August 30, 2013

SYRIAN CONFLICT AND AMERICAN ROLE IN ARAB & MUSLIM WORLD.



What ails Arab and Islamic World?  Arab League (AL) is formed to solve the disputes occurring among the Arab nations but still Arabs are fighting among themselves and killing themselves in a big number. Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) was formed to protect the interest of Muslim countries and to solve the disputes happening among the  member nations but still the disputes occur and because of which Muslims are killing Muslims only.  While Arabs are killing Arabs  and Muslims are killing Muslims, Israel is enjoying because this is what Israel wants.
  
It is sickening to see in Syria, Assad forces are killing his own Syrians in thousands since last two years and moreover, a few days back Assad used Chemical weapons against his own people killing and maiming thousands.  Assad's tirade against his opponents is unstoppable.  He blames the opposition forces in Syria for using those Chemical weapons.  If it is true then what type of government he is running where there is no government control over the activities of his people whether from his  own supporters or opponents?  

If he has no power  to control the ill deeds  of his people then he has no right to lead his nation.  Just blaming opposition forces for using chemical weapons without evidence is not enough.  And it is a shame on him as a President of the nation to allow opposition a free hand to play such a mischief.

Hitler used biological weapons against Jews, Saddam Hussein against his own citizens Kurds and now Syrian President Assad used Chemical weapons against his own people.  How cruel Assad is to use such deadly and poisonous gas to maim and kill his own people including the angels like infant babies!!  Where is Arab League gone now?  Where is its authority now?  Where is IOC gone now and where is its religious authority and principles gone now?  To kill people thus is permissible in Islam?

America is an evil but necessary evil and without America’s involvement world order will collapse. Because of America, till today world is surviving though America is evil, it is evil for some but surely not for all. 

In their 8 year war, both the warring countries Iraq and Iran lost over a million people and who were these souls?   They were Arabs and Muslims. When every person and every organization failed to stop this war, finally interested parties openly and clandestinely begged with America to try to stop this war and then only this war came to an end. Thus came an end to the further deaths of Arabs and Muslims from Iraq and Iran thru the intervention of America.

Then another tragedy befell on Arabs and Muslims in this region when one Arab Muslim country Iraq invaded its peace loving Arab Muslim neighbour Kuwait. Again Iraq defied Arab League and OIC and against their principles swallowed Kuwait thus forcing BBC in its early morning bulletin on 2nd August 1990 to ask a loud and clear question: 

“Where is Arab League gone?  Where is OIC gone? Where is GCC gone?” 

They gone nowhere, they were all there only where they were but they became impotent to stop the mighty power of Iraq.  Though they became impotent yet even after 24 hours of the invasion of Kuwait, in its communique released following an emergency meeting of AL held to decide on the action to be taken to free Kuwait from Iraqi invasion,  AL said: 

“Invasion of Kuwait by Iraq is an Arab problem and as such it will be solved under the Umbrella of Arab League only”.

What Arab League is and what problem it will solve?  It cannot solve the problems of this magnitude because it has no capacity to solve such problems. 

Finally America alone had to come forward with its team of powerful nations, mainly UK and France to liberate Arab Muslim country Kuwait illegally invaded by another Arab Muslim country Iraq. And mind you, please take note that this conflict between two Arab Muslim nations was solved by the Western Christian nations under the leadership of Christian USA.

Now coming back to Syrian conflict where Assad regime is committing genocide against his own people even by attacking them with Chemical weapons, all are now begging with America to come forward and teach a very good lesson to Assad and his regime.  Arabs are begging America, Muslims are begging America, Asians are begging America and even Westerners are also begging America to come forward with its mighty Military power to put an end to Assad’s madness. But will America act now decisively?

At the time of writing this piece, UK and Germany backed off from joining hands with USA to strike at Assad even though America has stationed all its war arsenals in readiness to go for the kill with the full support of one more Veto Power France. The other two Veto Powers Russia and China are blindly  supporting Assad.  Both these Communist Powers are shameless because they are both shamelessly watching Assad forces committing genocide on his own citizens. 

Both these nations are not worthy to wield Veto power because they are misusing it.  Even during the crucial vote in the UN, both these Communist countries abstained from voting for the motion to give the go ahead for war to liberate Kuwait.  By abstaining from voting both these Communists brothers showed their inclination towards Saddam Hussein and his illegal invasion of Kuwait. Both are traitors.

