vietnam. It has to be stopped. Your voice is more audible to the entire planet. I support your campaign of fighting against US's policy of fighting an unnecessary war in Vietnam. Go ahead and fight against America".

The forthcoming Olympics event will be an appropriate venue for the freedom and human rights loving sports persons to raise the issue of Tibet in Beijing during their participation in their respective items. Beijing must be put into shame for denying liberty not only to Tibetans but also to its own people. In the fall of Soviet Russia, Chinese communism which is nothing but a crude form of dictatorship lost its impact and gradually it will go the way Soviet Russia has gone. It is only a question of time and that time is fast approaching. Communism is only a temporary solution for the economic ills of any society. Once the point of saturation is reached communism will have no place in this world. Communism as propounded by Karl Marx is just an economic system but in Soviet Russia and its satellites including Beijing communism was turned into brute dictatorial form of Government. The major ill effect of communism is the suppression of human rights and denying human beings full liberty to develop fully including spiritually. Beijing is doing the same for its people and to Tibetans. Olympians participating in the forthcoming games in Beijing should raise their voice in support of Tibet and the cause of Dalai Lama.

A. Veronica Fernandes,
Safat, Kuwait.

COLVA FEST

COLVA UNITED CENTRE - Kuwait, one of the leading Goan associations in Kuwait is going to celebrate its annual Fest on Thursday 25th of this month.

At 6.30 p.m., there will be a Mass in the Church at Kuwait City - Holy Family Cathedral.Colva United Centre, Kuwait invites all Colvenkars and well wishers to attend this Mass. Thereafter in the evening at 9.00 p.m., Colva United Centre, Kuwait will hold its Traditional Colva Nite at Fakruddin Palace Hotel, Kuwait City with 2 Bands and Dj in attendance.

The new committe of Colva United Centre, Kuwait under the presidency of Alexandre M. Fernandes consists of Jacob Fernandes - Vice President, Menino Ratus Gen. Secretary, Francis Fernandes Asst. Gen Secretary, Celine Vaz Treasurer, Peter Fernandes Asst. Treasurer, Tony Viegas Cultural Secretary, Xavier Mascharenhas Asst. Cultural Secretary,Caji Diniz Public Relations and Menino Fernandes Asst. Public Relation. The Members are: Hilda Aguiar, Agnelo Pereira, Fidelis Fernandes, Anthony R. Vaz, Peter Santimano and Mathew Goes.

Colva United Centre, Kuwait is in existence since many years now and they are doing good job for the benefit of their people. They have their own plans to construct an Old Age House in Colva, Goa besides other projects too for the benefit of their villagers.

A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.

GOAN EVENT POSTPONED

Due to a clash of Goan events on 9th Nov. 2007, after coordinating with event sponsors, Goan visiting artistes, band and venue owners, it has been decided to postpone the Goan Cultural & Food Festival to preserve the unity and solidarity among the Goan community in Kuwait.

Regret for any inconvenience caused.

We thank the Kuwait Times for the support and coverage for the event.

Let it be clear that the clash of date and similarity of event ideas is done by others.

Our main objective will always remain "Promoting Goan artistes, Konkani and Goan heritage and culture"

Membership remains open to all, for details, email: goanculturalcentrekuwait@gmail.com
Tel: 9472905 – Suresh Naik, President – Goan Cultural Centre-Kuwait.

Goan Cultural Centre goanculturalcentrekuwait@gmail.com

CONDOLENCE & PRAYER MEET HELD FOR LATE PREM KUMAR IN KUWAIT

Goa's noted actor, playwright, director and Konkani
film producer, Peter D'Costa alais Prem Kumar
breathed his last in Mumbai on 12th October 2007,
leaving behind enormous admirers - the Konkani stage
artistes as well as the Konkani tiatr lovers the
worldover - in grief.

A condolence and prayer meeting was held on Monday,
16th October 2007 by the members of Kuwait-Goa
Tiatristanchi Sonvstha (KGTS) at the Royal Terrace,
Salmiya. On this occasion, Francis de Verna,
seniormost tiatrist in Kuwait (and ex-KGTS President)
and Cajetan de Sanvordem, KGTS President, spoke on Prem Kumar highlighting his vast contribution for the
Konkani stage.

Late Prem Kumar was famed for his unique stage
artwork and recognized for his ever innovative style
and outstanding service in the Konkani tiatr stage.
All through his life, Prem Kumar endeavored to reform
the Konkani stage through his writings and stage
craft. He was awarded several awards.

In a very special way, KGTS had honoured PREM KUMAR among other seniormost retired stars of the Konkani Stage in 2004.

The condolence meeting was largely attended by KGTS
members and winded off with a prayer for the departed
soul. May God Almighty grant him eternal peace in
His Heavenly Abode and give courage to the bereaved
family and the tiatrists' fraternity to bear this
colossal loss.


KGTS Managing Committee
Kuwait.
CAJETAN DE cajdesan@yahoo.com

Re:Sad Demise of Our Reknown Tiatristo "Prem Kumar"

Dear A. Veronica

Very much impressed to read your profound intimation you have had with the departed soul. In other words your closeness and vis-a-vis dignity you have niched between each other is tantamous to believe in your real message. I do share your views and thank your foremost to bring out his life history in precise short way and may his soul rest in peace forever and ever. I do share in your prayers for his eternal rest too.

Withstanding in silent sharing your views. Really such a man "tiatrist" will come once in many centuries.becoz as he and many others who still vibrates and dazzle the Konkani Mai bhas stage with their mindful motivation and not by petty commission benefits like new odd glittering shining tiatirst which is not the real gold for our posterity.

C.T.Gomes.
CONCEICAO GOMES gisgergio@gmail.com