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Hi Gabriel, you ask the right questions that I also ask myself!
Portuguese citizens (including Goans) throughout the world suffered under the
dictatorship regime of Salazar.
Nobody can deny that. The Portuguese people in Portugal suffered a lot more
than many in the overseas provinces. How many Portuguese lost their sons and
husbands in colonial war in ex-Portuguese Africa?
Salazar had an idea of an extended map of Portugal. That is why he converted
all colonies into overseas provinces and made sure that everyone by 1952 had
exactly the same rights and full Portuguese citizenship regardless of
residency. In Goa we had a 95% self autonomy with all the high government posts
headed by Goans, except the post of Governor. However, that was done a bit too
late. The damage was done centuries earlier and people did not forget. In
Africa (especially Mozambique and Angola), the Portuguese army had great loss
of lives trying to keep up to Salazar's dream. By the end of 1960s, the
dictatorship regime (then headed by Marcelo Caetano) had so many opponents,
including in the army high command itself, that it was clearly reaching the
end. They finally achieved democracy through a democratic revolution of 25
April 1974. Salazar was dead by then and Caetano was forced into exile in
Brazil.
The map of the Republic of India was invented by the British. It was the
British who brought India together under a same political entity. Before the
British India was a sub-continent composed by princely states and ruled by
different monarchs. It was never ever one political entity as we know the
Republic of India today.
Goa was invented by the Portuguese much before the British invented their
version of British India. It was the Portuguese that brought Goa together under
a same territorial map following the old conquests and the new conquests.
Given the above facts, and after explaining that Goa and the Republic of India
had different origins and that the map of territorial Goa 1961 precedes the map
of territorial Republic of India 1947, what right did the Republic of India
have to conquer the territory of Goa in the XX century, after both Republic of
India and Goa/Portugal accepted that they were neighbouring countries and
maintained diplomatic representations from 1947 up to 1954? And both countries
were members of the United Nations Organisation.
The republic of India first called the operation Dec 1961 a Police Action! Does
that sound lawful to anyone? Then they renamed it to an Act of Conquest through
a determination from the Supreme Court of India. Does that sound right to any
proud Goan?
So are we liberated or are we conquered? Can't be both for sure as they are not
synonymous.
This is what the freedom fighters should have questioned then! How come the
Supreme Court of India determined that Goa has been conquered in 1961 from the
Portuguese???
Where is the liberation then?
Liberation is when people are liberated and allowed to choose their future
democratically.
Kuwait was liberated from Iraq a decade ago. I cannot think of a better example
of liberation.
Clearly Goans were not allowed to choose their future immediately after 1961.
This is what Nehru said: "We are 700 million and the Goans are 700 thousand.".
This was democracy for Nehru. It is consistent with his "Police Action" over
Goa (operation Vijay – 1961)
As a proud Goan, I see it more likely like a robbery. A neighbour country (that
accepted the legitimacy of Goa under Portuguese rule by maintaining diplomatic
representation in Portuguese Goa from 1947 to 1954) robbing another sovereign
country.
The real freedom fighters wanted an independent Goa. This means independence
from Portugal and independence from the Republic of India. That is what
independence meant for them. Many had a very clear plan of action and we did
have very intelligent Goan people already running the state at that time. What
did the Republic of India do? Dismissed most of them and brought their own
people from Delhi. Those who remained were forced to change allegiance but
sooner or later were replaced and subjugated.
The Republic of India tried to brainwash most of us Goans by saying that Goa
was always part of India and all the rest that you already know.
The truth is: Goa was part of the Indian subcontinent. Not part of the
political entity called the Republic of India. The Portuguese did not conquer
Goa from the Republic of India. So the Republic of India (founded in 1947 as a
single entity which they inherited from the British) cannot claim that Goa was
always a part of the Republic of India! It does not true.
At the most, they could have helped us Goans by liberating us from the
Portuguese and allow us to choose democratically our future.
The proper thing to do would have been to held a democratic plebiscite to
decide the future of Goa immediately after 1961.
It could be that majority of Goans wanted the merge with the Republic of India
but the plebiscite would have been the fairest way to demonstrate that. But I
think Nehru was fearing that the plebiscite could demonstrate a different
result and he would lose face to the world.
As you know, the plebiscite did not happen.
I am not defending Portugal.
My point is that the case of Goa was not handled in accordance with
International Law for which both Portugal and Republic of India are to be
blamed. The Goan people did not have a say in it. No questions were asked. No
options were given.
Yes, we did have an opinion poll in 1967 (they would not allow it to be called
a referendum or a plebiscite!) but there was no option for a independent Goa
even then, 6 years after! Where is the respect for the Goan people? Didn't we
deserve to be given an option that so many people had asked for, including a
full association of well organised Goans who had been demanding independence
since the foundation of their association and conference in Paris 1963.
Could the freedom fighters in Goa not bring up this issue? Why was independence
not on offer when so many people were asking for it?
And people continue to call it a liberation even after knowing that the Supreme
Court of India has labelled it as an Act of Conquest.
Do the freedom fighters agree with that determination from the Supreme Court of
the Republic of India that say that we are conquered? If not, why did they not
protest?
As a very proud Goan I feel sad that we Goans fail to understand these facts
and who the real freedom fighters really were in 1961!
As reflection, I would like to refer to this link which is most informative:
http://www.colaco.net/1/goa1964a.htm
Best regards
Paulo.
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Gabriel de
Figueiredo
Sent: 11 November 2008 03:27
To: Goa's premiere mailing list, estb. 1994!
Subject: Re: [Goanet] Naguesh Karmali
>Did these "freedom-fighters" have at least an idea of forming a government? If
>not, what did
>they expect to do after the Portuguese left - with or without the assistance
>of the Indian Armed
>Forces? How did they expect to organise Goa's well-being?
