PANAJI: Agostinho Boa and his Angolan mates have been advised by friends to stay indoors at their rented apartment in Merces ever since the violent clash that took place at Porvorim last Thursday. They have, so far, kept their heads and profiles low.

Tired of shutting themselves up from the world through a rather tensed weekend, they decided to get on with life and pay a visit to their college in the city - only to be greeted with cold stares and rude comments from the public. "It isn't the authorities that we fear, as we have all the documents necessary to prove our stay here is legal. It is the mob mentality that has shocked us," says Boa, who did not find it necessary to inform his family about the incident as they would get anxious. In a separate incident, a group of Sudanese nationals who study at a city college had to face obnoxious comments from strangers who threatened to assault them.

These youngsters from Angola and Sudan are here in Goa studying English through Eurolingua Institute SA that is based in St Inez, Panaji , and have also enrolled themselves in graduate courses at St Xaviers College, Mapusa, Don Bosco College, Panaji, and Fr Agnel College, Pilar. The Angolans have Christian names and speak fluent Portuguese.

"We are here for the sole purpose of studying. We are not worried about the prejudiced rumours of African students and their links to the drug mafia. The use and trafficking of drugs is illegal in any country and we are against it," says Francisco, an Angolan student.

Their otherwise peaceful stay in Goa since March this year has got a little rough post the hooliganism in Porvorim that featured Nigerians taking on the state machinery and causing damage to life and property. The growing outrage among sections of locals and their inability to distinguish between African nationals has made these students a little insecure of their movements.

"I don't think this would flare up into racial conflict but this morning when we went out to the capital city we had to deal with a few odd stares," says Fabio, another Angolan student. "It has been a traumatic week. My friend who was walking to college received many rude messages from strangers which hurt us all," says Tilal, from Sudan.

"It is unfortunate we have to face the brunt of generalization because of one isolated incident. We find it tough to explain to Goans that we are Angolans as Africa now seems to only consist of Nigerians. Africa is a huge continent like Asia - it would be ridiculous associating an Indian with a wrong committed by a Chinese just because he is Asian - every country in Africa has a unique culture and mindset that goes beyond our skin colour," Fabio adds.

Francisco condemns the means employed by the Nigerians to protest. "What happened that day was wrong. There is procedure and Goa has a government - which I believe is the proper authority we can approach to protect our rights. There is a proper and civilized way of doing everything and no, that is not the way we protest in Africa," he says, seemingly annoyed at the racial comparisons.

The Angolan and Sudanese students like to believe that the clash was a one-off incident that will heal in time. "We are overwhelmed by the care and concern shown to us by our college friends in Goa. Ever since March, we have been able to adjust comfortably to everything about Goa - except for the spicy food," Agostinho says with his usual sense of humour.

