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floriano
2004-12-30 08:24:24 UTC
Permalink
Open letter to Mr. Manohar Parrikar, the Chief Minister of GOA.

Dear Mr. Manohar Parrikar,

At the outset, let me make it very clear to you that I am writing this
letter to you, as the CEO, and the Chief Minister of GOA. And therefore, I
need to keep in mind that this address to you must observe all the due
respect and civility as demanded by the chair that you are presently
occupying, and not necessarily as a mark of respect for you as a person.
Needless to say that I write this letter in my personal capacity, as a
concerned cititzen of GOA with very proven and transparent secular
credentials.

You must be aware, through the State President of the Bharatiya Janata
Party, Mr. Rajendra Arlekar, who attended the Heads of Political Parties of
Goa 'Meet' called by the Governor of Goa on December 27, p.m., to discuss
the 'Controversial VCD', that I have, in the capacity as the head of a
political party, while addressing His Excellency during the discussions,
named you, on several occasions, as 'the brain' behind the VCD, being the
professed point-man of the communal RSS in Goa ( while none of the other
heads prefered to do so), and have asked for the dismissal of your
government and the imposition of the President's rule in Goa, with immediate
effect. I have done so because I am convinced to the very debt of my bones
that you are furthering the dying agenda of the RSS's 'Communal Divide'
ideology in Goa, ever since you have taken over as Goa's CM. I have pointed
out to His Excellency that you had taken active part in the demolition of
the Babri Masjid at Ayodhya on December 6, 1992.

I have bitterly opposed your occupying the honourable chair of the Chief
Minister of Goa, ever since you tricked Francisco Sardinha into clearing the
way for you to sit on this chair, fraudulently and with intense political
manipulations and arm-twisting tactics. And you are all too aware that I
have been working, in my own little ways, to alert the people of Goa that
your continuance in the exalted chair as Goa's Chief Minister will do more
evil for Goa and for the average Goan, than good.

But the intensity of my anti-RSS feelings against you had never attained
the saturation point in these few years since 1999, in the understanding
that "one should not hate the certified poison to the extent that it is
allowed to corrupt one's own being" and in the understanding that the people
of Goa, who are more suscegad than alert, needed the time to realize the
danger they are facing. But the entire situation has changed for me since
last evening when I watched the Goan cable TV news channels, where Mr.
Luisizho Faleiro has made a categorical statement that the Chief Minister
has made a remark that "All those who oppose the VCD have Portuguese blood
in them". I personally take this as a most demeaning statement that Goa's
Chief Minister can make, for it insults my entire being as a proud and
bonafide Goan. And for your kind information, you need to hear from me that
you have crossed all norms of decency by encroaching on the massive
tolerance of Goans like me, that from now on, you and your RSS agenda to
divide and rule Goans will be fought back tooth and nail, civilly and
democratically.

Your above derogatory statement, which has also been reported in the section
of Marathi language newspapers, is demeaning because I am a Goan who has
never held any great respect for the Portuguese colonial rulers and more so,
because I have grown up to suffer for being a Portuguese subject. I have
hated my contemporary Goans (read Hindus) calling me a Portuguese and
telling me to go to Portugal if I am not happy in Goa. But I could, and I
have, made them see reason as to how I am a bonafide Goan, a bonafide
Indian, whereas they themselves could be bonafide Indians but were not
bonafide Goans and that the red blood of Goa is running through my veins.
But if the Chief Minister of my State who is ruling by default, without a
mandate to do so, and who knows that I oppose this vile VCD of his own
making from my bones and still prefers to say that there is Portuguese blood
running in my veins, nothing more could be so insulting to me. Therefore, I
am telling you, here and now, that if you think that it is so, then just as
well. I prefer to have the Portuguese blood running in my veins than to have
the vicious, poisonous bloody-black blood of the RSS running into my veins
just like it is running in yours and your RSS clan. I have gone on record,
many times, to say that you have not a single drop of Goan blood in your
veins to make you a Goan. That was my qualified assumption so far. But you
have now proved that it is true.

You must be pat with the RSS history. But let me enlighten you on the Goan
history some. Bruto Da Costa was a thorough gentleman, an advocate and a
thorough-bred Goan, who did not only oppose the Portuguese in Goa, but it
is on record that he, not only did have a duel of words with the Portuguese
Governor of Goa, during the erstwhile Portuguese regime, but also had a
duel with fists which saw him and the Portuguese Governor rolling on the
floor of the Governor's chamber. By your statement above, you have awakened
another Bruto in me, if need be, who is not averse to give you the taste
of what the Portuguese blood, what the Bloody-Black RSS blood and what the
Goan blood, really is.

If you still consider yourself to be a responsible person at the helm of
Goan affairs, even temporarily so, which I don't (see you as anything close
to being a responsible person), I expect a response from you to this
communication. Rest assured, I am, and I shall be ready to deal with any
tone you may prefer to use in your response, failing which I shall consider
that you prefer running with your black RSS tail between your legs.

I have, however, not been able to be hypocritical in hiding my real feelings
towards your agenda in this communication despite my initial observations,
for which I deeply regret.


Floriano Lobo
383A Pirazona,
Moira - Bardez - Goa- 403 507
Ph: 2470223
Mob: 9422060347
floriano
2004-12-14 11:18:26 UTC
Permalink
RESTORE NORMALCY IN OUR LIVES, MR. PARRIKAR.
Letter to the Editor - GT - 14 Dec, 2004.
By: Sonia de Sequeira, Campal, Panjim

I am an 84-year old lady and one of the oldest residents of Campal. My
bungalow faces the Kala Academy and no one has been more inconvenienced by
this absurdly elitist film festival than I have in the last six months. The
front access to my residence has been cut off for over four months with the
IFFI's "beautification" works. We have been unable to entertain or even
receive casual visitors to our home, and the decision to block off traffic
on the D B Marg for 10 days has turned the inconvenience into a complete
nightmare. Hundreds of scooters and cars are parked on the lanes surrounding
our house, contrary to the Chief Minister's assurances that parking would be
properly "managed". My 12-year old grand-daughter's school-bus has been
denied entry into Campal ever since the film festival started. Apart from
this, we were kept awake night after night with the road works and I, a
senior citizen has had to call in the police as late as 11.30 pm on several
occasions to put a stop to it.

Does being in power gives the Chief Minister and his corporate extensions
like the GSIDC and the Entertainment Society of Goa the right to abuse such
power so blatantly? Can a government impose its decisions on citizens to the
extent that it completely ignores the disruptions and inconvenience it is
causing to their daily lives? Are we to just sit back and allow our rights
to be trampled on so as a elitist few can watch movies in the sequestered
comfort that has been paid for by tax-payers money?

Go ahead and have all the film festivals you want Mr. Parrikar. But next
time make sure you do so far from any residential area and without using
public funds. For now, kindly take away your road show from Campal and leave
us to lead our normal, ordinary lives.

Comments:

Dear Mrs. Sequeira.
We, the ordinary citizens like you are ceased of the terrible problems you
have to suffer in the name of IFFI. If we may reply to your emotional letter
as Mr. Parrikar himself doing the same in person, we would like to ask you
some things and tell you some things too.

"Mrs. Sequeira, this is your MLA-cum-Chief Minister replying to your
inconsiderate letter to the 'still to come out of the cocoon' editor of the
Gomantak Times. If I may ask, how long do you want to live Mrs. Sequeira?.
Wouldn't you like your grand-daughter, who will grow up to be the modern day
girl, to be a little flamboyant and not so critical as her mother (the
hardworking journalist) to show off beautiful Campal to her visitor friends?
Have you been this mean all your life, complaining and cribbing about
little unavoidable inconveniences without a thought for the future of the
young generation Goans? You are obviously of the Christian faith. Does
Christianity not preach happiness through sufferings? Does it not teach you
to forgive a little trespass of others even if it means that your
neighbourhood is packed with parked two and 4 wheelers, even to the extent
that your garden is used by the IFFI guests to relieve themselves. Besides
you are getting free organic fertilizers for your plants and lawns. No, Mrs.
Sequeira, I am a modern day Chief Minister, unlike those old dudes who
knew or know nothing of life and enjoyment through entertainment. I shall
not take away the film festival to a far away place. I shall have it in your
back-yard the next year too, whether you, your daughter or your grand
daughter likes it or not. Besides, you, at this senior age, should be mature
enough to make peace with your heavenly Lord rather than trying to get into
my hair."

Floriano
www.goasu-raj.org
Ms jan ugahi
2004-12-16 14:19:52 UTC
Permalink
To: Reuvon Proenca <reuvon at rediffmail.com>
Cc: <goanet at goanet.org>, <fred at bytesforall.org>,
Date: 16th December, 2004.
Ref: JU/PC/2004-05/e-210
Sub: Reg: Tourism Related Paedophile? a blind eye
Reply to Reuvon Proenca - 2

Before I go to the questions, let me respond to the
note in your introduction ? Reg. your article in GT
dtd. 31-8-04 you say ?the information we provided in
the report was also provided to tehelka by your office
so what's the big secret? correct me if I'm wrong when
I say that the info we published was the same that you
have in your files.?
You seem reluctant to admit it Reuvon.
The ?big secret? is that we were sure that you used
our information to pen your article in GT even if it
was presented as GT?s investigation. To quote it ?GT
has been closely following leads on the movement of
suspected paedophiles in S. Goa------- Our
investigations reveal that there are, at the very
least, four such people whose movements and activities
are highly suspicious?

We think it was unethical of Tehelka to hand this
information to you as it was given to them on a
confidential basis to be used for further
investigation by them and not for mere media
sensation. We also did it because we believed that if
the State could not take a stand, they should be
exposed. And, it was unethical on your part to
publish it, without our permission.

Responses to Questions:
1. Does substantial information mean rape of a child?
weren't you'll aware that Joe was living with a minor
girl for almost 10-years?
R. We have not said or implied that. If we were aware
we would obviously have acted. Giorgio was a suspect
on our list under another name for nearly 2 years and
the said girl who has been declared to be 21 years old
was a major then. A lot of incriminating evidence has
come to the surface after he was booked.

2. There is a problem with the police. you know that
and I know that. we all know there's a problem but is
anyone trying to put forward a solution?
R. Who is this anyone you have in mind? May be the
press should take up a campaign like GT did with the
?People?s Court? to identify the deeper problem and
put forward the solution. The NGOs on their part have
on several occasions tried to define the problem and
put forward a solution. The Goa Children?s Act 2003
was a major step in this direction.

3. Your allegations about Middleton are serious. Have
you made any formal complaint in court or to any kind
of authority. I would suggest you do that, if not
done already.
R. We realize you are not well informed about the
case, to make the above suggestion. Despite all
attempts by the enforcement agency to scuttle and
close the case, we are still fighting for justice in
the Court.

4. If not the police, then who? are paedophiles going
scot free only because the police are allegedly
cahoots with them? The children's act makes provision
for arrest of paedophiles with hard evidence.
R. Good questions. Maybe the readers will attempt an
answer. We on our part do our best to see that they
do not go scot free despite a lot of hurdles including
during the investigation and prosecution process.

5. Ringlemann was a blot. but again, did the NGOs
file a complaint against the police handling of the
matter. there's always the judiciary. also, proving
the Ringleman case, as per the info I have, would have
been difficult. isn't it better that the monster is
out of the country for good?
R. As I said in my earlier response, CRG had informed
the police long ago.
Did the NGOs file a complaint? You ask.
Should it be mandatory for NGOs to file a complaint
for the police to act?
This brings us to the question of the role of the
State vis-?-vis such acts. Should it be merely
reactive? Should it not be proactive? If I?m not
mistaken, in past instances, the police & Courts have
taken a suo moto approach and treated as an FIR,
Newspaper Reports. That was precisely the question
put to the DIG Randhava after the Tehelka private
screening with the police by some of us - if they
cannot act on the basis of the recorded
statement/evidences in the video recording. Be it
paedophilia cases or acts of vandalism the patent
response of the State is: no one has made a complaint,
implying that they can act only if a complaint is
recorded. This certainly betrays a lack of will on
the part of the State and an attempt to sideline and
mislead the people.

