Further to my earlier article on
the newly released DVD with English commentary on the movement Goans did in Goa
during the invasion of Kuwait in 1990, in support of Kuwait’s liberation, I am
glad to inform all concerned that the
response was overwhelming, beyond my expectation. As on now, 300 copies have been distributed,
major portion of it on request while very few I personally delivered to some of
my high profile Kuwaiti friends who showed closeness to our movement.
Since one lot of 300 pieces are
already over and demand and requests are still pouring in for more copies,
another lot of same number is under process and it will be ready very
shortly. Requests are coming from Goa also
and from US, UK and Canada where many of our participants in this movement are
settled after the liberation of Kuwait.
This DVD is going to be unique in
the history of Kuwait Goans with regards to their relationship with Kuwait from
where they earned their sustenance. I am
proud of the Kuwait Goan community that stood by Kuwait during the dark period
of Kuwait and thereby showing their gratitude to the country that employed them. This was the greatest
opportunity Kuwait Goan community got to show its gratitude to Kuwait that
provided opportunities to Goans to work in Kuwait and earn their
livelihood.
Those Kuwait Goans who
participated in this movement were of great hearted Goans while those who
refrained from participating in this movement can I call them ungrateful? Because of Kuwait many of the Goans made lot
of developments and improvements in their lives. It was Kuwait that made many of them to be
somebody in life. Kuwait proved to many of the Goans an Oasis while traveling
in the Desert.
In this DVD you see two public
rallies followed by 2 public meetings in Panjim. For the first there were few participants
compared to the second when everybody came to know of their going back to
Kuwait. For the first rally many Kuwait
Goans remained at home thinking it was useless because Kuwait is already
invaded and what was the use of shouting slogans against Saddam Hussein? Many Kuwait Goans blamed me for organizing
this rally when it was useless but these same people applauded me when Kuwait
was liberated and in fact they remained in Queue first to enter in the
liberated Kuwait and tell their Kuwaiti bosses that they were the Goans who
came on to the streets of Goa demanding liberation for Kuwait.
It was very disappointing to note
that many of the Kuwait Goan stalwarts of that time refused to support this
movement in support of Kuwait. Who were
these Goans? None of the millionaires
participated even though they have made millions from Kuwait – No Alphonsos –
No Furtados – No Monteiros. To organise such a massive movement spread over 6 months is not a joke. It required lot of finance and at that particular time even a Rupee was important to me to spend for this movement. The millionaires who minted money in Kuwait thru their businesses have failed miserably to do their duty towards Kuwait. I am ashamed of their Goanness.
Most of the Goans involved in the Church activities
boycotted this movement, so also most of the Kuwait Tiatrists, soccer clubs and
their members, so also most of the high salary earning Kuwait Goans and doing lucrative
jobs before the invasion of Kuwait.
Coming back to Goans in Goa, none
from those who settled down in Goa after their retirement from Kuwait before
the invasion joined us. None from the Goan Muslim community. None of the Priests or Nuns
especially from among those who received our donations in lakhs of rupees, none
of the Konknnivadis who received our donations in lakhs for the Konkani
movement. It was nothing but very disheartening to see how we were deserted by
our own people especially by those who enjoyed our benefits when we were
earning in Kuwait before its invasion.
Some pictures from this DVD were
aired to the viewers by Kuwait Television twice, one on 15th
September 1991 when Indian Foreign Secretary Ms Sharma visited Kuwait and
interviewed by KTV Anchor Adeeb. Questioned her by Adeeb thus:“During the invasion period of Kuwait, in
India some protests march were
organized. Can you please tell us
where?” Replied Sharma saying thus: “
yes, it was in Delhi, Kerala and Hyderabad”.
Then Adeeb retorted asking her thus: “what about in Goa?” For this she
had no answer because she was ignorant of what Goans have done.
Then immediately Adeeb showed the pictures of
our movement for about 3 minutes making Sharma very embarrassed of her
ignorance of what Goans have done for the cause of Kuwait. What Goans have done
for Kuwait none in India did but authorities concerned in India have been
trying to put a shadow on what we did because they are biased against Goans or
they thought Goans are not politically and intellectually advanced to rise to
the occasion and organize such a movement.
According to my information,
Delhi Babus are very jealous of Goans and they don’t give due credit to
Goans. They underestimate Goans.
Because of this movement Goans
have received lot of goodwill in Kuwait among all the sections of Kuwaitis. We
have done what we could do to raise the banner of Goa and Goans high and I did
what I could do. Now the new generation
of Kuwait Goans must emulate our feat and do better to create a strong bond
between Goans and Kuwaitis. In this
direction they must first try to spread this DVD among themselves and then to
Kuwaitis so that Kuwaitis know how we stood by them during their dark days.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
