On Sep 3, 2013, at 10:31 PM, Mervyn Lobo <[email protected]> wrote:
(1) You and me see eye to eye on most issues (2) Now, the issue of Portuguese citizenship and Goans can only be of value to those who want to abandon Goa and seek their fortune in Europe. (3) For Goans who will always remain in Goa, the Portuguese citizenship INSISTENCE is nothing more than a bad joke. The Portuguese got kicked out in 1961 and yet insist that everyone they left behind are Portuguese.(4) What kind of country will flee from war leaving all its citizens behind? (5)What is more astonishing, is that some of the very people who were abandoned, are standing in line to claim citizenship of such a country RESPONSE: My dear Mervyn, In preface, I will a avoid touching the tangential 'Dual Nationality' subject. That ain't got to happen in India anytime soon. So, I will firmly rest it here as a WOT (waste of time). To your post (quoted) supra: Re (1): I hope that those who read our ' to and fro ' realize that we not only know each other personally, we also are not enemies - never mind our vigorous debating styles. Re (2): While disagreeing with you on this point, I wonder IF you would also consider those Goans who left Goa and went to East Africa as folks who Abandoned Goa? And those Goans who left Africa and migrated to (say) Canada as folks who Abandoned Africa? Re (3): I will not attempt to teach anybody (Mervyn included) that INSISTENCE is the INAPPROPRIATE word in that sentence. My good friend and learned colleague Paulo Colaco Dias has tried very hard to explain the situation wrt Goans and Portuguese nationality. In return, he was summarily dismissed as a joker. I too have tried to direct Mervyn's attention to he fact that Goa's case was legally unique. It is quite different from that of ex Portuguese Africa or East Timor or Macau. These places were all accorded independence, Goa was not! The fact, Mervyn, is that Portugal is OBLIGATED to accord citizenship rights to pre 1961 born Goans and their descendants (up to 3 generations). The same will be the situation (say) in the Falkland Islands IF Britain is unable to defend the territory and has to move out before according independence to those islands. (The legitimacy of British presence there is NOT being discussed here). Re 4: The answer to that question: A militarily weaker country. Re 5: It is indeed very astonishing. Even more astonishing is the fact that 'librashunned' folks are queuing to 'abandon' the country that 'librashunned' them. ps: I have NO idea why British East African Goans have this anti-Portugal and anti-Britain bone stuck in them. As far as I know, NOT ONE of these Goans or their forebears were forced to migrate to East Africa by the British or Portuguese. . Is it possible that these East African Goans are inherently a miserable lot who intentionally or negligently refuse to study the legal aspects applicable in 2013, and/or stubbornly refuse to comprehend the principles? Or is it mainly related to 'armchair emotion from afar' (usually from another mainly Caucasian country) plus or minus playing to one's personal Business or Property interests? A reminder as I close this epistle to ML et al: There is a fundamental difference between INSISTENCE and OBLIGATION. Those who are unable to comprehend the difference, please look up dictionary.com The curious part of all this is that Damanese, Diukars and official India ALL have a sensible, comfortable and mutually respectful beneficial relationship with the Portuguese and Portugal. It is there East African Goans who are playing 'victim'. The shine of the 'victim complex' even if based on false premises might be inviting, but the fake and ignorant ones are usually easily found out. jc