Is merely driving the monster out of the
country, without even a shake-up, the solution? Such
an approach doesn?t even work as a deterrent or
preventive, according to us! If we drive one out
there will be other Ringlemans. Come to think of it,
Giorgio Lazzini & Gunter Backmann have appeared on the
scene quite soon after the Tehelka sting operation
after which the monster (Ringleman) was sent out of
the country.

6. You have said, "Given these experiences we have
our own way of following up on cases and we try to do
it to the best of our limited abilities (after all we
are not professional investigators) and time spaces
(it is often necessary to investigate at night which
is not possible for us)?. Strange. It almost seems
that NGOs are become more and more like government
departments. whatever happened to activism?

R. Reg. NGOs becoming like govt. depts.-------
You are free to have your opinion. But if I may ask
you ? who has appointed you a judge on us and the
NGOs? I could have stated the umpteen times we have
worked at night including the night when Giorgio
Lazzini was caught, and our members returned at 5.00
a.m the next day. But I am talking of professional
investigations, being properly equipped, that have to
be carried on day after day and night after night,
sometimes even to other states. The task is not as
simple as you make it out to be.

7. You have asked if merely providing information
helps. It may not but don't you it is your
responsibility to provide information.
R. We decide when and how to provide information. We
have provided information to the police on several
occasions including confidential info. for
investigation and action.

8. I have nowhere questions Jan Ugahi's work. I must
admit that a lot of what you'll do is laudable. but I
do feel that you'll should stop treating the media
like some sort of monster. speaking for myself and
most journos, we do care for the problem and the
children. The NGOs ought to work with the media (and
vice versa) and not against them. at the end of the
day I believe we ought to be partners. but that
doesn't seem to be the case. media requests for info
are treated with suspicion leading us to either
believe that somebody has something to hide or just
doesn't have anything. Pls comment.
R. Strange that you say we have treated the press like
some sort of monster? From what we have said in our
communications so far, what gave you that impression?
What makes you think that we have withheld information
from the media? I cannot talk for others but since
your dialogue is with us, may I know what gave you the
impression? In fact, our experience has been that
larger issues that we are raising reg. tourism related
paedophilia as a fall-out of the unbridled tourism
policy of the State, targetting of victims rather than
perpetrators by the authorities to solve the problem
of paedophilia (e.g. the new action plan of the
tourism ministry to round-up unaccompanied lamani
children on the beaches), protection and not further
victimization of children including insensitive
briefing by the police reg. victim?s identity and a
consequent insensitive reporting by the newspapers in
cases of sexual abuse and rape, etc are often lost on
a no. of reporters. Even the written presentation we
had made to the reporters at the press conference and
which Goanet sent around had some of these larger
issues, which, except for Herald, no other English
daily did justice to.

With best wishes,

Greg.







__________________________________
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floriano
2004-12-30 08:24:24 UTC
Permalink
Open letter to Mr. Manohar Parrikar, the Chief Minister of GOA.

Dear Mr. Manohar Parrikar,

At the outset, let me make it very clear to you that I am writing this
letter to you, as the CEO, and the Chief Minister of GOA. And therefore, I
need to keep in mind that this address to you must observe all the due
respect and civility as demanded by the chair that you are presently
occupying, and not necessarily as a mark of respect for you as a person.
Needless to say that I write this letter in my personal capacity, as a
concerned cititzen of GOA with very proven and transparent secular
credentials.

You must be aware, through the State President of the Bharatiya Janata
Party, Mr. Rajendra Arlekar, who attended the Heads of Political Parties of
Goa 'Meet' called by the Governor of Goa on December 27, p.m., to discuss
the 'Controversial VCD', that I have, in the capacity as the head of a
political party, while addressing His Excellency during the discussions,
named you, on several occasions, as 'the brain' behind the VCD, being the
professed point-man of the communal RSS in Goa ( while none of the other
heads prefered to do so), and have asked for the dismissal of your
government and the imposition of the President's rule in Goa, with immediate
effect. I have done so because I am convinced to the very debt of my bones
that you are furthering the dying agenda of the RSS's 'Communal Divide'
ideology in Goa, ever since you have taken over as Goa's CM. I have pointed
out to His Excellency that you had taken active part in the demolition of
the Babri Masjid at Ayodhya on December 6, 1992.

I have bitterly opposed your occupying the honourable chair of the Chief
Minister of Goa, ever since you tricked Francisco Sardinha into clearing the
way for you to sit on this chair, fraudulently and with intense political
manipulations and arm-twisting tactics. And you are all too aware that I
have been working, in my own little ways, to alert the people of Goa that
your continuance in the exalted chair as Goa's Chief Minister will do more
evil for Goa and for the average Goan, than good.

But the intensity of my anti-RSS feelings against you had never attained
the saturation point in these few years since 1999, in the understanding
that "one should not hate the certified poison to the extent that it is
allowed to corrupt one's own being" and in the understanding that the people
of Goa, who are more suscegad than alert, needed the time to realize the
danger they are facing. But the entire situation has changed for me since
last evening when I watched the Goan cable TV news channels, where Mr.
Luisizho Faleiro has made a categorical statement that the Chief Minister
has made a remark that "All those who oppose the VCD have Portuguese blood
in them". I personally take this as a most demeaning statement that Goa's
Chief Minister can make, for it insults my entire being as a proud and
bonafide Goan. And for your kind information, you need to hear from me that
you have crossed all norms of decency by encroaching on the massive
tolerance of Goans like me, that from now on, you and your RSS agenda to
divide and rule Goans will be fought back tooth and nail, civilly and
democratically.

Your above derogatory statement, which has also been reported in the section
of Marathi language newspapers, is demeaning because I am a Goan who has
never held any great respect for the Portuguese colonial rulers and more so,
because I have grown up to suffer for being a Portuguese subject. I have
hated my contemporary Goans (read Hindus) calling me a Portuguese and
telling me to go to Portugal if I am not happy in Goa. But I could, and I
have, made them see reason as to how I am a bonafide Goan, a bonafide
Indian, whereas they themselves could be bonafide Indians but were not
bonafide Goans and that the red blood of Goa is running through my veins.
But if the Chief Minister of my State who is ruling by default, without a
mandate to do so, and who knows that I oppose this vile VCD of his own
making from my bones and still prefers to say that there is Portuguese blood
running in my veins, nothing more could be so insulting to me. Therefore, I
am telling you, here and now, that if you think that it is so, then just as
well. I prefer to have the Portuguese blood running in my veins than to have
the vicious, poisonous bloody-black blood of the RSS running into my veins
just like it is running in yours and your RSS clan. I have gone on record,
many times, to say that you have not a single drop of Goan blood in your
veins to make you a Goan. That was my qualified assumption so far. But you
have now proved that it is true.

You must be pat with the RSS history. But let me enlighten you on the Goan
history some. Bruto Da Costa was a thorough gentleman, an advocate and a
thorough-bred Goan, who did not only oppose the Portuguese in Goa, but it
is on record that he, not only did have a duel of words with the Portuguese
Governor of Goa, during the erstwhile Portuguese regime, but also had a
duel with fists which saw him and the Portuguese Governor rolling on the
floor of the Governor's chamber. By your statement above, you have awakened
another Bruto in me, if need be, who is not averse to give you the taste
of what the Portuguese blood, what the Bloody-Black RSS blood and what the
Goan blood, really is.

If you still consider yourself to be a responsible person at the helm of
Goan affairs, even temporarily so, which I don't (see you as anything close
to being a responsible person), I expect a response from you to this
communication. Rest assured, I am, and I shall be ready to deal with any
tone you may prefer to use in your response, failing which I shall consider
that you prefer running with your black RSS tail between your legs.

I have, however, not been able to be hypocritical in hiding my real feelings
towards your agenda in this communication despite my initial observations,
for which I deeply regret.


Floriano Lobo
383A Pirazona,
Moira - Bardez - Goa- 403 507
Ph: 2470223
Mob: 9422060347
floriano
2004-12-14 11:18:26 UTC
Permalink
RESTORE NORMALCY IN OUR LIVES, MR. PARRIKAR.
Letter to the Editor - GT - 14 Dec, 2004.
By: Sonia de Sequeira, Campal, Panjim

I am an 84-year old lady and one of the oldest residents of Campal. My
bungalow faces the Kala Academy and no one has been more inconvenienced by
this absurdly elitist film festival than I have in the last six months. The
front access to my residence has been cut off for over four months with the
IFFI's "beautification" works. We have been unable to entertain or even
receive casual visitors to our home, and the decision to block off traffic
on the D B Marg for 10 days has turned the inconvenience into a complete
nightmare. Hundreds of scooters and cars are parked on the lanes surrounding
our house, contrary to the Chief Minister's assurances that parking would be
properly "managed". My 12-year old grand-daughter's school-bus has been
denied entry into Campal ever since the film festival started. Apart from
this, we were kept awake night after night with the road works and I, a
senior citizen has had to call in the police as late as 11.30 pm on several
occasions to put a stop to it.

Does being in power gives the Chief Minister and his corporate extensions
like the GSIDC and the Entertainment Society of Goa the right to abuse such
power so blatantly? Can a government impose its decisions on citizens to the
extent that it completely ignores the disruptions and inconvenience it is
causing to their daily lives? Are we to just sit back and allow our rights
to be trampled on so as a elitist few can watch movies in the sequestered
comfort that has been paid for by tax-payers money?

Go ahead and have all the film festivals you want Mr. Parrikar. But next
time make sure you do so far from any residential area and without using
public funds. For now, kindly take away your road show from Campal and leave
us to lead our normal, ordinary lives.

Comments:

Dear Mrs. Sequeira.
We, the ordinary citizens like you are ceased of the terrible problems you
have to suffer in the name of IFFI. If we may reply to your emotional letter
as Mr. Parrikar himself doing the same in person, we would like to ask you
some things and tell you some things too.

"Mrs. Sequeira, this is your MLA-cum-Chief Minister replying to your
inconsiderate letter to the 'still to come out of the cocoon' editor of the
Gomantak Times. If I may ask, how long do you want to live Mrs. Sequeira?.
Wouldn't you like your grand-daughter, who will grow up to be the modern day
girl, to be a little flamboyant and not so critical as her mother (the
hardworking journalist) to show off beautiful Campal to her visitor friends?
Have you been this mean all your life, complaining and cribbing about
little unavoidable inconveniences without a thought for the future of the
young generation Goans? You are obviously of the Christian faith. Does
Christianity not preach happiness through sufferings? Does it not teach you
to forgive a little trespass of others even if it means that your
neighbourhood is packed with parked two and 4 wheelers, even to the extent
that your garden is used by the IFFI guests to relieve themselves. Besides
you are getting free organic fertilizers for your plants and lawns. No, Mrs.
Sequeira, I am a modern day Chief Minister, unlike those old dudes who
knew or know nothing of life and enjoyment through entertainment. I shall
not take away the film festival to a far away place. I shall have it in your
back-yard the next year too, whether you, your daughter or your grand
daughter likes it or not. Besides, you, at this senior age, should be mature
enough to make peace with your heavenly Lord rather than trying to get into
my hair."

