Dear Nuno et al,
By no means do I have the breadth of reading required to comment on Portugal's
colonial policy but from the depth of my research involving their governance of
Goans in British administered Africa, I can say there was a genuine desire for
a collaborative relationship between the subjects and the colonial government
and quite profoundly the Goans perceived themselves to be citizens of Portugal
rather than subjects by the mid-nineteenth century. So discussing colonialism
is a very layered exercise.
I also feel, it is time for us to stop this nonsense of reparations. Not
because there has not been grave historical wrong-doing--of course, there has--
but because European countries are no longer a monolithic, hegemonous identity.
There is no 'white Europe' that needs to suffer indefinitely from 'white
guilt'. The demographic composition of these countries has changed drastically.
For instance, if Britain was to pay reparations, whose tax money is going to go
towards this payment? Mine? Of course, it will be mine and the millions who had
nothing to do with slavery or colonialism, and who exactly will be the
beneficiary of this reparation? It is time for all of us to grow up including
Marcelo, stop virtue signalling and move on. What we can talk about in a
targeted investment plan in Africa which is what is needed, a 21st century
Marshall plan.
All best,Selma
On Monday, 6 May 2024 at 09:57:59 BST, 'Nuno Cardoso da Silva' via
Goa-Research-Net <[email protected]> wrote:
Dear Sandra, Thank you so much for your well thought reply to my message. I
will definitely try to find and read the two works you mentioned. Best wishes
Nuno Sent: Monday, May 06, 2024 at 9:02 AM
From: "sandra lobo" <[email protected]>
To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
Subject: RE: RE: [GRN] Antonio Costa and Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the president
of PortugalHello Nuno, I was not expressing any opinion on the reparation
movement. I was replying to João Paulo's opinions that Angola needs the
colonialists for being uncapable of governing itself and that Portuguese
colonialism, even during Estado Novo, was not racist and promoted equality
between peoples. I believe that you share the last opinion, in your evaluation
of the historical profile of Portuguese colonialism, regarding which you see
Estado Novo as a break. Amilcar Cabral affirmed that if an African could be
President of the country most probably would have no reasons to want to become
independent. For me that impossibility translates the basic nature of
colonialism. Does this mean that we should abdicate from a complexified look at
colonialism? I believe it should not. I think it is our duty as historians, as
I believe it is to help the acknowledgement of the "others" in us and to help
the promotion of hospitality and of social justice. Now, regarding your
arguments. I do believe that the enunciation of a certain body of principles by
a state is important and itself carries a transformative potential with
practical consequences. That is why I think that we need to give importance to
the rupture regarding the liberal and republican political tradition introduced
by Estado Novo and the Acto Colonial, as while the firsts tried to solve, the
tensions between colonial domination and the acknowledgement of universal of
individual and collective rights of man inherited from the eighteenth century
by conceptualizing a pluricontinental nation-state, the lasts basically refused
such inheritance. The question lays on understanding if such contradiction was
actually fully addressed by the liberals and republicans both constitutionally
and in practice. I believe it was not - even at the level of principles the
discussion was never closed and since the Berlin Conference its terms suffered
a change with structural impact - although it helped local elites to convoke
such principles and to develop a political consciousness. Among other studies,
I do vividly counsel the reading of Cristina Nogueira da Silva's work, starting
with Constitucionalismo e Império. A cidadania no Ultramar português (2009) and
A Construção jurídica dos territórios ultramarinos portugueses no século XIX
(2017). Your argument regarding the identitarian tool offered by Portuguese as
a common language is interesting. As you know, who are actually working on that
are the African postcolonial countries for a set of reasons. The discussion of
"tribalism" would take us far... best wishes, Sandra
Sandra Ataíde Lobo
Home (gieipc-ip.org)
https://praticasdahistoria.pt/
tmn. ++351 930690459
De: 'Nuno Cardoso da Silva' via Goa-Research-Net
<[email protected]>
Enviado: 5 de maio de 2024 09:37
Para: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Assunto: Re: RE: [GRN] Antonio Costa and Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the president
of Portugal Sandra, You make some valid points, but the "Estatuto do
Indigenato" and the "Ato Colonial" were completely at odds with the Portuguese
overseas traditions. In the 19th century the so called "colonies" were always
referred to as "Províncias Ultramarinas", which elected members to Parliament
in Lisbon, and the minister in charge of them was always called "Secretário da