Both Russia and China are against American strike at Syria to solve this Syrian problem but while opposing American strike, why they cannot come forward and stop Assad from killing his own citizens in such a brutal manner? It looks brute nation Syria under its brute President Assad is supported by the other two brute nations while the third Iran has no value.


     A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.    

August 29, 2013

MARCOS PACHECO - THE GREATEST GOAN ATHLETE GOA HAS EVER PRODUCED.

                                                            Marcus Pacheco

St. Joseph’s High School at Arpora Bardez, Goa, is the first English High School of Goa established by Fr. Lyon.  Being the first English High School of Goa, it had students from all over Goa who excelled as scholars in studies while others as genii in sports field.

The village of Parra in the neighbourhood of Arpora was known then for the rich cultivation of Water Melons and its huge production made Parra very famous in Bardez.  Similary Parra during those good old days was very famous for producing some of the top sportsmen of Goa.  Marcus Pacheco was one such great sportsman son of Parra excelling in Athletics.  He was during his school days at Arpora especially during the Portuguese rule in Goa was the champion runner athlete of Goa topping in 100 metres, 200 metres, 400 metres, 800 metres and even in one mile at school level and at Goa level as well.

His best item was One Hundred metres in which he defeated even the best Portuguese "Pakle and Mestizos" athletes in Goa. While running hundred metres at Arpora School Annual Sports Meet in 1959 I saw him how speedy he was and seeing him thus I as a small boy was inspired to imitate him which I did at the later stage from the same school.

Marcus Pacheco was my hero, like Ben Johnson he was very muscular athlete, slow at starting point but accelerating his pace, strides and speed at the later stage and finishing first.  To see him running was a thriller and sheer excitement. When I joined Arpora School in 1962 June after the annexation of Goa by Bharat, he was doing his SSC but later on when he came to know of my prowess as an athlete coming from the same school, he came especially to see me running at Arpora School Annual Meet and congratulated me saying "Anthony Veronica, now you carry forward where I left".

In early 1962 at Lisboa in Portugal there was a scheduled Sports Meet of Portuguese sports persons from Portugal and from its colonies. As a Portuguese colony it was mandatory for Goa to send its best athletes for this Meet. As a best athlete of Goa Marcus Pacheco should have been an automatic choice but Portuguese Pakle dominated selection committee of Goa dropped Marcus Pacheco from the selection list with an excuse that Marcus Pacheco as a Goan having weak physical structure will not be able to manage to run in Lisboa. 

Fr. Mendonca the then mighty and knowledgeable Principal of Arpora School sensed the racial discrimination of the Portuguese dominated selection committee members and argued forcefully the case of Marcus Pacheco to include him in the Goa selection team which otherwise comprised all Pakle and Mistizos athletes.

Said Fr. Menonca, if Marcus Pacheco as a Goan is weak physically, then how he defeated in the selection trial all the so called physically strong Pakle and Mestizos competitors while conducting the selection trial?  In the selection trial Marcus Pacehco defeated all his opponents and yet he was not selected to go to Portugal.  But later on it was because of Fr. Mendonca’s intervention that finally our Goan Marcus Pacheco was given a green signal to represent Goa in the Athletics Meet to be held at Lisboa in Portugal.

After confirmation of his selection, Marcus Pacheco was given rigorous training at Campal even Road Running on the Streets of Panjim – Campal – Miramar & Dona Paula with Military Jeep of Pakles in front controlling his moves.  

When everything was done and finalised to fly to Lisboa during Christmas Week, unexpectedly for Marcus Pacheco on 18th December itself India sent its mighty Military to annex Goa and on 19th December officially and forcefully grabbed Goa thereby dashing all the hopes of Marcus Pacheco of winning Medal for Goa in the Portuguese Sports Meet.at Lisboa. 

May be if it materialised, Marcus Pacheco would get an opportunity to represent Portugal in  the Olympics and win a gold medal there making Goa proud. But it was not destined to happen like that.

Very shortly Goa is going to host Lusofonia Games in Goa where Goan athletes will be selected to represent Goan squad.  What Marcus Pacheco missed in Lisboa in 1962 will any of the Goan athletes win in Goa in 2013 ? By the way, will there be another Marcus Pacheco representing Goa in this Lusofonia Games in Goa?