Floriano
www.goasu-raj.org
Ms jan ugahi
2004-12-16 14:19:52 UTC
Permalink
To: Reuvon Proenca <reuvon at rediffmail.com>
Cc: <goanet at goanet.org>, <fred at bytesforall.org>,
Date: 16th December, 2004.
Ref: JU/PC/2004-05/e-210
Sub: Reg: Tourism Related Paedophile? a blind eye
Reply to Reuvon Proenca - 2

Before I go to the questions, let me respond to the
note in your introduction ? Reg. your article in GT
dtd. 31-8-04 you say ?the information we provided in
the report was also provided to tehelka by your office
so what's the big secret? correct me if I'm wrong when
I say that the info we published was the same that you
have in your files.?
You seem reluctant to admit it Reuvon.
The ?big secret? is that we were sure that you used
our information to pen your article in GT even if it
was presented as GT?s investigation. To quote it ?GT
has been closely following leads on the movement of
suspected paedophiles in S. Goa------- Our
investigations reveal that there are, at the very
least, four such people whose movements and activities
are highly suspicious?

We think it was unethical of Tehelka to hand this
information to you as it was given to them on a
confidential basis to be used for further
investigation by them and not for mere media
sensation. We also did it because we believed that if
the State could not take a stand, they should be
exposed. And, it was unethical on your part to
publish it, without our permission.

Responses to Questions:
1. Does substantial information mean rape of a child?
weren't you'll aware that Joe was living with a minor
girl for almost 10-years?
R. We have not said or implied that. If we were aware
we would obviously have acted. Giorgio was a suspect
on our list under another name for nearly 2 years and
the said girl who has been declared to be 21 years old
was a major then. A lot of incriminating evidence has
come to the surface after he was booked.

2. There is a problem with the police. you know that
and I know that. we all know there's a problem but is
anyone trying to put forward a solution?
R. Who is this anyone you have in mind? May be the
press should take up a campaign like GT did with the
?People?s Court? to identify the deeper problem and
put forward the solution. The NGOs on their part have
on several occasions tried to define the problem and
put forward a solution. The Goa Children?s Act 2003
was a major step in this direction.

3. Your allegations about Middleton are serious. Have
you made any formal complaint in court or to any kind
of authority. I would suggest you do that, if not
done already.
R. We realize you are not well informed about the
case, to make the above suggestion. Despite all
attempts by the enforcement agency to scuttle and
close the case, we are still fighting for justice in
the Court.

4. If not the police, then who? are paedophiles going
scot free only because the police are allegedly
cahoots with them? The children's act makes provision
for arrest of paedophiles with hard evidence.
R. Good questions. Maybe the readers will attempt an
answer. We on our part do our best to see that they
do not go scot free despite a lot of hurdles including
during the investigation and prosecution process.

5. Ringlemann was a blot. but again, did the NGOs
file a complaint against the police handling of the
matter. there's always the judiciary. also, proving
the Ringleman case, as per the info I have, would have
been difficult. isn't it better that the monster is
out of the country for good?
R. As I said in my earlier response, CRG had informed
the police long ago.
Did the NGOs file a complaint? You ask.
Should it be mandatory for NGOs to file a complaint
for the police to act?
This brings us to the question of the role of the
State vis-?-vis such acts. Should it be merely
reactive? Should it not be proactive? If I?m not
mistaken, in past instances, the police & Courts have
taken a suo moto approach and treated as an FIR,
Newspaper Reports. That was precisely the question
put to the DIG Randhava after the Tehelka private
screening with the police by some of us - if they
cannot act on the basis of the recorded
statement/evidences in the video recording. Be it
paedophilia cases or acts of vandalism the patent
response of the State is: no one has made a complaint,
implying that they can act only if a complaint is
recorded. This certainly betrays a lack of will on
the part of the State and an attempt to sideline and
mislead the people.

Is merely driving the monster out of the
country, without even a shake-up, the solution? Such
an approach doesn?t even work as a deterrent or
preventive, according to us! If we drive one out
there will be other Ringlemans. Come to think of it,
Giorgio Lazzini & Gunter Backmann have appeared on the
scene quite soon after the Tehelka sting operation
after which the monster (Ringleman) was sent out of
the country.

6. You have said, "Given these experiences we have
our own way of following up on cases and we try to do
it to the best of our limited abilities (after all we
are not professional investigators) and time spaces
(it is often necessary to investigate at night which
is not possible for us)?. Strange. It almost seems
that NGOs are become more and more like government
departments. whatever happened to activism?

R. Reg. NGOs becoming like govt. depts.-------
You are free to have your opinion. But if I may ask
you ? who has appointed you a judge on us and the
NGOs? I could have stated the umpteen times we have
worked at night including the night when Giorgio
Lazzini was caught, and our members returned at 5.00
a.m the next day. But I am talking of professional
investigations, being properly equipped, that have to
be carried on day after day and night after night,
sometimes even to other states. The task is not as
simple as you make it out to be.

7. You have asked if merely providing information
helps. It may not but don't you it is your
responsibility to provide information.
R. We decide when and how to provide information. We
have provided information to the police on several
occasions including confidential info. for
investigation and action.

8. I have nowhere questions Jan Ugahi's work. I must
admit that a lot of what you'll do is laudable. but I
do feel that you'll should stop treating the media
like some sort of monster. speaking for myself and
most journos, we do care for the problem and the
children. The NGOs ought to work with the media (and
vice versa) and not against them. at the end of the
day I believe we ought to be partners. but that
doesn't seem to be the case. media requests for info
are treated with suspicion leading us to either
believe that somebody has something to hide or just
doesn't have anything. Pls comment.
R. Strange that you say we have treated the press like
some sort of monster? From what we have said in our
communications so far, what gave you that impression?
What makes you think that we have withheld information
from the media? I cannot talk for others but since
your dialogue is with us, may I know what gave you the
impression? In fact, our experience has been that
larger issues that we are raising reg. tourism related
paedophilia as a fall-out of the unbridled tourism
policy of the State, targetting of victims rather than
perpetrators by the authorities to solve the problem
of paedophilia (e.g. the new action plan of the
tourism ministry to round-up unaccompanied lamani
children on the beaches), protection and not further
victimization of children including insensitive
briefing by the police reg. victim?s identity and a
consequent insensitive reporting by the newspapers in
cases of sexual abuse and rape, etc are often lost on
a no. of reporters. Even the written presentation we
had made to the reporters at the press conference and
which Goanet sent around had some of these larger
issues, which, except for Herald, no other English
daily did justice to.

With best wishes,

Greg.







__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail - Easier than ever with enhanced search. Learn more.
http://info.mail.yahoo.com/mail_250
floriano
2004-12-30 08:24:24 UTC
Permalink
Open letter to Mr. Manohar Parrikar, the Chief Minister of GOA.

Dear Mr. Manohar Parrikar,

At the outset, let me make it very clear to you that I am writing this
letter to you, as the CEO, and the Chief Minister of GOA. And therefore, I
need to keep in mind that this address to you must observe all the due
respect and civility as demanded by the chair that you are presently
occupying, and not necessarily as a mark of respect for you as a person.
Needless to say that I write this letter in my personal capacity, as a
concerned cititzen of GOA with very proven and transparent secular
credentials.

You must be aware, through the State President of the Bharatiya Janata
Party, Mr. Rajendra Arlekar, who attended the Heads of Political Parties of
Goa 'Meet' called by the Governor of Goa on December 27, p.m., to discuss
the 'Controversial VCD', that I have, in the capacity as the head of a
political party, while addressing His Excellency during the discussions,
named you, on several occasions, as 'the brain' behind the VCD, being the
professed point-man of the communal RSS in Goa ( while none of the other
heads prefered to do so), and have asked for the dismissal of your
government and the imposition of the President's rule in Goa, with immediate
effect. I have done so because I am convinced to the very debt of my bones
that you are furthering the dying agenda of the RSS's 'Communal Divide'
ideology in Goa, ever since you have taken over as Goa's CM. I have pointed
out to His Excellency that you had taken active part in the demolition of
the Babri Masjid at Ayodhya on December 6, 1992.

I have bitterly opposed your occupying the honourable chair of the Chief
Minister of Goa, ever since you tricked Francisco Sardinha into clearing the
way for you to sit on this chair, fraudulently and with intense political
manipulations and arm-twisting tactics. And you are all too aware that I
have been working, in my own little ways, to alert the people of Goa that
your continuance in the exalted chair as Goa's Chief Minister will do more
evil for Goa and for the average Goan, than good.

But the intensity of my anti-RSS feelings against you had never attained
the saturation point in these few years since 1999, in the understanding
that "one should not hate the certified poison to the extent that it is
allowed to corrupt one's own being" and in the understanding that the people
of Goa, who are more suscegad than alert, needed the time to realize the
danger they are facing. But the entire situation has changed for me since
last evening when I watched the Goan cable TV news channels, where Mr.
Luisizho Faleiro has made a categorical statement that the Chief Minister
has made a remark that "All those who oppose the VCD have Portuguese blood
in them". I personally take this as a most demeaning statement that Goa's
Chief Minister can make, for it insults my entire being as a proud and
bonafide Goan. And for your kind information, you need to hear from me that
you have crossed all norms of decency by encroaching on the massive
tolerance of Goans like me, that from now on, you and your RSS agenda to
divide and rule Goans will be fought back tooth and nail, civilly and
democratically.

Your above derogatory statement, which has also been reported in the section
of Marathi language newspapers, is demeaning because I am a Goan who has
never held any great respect for the Portuguese colonial rulers and more so,
because I have grown up to suffer for being a Portuguese subject. I have
hated my contemporary Goans (read Hindus) calling me a Portuguese and
telling me to go to Portugal if I am not happy in Goa. But I could, and I
have, made them see reason as to how I am a bonafide Goan, a bonafide
Indian, whereas they themselves could be bonafide Indians but were not
bonafide Goans and that the red blood of Goa is running through my veins.
But if the Chief Minister of my State who is ruling by default, without a
mandate to do so, and who knows that I oppose this vile VCD of his own
making from my bones and still prefers to say that there is Portuguese blood
running in my veins, nothing more could be so insulting to me. Therefore, I
am telling you, here and now, that if you think that it is so, then just as
well. I prefer to have the Portuguese blood running in my veins than to have
the vicious, poisonous bloody-black blood of the RSS running into my veins
just like it is running in yours and your RSS clan. I have gone on record,
many times, to say that you have not a single drop of Goan blood in your
veins to make you a Goan. That was my qualified assumption so far. But you
have now proved that it is true.

You must be pat with the RSS history. But let me enlighten you on the Goan
history some. Bruto Da Costa was a thorough gentleman, an advocate and a
thorough-bred Goan, who did not only oppose the Portuguese in Goa, but it
is on record that he, not only did have a duel of words with the Portuguese
Governor of Goa, during the erstwhile Portuguese regime, but also had a
duel with fists which saw him and the Portuguese Governor rolling on the
floor of the Governor's chamber. By your statement above, you have awakened
another Bruto in me, if need be, who is not averse to give you the taste
of what the Portuguese blood, what the Bloody-Black RSS blood and what the
Goan blood, really is.

If you still consider yourself to be a responsible person at the helm of
Goan affairs, even temporarily so, which I don't (see you as anything close
to being a responsible person), I expect a response from you to this
communication. Rest assured, I am, and I shall be ready to deal with any
tone you may prefer to use in your response, failing which I shall consider
that you prefer running with your black RSS tail between your legs.

I have, however, not been able to be hypocritical in hiding my real feelings
towards your agenda in this communication despite my initial observations,
for which I deeply regret.


Floriano Lobo
383A Pirazona,
Moira - Bardez - Goa- 403 507
Ph: 2470223
Mob: 9422060347
floriano
2004-12-14 11:18:26 UTC
Permalink
RESTORE NORMALCY IN OUR LIVES, MR. PARRIKAR.
Letter to the Editor - GT - 14 Dec, 2004.
By: Sonia de Sequeira, Campal, Panjim

I am an 84-year old lady and one of the oldest residents of Campal. My
bungalow faces the Kala Academy and no one has been more inconvenienced by
this absurdly elitist film festival than I have in the last six months. The
front access to my residence has been cut off for over four months with the
IFFI's "beautification" works. We have been unable to entertain or even
receive casual visitors to our home, and the decision to block off traffic
on the D B Marg for 10 days has turned the inconvenience into a complete
nightmare. Hundreds of scooters and cars are parked on the lanes surrounding
our house, contrary to the Chief Minister's assurances that parking would be
properly "managed". My 12-year old grand-daughter's school-bus has been
denied entry into Campal ever since the film festival started. Apart from
this, we were kept awake night after night with the road works and I, a
senior citizen has had to call in the police as late as 11.30 pm on several
occasions to put a stop to it.