Marinha e Ultramar", not "colonies". And the Ato Colonial, as well as the
Estatuto do Indigenato, were abolished in 1961 because they did not fit our
traditional relationship with the overseas. Yes, we colaborated with the slave
trade and forced labour was not uncommon in the African territories, but our
influence in those territories was not all negative. Speaking only of Angola -
where I lived for three years - I have no doubt that the strong feeling of
national identity, the lack of tribal strife, the benefits of a common
language, the strong economy, were very much due to the way we ruled Angola for
over 400 years. Yes, colonization, any colonization, is a vile violation of
people's rights, and we should not try to ever justify it. But, in the end, I
believe we did more good than evil. And while the evil part remains as part of
history, the good things are helping to build solid, prosperous countries. No
reparations are needed, only the recognition of the evil things we were
responsible for, which we do. Marcelo should have kept his mouth shut... Best
wishes Nuno Sent: Sunday, May 05, 2024 at 8:44 AM
From: "sandra lobo" <[email protected]>
To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
Subject: RE: [GRN] Antonio Costa and Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the president of
PortugalHello João Paulo, I totally agree with you. In 1975, 85% of the
population in Angola did not face the burden of knowing to read and write and
enjoyed the benefit of until 1974 of being protected from the of terrorists at
the service of unsound ambitions of those who are now colonizing them. Until
1961, the Estado Novo cared so much for their development that even offered
them a special statute, that Angolans still lament to have fallen, the famous
"Estatuto do Indigenato" applicable to the black population that was still not
able to understand the benefits of Portuguese civilizational mission due to its
backwardness. The protection they enjoyed, according to the 1954 statute,
forced by the international devious pressure, still included the salvation of
the mission to educating the natives to the value of work, the protection of
their unpreparenees to take decisions on their own life like have the State
regulating the right to change residency, the right to have prison sentences
transformed in forced labor, to compulsory serve at the army to take deviant
fellows back to the right track, all that viewing the ultimate aim in the mind
of any Angolan, that of becoming a citizen with the privilege of having a
special ID citizens card where his/her conditions to hold it where especified.
They indeed, need us Portuguese to go back there. Best wishes, Sandra De:
[email protected] <[email protected]> em nome
de Joao Paulo Cota <[email protected]>
Enviado: 4 de maio de 2024 23:55
Para: [email protected] <[email protected]>; [email protected]
<[email protected]>
Assunto: Re: [GRN] Antonio Costa and Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the president of
Portugal Dear Alberto,I am aware of the struggles of the locals with the
Portuguese colonial government.However I was a kid then and I stand by my words
as that was what I had experienced.There was equality in school where I studied
(two of my best mates was a white and a black) and we were three always
inseparable.At work, my father did have friends of both colours and noticed
nothing wrong with race. My mother had house staff, but we had treated them as
family.The sad thing about Angola was not about Portuguese rule but about the
30 year civil war that commenced soon after the Portuguese left the place.That
showed how pathetic and stupid Angolan natives are, they have independence and
then they go all out to kill each other - instead of enjoying freedom.And then
elect rulers who loot the country in every conceivable way, father and
daughter.Fast forward 2024, Angolans are leaving and going to Portugal.Why,
missing the colonialists?Or perhaps being incompetent and unable to govern
themselves?I am not trying to change any history. Angola's story is very sad
and hurts me deeply as Angolan/Portuguese/Goan.It should had been a great
nation today, but people there do not have the capability to govern
themselves.They are now under economic colonialists China rule and nobody seems
to be making noise about it.Sorry to say but you need the colonialists back to
take care of the country, it has gone to the dogs, it was much better
pre-1975Regards,Joao Paulo From: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Sent: 04 May 2024 13:42
To: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [GRN] Antonio Costa and Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the president of
Portugal Paulo. Please do not distort the true history of colonization.Read,
here, some excerpts from the president of Angola in Lisbon. Jornal de Angola.He
said - Allow me to begin by thanking President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa for the
kind invitation extended to us to participate in the celebrations of the
Fiftieth Anniversary of April 25, 1974.While the Portuguese people fought
against fascism and the Salazar dictatorship since 1932, we, the African people
