Dears, The text of Matanhy Saldanha's Press Conference as published in the Navhind Times is reproduced below from NT's website.
............................................................ Anti-SEZs group asks tourists to leave state by Dec 28 NT Staff Reporter Panaji, Dec 23 The Goa's Movement Against SEZs today cautioned the tourists arriving in the state to leave Goa by December 28 as it would intensify its anti-Special Economic Zones agitation from this date and it "could take an ugly turn". The convenor of the GMAS, Mr Mathany Saldanha, addressing a press conference this evening said that the intensification of the agitation could result in different forms of protest, which may affect the tourists as well as the local people. "The GMAS wishes the people to have a peaceful Christmas in the state, but at the same time cannot allow continuous joyous holidays extending into the New Year," Mr Saldanha observed. The tourists will have to forgo the New Year celebrations in Goa, this year, in support of the identity of the state, which is in grave danger, he reiterated. Mr Saldanha warned that if any untoward incident takes place in the state after December 28, the government would be responsible for the same. Informing that the GMAS has sought appointment with the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh during his visit to the state on December 27, Mr Saldanha said that if the GMAS delegation does not find an audience with the Prime Minister, then it would meet him "in some other way". "The GMAS had presented its memorandum to the Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat, on November 12, demanding cancellation of all SEZs including the two notified ones," the GMAS convenor stated, adding, "and the Chief Minister had given an assurance that out of the seven approved SEZs, five would be immediately kept on hold, the eight SEZs which have been sent for approval to the board of approval of SEZs, government of India, would be immediately withdrawn and with respect to the two notified SEZs, the legal implications would be looked into, in order to de-notify them." Mr Saldanha also maintained that during past one-and-a-half month the Chief Minister has gone ahead and notified the third SEZ, located at Sancoale. "Furthermore, in spite of his promise to keep all SEZs on hold, construction work was going on at the SEZs located at Keri, Verna and Dona Paula, until the people had to step in and physically stop this work," he observed, pointing out that the white paper on the proposed SEZs in the state, which was promised by Mr Kamat, has not been released even after the deadline set for it -- December 17 -- is long over. Mr Saldanha said that the intensification of the agitation is much against it's will but the obstinacy of the government is leading the GMAS to take recourse to these measures and the GMAS would not like Goa to be destroyed to fulfill the vested interest of those in power. "The GMAS has already made their stand clear to the Governor, Mr S C Jamir by coming out with the reasons and not feelings of the GMAS members for their opposition to the SEZS," he mentioned. In fact, the GMAS convenor said, in view of the fact that practically the entire population of Goa, including most of the elected representatives are opposed to the establishment of any SEZs in the state, the government should immediately scrap all the SEZs without any further delay. ENDS. .................................................... According to GOA DOOT [meaning "Goa Messenger" of the BJP followers], Matanhy was accompanied by Upendra Gaokar, the Shiv Sena Chief in Goa and also Prajal Sakhardande and Jeevan Mayekar of Utt Goenkara. [Prajal, a history lecturer at Dhempe College, panaji, has migrated from the GHAG to the Heritage Cell of the Utt Goenkara, it seems.] In another front page report, the Goa Doot quotes the BJP President and North Goa MP as stating that the BJP will plough its own lonely furrow about the SEZ and has apparently dissociated itself from the violence. The SEZ Virudhi Manch held a Press Conference today at Caritas hall, St. Inez, and reiterated its stand for a PEACEFUL solution through PEOPLE'S PARTICIPATION. When questioned by the reporters about the reaction of SVM to Matanhy's threat of violence on behalf of GMAS, Pravin Sabnis replied on behalf of SVM thus: "We want all the SEZs to leave Goa. That's all." When asked about the Cabinet Sub-Committee which was to submit a Report, he replied" SVM is not concerned about any Report. We want all the SEZs to go from Goa." when asked if the SVM would give time to the Goa Govt. till the end of January, 2008 as asked by the CM, he replied, " The Goa Government's "White Paper" was due on Monday last. It seems to be a Blank paper so far. We have forwarded to the PMO copies of all Memoranda given to the CM and Goa Governor. We will give the PM another set when he comes to Goa. the governor has understood the situation. We hope the PM will also understand. The documents will be exhibited at Caritas Hall on 26 December, 2007, form 10.00 A.M. and there will be a presentation at 4.00 P.M." When asked how the SVM will "intensify" its agitation without violence, he replied, "Gram Sabhas held throughout Goa have passed anti SEZ resolutions on Liberation Day, 19 December, 2007. The Village Panchayat of Verna has submitted a memorandum containing references to the anti-SEZ resolutions of 26 January, 2007, the agitation on the site in October and the Notification of SEZ on 06 November, 2007 to the MLA of Loutoulim, Alexio Sequeira. the deadline is 29 December, 2007 failing which the constituents will march 7.5 km from Verna to the local MLA's house in Raia "ON 30 DECEMBER,2007, in a PEACEFUL RALLY." The Memo is signed by the elected Village Sarpanch. The South Goa MP, Francisco Sardinha, has termed the GMAS action of shooing tourists as "anti-Goa" according to Digital NEws SMS that I received just now. Mog asundi. Miguel > ------------------------------ > Date: Mon, 24 Dec 2007 07:00:06 +0000 (GMT) From: aura melisa <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [Goanet] anti-SEZ Movement If Matanhy Saldanha of Goa's Movement Against SEZ is indeed serious about his directives to tourist to leave Goa by 28th December 2007 , let Goa shed tears now if it has any. How ridiculous can Mahatany ,or for that any one else concerned about SEZ, get. Do we have to set the house on fire to kill the rat. Or ironically does one kill the goose that lays the golden egg. I do not want to get rhetoric. We must all accept that we get the Government we elect. For the people, by the people , of the people. Mahatany, try and get rid of the mind set of the people who elect their representative. Don?t set the house on fire to get rid of the rat. Don?t kill the gooese that lays the golden egg. Don't get rid of tourism. Get rid of all the present politicians and include yourself in the good riddance. If Goa has tears shed them now , there will not be a sadder day. John Collaco > Date: Sun, 23 Dec 2007 22:30:01 -0800 (PST) > From: Carvalho <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Re: [Goanet] GMAS to tourists: "Leave Goa by Dec 27" > Wow! Imagine that! > > Everytime, someone doesn't get what they want, they > just hold another section of society hostage(however > innocent or unrelated to their cause). How noble to > threaten people, because afterall our cause is > righteous. > > Every day, Goa seems to be losing its moral fibre, > whether it's politicians that set out to defraud the > people or people who set out to take the law into > their own hands. > > Good luck my fellow Goans. What madness we are born > into, what madness swirls around us as we drink > lustily of its poison. > > selma > ----------------------------------- > --- "Rajan P. Parrikar" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > To Goanet - > > > > Dec 23, 2007: In a press conference held today in > > Panjim, Goa's Movement Against SEZs (GMAS) has asked all tourists to stay > > away from Goa after Dec 27. Those tourists already here have been warned > > to leave the state by Dec 27, as things could take an ugly turn following > > the Goa govt'srefusal to cancel all the approved and notified SEZs in the > > state. GMAS also issued a warning to the Goa govt that the government > > alone will be held responsible for the consequences of any untoward > > incidents. > > > > I am reporting what I heard at the press conference. > > I am not a spokesman for GMAS. > > > > Regards, > > > > > > r -- -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-. Miguel Braganza, S1 Gracinda Apts, Rajvaddo, Mhapsa 403507 Goa Ph 9822982676 [EMAIL PROTECTED] -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
