Baluchistan International Conference

Baluchistan International Conference
(organized by American Friends of Baluchistan)

The first-ever international conference in the U.S. to highlight the plight of the Baluch people in Pakistan and Iran -- to mark the second anniversary of the extra judicial killing of Nawabzad Bala'ach Marri. Mehran Baluch, a brother of the slain leader and Baluch representative at the U.N. Human Rights Council, Geneva, will preside over the conference.

When: Saturday, November 21st, 2009 10 am – 6 pm

Where: National Press Club, Washington DC

The secular Baluch people in southwest Asia in Pakistan and Iran find their national existence threatened by different shades of religious extremism.

Topics of Conference
* Security in Af-Pak Region and U.S. aid to Pakistan
* State terrorism, slow motion genocide, torture & disappearances
* National sovereignty as birth right

Confirmed Speakers: Selig S. Harrison, T. Kumar, Saghir Shaikh, Robert R. Selle, Annie Nocenti, Andrew Eiva, Prof Gul Agha, Ismail Ameeri. Ali Arjemandi, Mohammad Ali Baloch, Munir Mengal, Dr. Zafar Baloch, Dr. Karim Abdian, Aziz Baloch, Humaira Rahman, Mumtaz Khan and Malik Baloch.

Event is free but RSVP. Lunch served.

Venue: National Press Club One block from Metro Center metro station 529 14th St. NW 13th Floor, Washington DC 20045

RSVP: Rashid Baloch
Email: ahmar_scribe@yahoo.com;
Phone: 301-957-0008 http://baluchistan.newsvine.com;
www.balochwarna.org

Hyrbyair Marri's speech in the UK House of Commons

London (28-10-2009): The Baloch have a long history of struggle against repressions and oppression by the Pakistani and Iranian states. Our history, however, pre-dates the formation of both Pakistan and Iran. The Baloch have a history which goes back thousands of years.

During the British Raj, Britain annexed a strip of land adjoining Afghanistan and named it (“British Balochistan”). The Baloch tirelessly campaigned for independence during the final decades of the British Raj. When the British left the Indian subcontinent the Baloch declared their Independence on 11 August 1947. Balochistan remained a sovereign state until it was forcefully occupied by Pakistan army on 27 March 1948. Iran had already occupied western part of Balochistan in 1928. Iran’s occupation of western Balochistan was a part of a ploy by the British to bring Iran on their side against the Russian expansion.

Since the occupation Iran and Pakistan have used brute force to subjugate the Baloch. The international Community by keeping silence have legitimized the forceful occupation of Baloch land and the inhumane treatment committed against them.

The current spate of violence in Balochistan started in early 2000 when the Pakistani dictator Musharraf came into power through an illegal military action. Pakistan’s army have used modern and lethal weapons like, Phosphorus and cluster bombs ‘which are supplied by the West’ against unarmed Baloch.

Hundreds of thousands of Baloch people have been displaced, many hundreds killed and thousands have been extra judicially abducted by the Pakistani Intelligence agencies ever since. Relatives have tried all peaceful means to find out the whereabouts of their loved ones, who have disappeared without a trace, to no avail. There are currently more than 6000 people missing in Eastern Balochistan (occupied by Pakistan).

During Musharraf’s dictatorship hundreds of Baloch including two top Baloch leaders Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti and Nawabzada Balach Marri (one of my brothers) have been murdered. Apparently Musharraf has got away with these crimes. In fact it was Musharruf “the Pakistani general Penuche” and his Jihadist army who created world’s two most deadliest organisations; Al-Qaeeda and the Taliban. These are the two most destructive fundamentalist organizations that are hell bent to destroy secular nations both Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Ironically, he is presently treated as a celebrity and is giving lectures to the International community on terrorism! No one so far within the International Community has challenged him for the crimes that he and his cronies have committed in Balochistan.

Besides, all other criminal army generals come and stay in Western countries after their retirement. Instead of holding them accountable for their crimes, they are given sanctuaries to carry on with their lavish lifestyle.

Even though a new government came into power after 2008 election in Pakistan but their policy towards Balochistan is much the same, the faces have changed but the biased, brutal and corrupt system is still in place. Unfortunately during this so called democratically elected government three top Baloch political leader, namely Ghulam Mohammed Baloch, Lala Munir Baloch and Sher Mohammed Baloch were abducted by Pakistani Intelligence Agencies from their lawyers’ office in broad day light, severely tortured for few days and finally murdered in cold blood. Their bodies were found in a deserted area after a week.

Similar atrocities are also being committed against Baloch people by the Islamic Regime of Iran in Western occupied Balochistan. There too hardly a single day goes by without arrests, torture and execution of innocent Baloch people.

