Fast approaching is that fateful day
of the 50th Anniversary of invasion of Estado Português da Índia, December
18, 1961. Of all published works on this historical fact, the Book of
1st Round Conferences of Military Cooperative entitled ‘Revisiting Goa,
Daman and Diu’, published by the League of defenders; will be surely of primary
importance.
I will not justify or explain the
reasons that support this statement. I just finished reading its preface and felt
compelled to write this text. Among the various topics covered in the rich
preamble authored by General António Ramalho Eanes, one that touched me most
was without any shadow of doubt, "The Injusticed Goa."
Knowing how to be prepared to take
the future in his own hands, recognizing the cause and rightly written therein
he who very recently was President of the Portuguese Republic said: "A
different destiny Goa deserved, different from what she has suffered." Goa
was wronged.
His statement was not based on
bookish knowledge or vague testimonies of others, but to his experience in the
land where he rendered military service, which is the reason why he could say
that Goa "possessed a unity and continuity of a historical personality, of
an own tradition, distinct from all the existing traditions in the Indian
subcontinent." Really, it is possible that Goa had been a part of the
great empire of Ashoka in the third century B C. One of empires born from the
fragmentation was that of the Kadambas. Jayakesh who reigned in 1052 A.D. made
Goa his capital. In the thirteenth century, it was seized by Muslims in 1367
by Rajah of Vijayanagar or Bisnagar. Somewhere between that date and 1440,
Goans expelled their new invaders and became independent.
Always coveted, it returned back into
the hands of the Muslims in 1473 and came to be conquered by Afonso de
Albuquerque on November 25, 1510. Ramalho Eanes personally noticed that in
1950 Goa had a large elite, 37% of its total population. There was a practice
of culture of tolerance and mutual respect, as " in legal
coexistence, living, co-habited with different communities, be they a
Hindu, a Christian, a Muslim, a Parsi and other lesser known. "
But had Goa sufficient technical
staff and economic conditions necessary to be able to decide its future?
The answer was affirmative: "And
the truth is that Goa had or could create all conditions to decide its future
and live in peace and progress. The numerous Goan elite held numerous top
positions in all social subsystems (justice, health, education, taxation, etc.)
at the time that I as a military lieutenant, served in India. She
possessed substantial mineral resources and a solid agriculture. She had
special conditions for touristic attraction: - geographic, landscapes, human
(peaceful coexistence of various communities), built heritage.
Conditions destine therefore to
ensure sustainable economic future." If as corroborated, the question
Goa said in respect of Goans, if she united all the conditions to be
independent, if Goa, overall, but the Portuguese Homeland also
deserved that the destiny should have been different of Estado Português da
Índia”, why did it not materialise?
It could not have been more clear and
direct, the answer. It was due to the "Salazar's geopolitical
incompetence" and of the "dictatorial attitude, and colonialism and
imperialism halo” of Nehru.
To the author's prologue, Salazar did
not reveal having great political vision required at capital times of global
history, which is why he lost the opportunity to make Goa the Brazil of the
East: "Salazar could have been the author of this different and innovative
destination. Opportunity should have made Goa a new Brazil, a 'Brazil of the
East'. Indeed, following the end of the war of 1939-45, all conditions,
internal and international had to put shoulders together to that purpose.
Unfortunately, he knew not to listen to political desire - the righteous
politician desire – the significant part of Goan elite.
He had no geopolitical insight to
realise the unique opportunity to respond in correct geopolitics’ anticipation,
the demands of the historical evolution of the world. "
From ones point of view, Salazar
missed the opportunity to an important place in world history, "Salazar
did not want – or was not capable – of playing a lead role in this proper and
convenient gesture, he didn’t have the stroke to place himself into an
important place in the history of the world." However, for Ramalho
Eanes the blame is not only that of Salazar, all of us have our share
of responsibility: "And the truth is that the Portuguese civil society,
that it colonized and are dull, passive, immune to public national happenings;
they will become non demanding. "
In fact, men leave their indelible
mark on world history when born at the right time and the right place. Another
destination would Goa have if António Ramalho Eanes had been President of the
Republic of Portugal before December 18, 1961.
VALENTINO VIEGAS, Historian
DAILY NEWS (Lisbon) - 29/06/2010
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