LIBERATION WAR OF KUWAIT.

LIBERATION WAR OF KUWAIT.

Exactly today 17th of this month in 1991, 17 years back, Americans along with French and British troops started the war for the liberation of Kuwait against Iraqi regime headed by that monster Saddam Hussein. While this US led war was going on for the liberation of Kuwait, we in Goa were deeply engrossed in our thoughts knowing not what would be our fate. We were no doubt under Hamletic influence knowing not what decision to take yet we were praying hard for the liberation of Kuwait. While we were praying hard for the liberation of Kuwait from where we earn our sustenance, we were also campaigning hard under GOA KUWAIT SOLIDARITY CENTER to put pressure on the Government of India to openly align with Kuwait and openly support the liberation war of Kuwait. In this direction we organized big rallies on the streets of Panjim, held big public meetings in Panjim at Azad Maidan and highlighted the cause of Kuwait. Our voice with its echo was heard not only in Goa and Delhi but also all around the globe thru the media especially thru Radio and CNN broadcasting. By our movement we showed to Kuwaitis and its leadership stationed at Taif in Saudi Arabia that we Indians from Goa are bodily and soully with them. The leadership of Kuwait thru its Ambassador in Delhi showed total appreciation of what we did for Kuwait, its cause and Kuwaitis. The result of our movement was the love, affection and strong bond shown to us by Kuwait and Kuwaitis.

Though there was lot of goodwill generated for our plight in Goa yet the very people who needed Kuwait, who used Kuwait for their benefits and also used our status in Kuwait for their promotion had never sided with us openly, though some of them claimed to be our silent supporters. For example, most of the activists, supporters and promoters of Konkani inspite of being recipients of our donations in lakhs of rupees from Kuwait never supported us nor our movement publicly and openly. To cite an example. Fr. Freddy J. D’Costa who after enjoying so much of doles from us never openly supported us, on the contrary criticized me saying “Veronica kitem Kuwait liberate korunk aila re?”. “Beiman to, taka Veronican adhar kela te porim bhou thoddeani kela”. If his Gulab is on strong footing today it was partly because of the assistance Veronica gave to lay a solid base for it.

Gurunath Kelekar, the late Dr. Rebello and other stalwarts of Novem Goem Newspaper and Novem Goem Pratishthan never associated with us nor gave a consolimg word for us by joining in our meetings and rallies inspite of receiving donations in lakhs of rupees for Novem Goem Newspaper whose initiator was Gurunath Kelekar himself. They never thought that Kuwait will be liberated. They thought Kuwaitkar “melet mhonn”. They were heavy beneficiaries of our donations, doles and charity. Gurunath Kelekar had major responsibility to support us when he enjoyed so much of support from Kuwaitkars in general and me in particular when he was a non entity amongst Kuwait Goans. But he too was a Beiman. He wanted me to save him from getting ousted from Novem Goem and to raise funds for Novem Goem. But during our critical time he never even wished me. This is the quality of some of our Freedom Fighters and stalwarts in Konkani movement. The late Dr. Rebello from Maddel Margao was equally guilty like Kelekar and others in their bracket.

There was nobody to support us from Goa Cancer Hospital – Dona Paula when they received around 20 lakhs of rupees from Kuwait Goans as donation for the construction of Goa Cancer Hospital. Where is this hospital gone now and who owns it? Where is our donation gone? None of the priests and nuns who received so much from us for their schools and convents, churches and chapels associated with us. Many Padris ani Madris were the biggest “Beiman” and “Devchar” though they fool the faithfuls by wearing the robes of Christ thereby disgracing the immaculate image of Jesus Christ. That was the first time in my life I came to know that how ungrateful the priests and nuns can be. Likewise there are innumerable examples of our Goans who became “Beiman” on us inspite of enjoying benefits from us. Posterity must judge these people and deal with them accordingly because their attitude is “Kam Zalem Voiz Melo”.

