The controversy over the VCD produced by the Goa government is doing its rounds. Here is a small account of what happened four hundred twenty one years back in Cuncolim in opposing the Portuguese.
BY ARMSTRONG VAZ [EMAIL PROTECTED] The Cuncolim chieftains committee observed the 421st anniversary of the 16 chieftains from Cuncolim who laid down their lives for the cause of Swaraj and Swardharma on July 15 at Cuncolim, by making a demand for inclusion of the historical Cuncolim revolt in the history book for school students. It may be recalled that Cuncolim has been a fore runner of the Goan freedom struggle and the first war of independence was fought in Cuncolim, much before the Rani of Jhansi battle appeared on the national scene. The people of Cuncolim waged a 25-year struggle with the Portuguese power and thereafter for several years through the freedom struggle facing persecution at the hands of the alien rulers and facing damage to property and life. The chieftains of Cuncolim who were murdered in cold bold by the Portuguese on July 15 at Assolna fort after being tricked into talks by the Portuguese regime. All the 15 died at the hands of the Portuguese after the door were close behind them. One of the 16 chieftains escaped and swam across the River Sal and then to safety to recount the tale to their fellow villagers. The chieftains of Cuncolim fought a relentless war of swadharma -- freedom of religion and Swaraj, political freedom -- according to Dr Verissimio Coutinho, chairman of the Chieftains Committee, a former professor at the Chicagao University in USA. The Cuncolkars opposed the forceful conversion and five Jesuit priests along with four other people fell prey to the swords of the Cuncolim people. In retaliation, the 15 chieftains were killed at Assolna after being invited for peace talks. The current chieftains memorial was inaugurated at Tollebhat cuncolim on 27th Nov 1999. Adjacent to it lays the chapel of martyrs dedicated to the five Jesuit priests who fell prey to the Cuncolim revolt, along with four other laymen. The five priests who died at Cuncolim included Fr Rudolf Aquaviva, who once served in the court of the Moghul emperor giving him disclosures on the Christian faith, others priests who died and whose painting adore the chapel at Cuncolim include Afonso Pachecho, Antonio Francisco, Pedr Berno, and Francisco Aranha. Others lay man who were killed were alphonso Da Costa, Farancisco Rodrigues, Domongos Aguair and Father berno's altar boy. The peoples movement of disobedience started in 1559-and went on till 1583. The fist instance of non-cooperation and non-payment of taxes was started by the residents of Cuncolim. assolna, Velim, Ambelim and Veroda in 1567. The Jesuits were declared as martyrs in 1893 by the Vatican. The non-cooperation movement of non-payment of taxes to the Portuguese government started in 1567 with Adil Khan of Bijapur and Nizam Shah of Ahmednagar coming into a treaty of with Portuguese, entire Goa came under the Portuguese rule. The resistance to the Portuguese on the other side of Salcete across River Sal was a thing they never expected and the massacre of the Jesuits priests was one of the unexpected things for the Portuguese. The Cuncolim people had to bear the brunt of the attack for their opposition to the Portuguese.
