When Rome was burning, Emperor Nero was still fiddling with his musical instrument oblivious of what was going on around. When the present situation is so jittery in Kuwait , many of us are still not bothered to think of the gravity of the current situation in Kuwait. Will USA and Britain attack Iraq? And if yes, when will it be? Will it be in December or later on? The entire world is worried of this situation in this region except some of our Goans who are least bothered of the events taking place in our midst. These Goans are members of Tiatrists group who are challenging and fighting amongst them to gain the supremacy of the their tribe. The way they are now busy with their show of strength and power it looks they are not at all bothered of the war clouds hovering over our sky. Instead of praying and pleading with God to avert the war situation they are busy with planning the dates of their shows, not only one after the other but one over the other even to the extent of fixing 2 tiatros on the same day and at the same time at two different locations. Their minds are so set on Tiatros that it looked besides Tiatros they are not worried of anything especially of the likely war on Iraq. Jawaharlal Nehru once said �strange are these people (Goans)�. Yes, some of the people in Kuwait are not having proper sleep by thinking of the war clouds. During the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq many of us learnt the hardships we underwent, many of us not only those who experienced this invasion but even those who were away from Kuwait in Goa felt the pinch of this invasion yet they are acting as if it is nothing.
On 12th of November 1990 soon after the invasion of Kuwait and immediately after we returned to Goa, under Goa-Kuwait Solidarity Centre we the Kuwait evacuees organized big rally in Panjim City followed by a mammoth meeting at Azad Maidan to condemn Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. It is exactly 12 years now that this historical event took place in Goa, first time in the history of Goa for the cause of foreign country. Yes, it was necessary to show our solidarity with Kuwait from where we were earning our sustenance. That was the day when we started our day at Azad Maidan Panjim, at 10.00 in the morning with a Sit-In Protest which lasted till 2 p.m. in the presence of mediapersonnel not only from Goa but also from outside Goa representing Goan, national and international media groups. At 2.30 we started our rally which was also attended by some Kuwaitis among whom was a ranking officer from the Ministry of Interior. The rally moved all around Panjim without any problem and returned to Azad Maidan where a meeting was held, this meeting was addressed besides others by the ranking Kuwaiti officer. Next day the news of this event flashed on front pages of all the local dailies, plus on National media. Even CNN and other satellite news media highlighted this event. New Delhi was surprised, Arab and other diplomatic missions in Delhi came to know of this happening in Goa which was very much unexpected for many. Some of those who thought Kuwait Goans means nothing were themselves surprised by this bold step taken by the Kuwait Goan evacuees. Out of thousands of Goan evacuees only some attended the proceedings of 12th November 1990 in support of Kuwait. Many of the so called top Goans and great Goans were nowhere seen on that day, by their dissociation in supporting Kuwait they showed their true �Beiman� colours. Even the top Goan businessmen who minted money in Kuwait showed total negative attitude towards this cause of Kuwait. Many of the top Kuwaitis who met me after the liberation of Kuwait asked me specifically about the non-participation of the so called great Goan and Goan businessmen in the movement organized in Goa in support of Kuwait. But as usual majority of Kuwait Goans proved to be ungrateful to the country from where they earned their sustenance. It is a pity that overwhelming majority of Kuwait Goans were not at all involved in showing their gratitude to Kuwait�s cause when they should. Many of the evacuee Goans were mocking at those who were participating in this movement. Amost all the Goans who came to Kuwait after the liberation of Kuwait were not at all involved with us in supporting Kuwait. Greater number of Goans involved in Sour Ground soccer were noted absentees in our movement organized to support Kuwait - their world is only soccer. So too the greatest number of tiatrists who are involved in creating discord not only amongst taitrists but also amongst Goans in Kuwait. None of the Tiatro organizers currently busy with fixing their dates and challenging each other in organising their Tiatros supported us in our movement in support of Kuwait. Not even the Goa based tiatrists who are regularly coming to Kuwait to earn money shown their gratitude to Kuwait by associating with us, unfortunately, some of them criticized and mocked at us during the days of our crisis because of this invasion. The very Padris and Madris who received so much of financial doles from Kuwaitkars kept a distant from us and some of them even preached from the pulpit against us. What a tragedy it is!! What a way to pour salt on our wounds.
Overwhelming majority of Goans in Kuwait must thank this country for making them something out of nothing. It is because of Kuwait they are gaining something in life. If it was not for Kuwait I am sure all of them would be nowhere in life. They are boasting of their life style and other amenities in life but are they fit for this in reality? Even without basic educational background, proper guidance and training and even without proper character and discipline they reached on top positions. This would never happen anywhere in Goa/India and elsewhere. For this reason they should thank God for dumping them in Kuwait where they make so much for them. A street boy from Goa immediately after coming to Kuwait increases his value and gains so much in life only because of his being in Kuwait. Yet, is he grateful to Kuwait? I doubt. A young man rotting in Goa suddenly comes to Kuwait and because of his status in Kuwait he gets a beautiful and educated girl to marry otherwise he would never dream even of having a shadow over him of a good girl. In some villages in Goa there are no girls left for the locals to marry, they are all snatched by the Kuwaitkars and other Gulfies.
The peace in this area is of paramount importance. To bring peace in this area only God can work His miracles. No man on this planet can bring peace into this world without the blessings of God. 2000 years back on 25th of December the King of Peace was born, he came with the message �Peace be on to this World�. After the first world war, the world community joined together and formed the League of Nations to prevent future wars and bring peace into this world. Yet, we saw the second world war. After the second World War the World community again joined together and formed UNO and yet still we saw innumerable wars and Gulf war was one of the deadliest. In Sri Lanka thousands of people are killed to bring peace but nothing is working, so too in Kashmir and many parts of the World. Can anyone bring peace into this world with the help of armada? I doubt. Peace can come only thru Heavenly God for whom we must pray and pray. Now is the right time for the people in this part of the world to pray for peace instead of applying our minds on frivolous things like tiatro and one tiatro against the other tiatro and that too by those who swear on unity of Goans. The tiatrists who play dirty tricks of destroying other tiatrists are anti-tiatros. If they just apply their minds for few seconds on the war situation in Kuwait they should not even think of tiatro. If something worst happens in this country because of the war what would be the fate of our Tiatros, Tiatrists and destructive organizers? Due to arrogance and pride of men God sent punishments to this world in different forms. Because of one sinner it was said the ship was sunk. Because of our arrogance God may punish all people. Let us not forget the mighty power of God.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
Tired of spam? Get advanced junk mail protection with MSN 8. ---------------------------------------------------------- What's On In Goa (WOIG): Nov 06 Children's book exhibn opens, Walkabout, Anjuna... (all weekdays) Nov 06 ArtHouse, Calangute: Chaitali's acrylics on canvas till 19.11 Nov 07 Revision of electoral rolls (till Nov 30) See schedule. Nov 07 Creative science, for children, Goa Sc Centre (till 16.11) Nov 10 Corporate summit on IT and biotechnology, Intl Centre (till 11.11) Nov 17 Goan Engineers and Assoc meet, at Pickering, Canada. Nov 20 Fr Agnelo's 75th death anniversary, Pilar Dec 01 Two day conference, Goa Agenda. IT For Society. (Ends 2.12) Every Sunday: Music therapy sessions at Moira, 5 pm. 278, N.Portugal ----------------------------------------------------------
