[Reader-list] A review of a nightmare on hell street:

[PREETU NAIR]

A review of a nightmare on hell street: GT travels
with a riot victim from Margao to his "home" in
Savordem.

( Article appeared in Gomantak times, Panjim, dated
March 8,2006)

PREETU NAIR

Preetu_nair at gomantaktimes.com

ON THE ROAD FROM MARGAO TO SANVORDEM & CURCHOREM: It
is not often that one gets to review a nightmare, but
I had that dubious fortune on Tuesday when I
accompanied Sheikh Mohammed Rafiq to his hometown
Sanvordem. The drive from his brother's home in Margao
to Curchorem may take only 25-minute, but for Rafiq
and two other boys who accompanied him, it was
probably the longest drive ever, filled with
uncertainty, hope, desire, expectations and fear, to
the land they once called home.

 

As we enter Curchorem there is an uneasy calm. The
question on everyone's lips is, "What if the riots
erupt after a lull?" The remains of the dance of
hooliganism – burned and broken cars, ransacked shops
and damaged homes -- all lay intact and almost
untouched.

 

We halt at Rafiq's car accessories shop near the
Curchorem circle and look around. The disgust and pain
in his eyes as he sees the innumerable burnt and
damaged cars near his shop sends a chill down my
spine. Later, with a calm and helpless smile he waits
in anticipation as one of the boys opens the shutter
of the shop which was broken into and ransacked by the
rampaging mob.  

 

The loot and destruction is very much evident. The
counter is broken; the items missing, even the plastic
chairs in the shop were broken by the mob. Seeing all
this he sits down on the chair, holding on to the
table for support with a faint smile. "They destroyed
everything. We will have to start from scratch now,"
he said. Things get more distressing when he says that
he wouldn't get any insurance money for the loss he
has incurred during the riots. "We had insured for
loss of or damage to shops under a burglary policy. It
is clearly mentioned that if the loss occurs directly
or indirectly due rioting, it is not covered," he
added.

 

In present day Curchorem, where the ordinary citizen
cannot conduct the essential business of daily life
without first fearfully looking over his shoulder,
would he like to come back with his family and start
business all over again? "I love and understand this
place. It has been my home since birth. These shops
were set up by my father. How can I leave all this and
migrate to another place," he replied.

 

Then we went to the police station, where he lodged a
complaint and requested the Curchorem police to
conduct the panchnama. They accept the complaint
patiently, saying, "This shouldn't have happened, it
is an unfortunate event. It is good that people from
the minority community didn't retaliate otherwise
there would have been blood-shed." This they repeat to
each and everyone who comes to the station.

 

There I meet the Sheikh brothers, whose 10 shops were
looted and ransacked. Their vehicles were damaged and
stones pelted at their homes. But my meeting with them
just reaffirmed the faith that Hindus and Muslims can
still live together peacefully, however desperate some
groups maybe to spread communal tension. "We were
given shelter by friends from the Majority community,"
said Faheem Sheikh. Unfortunately, due to the fear of
a backlash this goodhearted people are scared to
reveal their names.   

What is worse, the wrath resulting in communal
disturbances has spared neither the rich nor the poor.
Abdul Madalis had started a small ghada sometime back.
He had invested his father's pension in the shop after
he incurred heavy loses in business sometime back. "I
have yet to pay the earlier loan and now my ghada is
also broken and goods worth Rs 40,000 stolen. I don't
know whether we will ever be able to lead a normal
life," he added.

 

As we drive down to Guddemol, Sanvordem, there is
absolute calm. Very many families of the minority
community have left for their hometown. I went to the
riot stricken areas to listen and to learn, but come
out with a conclusion that these pre-planned,
calculated, willfully executed attack on minority
community has threatened the unity, integrity and
security of the secular state. 

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