-------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Add your name to the CLEAN GOA INITIATIVE | | | | by visiting this link and following the instructions therein | | | | http://shire.symonds.net/pipermail/goanet/2005-October/033926.html | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- As someone who supported independence from Portugal and had relatives among the "freedom fighters" that got the entire family "blackballed" for years from visiting Goa, I still credit the Portuguese people for being the most benign, most tolerant - the Inquisition era excepted - and least racist of all the European colonialists. > Any movement to expose Indians and Goans to the tolerant and colorful Portuguese culture should be encouraged in this increasingly outward-looking world. > To hide the fact that we have a 450 year history with these people would be ridiculous and intolerant. I would think Indians are mature enough to learn about our previous colonialists and sift the wheat from the chaff. What are we afraid of? > --- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > There were many Goans who fought against Portuguese > colonial rule in Goa. Unlike some of their > compatriots, they > did this out a sense of patriotic duty, without > expecting any > special privileges or benefits as > "freedom-fighters". > Whilst hating Portuguese rule, their hatred > did not > extend to the Portuguese people,their language or > their culture. > In fact, many of them utilised their knowledge of > the Portuguese > language and culture to promote the cause of Goa's > freedom > in the land of their rulers as many other Indian > patriots did > with the English language and culture. > When organisations promoted by former colonial > rulers > such as the British Council and Aliance Francaise > are welcome > to promote their language and culture throughout > India (including > Goa) why should one object to organisations such as > the > Fundacao Oriente or others doing the same? > Moreover,do not > Indian cultural organisations and diplomatic > missions promote > our history and culture abroad? > It is rather pathetic for the organisers of the > campaign against the Fontainhas Festival to use > strong-arm methods > of protest claiming it is promoting Portuguese > culture forty-four > years after liberation, whilst thousands of Goans > are queing up > outside the Portuguese Consulate seeking Portuguese > citizenship. > It would be far better and more useful if they > utilised > their energies and resources to promote employment > opportunities > for these people in our State to obviate the need > for them to > emigrate to the land of their former oppressors! > > Benaulim, Goa: > 26th.Nov.2005 --- Tony > Correia-Afonso. > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------- > This message was sent using NWebmail, BSNL's Webmail > Program > > >