Does being in power gives the Chief Minister and his corporate extensions
like the GSIDC and the Entertainment Society of Goa the right to abuse such
power so blatantly? Can a government impose its decisions on citizens to the
extent that it completely ignores the disruptions and inconvenience it is
causing to their daily lives? Are we to just sit back and allow our rights
to be trampled on so as a elitist few can watch movies in the sequestered
comfort that has been paid for by tax-payers money?

Go ahead and have all the film festivals you want Mr. Parrikar. But next
time make sure you do so far from any residential area and without using
public funds. For now, kindly take away your road show from Campal and leave
us to lead our normal, ordinary lives.

Comments:

Dear Mrs. Sequeira.
We, the ordinary citizens like you are ceased of the terrible problems you
have to suffer in the name of IFFI. If we may reply to your emotional letter
as Mr. Parrikar himself doing the same in person, we would like to ask you
some things and tell you some things too.

"Mrs. Sequeira, this is your MLA-cum-Chief Minister replying to your
inconsiderate letter to the 'still to come out of the cocoon' editor of the
Gomantak Times. If I may ask, how long do you want to live Mrs. Sequeira?.
Wouldn't you like your grand-daughter, who will grow up to be the modern day
girl, to be a little flamboyant and not so critical as her mother (the
hardworking journalist) to show off beautiful Campal to her visitor friends?
Have you been this mean all your life, complaining and cribbing about
little unavoidable inconveniences without a thought for the future of the
young generation Goans? You are obviously of the Christian faith. Does
Christianity not preach happiness through sufferings? Does it not teach you
to forgive a little trespass of others even if it means that your
neighbourhood is packed with parked two and 4 wheelers, even to the extent
that your garden is used by the IFFI guests to relieve themselves. Besides
you are getting free organic fertilizers for your plants and lawns. No, Mrs.
Sequeira, I am a modern day Chief Minister, unlike those old dudes who
knew or know nothing of life and enjoyment through entertainment. I shall
not take away the film festival to a far away place. I shall have it in your
back-yard the next year too, whether you, your daughter or your grand
daughter likes it or not. Besides, you, at this senior age, should be mature
enough to make peace with your heavenly Lord rather than trying to get into
my hair."

Floriano
www.goasu-raj.org
Ms jan ugahi
2004-12-16 14:19:52 UTC
Permalink
To: Reuvon Proenca <reuvon at rediffmail.com>
Cc: <goanet at goanet.org>, <fred at bytesforall.org>,
Date: 16th December, 2004.
Ref: JU/PC/2004-05/e-210
Sub: Reg: Tourism Related Paedophile? a blind eye
Reply to Reuvon Proenca - 2

Before I go to the questions, let me respond to the
note in your introduction ? Reg. your article in GT
dtd. 31-8-04 you say ?the information we provided in
the report was also provided to tehelka by your office
so what's the big secret? correct me if I'm wrong when
I say that the info we published was the same that you
have in your files.?
You seem reluctant to admit it Reuvon.
The ?big secret? is that we were sure that you used
our information to pen your article in GT even if it
was presented as GT?s investigation. To quote it ?GT
has been closely following leads on the movement of
suspected paedophiles in S. Goa------- Our
investigations reveal that there are, at the very
least, four such people whose movements and activities
are highly suspicious?

We think it was unethical of Tehelka to hand this
information to you as it was given to them on a
confidential basis to be used for further
investigation by them and not for mere media
sensation. We also did it because we believed that if
the State could not take a stand, they should be
exposed. And, it was unethical on your part to
publish it, without our permission.

Responses to Questions:
1. Does substantial information mean rape of a child?
weren't you'll aware that Joe was living with a minor
girl for almost 10-years?
R. We have not said or implied that. If we were aware
we would obviously have acted. Giorgio was a suspect
on our list under another name for nearly 2 years and
the said girl who has been declared to be 21 years old
was a major then. A lot of incriminating evidence has
come to the surface after he was booked.

2. There is a problem with the police. you know that
and I know that. we all know there's a problem but is
anyone trying to put forward a solution?
R. Who is this anyone you have in mind? May be the
press should take up a campaign like GT did with the
?People?s Court? to identify the deeper problem and
put forward the solution. The NGOs on their part have
on several occasions tried to define the problem and
put forward a solution. The Goa Children?s Act 2003
was a major step in this direction.

3. Your allegations about Middleton are serious. Have
you made any formal complaint in court or to any kind
of authority. I would suggest you do that, if not
done already.
R. We realize you are not well informed about the
case, to make the above suggestion. Despite all
attempts by the enforcement agency to scuttle and
close the case, we are still fighting for justice in
the Court.

4. If not the police, then who? are paedophiles going
scot free only because the police are allegedly
cahoots with them? The children's act makes provision
for arrest of paedophiles with hard evidence.
R. Good questions. Maybe the readers will attempt an
answer. We on our part do our best to see that they
do not go scot free despite a lot of hurdles including
during the investigation and prosecution process.

5. Ringlemann was a blot. but again, did the NGOs
file a complaint against the police handling of the
matter. there's always the judiciary. also, proving
the Ringleman case, as per the info I have, would have
been difficult. isn't it better that the monster is
out of the country for good?
R. As I said in my earlier response, CRG had informed
the police long ago.
Did the NGOs file a complaint? You ask.
Should it be mandatory for NGOs to file a complaint
for the police to act?
This brings us to the question of the role of the
State vis-?-vis such acts. Should it be merely
reactive? Should it not be proactive? If I?m not
mistaken, in past instances, the police & Courts have
taken a suo moto approach and treated as an FIR,
Newspaper Reports. That was precisely the question
put to the DIG Randhava after the Tehelka private
screening with the police by some of us - if they
cannot act on the basis of the recorded
statement/evidences in the video recording. Be it
paedophilia cases or acts of vandalism the patent
response of the State is: no one has made a complaint,
implying that they can act only if a complaint is
recorded. This certainly betrays a lack of will on
the part of the State and an attempt to sideline and
mislead the people.

Is merely driving the monster out of the
country, without even a shake-up, the solution? Such
an approach doesn?t even work as a deterrent or
preventive, according to us! If we drive one out
there will be other Ringlemans. Come to think of it,
Giorgio Lazzini & Gunter Backmann have appeared on the
scene quite soon after the Tehelka sting operation
after which the monster (Ringleman) was sent out of
the country.

6. You have said, "Given these experiences we have
our own way of following up on cases and we try to do
it to the best of our limited abilities (after all we
are not professional investigators) and time spaces
(it is often necessary to investigate at night which
is not possible for us)?. Strange. It almost seems
that NGOs are become more and more like government
departments. whatever happened to activism?

R. Reg. NGOs becoming like govt. depts.-------
You are free to have your opinion. But if I may ask
you ? who has appointed you a judge on us and the
NGOs? I could have stated the umpteen times we have
worked at night including the night when Giorgio
Lazzini was caught, and our members returned at 5.00
a.m the next day. But I am talking of professional
investigations, being properly equipped, that have to
be carried on day after day and night after night,
sometimes even to other states. The task is not as
simple as you make it out to be.

7. You have asked if merely providing information
helps. It may not but don't you it is your
responsibility to provide information.
R. We decide when and how to provide information. We
have provided information to the police on several
occasions including confidential info. for
investigation and action.

8. I have nowhere questions Jan Ugahi's work. I must
admit that a lot of what you'll do is laudable. but I
do feel that you'll should stop treating the media
like some sort of monster. speaking for myself and
most journos, we do care for the problem and the
children. The NGOs ought to work with the media (and
vice versa) and not against them. at the end of the
day I believe we ought to be partners. but that
doesn't seem to be the case. media requests for info
are treated with suspicion leading us to either
believe that somebody has something to hide or just
doesn't have anything. Pls comment.
R. Strange that you say we have treated the press like
some sort of monster? From what we have said in our
communications so far, what gave you that impression?
What makes you think that we have withheld information
from the media? I cannot talk for others but since
your dialogue is with us, may I know what gave you the
impression? In fact, our experience has been that
larger issues that we are raising reg. tourism related
paedophilia as a fall-out of the unbridled tourism
policy of the State, targetting of victims rather than
perpetrators by the authorities to solve the problem
of paedophilia (e.g. the new action plan of the
tourism ministry to round-up unaccompanied lamani
children on the beaches), protection and not further
victimization of children including insensitive
briefing by the police reg. victim?s identity and a
consequent insensitive reporting by the newspapers in
cases of sexual abuse and rape, etc are often lost on
a no. of reporters. Even the written presentation we
had made to the reporters at the press conference and
which Goanet sent around had some of these larger
issues, which, except for Herald, no other English
daily did justice to.

With best wishes,

Greg.







__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail - Easier than ever with enhanced search. Learn more.
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floriano
2004-12-30 08:24:24 UTC
Permalink
Open letter to Mr. Manohar Parrikar, the Chief Minister of GOA.

Dear Mr. Manohar Parrikar,

At the outset, let me make it very clear to you that I am writing this
letter to you, as the CEO, and the Chief Minister of GOA. And therefore, I
need to keep in mind that this address to you must observe all the due
respect and civility as demanded by the chair that you are presently
occupying, and not necessarily as a mark of respect for you as a person.
Needless to say that I write this letter in my personal capacity, as a
concerned cititzen of GOA with very proven and transparent secular
credentials.

You must be aware, through the State President of the Bharatiya Janata
Party, Mr. Rajendra Arlekar, who attended the Heads of Political Parties of
Goa 'Meet' called by the Governor of Goa on December 27, p.m., to discuss
the 'Controversial VCD', that I have, in the capacity as the head of a
political party, while addressing His Excellency during the discussions,
named you, on several occasions, as 'the brain' behind the VCD, being the
professed point-man of the communal RSS in Goa ( while none of the other
heads prefered to do so), and have asked for the dismissal of your
government and the imposition of the President's rule in Goa, with immediate
effect. I have done so because I am convinced to the very debt of my bones
that you are furthering the dying agenda of the RSS's 'Communal Divide'
ideology in Goa, ever since you have taken over as Goa's CM. I have pointed
out to His Excellency that you had taken active part in the demolition of
the Babri Masjid at Ayodhya on December 6, 1992.

I have bitterly opposed your occupying the honourable chair of the Chief
Minister of Goa, ever since you tricked Francisco Sardinha into clearing the
way for you to sit on this chair, fraudulently and with intense political
manipulations and arm-twisting tactics. And you are all too aware that I
have been working, in my own little ways, to alert the people of Goa that
your continuance in the exalted chair as Goa's Chief Minister will do more
evil for Goa and for the average Goan, than good.

But the intensity of my anti-RSS feelings against you had never attained
the saturation point in these few years since 1999, in the understanding
that "one should not hate the certified poison to the extent that it is
allowed to corrupt one's own being" and in the understanding that the people
of Goa, who are more suscegad than alert, needed the time to realize the
danger they are facing. But the entire situation has changed for me since
last evening when I watched the Goan cable TV news channels, where Mr.
Luisizho Faleiro has made a categorical statement that the Chief Minister
has made a remark that "All those who oppose the VCD have Portuguese blood
in them". I personally take this as a most demeaning statement that Goa's
Chief Minister can make, for it insults my entire being as a proud and
bonafide Goan. And for your kind information, you need to hear from me that
you have crossed all norms of decency by encroaching on the massive
tolerance of Goans like me, that from now on, you and your RSS agenda to
divide and rule Goans will be fought back tooth and nail, civilly and
democratically.

