----- Original Message -----
Subject: Re: [Bulk] [Goanet] A Goa Referendum
Roland,
In your incomplete first message you mentioned the idea of a
referendum by the people of Kashmir to decide their own future .
I am afraid you don`t understand the stubborness/ ferocity of India
to " possess " J. & K.. When in 1947 there was a rush by
both Pakistan and India to incorporate this beautiful land of J
&.K. both sides fought their first war over it. India mantained
that by geographical contiguity and the assent of a Hindu Maharaja
( who had little armed means to resist the bully India) the
area belonged to them. Pakistan held that the majority of the
population was Muslim and so should join the newly born Islamic
Republic of Pakistan. I personally think that J. Nehru wanted to
have the kashmiri Brahmin brethren join with " hindustan " nation
of India. Hence India could not afford to have a referendum in
which the nation would lose a jewel like J.& K. After all , like
old Chinese Mao tse-Tung `s saying that all power grew out of the
barrel of a gun , India used force to seize a good bit of the
fair land and more military force to subdue the Kashmiris after
that until the present day.
Similar force was used by India who felt that an uncomprising
colonial power, Portugal who occupied a small area along the Konkan
coast and around neighbouring Gujerat ( Daman, Diu etc; ) Portugal
under President Salazar considered Goa as overseas province of the
mother parliament( country ) in Lisbon. Portugal had already felt
the " winds of change" starting in Africa as the africans of
Angola & Mocambique wanted to join countries like Nigeria
,Tanganyika, Egypt who were freed by the Brits. I feel that had a
referendum been held around 1960 in Goa... the result would have
been a request to join India by a majority goans ( Hindu, Catholic and
Muslim ). India sensed she had history on her side as even the
NATO allies LIKe the USA and G.B. refused to side with Portugal at
the U.N. by abstaining in the vote when it came to discussion
there.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Roland Francis" <roland.fran...@ymail.com>
To: <goa...@goanet.org>
Sent: Saturday, September 13, 2014 7:29 PM
Subject: [Bulk] [Goanet] A Goa Referendum
Sorry my previous message was sent in error uncompleted.
India needs to correct a historical wrong committed in 1961, by asking the
Goan people to determine their own destiny even if it is 53 years later.
Goa was not of the Portuguese to give nor of the Indians to take.
To accept the political and geographical reality, the referendum should
be on the following question:
Should Goa determine its own independent economic future subject to
India's defence and foreign affairs control allowing it to enforce its own
borders and laws separate from the Indian constitution.
Yes or no.
The arguments against it this time will be:
No one wants a separate Goa.
The current generation know nothing else but being part of India.
Goa will lose out on India's economic boom.
To this I have the following answer.
Then why not let the people confirm this while giving yourself a chance to
regain the high moral ground.
Are you afraid of the will of the people of Goa?
Roland.
Sent from my iPhone=