colonized by Portugal, HAD BEEN FIGHTING SINCE THE 15TH CENTURY AGAINST
PORTUGUESE COLONIZATION AND ITS CONSEQUENCES SUCH AS SLAVERY AND THE PLUNDERING
OF OUR WEALTH. WE FOUGHT FOR AN END TO THE ABUSES, CRIMES AND VIOLATIONS OF
HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTED BY THE COLONIALIST REGIME AGAINST OUR PEOPLE FOR
CENTURIES. WE FOUGHT FOR OUR DIGNITY AS HUMAN BEINGS, WHO MUST HAVE THE SAME
RIGHT TO FREEDOM, THE RIGHT TO BE THE MASTERS OF OUR OWN DESTINY. The armed
struggles for our Independence in Guinea Bissau, Angola and Mozambique have
reached such an advanced stage, especially after the failure of the Mar Verde
operation, the assassination of Amílcar Cabral and the proclamation of
Independence by the PAIGC in the hills of Madina de Boé in 1973 in Guinea
Bissau, the fiasco of the Nó Górdio operation and the heavy losses inflicted by
FRELIMO and the MPLA on Portuguese colonial troops in Mozambique and the North
and East of Angola, which precipitated the events that led to the uprising and
military coup of April 25, 1974 in Portugal.RegardsAlberto I think I will
agree with Nuno.Portugal enriched itself with spices early in time more than it
did in more recent times. It benefited mostly due to trade. It did not rob Goa
and its people of anything like others did. And it developed the place quite
well then.The British pillaged more stuff from India like gold, diamonds and
other precious stones, tea, etc.The Spanish were terrible, it was mostly gold
and silver from their South American possessions that impoverished these
nations.The French were worse, besides all the above, they have signed
contracts with places like Haiti to have the colonies pay for damages to the
slave owning colonisers! They are still paying a 1825 debt today, no wonder
they are bankrupt.Being born in Angola and grown up in Goa too, life in
Portuguese colonies was different from those of other European powers then. In
Angola were we lived it was paradise and the black people had also equal rights
and quality of life. No discrimination like the British did in India and the
French and Spanish did elsewhere.One of the major contributions to Goa, the
amazing drainage system, was destroyed by these BJP corrupt politicians who
invent new ways to swindle the population.India needs to do reparations to Goa
for the damage it is doing to the state and for the money it is robbing its
people.Modern colonisers.JP From: 'Nuno Cardoso da Silva' via Goa-Research-Net
<[email protected]>
Sent: 26 April 2024 07:56
To: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [GRN] Antonio Costa and Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the president of
Portugal Yes, throughout the centuries Portugal comitted crimes. Just like
every other country on Earth. But we also helped to build. Without Portugal
there would be no Goan State in India, and Goans would be a lot different, not
necessarily better. Without Portugal there wouldn't be a great nation such as
Brazil. There wouldn't be a great Angolan state, with a strong sense of
identity, with a prosperous economy built on much of what Portugal built over
four and a half centuries. There wouldn't have been a tolerant Timorese nation,
so different from Indonesia. There wouldn't have been a marvellously mixed
nation such a Cape Verde, where the colour of skin is completely irrelevant. We
took a lot away from those countries, but I believe we gave back a lot more
than we took. No reparations are needed. Nuno Cardoso da Silva Sent:
Thursday, April 25, 2024 at 11:56 AMFrom: "'Pedro Mascarenhas' via
Goa-Research-Net" <[email protected]>To: "Goa-Research-Net"
<[email protected]>Subject: [GRN] Antonio Costa and Marcelo
Rebelo de Sousa, the president of Portugal The Portugal’s president, Marcelo
Rebelo de Sousa, expressed some opinions at an event with foreign journalists
on Tuesday . ( In the month in which 50 years of democracy in Portugal -
25/04/2024)
He said António Costa, former prime-minister, son of a Goan, as someone
reflective, the result of eastern ancestry, while Luís Montenegro, the new
prime-minister, is “completely different”.
The head of state did not fail to analyze himself in this aspect. “I’m a
hurried Westerner,” he defined.
The statement about Montenegro came when he explained how he saw the change of
Government ahead of schedule. “He [Luís Montenegro] is a person who comes from
a deep, urban-rural country, with rural behaviors. He is very curious,
difficult to understand, precisely because of this.
Marcelo added that he “would be happy” and accustomed to António Costa's
governance until 2026, but the dissolution of Parliament was necessary given
his resignation as prime minister and secretary-general of the Socialist Party
(PS).
In the interview with foreign journalists, the President of Portugal, Marcelo
Rebelo de Sousa declared late on Tuesday that Portugal was responsible for
crimes committed during transatlantic slavery and the colonial era, indicating
a necessity for reparations.
https://www.dn.pt/6486274197/marcelo-faz-analises-e-comparacoes-entre-costa-e-luis-montenegro/
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/24/portugal-pay-costs-slavery-colonialism-president
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