Your above derogatory statement, which has also been reported in the section
of Marathi language newspapers, is demeaning because I am a Goan who has
never held any great respect for the Portuguese colonial rulers and more so,
because I have grown up to suffer for being a Portuguese subject. I have
hated my contemporary Goans (read Hindus) calling me a Portuguese and
telling me to go to Portugal if I am not happy in Goa. But I could, and I
have, made them see reason as to how I am a bonafide Goan, a bonafide
Indian, whereas they themselves could be bonafide Indians but were not
bonafide Goans and that the red blood of Goa is running through my veins.
But if the Chief Minister of my State who is ruling by default, without a
mandate to do so, and who knows that I oppose this vile VCD of his own
making from my bones and still prefers to say that there is Portuguese blood
running in my veins, nothing more could be so insulting to me. Therefore, I
am telling you, here and now, that if you think that it is so, then just as
well. I prefer to have the Portuguese blood running in my veins than to have
the vicious, poisonous bloody-black blood of the RSS running into my veins
just like it is running in yours and your RSS clan. I have gone on record,
many times, to say that you have not a single drop of Goan blood in your
veins to make you a Goan. That was my qualified assumption so far. But you
have now proved that it is true.

You must be pat with the RSS history. But let me enlighten you on the Goan
history some. Bruto Da Costa was a thorough gentleman, an advocate and a
thorough-bred Goan, who did not only oppose the Portuguese in Goa, but it
is on record that he, not only did have a duel of words with the Portuguese
Governor of Goa, during the erstwhile Portuguese regime, but also had a
duel with fists which saw him and the Portuguese Governor rolling on the
floor of the Governor's chamber. By your statement above, you have awakened
another Bruto in me, if need be, who is not averse to give you the taste
of what the Portuguese blood, what the Bloody-Black RSS blood and what the
Goan blood, really is.

If you still consider yourself to be a responsible person at the helm of
Goan affairs, even temporarily so, which I don't (see you as anything close
to being a responsible person), I expect a response from you to this
communication. Rest assured, I am, and I shall be ready to deal with any
tone you may prefer to use in your response, failing which I shall consider
that you prefer running with your black RSS tail between your legs.

I have, however, not been able to be hypocritical in hiding my real feelings
towards your agenda in this communication despite my initial observations,
for which I deeply regret.


Floriano Lobo
383A Pirazona,
Moira - Bardez - Goa- 403 507
Ph: 2470223
Mob: 9422060347
floriano
2004-12-14 11:18:26 UTC
Permalink
RESTORE NORMALCY IN OUR LIVES, MR. PARRIKAR.
Letter to the Editor - GT - 14 Dec, 2004.
By: Sonia de Sequeira, Campal, Panjim

I am an 84-year old lady and one of the oldest residents of Campal. My
bungalow faces the Kala Academy and no one has been more inconvenienced by
this absurdly elitist film festival than I have in the last six months. The
front access to my residence has been cut off for over four months with the
IFFI's "beautification" works. We have been unable to entertain or even
receive casual visitors to our home, and the decision to block off traffic
on the D B Marg for 10 days has turned the inconvenience into a complete
nightmare. Hundreds of scooters and cars are parked on the lanes surrounding
our house, contrary to the Chief Minister's assurances that parking would be
properly "managed". My 12-year old grand-daughter's school-bus has been
denied entry into Campal ever since the film festival started. Apart from
this, we were kept awake night after night with the road works and I, a
senior citizen has had to call in the police as late as 11.30 pm on several
occasions to put a stop to it.

Does being in power gives the Chief Minister and his corporate extensions
like the GSIDC and the Entertainment Society of Goa the right to abuse such
power so blatantly? Can a government impose its decisions on citizens to the
extent that it completely ignores the disruptions and inconvenience it is
causing to their daily lives? Are we to just sit back and allow our rights
to be trampled on so as a elitist few can watch movies in the sequestered
comfort that has been paid for by tax-payers money?

Go ahead and have all the film festivals you want Mr. Parrikar. But next
time make sure you do so far from any residential area and without using
public funds. For now, kindly take away your road show from Campal and leave
us to lead our normal, ordinary lives.

Comments:

Dear Mrs. Sequeira.
We, the ordinary citizens like you are ceased of the terrible problems you
have to suffer in the name of IFFI. If we may reply to your emotional letter
as Mr. Parrikar himself doing the same in person, we would like to ask you
some things and tell you some things too.

"Mrs. Sequeira, this is your MLA-cum-Chief Minister replying to your
inconsiderate letter to the 'still to come out of the cocoon' editor of the
Gomantak Times. If I may ask, how long do you want to live Mrs. Sequeira?.
Wouldn't you like your grand-daughter, who will grow up to be the modern day
girl, to be a little flamboyant and not so critical as her mother (the
hardworking journalist) to show off beautiful Campal to her visitor friends?
Have you been this mean all your life, complaining and cribbing about
little unavoidable inconveniences without a thought for the future of the
young generation Goans? You are obviously of the Christian faith. Does
Christianity not preach happiness through sufferings? Does it not teach you
to forgive a little trespass of others even if it means that your
neighbourhood is packed with parked two and 4 wheelers, even to the extent
that your garden is used by the IFFI guests to relieve themselves. Besides
you are getting free organic fertilizers for your plants and lawns. No, Mrs.
Sequeira, I am a modern day Chief Minister, unlike those old dudes who
knew or know nothing of life and enjoyment through entertainment. I shall
not take away the film festival to a far away place. I shall have it in your
back-yard the next year too, whether you, your daughter or your grand
daughter likes it or not. Besides, you, at this senior age, should be mature
enough to make peace with your heavenly Lord rather than trying to get into
my hair."

Floriano
www.goasu-raj.org
Ms jan ugahi
2004-12-16 14:19:52 UTC
Permalink
To: Reuvon Proenca <reuvon at rediffmail.com>
Cc: <goanet at goanet.org>, <fred at bytesforall.org>,
Date: 16th December, 2004.
Ref: JU/PC/2004-05/e-210
Sub: Reg: Tourism Related Paedophile? a blind eye
Reply to Reuvon Proenca - 2

Before I go to the questions, let me respond to the
note in your introduction ? Reg. your article in GT
dtd. 31-8-04 you say ?the information we provided in
the report was also provided to tehelka by your office
so what's the big secret? correct me if I'm wrong when
I say that the info we published was the same that you
have in your files.?
You seem reluctant to admit it Reuvon.
The ?big secret? is that we were sure that you used
our information to pen your article in GT even if it
was presented as GT?s investigation. To quote it ?GT
has been closely following leads on the movement of
suspected paedophiles in S. Goa------- Our
investigations reveal that there are, at the very
least, four such people whose movements and activities
are highly suspicious?

We think it was unethical of Tehelka to hand this
information to you as it was given to them on a
confidential basis to be used for further
investigation by them and not for mere media
sensation. We also did it because we believed that if
the State could not take a stand, they should be
exposed. And, it was unethical on your part to
publish it, without our permission.

Responses to Questions:
1. Does substantial information mean rape of a child?
weren't you'll aware that Joe was living with a minor
girl for almost 10-years?
R. We have not said or implied that. If we were aware
we would obviously have acted. Giorgio was a suspect
on our list under another name for nearly 2 years and
the said girl who has been declared to be 21 years old
was a major then. A lot of incriminating evidence has
come to the surface after he was booked.

2. There is a problem with the police. you know that
and I know that. we all know there's a problem but is
anyone trying to put forward a solution?
R. Who is this anyone you have in mind? May be the
press should take up a campaign like GT did with the
?People?s Court? to identify the deeper problem and
put forward the solution. The NGOs on their part have
on several occasions tried to define the problem and
put forward a solution. The Goa Children?s Act 2003
was a major step in this direction.

3. Your allegations about Middleton are serious. Have
you made any formal complaint in court or to any kind
of authority. I would suggest you do that, if not
done already.
R. We realize you are not well informed about the
case, to make the above suggestion. Despite all
attempts by the enforcement agency to scuttle and
close the case, we are still fighting for justice in
the Court.

4. If not the police, then who? are paedophiles going
scot free only because the police are allegedly
cahoots with them? The children's act makes provision
for arrest of paedophiles with hard evidence.
R. Good questions. Maybe the readers will attempt an
answer. We on our part do our best to see that they
do not go scot free despite a lot of hurdles including
during the investigation and prosecution process.

5. Ringlemann was a blot. but again, did the NGOs
file a complaint against the police handling of the
matter. there's always the judiciary. also, proving
the Ringleman case, as per the info I have, would have
been difficult. isn't it better that the monster is
out of the country for good?
R. As I said in my earlier response, CRG had informed
the police long ago.
Did the NGOs file a complaint? You ask.
Should it be mandatory for NGOs to file a complaint
for the police to act?
This brings us to the question of the role of the
State vis-?-vis such acts. Should it be merely
reactive? Should it not be proactive? If I?m not
mistaken, in past instances, the police & Courts have
taken a suo moto approach and treated as an FIR,
Newspaper Reports. That was precisely the question
put to the DIG Randhava after the Tehelka private
screening with the police by some of us - if they
cannot act on the basis of the recorded
statement/evidences in the video recording. Be it
paedophilia cases or acts of vandalism the patent
response of the State is: no one has made a complaint,
implying that they can act only if a complaint is
recorded. This certainly betrays a lack of will on
the part of the State and an attempt to sideline and
mislead the people.

Is merely driving the monster out of the
country, without even a shake-up, the solution? Such
an approach doesn?t even work as a deterrent or
preventive, according to us! If we drive one out
there will be other Ringlemans. Come to think of it,
Giorgio Lazzini & Gunter Backmann have appeared on the
scene quite soon after the Tehelka sting operation
after which the monster (Ringleman) was sent out of
the country.

6. You have said, "Given these experiences we have
our own way of following up on cases and we try to do
it to the best of our limited abilities (after all we
are not professional investigators) and time spaces
(it is often necessary to investigate at night which
is not possible for us)?. Strange. It almost seems
that NGOs are become more and more like government
departments. whatever happened to activism?

R. Reg. NGOs becoming like govt. depts.-------
You are free to have your opinion. But if I may ask
you ? who has appointed you a judge on us and the
NGOs? I could have stated the umpteen times we have
worked at night including the night when Giorgio
Lazzini was caught, and our members returned at 5.00
a.m the next day. But I am talking of professional
investigations, being properly equipped, that have to
be carried on day after day and night after night,
sometimes even to other states. The task is not as
simple as you make it out to be.

7. You have asked if merely providing information
helps. It may not but don't you it is your
responsibility to provide information.
R. We decide when and how to provide information. We
have provided information to the police on several
occasions including confidential info. for
investigation and action.

8. I have nowhere questions Jan Ugahi's work. I must
admit that a lot of what you'll do is laudable. but I
do feel that you'll should stop treating the media
like some sort of monster. speaking for myself and
most journos, we do care for the problem and the
children. The NGOs ought to work with the media (and
vice versa) and not against them. at the end of the
day I believe we ought to be partners. but that
doesn't seem to be the case. media requests for info
are treated with suspicion leading us to either
believe that somebody has something to hide or just
doesn't have anything. Pls comment.
R. Strange that you say we have treated the press like
some sort of monster? From what we have said in our
communications so far, what gave you that impression?
What makes you think that we have withheld information
from the media? I cannot talk for others but since
your dialogue is with us, may I know what gave you the
impression? In fact, our experience has been that
larger issues that we are raising reg. tourism related
paedophilia as a fall-out of the unbridled tourism
policy of the State, targetting of victims rather than
perpetrators by the authorities to solve the problem
of paedophilia (e.g. the new action plan of the
tourism ministry to round-up unaccompanied lamani
children on the beaches), protection and not further
victimization of children including insensitive
briefing by the police reg. victim?s identity and a
consequent insensitive reporting by the newspapers in
cases of sexual abuse and rape, etc are often lost on
a no. of reporters. Even the written presentation we
had made to the reporters at the press conference and
which Goanet sent around had some of these larger
issues, which, except for Herald, no other English
daily did justice to.

