If you feel strongly about the issue read below and send your feedback to Sujay at <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> and also to other public forums. Sujay's appeal is posted verbatim below.
Cecil
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People's Court: Why are you afraid of uttering this four letter word: STOP
During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.
-- George Orwell
When your curtains are tightly drawn, it doesn't matter if there is sunshine outside or darkness. Ensconced in your own private 'safe' world you let violence, greed, hatred, vandalism, goondaism go unchallenged and unaccounted. Why? Because it happens to someone else. Because your walk to the bakery, your chat in the evening, your daily outing to the tavern, your work in office is important. Because the security of your own routine can't be traded for the security of the environment you live in.
It is in these conditions that vandals, looters, anti socials and religious bigots often under the garb of organizations like the RSS or the Mala Nagrik Action Committee thrive. And they inflict wounds that fester in an atmosphere of silence. And disinterest.
If Naguesh Karmali and his merrymen, with the tacit and covert approval of the then Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and the BJP, destroyed Portuguese road signs and inflicted and implanted them with hindu ones with gay aplomb, they did so because you and I preferred to draw our blinds, safe that our lives wouldn't change.
They defaced your walls and raped your social fabric because you and I were too busy leading our lives.
In the full glare of daylight, they defied law and went on a rampage because you and I did not have the guts, or the will power, or the desire to utter this four letter word: STOP
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. And all of you, especially the secure and the rich and the good of Mala-Fontainhas are guilty of doing nothing. You saw the signboards getting removed, you saw your walls getting destroyed, and you saw new signs coming up against the law. You saw it all. And then went back home and drew your curtains.
It is acts like these that encourage vandals. Today, it is a signboard in Fontainhas, tomorrow it will be your home. And day after it will be your family. Will you wake up only when goondas tear down your curtains and force you to see the sunlight?
As Mathew Braganza realised when his Mandarin hotel in Mapusa was destroyed, as our photographer realized when his camera was snatched by BJP activists, as Laxman Otavanekar, the reporter of Sunaprant realized when the Mandrem MLA Laxman Parsekar called him home and thrashed him for publishing an unpalatable story.
The only consolation we in GT have is that we have never stopped fighting. We never drew our curtains so we are ever ready for vandals. And we did it on the basis of your strength. Your support. And we call for your support once again as we protest against the arbitrary and completely undemocratic decision to quash the Mala vandalism case. Like puppets who dance to the tune of their masters, the Goa police buried the Mala case. And drew their curtains.
It is sad that the Mala Vandalism case has been closed for want of evidence. And this has happened because you fell silent. Because you too drew your curtains. This is a humble but a fervent appeal to come out of your homes and open your minds and hearts to these injustices. If you know what happened on June 18, 2004 at Mala, speak up. I am reopening the People's Court for you to write in. Let the truth prevail. The brave aren't afraid of lurking shadows. Create a mass movement that will force the Governors administration to reopen the Mala case.
Even if you weren't an eyewitness, write and tell the whole of Goa what you think about the decision to quash the case. Every word counts. Bring the guilty to book. So that your children can live in a safer world, a more equal world.
As the Spanish American philosopher and humanist George Santanya said "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it"
Please force the rogue elements who go about desecrating your Goa remember the past. So that they do not dare to repeat it.
As always, mail your People's Court letters to [EMAIL PROTECTED] or post it to our office. We will carry them with courage. And with guts.
Yours in solidarity, Editor
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