========================================================================
Ongoing: Exhibition of paintings, Art Chamber, Calangute www.goa-art.com
Dec 13: Dance workshop, with Jaap Van Maanen. Tel 2275733 BB Cafe
Dec 14 onwards: Shireen Mody's Goa 2002 exhibition, Arpora. Tel 2276759
Dec 14: Customer Relationship Mgt Seminar, Xaviers, Mapusa Tel 2262356
Dec 17, 18, 20: Lectures on Indo-Port. furniture, Fundacao Oriente Ph 2230728
Jan 18-19: Int't kite carnival at Morgim beach, Pernem
========================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Documented by Goa Desc Documentation Service
& circulated by Goa Civic & Consumer Action Network
(GOA CAN)<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Ph:2252660
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------
Illegal, not Traitorous
---------------------------
I was very surprised by certain comments made by Mr Chandrakant Keni
in his article titled 'Being an Indian' (Panorama, November 24).
It is common knowledge that since the restoration of friendly relations
between India and Portugal, many Indian citizens from Goa, Daman and Diu
taking advantage of the relevant Portuguese law, have registered their
birth certificates in Portugal so as to enable their children to obtain
Portuguese citizenship. Lately, it has come to light that many Indian
citizens from outside Goa, Daman and Diu have obtained Portuguese
passports through fraudulent means.
Portuguese citizenship is used as a means to obtain employment in other
parts of Europe as Portugal does not have much to offer in that line.
This Portuguese law is being used to bypass the immigration laws of
other European countries in general.
It is akin to migrating to the United States, Canada or Britain
owing to the miserable employment situation in India. However,
our country also seeks to benefit from this migration. The soaring
unemployment rate is reduced and the remittances from these migrants
adds to the foreign exchange reserves.
The substantial remittances also prove where the real roots and loyalties
of the migrants lie. Even the central government has turned a blind eye
to this matter seeing that our country only stands to gain.
Although opting for another citizenship without renouncing Indian citizenship
is illegal since India does not accept dual citizenship, it is accepted
without reservations by the US, Canada, Britain and other European nations.
Even the present government has been toying with the idea of allowing NRIs
to have dual citizenship.
To adduce disloyalty and even treason to these defacto migrants is simply
preposterous. Would Mr Keni call the migrants to the US, disloyal and
traitors?
Or does he consider Portugal an enemy country? Dual citizenship is illegal,
Mr Keni but not traitorous by any stretch of the imagination.
AMILCAR DA CUNHA SOUSA, Margao
in My View
-------------------------------------------------
The Navhind Times 11/12/02 page 10
--------------------------------------------------
=======================================
GOA DESC RESOURCE CENTRE
Documentation + Education + Solidarity
11 Liberty Apts., Feira Alta, Mapusa, Goa 403 507
Tel: 2252660 mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
website: www.goadesc.org
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Working On Issues Of Development & Democracy
=======================================
----------------------------------------------------------
***** CHRISTMAS PARTIES 2002 *****
Dec 14 - Goan Association of New Jersey, Inc., Somerset, NJ, USA
+1 (732) 599-7644
Dec 21 - GOA-LA, Los Angeles, CA, USA, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
+1 (714) 821-6168 (late fee on tickets after Dec 10)
Please contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] to advertise a party.
This service is FREE!
----------------------------------------------------------
