-------------------------------------------------------------------------- | OSTAD TIATRIST staged by KGTS in Kuwait | | | | Read the report by William Fernandes and Gaspar Almeida at | | http://www.goanet.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=341 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
/ d8 Founded in e88~88e e88~-_ /~~~8e 888-~88e e88~~8e _d88__ 1994 by 888 888 d888 i 88b 888 888 d888 88b 888 Herman "88_88" 8888 | e88~-888 888 888 8888__888 888 Carneiro / Y888 ' C888 888 888 888 Y888 , 888 Cb "88_-~ "88_-888 888 888 "88___/ "88_/ Y Y8""8D http://www.goanet.org -----GOANET NEWS BYTES * MARCH 08, 2006 * DATELINE GOA------- o FEAR CONTINUES TO HAUNT RIOT VICTIMS (Aditya Anand, Navhind Times, March 8): The first thing that Ms Zarina Shaikh did when initial reports of violence came in at around 5 pm, on March 3, was to shut the doors and windows to ensure that the mob on rampage did not break into her house. Accompanied by her two teenage daughters and son, Ms Shaikh spent the entire evening and night in fear and behind locked doors, while their driver was mercilessly beaten up and their six cars including an old vintage car were totally damaged and the window panes broken. The doors that the family had blocked using all heavy furniture available was opened only when the police came calling the next day... o A REVIEW OF A NIGHTMARE ON HELL STREET: We halt at Rafiq's car accessories shop near the Curchorem circle and look around. There's disgust and pain in his eyes as he sees innumerable burnt and damaged cars near his shop and it sends a chill down my spine. Later, with a calm and helpless smile, he waits in anticipation as one of the boys opens the shutter of the shop which was borken into and ransacked by the rampaging mob. (Preetu Nair, in GT Mar 8) o HE CAME, HE NEVER SAW, HE LEFT: Union minister holds talks but fails to visit riot-hit areas. Asked why he had cancelled his tour of the riot-affected areas, Union minister of state for home Om Prakash Jaiswal said normalcy had been restored. (Herald, March 8) o DAMAGE TALLY: 27 cars, 10 two-wheelers, 3 trucks, 2 pickups, 2 KTC buses, 1 private minibus, 1 tanker, 1 carrier rickshaw, 14 houses, 16 shops, 2 petrol pumps. (Herald) o CONGRESS GOES FROM BAD TO FARCE: Union Minister of State for Home Prakash Jaiswal flew to Dabolim and instead of going South towards Curchorem, 35 minutes from the airport, he swung towards Panjim, 40 minutes on the other side. He had lunch with the Governor, high tea with the chief minister, had a tete a tete with officials before flying back. Asked why he didn't go to Sanvordem to meet the victims of violence, he quipped, "Everything is normal there, so I didn't go." (Editorial, Gomantak Times, March 8, 2006) o NORMALCY RETURNS TO SANVORDEM (NT, March 8): Members of the minority community whose commercial establishments were targeted by the rioters had to keep their shutters down as the police were still conducting the panchnama.... Meanwhile, the Curchorem police have registered 12 cases under Sections 143, 147, 153A, 454, 457, 380, 435 read with 14 of the Indian Penal Code against some unknown persons upon the complaints loged by the riot victims.(NT) o TOTAL BANDH IN SHIRODA, CUNCOLIM: Margao and Canacona reported a partial bandh, while the bursting of crackers at Quepem led to the closure of shops. The situation at Shiroda became tense around 7.30 am, when some people blocked roads and later stoned a house built under the 20 Point Programme scheme in a locality popularly known as Fukat Nagri. The people insisted that all commercial activity in the area be closed down. They tried to justify their action saying that some people from the area had participated in the meeting at Sanvordem, the day violence broke out. Those who stoned the house of a person claimed that the house-owner used to hoist a green flag resembling the Pakistani flag on his house. The owner of the house however refuted the claim, saying it was not a Pakistani flag and added that he had hoisted it to portray his devotion to a particular saint. (NT Reporters Team from Margao, NT March 7, 2006) o [On March 6] pro-bandh supporters were heard demanding that the police carry out verification of the antecedents of the outsiders, who have settled in the town in recent times. -- Herald, March 7, reporting from Margao. o Losses estimated by them (Muslim traders) have been placed at Rs 3 crore (Rs 30 million). --Herald, March 7. o While the Rapid Action Force was withdrawn from Curchorem town, the battalion of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) was however retained in the riot-affected areas. Speaking to Herald, CISF inspector (MPT Unit-Goa) S K Athanker clarified that the CISF was given clear instructructions to refrain from hitting the agitatators on the head, abdomen and other sensitive parts. "If any