L’Organisation Globale du Peuple Indien d’Origine (GOPIO) FRANCE PARIS est une Organisation Non Gouvernementale (ONG) , association loi 1901 à but non lucratif, sociale, apolitique & laïque.
Elle a pour objectifs :
- D’étudier l’histoire de la diaspora française d’origine indienne.
- De promouvoir la culture française en Inde.
- Participer à des œuvres caritatives et humanitaires.
- Établir des relations avec les autres comités « GOPIO » et associations œuvrant pour la francophonie.
- Organiser au plan national et international des colloques, groupes de réflexion, discussions, d’études, de recherches, de cours, de séminaires scientifiques, éducatifs, de manifestations culturelles (arts, théâtre, danse, musique) et voyages sous toutes les formes.
- Publier des ouvrages à caractères scientifique, culturel, historique et les diffuser au moyen du média approprié.
- De promouvoir la culture de l’Inde en France et dans les autres pays ou résident les NRI /PIO (personnes d’origine indienne).
GOPIO is a NON-PARTISAN, NON-PROFIT, SECULAR ORGANIZATION. GOPIO’s volunteers are committed to enhancing cooperation and communication between NRIs/PIOs, building bonds, friendships, alliances, and the camaraderie of citizens in countries of adoption and abroad.
GOPIO volunteers believe that when they help network the global Indian community, they facilitate making tomorrow a better world for the Indian Diaspora.
Background and history of GOPIO
For the first time in the history of overseas Indians, a successful attempt was made in 1989 to bring the global Indian community together on one platform. The National Federation of Indian American Associations (NFIA), a national body of people of Indian origin in the USA, headed by Inder Singh at that time, convened the First Global Convention of People of Indian Origin (PIO) under the leadership of Dr. Thomas Abraham. During the five-day convention in New York, delegates from twenty-two countries, including some ministers and heads of state participated in the deliberations. At the conclusion of the convention, the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) was formed. Fourteen years later, Government of India started organizing a conference of overseas Indians at a scale much bigger than what the Non-Resident Indian (NRI) volunteers had put together in New York in 1989. That was named Pravasi Bhartiya Divas which is now an annual event in India.
The first GOPIO convention in 1989 provided an opportunity for sharing the experience of international Indian communities on a common platform and to help foster a feeling of “Indianness” and fellowship among the PIOs. Attended by over 3000 delegates, including such stalwarts of the overseas Indian community as Dr. Cheddi Jagan (subsequently elected President) of Guyana, Basdeo Panday (subsequently elected Prime Minister) of Trinidad and Tobago, Jairam Reddy and Mahendra Chaudhary (subsequently elected Prime Minister) of Fiji, Minister Thondaman of Sri Lanka, Minister Scindia of India, the convention discussed and identified issues facing the PIOs. It also provided necessary forum at the international level to voice their concerns. For the first time, a book on Migration of Indians around the World was published and released at the convention. The delegates adopted twenty six resolutions pertaining to various issues and concerns of the global Indian community.
GOPIO’s initial mission was established to network the global Indian community and to monitor and address the interests and concerns of overseas Indians – people of Indian Origin (PIOs) and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs). The major issue of concern at that time was human rights violations in Fiji, Guyana, Trinidad, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and the United Kingdom – and even in the USA where the “Dot Buster” issue was a major problem). GOPIO filed petitions at the United Nations (UN) and made concerted efforts to fight for issues pertaining to human rights violations. Since then, PIO dominated parties were elected to power in Fiji, Guyana and Trinidad. Several PIOs became ministers in Malaysia, South Africa and Canada at state or federal level. However, the human rights violations still continue to be issues of concern for several PIO communities, and GOPIO continues to actively monitor them and act as the advocacy organization for the Indian Diaspora.
GOPIO, since its inception, has been creating awareness and promoting understanding of issues of concern — social, cultural, educational, economic, or political – of the NRI/PIO communities around the globe. GOPIO also provides an active and well recognized platform for dialogue and discussion to the worldwide Indian Diaspora and to further advance that objective, GOPIO has been at the forefront to network the globally spread overseas Indian community by regularly organizing conferences in various parts of the world. During the last seven years alone, GOPIO has organized twelve international conferences, both in India and overseas. These GOPIO conferences and conventions help bring the Indian Diaspora closer to mother India and strengthen the inherent bond between India and its Diaspora. After all, the destiny of India’s Diaspora, in many ways, is intertwined inextricably with India.
An estimated 25 million people of Indian origin (NRIs and PIOs) are living outside India. Many NRIs/PIOs have numerous attainments and achievements in their adopted lands, which have helped improve bilateral relations between the ancestral and adopted lands. Several NRIs/PIOs have contributed significantly to the countries of their adoption. They have also collectively contributed to India’s transformation into a modern economy. In essence, while they are domiciled in other countries, PIOs and NRIs are bound to India by the umbilical cord of history, culture, heritage, and tradition and have added a special glitter to the resurgence of India.
