Goa's Secret Compared- Part III Goa's Inquisition Part III There is no data that I could gather of the age, sex, village, religious backdrop or ethnic groups of the victims of the Auto-da-Fe or "burning at the stake". The victims were Portuguese and natives, Catholics and non-Catholics. This FORM OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT was statistically (on an average) handed over to one individual every three years over the 173 years of the available statistical record. The "Heresy and Blasphemy" charge for all crimes in the Inquisition period is similar to "Sinned against God and Country" charge of other colonial governments or "Revisionist and Counter-Revolutionary" charge of the communist governments. These are 'all encompassing terminologies' that have little relevancy outside the era when they were in vogue.
The 54 individuals burnt at the stake from 1600 to 1773 (173 years) are very likely convicted of some purported crime beyond the usual 'Heresy and Blasphemy' which was a catch-all phrase for the inquisition processes. From an analysis of the data, there was an average of three cases every decade that were condemned to die. Hence less than 2% of suspects/victims brought before Goa's 'Inquisition Justice' were subjected to that famous and widely reported "Burning at the Stake". In an environment of security threats, intrigues, spying, treachery, exploitation, drunken debaucheries, concubines, mistresses and rapes, murder, stealing, professional misconduct, civilian and military abuses of power etc. and imperial colonial / military rule this is a surprising low figure. What would one expect from a docile population whose staple diet was PEZ? :=))) This rather harsh /excessive punishment needs to be compared to other atrocities of the period. As an example: Christians in Canara (a.k.a. Mangloreans / originally Goans) after the Tipu Sultan-British conflict were rounded up in 1784 and marched to Seringapatam. The estimated killed in 1784 range from 30,000 to 80,000 (Thirty thousand to Eighty thousand) including old men, women and children. As per historical accounts, "All their lands, goods and personal property were confiscated and given away to loyal subjects.... Their churches were destroyed and many of the stones were used to build mosques and other monuments." Wonder how often Tariq has riled against this episode in Goan history - the ultimate revision of the history of Goans. Similarly the record of CAPITAL PUNISHMENT on an average delivered to three individuals over a decade can be compared to the frequency of capital punishment delivered IN TODAY'S enlightened /civilized environment. An average state in the USA has about 15-20 cases of Capital Punishment per YEAR. While the population base is larger than in Portuguese-Goa, there is no foreign threat and security risks in the current environment. (Patriot Act not withstanding). We know some cases of Capital Punishment where the condemned was innocent because of later tests including DNA evidence or confessions of new witnesses. Hence some states have halted Capital Punishment while others continue to value its deterrence. In today's civilized society we use long prison-terms as punishment and deterrence. In colonial Goa, physical punishment was used instead of being an extended "guest of the government" as is the custom today. Gilbert Lawrence ########################################################################## # Send submissions for Goanet to [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # PLEASE remember to stay on-topic (related to Goa), and avoid top-posts # # More details on Goanet at http://joingoanet.shorturl.com/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others # ##########################################################################
