This is to share from my memory of what I noticed in December 1961, a few days after the ouster by Indian Military of Portuguese from Goa.
On 17th we got the news in our local Portuguese school where I was studying that Indian Military has illegally already started its march over Goa entering the Goan territory by force, using its Military might. The resolution brought into Security Council directing India to withdraw its troop back to India was vetoed by the Soviet Russia. Later on India's permanent representative to the UN Mr. Jhah said "even if that resolution was passed, India would never withdraw its Troop from Goa" thus legalizing illegal act. And this is the same India now clamouring for a permanent Seat in the Security Council. Will any one trust India to do justice for other nations if by chance India got a Seat in the Security Council? That India will not get this Seat is a forgone conclusion because Pakistan will lobby hard to deny this Seat to India and China the arch rival of India will use its Veto Power to deny India of a Permanent Seat in the Security Council. The Security Council is meant for matured countries and not fickle minded countries like India that is on grabbing spree of others' territories by using its might Military arsenals.
On 18th December India grabbed Goa physically and on 19thGoa became officially a part of Bharat.
On 20th of December news started pouring in that Indian Military began raping Goan females here and there. In my village a beautiful Portuguuese “Paklin” staying at Vaddi Vaddo escaped from the clutches of Indian Military personnel going to Aguada when she ran away to her neighbouring house. In Pilerne one young Goan female while walking on one deserted road was grabbed by the Military personnel and raped in their Military vehicle. In Sancoale when one lady “Dukornkarn” refused to surrender one Militry personnel, he fired at her house.
In my village in Candolim because of the heavy Indian Military traffic flow on the road to and fro Aguada, fear gripped the minds of the females and their parents because what Portuguese soldiers did not dare to do the ugly Indian Military will do for our local females. And that they are ugly in this matter was proved later on in Bangladesh when so many Bengali females were raped by the Indian Military personnel.
Exactly during this period annual novenas (salve) were going on in the evenings in our Church from 5.00 PM to 7.30 PM for the celebration of feast of Nossa Senhora de Esperanca on the last Sunday of that month. Hearing the news of rapings of Goan females by the Indian Military personnel, our Church Pe. Vigar, Pe. Nicholau Noronha, a staunch anti-Portuguese, declared suspension of Salves in the evenings till he was convinced of normalcy.
How tragic were those days for us having females in our families? Now again the Novenas for the same feast are going on but without any fear of rapings by Indian Military but by the Ghanttis, Migrants and unwanted dirty Indian tourists who think Goan females are cheap. Even the commercial girls now available are from outside Goa. It is this non-Goan dirt that is creating dirty image of our clean females and clean Goa.
May God bless our Village and Goa and protect our females from all evils, Amen.
A.Veronica Fernandes,
Candolim, Goa.
Tel:7507394349.