On Mon, 15 Jun 2020, 07:52 V M, <[email protected]> wrote:
> > https://www.livemint.com/opinion/online-views/jo-o-le-o-and-goa-s-european-vanguard-11592198190362.html > > Even as the rest of the West convulses itself about systemic racism and the > importance of adequate representation, the government of Portugal has added > its third senior minister of Goan and Indian origin. > > João Leão, the new finance minister, joins another 46-year-old rising star, > the minister for planning Nelson de Souza, in the cabinet of prime minister > 58-year-old Antonio Costa, who received his Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) > card from the hand of Narendra Modi himself in 2017, on the first state > visit by an Indian head of state to Lisbon. All three Portuguese leaders > have strong roots and multiple family ties in India’s smallest state. > > The presence of three senior politicians of non-European heritage in > Portugal comes at an especially meaningful moment triggered by > #BlackLivesMatter protests, which have quickly mushroomed from the USA to > the European countries that also participated in the trans-Atlantic > “chattel” slave trade, and continue to perpetuate institutionalized > discrimination. > > This is also the case for Portugal, where the first European slave market > for kidnapped Africans was established in 1441. The Portuguese went on to > pioneer and dominate the Atlantic slave trade, transporting an estimated > 5.8 million unfortunates to the Americas > > It was much the same in Goa, where the Portuguese established a slave > market dealing in captives from across Asia and Africa, that lasted right > until the end of the 19th century. > > Yet, in contrast to rigid colour bars in British India, the *Estado da > India *enabled Goan elites (mainly upper-caste Hindus and Catholic > converts) to catapult into what the late Goan historian Teotonio de Souza, > and other scholars, classify as “subaltern elites.” By the 19th century, > these “natives” had the upper hand in Portuguese territories scattered from > Macau to Mozambique. > > This unique situation confounded the British. In his caustic, entertaining > 1851 *Goa and the Blue Mountains*, Richard Burton complained, “equality > allows [Goans] to indulge in a favourite independence of manner utterly at > variance with our Ango-Indian notions concerning the proper demeanour of a > native.” > > With equal rights bred in the bone, Goan migrants became nationalist > politicians in many countries, from frontline anti-colonial freedom > fighters in Mozambique, Kenya and Angola, to Armand de Souza, the firebrand > editor credited with “the national awakening” in Sri Lanka. The UK has had > its own string of MP’s, from Sir Ernest Soares in 1900, to today’s trio of > Claire Coutinho, Valerie Vaz and Suella Fernandes Braverman (the current > Attorney General). > > New Delhi-based policy expert of Goan origin, Constantino Xavier says the > rise of Leão illustrates “the historical trajectory, and the economic and > religious profile, of elite, mostlyCatholic, upper-caste Goans who migrated > to Portugal. They quickly adapted, while shedding Indian cultural baggage > in a system that generally did not recognize differences to the extent the > British or American multiculturalism does.” > > Born and raised in Portugal, 39-year-old Xavier delighted in Goan community > affairs from his teenage years, including battling with Naraiana Coissoro – > another senior Portuguese politician of Goan origin – who was fond of > claiming the Goans of Portugal were fully integrated, and suffered no > discrimination. > > Xavier says he realized newer migrants enjoyed far fewer caste and class > privileges. Also “the tag of "model minority" carried responsibility to > support other minority communities. I took the initiative to collaborate > closely with the Indian embassy and other Indian community organizations, > which was then criticized by older conservatives, but today Goans in > Portugal are much more comfortable identifying with India." > > The IFS veteran Latha Reddy started her career in Portugal in 1977, > eventually serving as India’s ambassador from 2004-6. She told me the 2004 > extradition of gangster Abu Salem, alongside support for India's claim for > a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council “put the > relationship on a higher plane than before.” > > With notable affection, Reddy recalls meeting the current prime minister’s > father Orlando Costa, the anti-colonial novelist, who “would always attend > the flag hoisting at the Indian Embassy Residence on Republic Day and ask > for a copy of our President's speech. In his last year, he phoned to say > his health would not permit him to attend. When he passed away, I made a > point to go to the Basilica of Estrela to pay condolences, and I recall a > very touching conversation with his son - then Home Minister - about his > father's deep love for India. Finally, it is such people to people > connections that are so important in building lasting bilateral > relationships." >