The other biggest “Beiman” and Traitors are the Tiatrists especially those who mocked and criticized us from the stage for getting uprooted from Kuwait. Though few defamed and mocked at us from the stage at a wrong time when we were not in position to bear their insults but regretfully none amongst the Tiatrists had marbles in their “kalsanvam” to openly oppose our critics in Tiatro fraternity. The top beneficiaries of Kuwait and its liberation are the Tiatrists. Some of them by regularly coming to Kuwait during the last so many years especially after the liberation of Kuwait made so much of money, some thru proper means and while others thru chicanery, robberies, cheatings and thru other foul means. Among the short duration visitors in Kuwait, some of the finest “bamttes” are from this category. They want Kuwait and Kuwait Goans only to make money and for their benefits. In my life, I never came across as “beiman” as some of the beiman Tiatrists. During the time of invasion of Kuwait they were not babies sucking the breasts of their mothers. They were grown up and clever enough to know what is good and what is bad. In view of this they should have supported us but they failed because they are enemies of Kuwait. Yet they want to come to Kuwait because the taste for petro dollar is better than that of Indian Rupees.

I met during those days one Tiatrist who said “atam nhidat ghara” and continued on saying that “you deserve this punishment”. Further he said “who wants your Kuwait now? Nobody. But within seven months by the grace of God and with the support of Americnas and others Kuwait was liberated and one of the first persons to come to liberated Kuwait to work was the daughter of this same Tiatrist who said to me arrongantly “who want your Kuwait”. During those days I was desperately moving all around Goa to garner support for our movement. In order to make big public propaganda money power was thinned from my pocket. Hence, as a Convenor of Goa Kuwait Solidarity Center which was on forefront in India to create an awakening in India for the cause of Kuwait, I used to go to Tiatro Halls and Mattou to request the directors of the Tiatros and other artistes to allow me to make announcement of our meetings and rallies. But everywhere my request was rejected and at one particular place my request was rebuffed saying “tumchem Kuwait kobar mure, atam anink koslo propaganda korunk ailai?”. I am still waiting for this Tiatrist to come to Kuwait but he is not coming knowing very well what is in store for him.

However, the only Tiatrists who gave me all cooperation in making our announcements publicly were Jose Rod and Anil Kumar. Jose Rod whom I never knew till that date when introduced to me by Patrick de Verna who was acting in Jose Rod’s Tiatro at Mapusa on that day, willingly handed over the Mike to me and gave a green signal to go ahead the way I wanted. So too Anil Kumar in another Tiatro at Mapusa only while other artistes resented this help.

Why to raise the issue of Goa based Tiatrists only? Even most of our own Kuwait based Tiatrists who earned and still earning their sustenance by working in Kuwait have never bothered to support our movement for the cause of Kuwait. If at all these Kuwait based Tiatrists got any prominence in life it is only because of their being in Kuwait. Otherwise who cares them in Goa? Besides, with the exception of 2 or 3, none are real Tiatrists who can swim in the big ocean. If Kuwait based Tiatrists are that powerful then why they take shadow of the troupes regularly coming to Kuwait and successfully performing their shows? Some of our Kuwait based Tiatrists in order to gain limelight need the umbrella of visiting Goan troupes and visiting Tiatrists otherwise they are minus zeroes. And they will remain as such because they are “Beiman” on the very country that gives them their livelihood.

A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.

GOEANCHEA RAJKARNACHI ANIK EK CIRCUS - by Fr. Teo Fernandes

(The prestigious Goa State Legislative Assembly Complex at Porvorim)

GOEANCHEA RAJKARNACHI ANIK EK CIRCUS
-By Fr. Teo Fernandes, OCD (Kuwait)

Email: teofeds69@yahoo.co.uk

Mhaka kednakai sutti gheun Goyant vochunxem zalam kiteak ki mhonllear Goyant ek boreantli bori ‘circus’ ailea khoim anik he circus-iche kollakar zaun asat khoim Goyeanche amdar-montri.

Potrancher hanven vachlea pormonea hi ek boreantli bori circus khoim anik hi circus polleunk Goyant aslelea Goyankaranchem bhag pun Kuwait anik her Gulf dhesant asleanchem dhurbhagea kiteak amkam hi Circus polleunk mellona.

Xi baba! Goyam itlem daktem xhar zaun kitlea pautti mhonn hi circus cholta zait? Goyant tore-torencheo circus-eo choltat zoxeo Mopa vimantoll, lipivadichi circus, SEZ – achi circus anik atam Provorim Secretariatant ailea ti serkar uddoupachi circus.

