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2008 International Goan Convention
Toronto, Canada
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Fiona Mackeown's charge of the existence in Goa of a drug
mafia-police-politician nexus is prodded and backed by today's Bailancho Saad's
Press Release. This has been posted on goanet and written by Ms. Sabina Martins
(see below). As the women take on the mafia-police-politician nexus, the
ladies are being valiant and doing Goa a valuable service. Fiona Mackeown
should receive praise for exposing something that Goa's and India's
investigative journalists have miserably failed. I hope goanetters,
journalists, Chamber of Commerce etc. will support and help Fiona Mackeown and
Bailancho Saad. Hence some Goanetters who are arguing about libel and
defamation may be missing the forest for the trees.
With the international spotlight on Goa, the government can 'make lemonade from
lemons' or can continue their pretenses that 'all is fine' in amchem
bangarachem Goem. Goans should 'strike the iron when it is hot'. Goans have put
up with the drug menace for too long.
Goa's and India's investigative journalists should look into the trail of drugs
down to the streets, bars and the place of the Rave parties in many places in
Goa. And also follow the trail of money as it is laundered and moved into the
financial and political system. Or as in the case of Scarlett's death, are the
native journalists going to leave it to the British Guardian and Daily Mirror
newspapers and magazines? Will Times of India back its own editorial advice to
Goans and put its top investigative journalists where its editorial mouth is?
The rapists have admitted to their compromising roles. Now the political system
in Goa is reported to be in a compromising position. The "shanna-boy" of
Anjuna Beach should expose a whole lot of elected "Shano Goenkar" in Panaji
and in Delhi. I hope the politicians will admit to their role. I am intrigued
that any 15-yr old girl from England or Holland, can hop-off the plane in Goa,
and in a day find the Rave party places and beach bars where drugs are easily
available. But the Goan police, politicians and journalists (national and
international) have not been able to find these spots ... till now.
Now that the mafia-police-politician nexus is exposed and reported nationally
and internationally, some useful insights and concrete action may come from
this tragedy. The owners of these drug joints; and drug and money dealers are
as much in violation of Goa's and India's laws as the drug junkies and pigeons
who violated the "juvenile protection laws" in Goa. I concur that the CBI
(Central Bureau of Investigation) should take over the drug and money trail;
and follow it to where it leads. The state police are unlikely to have the
expertise and resources; given that this is an international drug trade,
involving citizens of several countries as suppliers, traffickers and
consumers. The Prime Minister, Mr. Manmohan Singh cannot be excused by stating
this is a local 'state law and order' issue. Drug-money is a financial issue
involving money laundering, banking transactions and international commerce.
Many of these criminals may even be in violations of India's tax laws.
Kind Regards, GL
----------------- Scarlet murder-Bailancho Saad Press Release
It is a known fact that drugs are freely available in the coastal belt with the
patronage provided by the police and politicians. It is also a known fact that
no person will lodge complaint against drug peddler in the police station due
to this nexus. With the coming of casinos in Mandovi river Goa will soon become
a place where respectable tourist will abhor visiting.
The state has to take responsibility for making Goa unsafe by its policies of
promotion of vices rather than shift the blame on the mother. Bailancho Saad
is of the opinion that the freedom of movement of women especially at night is
being violated by the unsafe environment. Women?s right to work during the
night shifts cannot be enforced because of this unsafe atmosphere. On the one
hand the govt promotes night life for tourism and then blames the women for
venturing into these places .
Bailancho Saad is of the opinion that for justice to prevail, the
investigations should be handed over to an independent investigating agency CBI
,as the police officers right from the top to down were involved in covering up
the crime by stating on record that it was an accidental death.
Sabina Martins, For Bailancho Saad
