TWELTH NOVEMBER.
Twelth November will be remembered as one of the momentous dates in the
history of Kuwait Goans because on this date in 1990 in Goa at Panjim,
Kuwait Goan Evacuees organized a Public Rally and Public Meeting for the
cause of Kuwait. Who were the participants in these Public Rally and Public
Meeting covering the whole day starting at 10.00 in the morning with a Sit-
in Strike against Iraqi Invasion of Kuwait at Azad Maidan followed by a
public rally at 3.00 p.m. on all the main streets in the capital city to
draw the attention against the invasion of Kuwait and culminating it with a
public meeting at the same starting place at Azad Maidan at 5.30 p.m. in the
evening? Azad Maidan or Freedom Square is a historical place in Panjim Goa
where all the major agitations and meetings including hunger-strikes against
injustice were held. It is situated next to the Goa Police Headquarters and
during the Portuguese rule it hosted a magnificent Monument of Afonso de
Albuquerque who conquered Goa for Portugal about 500 years back. The 12th
November 1990 activities in support of the liberation of Kuwait and in
condemnation of Iraq were organized under Goa-Kuwait Solidarity Centre which
was established in Goa by a group of Kuwait Goan evacuees on 3rd November
1990. The main aim of this Center was to highlight the issue of Kuwait in
India and make an awakening of the importance of the liberation of Kuwait.
The promoters of this Center were staunch supporters of Kuwait who took a
vow to carry on with their peaceful awakening in support of Kuwait until
Kuwait is finally liberated from Iraq however long time it may take. Though
Saddam Hussein wanted to erase the name of Kuwait from World Map but this
GKS Center was ready to keep the memory of Kuwait alive forever at least in
Goa because the stalwarts of this Center were very grateful to Kuwait for
affording the Goans opportunities to work and earn in Kuwait. The organizers
of this movement had in their minds one message to send to the Government of
India in New Delhi that India must strongly condemn Iraqi regime under
dictator Saddam Hussain for illegally invading innocent and peace loving
country Kuwait and also to make India to support openly the liberation
process of Kuwait by supporting Kuwaits cause at UN and other international
fora. In the beginning Indias stand on Kuwait was dilemmatic with Hamletic
attitude of to be or not to be. But after the fall of the then Government
of V.P. Singh, came Chandrashekar on premiers chair and he listened to the
voice of Goans coming on to the streets, so also of many other such Indians
and changed the stance of Indian Government openly in support of the
liberation of Kuwait.
Going back to this date 12th Nov. 1990, my nostalgic feelings are getting
aroused once again to see how a group of Kuwait Goan evacuees about 1000 out
of approximately 10,000 participated in this day long activities which were
purely financed by the few from the group. No external support in any form
came from any quarters to organize these activities or for its initiative.
Everything was indigenous originating from the leadership of the Center.
The daylong proceedings were covered by the local, national as well as
international media not only print but also satellite. Special CNN crew
came to cover this daylong event and immediately the news spread all around
India, Asia, Europe and other parts of the world that Indians from Goa
formerly a Portuguese colony came on to the streets to condemn Iraq for
invading Kuwait. The 12th November 1990 activities was a big slap on the
face of Saddam Hussein who never expected Indians would come on to the
streets to oppose his invasion of Kuwait. After his invasion of Kuwait he
was boasting of Indias support and taking it for granted but Goans on this
date challenged his decision and put him into shame for invading Kuwait.
Along with him some of his hired Indian chamchas were also challenged by
the Goans. Even in India some of the sympathizers of Saddam Hussein found it
difficult to admit that Goans who are considered to be mild and susegad in
nature gathered courage to take such a bold and challenging step.
During the public meeting all the speakers in their speeches condemned Iraq
and its leader Saddam Hussein and special resolutions were passed in support
of the liberation of Kuwait demanding immediate and unconditional withdrawal
of Iraq from Kuwait. Copies of these resolutions were sent to Goan and
Indian Government machineries and also to the UN, Iraqi and Kuwait Embassies
in India. In this daylong proceedings a few Kuwaitis who were sheltered in
Goa also participated and amongst them was a high ranking officer Col. Jumma
Al Kholifi from the Interior Ministry who while addressing the meeting made
the people cry. When the news of this momentous event reached Kuwaits
Ambassador H. E. Ali Zakaria Al-Ansari in New Delhi he was deeply
overwhelmed by this kind and spontaneous gesture of Kuwait Goan evacuees and
in his letter to the Center thanked everyone for supporting Kuwaits cause
so forcefully and so openly.
