Today 26th February Kuwait celebrates its liberation day. It was in 1990, 2nd August, Kuwait was invaded by Iraq under the leadership of Saddam Hussain. With the help of
Coalition force of innumerable nations headed by USA, a deadly war was waged against Iraq and finally on this date Kuwait was liberated. Thank God because of the liberation of Kuwait many of us returned to Kuwait to earn Dinar whose value has been doubled from what it was before the invasion of Kuwait.
“ I, A. VRONICA FERNANDES, CONVENOR OF GOA-KUWAIT SOLIDARITY CENTRE, ON BEHALF OF GOA – KUWAIT SOLIDARITY CENTRE HAIL THE LIBERATION OF KUWAIT AND CONGRATULATE THE STATE OF KUWAIT, THE GOVERNMENT OF KUWAIT, THE AMIR OF KUWAIT AND ALL THE KUWAITI PEOPLE. MAY GOD BLESS KUWAIT AND GIVE KUWAIT PEACE & PROSPERITY ”
Yesterday was the National Day of Kuwait. It was in 1991 at T.B. Cunha Hall Panjim, Opposite Azad Maidan, we Goans under G-KSC marked the National Day of Kuwait. The hall was packed though it was small in size. Much before the decision of war for the liberation of Kuwait was taken we decided to mark this day and accordingly we communicated with the Ambassador of Kuwait in New Delhi. The Ambassador in turn in appreciation of what we are doing for his country sent some materials namely Kuwaiti Flags, Audio Cassette of Kuwaiti National Anthem and some brochures & leaflets. We even invited the Ambassador to be present to mark this day. I still remember how while the National Anthem of Kuwait was being played Goans attending this function cried, felt emotional and tears rolled down their cheeks. It was very sentimental moment for many of us since first time in 7 months we heard the National Anthem of Kuwait which was so dear to our hearts. All the eyes were focussed on us. Some Iraqi agents spread in India were trying to sabotage our movement in support of Kuwait. We Goans were the only people in India who were more forceful and more loudable in our support to Kuwait. It looked so great to mark this day in Goa that not only local press highlighted this event in bold capital letters in their front pages but also elsewhere its echo felt. That was the capacity of Goans that time to show our support for Kuwait.
By showing our support to Kuwait we showed we are the people of justice who will fight for justice. Thru this support we Goans working in Kuwait showed our gratitude for the country from where we earned our sustenance. Gratitude is the hallmark of genuine Goans and we as genuine Goans showed our gratitude to this country though we many of us including myself never thought we would be back working in Kuwait. Those who were fortunate have returned back to work in Kuwait after the liberation and those who were unfortunate have failed. It is a pity that they failed.
When we organized our movement under Goa-Kuwait Solidarity Centre in Goa after the invasion of Kuwait and organized public Rallies and public meetings in Panjim even against the wishes of Goa Government headed by PDF Government of Dr. Barbosa who along with some of his Ministers spoke ill of me for organizing this movement, we never promised anyone to take him/her back to Kuwait after the liberation. In fact we were not certain of the liberation of Kuwait as it happened within 7 months. We were not authorized by any authority to promise expatriate Kuwait Goans to take them back to Kuwait once Kuwait is liberated. Our movement for the cause of Kuwait was not conditional, it was purely spontaneous only to support Kuwait’s liberation and to bring pressure on Government of India to support forcefully and openly the liberation process of Kuwait. We went ahead in organizing this movement on our own freewill without anybody’s pushing. No outsider told us to organize this movement. It was initiated, supported and patronized by us and our own people. Those Goans who supported this movement are really great Goans. They are the examples of justice, gratitude and love. May God bless them. Because of them only this movement attained total success and because of this success Goans in Kuwait became so affectionate and darlings of Kuwaitis. After the liberation of Kuwait, the local press in Kuwait and Kuwait TV fabulously highlighted the contribution of Goans in the liberation movement of Kuwait. What other Indians could not attain for Indians in Kuwait Goans have attained. The interactions between Goans and top Kuwaitis after the liberation of Kuwait during the annual meetings under Goa-Kuwait Solidarity Centre at Hotel Plaza Ball Room was enough indication of the strong bond created between Goans and Kuwaitis. Besides, my personal contacts, meetings and interactions with some of the Kuwaitis - ordinary and elite, officials and non-officials in connection with our movement where they showed their appreciation was further indication of the strong bond between us and Kuwaitis.
A. Veronica Fernands, Kuwait.
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