Problem of smaller nations and the responsibility of the International Community: If we take a look at the struggles experienced by occupied nations there is a realisation that such struggles have always been ignored by the International Community. The Western democracies instead of siding with the oppressed are backing the oppressors. They are collaborating with Turkey against secular Kurdish movement; they have helped Sri Lanka against the Tamils and they are siding with Pakistan against the Baloch people. This biased approach has to stop and International Community must urge these occupying states to stop the slaughter of the oppressed Nations and abide by International laws.

Such discriminatory actions of the International community have compelled the occupied Nations to stand up to these states and sometimes they are forced to take extreme steps in their own defence. Nations like the Kurd, the Tamils and the Baluch are pushed against the wall and left with no option but to resist the state brutalities and to defend themselves.

These oppressive states especially Pakistan have benefited from International laws on terrorism & the war on terror. Pakistan is protecting terrorists and using the war on terror as a weapon to blackmail the west. Unfortunately instead of holding Pakistan responsible the West is ignoring their crimes and complying with their unjustified demands.

A recent example is the proscription of Baloch liberation Struggle in the UK and the arrest of my colleague and myself on flimsy terrorism charges. One can understand why Pakistan would proscribe the secular Baloch movement – because Pakistan wants to justify the human rights violation in Balochistan in the name of fight against terrorism. The UK had no excuse for proscribing the secular Baloch liberation movement but to please the Pakistani dictator Musharraf. The UK however should know that if it was not for the secular Baloch people in the region, today Balochistan would have been full of Taliban extremists. Imagine how hard it would be to tackle extremism in an area twice as big as the UK full of Taliban and their supporters.

These days we hear the news that the Taliban are moving to Quetta, the capital city of Balcohistan. Baloch have always warned the western powers time and again about the spread of Taliban in their region. And in many instances Baloch have openly said that Taliban are being systematically settled in Quetta in order to counter the secular Baloch national struggle.

Similarly we see other oppressive states are using the so called “war on terror” to undermine the national struggles of oppressed Nations. When the Sri Lankan cricket team was attacked in Pakistan, the Pakistan state media and officials, including the Prime Minister of Pakistan, stated that the attack was carried out by Lashkar-e-Toiba , an Islamic fundamentalist organisation.

However after a meeting with the Sri Lanakan president in Libya the Prime Minister of Pakistan changed his statement and blamed the Tamils for the attack, without a shred of proof. This is another example of collusion between two states. Those states that have illegally annexed other nations tend to collaborate closely with each other against the Nations under their occupation.

The United Nations especially the UN Human Rights Council has become a forum where states support and ignore the wrong doings and violations committed by other member states. Stateless Nations have no or very little say in the UN, for this very reason The United Nation has, by and large, ignored the illegal occupation of weaker Nations.

In order to keep Balochistan under their occupation the Pakistani Army and the Punjabi controlled state administration have dominated Pakistan’s institutions and the seats at the United Nations and other international forums. It is only they that interact with the outside world on behalf of the state. The Baloch are deliberately excluded from these key institutions. Their presence in such matters is absolutely none. In their eyes my participation in this meeting is an act of treason because we are not meant to speak on an International forum. The exclusion of voiceless nations from International Organisations would encourage the oppressors to continue their atrocities against our people.

Oppressive states are globally unified and have combined forces to justify their criminal acts; they are trying nationally and internationally to criminalise the normal and just activities of suppressed Nations in order to continue their hegemony over them. It is the responsibility of stateless Nation like the Kurd, the Tamils and the Baloch to unite and challenge their unjust acts on every forum. We must inform the International community about their inhuman acts and remind the West of its responsibilities to our defenceless nations.

Therefore I appeal to all human Rights Organisations and Humanitarian workers to unite and raise voice against the illegal occupations and human rights abuses of nations like Balochistan.

The meeting was sponsored by CAMPACC and British Tamil Law Foundation, in the UK House of Commons and was by hosted by Soibhain McDonagh MP. The participants of the meeting discussed 1) the impacts of ‘terrorist’ bans on communities seeking self-determination & struggling against occupation abroad such as the Kurdish, Baloch and Palestinian people. 2) Collusion among ‘security’ agencies in undermining self-determination, especially though ‘anti terror’ laws. 3) The role of such laws as an instrument of foreign policy and domestic repression; and means to resist and undermine such laws through defence.

McDonagh PM and Estella (founder of CAMPACC) chaired the meeting. Kazim Aqpak from Kurdish Federation UK, Les Levidow from CAMPAAC, Hyrbyair Marri, Baloch leader, a Tamil representative (spoke on behalf of Jan Jananayagam) and Matt foot lawyer of Shanthan (Arunachalam Chrithanthakumar) have spoken of different aspect of terrorism laws and the war on terror and its impacts on occupied nations like the Kurd, the Baloch and the Tamils.

Pakistani flag has no honour and place in Balochistan

By Gedrozia Baluch

Because colours of the Pakistani flag of white are supposed to symbolize peace, harmony and mutual love and to live in peace. The colour green represents prosperity and progress. But this artificial state flag is far from these facts.