During the invasion of Kuwait there were around 20 thousand Goans working in
Kuwait, out of these about 10 thousands returned to Goa. But regretfully
only about one thousand participated on this dates activities inspite of
heavy media publicity. Most of the Kuwait Goan evacuees earning high
salaries, working in lucrative sectors including Oil and Banking and holding
top positions refrained from supporting the activities of the Center thereby
denying their affiliation to Kuwait from where they earned and gained so
much. None of the top businessmen earning millions in Kuwait associated with
the activities of the Center thereby proving to everyone how much they
disliked Kuwait. Overwhelming majority of the females working in big
companies and reputed organizations shied away from joining the daylong
proceedings because they felt coming out on to the streets is lowering their
feminine dignity but they forgot to realize how much Kuwait was useful to
them to gain little dignity they acquired in life because of their status in
Kuwait. Most of the noise making Goans in Kuwait namely those who were
involved in organizing Goan dramas and Ballroom Dances refused to support
Kuwaiti cause by dissociating from the activities of the Center, so also the
Goan soccer Clubs and Teams actively involved at Sour Ground soccer. They
have a big following but at the time of showing their affiliations to Kuwait
most of them including some of those running the Kuwait Indian Foot-ball
Federation proved to be traitors. Nobody expected big things from them, just
a small sacrifice of joining in the Rally and Meeting but that too they
refused. They neither showed their high ideals which they lacked nor they
showed love for Kuwait the country that made them something out of nothing.
Besides, there were many others who were guilty of not supporting Kuwaiti
cause when they had a very simple opportunity to show their love for the
country from where they earned their sustenance, built palatial bungalows,
purchased limousines, got beautiful and highly educated wives. All these
benefits they got only because of their employment in Kuwait but did they
realize to give back something in return to Kuwait? I feel ashamed to
disclose here that overwhelming majority of my compatriots back home in Goa
worth nothing if it is not for their God given opportunity of Dinar earning
capacity in Kuwait. Even the major portion of the Church associated Kuwait
Goan Christians refused to support the cause of Kuwait by not supporting the
activities of Goa Kuwait Solidarity Center. This was the first time in my
life I came to know that in Goan community there are people who are known to
be ungrateful. Ingratitude is an antithesis of Gods commandments. However
speaking on communitywise participation, with the exception of one or 2
Hindus all who supported the Kuwaits cause by participating in the
activities of the Center were Christians with Zero Muslim attendance who
still thought that what Saddam did was for the cause of Muslims, as if
Kuwait is non-Muslim country.
It may look that while reading this article we are having a very cosy and
easy life in Kuwait. No, it is not correct. Heavenly Mannas are not falling
for us on Sabbath Day. We are working very hard, facing unbearable winter
and torturous summer, living in unpalatable conditions, facing uncertain
future on the jobs, encountering humiliations, insults and lowliness. We
work hard with the exception of few who are lucky. Many times we are treated
like slaves and subhuman beings and yet we survive because of Gods
protection. Inspite of all these difficult factors we still love this
country because we earn our sustenance in Kuwait. Hence we are morally
obligated to support Kuwait and in reality we supported this country during
its difficult period. Inspite of all the pangs we are undergoing in this
country we cannot forget the positive effects we got from this country. Who
ever in Goa will get an opportunity to work in the Bank without being a
graduate? But in Kuwait it is possible. Which Goan in Goa will get an
opportunity to work as technical foreman without proper educational
qualification? But in Kuwait it is possible. Besides there are so many
other opportunities in different fields where our people got in Kuwait
without proper and appropriate educational and professional background.
Kuwait was and still a haven for poor Goans who came up in life beautifully
only because they are in Kuwait. Even in marriage market the value and
importance of any idiotic Kuwaitkar bachelor and spinster gone high.
Precisely because of all these facilities we have to be indebted to Kuwait
even though we face lot of problems and hardships in Kuwait. Hence, our
movement in Goa comprising a Sit-In-Strike, Rally and Public Meeting in
Panjim Goa on 12th November 1990 under GOA KUWAIT SOLIDARITY CENTER.
While concluding I salute all those Kuwait Goan evacuees who came openly on
to the streets in Goa on 12th November 1990 to show their love, affection,
gratitude and solidarity with Kuwait. That was the only thing we Goans
could do for Kuwait which has given us so much in so little time.
Unfortunately many of the Goans who so forcefully supported Kuwait on this
date never got an opportunity to return to work in liberated Kuwait, some of
them have gone back to Goa and many died. May God Bless them all and may
God protect and bless Kuwait.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
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