PART – III.
Then came the invasion of Kuwait in August 1990 and we had to go back to Goa empty handed. During the invasion period, under my initiative and with the backing of my colleagues especially from KKK and Konkani movement, we formed an organization called ‘GOA-KUWAIT SOLIDARITY CENTER” to raise our voice in support of the liberation of Kuwait and thru this we forced the Indian Government at Delhi to change its stand on the issue of Kuwait. Our voice from Goa was heard in Delhi and Government of India openly sided with Kuwait cause. We raised our voice from Goa by organising Rallies, Public Meetings and Press campaign. Because of this movement Kuwaitis liked Goans very much.
While we formed G-KSC, Kuwait Goans of dubious character formed one more association known as “KUWAIT GOAN EVACUEES SOCEITY”. After the liberation of Kuwait, a team of few members of KGES by using Edwuardo Faleiro’s influence in Delhi went and met Kuwaiti Ambassador in Delhi. After returning from Delhi, thru Press report they said they are authorized to collect bio data of all Kuwait Goan evacuees to return to Kuwait. For this, KGES charged every applicant Indian Rupees 50/-. Since thousands of Kuwait Goan Evacuees filled these forms, the money collected thus turned out to be lakhs and lakhs. And finally where it went and how much the final total came? It remained a total secret. One of the persons involved in this chicanery is still in Kuwait. Goans should be careful of this “Chor” who is well versed in cheating the community members. To trust any fund into his hands means entrusting your fund into the hands of a “BIG CHOR”. He is the most shameless Goan in Kuwait. He does not care for his self respect, he lost all his decency, credibility and dignity. He is acting like a prostitute. He is turned out to be a thick skinned man like a “Genno”. And those who associate and support him are become like “GHANTTA BOIL”. These “Ghantta Boil” will even dole their wives to this “Chor” who is in the process of robbing the community fund.
Then with the initiative of Fr. Gabriel and with my cooperation, 10 years back KONKANI HERITAGE KUWAIT” was formed to uphold the cause of Konkani and to help the repatriation of Konkani maids housed at Indian Embassy’s Safe House. In this way KHK helped humanitarian cause more.
GOAN WELFARE SOCIETY was formed in mid eighties with the initiative of Vincente D’Souza. When it was initiated, it was decided to make it as an apex body like that of Malyalis UMO. It was also decided to engulf in its fold more and more Goans and in this direction I myself registered so many new members. But unfortunately, after the liberation of Kuwait when it was restarted, I myself was not informed, not only me but also all my colleagues. Unfortunately, none of the members debated on this, neither from the present nor from those who left or dismissed. In this way, can they protect the interest of Goan community? This shows the caliber of these people to fight for justice.
When it was decided to form this organization it was our motto and especially of mine to raise funds for helping any needy Goan. In one room at old Indian Embassy where we were sitting to draft the constitution, I said that thru the funds we are going to raise we should see that none in our community among the poor should suffer because of financial problem. Our motto was to help the needy Goans in Kuwait and not to invest in Goa and not to build castles elsewhere or in Canada and not to keep the money for “pujek” into the personal account of individual members which is nothing but a crime. The fund collected thru the contribution and participation of community members should be spent for the good of community members irrespective to their affiliation or membership to GWS. This Society came into being to promote the welfare of the community. People’s money collected with the assistance of people should be spent for the welfare of the people, this was our motto in the beginning and with this motto we came forward to form this association which was rightly named as GOAN WELFARE SOCIETY.
By the way, Goans before the introduction of Direct Flight from Kuwait to Goa and back, were facing lot of problems. In order to eradicate this problem, in early eighties Kuwait Goan Association under the presidency of Vincente D’Souza started the campaign for the direct flight. Then Gukf Goans Hotels Co. tried its hand. Then with the backing of Dr. Willy in Goa, Avertano Furtado got himself involved and later on I too got involved. Under my skippership one Tiatro was staged at Kuwait Church Hall to raise funds for this process, all the tiatrists acted free of charge and this Tiatro was staged by Wincy. Other Goans also joined to support this move and finally we got direct flight. Now instead of one original we got more direct flights to Goa thanks to the base we put in earlier.
After reading the above, one will notice that all the above associations and movements were formed by senior and pro-Goa, pro-Goan and pro-Konkani members of Goan community residing in Kuwait. All the above associations were formed by Goans holding only Indian Passports and not by those holding dual Passports. By the way, is it right for us as Indian citizens to allow our affairs into the hands of Goans holding non-Indian Passports? With the exception of KHK, all these associations were formed before the invasion of Kuwait by the senior and elderly Goans. Now, the question comes: What have the fresh, junior and new comer Goans done for Goa, Goans and Konkani? What is the contribution of Goans who first time landed in Kuwait after the liberation of Kuwait for the cause of Goa and Goans in Kuwait? To split the existing associations and thereby bring about disunity in the community? To form associations to boycott few selected Goans as some Kuwait based Tiatris did? Can we expect anything worthwhile for the cause of Goa and Goans from the latest Goan arrivals in Kuwait? Are they by the way really interested in Goa and Goan causes or they are interested in migrating to the West from Kuwait? As for me, I don’t see any from the latest arrival Goans to do anything good for the cause of our community. In them I see nothing but darkness and selfishness. Their motto is APUN APNANK ANI DEV SOMESTANK”.
CONCLUDED.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