person is injured, it is we who carry them to the hospital.We retaliate only when the agitators take (the) law into their own hands," he said. (Herald, March 7) o BJP appointed a three-member fact-finding committee under Mapusa MLA Francis D'Souza and Mandrem MLA Laxmikant Parsekar and Prior MLA Vishwas Satarkar as members to probe the illegal construction at Guddemol, Sanvordem and subsequent untoward happenings in Curchorem. GT, March 7. o Vested politics: ARchbishop. (H, March 6) o Rane assures compensation, vows to go though on guilty. o Former minister Shaikh Hassan Haroon resigned from his primary membership of the BJP, saying members of the Muslim community were targeted without any provocation inspite of the presence of party MLAs. (H, March 6) o DECCAN HERALD, 5/03/06 Goa seals borders after riots (By Devika Sequeira) o UNI IN WEBINDIA123: Police fire in air to quell rioting, Goa CM appeals for harmony (UNI) http://news.webindia123.com/news/showdetails.asp?id=267606&cat=India o UNI IN MID-DAY: Goa tense, but under control http://web.mid-day.com/news/nation/2006/march/132344.htm The police, he said, suspected certain ''fundamentalist forces'' from within Goa operating behind the violence to disrupt peace and tranquility in otherwise traditionally peaceful state. o MID-DAY: Goa on red alert http://ww1.mid-day.com/news/nation/2006/march/132332.htm o IN GULF DAILY NEWS: Protesters storm Goa police station http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=137299&Sn=WORL&IssueID=28350 o INDIAN EXPRESS: No let-up in Goa protests, two injured in firing http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=89017 Meanwhile, the BJP has blamed failure of the district administration for worsening of the situation. Girish Chodankar, Youth Congress president, on his part said it was the handiwork of Hindu fundamentalists. o NEW KERALA: Communal tension could affect trade and tourism in Goa http://www.newkerala.com/news2.php?action=fullnews&id=20794 o PTI in the Hindu: Rane blames BJP and RSS for violence at Sanvordem http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200603042222.htm o Associated Press: Muslims, Hindus clash over demolished mosque in Goa http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200603041927.htm -------------------------------------------------------------- VOICES... -------------------------------------------------------------- o The role played by Mr Manohar Parrikar and other BJP leaders in this shameful episode was shocking, nay depressing. Instead of articulating the voice of sense and reason, they have used this issue as a ladder for their political climbing, by making provocative speeches so as to strengthen their communal agenda. -- Sandeep Heble, Panjim in NT (March 8, 2006) o This is a simple college girl saying good morning to all Goans. The situation of Goa compelsl me to call all peace-loving Goans to come forward and contribute in maintaining peace in Goa. It would be foolish of me to write down even a summary of what has happened in the past three days in the Curchorem-Sanvordem area. I am definitely not here to tell you'll what has actually happened, and how it has happened, but just to raise my voice to indicate that whatever has happened is bad... Come on Goans, let's all show the people who want to divide us that we are still one! -- Miss Ashvi Shaik o Peace can be brokered when two warring sides are involved. But in this case, it was one-sided and a section of the people were hell bent on creating chaos and destruction. While the other side was not showing any aggression, this group -- and nobody including our party leaders -- expected this. Suddenly, these people gathered and started throwing stones. -- Ravi Naik, ex-CM, ex-BJP leader now in Congress. Quoted in GT, March 8, 2006. o It should not have happened. Political interference is very bad and this is an example of it. If political leaders had not gone there, it may have been difference. The rioters received a shot in the arm due to the presence of political leaders, who should have stopped them. But instead, they spread canards that the people of the Muslim community have come to the state from a neighbouring state and they were armed with swords. There was no truth or basis in it. Leader of the Opposition Manohar Parrikar... as an opposition leader, he should have behaved responsibly. -- Ravi Naik. o The government must come up with a clear-cut policy to remove *all* illegal religious structures in government land -- Ganesha temple at the Bal Bhavan junction Panjim, the illegal RCC roof over the cross at the Goa Velha market, the Vailankini chapel over the storm-water drain and part of the property of the Asilo Hospital at Mapusa, the temples and shrines at almost every KTC bus stand and taxi stand. Persons who illegally demolished the Sanvordem madrasa must be