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Goanet mourns the passing of Jorge de Abreu Noronha in Portugal - Nov 27/07 http://tinyurl.com/2dk2bl http://tinyurl.com/29kpdx --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Students pledge to fight unitedly against SEZs BY HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, NOV 30 – Close to 200 college-going students marched the streets of Panjim Friday afternoon shouting slogans against SEZs and later pledged to fight unitedly against the setting up of the zones. The rally organised under the banner of Youth For Goa took off from the Panjim Bus Stand and after a one-hour march culminated at the Azad Maidan where YFG Convenor Malisa Simoes and other students spoke. Simoes, who pelted out the ill-effects of the zones, appealed to the State Government to scrap all SEZs, including the two notified ones. Durgadas Kamath of All Goa Students Forum, Clifton Campos of Saraswat College and Geeta Joshi also chided the Government on SEZs. They all reiterated in unison that the Government was riding piggy back on them to sell Goa in the name of employment to youth. Simoes' speech was keenly heard by ex-Cortalim MLA Matanhy Saldanha, who is strongly opposing the SEZs with the support of the BJP. Saldanha was seen standing at the gate of the Azad Maidan close to Café Prakash. Advocate Aires Rodrigues and Soter D'Souza, who like Matanhy are strong opponents of SEZs, also made their presence felt on the fringes of the maidan (ground) to give moral support to the youngsters. The rally, which was expected to draw more number of students, however, lacked the firepower with just close to 200 of them gathered on the historic ground which can accommodate 6,000 people. The poor number today reflects on the fall out of some core members or crucial leaders of YFG having clout over a sizeable number of students, who chose to stay away fearing the presence of some students having political affiliations. These members resigned from YFG in a late-night development after differences cropped up with their convenor, who, today, at the fag end made a statement stating that the movement was not politically motivated. Simoes asserted that vested interests were spreading rumours with an intention to destroy the movement. "We are not politicians, we are the youth of Goa fighting to protect our land," the statement read. Meanwhile, two of the core group members, said they decided they wanted absolutely nothing to do with any political or politically affiliated group. "We started this movement for the love of Goa and not anything else," they stated. It is learnt that some of those closely working with YFG have received threatening calls and a police complaint in this regard would be filed soon. ENDS -- -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-. Miguel Braganza, S1 Gracinda Apts, Rajvaddo, Mhapsa 403507 Goa Ph 9822982676 [EMAIL PROTECTED] -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.