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LIBERATION DAY OF KUWAIT.
Today 26th February is the Liberation Day of Kuwait. On this date in 1991 after 7 months of illegal occupation of Kuwait by Iraq, Kuwait was liberated from Iraqi occupation by American led coalition force.
�ON BEHALF OF �GOA � KUWAIT SOLIDARITY CENTRE� AND ALL THE LIKE MINDED GOANS ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO WERE WITH G-KSC IN RAISING THEIR VOICE AGAINST THE BRUTAL INVASION OF KUWAIT AND IN SUPPORTING THE MOVEMENT FOR THE LIBERATION OF KUWAIT, I, A. VERONICA FERNANDES � THE CONVENOR OF GOA-KUWAIT SOLIDARITY CENTRE - CONGRATULATE THE STATE OF KUWAIT AND ITS PEOPLE ON THIS MOST MEMORABLE DAY. MAY GOD BLESS KUWAIT, ITS GOVERNMENT AND ITS PEOPLE TO GUIDE THEIR DESTINITY IN RIGHT DIRECTION�
Goa-Kuwait Solidary Center was formed by me with the strong support of my colleagues mainly from Konkani movement. It was formed in Panaji � Goa with a public meeting held at TB Cunha Hall-Panji on 3rd November 1990 called thru an open announcement in the media for all Kuwait evacuees to join it if they oppose Iraqi invasion and support the movement for the liberation of Kuwait. On that day lot of crucial decisions were taken and one of them was to organize a big public rally on the streets of Panaji followed by a public meeting at Azad Maidan on 12th November 1990. The required financial backing came from the contribution of those who attended the first meeting at T.B. Cunha Hall. The day�s proceedings were devided into 3 phases; 1st Sit-In-Strike in the morning; 2nd Rally in the afternoon followed by; 3rd Public Meeting which was also addressed by one of the renowned Kuwaiti personality and a member of Kuwait Interior Ministry, Col. Juma Al-Kholifi who during his brief speech made the gathering cry. Incidentally, due to heavy pressure from Dr. Barbosa Government before our Rally could start I was taken to the Police Station by two uniform policemen in a semi arrest state for questioning and grilling. But with the backing of public fury and noise I was released shortly unharmed. Dr. Barbosa and many of his cabinet members were afraid that after finishing our Rally we might later on come on the streets to dislodge them from the Government.
That days proceedings were attended mostly by the people involved in Konkani movement in Kuwait. People came in specially hired buses from distant places like Sanguem � Navelim � Colva � Verna � Agacaim � Mapusa etc. Top media personnel representing their organizations from Goa � other parts of India and international too � and TV including CNN came to give coverage for this move. Next day thru TV channels and press reviews this news was highlighted not only all over Goa and India but also all over the world thereby making it amply clear that the people of Goa in India are with Kuwait even though the Government of India might have shown some bias in favour of Iraq due to the lop sided foreign policy of India. Some of the Kuwaiti POWs in Iraqi prisons even heard this news thru Radio and were very much relieved to know that Goans are with them. This news went to Government of Kuwait in exile at Taif in Saudi Arabia. Kuwaiti Ambassador in New Delhi personally sent me faxes and letters on behalf of Himself and the Government of Kuwait in appreciation of what we Goans did for the cause of Kuwait. No doubt lot of expatriate Goans attended that days proceedings but regrettably the so called high caliber Goans abstained saying it was a waste of time because there is no point in supporting Kuwait as it was a lost case. Worst still none of the financially topmost and millionaire Goans came to support our movement for the cause of Kuwait inspite of earning millions from Kuwait. None of the Tiatrists holding portfolios in the Kuwait Tiatristanchi Sonvstha associated with us thereby proving their anti-Kuwait stance. According to one source some of the tiatrists who earned their daily bread were mocking at us for supporting Kuwait. None of the so called prominent Goans involved in Soccer at Sour Ground joined us, overwhelming majority of foot-ball players refused to support us inspite of getting so much of facilities from Kuwait to promote their talents which is not cared at all in Goa. Almost all the known presidents of Goan Clubs and organizations slept at home on that day, of course drunk, pitiably. None of the Goans who came first time to Kuwait after the liberation associated with us in any way even though some them are making big noise to make a big show in Kuwait currently. Most of the ladies never supported us openly with the excuse that it was below their dignity to come on the streets to shout in support of Kuwait but many of them never felt shy and ashamed when they flirted in Kuwait with non-Goans for the sake of material benefits even leading the life of concubinage. None of the ex Kuwait Goans who made fortunes by working in Kuwait showed their solidarity by joining us on that day.
Immediately after this Rally and Meeting we took a decision to celebrate in Panjim with public meeting the National Day of Kuwait on 25th Feb. 1991. Meantime, we embarked on smaller meetings at TB Cunha Hall to keep the momentum going. All the Meetings and activities we organized were notified to Kuwaiti Government in exile thru my personal contact with Kuwait Embassy in Delhi. In this way we organized our movement in support of Kuwait. Our last major activity in Goa before returning to Kuwait was the big Rally organized again on the streets of Panaji on 12th March 1991 followed by a public meeting at Menezes Braganza Hall. This Rally was attended by overwhelming majority of Kuwait Goan evacuees among them all those ladies who earlier were ashamed to come on the streets with us; also all the so called affluent and moneyed Goans including doctors, engineers and other professionals who earlier refused to join us calling us especially me a bloody fool for supporting Kuwait. Such a big number of evacuees attended this Rally not because they loved Kuwait but because of their personal benefits as they were sure they would now get chance to return back to Kuwait. Unfortunately, among Kuwait Goans, there are more selfish people than intellectuals; there are more unprincipled people than principled ones. It is a pity that we have Goans amongst us who are only interested in money and Dinars and they are useless for any of our activities for the cause of Kuwait or Goa. Unfortunately, to my deep regret, more evacuee Goans who were with us in supporting our movement for the cause of Kuwait were not recalled by their respective sponsors and companies. This was the sad part of the whole scenario.
During the invasion of Kuwait besides Goa�Kuwait Solidarity Centre, one more organization was formed known as Kuwait Goan Evacuees Society. This Society had close liaison with the Barbosa Ministry and Congress Chamcha MP Edward Faleiro whose party had some sort of affection with Iraq and Saddam Hussain. Immediately after the liberation of Kuwait some members of this Society went to Delhi and met with Kuwaiti Ambassador. After returning from Delhi they gave a press statement saying that Kuwaiti Ambassador advised them to collect the biodata of all the evacuees from Kuwait to return back to Kuwait While accepting the biodata, this Society charged every evacuee Rs. 50/- which according to fair estimate by many should turn into huge amount. Later on some people implicated me in this racket of Rs 50/- and demanded from me to take them back to Kuwait. As I said earlier, let me repeat once again that I was not a party in any way to Kuwait Goan Evacuees Society and as such I am not responsible for the actions taken by Kuwait Goan Evacuees Society. Goa Kuwait Solidarity Center is totally different from Kuwait Goans Evacuees Society.
A. Veronica Fernandes, Kuwait.
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