Trouble Brewing in Goa, India

Trouble Brewing in Goa

Dec 23, 2007 - In a press conference held today in Panjim,
Goa's Movement Against SEZs (GMAS) has asked all tourists
to stay away from Goa after Dec 27. Those tourists already
here have been warned to leave the state by Dec 27, as things
could take an ugly turn following the Goa govt's refusal to
cancel all the approved and notified SEZs in the state. For
weeks GMAS has tried peaceful means to get the govt to
rescind the SEZs but without success. GMAS also issued
a warning to the Goa govt that the government alone will
be held responsible for the consequences of any untoward
incidents.

18 SEZs (Special Economic Zones) have been proposed for
tiny Goa (the whole of China has no more than 7 !), and they
threaten to turn this once-beautiful paradise into a congested
concrete nightmare. Key members of the ruling govt have
received huge commissions from the real estate mafia to
approve these SEZs. The people of Goa are now rising in
protest and things are expected to rapidly heat up in the
coming days and weeks.

On Dec 23, 6:16*pm, wrote:
Trouble Brewing in Goa

Dec 23, 2007 - In a press conference held today in Panjim,
Goa's Movement Against SEZs (GMAS) has asked all tourists
to stay away from Goa after Dec 27.

Unsourced rubbish. Ignore.

Cheers,
George W Russell
Bangalore

"grusl" wrote in message
...
On Dec 23, 6:16 pm, wrote:
Trouble Brewing in Goa

Dec 23, 2007 - In a press conference held today in Panjim,
Goa's Movement Against SEZs (GMAS) has asked all tourists
to stay away from Goa after Dec 27.

Unsourced rubbish. Ignore.

Cheers,
George W Russell
Bangalore


I have no idea what the real risk is but there are plenty of sources, e.g.
http://casi.ssc.upenn.edu/india/iit_Jenkins2.htm
http://www.goanvoice.org.uk/
Try a Google on something like [Goa sez protests] and you will find many
more.

"Ignore" seems like a rather casual response, though you are a lot closer to
Gia than me.



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

"RAK" wrote in message
.. .

"grusl" wrote in message
...
On Dec 23, 6:16 pm, wrote:
Trouble Brewing in Goa

Dec 23, 2007 - In a press conference held today in Panjim,
Goa's Movement Against SEZs (GMAS) has asked all tourists
to stay away from Goa after Dec 27.

Unsourced rubbish. Ignore.

Cheers,
George W Russell
Bangalore


I have no idea what the real risk is but there are plenty of sources, e.g.
http://casi.ssc.upenn.edu/india/iit_Jenkins2.htm
http://www.goanvoice.org.uk/
Try a Google on something like [Goa sez protests] and you will find many
more.

"Ignore" seems like a rather casual response, though you are a lot closer
to Gia than me.


The reality is that the risk to tourists is negligible. Any tourists being
hurt in India is very big news. A Japanese tourist went missing last year
and a British tourist was killed under mysterious circumstances and they're
still talking about both cases in the press.

These problems are never in the tourist areas and very rarely involve anyone
who isn't a willing participant.

Politics in India is a participant sport, even rioters only seem to target
their political opponent's assets... If you're not a player you don't get
involved and nobody wants to involve you.

A couple of years ago I was in Goa when the local Saudi sponsored Muslims
tried to get some sort of Islamic radicalism going by claiming that a shrine
about to be demolished was ancient, despite the reinforced concrete still
being damp...

There was what the local, and rather excitable press called 'A Riot by
Islamic militants which involved all of six people, who were promptly
arrested.

This was followed by the almost inevitable bomb, which didn't actually
explode, just burned, didn't do any damage and didn't hurt anyone.

Honour being satisfied, and this being Goa, everyone went back to sleep.

As an even better example, last weekend there was a large Shiv Senna rally
and march in Bombay. The march was routed past a Muslim area and trouble
was expected. Cops in huge numbers patrolled the streets, vast SUVs flying
saffron flags and full of Shiv Senna toughs roared through the Muslim area
of Mahim known as 'Chota (little) Pakistan', things were tense.

