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Remembering Aquino Braganca (b. 6 April 1924), who fought for freedom
of the former Portuguese colonies in Africa. An online tribute
http://aquinobraganca.wordpress.com/ (includes many historical
references, some photographs and documents)
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GULF-GOANS e-NEWSLETTER (since 1994)
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Indian Expatriates too to the Polling Station.!!!
Here in Kuwait, on 11 April 2009 a new form of protest will take
place.
India will hold general elections to the 15th Lok Sabha in 5 phases
on
April 16, April 22, April 23, April 30, May 7 and May 13, 2009.
As 700 million voters in India march to the polling stations to
cast
their votes, expatriate Indians in Kuwait too cast their votes in a model
polling
station being arranged at United Indian School, Abbassiya.
It is under the auspices of THANIMA (The Human And Nostalgic
Interaction
of Malayalees Abroad) JANAVIDHITHANIMA 09, a symbolic polling which in turn an
opportunity to Indians in Kuwait to take part in elections and to raise their
demands including voting rights to expatriate Indian Citizens and
representation of
Non Resident Indians in Indian Parliament and State legislatures.
JANAVIDHITHANIMA has planned as a demonstration also to press for
the
expatriate demands like involvement in developmental process planning and to
seek
actions with political willpower in the issues of rehabilitation, reservation
and
welfare fund for expatriates. The organizers also plead to stop Union and State
Governments' attitude of indecision, hesitancy, laziness and sluggishness and
over
simplification in expatriate problems.
The polling will be hold from 4 PM to 8 PM. Any Indian expatriate
with
Civil ID or Passport can come and cast their vote. There will be four columns
in the
ballot paper, viz.; UPA, NDA, Third Front and Protest Vote. Counting of votes
and
announcement of results will be taken place later on.
The ballots and mega memorandum will be submitted to Indian
President,
Prime Minister, Chief Election Commissioner and Embassy of India in Kuwait.
Countries like USA and the Philippines have granted voting rights
to
their overseas citizens. Expatriate citizens of countries, such as, China,
Germany
and Italy have representation in their nations' parliament- the organizers
pointed
out in a press note. Pakistan, India's neighbor country also has decided to
grant
voting rights to overseas Pakistanis in the next election.
The population of overseas Indians is 30 million including Non
Resident
Indians and People of Indian Origin around the globe. There are 3 million and
1.6
million Indians respectively in USA and the UK. NRI population in Gulf
Cooperation
Council states include Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE and Oman
estimated
to be around 6,000,000 (2006-2007). They are without citizenship and any
privileges
as part of it. They send $ 10 Billion every year to the home country.
Remittance inflows from overseas Indians, in total, increased to $
43.5
Billion during 2007-08 as compared to $ 30.8 billion in 2006-07.
However, Centre and States governments have given a deaf ear to
expatriates' demands. They ever try to betray this section of people and ignore
their voice, as they are vote-less. Hence, it is an awakening to press the
demands
including voting rights and representation in parliament and legislatures, the
organizers informed.
For more details contact : 99703872 / 66071276 or email:
[email protected]
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Goa-World.Com Team and Gulf-Goans e-Newsletter Moderators and Team Members
support
THANIMA - Kuwait.
For more details, email [email protected]