With best wishes,

Greg.







__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail - Easier than ever with enhanced search. Learn more.
http://info.mail.yahoo.com/mail_250
floriano
2004-12-30 08:24:24 UTC
Permalink
Open letter to Mr. Manohar Parrikar, the Chief Minister of GOA.

Dear Mr. Manohar Parrikar,

At the outset, let me make it very clear to you that I am writing this
letter to you, as the CEO, and the Chief Minister of GOA. And therefore, I
need to keep in mind that this address to you must observe all the due
respect and civility as demanded by the chair that you are presently
occupying, and not necessarily as a mark of respect for you as a person.
Needless to say that I write this letter in my personal capacity, as a
concerned cititzen of GOA with very proven and transparent secular
credentials.

You must be aware, through the State President of the Bharatiya Janata
Party, Mr. Rajendra Arlekar, who attended the Heads of Political Parties of
Goa 'Meet' called by the Governor of Goa on December 27, p.m., to discuss
the 'Controversial VCD', that I have, in the capacity as the head of a
political party, while addressing His Excellency during the discussions,
named you, on several occasions, as 'the brain' behind the VCD, being the
professed point-man of the communal RSS in Goa ( while none of the other
heads prefered to do so), and have asked for the dismissal of your
government and the imposition of the President's rule in Goa, with immediate
effect. I have done so because I am convinced to the very debt of my bones
that you are furthering the dying agenda of the RSS's 'Communal Divide'
ideology in Goa, ever since you have taken over as Goa's CM. I have pointed
out to His Excellency that you had taken active part in the demolition of
the Babri Masjid at Ayodhya on December 6, 1992.

I have bitterly opposed your occupying the honourable chair of the Chief
Minister of Goa, ever since you tricked Francisco Sardinha into clearing the
way for you to sit on this chair, fraudulently and with intense political
manipulations and arm-twisting tactics. And you are all too aware that I
have been working, in my own little ways, to alert the people of Goa that
your continuance in the exalted chair as Goa's Chief Minister will do more
evil for Goa and for the average Goan, than good.

But the intensity of my anti-RSS feelings against you had never attained
the saturation point in these few years since 1999, in the understanding
that "one should not hate the certified poison to the extent that it is
allowed to corrupt one's own being" and in the understanding that the people
of Goa, who are more suscegad than alert, needed the time to realize the
danger they are facing. But the entire situation has changed for me since
last evening when I watched the Goan cable TV news channels, where Mr.
Luisizho Faleiro has made a categorical statement that the Chief Minister
has made a remark that "All those who oppose the VCD have Portuguese blood
in them". I personally take this as a most demeaning statement that Goa's
Chief Minister can make, for it insults my entire being as a proud and
bonafide Goan. And for your kind information, you need to hear from me that
you have crossed all norms of decency by encroaching on the massive
tolerance of Goans like me, that from now on, you and your RSS agenda to
divide and rule Goans will be fought back tooth and nail, civilly and
democratically.

Your above derogatory statement, which has also been reported in the section
of Marathi language newspapers, is demeaning because I am a Goan who has
never held any great respect for the Portuguese colonial rulers and more so,
because I have grown up to suffer for being a Portuguese subject. I have
hated my contemporary Goans (read Hindus) calling me a Portuguese and
telling me to go to Portugal if I am not happy in Goa. But I could, and I
have, made them see reason as to how I am a bonafide Goan, a bonafide
Indian, whereas they themselves could be bonafide Indians but were not
bonafide Goans and that the red blood of Goa is running through my veins.
But if the Chief Minister of my State who is ruling by default, without a
mandate to do so, and who knows that I oppose this vile VCD of his own
making from my bones and still prefers to say that there is Portuguese blood
running in my veins, nothing more could be so insulting to me. Therefore, I
am telling you, here and now, that if you think that it is so, then just as
well. I prefer to have the Portuguese blood running in my veins than to have
the vicious, poisonous bloody-black blood of the RSS running into my veins
just like it is running in yours and your RSS clan. I have gone on record,
many times, to say that you have not a single drop of Goan blood in your
veins to make you a Goan. That was my qualified assumption so far. But you
have now proved that it is true.

You must be pat with the RSS history. But let me enlighten you on the Goan
history some. Bruto Da Costa was a thorough gentleman, an advocate and a
thorough-bred Goan, who did not only oppose the Portuguese in Goa, but it
is on record that he, not only did have a duel of words with the Portuguese
Governor of Goa, during the erstwhile Portuguese regime, but also had a
duel with fists which saw him and the Portuguese Governor rolling on the
floor of the Governor's chamber. By your statement above, you have awakened
another Bruto in me, if need be, who is not averse to give you the taste
of what the Portuguese blood, what the Bloody-Black RSS blood and what the
Goan blood, really is.

If you still consider yourself to be a responsible person at the helm of
Goan affairs, even temporarily so, which I don't (see you as anything close
to being a responsible person), I expect a response from you to this
communication. Rest assured, I am, and I shall be ready to deal with any
tone you may prefer to use in your response, failing which I shall consider
that you prefer running with your black RSS tail between your legs.

I have, however, not been able to be hypocritical in hiding my real feelings
towards your agenda in this communication despite my initial observations,
for which I deeply regret.


Floriano Lobo
383A Pirazona,
Moira - Bardez - Goa- 403 507
Ph: 2470223
Mob: 9422060347
floriano
2004-12-14 11:18:26 UTC
Permalink
RESTORE NORMALCY IN OUR LIVES, MR. PARRIKAR.
Letter to the Editor - GT - 14 Dec, 2004.
By: Sonia de Sequeira, Campal, Panjim

I am an 84-year old lady and one of the oldest residents of Campal. My
bungalow faces the Kala Academy and no one has been more inconvenienced by
this absurdly elitist film festival than I have in the last six months. The
front access to my residence has been cut off for over four months with the
IFFI's "beautification" works. We have been unable to entertain or even
receive casual visitors to our home, and the decision to block off traffic
on the D B Marg for 10 days has turned the inconvenience into a complete
nightmare. Hundreds of scooters and cars are parked on the lanes surrounding
our house, contrary to the Chief Minister's assurances that parking would be
properly "managed". My 12-year old grand-daughter's school-bus has been
denied entry into Campal ever since the film festival started. Apart from
this, we were kept awake night after night with the road works and I, a
senior citizen has had to call in the police as late as 11.30 pm on several
occasions to put a stop to it.

Does being in power gives the Chief Minister and his corporate extensions
like the GSIDC and the Entertainment Society of Goa the right to abuse such
power so blatantly? Can a government impose its decisions on citizens to the
extent that it completely ignores the disruptions and inconvenience it is
causing to their daily lives? Are we to just sit back and allow our rights
to be trampled on so as a elitist few can watch movies in the sequestered
comfort that has been paid for by tax-payers money?

Go ahead and have all the film festivals you want Mr. Parrikar. But next
time make sure you do so far from any residential area and without using
public funds. For now, kindly take away your road show from Campal and leave
us to lead our normal, ordinary lives.

Comments:

Dear Mrs. Sequeira.
We, the ordinary citizens like you are ceased of the terrible problems you
have to suffer in the name of IFFI. If we may reply to your emotional letter
as Mr. Parrikar himself doing the same in person, we would like to ask you
some things and tell you some things too.

"Mrs. Sequeira, this is your MLA-cum-Chief Minister replying to your
inconsiderate letter to the 'still to come out of the cocoon' editor of the
Gomantak Times. If I may ask, how long do you want to live Mrs. Sequeira?.
Wouldn't you like your grand-daughter, who will grow up to be the modern day
girl, to be a little flamboyant and not so critical as her mother (the
hardworking journalist) to show off beautiful Campal to her visitor friends?
Have you been this mean all your life, complaining and cribbing about
little unavoidable inconveniences without a thought for the future of the
young generation Goans? You are obviously of the Christian faith. Does
Christianity not preach happiness through sufferings? Does it not teach you
to forgive a little trespass of others even if it means that your
neighbourhood is packed with parked two and 4 wheelers, even to the extent
that your garden is used by the IFFI guests to relieve themselves. Besides
you are getting free organic fertilizers for your plants and lawns. No, Mrs.
Sequeira, I am a modern day Chief Minister, unlike those old dudes who
knew or know nothing of life and enjoyment through entertainment. I shall
not take away the film festival to a far away place. I shall have it in your
back-yard the next year too, whether you, your daughter or your grand
daughter likes it or not. Besides, you, at this senior age, should be mature
enough to make peace with your heavenly Lord rather than trying to get into
my hair."

Floriano
www.goasu-raj.org
Ms jan ugahi
2004-12-16 14:19:52 UTC
Permalink
To: Reuvon Proenca <reuvon at rediffmail.com>
Cc: <goanet at goanet.org>, <fred at bytesforall.org>,
Date: 16th December, 2004.
Ref: JU/PC/2004-05/e-210
Sub: Reg: Tourism Related Paedophile? a blind eye
Reply to Reuvon Proenca - 2

Before I go to the questions, let me respond to the
note in your introduction ? Reg. your article in GT
dtd. 31-8-04 you say ?the information we provided in
the report was also provided to tehelka by your office
so what's the big secret? correct me if I'm wrong when
I say that the info we published was the same that you
have in your files.?
You seem reluctant to admit it Reuvon.
The ?big secret? is that we were sure that you used
our information to pen your article in GT even if it
was presented as GT?s investigation. To quote it ?GT
has been closely following leads on the movement of
suspected paedophiles in S. Goa------- Our
investigations reveal that there are, at the very
least, four such people whose movements and activities
are highly suspicious?

We think it was unethical of Tehelka to hand this
information to you as it was given to them on a
confidential basis to be used for further
investigation by them and not for mere media
sensation. We also did it because we believed that if
the State could not take a stand, they should be
exposed. And, it was unethical on your part to
publish it, without our permission.

Responses to Questions:
1. Does substantial information mean rape of a child?
weren't you'll aware that Joe was living with a minor
girl for almost 10-years?
R. We have not said or implied that. If we were aware
we would obviously have acted. Giorgio was a suspect
on our list under another name for nearly 2 years and
the said girl who has been declared to be 21 years old
was a major then. A lot of incriminating evidence has
come to the surface after he was booked.

2. There is a problem with the police. you know that
and I know that. we all know there's a problem but is
anyone trying to put forward a solution?
R. Who is this anyone you have in mind? May be the
press should take up a campaign like GT did with the
?People?s Court? to identify the deeper problem and
put forward the solution. The NGOs on their part have
on several occasions tried to define the problem and
put forward a solution. The Goa Children?s Act 2003
was a major step in this direction.

3. Your allegations about Middleton are serious. Have
you made any formal complaint in court or to any kind
of authority. I would suggest you do that, if not
done already.
R. We realize you are not well informed about the
case, to make the above suggestion. Despite all
attempts by the enforcement agency to scuttle and
close the case, we are still fighting for justice in
the Court.

4. If not the police, then who? are paedophiles going
scot free only because the police are allegedly
cahoots with them? The children's act makes provision
for arrest of paedophiles with hard evidence.
R. Good questions. Maybe the readers will attempt an
answer. We on our part do our best to see that they
do not go scot free despite a lot of hurdles including
during the investigation and prosecution process.