My wife and I wandered through the Muslim area doing shopping and nobody
bothered us, the Shiv Senna toughs treated us politely, the Muslim
shopkeepers let us in through their bared doors, the cops stood back and
let us through, we wandered across the road through 250,000 people on the
march to the Bandra Collectors Office with stewards 'shushing people who
were shouting too loudly near us.

If you don't get involved in Indian politics it won't involve itself with
you.



--
William Black


I've seen things you people wouldn't believe.
Barbeques on fire by the chalets past the castle headland
I watched the gift shops glitter in the darkness off the Newborough gate
All these moments will be lost in time, like icecream on the beach
Time for tea.

On Dec 25, 12:52*pm, "William Black"
wrote:

As an even better example, *last weekend there was a large Shiv Senna rally
and march in Bombay. *The march was routed past a Muslim area and trouble
was expected. *Cops in huge numbers patrolled the streets, *vast SUVs flying
saffron flags and full of Shiv Senna toughs roared through the Muslim area
of Mahim known as 'Chota (little) Pakistan', *things were tense.


I thought I read recently that "Chhota Pakistan" was considered an
offensive term by the residents and that there's some alternative
name.

Cheers,
George W Russell
Bangalore

"grusl" wrote in message
...
On Dec 25, 12:52 pm, "William Black"
wrote:

As an even better example, last weekend there was a large Shiv Senna rally
and march in Bombay. The march was routed past a Muslim area and trouble
was expected. Cops in huge numbers patrolled the streets, vast SUVs flying
saffron flags and full of Shiv Senna toughs roared through the Muslim area
of Mahim known as 'Chota (little) Pakistan', things were tense.


I thought I read recently that "Chhota Pakistan" was considered an
offensive term by the residents and that there's some alternative
name.

---------------------

Mahim Bazaar

Which is written on the plaque on the side side of the police station,
although technically the bazaar is an illegal one, and always has been...

Mahim Fair this week

That area currently looks like that Indiana Jones movie scene in a Middle
Eastern market area, but with much better food, and much much noisier...


--
William Black


I've seen things you people wouldn't believe.
Barbeques on fire by the chalets past the castle headland
I watched the gift shops glitter in the darkness off the Newborough gate
All these moments will be lost in time, like icecream on the beach
Time for tea.

On Dec 27, 6:53*pm, "William Black"
wrote:
"grusl" wrote in message

...
On Dec 25, 12:52 pm, "William Black"
wrote:



As an even better example, last weekend there was a large Shiv Senna rally
and march in Bombay. The march was routed past a Muslim area and trouble
was expected. Cops in huge numbers patrolled the streets, vast SUVs flying
saffron flags and full of Shiv Senna toughs roared through the Muslim area
of Mahim known as 'Chota (little) Pakistan', things were tense.

I thought I read recently that "Chhota Pakistan" was considered an
offensive term by the residents and that there's some alternative
name.

---------------------

Mahim Bazaar

Which is written on the plaque on the side side of the police station,
although technically the bazaar is an illegal one, and always has been...

Mahim Fair this week

That area currently looks like that Indiana Jones movie scene in *a Middle
Eastern market area, *but with much better food, *and much much noisier...


I wonder what the mood in Chhota Pakistan is today .. although I guess
those folks don't have much to do with the next door neighbour these
days. And we haven't heard from r.t.a's resident Pakistan tourism
booster in a while.

Cheers,
George W Russell
Bangalore

"grusl" wrote in message
...


I wonder what the mood in Chhota Pakistan is today .. although I guess
those folks don't have much to do with the next door neighbour these
days. And we haven't heard from r.t.a's resident Pakistan tourism
booster in a while.

-------------------

Calm, a bit subdued, lots of Muslim business closed today in the area in
mourning.

Things are back to normal this evening, no police presence bigger than is
normal for Mahim Fair, and NO cops with guns or lathis.

Everyone's a bit shocked but my Muslim friends tend to shrug and mutter
'Pakistan...' when something ghastly happens over the border, and promptly
get on with the serious business of making money.

--
William Black


I've seen things you people wouldn't believe.
Barbeques on fire by the chalets past the castle headland
I watched the gift shops glitter in the darkness off the Newborough gate
All these moments will be lost in time, like icecream on the beach
Time for tea.