Heo Goyancheo circus-eo polleun mhaka zalear sarikich vitt ailea. Kitem mhonn polletolom? Goy itlem dhaktem xhar zaun kitlea pautti mhonn hi circus ami polletelanv. Amchech amdar montri amkanch ghat kortat. Hi osli Goyant circus choltana mhaka oxem bhogta, ki ami ghatlelea povitr motak kosloch orth nam mhonn. He amche vinchun kaddlele makodd (monkeys) he pokxeant thaun dusrea pokxeant uddio martat aink amich vichun kaddlele amdar montri amkanch fosoitat.

He je amdar-montri he ami vinchun kaddleat te chor anik nagounne. Porjechea borea passot vavurpache nhoi pun fokot chorun, nagoun aplim bolsam bhorpache. Eklo Mopa, Mopa bob marun PWD chorpachem khatem gheun bhosla anik atam don thonddacho malund zala. Adlo serkar astana eklean SEZ suru kelem anik atam toch chor, Pilat aple hat dhuta anik mhonta hanv kiteant nam. Tisro mhataro sat sort fondant bhitor sopnam sopneta Goyncho mukhel montri zaunk. Chovto gundda, gundddagiri korta. Panchvo adlo town planning-acho montri atam circus-icho ‘ring master’ zala. Sattariche makodd makda bhaxen udio marta.

Kosli mhonn circus tum Goyant polletolo. Kitem re Goyenkara tum polletai?

Dusre vatten ho lekh boroitana mhojea monant ek oso vichar ieta anik ho vichar zaun asa oso: Hea Goynchea montreank Devachi bhirant mhonloli asa kai? Konsens (Conscience) mhonlolem asam kai? Ze apun kristanv amdar-montri mhontat te misak, kumsarak vetat kai? Mhaka disona he amdar -montri Devak bhietat, konsens aslele monis mhonnon. Kiteak mhonllear Devak bhietele, konsens aslele monis oslim natkam, circus-eo korchenant.

Gelea te pavsant Provorim dongor kosllun mati devun aileli tich mati amche amdar montri assemblint bhoska ghetana devun thoim aslele zalear ekdom borem zaupachem kiteak portun heo circus-eo polleunk mellpacheo nasleo punn kotta oxem hanv suskartam kiteak oxem zalem zalear Goyant hem cholta tem polleunk mellpachem naslem.

Goy mhojem chorun khalem hea chorani anik ghatkea Judasani. Hea chorani Goynche avoicher bholotkar kelo anik korit asat. Hea chorani, nagounneani Goyanche avoik sogllea rasthram mhukar vinglli (naked) korun soddlea. Sogllo sonvsaracho lok heo choltat teo Goyncheo circuseo polleun hanstat. Kedi vhoddhli hi loz Goynche porjek!.

Goynchi zomin hea chorani, nagouneani Goynchea sudaropachea navan foreingn-erank toxech ghanttiank vinkli. Apleak motam ghalpak hea Goynchea bhailea ghantiank haddun Goyant bhorleat anik tankam ‘ration card’-am korun dileant anik ami Goynkar khoichea khocherent voch amchim kama zainant. Tor sangat Goyankarano tumi osleam chorank, nagounneak kitem kortat?

Hea xikop naslelea toxench ‘character’ nasleleank ami vichun kaddleat anik hech ami vinchun kaddlele amdar-montri amchea pottant ghaltat suri. Sons, sons mhonn kitlem sonstolo? Amchem paxieans kobar zalem. Goynkarano uttat, zage zaeiat, susegad niddon ravonakat. He cholta te circus-icher nixed marat. Hea ghatkean Judas-ank lisanv xikoieiat. Mitachea-faran tanchi fatt foddat. Ami atam tori zage zaum-eia, chotur anik xidduk ravum-eia.

Ami atam tori zage zainat zalear ho soglo sonvsarcho lok amkam hanstolo anim amkam mhonttolo he Goykar rajkoronn mhollar oxiksit(illiterate) mhonn. Tor Goyankarano heo circus-o bondh korunk ami veginuch koslo nam koslo upai ghevum-eia.