Hi Cornel, I have been following the subject with interest and the many requests about evidence required about the cases of rape and other regrettable incidents that followed the Indian invasion of Dec. 1961.
Firstly, I have to say that from what I read over the years, there is very little written and published about it. Most of the incidents were not reported for fear of reprisals for the families involved and for the reporters. Secondly, certainly you do not expect our 1960's Goan families to make available such sensitive information publicly. Even today, victims of rape are reluctant to go public for obvious reasons, imagine 45 years ago. Publicity on such cases would ruin the reputation of many families and eliminate any chances of marriage for the coming generations. Goa is such a small place that everyone knows everyone else even today, imagine 45 years ago! Thirdly, it should not be difficult to find senior army officers amongst our Goan relatives and friends. In their honesty they will probably tell you that it is no secret that large numbers of uncontrollable Indian army men have resorted to this sort of deplorable actions not only in Goa but in many other states, including in Sri-Lanka by the Indian Peace Keeping Force (1987-1990). Abuses in many states are widely reported on the internet as follows: Check: http://www.tamilnation.org/indictment/indict050.htm http://www.siphro.org/view_content.php?title=Rape+Victims+Speaks+Out http://www.countercurrents.org/hr-sagar240804.htm http://sisyphe.org/article.php3?id_article=1214 http://www.countercurrents.org/hr-tukdeo241004.htm http://www.cs.uccs.edu/~kalita/assam/human-rights/mamoni-koch-rape-july97.ht ml http://www.sacw.net/Wmov/JointStatement20012005.html http://www.geocities.com/tamiltribune/98/1001.html According to Usha Ramanathan(see the above link), "When an enemy army occupies conquered territory it is common to hear of soldiers raping local women with no fear of punishment.". This is a sentiment very much echoed by Leo Lawrence(1963), a Goan from Velim who became the Special Adviser to the Permanent Mission of Portugal to the United Nations in New York. Lawrence published a book in 1963: Nehru seizes Goa, Pageant Press. New York. This is definitely the most complete and detailed account of the events preceding and following the Indian invasion of Goa in Dec 1961. It needs to be read with an open mind. The average brainwashed Goan will simply refuse to believe in the facts described by this account. Things have changed, no doubt, and the truth is too cruel to be accepted today. Many of our senior Goans who can provide witness accounts say, "yes it is true, but what good will it bring to remember those dark days?". I am just too used to that. I am just responding to this thread because of the several requests from you and from FN. Interesting enough, Lawrence explains why the English edition of Heraldo was suspended in April 1962 by the Indian Authorities.... Surely this can be verified. Lawrence's account can definitely be verified in its majority but it requires resources and academics interested in finding out the truth from a neutral and historic perspective and not to score points or to please X, Y or Z. Nehru seizes Goa was a book forbidden from circulating inside India by Nehru. I am not sure if it is still forbidden. I have acquired a copy though. Very few Goans have it. And very few have read its 226 pages. It exposes the event in detail. It provides dates, names, incidents, institutions, etc. Moreover, it provides links to articles published in that period. The names, incidents, dates, articles, etc should be straightforward to verify for authenticity if anyone wants to do this. It does not provide rape only but all other types of abuse and brutality that happened before and after Dec. 1961. The book is available from several American universities libraries and central libraries. Would you like me to provide you with a link for it? It might be a bit too long to post as email but I am willing to do it if I receive such requests. Best regards Paulo. > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:goanet- > [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of cornel > Sent: 06 August 2006 12:44 > To: Goa's premiere mailing list, estb. 1994! > Subject: Re: [Goanet] Brutality of invaders against women. > > Hi Lenny > I was not trying to prove anything for starters when I raised a point with > A. Veronica Fernandes. As he had indicated rape in Goa in 1961 and in > Kuwait > in 1990, it seemed absolutely reasonable to seek some hard evidence in > terms > of figures etc from him (or indeed from anyone else) if he had it as he > was > close to the scenes. _______________________________________________ Goanet mailing list [email protected] http://lists.goanet.org/listinfo.cgi/goanet-goanet.org