identified, prosecuted and punished. So also the persons who have desecrated the graves at Bambolim. -- Miguel Braganza, in GT. o We strongly feel that it is the bounden duty of all right thinking citizens of Goa to raise their united voice against rumour mongering, communal propaganda and anti-social and violent activities. -- Appeal signed by 42 prominent citizens, of diverse faiths. (Navhind Times, March 7) o Let us not get emotional about the Curchorem incident. But let us be emotional enough to know what has to be done so that such incidents do not occur in future. -- Businesswoman Anju Timblo, quoted in Herald, March 7. o The bandh (in Shiroda) was called to protest against the participation of the Muslims of Shiroda in the activities at Curchorem and Sanvordem. -- Dayanand Naik, president of the Shiroda Merchants' Association, Herald, March 7. o For once Chief Minister Pratapsing Rane has hit the nail on the head with his salvo against the BJP for the current trouble in Sanvordem and Curchorem. For once, Chief Minister Pratapsing Rane has said what thousands of Goans must be saying to themselves, "Who is behind all these incidents of violence in Saleli, Curchorem and other places?" -- Edit, Herald, March 7. o It is a travesty of justice that a former Chief Minister asks for the release of men who were clearly on the side of the rioters and does not utter a single word in support of the victims. Mr Parrikar, the boys whose release became such a big issue, have lost nothing. -- Edit, GT, March 7. o This is a strange war where there aren't two groups fighting each other. There is one assaulter -- the Hindu fundamentalist co-opted into the BJP -- and one assaulted -- the community of Muslims. -- Edit GT, March 7. o The demolition of Goa's secular psyche, at Sanvordem, has been done at the hands of the same propagandists, led, guided, controlled and orchestrated by two BJP MLAs, Vinay Tendulkar and Ramrao Desai with the covert but obvious backing of Manohar Parrikar. A leopard never changes his spots. Much as Parrikar tries to proclaim himself as an able and efficient administrator, his communal cloak emerges from his closet. It's a pity that an obviously intelligent leader misuses his intellect to parade in the jungle of hatred and divide. We must destroy his jungle. -- Edit GT, March 7. o These are real issues. A failed police, an equally guilty, weak and scared Congress and the absence of a clear leadership are other brush strokes in the communal canvas. But first things first. Get those Muslim families who speak Konkani and are more Goan than you think, back home. And arrest the cowards who have dared to mess with innocent lives. And the peace of Goa. -- Edit GT, March 7. o Go and see what all we have destroyed, 15 shops... khatam kar diya salo ko (we finished them). There will not be a single Muslim shop in the market, nor will we let them live here. -- Unidentified youth, quote in GT, March 7. o What occurred in Curchorem is very bad. It should have been solved within the locality without involving outside elements. I am opposed to what occurred and feel that Goa should remain peaceful and that communal harmony should prevail. -- BJP MLA Babu Azgaonkar, of Dhargalim constituency. o Curchorem tense again with deployment of Rapid Action Force (lead headline in Gova Doot, March 6) o Savordem cooling down. (Headline in Sunaparant, March 6) o Uneasy calm in Sanvordem (NT) o Riots: Muslim federation demands judicial probe. (NT) o Rane and Parrikar are both criminals -- victims of Sanvordem. (GT, March 6) o Violence continues; 2 hurt in firing. (H, March 5) o Muslim shops, houses destroyed. Families flee twin towns. o Special control room set up at Secretariat 2419769. (H) o Arson, looting continue in disturbed Sanvordem. (NT, Mar 5) o Rane visits Sanvordem (NT, March 5) o Neros in Khaki: The BJP ingites a major incident and has fuelled hatred that has snowballed into full blown communal carnage in Curchorem. As homes and hearts of the minorities are being torn apart, a hapless and "badly stretched" police watches over the destruction and loot. Team GT travelled and worked out of the riot striken areas of Sanvordem and Curchorem to get you the real story and separate falsehood from facts. (GT/W Mar 5) -------------------------------------------------------------- GOANET NEWS BYTES ASKS YOU A FAVOUR.... -------------------------------------------------------------- If you don't like Goanet News Bytes, tell us! If you like it, tell your friends about it... spread the word. We ask our readers to help Goanet News Bytes to grow. Send us a list of 10 email addresses of your friends/relatives from Goa who you think should receive a free trial subscription of Goanet News Bytes. If the like the same, they're welcome to continue receiving the same. 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