Dom Sebastiao Diniz's Speech
© 2003, A.D., P.J. Mascarenhas, Goa Livre Organisation
Address Delivered By Dom Sebastiao Diniz, Uganda Delegate, To The Goan Conference, Paris
Mr. President, Ladies & Gentlemen:
I consider it a great honour and privilege for me to stand before you with this unique opportunity to speak in this World Goans' Conference in Paris.
The very fact that the aggrieved Goans have been able to muster this big and representative Conference, heartens me and will even hearten the most despairing of Goans to pursue our struggle to its logical conclusion of expelling lock, stock and barrel the Bharati-Indian invaders out of our fatherland-Goa.
I wish to introduce my speech entitled "World Goans' Demand For Self-Detemination for Independent Sovereign Republic of Goa." As you all know ver well, Goa was overrun by the Bharati Indian forces on that most sorrowful day — the 18th. of December 1961 and from that day onwards, the vast majority of the patriotic Goans in every corner of the world is up in arms against this nefarious aggressor-the Bharat India, for the brutal and cowardly assault and occupation of Goa.
We Goans, throughout the world have now worked up such a momentum that today the presence here of so many enthusiastic and patriotic sons and daughters of Goa, definitely demonstrates to the world and to Bharat India without any shadow of doubt that Goans are not all dupes and that we will leave no stone unturned to secure for ourselves and our future generations, complete independence and freedom through self-determination to which we are wholly entitled as our birthright in keeping with the democratic and enlightened laws of civilised people.
The Goan people who for 450 years have been under a distinct, separate regime have developed quite a distinct civilization, i.e., a way of life, social attitude and culture quite unique, vis-a-vis the surrounding territories and as such, the Goans are known and have made a name for themselves, throughout the four corners of the globe. Their accomplishment and record, militarily, administratively, intellectually, physically, scientifically and in sports have proved to the world at large that Goans, although small in number are giant killers, viz. Abbe Faria, the discoverer of the causes of hypnotism, Prof. Vivian de Sa, classed by the Physical Cultural Magazine, Bombay, as one of the strongest men in the world; Serafino Antao, the fastest on foot, a double gold medalist; Dr. Francisco Luis Gomes, the economist of European fame; Lt. Col. Tome Peres, Governor of Mocambique in 1839; the Admiral Jesu Gomes, of the Portuguese Navy, and Dr. Bernardo Peres da Silva, the Prefect of Goa in 1835. May I ask, Ladies and Gentlemen: Has a Bharati Indian ever become a Governor outside India? — No! May I ask, has a Bharati Indian ever become an Admiral of the British Navy? — No!
The Indian Union knew fully well that 89 nations including Bharat India had resolved by UNO resolution No. 1514 of 14th. December, 1960, to give all non-self-governing territories including Kenya, Uganda, Tanganyika and Goa, complete independence in the shortest possible time, and yet Bharat India seized Goa on the eve of Independence to colonize it against the principles of UNO.
By seizing Goa, India robbed us of rich mineral resources worth thousands of millions of British pounds, our abundant food products, fish out-put alnoe amounts to 3,97,000 tons which gives every Goan 3.7 lb every day, our great harbour of Mormugoa, thebest natural harbour in the East.
India committed in Goa, rapes, robberies, atrocities and murder of innocent girls, (ref. Current, Bombay of 3rd. March, 1962.) Here I suggest to the Chairman, that we should observe a minute silence in memory of our murdered heroes.
The Goan people are barbarically treated by the neo-colonial Bharati Indian Union who are causing a mass exodus of people from slavery. (ref. Goan Tribune, 18th. March, 1962). The Goan people in Goa itself are held captive by force of firearms and their plight is miserable. Bharati India is ruining the economic life of the Goans and are now imposing very high taxes to feed the teeming millions of the hungry, Bharati Indians. The colonisation of Goa by Bharat will be resisted to the bitter end by the sons and daughters of Goa.
We believe that millions of people in Kenya, Uganda, Tanganyika and Zanzibar and other countries all over the world actively support our demand to drive the neo-colonialist Bharat India out of Goa and to save the Goans from the clutches of the poverty stricken Bharat India through self-determination.
According to A Handbook of Discovery by M.B. Singh, it is said that Goa was the wealthiest city on the face of the earth, in the 16th. century and it is now scrapped of everything and the people are weeping tears of blood.
According to Penrose, Goa city had a population of 2,25,000 Goans which would rank with London and Antwerp, and was one of the largest and richest cities in the world. We want to make it again.
The Goa newspaper, O Heraldo of 52 years of existence, the oldest and most respectable paper in its edition of 4th. March 1962 makes the following appeal:
"Goan under duress, therefore calls on all Goans everywhere to unite at this greatest hour of our national life and to unite to fight for our birthright of self-determination under the auspices of the United Nations."
It is a fact that Bharat Indian Union is in a hot war with China, which, India accuses, has taken 25,000 miles2 of Indian territory, while the other neighbour Pakistan in in a cold war with the Indian Republic and here again India says it has lost yet another 42,000 miles2. In such critical situation, India wants Goans to integrate with her to fight her hot or cold war? NO! NO! Goans are not such dupes. India has been borrowing millions and millions of sterling which she will not be able to pay for hundreds of years to come. Moreover, its population is increasing by leaps and bounds, over 20,000 per annum which devours everything in their way and are doomed. How can Goans join such bankrupt people? Never.
The Indian socialist leader, Dr. Lohia declared that Bharat Indian lives on 4 annas a day and their hunger might turn into a mighty conflagration consuming the Government and everything that it stood for. Can Goans join such a people? NO!
Bharat India also admits that they still have slaves in India and as such India should not be considered a civilized people and chucked out of UNO. Can Goans join these people? NO!
There is a saying, that wherever there is humanity, there is my Goa. And for one of the reasons that this Conference came to be realised. We are now united for the purpose with the spiriti of the valiant brave who defy anything to secure the ideals of a free and independent nation by self-determination.
Pakistan which was part and parcel of Birtish India is now not Bharat India. So also, Goa rightly and justly wants to be Goa and not Bharat India.
Moreover, India Republic is a misnomer, because they cannot call themselves Indian Republic when Pakistan, Burma, Ceylon, Bhutan, Nepal, Sikkim, etc. do not any longer form part of India. The wrong name must be destroyed. It is invented to bluff the nations and Goa, as all know, was never ruled from New Delhi.
To wind up my speech, I sincerely request you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen, to stand firm to demand the end of neo-colonialism and save our fatherland from the hands of the unscrupulous aggressors, invaders, intruders and oppressers.
ARISE GOANS, as one man, and we will wipe out everything that comes in our way to secure self-determination with a view to establishing "Independent Sovereign Republic of Goa."