Goa might not be Afghanistan, except... Rohan O. Nazareth rohan...@yahoo.com
It's been a long time, since I have sat at the Vagator beach cliff at 11 in the night, feeling one with nature, without having to look over my back ever so often. It's been a long time since I have sat on the beach front, taking in the fresh sea breeze and not intoxicant laden smoke. It's been a long time since I looked at a lush green hill, without having to worry, whether it will be littered with foundations to buildings in a couple of months. It's been a long time since Goa has got its liberation. I am not in Goa as I write this. I have been in Afghanistan for some time now. I read reports of death, drugs, corruption, murders on a regular daily basis here. I am talking about the news I read of Afghanistan, not Goa -- just in case it sounded familiar. In that case, what does all that I read here have to do with Goa? Am I drawing parallels -- Yes. In that case, how can I possibly be drawing parallels between Afghanistan and Goa? They are supposed to be poles apart. Am I high on some drugs that reportedly enter Goa from Afghanistan and Pakistan? (According to an 'India Today' report about 5 billion $ worth of drugs enter India from these countries annually, a very high percentage of those drugs, mostly cocaine enter Goa) What I see here makes me think. What if the present crop of Goa's politicians were ruling Goa when it just got its liberation? I strongly feel we would have been on almost the same lines as what Afghanistan is now -- corrupt, violent, with high levels of mistrust between groups and doubt on the effectiveness of democracy. What Afghanistan has got now are politicians pretty much like ours, corrupt beyond belief. The time after their liberation from the Taliban was one of the most crucial and decisive for the future of Afghanistan, but it's slowly slipping into chaos. The second parallel that screams to me is the drug and politician nexus. How heavily intertwined each one is with the other. A friend of mine sent me an article which was published in the India Today (November 8, 2010 edition) about Goa. It was not really something I dint know. I knew about drugs floating in Goa, I knew about 'Little Russia' in the north of Goa, I knew about politicians and drugs. The most important thing I knew, was that WE GOANS ALL KNOW of how Goa was and is, slowly at first, now all of a sudden crashing to the ground. The third parallel I see is the death due to drug related gang fights, which is still in its nascent stage in Goa. I am probably not wrong to think that if Goa's climate was conducive we too would start growing poppy, instead of relying on the many drug labs manufacturing synthetic drugs with impunity. The fourth parallel I see is land grabbing by the rich and powerful. Blatant flouting of laws while at it. Its not uncommon to hear news of how politicians here grab land meant for the poor, forge documents, threaten or for that atter change rules to suit theirs and their cronies interest The fifth parallel seen is that Afghanistan is a beautiful country with beautiful people who are intensely proud of their land, culture and religion. The sixth parallel seen is the conflict between the need of people VS the greed of the politicians, police and the rich. The seventh and most important parallel I see is the SILENCE of a majority of the local population to what is going on. Each turning a blind eye, in hope that things will change. After all, what is a human being without hope. One can argue, 'Rohan is not in Goa to be speaking like he knows it all'. True, but I read the news on Goa daily. I read how a politician was involved in the suicide of a young woman who consumed Rattol. While her family is behind bars, he is happily moving around picking up fights with other politicians. Let's make that the eigth parallel. I read how the Goan government is procrastinating on the Regional Plan, pretty much like the leadership here, which is giving more and more leverage to the Taliban. In Goa's context -- the builders. Oh yeah, that was the ninth parallel. I read about how the "white ants" ate 24 kgs of drugs while it was in police custody (India Today). Well, unfortunately I can't really draw a parallel to that. That was quite an ingenious excuse, probably a drug induced one. Now then, Goa-Going-Gone. We have all heard this statement before and probably wowed at how beautifully poetic it is, it almost having a rhythm of its own. I believe in the Goa-Going, but I refuse to give up on Goa by saying it is GONE. My parents forbade me to ever saying 'I QUIT'. So, I refuse to quit on Goa, I refuse to quit on what it once was, I refuse to quit on what it can be, I refuse to believe that we Goans will always be silent and smile while we get raped, robbed, sodomised, displaced -- all while we are in a drug induced haze, where everything is perfect and white ants are our friends. I believe in Goa. The article in the India Today shook me, I realised what I missed, what I had and what might never be there in the future. The day after I read the report on the net I got a mail explaining how Aroon Purie of the 'India Today' grossly sesnsationalised the whole issue. I think we are all aware that 20-30% (if not higher) of all news is sensationalized. Remove that and the facts still remain how we are slowly descending into a total mess. Having said that I am glad people still defend her, it shows we still love her. But we need to go beyond denial and accept certain inalienable truths. The time is ripe. Ripe for a revolution of the Goans, which if plucked at the right time like the Mancurado mangoes we are famous for will taste and smell beautiful (a little corny, but I hope you get the point). We need to be collectively shaken up. If you are thrown off your chair by what you see in the daily Goan news, it's great, shake other people from their slumber too. Successful movements were never a one man show, they were always a collective effort. It's about time we put whatever little differences we have had. We have had examples of successful movements in Goa which made the then governments buckle. The Konkani language issue, the merger issue, the regional plan to name a few. It's been a long time since we had our liberation, it's about time we have another one. As America speaks about their final offensive in Afghanistan against the Taliban, they are calling it 'The final push'. We Goans too should give one final push to all the politicians, drug dealers, builders, casinos, not to forget the white ants which are slowly eating into our collective conscientiousness, we need to finally push them into the Arabian sea. Speaking about the 'Final Push', there's the possible tenth parallel for you. The next time you are reading about Afghanistan and thinking 'What a mess that country is in' or 'How sad' you are as good as saying the same about Goa.