The process of decolonization in Goa and East Timor
Published on October 27, 2013
During the age of European imperial expansion, which began at the end of the 15th century, the Portuguese and Spanish kingdoms were first off the mark.
While the Spanish headed west, with Columbus landing in the Americas, the Portuguese, attracted by the wealth of the fabled east, sailed around the continent of Africa and into the Indian Ocean, to south and South East Asia.
In 1498, Vasco de Gama reached India, and 12 years later Portugal acquired Goa, on India’s west coast. They also managed to conquer areas of what is now Indonesia, including Timor, where Portuguese merchants arrived in 1515. Macao, at the mouth of the Pearl (Zhu Jiang) River, in southern China, became a Portuguese trading post in 1557.
However, while they would lose most of their empire to stronger European powers such as Great Britain and the Netherlands, the Portuguese managed to retain little remnants, including Goa, Macao, and the eastern end of the island of Timor. (The Dutch had made the western part of Timor part of their Dutch East Indies empire.)
While British India gained its freedom in 1947 and Dutch-ruled Indonesia its independence in 1949, the Portuguese hung on to their small possessions.
By the mid-1950s, though, decolonization was in full swing in Africa and Asia, and these little colonies stuck out like sore thumbs. The Bandung Conference, a meeting of 25 recently independent Asian and African states that took place in Bandung, Indonesia in 1955, had called for an end to colonialism, and Indonesia’s President Sukarno became one of the leaders of the nonaligned movement of newly sovereign countries.
However, in both Goa and East Timor, centuries of Portuguese rule had made the native populations almost entirely Portuguese-speaking Roman Catholics, and Lisbon stubbornly refused to give them up. Portugal itself remained a backward semi-fascist state.
Losing patience, India’s prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, sent the Indian army into Goa (and Portugal’s two other Indian dependencies of Diu and Daman) in 1961 and expelled the Portuguese. No one took much notice or protested. In India, the action was seen as the liberation of historically Indian territory. (When Macao was returned to China in 1999, the same argument was made.)
Relations between India and Portugal only thawed in 1974, when, following a revolution that led to the end of authoritarianism in Lisbon, Goa was finally recognized as part of India. In 1987 Goa became a separate state in the Indian federation, which it remains to this day.
Although Goa was predominantly Catholic during the long centuries of Portuguese rule, many left after 1961, and today Goan Catholics form only 30 per cent of the state’s total population (the majority are now Hindu).
The 1974 Portuguese revolution also saw the final end to its empire, as the new democratic government in Lisbon granted its African colonies independence. In East Timor, however, things turned out differently. It had also declared its independence, in 1975, but was invaded by Indonesia and declared Indonesia’s 27th province the following year.
The regime in Jakarta claimed the same rights to East Timor as India had done with Goa – it was a matter of decolonization. Based on the premise that the Portuguese half of Timor, an island geographically situated in the center of the vast archipelago, was really part of its territory, Indonesia contended that the division of the island into two had been simply the legacy of European imperialism and therefore should be rectified.
The Indonesians considered it another stage in the emancipation of their country, which had begun with the war of national liberation against the Dutch. No doubt Indonesia thought the same political reconciliation that had taken place with India would also occur following the annexation of East Timor. But things did not work out that way.
The United Nations never recognized the annexation, nor did Portugal. And the East Timorese, who were 97 per cent Catholic, never reconciled themselves to being part of the world’s most populous Muslim nation. Their long and bloody subjugation under Indonesian rule resulted in some 200,000 deaths from famine and violence during the occupation.
International pressure mounted on Indonesia to allow self-determination for the province. Wishing to avoid the impression that Indonesia ruled East Timor as a colony, Indonesian president B.J. Habibie agreed to a vote, offering a choice between special autonomy and independence.
The 1999 UN-sponsored referendum found 78.5 per cent of East Timorese opting for independence. Further Indonesian-sponsored violence ensued, resulting in the arrival of an Australian-organized peacekeeping force. Finally, in 2002, East Timor (Timor-Leste) became an independent country and a member of the United Nations.
The world had changed since the era that produced the Bandung Conference. In 1961, the ideologies that legitimized the acquisition of territory by force, if necessary, on the basis of decolonization and anti-imperialism had allowed India to incorporate Goa. But four decades later, these had been trumped by the concept of the right of a people to self-determination.
Henry Srebrnik is a professor of political science at the University of Prince Edward Island.
