Further to my earlier article on the newly released DVD with English commentary on the movement Goans did in Goa during the invasion of Kuwait in 1990, in support of Kuwait’s liberation, I am glad to inform all concerned that the response was overwhelming, beyond my expectation.As on now, 300 copies have been distributed, major portion of it on request while very few I personally delivered to some of my high profile Kuwaiti friends who showed closeness to our movement.
Since one lot of 300 pieces are already over and demand and requests are still pouring in for more copies, another lot of same number is under process and it will be ready very shortly. Requests are coming from Goa also and from US, UK and Canada where many of our participants in this movement are settled after the liberation of Kuwait.
This DVD is going to be unique in the history of Kuwait Goans with regards to their relationship with Kuwait from where they earned their sustenance. I am proud of the Kuwait Goan community that stood by Kuwait during the dark period of Kuwait and thereby showing their gratitude to the country that employed them. This was the greatest opportunity Kuwait Goan community got to show its gratitude to Kuwait that provided opportunities to Goans to work in Kuwait and earn their livelihood.
Those Kuwait Goans who participated in this movement were of great hearted Goans while those who refrained from participating in this movement can I call them ungrateful? Because of Kuwait many of the Goans made lot of developments and improvements in their lives. It was Kuwait that made many of them to be somebody in life. Kuwait proved to many of the Goans an Oasis while traveling in the Desert.
In this DVD you see two public rallies followed by 2 public meetings in Panjim. For the first there were few participants compared to the second when everybody came to know of their going back to Kuwait. For the first rally many Kuwait Goans remained at home thinking it was useless because Kuwait is already invaded and what was the use of shouting slogans against Saddam Hussein? Many Kuwait Goans blamed me for organizing this rally when it was useless but these same people applauded me when Kuwait was liberated and in fact they remained in Queue first to enter in the liberated Kuwait and tell their Kuwaiti bosses that they were the Goans who came on to the streets of Goa demanding liberation for Kuwait.
It was very disappointing to note that many of the Kuwait Goan stalwarts of that time refused to support this movement in support of Kuwait. Who were these Goans? None of the millionaires participated even though they have made millions from Kuwait – No Alphonsos – No Furtados – No Monteiros. To organise such a massive movement spread over 6 months is not a joke. It required lot of finance and at that particular time even a Rupee was important to me to spend for this movement. The millionaires who minted money in Kuwait thru their businesses have failed miserably to do their duty towards Kuwait. I am ashamed of their Goanness.
Most of the Goans involved in the Church activities boycotted this movement, so also most of the Kuwait Tiatrists, soccer clubs and their members, so also most of the high salary earning Kuwait Goans and doing lucrative jobs before the invasion of Kuwait.
Coming back to Goans in Goa, none from those who settled down in Goa after their retirement from Kuwait before the invasion joined us. None from the Goan Muslim community. None of the Priests or Nuns especially from among those who received our donations in lakhs of rupees, none of the Konknnivadis who received our donations in lakhs for the Konkani movement. It was nothing but very disheartening to see how we were deserted by our own people especially by those who enjoyed our benefits when we were earning in Kuwait before its invasion.
Some pictures from this DVD were aired to the viewers by Kuwait Television twice, one on 15thSeptember 1991 when Indian Foreign Secretary Ms Sharma visited Kuwait and interviewed by KTV Anchor Adeeb.Questioned her by Adeeb thus:“During the invasion period of Kuwait, in India some protests march were organized. Can you please tell us where?” Replied Sharma saying thus: “ yes, it was in Delhi, Kerala and Hyderabad”. Then Adeeb retorted asking her thus: “what about in Goa?” For this she had no answer because she was ignorant of what Goans have done.
Then immediately Adeeb showed the pictures of our movement for about 3 minutes making Sharma very embarrassed of her ignorance of what Goans have done for the cause of Kuwait. What Goans have done for Kuwait none in India did but authorities concerned in India have been trying to put a shadow on what we did because they are biased against Goans or they thought Goans are not politically and intellectually advanced to rise to the occasion and organize such a movement.
According to my information, Delhi Babus are very jealous of Goans and they don’t give due credit to Goans. They underestimate Goans.
Because of this movement Goans have received lot of goodwill in Kuwait among all the sections of Kuwaitis. We have done what we could do to raise the banner of Goa and Goans high and I did what I could do. Now the new generation of Kuwait Goans must emulate our feat and do better to create a strong bond between Goans and Kuwaitis. In this direction they must first try to spread this DVD among themselves and then to Kuwaitis so that Kuwaitis know how we stood by them during their dark days.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.