GOPIO actively solicits participation by providing many opportunities for involvement and seeks support for various educational, social and environmental causes. GOPIO has embarked upon establishing chapters in all countries with PIO/NRI population, with the primary objective of service to the local community. Several GOPIO chapters are very active in their respective communities promoting GOPIO objectives of networking and have become the voice for the issues and concerns of the NRI/PIO community.
GOPIO International has many Councils — Cultural, Academic, Philanthropic, Human Rights, Media, Health Services, Youth and Women’s – and seeks volunteers to serve the diverse interests of the global Indian community.
GOPIO Executives and Council representatives comprise of PIO/NRI volunteers from various countries of the globe. All members of the Indian Diaspora are encouraged to be part of any of the GOPIO councils, become active in an existing GOPIO chapter or initiate a new chapter where it does not exist.
GOPIO’s accomplishments are many and wide ranging. Some notable achievements are listed at www.GOPIO.net. Some noteworthy achievements during the last few years include the following:
PIO Card, Overseas Indian Citizenship and Ministry for Overseas Indians
In the first convention in 1989, a resolution was unanimously approved demanding dual citizenship. The demand has been met with the grant of PIO/OCI card. GOPIO also championed the effort to establish a separate ministry for overseas Indians and subsequently the Government of India established the Ministry of Overseas Indians Affairs (MOIA). GOPIO was the first to take up these issues of interest to the global Indian community with Government of India by passing resolutions and relentlessly pursuing with various ministries beginning in 1989.
Fiji Indian Human Right Issue
In 2000, Fiji’s first ethnic Indian prime minister, Mahendra Chaudhry, was illegally ousted from power and replaced by indigenous Fijian Laisenia Qarase as the prime minister. GOPIO internationalized the issue, took up the cause and assured all help to the Indo Fijian activists. GOPIO delegation met the United Nations Human Rights Commission on the Fiji Issue in July 2000. GOPIO became the beacon of hope and chief advocacy group for the PIO issues.
Rejection of Nomination of Mr. Sitiveni Rabuka as Fiji’s Ambassador to USA
In 2004, the Government of Fiji nominated Mr. Sitiveni Rabuka, a former coup leader who later became Prime Minister, to be Fiji’s ambassador to the United States. GOPIO appealed to the US President and US Secretary of State for the rejection of the nomination of Mr. Rabuka who was responsible to overthrow the legitimate government of Fiji, violated the human rights of the elected officials and ruthlessly destroyed what people of Fiji had worked so hard to build. That nomination was not accepted and Mr. Rabuka never became ambassador of Fiji to the United States.
Uniform Admission Fee for Visiting Historical Monuments
The NRI/PIO visitors have been paying higher admission fee for visiting museums and historical monuments in India. GOPIO has been pursuing with Government of India (GOI) to charge NRIs/PIOs the same admission fee as charged from local people in India. In January 2006, GOPIO officials met Minister George Fernandes and Minister Prithviraj Chavan and argued for the establishment of uniform rate for all. GOPIO achieved the goal as GOI decided in February 2006 to charge a uniform admission fee from all visitors, be they Indians, NRIs or foreigners.
Change in Trinity Award in Trinidad and Tobago
The Government of Trinidad and Tobago (TnT) has been giving Trinity awards to their highly accomplished and successful people annually. However, the award insignia contained “cross” symbol, which the Hindu and Muslim nominees were reluctant to accept. GOPIO objected to the “cross” symbol in the award emblem and instituted a parallel award, which received appreciation from the Hindu and Muslim population but criticism from TnT government. A few years, the government formed a committee to design a new insignia without the “cross” symbol.
Protest Rally at the United Nations for Rule of Law in Trinidad and Tobago
GOPIO organized and held a huge rally on July 31, 2006 in front of the UNO in New York to protest the arbitrary decision of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago (TnT) against Chief Justice Sharma. The effort was to bring attention to illegal steps by the Government to force Justice Sharma out from office without due process and in violation of the constitution of the country. The protest received tremendous local and international coverage and attention, and the TnT Government relented in its illegal pursuit of Chief Justice Sharma. Encouraged by GOPIO’s successful protest rally in New York, several groups joined together for subsequent protest marches in Trinidad.
Peace March against Attack on Indians in Germany
GOPIO Berlin held a silent Peace March to protest against the tragic attack on eight Indians who were injured in a racist assault at a community fair in Mügeln near the city of Leipzig in Eastern Germany on the night of 18th/19th of August 2007. A group of about 50 racist Germans chased the Indians who were mostly outdoor market merchants in the region, and shouted slurs such as “foreigners out”. As many as 70 police officers were called to disperse the attackers and restore order. Two of the injured Indians were hospitalized. Four assailants and two policemen were also injured in the incident.