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The 2011 Golf Annual Day Luncheon was held on Sunday 22nd January 2012 at Mother India Restaurant, Middle Dural, NSW to award the winners of the 2011 Golf season. This was the 24th year of operation of the Golf wing. The event was well attended by all the Golfers, GOA members and their wives and families. Dr Yadu Singh, pre-eminent cardiologist form Sydney and President of the Council of Indian Australians was the Guest of honor. Mr. Subba Rao Verigonda, President of the Telugu Association of Sydney and Executive committee member of the Council of Indian Australians was a special invitee to the function. All members and guests converged on the venue at Mother India at 12.00noon and after the customary Meet & Greet and exchange of pleasantries; G.O.A. Sports Director Roy Do Rosario accorded a warm welcome to the audience. In his Welcome address Roy narrated various sports initiatives of GOA-NSW in the past and though the organization of other sporting events was inconsistent, the Golf wing had consistently maintained the tradition and organized the Golf league every year. 2011 Golf Captain Alwyn Henriques in his address mentioned it was a pleasure to serve the Golf wing as Captain for 3 consecutive years. He stated that GOA-NSW is the only Indian association in Australia to run a Golf League for its members and it is a remarkable achievement for GOA-Golf Wing to have the golf league for the 24th year in succession. He also drew the connection of Goans with Golf as they moved out of Goa to Africa, Europe, Americas & Australia and how that was instrumental in starting the Golf league in Sydney in 1987 by the founding members of GOA-Golf. Three of the founding members Tony Vaz, Dr George Dias & Reg Mathais were present at the luncheon and he thanked them and all the other founding members for their initiative. Alwyn said that GOA Golf wing will continue to serve as a platform to focus on bonding the Goan golfing community, creating an awareness for this grand sport, organizing golfing events that engage the families such as Putting Comp cum Picnic and also encourage new Golfers from within the Goan community to join the Golf League. He mentioned in 2011 season, 7 new golfers participated in the League including young and budding Goan Golf talent Patrick Ferris and Lina D’Silva who became the first lady to play in the history of the Golf League. Dr Yadu Singh our Guest of Honor gave away the Following prizes to the winners. 1. Nett Champion: Carl D’Silva, -6@woodville, Par@Camden, -4@Dunhaved, -6@Windsor, (-16) 2. Nett Runner-up: Dr George Dias, +1@woodville, -9@Dunhaved, Par@Richmond, +1@Penrith, (-7) 3. Gross Champion:Carl D’Silva, +8@woodville, +12@camden, +8@Dunhaved, +6@windsor,(+34) 4. Gross Runner-up: Alwyn Henriques, +17@Dunhaved, +16@Penrith, +16@Windsor, +16@Liverpool, (+65) 5. Stableford Champion: Carl D’Silva, 42pts@Woodville, 37pts@Camden,40pts@Dunhaved, 38pts@windsor, (157pts) 6. Eclectic Champion: Dr George Dias, Nett score 48 7. Dynaflow Pairs Competition (sponsored by Dynaflow, kind courtesy Roy Do Rosario) Winners: Patrick Ferris & Lina D’Silva, 62 points. 8. Dynaflow Pairs Competition (sponsored by Dynaflow, kind courtesy Roy Do Rosario) Runners-Up: Cajetan Miranda & Dr. George Dias, 55 points. 9. Golfer of The Year: Carl D’Silva, 64pts 10. Bradman Prize (sponsored by Bruno D’Souza): John Fernandes. (+134) The Hero for 2011 season was Carl D’Silva who successfully defended his Gross Championship Title and also achieved a rare feat of winning the Gross & Nett Championship Title in the same season. Carl also was also awarded the Golfer of the Year for the second year running. G.O.A. President Tony Colaco in his address introduced our Guest of Honor Dr Yadu Singh and our special Invitee Subba Rao Varigonda and talked about their involvement with the Council of Indian Australians. He also mentioned that the GOA-NSW Golf wing is well known to all the Goan associations worldwide and has done G.O.A-NSW proud with its Annual golf League. He also thanked the founders of the Golf wing for their initiative 24 years back. Dr Yadu Singh in his address recalled his memorable association with various Goans from Sydney and said that Goan Community is known world over as a fun loving community, trustworthy and reliable. He showered praise for Tony Colaco’s commitment to GOA-NSW. He congratulated the winners and the golf wing for completing 24 years. He expressed his desire to have a Golf Day for all the Golfers of all the Indian Community and appealed to the GOA Golf wing to take the initiative in making it a reality. Subba Rao Varigonda also addressed the audience and congratulated Tony Colaco and the Golf wing for organizing the event. He said he was impressed with Sandra Antao’s Photo Album collection going back to 1990 Golf annual day. He expressed his support for the Golf day for all Indian golfers and said he will work along with GOA Golf wing to ensure it is organized this year at one of the well known Golf Courses in Sydney. On behalf of the Council of India Australians he conducted a Lucky Raffle for Tickets for two to the CIA’s Australia Day dinner function on Sunday 29th Jan 2012. Lina D’silva picked the lucky Ticket and picked our 2011 Captain Alwyn Henriques as the Lucky winner. Carl D’Silva was installed as 2012 Captain by Sports Director Roy Do Rosario and Outgoing captain Alwyn Henriques. Roy thanked everyone for gracing the event and supporting the Golf wing. After a delicious Lunch catered by Mother India, the group posed for a Photography session which drew the curtains for yet another memorable Golf Annual day Luncheon. View the photos of the
The Goan Community in Sydney celebrated the Feast of St Francis Xavier in Sydney. The Mass Celebrated by Most Reverend Bishop Terrence Brady followed by a tradition Goan entertainment.View the pictures of the