5. Ringlemann was a blot. but again, did the NGOs
file a complaint against the police handling of the
matter. there's always the judiciary. also, proving
the Ringleman case, as per the info I have, would have
been difficult. isn't it better that the monster is
out of the country for good?
R. As I said in my earlier response, CRG had informed
the police long ago.
Did the NGOs file a complaint? You ask.
Should it be mandatory for NGOs to file a complaint
for the police to act?
This brings us to the question of the role of the
State vis-?-vis such acts. Should it be merely
reactive? Should it not be proactive? If I?m not
mistaken, in past instances, the police & Courts have
taken a suo moto approach and treated as an FIR,
Newspaper Reports. That was precisely the question
put to the DIG Randhava after the Tehelka private
screening with the police by some of us - if they
cannot act on the basis of the recorded
statement/evidences in the video recording. Be it
paedophilia cases or acts of vandalism the patent
response of the State is: no one has made a complaint,
implying that they can act only if a complaint is
recorded. This certainly betrays a lack of will on
the part of the State and an attempt to sideline and
mislead the people.

Is merely driving the monster out of the
country, without even a shake-up, the solution? Such
an approach doesn?t even work as a deterrent or
preventive, according to us! If we drive one out
there will be other Ringlemans. Come to think of it,
Giorgio Lazzini & Gunter Backmann have appeared on the
scene quite soon after the Tehelka sting operation
after which the monster (Ringleman) was sent out of
the country.

6. You have said, "Given these experiences we have
our own way of following up on cases and we try to do
it to the best of our limited abilities (after all we
are not professional investigators) and time spaces
(it is often necessary to investigate at night which
is not possible for us)?. Strange. It almost seems
that NGOs are become more and more like government
departments. whatever happened to activism?

R. Reg. NGOs becoming like govt. depts.-------
You are free to have your opinion. But if I may ask
you ? who has appointed you a judge on us and the
NGOs? I could have stated the umpteen times we have
worked at night including the night when Giorgio
Lazzini was caught, and our members returned at 5.00
a.m the next day. But I am talking of professional
investigations, being properly equipped, that have to
be carried on day after day and night after night,
sometimes even to other states. The task is not as
simple as you make it out to be.

7. You have asked if merely providing information
helps. It may not but don't you it is your
responsibility to provide information.
R. We decide when and how to provide information. We
have provided information to the police on several
occasions including confidential info. for
investigation and action.

8. I have nowhere questions Jan Ugahi's work. I must
admit that a lot of what you'll do is laudable. but I
do feel that you'll should stop treating the media
like some sort of monster. speaking for myself and
most journos, we do care for the problem and the
children. The NGOs ought to work with the media (and
vice versa) and not against them. at the end of the
day I believe we ought to be partners. but that
doesn't seem to be the case. media requests for info
are treated with suspicion leading us to either
believe that somebody has something to hide or just
doesn't have anything. Pls comment.
R. Strange that you say we have treated the press like
some sort of monster? From what we have said in our
communications so far, what gave you that impression?
What makes you think that we have withheld information
from the media? I cannot talk for others but since
your dialogue is with us, may I know what gave you the
impression? In fact, our experience has been that
larger issues that we are raising reg. tourism related
paedophilia as a fall-out of the unbridled tourism
policy of the State, targetting of victims rather than
perpetrators by the authorities to solve the problem
of paedophilia (e.g. the new action plan of the
tourism ministry to round-up unaccompanied lamani
children on the beaches), protection and not further
victimization of children including insensitive
briefing by the police reg. victim?s identity and a
consequent insensitive reporting by the newspapers in
cases of sexual abuse and rape, etc are often lost on
a no. of reporters. Even the written presentation we
had made to the reporters at the press conference and
which Goanet sent around had some of these larger
issues, which, except for Herald, no other English
daily did justice to.

With best wishes,

Greg.







__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail - Easier than ever with enhanced search. Learn more.
http://info.mail.yahoo.com/mail_250
floriano
2004-12-30 08:24:24 UTC
Permalink
Open letter to Mr. Manohar Parrikar, the Chief Minister of GOA.

Dear Mr. Manohar Parrikar,

At the outset, let me make it very clear to you that I am writing this
letter to you, as the CEO, and the Chief Minister of GOA. And therefore, I
need to keep in mind that this address to you must observe all the due
respect and civility as demanded by the chair that you are presently
occupying, and not necessarily as a mark of respect for you as a person.
Needless to say that I write this letter in my personal capacity, as a
concerned cititzen of GOA with very proven and transparent secular
credentials.

You must be aware, through the State President of the Bharatiya Janata
Party, Mr. Rajendra Arlekar, who attended the Heads of Political Parties of
Goa 'Meet' called by the Governor of Goa on December 27, p.m., to discuss
the 'Controversial VCD', that I have, in the capacity as the head of a
political party, while addressing His Excellency during the discussions,
named you, on several occasions, as 'the brain' behind the VCD, being the
professed point-man of the communal RSS in Goa ( while none of the other
heads prefered to do so), and have asked for the dismissal of your
government and the imposition of the President's rule in Goa, with immediate
effect. I have done so because I am convinced to the very debt of my bones
that you are furthering the dying agenda of the RSS's 'Communal Divide'
ideology in Goa, ever since you have taken over as Goa's CM. I have pointed
out to His Excellency that you had taken active part in the demolition of
the Babri Masjid at Ayodhya on December 6, 1992.

I have bitterly opposed your occupying the honourable chair of the Chief
Minister of Goa, ever since you tricked Francisco Sardinha into clearing the
way for you to sit on this chair, fraudulently and with intense political
manipulations and arm-twisting tactics. And you are all too aware that I
have been working, in my own little ways, to alert the people of Goa that
your continuance in the exalted chair as Goa's Chief Minister will do more
evil for Goa and for the average Goan, than good.

But the intensity of my anti-RSS feelings against you had never attained
the saturation point in these few years since 1999, in the understanding
that "one should not hate the certified poison to the extent that it is
allowed to corrupt one's own being" and in the understanding that the people
of Goa, who are more suscegad than alert, needed the time to realize the
danger they are facing. But the entire situation has changed for me since
last evening when I watched the Goan cable TV news channels, where Mr.
Luisizho Faleiro has made a categorical statement that the Chief Minister
has made a remark that "All those who oppose the VCD have Portuguese blood
in them". I personally take this as a most demeaning statement that Goa's
Chief Minister can make, for it insults my entire being as a proud and
bonafide Goan. And for your kind information, you need to hear from me that
you have crossed all norms of decency by encroaching on the massive
tolerance of Goans like me, that from now on, you and your RSS agenda to
divide and rule Goans will be fought back tooth and nail, civilly and
democratically.

Your above derogatory statement, which has also been reported in the section
of Marathi language newspapers, is demeaning because I am a Goan who has
never held any great respect for the Portuguese colonial rulers and more so,
because I have grown up to suffer for being a Portuguese subject. I have
hated my contemporary Goans (read Hindus) calling me a Portuguese and
telling me to go to Portugal if I am not happy in Goa. But I could, and I
have, made them see reason as to how I am a bonafide Goan, a bonafide
Indian, whereas they themselves could be bonafide Indians but were not
bonafide Goans and that the red blood of Goa is running through my veins.
But if the Chief Minister of my State who is ruling by default, without a
mandate to do so, and who knows that I oppose this vile VCD of his own
making from my bones and still prefers to say that there is Portuguese blood
running in my veins, nothing more could be so insulting to me. Therefore, I
am telling you, here and now, that if you think that it is so, then just as
well. I prefer to have the Portuguese blood running in my veins than to have
the vicious, poisonous bloody-black blood of the RSS running into my veins
just like it is running in yours and your RSS clan. I have gone on record,
many times, to say that you have not a single drop of Goan blood in your
veins to make you a Goan. That was my qualified assumption so far. But you
have now proved that it is true.

You must be pat with the RSS history. But let me enlighten you on the Goan
history some. Bruto Da Costa was a thorough gentleman, an advocate and a
thorough-bred Goan, who did not only oppose the Portuguese in Goa, but it
is on record that he, not only did have a duel of words with the Portuguese
Governor of Goa, during the erstwhile Portuguese regime, but also had a
duel with fists which saw him and the Portuguese Governor rolling on the
floor of the Governor's chamber. By your statement above, you have awakened
another Bruto in me, if need be, who is not averse to give you the taste
of what the Portuguese blood, what the Bloody-Black RSS blood and what the
Goan blood, really is.

If you still consider yourself to be a responsible person at the helm of
Goan affairs, even temporarily so, which I don't (see you as anything close
to being a responsible person), I expect a response from you to this
communication. Rest assured, I am, and I shall be ready to deal with any
tone you may prefer to use in your response, failing which I shall consider
that you prefer running with your black RSS tail between your legs.

I have, however, not been able to be hypocritical in hiding my real feelings
towards your agenda in this communication despite my initial observations,
for which I deeply regret.


Floriano Lobo
383A Pirazona,
Moira - Bardez - Goa- 403 507
Ph: 2470223
Mob: 9422060347
floriano
2004-12-14 11:18:26 UTC
Permalink
RESTORE NORMALCY IN OUR LIVES, MR. PARRIKAR.
Letter to the Editor - GT - 14 Dec, 2004.
By: Sonia de Sequeira, Campal, Panjim

I am an 84-year old lady and one of the oldest residents of Campal. My
bungalow faces the Kala Academy and no one has been more inconvenienced by
this absurdly elitist film festival than I have in the last six months. The
front access to my residence has been cut off for over four months with the
IFFI's "beautification" works. We have been unable to entertain or even
receive casual visitors to our home, and the decision to block off traffic
on the D B Marg for 10 days has turned the inconvenience into a complete
nightmare. Hundreds of scooters and cars are parked on the lanes surrounding
our house, contrary to the Chief Minister's assurances that parking would be
properly "managed". My 12-year old grand-daughter's school-bus has been
denied entry into Campal ever since the film festival started. Apart from
this, we were kept awake night after night with the road works and I, a
senior citizen has had to call in the police as late as 11.30 pm on several
occasions to put a stop to it.

Does being in power gives the Chief Minister and his corporate extensions
like the GSIDC and the Entertainment Society of Goa the right to abuse such
power so blatantly? Can a government impose its decisions on citizens to the
extent that it completely ignores the disruptions and inconvenience it is
causing to their daily lives? Are we to just sit back and allow our rights
to be trampled on so as a elitist few can watch movies in the sequestered
comfort that has been paid for by tax-payers money?

Go ahead and have all the film festivals you want Mr. Parrikar. But next
time make sure you do so far from any residential area and without using
public funds. For now, kindly take away your road show from Campal and leave
us to lead our normal, ordinary lives.

Comments:

Dear Mrs. Sequeira.
We, the ordinary citizens like you are ceased of the terrible problems you
have to suffer in the name of IFFI. If we may reply to your emotional letter
as Mr. Parrikar himself doing the same in person, we would like to ask you
some things and tell you some things too.

"Mrs. Sequeira, this is your MLA-cum-Chief Minister replying to your
inconsiderate letter to the 'still to come out of the cocoon' editor of the
Gomantak Times. If I may ask, how long do you want to live Mrs. Sequeira?.
Wouldn't you like your grand-daughter, who will grow up to be the modern day
girl, to be a little flamboyant and not so critical as her mother (the
hardworking journalist) to show off beautiful Campal to her visitor friends?
Have you been this mean all your life, complaining and cribbing about
little unavoidable inconveniences without a thought for the future of the
young generation Goans? You are obviously of the Christian faith. Does
Christianity not preach happiness through sufferings? Does it not teach you
to forgive a little trespass of others even if it means that your
neighbourhood is packed with parked two and 4 wheelers, even to the extent
that your garden is used by the IFFI guests to relieve themselves. Besides
you are getting free organic fertilizers for your plants and lawns. No, Mrs.
Sequeira, I am a modern day Chief Minister, unlike those old dudes who
knew or know nothing of life and enjoyment through entertainment. I shall
not take away the film festival to a far away place. I shall have it in your
back-yard the next year too, whether you, your daughter or your grand
daughter likes it or not. Besides, you, at this senior age, should be mature
enough to make peace with your heavenly Lord rather than trying to get into
my hair."

