Dear Ricco, I received the critique by Mr. Eusebio L.Rodrigues on Mr. Joao da Viega Coutinho's book "A Kind of Absence:Life in the Shadows of History" sent through one Rajesh Naik on 7.8.05 and wanted to know under what or which category I might be considered by these two, rather three gentlemen.
Like thousands of "Goans" I am holding a "foreign" passport, am considered a foreigner, and am treated like a foreigner by the Indian Government. All well and good, some might say. But let's give a small peep or peek at some disturbing events which took place way back in the mid-fifties. Mr. Salazar said we were Portuguese. Mr. Nehru said, OK. So we treat you like Portuguese! In the fifties: Several older ex-pats of Indian origin, many of them now holding foreign passports, have told me stories of "procedural correctness" that led to "delays" if not downright harassment from the Indian side of the border compared to the diametrically "open arms" welcome they got from the Portuguese side of the Majali-Pollem crossing. In a way the Govt of India was not to blame, since Mr. Salazar had defined all Portuguese possessions as provincias, as intrinsic parts of Portugal and not colonies. Mr. Nehru respected this and from this sprang the "slaughter of the innocent." Goans entering Goa were, perforce treated as foreigners with all their special formalities, special delays and, yes, special harassments inherent in that recognition. Overnight Goa's status changed into that of a foreign territory and according to international law this had to be respected. India's only flaw was to handle the Goans very insensibly, thus isolating them still further. And after Liberation? We saw the reverse side of the coin. Goans were no longer treated as foreigners but neither were the Portuguese there to welcome them with open arms. They did that in Portugal, if you were lucky (or unlucky) to land there. Like the wandering Jew, the Goan diaspora, now orphaned, took to heels from the new god-father or as some would say, step-father to spread world-wide over the seven seas. Liked, but not welcomed with open arms anywhere. Not even at home! And now? Yes, I say this as you know very well what I am going to say. That, as a foreigner holding a German passport I'm again being treated as a foreigner in my own land of my ancestors. I have applied for a visa again. And again the Consulate-General here tells me that my papers will have to go go Delhi by "Office Mail" which again means indefinite delay. The beat goes on, with the poor Goans like me being bambooed again and again. Wonder how many like me? Historically, the hurt the Goans have suffered are too big to enumerate here. Every Goan knows that hurt. Louis Armstrong once sang What a Wonderful World This Would Be. Ah! if only India would do what the Portuguese did - - welcome us with open arms! What a wonderful world it would be. With kind regards, Rodolfo de Sousa (I'd be happy if you'd give this reply wider publicity.) PS. The fall of Constantinople took place some centuries before that mentioned in the critique, wasn't it? Obviously a misprint.
