Note: News in Konkani is attached a Baraha Document THE SCRIPT LIBERATION FRONT OF KONKANI - A CLARION CALL
All construed as "Beauty" lies in diversity, so does the beauty of Konkani. When such beauty in diversity is accepted by all, the unity automatically follows. When groups who declare that a language should have one script, one dialect and by these selfish norms try to show a mirage of one society, the whole concept of unity goes haywire and brings on chaos. This is exactly what has happened to and in Konkani. Konkani language and its movement, since 1939, has been in fetters because of the deadly slogan - ‘one language, one script, one literature, one society' - voiced by a handful of people with hidden agendas, has caused havoc. In the past 71 years, because of this mentality of such people, the Konkani people of 4 States are not united and irreparable damage is done to the literature. 1. The proponents of the Deva Nagari script for Konkani have prevailed over all other script through the Akil Bharat Konkani Parishad and every session held by this set-up has vehemently declared that the Devanagari script is THE script for Konkani language. Not that there was no opposition to this but in spite of such oppositions, the proponents of Devnagari are still holding the fort. 2. This same set up has had its hold on the Konkani Advisory Board from 1981, formed for every 5-year term of the Akademi's Executive and General Councils with managing to have 5 Goans out of 10 members and the out of the other 5 to have three members who are staunch supporters of the dictates of the Parishad. The balance of two from Karnataka have no say in the matter for obvious reasons. 3. The very same set-up, when Konkani language was accepted by the Government as the State Language declaring to that effect that "the official language of Goa shall be Konkani", very cleverly inserted a clause to this declaration which reads thus: The official language of Goa shall be Konkani as written in Devnagari! This hideous trick could be termed as the historic injustice to Konkani literature. 4. This very same group, while Konkani was being introduced in the schools in Goa, cleverly manipulated the issue to slap the dialect and script of its choice on the syllabus. They tried the same strategy when Konkani was being introduced in the schools in Karnataka but failed miserably in their despicable effort. Even now, with the financial strength they muster, the attempts are on to have the Konkani language taught in Devnagari in the schools of Karnataka. A handful of people have manipulated the the issue of the scripts of Konkani using every vile method under the sun by way of distorted arguments, one-sided decisions and damaged the language mercilessly, not to mention the harm done to the rich literature it nurses. There have been small scale attempts to ward off this situation but one solid, concentrated strategy has not been adopted by the proponents of Kannada and Romi scripts. Now the time has come! This is a clarion call! An unprecedented opportunity has come our way - The Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, has decided to place this issue of the script infront of the Language Development Board with a decisive aim to resolve this imbroglio once for all. This decision was taken on the 15th and 16th of February 2010 in New Delhi during the Meetings of the Executive and General Councils of the Sahitya Akademi. This decision has been authentically minuted and circulated among the Members of the Executive and General Council. It is the bold and selfless presentation made by the renowned Konkani littérateur Mr.Edwin JF DSouza who also happens to be the Member of the General Council (2008-2012) of the Sahitya Akademi. This is a historic development and an opportunity which cannot be allowed to slip through our fingers. The follow-up procedure has to be deft, subtle and immediate. This movement is named in Konkani as "SUTKE SAMAVESH" and its first session will be: On 23 May 2010 from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm in the Auditorium of St.Aloysius College, Mangalore. In this Session- Konkani lovers from 4 States will gather and raise their voices in unison to put an end to the false publicity, manipulations, lies. Dear true lovers of Konkani, this is a War for Justice. This will never fail. We will not let our Mother tongue languish at the hands of selfish people. The ad hoc Committee of the Sutke Samavesh: Coordinator: Mr.Marcel M.D'Souza, President of the Konkani Writers' Forum ® Mangalore Members: Eric Ozario, Gurkar of Mandd Sobhann, dauntless Konkani activist Valerian D'Souza (Vally Vagga) Konkani activist and litterateur. (Mysore) Dr.Edward L.Nazareth, Convener of the Konkani Sanchalan, award winning litterateur Cyril G.Sequeira - Konkani litterateur Gladys Rego - Konkani poet, novelist and publisher Henry M.Mendonca (HM Pernal) Poet, columnist and fearless critic Charles D'Souza, writer, reporter J.F.D'Souza, writer, newspaper columnist Dolphy F.Lobo, Editor, Playwright, Publisher, novelist Victor Mathias (Vitori Karkal) Konkani activist Ancy Salvadore D'Souza (Ancy Paladka) Mumbai, Konkani Poet and activist Fr.Pratap Naik, Director of the Thomas Stephens Konknni Kendr, Goa Tomazinho Cardoso, President of the Tiatr Academy, Goa Wilmix Mazarello, Convener, Romi Lippi Action Front, Goa Premanand Lotlikar, President, Dalgado Konkani Academy, Goa Jose Salvadore Fernandes, Secretary, Dalgado Konkani Academy -------------- next part -------------- An embedded and charset-unspecified text was scrubbed... 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