Floriano
www.goasu-raj.org
Ms jan ugahi
2004-12-16 14:19:52 UTC
Permalink
To: Reuvon Proenca <reuvon at rediffmail.com>
Cc: <goanet at goanet.org>, <fred at bytesforall.org>,
Date: 16th December, 2004.
Ref: JU/PC/2004-05/e-210
Sub: Reg: Tourism Related Paedophile? a blind eye
Reply to Reuvon Proenca - 2

Before I go to the questions, let me respond to the
note in your introduction ? Reg. your article in GT
dtd. 31-8-04 you say ?the information we provided in
the report was also provided to tehelka by your office
so what's the big secret? correct me if I'm wrong when
I say that the info we published was the same that you
have in your files.?
You seem reluctant to admit it Reuvon.
The ?big secret? is that we were sure that you used
our information to pen your article in GT even if it
was presented as GT?s investigation. To quote it ?GT
has been closely following leads on the movement of
suspected paedophiles in S. Goa------- Our
investigations reveal that there are, at the very
least, four such people whose movements and activities
are highly suspicious?

We think it was unethical of Tehelka to hand this
information to you as it was given to them on a
confidential basis to be used for further
investigation by them and not for mere media
sensation. We also did it because we believed that if
the State could not take a stand, they should be
exposed. And, it was unethical on your part to
publish it, without our permission.

Responses to Questions:
1. Does substantial information mean rape of a child?
weren't you'll aware that Joe was living with a minor
girl for almost 10-years?
R. We have not said or implied that. If we were aware
we would obviously have acted. Giorgio was a suspect
on our list under another name for nearly 2 years and
the said girl who has been declared to be 21 years old
was a major then. A lot of incriminating evidence has
come to the surface after he was booked.

2. There is a problem with the police. you know that
and I know that. we all know there's a problem but is
anyone trying to put forward a solution?
R. Who is this anyone you have in mind? May be the
press should take up a campaign like GT did with the
?People?s Court? to identify the deeper problem and
put forward the solution. The NGOs on their part have
on several occasions tried to define the problem and
put forward a solution. The Goa Children?s Act 2003
was a major step in this direction.

3. Your allegations about Middleton are serious. Have
you made any formal complaint in court or to any kind
of authority. I would suggest you do that, if not
done already.
R. We realize you are not well informed about the
case, to make the above suggestion. Despite all
attempts by the enforcement agency to scuttle and
close the case, we are still fighting for justice in
the Court.

4. If not the police, then who? are paedophiles going
scot free only because the police are allegedly
cahoots with them? The children's act makes provision
for arrest of paedophiles with hard evidence.
R. Good questions. Maybe the readers will attempt an
answer. We on our part do our best to see that they
do not go scot free despite a lot of hurdles including
during the investigation and prosecution process.

5. Ringlemann was a blot. but again, did the NGOs
file a complaint against the police handling of the
matter. there's always the judiciary. also, proving
the Ringleman case, as per the info I have, would have
been difficult. isn't it better that the monster is
out of the country for good?
R. As I said in my earlier response, CRG had informed
the police long ago.
Did the NGOs file a complaint? You ask.
Should it be mandatory for NGOs to file a complaint
for the police to act?
This brings us to the question of the role of the
State vis-?-vis such acts. Should it be merely
reactive? Should it not be proactive? If I?m not
mistaken, in past instances, the police & Courts have
taken a suo moto approach and treated as an FIR,
Newspaper Reports. That was precisely the question
put to the DIG Randhava after the Tehelka private
screening with the police by some of us - if they
cannot act on the basis of the recorded
statement/evidences in the video recording. Be it
paedophilia cases or acts of vandalism the patent
response of the State is: no one has made a complaint,
implying that they can act only if a complaint is
recorded. This certainly betrays a lack of will on
the part of the State and an attempt to sideline and
mislead the people.

Is merely driving the monster out of the
country, without even a shake-up, the solution? Such
an approach doesn?t even work as a deterrent or
preventive, according to us! If we drive one out
there will be other Ringlemans. Come to think of it,
Giorgio Lazzini & Gunter Backmann have appeared on the
scene quite soon after the Tehelka sting operation
after which the monster (Ringleman) was sent out of
the country.

6. You have said, "Given these experiences we have
our own way of following up on cases and we try to do
it to the best of our limited abilities (after all we
are not professional investigators) and time spaces
(it is often necessary to investigate at night which
is not possible for us)?. Strange. It almost seems
that NGOs are become more and more like government
departments. whatever happened to activism?

R. Reg. NGOs becoming like govt. depts.-------
You are free to have your opinion. But if I may ask
you ? who has appointed you a judge on us and the
NGOs? I could have stated the umpteen times we have
worked at night including the night when Giorgio
Lazzini was caught, and our members returned at 5.00
a.m the next day. But I am talking of professional
investigations, being properly equipped, that have to
be carried on day after day and night after night,
sometimes even to other states. The task is not as
simple as you make it out to be.

7. You have asked if merely providing information
helps. It may not but don't you it is your
responsibility to provide information.
R. We decide when and how to provide information. We
have provided information to the police on several
occasions including confidential info. for
investigation and action.

8. I have nowhere questions Jan Ugahi's work. I must
admit that a lot of what you'll do is laudable. but I
do feel that you'll should stop treating the media
like some sort of monster. speaking for myself and
most journos, we do care for the problem and the
children. The NGOs ought to work with the media (and
vice versa) and not against them. at the end of the
day I believe we ought to be partners. but that
doesn't seem to be the case. media requests for info
are treated with suspicion leading us to either
believe that somebody has something to hide or just
doesn't have anything. Pls comment.
R. Strange that you say we have treated the press like
some sort of monster? From what we have said in our
communications so far, what gave you that impression?
What makes you think that we have withheld information
from the media? I cannot talk for others but since
your dialogue is with us, may I know what gave you the
impression? In fact, our experience has been that
larger issues that we are raising reg. tourism related
paedophilia as a fall-out of the unbridled tourism
policy of the State, targetting of victims rather than
perpetrators by the authorities to solve the problem
of paedophilia (e.g. the new action plan of the
tourism ministry to round-up unaccompanied lamani
children on the beaches), protection and not further
victimization of children including insensitive
briefing by the police reg. victim?s identity and a
consequent insensitive reporting by the newspapers in
cases of sexual abuse and rape, etc are often lost on
a no. of reporters. Even the written presentation we
had made to the reporters at the press conference and
which Goanet sent around had some of these larger
issues, which, except for Herald, no other English
daily did justice to.

With best wishes,

Greg.







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floriano
2004-12-30 08:24:24 UTC
Permalink
Open letter to Mr. Manohar Parrikar, the Chief Minister of GOA.

Dear Mr. Manohar Parrikar,

At the outset, let me make it very clear to you that I am writing this
letter to you, as the CEO, and the Chief Minister of GOA. And therefore, I
need to keep in mind that this address to you must observe all the due
respect and civility as demanded by the chair that you are presently
occupying, and not necessarily as a mark of respect for you as a person.
Needless to say that I write this letter in my personal capacity, as a
concerned cititzen of GOA with very proven and transparent secular
credentials.

You must be aware, through the State President of the Bharatiya Janata
Party, Mr. Rajendra Arlekar, who attended the Heads of Political Parties of
Goa 'Meet' called by the Governor of Goa on December 27, p.m., to discuss
the 'Controversial VCD', that I have, in the capacity as the head of a
political party, while addressing His Excellency during the discussions,
named you, on several occasions, as 'the brain' behind the VCD, being the
professed point-man of the communal RSS in Goa ( while none of the other
heads prefered to do so), and have asked for the dismissal of your
government and the imposition of the President's rule in Goa, with immediate
effect. I have done so because I am convinced to the very debt of my bones
that you are furthering the dying agenda of the RSS's 'Communal Divide'
ideology in Goa, ever since you have taken over as Goa's CM. I have pointed
out to His Excellency that you had taken active part in the demolition of
the Babri Masjid at Ayodhya on December 6, 1992.

I have bitterly opposed your occupying the honourable chair of the Chief
Minister of Goa, ever since you tricked Francisco Sardinha into clearing the
way for you to sit on this chair, fraudulently and with intense political
manipulations and arm-twisting tactics. And you are all too aware that I
have been working, in my own little ways, to alert the people of Goa that
your continuance in the exalted chair as Goa's Chief Minister will do more
evil for Goa and for the average Goan, than good.

But the intensity of my anti-RSS feelings against you had never attained
the saturation point in these few years since 1999, in the understanding
that "one should not hate the certified poison to the extent that it is
allowed to corrupt one's own being" and in the understanding that the people
of Goa, who are more suscegad than alert, needed the time to realize the
danger they are facing. But the entire situation has changed for me since
last evening when I watched the Goan cable TV news channels, where Mr.
Luisizho Faleiro has made a categorical statement that the Chief Minister
has made a remark that "All those who oppose the VCD have Portuguese blood
in them". I personally take this as a most demeaning statement that Goa's
Chief Minister can make, for it insults my entire being as a proud and
bonafide Goan. And for your kind information, you need to hear from me that
you have crossed all norms of decency by encroaching on the massive
tolerance of Goans like me, that from now on, you and your RSS agenda to
divide and rule Goans will be fought back tooth and nail, civilly and
democratically.

Your above derogatory statement, which has also been reported in the section
of Marathi language newspapers, is demeaning because I am a Goan who has
never held any great respect for the Portuguese colonial rulers and more so,
because I have grown up to suffer for being a Portuguese subject. I have
hated my contemporary Goans (read Hindus) calling me a Portuguese and
telling me to go to Portugal if I am not happy in Goa. But I could, and I
have, made them see reason as to how I am a bonafide Goan, a bonafide
Indian, whereas they themselves could be bonafide Indians but were not
bonafide Goans and that the red blood of Goa is running through my veins.
But if the Chief Minister of my State who is ruling by default, without a
mandate to do so, and who knows that I oppose this vile VCD of his own
making from my bones and still prefers to say that there is Portuguese blood
running in my veins, nothing more could be so insulting to me. Therefore, I
am telling you, here and now, that if you think that it is so, then just as
well. I prefer to have the Portuguese blood running in my veins than to have
the vicious, poisonous bloody-black blood of the RSS running into my veins
just like it is running in yours and your RSS clan. I have gone on record,
many times, to say that you have not a single drop of Goan blood in your
veins to make you a Goan. That was my qualified assumption so far. But you
have now proved that it is true.

You must be pat with the RSS history. But let me enlighten you on the Goan
history some. Bruto Da Costa was a thorough gentleman, an advocate and a
thorough-bred Goan, who did not only oppose the Portuguese in Goa, but it
is on record that he, not only did have a duel of words with the Portuguese
Governor of Goa, during the erstwhile Portuguese regime, but also had a
duel with fists which saw him and the Portuguese Governor rolling on the
floor of the Governor's chamber. By your statement above, you have awakened
another Bruto in me, if need be, who is not averse to give you the taste
of what the Portuguese blood, what the Bloody-Black RSS blood and what the
Goan blood, really is.

If you still consider yourself to be a responsible person at the helm of
Goan affairs, even temporarily so, which I don't (see you as anything close
to being a responsible person), I expect a response from you to this
communication. Rest assured, I am, and I shall be ready to deal with any
tone you may prefer to use in your response, failing which I shall consider
that you prefer running with your black RSS tail between your legs.

I have, however, not been able to be hypocritical in hiding my real feelings
towards your agenda in this communication despite my initial observations,
for which I deeply regret.


Floriano Lobo
383A Pirazona,
Moira - Bardez - Goa- 403 507
Ph: 2470223
Mob: 9422060347

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