Denying a Script is a "Human Right Violation"
By Wilmix Wilson Mazarello
From ancient times, "Languages" all over the world, were first invented by
civilizations, for humans, to express themselves and to communicate with
fellow-humans, verbally.
With passage of time, as the necessity to express and communicate in writing
also arose, civilizations invented "Scripts" suitable and convenient to
their language, to express and communicate, in writing.
Various civilizations that followed, each invented their own language and a
suitable script.
Languages that came into being, thereafter, in the last 1000years or so,
found it not necessary to invent a "Script".
Most of them adopted a "Script", from among those, already in existence.
The choice of "Script", for these languages, depended, primarily, on
"convenience".
Convenience for pronouncing, convenience for expressing, convenience for
communicating and of-course, convenience for teaching and learning.
In like manner, around 500 years ago, from now, Goans in Goa, adopted the
'Roman Script", for Konkani.
This too, happened out of sheer "convenience".
It so happened, that the need to express and communicate in written Konkani,
was first felt by the Christian Missionaries, in Goa, around 1556, for their
evangelization work.
Out of sheer coincidence, at that very time, the very first "Printing-Press"
in Asia, happened to be in Goa, although it was on its way to Abyssinia.
This very first "Printing-Press" in Asia, had only "type-sets" of the
"Roman Script", used for writing languages of the European continent.
Konkani language, till then, not being in written-form, was thus put in
"print-form", for the first time, using the same "Roman-Script" alphabets,
that were the available with the "Printing-Press" then.
From then on, started the "written-form" of Konkani...
Incidentally, the Roman Script, was also found to be, the most convenient
"Script' for pronouncing, expressing and communicating in Konkani.
"Pronunciation, Expression and Communication" encompasses "Dignity" and
"Respect"
Hence, it may be said that "Language & Script" encompasses "Dignity &
Respect".
Further, any attempt to disregard a Language or its Script, is an attempt to
disregard the "Dignity & Respect" of the people, who use that Language &
Script.
An attack on a Language or it's Script, is an attack on the Dignity &
Respect of the people, who use that Language & Script.
Further more, denying a large section of the people, the language and
Script, of their choice, is tantamount to denying them their Dignity &
Self-Respect.
Need I say, that every person has a right to "Dignity & Self-Respect"?
Denying these to him or her, amounts to denying him or her, a "Basic Human
Right".
Hence, a serious "Human Right Violation".
No elected Government on Earth, can deny it's people, this basic
human-right.
No Government of any Country or State, can usurp these powers from the
people.
Language and it's Script, are not something that a Government, can force it's
views on the people of the State or a Country.
Language & Script are "fundamental basics" of a Society, that cannot be a
prerogative of a few Legislators to decide.
Even if, the few Legislators, happen to be "Elected Representatives".
Until and unless, the concerned Society, specifically expresses itself in a
"democratic referendum", authorizing their elected representatives, to
decide for them in the matter, they have absolutely, no right to do so.
The Goa Official Language Act of 1987, is one such example, of a State
Government usurping the "Power of the People" and denying them, their
"Dignity & Self-Respect".
It is an outright "Human Right Violation".
No State in the "Indian Union" specifies a "Script" as the official script
of a language, in it's "Official Language Act" & discriminates against its
own citizens using a different script, for the same language.
But, this has become, a harsh reality, in the State of Goa.
It is not only the Government in power, at that time, that is responsible
for this "Human Right Violation ", but also all the Members of the
Legislative Assembly who sat in the "House" at that time, and did not do
enough to stop it.
It is not only the Government in power in 1987, that is responsible for this
"Human Right Violation", but also all the subsequent governments & all
subsequent elected members of the Goa Legislative Assembly, till date, who
did not do enough to undo it.
Infact, they lent support, to perpetuate this "Human Right Violation" by
their attitude of showing, no concern...
The people of Goa, (the victims) are also partly responsible, for this
situation to last for 21 long years, by suffering silently and not doing
enough to "revolt" against it.
It is never too late
The time has come.
The people are fast realizing what's happened and still happening.
The day for a "People's Revolt" is fast approaching.
No one knows, what form this revolution will take.
But the "revolt" is imminent.
History has shown us, in many instances in the past,, all around the world,
that all such "Human Right Violations" finally end up, in a " people's
revolt".
A revolt for "Justice".
There are instances, in the past, of people, having been forced to take law
into their own hands, when the law-makers themselves,desert them.
It is a people's "curse" on all our Legislators, who have remained silent
spectators to this "Human Right Violation ", till now.
Only Legislators, who have no "conscience", play "politics", with human-
rights.
It will be a sad day, when the people will be forced to tell each of these
elected representatives, "Your days are numbered, You don't deserve to be in
the Assembly any more". (ENDS)
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The above article appeared in the July 15, 2008 edition of The Herald, Goa
