By Dr. Eddie D'Sa
gdig...@btinternet.com
Benedito Ferrao and Jason Fernandes[1] deserve all praise for
a fitting and timely response to the allegations made by
Andrew Green, chair of Migration Watch. They have stated
their case persuasively and in clear and crisp academic prose
-- rare among Goan writers. [The subject title may be a bit
misleading though: if Goans are Portuguese, they are so only
by virtue of citizenship (passport), not ethnicity. Right?]
Sir Andrew, a former ambassador to Saudi Arabia, is
the favoured migration expert for the Tories who
quote copiously from his reports and
pronouncements. He belongs to that select band of
Little Englanders and Empire cheerleaders who have
never come to terms with the loss of Empire and
with subsequent presence of black and Asian
migrants in the 'green and pleasant land'.
* As for the media, the tabloids (Daily Mail, Express, Star,
Sun), all owned by Rightwing billionaires, are generally, and
often virulently, anti-immigration and anti-asylum. They
have often made biased and inflammatory statements knowing
well they can get away with it. In fact, the government
(especially Downing Street and the Home Office) is said to be
in thrall to the tabloids and reportedly used them from to
time as conduits for leaks of harsh laws in the pipeline. [See
APPENDIX for more on the tabloids.]
* Ferrao and Fernandes write: As Goan academics, there is a
need to redress such misrepresentations and firmly call out
the Anglo-centric interpretation of colonialism... I
heartily agree. Unfortunately, for too long, the Goan
community, and even the elites, do not have the intellectual
resources to confront the mainstream media and present their
own case. They have sought safety in their feasts, religious
rituals, community celebrations with song and dance
* Rarely has the Goan Diaspora challenged the
biased views put forward by the mainstream media.
Mind you, if they did write and state their side of
the argument to a mainstream paper, the letter
would probably be binned. The media cling to the
official view and allow no contrary position in
general. There are no wide circulation Leftwing
papers in Britain for an alternative perspectives.
They will fail to attract advertisers and would
have to fold. Smaller papers and online websites
are forever begging their readers for donations.
You could perhaps try addressing your arguments to
the Daily Star or Daily Mail and see how far you get.
Ferrao and Fernandes have rightly distinguished the
Portuguese colonial state from the one created by the
British. Significantly, the Portuguese state attempted to
recognise natives as citizens, with rights equal to those of
persons from the metropole... whereas the only status
enjoyed by the natives in the British Empire was as that of
subjects of the British crown.
How right they are to point out the racialised political
climate induced by years of British colonial rule in Africa.
In particular, in Kenya, racial segregation was enforced in
residential areas, public toilets in government buildings,
entry into hotels. Even the Catholic Church privileged White
parishioners at church services (Mass) by reserving the front
pews for them. I believe it was the same in India, certainly
in Bombay until the Brits left.
* As for the Mau Mau rebellion in Kenya, the British resorted
to mass detention, torture and killings. Michael Blundell,
Minister without portfolio and head of the European land
owners said in July 1954: We do not detain people for what
they do but what they intend to do. (Never be Silent, S
Durrani, Vita Books 2006).
It took over 60 years for justice for victims of the Mau Mau
rebellion because the British Government destroyed all
evidence of their atrocities -- there were reports about
roasting alive Kenyans, beating natives to death, anally
raping men in internment camps using knives, broken bottles,
rifle barrels, snakes and scorpions, even making a special
tool to crush and rip off testicles by British forces. These
detention camps held more than 160,000 Africans between 1952
and 1960. Pliers were used to mutilate women's breasts. The
Mau Mau court hearing charges numbered over 400 brought by
four elderly Kenyans -- two victims of castration.
* Likewise, how right Ferrao and Fernandes are to point out
that Asian travellers have had to put up with much ritual
humiliations at embassies, consulates, and immigration
check-points globally.
But how do you counter the Anglocentric view of the
world? The English-speaking nations are far too
united and powerful. I guess the way forward to
equality and respect is by achieving power like
East Asia (China, Japan, Korea). At present India
