SECOND AUGUST.
Second of August will go down in the history of mankind not only as the date of brutal invasion of Kuwait by Saddam Hussein’s Iraq but also the date of betrayal. On this date in 1990 one Arab country Iraq betrayed another Arab country Kuwait, one Muslim country Iraq betrayed another Muslim country Kuwait, with a Judas kiss. Incidentally both countries are members of OIC which forbids settlement of bilateral disputes thru the military force. Inspite of helping Iraq in diverse ways, how the Bathist regime of Saddam Hussein dared to invade Kuwait was beyond my comprehension. Though Iraq invaded Kuwait and made its citizens miserable yet I admired them for facing this invasion so boldly and keeping full trust in their leadership in regaining their motherland. In this invasion there was not only the betrayal of one country by another country but in this invasion the human tendency of Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus Christ was surfaced openly. In this invasion, to put it figuratively, I also saw my own brother, my own sister, my own parents and other family members deserting me with a shock of betrayal which I was never expecting. In this invasion the real human character was exposed when almost everyone deserted us. The invasion of Kuwait will remain in the history as Synonym with Betrayal.
I am from Goa and during the period prior to the invasion of Kuwait, many of us used all our energies and resources to help financially the needy in Goa. The major beneficiaries of our aid were priests and nuns. But when we were caught in the invasion and many of us were turned pauper our evaluation was done very cheaply by all those who received so much of financial aid from us. The very priests and nuns and the very people who received so much of donations from us started taunting us the moment Kuwait went into the hands of Iraq. We from Kuwait financed Konkani movement, built Hospitals, Schools, Church Projects, Community Halls and aided many other projects for the cause of community. The enormous donation for the establishment of monthly magazine “Gulab” and its Printing Press was raised by us from Kuwait. But unfortunately, none of the recipients of our donations openly sided with us in Goa. During the invasion of Kuwait for so many months in Goa we were involved actively in organizing our movement to raise Goan voice in support of the liberation of Kuwait by putting pressure on the Government of India to openly condemn Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and to support loudly the process of liberation of Kuwait.
While we were actively campaigning so hard by organizing our public meetings and rallies none of the recipients of our donations associated with us. The then editor of “Gulab” who not only not associated with us inspite of coming so many times to Kuwait to collect huge funds for his Press but he also taunted us for our plight and used Gulab to belittle the donors. My biggest regret goes on Goa Church and its priests who were keeping a distance from us when we were organizing our movement though in other movements, public rallies and public meetings they were the first to come on to the streets of Goa in huge number. There is a campaign now, in our midst, going on to collect funds for “Gulab” who’s the then editor never supported us openly. Some of the people involved in this fund collection campaign were equally guilty of not supporting openly and publicly our cause for the sake of Kuwait from where they earned and still earning their sustenance. By acting thus they showed their true unGoan colours towards Kuwait. Goans in Kuwait who got love and gratitude for Kuwait must reject them. In one way at least I have already rejected them by saying NO to their request for an interview for Gulab because I cannot be cheap with cheap people having traitors mentality. It is a shame for a true lover and supporter of Kuwait to accede to the wishes of the traitors.
Another betrayal that I noticed was from our own family members in the aftermath of invasion of Kuwait. It was during this period that I noticed how parents deserted sons who earlier helped them so much financially; wives deserting husbands and husbands to wives, girlfriends leaving boyfriends and vice versa, sisters rejected brothers and brothers rejected sisters, friends disowning friends and recipients of donations repelling the donors. All for the sake of money because with the invasion of Kuwait many of us have lost our financial power and hence we were rejected. Good that Kuwait was liberated in 7 months only otherwise the fate of many of us would have been terrible. As it is with our own eyes I have seen how so many people suffered because they were not recalled back to Kuwait.
Kuwait is like an Oasis for many of us who are thirsty for money. This is the country that made Heroes of many of our Zeroes. This is the country that elevated social and financial status of many of us. To work here and come up in life one does not need the same requirements as they are required back at home. The biggest beneficiary of employment in Kuwait was the person coming from financially backward segment. The financially weak person receives strength when he comes to Kuwait. I was also weak and like me innumerable people working in Kuwait though however much they may show their false pride in their high status back at home. I am grateful to Kuwait for giving me what I could not get back at home though like others I am working hard to gain my sustenance under very difficult conditions. For this reason as a sign of gratitude, with the help of our colleagues and friends we showed our open solidarity with Kuwait by organizing a movement under “GOA–KUWAIT SOLIDARITY CENTER” which was never supported by any of the recipients of our donations including the then editor of Gulab nor those who are on forefront now to collect this fund.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
