R.I.P. JULIO MORAES � Ex Kuwait Goan.
With deep regret I received the sad news of the death of Mr. Julio Moraes a great lover of Goa and Konkani. During my so many years of close link with him and his family in Kuwait as well as in Goa during my vacations since he left Kuwait for good a few years back, I always admired his love for Goa, Konkani and any worthy need of society. A genuine Goan with genuine love for Goa he always supported Goan causes. A man with upright character he was a very good family man, a responsible husband to his wife and a responsible father to his children. Humility was his hallmark and devotion to almighty God was his great asset. He would always give good advice to anyone who was following wrong path. He helped many people in many ways, especially the downtrodden. He would spend money from his own pocket and help the needy. He loved to discuss Goan affairs with minute details and read a lot too. He had fluency in Portuguese written and spoken.
To promote Konkani language he would support any publication and audio cassette. He had vast acquaintances in Kuwait and whenever any donation coupons came to Kuwait for the cause of Konkani promotion he would support this with deep pleasure. During the Konkani movement in Goa, he was one of the strong supporters, so also during the fund rising campaign for Konkani Martyrs. Only because of such Julio Moraes Konkani movement gained success in Goa and unfortunately such Julio Moraes are becoming less and less now-a-days in Kuwait. During the invasion of Kuwait he was our strongest supporter to help us to start the movement in support of Kuwait�s liberation thru the formation of Goa � Kuwait Solidarity Centre. He not only attended all our meetings and rallies but also he contributed financially for its promotion. He was a strong link between G-KSC and the Kuwait evacuees around his village. He loved Tiatro and Mandos. He would always purchase tickets and attend Tiatros and Mando Festivals organized in Kuwait. Not only this he would also encourage others to patronize such functions. He himself was a good singer and tiatrists at amateur level and once he acted in one Tiatro written and directed by Tavares de Ribandar at Keefan Hall in late seventies. In fact it was wholly organized by Julio Moraes thru his hard work. He was a very good social worker doing lot of charitable activities many of them silently as he did not want his left hand to know what his right hand has done. As a lover of soccer, he was seen at Sour Grounds on Fridays to watch and encourage our boys.
My first contact with him was in 1975 at big Church Hall during the Tiatro staged by Benny de Aldona. During those days Tiatro goer Goans were known to be most disorderly people. Because of some improper seating arrangement there was a quarrel in the Hall just before the beginning of the show. Argument reached to such a peak that suddenly one Goan hit the other Goan in such a way that below their feet the area turned into a pool of blood yet nobody gathered courage to stop them. Julio Moraes was attending the show but seating a little distance away from the fight. Having no option, he gathered his normal courage and rushed to the fight and separated both the parties and scolded boldly the person who hit the other. Then the director came, everyone came and matter shelved without any further action. Gradually because of such fights the Church authorities stopped renting Church Hall to Goans.
Before leaving Kuwait for good, I discussed with him many topics of Goan interest but he was very sad that present generation is not much interested in Goan affairs. He once pointed out to me that some of the current so called Goan tigers and Goan lions roaring so loudly in the name of Goa never associated with us for the promotion of Goan, Konkani and Kuwaiti causes even though they were in Kuwait, doing well, working well yet they acted that time as if they were sucking the breast of their mothers. He was very bold to fight against injustice. He would not support any wrong doing in his midst and would defy injustice done to anyone. He was a thinker and wisdomatic man as I had lot of opportunities to observe him thus. His political affiliation was for those parties fighting for the cause of Goa and Konkani and for this reason he always made Dr. Jack Sequeira as his model. He disliked communal BJP and I am sure he must have voted for non-BJP candidate only but unfortunately did not survive to see the gains of his vote. He was the pride of his village Ribandar in Kuwait and took lot of interest in celebrating the village feast in Kuwait even requesting me to highlight in the media. He had a very good motivating factor in him and would not mind spending money from his own pocket.
On the day of the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq, he and me suffered a lot from the invading troops early in the morning as I was caught by the Iraqi troops at his house where I went to tell him that Iraqi troops are already in Kuwait. That was the most unbearable moment for both of us as ruthless Iraqi soldiers dragged us from his house mercilessly.
In his death we lost a great lover of Goa, a great lover of Goan language Konkani, a great promoter of social, charitable and Goan causes. I am sure it will be a very unbearable loss for his beloved and equally kind hearted and charitable wife Leena. I pray to God to give courage to his wife to bear this colossal loss so also to his children.
May God give eternal rest to our Julio Moraes and may God give us more of such persons to serve Goa and society.
A. Veronica Fernandes, Kuwait.
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