On 5th of this month during the final of 35th edition of UG Cup.
The Late J. P. DMello.In Kuwait among expatriates, soccer organized by Indians is a very popular sport, among the expatriates. On 5th of this month, United Goans popularly known as UG completed the 35th edition of their Cup. I congratulate them for surviving for the last 35 years in the service of football. It is not an easy task to survive for such a long period. Many of the Clubs and teams born along with UG has just gone into extinction while UG still going strong, thanks to one of their founders and initiators Tony Gonsalves who along with his dedicated colleagues giving the best to keep going UG Cup every year regularly. Among all the tournaments UG Cup is the most popular. It has its own history.
The late J.P. D’Mello during his short period in Kuwait was very popular amongst Indians in general and among Goans in particular. Settled in Bombay but born in Goa, Porvorim, JP as he was popularly known in football circle, had great love for Goa and Goans. Many times he joined us as one of the guests or invitees for any of the Goan activities. For Konkani cause he always supported me with his presence and also with his financial contribution. Being a pristine Goan, he loved Goa, he loved Goans. Formation of Kuwait Indian Football Federation (KIFF) was his idea and also pressure on me and on others to move forward in the formation of KIFF.
During his conversation with me, he many times indicated his desire for the unity among Goans and other Indians. He hated disUnity but loved Unity. Once he told me “to form unity is easy but to maintain Unity is very difficult”. If he was alive now, he would never associate with broken KIFF to organize KIFF League in his name. He would never allow the Hitlers and Saddam Husseins in the KIFF to use his fair name to organize KIFF League minus so many teams. Keeping so many teams out of KIFF circle and organsing KIFF League is an insult to the original principle of KIFF and J.P’s principle of Unity. Day by day, KIFF is becoming arrogant and acting like Hitler as if they are the owners of Indian soccer activities in Kuwait. Good that they are running KIFF only and Not FIFA or Goa Football Association. All those who are involved in running KIFF are pigmies. If they were good, they would have avoided split in KIFF by doing all the sacrifices to accommodate the viewpoint of the opponents. Knowing JP so well I am sure JP would refuse to tag his name to KIFF League now that is going on.
According to the latest circular issued by KIFF on 15th of this month, “NO TEAM REGISTERED WITH KIFF SHOULD PARTICIPATE IN ANY OF THE TOURNAMENTS ORGANISED BY THE INDIAN FOOTBALL FEDERATION (IFF). By issuing such Hitlerian circulars, KIFF is showing its dadageri thereby killing soccer among Indians and Goans in particular. Football in Kuwait is not the monopoly of KIFF. IFF must now take up this matter with appropriate soccer authorities in Kuwait. If possible IFF must meet with the owners of the ground where KIFF tournaments are held and bring to their notice the damage KIFF is doing for the promotion of occer. Also if possible, IFF must bring this arrogance of KIFF to the notice of local soccer authority. Additionally IFF must bring this Hitlerian circular to the notice of Indian Ambassador. It is a time now for IFF to create a public opinion against KIFF dadageri. As it is Goans are disgusted with the KIFF arrogance.
For me KIFF is a big joke. In 1990 when I was in Goa following the invasion of Kuwait, along with others I was busy with organising our movement in support of the liberation of Kuwait under “GOA-KUWAIT SOLIDARITY CENTER”. Somebody approached me and asked me whether I contacted KIFF members from Goa for their OK in forming G-KSC. I said immediately “To hell with KIFF and its anti Goan members. Who are they and what is their capacity to associate with us in Goa? They are all one eyed persons among blinds. Besides football do they know anything? Best of Goan rot is in KIFF. Kuwait is the best place for such stupid people to create a small dent in society otherwise they are nothing”. Some of them got girls to marry only because they are in Kuwait. Many of the wives of such Goans are repenting for marrying their donkey husband. Among Goans I initiated with the backing of my colleagues and friends so many movements but never with the close association of KIFF members. One cannot create any movement with the close association of KIFF members. Currently KIFF is like a damaged organization and very shortly it will collapse like a pack of cards.
Recently I was in Goa. Reading from Goa-KRANTI, many people in Goa were annoyed at the negative attitude shown by KIFF for the reunion. Some people even suggested to stone the houses of KIFF members and supporters at Nagoa but I refused to lend my support for such activities but preferred to go with black flags to their residential places and if possible to gherao them at the Airport at Dabolim. Because of KIFF dadageri the unity of Goans is affected. This is not good for Goan unity especially now when unity of Goans is imperative because we are facing opposition from non-Goans. I am sure every Goan is aware of the Goans in KIFF who are promoting disunity among Goans in Kuwait. KIFF Goans are impotent to create any Goan movement in Kuwait. They have not done anything great among Goans in the past and in future too they will do nothing. They are like Worms feasting on the dead bodies in the grave. Very shortly many of them will be in Goa and at that time they should be put into the shame. None of the KIFF Goan member should be left scot free for destroying Goan unity.
Because of Kuwait football, in the past, Goans doing dadageri in Kuwait were assaulted and one of them in my presence at the Panjim-Betim Ferryboat. If it was not for me, one of them would have been thrown into the Sea. My advice to Goan member of the KIFF, do not cross the boundary. You all are nothing in Goa. It is not my wish to see fights taking place in Goa because of the KIFF dadageri but past events should give us some lesson. KIFF cannot rule supreme in our soccer activities in Kuwait. The parallel organization IFF is also going strong and they also conduct their activities with the participation of about 9 teams. The split in KIFF was the result of the childish attitude of those running the KIFF affairs. KIFF is unfit to run their affairs smoothly and unitedly. Because they are unfit, KIFF got splitted and those who are supporting the splitted KIFF are the enemies of Goan unity.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
