Dears, Today is the 15th anniversary of the passing of the 73rd and 74th Amendments to the Indian Constitution to empower the PEOPLE to decide their own future through Local Self Government [LSGI] and Panchayati Raj Institutions [PRIs]
Some interesting issues have been brought into focus by Dr.GilbertLawrence,MD with clinical precision. You may like to read it and keep yourself informed about Goa's history under Portuguese colonialism. The neo-colonisation of India and Goa is know simply as SEZ ...Special Economic Zones ... where the benefactors of the politicians are paid with land grabbed from the Gunkari/Communidades and the poor and are given for a pittance to the rich. The Dattaraj V. Salgaocar group and the Devashri Group of the Dempos are as much a part of the neo-colonistion through SEZS as they were of the Estado da India Portuguesa. Some of the local ministers are playing the role of Timmaji and Mhalu Pai Vernekar while K.Rahejagroup is the new Afonso de Albuquerque invited to take over Goa. Others do not even get lollipops ...they are left sucking their thumbs for want of anything better. There are various other groups playing the role of Sambhaji, the Sondekar Rajas, the Adil Shahs and the Raja of Honnavar. Incidentally, there is a movement in Sadashivgad, Karwar, Joida and Haliyal from the Vijaynagar Kingdom and its rump end of Sonde to merge with Goa. They recently felicitiated Mr. Nagesh Karmali in an attempt to creat a reverse Timmaji effect by which Goa grabs Karwar ...and liberate the Devanagri-vaddis from the clutches of the Karnataka Konknnis in the officially recognised Kannada script. Goans are perpetual suckers. It is no longer only on Wednesdays. Thankfully a growing number of people are turning to St. Jude, the patron of the hopeless cases. His present avatar is known sa SVM, led by Architect Pravin Sabnis and Fr. Maverick Fernandes. Mog asundi. Miguel Date: Sat, 22 Dec 2007 8:45:48 -0800 From: Gilbert Lawrence <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [Goanet] EarlyPortuguese History in Goa & Inquisition Hi Miguel, As you point out, the Muslim population of colonial Goa was decimated within a month of Portugal's second victory to capture Tiswadi on November 25, 1510. This time, Albuquerque took no chances and killed all Muslim males in Tiswadi, so as not to repeat the mistake of the first short-lived success in March 1510. Albuquerque's decision to forcibly marry his soldiers (in about 25 caravellas and galleons) to the local Muslim women, addressed a potential social problem, both among the native Muslim population (now living without a bread-winner) and the Portuguese soldiers who were without female companionship for more than a year on ship. More importantly, Albuquerque and the Portuguese (VERY SHREWDLY) tied the Portuguese soldier (now locally married) to Goa; instead of them returning to Portugal. The Nizams continued to threaten and made repeated attempts to retake Goa. The largest effort being in 1570 ... sixty years after the original landing. In my reading of Goa's early Portuguese history, to defend Tiswadi / Ilhas against the much larger Muslim armies, Portugal sent many more troops to Goa in subsequent years after 1510. By 1540, the new troops, along with the now aging original soldiers (reserves) and their progeny needed more land than just marshy Tiswadi on the bank of the river. In 1543, Portuguese annexed Bardez and Salcette. Yet to settle its soldiers and civilian support personnel, what the Portuguese needed was land - without the native population. Even prior to Alexander the Great (323 BCE) to the American Civil war, (1865 CE) soldiers were paid primarily by land-grants from the conquered territory. Land-grants also created a local population that would defend the land, lest any new army conquered their homes and land. Land-grab in Goa was no different than what European settlers did in the USA and Canada (with the native Americans) in the 16th to the 18th century. Goa's Land-grab was also no different from what armies did in Europe and Asia after military victories. Grabbing economic assets is similar to what victorious armies did, as recently as, after World War I and II and now in Iraq. To displace the native Hindu population from Salcette and Bardez, and have land available for the arriving soldiers and civilians, the Portuguese terrorized the local population through restrictive and draconian laws and other physical methods. The army had nothing against the Hindu religion per se, of which they knew very little. The missionaries likely wanted the Hindus to continue to stay in Goa and be converted. On the other hand, the Portuguese army were not interested in conversion. They wanted the natives out by whatever means, and as soon as possible .... before their conversions. The army aimed to grab the land and it was easier if the owners / population fled. This comes through clearly in recorded history, as well as Francis Xavier's letters to the King in the mid-1950's. In the many letters, much to the discomfort of the colonial hierarchy (military, civilian and religious), Francis Xavier castigates Portugal's King for the un-Christian behavior of his army and the failure of the Portuguese colonial administration to take any action against the abuses of the military and the civilian colonial population. Francis Xavier suggests the Inquisition to discipline the army .... repeat ... Inquisition to discipline the Portuguese population in Goa - "subjects who lived WITHIN the forts". Many Catholics, Hindus, and foreigners who write about Goa, think the Catholic Church and the Colonial government were the same. Yet often the two had different agendas, if not conflicting interests. Invariably the government especially the military echelon in Goa over-ruled the civilian echelon and the Church. IMHO, the inquisition was an attempt by the church to instill fear into individuals and try to hold the Portuguese government (military and civilian), other officionales accountable, threatening them that justice can come to them in this world, even after death. Of course once declared, the Inquisition justice applied to all other petty and not-so-petty crime, that one sees in any society. Kind Regards, GL -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-. Miguel Braganza, S1 Gracinda Apts, Rajvaddo, Mhapsa 403507 Goa Ph 9822982676 [EMAIL PROTECTED] -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Spread the Christmas Cheer, even when you're not here! Send classic greetings to your loved ones in Goa. 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