Marcus Pacheco in Sixties worked for Chowgules Mining in Goa where he also represented Chowgules soccer team at Bardez level in the Second Division of GFA, he was a bustling forward scoring lot of goals with his both legs. As a student of Arpora School, I was also playing for that team along with him in 1965.  It was a sheer pleasure to play along with him where he provided me lot of support required on the field for a very young footballer like me.

In Seventies and in Eighties he worked in Abu Dhabi from where he returned to his home place Parra Goa and expired there about 15 years back.  May his Soul Rest In Peace and may Goa produce more and more Marcus Pachecos to bring more and more laurels for Goa in athletics field.

Befitting his stature as a great Goan athlete Goa has ever produced and having a very good sporting history behind him, I feel the organisers of the forthcoming Lusofonia Games in Goa should HONOUR him by naming one venue of the Games after him. 

A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.   






August 27, 2013

THE LATE AMERICO VIVIANO REMEDIOS. DIED ON 22.08.13.




It is with deep regret and chagrin here in Kuwait I received the sad news of the sad demise of our dear the late Mr. Americo Viviano Remedios from Saligao, Bardez, Goa. He was a very good colleague of mine in many of the activities we organised in Kuwait for the causes of community development, Goa and Goan causes in general.  It was a seer pleasure and honour personally for me to work with him for the Goan causes because of his sincerity.  

He was one of the highly respectable, highly reputed, highly dignified and highly sincere men among Goans in Kuwait.  He was free of any type of scandal, vulgarity and chicanery. Being a long timer in Kuwait he carved a special niche for him in the community for being the most sincere, most truthful and most upright man.

Being a senior Goan among us in Kuwait and holding a responsible job in a prestigious organisation – Kuwait Oil Company, at Ahmadi, Kuwait where as per the KOC rules he was provided with all the amenities including a posh apartment, he was a very good social worker.  As a reputed and a responsible senior Goan, he always participated in all the activities Goans did in Kuwait for the cause of Goa and Kuwait. 

For raising funds for the construction of Cancer Hospital in Goa, he moved mountains in 1977. To raise funds for the Konkani movement, he helped a lot especially for raising funds for the families of Konkani Martyrs headed by the first martyr Florian Vaz.  His participation in uniting Goans and collecting funds for the Goa-Kuwait direct flight movement was noteworthy. For Goa-Kuwait Solidarity movement in Goa for the cause of Kuwait’s liberation his association and contribution was praiseworthy. He also supported the movement Goans did in Kuwait for the freedom of Kuwait’s POW’s.

When Gulf Goans Hotels Co. was formed from Kuwait, he was always on forefront to promote it.  Thru his personal efforts he encouraged so many Goans to purchase its Shares and himself purchased first saying "charity begins at home first".  Being one of the major Shareholders, in the beginning itself he was given the post of one of the founding directors in which capacity he did his best to help the company.   

Though he was the director, he never used Hotel Goan Heritage’s facilities free of charge for him and for his family members. Once he in the beginning stayed in the Hotel with his family but never availed any facility as a director free of charge. For this reason I always called him the most upright man among Goans in Kuwait not only among all the directors.

As his long time colleague in the Board of Gulf Goans Hotels Company, I always found his debates, discourses and arguments very constructive. .It gave me lot of pleasure to work with him in the Board as there was none in the Board like him and there was no selfishness on his part for anything. He was not crazy for cheap prominence and cheap publicity. 

He always worked and spoke for the well-being of the Hotel Goan Heritage and never shown anytime any sign of his selfishness. He was a rarity in the Board and fought against any injustice done to any of his colleagues. He was a very good unifying factor among board members and enjoying very good respect as none enjoyed.  Because of his sincerity I always liked him in the Board.

During a farewell party hosted by the Board in Kuwait in his honour when he was leaving Kuwait for good approximately a decade back, I concluded my speech saying “with his retiring from our midst, truthfulness, uprightness and sincerity will also retire from our midst”. Such pristine and genuine Goans are rarity among us now, not only in Kuwait but also in Goa.  He was the pride not only of Saligaocars but also of Goans. 

May his soul rest in peace and may God give courage to his wife and children to bear this great loss.


A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.