------------------------------------------------------------------------ * G * O * A * N * E * T *** C * L * A * S * S * I * F * I * E * D * S * ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sangath, www.sangath.com, is looking to build a centre for services, training and research and seeks to buy approx 1500 to 2000 sq mtrs land betweeen Mapusa and Bambolim and surrounding rural areas. Please contact: [email protected] or [email protected] or ph+91-9881499458 http://lists.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet-goanet.org/2009-July/180028.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Bonifacio: Goa's visionary By Kirpavant Lanjekar It is a matter of great pride and honour for Goans that a great son of the soil - Bonifacio Eusebio Inacio Dias - is completing 80 years of his fruitful life today. This grand old man known for his youthful spirit stands head and shoulders above some of his contemporaries on account of his patriotism, struggle for Goa's freedom, high journalistic abilities and above all, his indomitable spirit that eternally craves for the common good of entire humanity. A nationalist to the core, Bonifacio had plunged into Goa's freedom struggle along with his brother Thomas at a young age. "Jai Hind" symbolized everything that was noble to this young man, who was born at Carmona-Cavelossim in South Goa to noble parents - Joaquim Raphael Dias and Maria Christina. His spirit of sacrifice for the nation and liberation of Goa saw him joining the Goan People's Party along with veterans like Gerald Pereira, George Vaz and F X Mendes in 1949, a year after Dr Ram Manohar Lohia had launched the final phase of Goa's liberation movement. There was no looking back since then. "As a freedom fighter I only tried to repay the debt that I owed to my motherland", he once remarked. Bonifacio is a socialist to the core. But he abhors indulgence in Leftist policies and that's why he quit the Goan People's Party because of its leftists leanings then and returned to Goa only to plunge in the freedom movement. When his brother Thomas was arrested and later sentenced to four years imprisonment, Bonifacio was declared a proclaimed absconder. That took him back to Mumbai where he joined the Goa National Unin in 1956. He was arrested along with J M D'Souza and lara D'Souza n 2nd December 1961 by the Portuguese police at Polem. He was imprisoned and awaiting a trial for treason while undergoing incarceration at Aguada Jail. However, he along with his compatriots were set free after Goa's Liberation on 19th December 1961. Bonifacio celebrated Goa's newly won freedom by plunging head-on into politics so tht he could contribute towards the future of the territory. He was secretary of United Goans Party and remained as its activist until its identity got dissolved with the currents of changing times. Since then he has been an active Congressman. He was actively associated with Goa Freedom Fighters Association and All India Freedom fighters association besides editing and publishing a periodical Vanguard. http://oheraldo.in/pagedetails.asp?nid=25332&cid=26