The Peace marchers carried flowers as a symbol of peace, respect, love and harmony instead of posters, banners, drums, or loudspeakers. GOPIO Berlin chapter president Barjinder Sodhi presented a memorandum to the duty officer of German Chancellor Mrs. Dr. Angela Merkel. The memorandum included many demands including, prompt completion of investigation of the race riots by the Government investigating agency, and punishing the guilty as per law of the land; and taking steps to ensure safety of immigrants from India. In February 2009, a German court convicted and gave varying terms of punishment to the guilty.
US-India Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement
The US-India civil nuclear cooperation deal involved agreement for transfer of nuclear technology and material from the United States to India, initiated during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to the US in July 2005 and re-affirmed during President George Bush’s visit to India in March 2006. The agreement required approval of the US Congress for which the Indian American community played a proactive role in ensuring the passage of the bills introduced in the Congress.
Some US law makers openly supported the agreement while many prominent US lawmakers conspicuously stayed silent on the issue. It was a major mobilization effort by the Indian American community to convince the US law makers to vote in favor of the passage of the bill. GOPIO, in its part, mobilized the Indian American communities and organized town house meetings with elected officials in many constituencies. GOPIO Vice President for North America, Dr. Piyush Agrawal, worked actively with pro-India members of the US Congress and Indian American community activists to ensure the passage of the landmark civilian nuclear agreement.
Voting Rights for NRIs
In 2004 convention (also in 2005 and 2006), GOPIO passed resolutions asking GOI to allow NRIs to vote in the elections in India through absentee ballot. The bill, seeking to amend the People’s Representation Act was passed in 2010. The new law allows an NRI to enroll in the voter’s list and vote if he/she is present in the constituency on the polling day. There are around 11 million NRIs, 2.1 million from Kerala alone who now have such right. The amendment is partial victory for GOPIO which demanded voting by postal ballot which is a practical solution of a reasonable demand of NRIs. Several countries have found postal ballot as the practical solution. India should also find ways to empower their own citizens abroad.
Diaspora Courses at Universities in India
GOPIO Academic Council Chair Dr. Jagat Motwani collaborated with some universities in India to introduce courses relating to Diaspora. He convinced Prof. Adeshpal Singh of North Gujarat University who organized several international conferences on various subjects concerning the Diaspora. Dr. Motwani also collaborated with Prof. Neerja Arun who arranged a meeting with the then GOPIO President Inder Singh, Dr. Motwani and the vice chancellor of Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, who now has introduced M.A. and Ph.D. programs in Indian Diaspora and special courses for NRIs.
Changes in Passport Surrender Rules
On May 23, 2010, GOPIO appealed to the global overseas Indian community through GOPIO Special News Bulletin against the retroactive enforcement of new rules for “surrender” of Indian Passport. GOPIO also initiated an on-line petition addressed to the Prime Minister of India on the same day. On May 28, 2010, GOPIO International sent a letter to Prime Minister of India, together with the first batch of over 19,000 signatures of people supporting the petition. By June 1, the number reached 29,000. The same day, Government of India relented and reduced the fee to $20 for all Persons of Indian Origin who had acquired foreign citizenship up until May 31, 2010.
But NRIs still have problems in obtaining visa for India. They have emotional attachment to their motherland and want India visa without stringent restrictions. They provide huge pool of foreign remittances – $55 billion in 2010 – and are a vast reservoir of loyalty, patriotism, sought-after knowledge and bankable skills.
Kolkata Memorial
For the descendants of the masses of indentured Indian laborers who left India from 1834 thru’ 1920 to work in British colonies in remote parts of the world, the Kolkata Memorial is becoming a reality. With the support of Government of India Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) and West Bengal Government, GOPIO Int’l is prominent in this pioneering effort. The goal is to establish a commemorative memorial followed by a museum at a suitable site or sites in Kolkata where Indian indentured laborers were housed and processed while awaiting the ships for emigration to plantations in West Indies, Mauritius, Fiji, Africa and elsewhere from 1834 thru’ 1820. GOPIO Int’l Executive Vice President Ashook Ramsaran played lead role and coordinated the entire project.
US Tax Rules on Foreign Bank Accounts
GOPIO initiated an awareness campaign about Overseas Voluntary Disclosure Initiative (OVDI) and Foreign Bank Account Reporting (FBAR) requirements in collaboration with other national and community based organizations (including NFIA, AAPI, AAHOA). Letters of appeal for reduction of penalties were sent to the US President, Secretary of the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner. Community awareness was initiated for compliance before the IRS deadline and a delegation led by former GOPIO chairman, Dr Thomas Abraham, met with the officials of the Treasury department on this matter. GOPIO chairman Inder Singh met with US Congressman Howard Berman. Thus far, efforts have not resulted in any relief but GOPIO continues its efforts to seek relief from the stringent application of IRS rules which place an undue burden on law abiding taxpayers.
GOPIO continues to take up issues of the NRI/PIO Communities for their resolution.