Are we Comfort Women and Comfort Men?
by Dr Sabina Martins
[email protected]
Some days back, I got a call from the American Centre, stating that in
the month of April, tentatively, American navy personnel would be coming
down to Goa. These men would like to do some social service such as
painting offices of NGO’s or any other work. I was asked whether the
organizations I belonged to would like to use their services.
“Why should the American navy men want to do work for local NGO’s” I
asked? “To build good will” I was told.
One mostly hears of gross human rights violations, where soldiers call
the shots, all over the world, whether it is Iraq or Afghanistan. So,
perhaps this was an image building exercise. Rapes are common where
soldiers are called in, in the name of insurgency, terrorism or naxalism.
But why should the American soldiers come to Goa?
The answer came from the Murmugao Port Trust Chairman in the local
newspapers ‘for Rest and Recreation’. The port which is a Central
government undertaking is all set to provide infrastructural facilities
so that the American navy ships can berth.
Recreation for soldiers sounded warning bells. It brought back horror
stories that I had heard at the UN World Conference from Fillipino
women, who were used as “comfort women” by soldiers. In Goa too, we had
an incident of sailors running amuck in Vasco, molesting women for
‘recreation’.
They come in slowly and surely, like they did in Fillipines. Felicidade
lived to tell her story.
One day in 1943, three truckloads of Japanese soldiers visited
Felicidade's class. Her Japanese teacher had organised the students to
perform songs and dances for the visiting soldiers. Felicidade, then
only 14, was made to sing. The following day, her teacher told the class
that the soldiers were so impressed with the students' performance that
they wanted to reward them. Felicidade was identified as one who was to
be given an award, and later that day two soldiers arrived to fetch her.
Thinking that there might be other students there, Felicidade went
along. But when she got there, she did not see any of her school
friends. She became worried and asked to leave. They told her that her
gift was coming.
A few hours later, five Japanese soldiers arrived. Three of them were in
uniform and two in civilian clothes. One of them jumped onto her,
catching her by the arms and forcing her down onto the ground. Then they
took turns to rape her. She was raped continuously for 3 days and was
sent home when she fell ill. Her parents hid her, as her elder sister
too was taken and had died in the ”comfort homes”.
Sexual slavery with official patronage is now an engine to drive
economic growth. Goa has become the victim state. The economic model is
coming in piece meal so that we do not see the entire picture and revolt.
The Government of India in collaboration with the Government of Goa have
charted out for Goa to be ”Comfort Women” and “Comfort Men” to fill
their coffers.
Is it surprising then, that there is a beeline to set up casinos in Goa
and the slashing of casino fees? Or,the move to start online gambling?
Is it suprising then, to see the open advertisements of female escort
services, offering all kinds of pleasure by local, Indian and foreign
women? Or, the foreign women being brought in city hotels to sing and
dance in bare minimum clothing to be ogled at? Or, the increasing number
of massage parlours in Goa
Is it surprising then that the Tourism department is promoting wine
festivals even on Republic day or permitting alcohol sale outside
licensed liquor outlets? Or, the Fests that bring in thousands at a time
to party with no restrictions on addictive substances.
Is it surprising then, on a website, a five star residential complex
with a Casino is being advertised by Utopia properties in Quelossim,
Cortalim, in the mangroves, lining Zuari river. The advertisement claims
that this residential complex is surrounded by water and that there will
be yachts and luxury boats to enter this area.
This is yet another blatant violation of eco sensitive zone where
construction is not permitted. Yet another mega project, which will
adversely affect the demography and identity of the place. Yet another
gated community, where locals who predominantly belong to the Schedule
Tribe will be alienated from their own land.
In the name of Development for the common people, local resources are
being ursurped to cater to the pleasures of the rich, with the promise
that the benefits of development will trickle down. Verna industrial
estate came up on part of the land belonging to the tribals. What
finally trickled down to them were hundred odd menial jobs, which they
would have got anyway, anywhere in Goa without parting with their land.
Casino in this tribal dominated area will sponge on the locals, to
provide comfort women and comfort men. Is this the kind of development
we envisage for the youth of our state?
Organizations, which are called at the police stations while recording
statement of victims of trafficking, prostitution and other sexual
exploitation, are privy to stories and stories of cheating, of false
promises of employment and violence.
The situation is getting grim, so much so that there is an UN aided anti
trafficking unit set up in the state.
We do understand why every body is ostensibly on a “good will” mission
to Goa. The casino industry is doing it, sponsoring local festivals,
football matches, advertisements in media, freebies for policy
influencing people which finally got them reduction of casino fees and
tenders for online gambling.
The politicians, the businessman, the black marketer, the racketeers,
the rich and the famous are all on good will mission, so that they can
buy our fields, hills, forests, river banks, islands for cheap and
convert the good will into mining leases and construction licenses.
The National and the International media are also on a good will mission
telling the world how beautiful and ‘hospitable” our land of Comfort
men and Comfort women is, with lots of dope, dances and dudes.
While, on ground common people are getting more and more uncomfortable
and restless by the day. A huge rampage is taking place at a galloping
speed. More and more people are being pushed to the periphery of
development, collecting crumbs.
Determination of the course of development for Goa has been taken away
from the common people. All issues, whether it is land, livelihoods,
environment, identity, inequalities, gender, quality of life have a
common refrain “Development for whom?
People of Goa have just two choices. Either we go all out, notching up
our struggles manifold to save Goa for its common people or remain
content with being Comfort men and Comfort women for the rest of the world.
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First published in the Herald, Goa - April 21, 2010
Forwarded by Oscar Lobo
