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Convenor of Goa Bachao Abhiyan (GBA) Dr Oscar Rebello has been nominated
for CNN-IBN's Indian of the Year Award 2007 in public service category
Vote for him at:
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Hi Sachin,
Thanks for responding to questions that have intrigued me about the early years
of Portuguese colonization. As regards your overall comments, as often happens:
1. One may read and interpret more than what is written (depending on one's
pre-conceptions).
2. One may not read or understand what is written or what the author is stating
(depending on one's bias).
3. What is written may not fully explain all the events, in the details the
reader expects.
4. What is viewed 500 years later is not necessary what occurred or perceived
to have occurred at that moment in place and time.
5. It is difficult, though it is necessary to look at an historical event
within the broader context of events at the time.
As a policy of their government, all European colonialists came to the
Americas, Asia or Africa to lay claim to wealth and not for an altruistic
purpose or pleasure trip. Some individuals did come with laudable goals in
mind. Portuguese colonial history (like other Asian or non-Asian conquerors)
is a history of colonization - wealth, power and domination. As in case of
conquering armies, even their own soldiers were of little consideration.
Natives - as persons, their culture, religion, way of life, etc., - were of
little concern to armies. As history REPEATEDLY shows, the civilian natives
(and their possessions) merely come in the way of conquering armies, are just
one hurdle to overcome and another issue to be handled. So it is we who are
claiming that one group or another were "the special targets" of the
government's action or policy, perhaps to suit our own interests or to further
our own agenda.
Do you know of any group in colonial Goa that was NOT THE TARGET of the
Inquisition?
Even the White Jesuits (the religious order founded by Francis Xavier) were
expelled from Goa in 1774 - Yes during the Inquisition! I am neither
condemning this action nor condoning this; nor any other actions by the
Portuguese. I am merely stating the facts as they occurred; and as a
history-buff trying to pursue the cause and effect. I know it can be difficult
to understand why would the authorities introduce the Inquisition to
'persecute' the Portuguese themselves. To me the Inquisition, including its
punishment AFTER death, was to influence social behavior. This is like the laws
today, including capital punishment, which serves to deter crime and encourage
normal / moral behavior.
So rather than view the Goa Inquisition as religion, one should look at it as a
"Period of History" where events occurred. And one can learn from it to try to
make a better world we live in. I for one would like to read the Portuguese
history (especially the period of Inquisition) in periods of fifty years (or
there about); and try to understand the SPECIFIC political aims, military
dynamics, population shifts, economic transitions of each period. The more I
read about Portuguese history in Goa, the more I realize how they were hanging
by a thread.
I hope you succeed in convincing the Hindutva and other extremists groups and
individuals not to exploit religion and the Goa Inquisition to stir up
religious hatred and disunite Indians. I hope you also succeed to convince them
to end distorting the writings of Dr. Teo De Souza or Goa's history for their
own ends. Leaders be they of the 16th or 21st century are not interested in
religion, but in "Raw Politics, Economics and Power."
There is one lesson to learn from the Portuguese in Goa. They arrived there
because the natives - Hindus and Muslims - did not get along. And the likely
reason they did not get along was because the domination ethnic group very
likely exploited the group that was not in power. Are we seeing the same
happen today with "the outsiders" coming in once again, to fill the gap and
exploit the local unrest? The Goans as 'a people' have had an enduring trait.
Unfortunately today, we are loosing the values and the cultural practices that
bound us together as 'a people'; with separation between the major groups and
even within the various subsets.
Kind Regards, GL
--------------- Sachin Phadte
Before I end, I would like to deal with the question posed by Gilbert
Lawrence, namely "If the aim of the Goa Inquisition was to destroy Hindu
temples and convert Hindus (as is alleged), why was the Inquisition in place
for 250 years?" He has pointed out that as per Teotonio, the destructions of
the temples started in 1540, and the Inquisition was established in either
1560 or 1565, that is after 20 to 25 years.
The objective of the destruction of the temples and converting the Hindus was
not completed in the 20 to 25 years. In fact, the fact that so many of the
temples did survive the colonial rule, and the fact that the majority of the
Hindus did not convert, is a clearl sign that the objectives were not achieved
even after the disbanding of the Inquisition. It is also my understanding that
the Inquisition was targetted not just towards the Hindus but also towards
many Christians, both the converts from Hinduism as well as the expatriates
who
lived in Goa. But the fact that the objectives were not achieved does not
mean that the institution did not exist.
As far as the question of the longevity is concerned. Perhaps Teotonio can
confirm it, but it is my understanding that for a majority period of this
time, the institution was dormant. I guess as happens in many bureaucratice
instances, certain practices remain on paper but are never put in practice.