While in reality this state’s history is full of blood of the oppressed innocent people who died due to its (Pakistan) founder Mr. Mohammed Ali Jinnah.

Pakistan from its birth has been carrying crises and conflicts while millions were forced to leave their homeland from India and many were killed indiscriminately due to sectarianism. This was adopted and triggered by its founder Mr. Jinnah, for his desired Independent Islamic land while Muslims were living with Hindus and Sikhs in peace and security throughout the centuries in the sub-continent.

Because the main aim of creating any country is to ensure a decent life for it is people and to prevent them from misery. But with new born Pakistan, things came contrary to the logic and became a curse on it is own supporters as they tasted all kinds of torments, adversities and hatred and animosity and hostility to each other after so many years of coexistence, solidarity and brotherhood with each other before the British occupation of subcontinent and after British colonialism in form of collective struggle for independence.

Hence a lot of people consider the boundary between the dissident and the mother-country (sub-continent) of pure imagination, and that every Pakistani is Indian in origin, because every Pakistani had ancestors of the Indians, and was carrying identity and belongs to the Indian soil.

Britain was not serious about this division, but only was keen on any price of inability of Russian ambitions to engage and take control of the sub-continent and the neighbouring areas.

How was it possible for a single-minded man such as Mr. Jinnah, to force a super power like Britain, in order to secure a separate state for Muslims?? In fact, Britain was not interested in Muslims or any other religious group in India throughout the period of occupation of the subcontinent particularly when they intended to leave.

The best proof of the indifference of Britain for the composition of Pakistan as a separate entity is drawing the borders between Pakistan and the subcontinent within a period not exceeding one month, regardless of the endless complexities which resulted to an unfair division of assets and sources of income.

Balochistan

The biggest victim of Pakistan’s existence was Baluchistan, due to it's enjoyment of all elements of being sovereign status and has chance a rising a state because of its geopolitical importance along with the rich natural resources as well as it's southern coast which overlooks the Arabian Sea and the costal line which extends for more than 750 kilometres.

These reasons were enough to flood the saliva of Jinnah’s devil ambitions to invade and control over Baluchistan, the neighbouring independent sovereign state, and to force it to accede under the logic of power in 1948.

Since then, Pakistani rulers are displacing the local population from their regions to change the demography of Baloch areas. As well as replacement of the local Baloch language to Urdu, a derived language from Hindi, the language of Jinnah’s ancestor’s subcontinent, and imposed it in Baluchistan as the official language at schools and educational institutions. A desperate attempt to demolish the original and native Balochi language.

In addition to that, Pakistani non democratic and dictatorial rulers was/are continuously depleting and robbing all the natural resources for the management of all Pakistanis industries and institutions, particularly the military, which is using the wealth of Baluch land in suppressing and killing the innocent people of Baluchistan whenever they try to retrieve their stolen rights.

Therefore Baloch homeland is considered to be one of the poorest and least developed and have the most percentage of illiteracy, though having a rich ground of all natural resources that can guarantee development and prosperity to any nation.

As for Baloch, the master of the land, they realize the seriousness of this tumour in what is called Pakistan. They are trying to erase their identity and destroy their culture and history. Therefore Baloch resistance existed ever since Baluchistan was occupied by force and they will never give up their land at any price.

The reason why Pakistani establishment has failed in all it its desperate attempts to annex the Baluch culturally and intellectually, as they failed to include them on the ground, is that Pakistani rulers have ignored that there is a very big difference of tens of thousands of years between the history and culture of Baluch nation, and the history of underdeveloped Pakistan, which does not exceed some decades.

The simplest proof of that is the emergence of wonder and amazement in the faces of
Pakistan’s ISI and FC forces when they see any citizen of Baluchistan in his traditional clothes such as turbans and baggy trousers, they are seen as strangers and foreigners in their own ancestral land by its occupiers who themselves emigrated from India in 1947 and forcefully ruling Balochistan.

In fact, their disdain from seeing Baluch people wearing such turbans and baggy trousers, this shows their ignorance. Because they do not realize that the symbolism of such turban with it is three or four meters, in existence for thousands of years than the age and history of new born Pakistan. And therefore it is not fair to compare the history of Baluchistan with the history of an unclear and incomplete growth state, Pakistan.

How a country like Pakistan can mock the values and history of an ancient civilization of a great nation when itself does not have any real history, except its dark history of destruction and loss. Maybe Pakistani establishment forgot that Baluchistan is not the right place to look for their lost identity, as their identity can be found in India, Pakistan’s origin.

So it is better for Pakistani rulers to think again and go back and join to the sub-continent were they had split from. If they are willing to have a history which can be remembered by the coming generation, especially that India has become one of the great powers, which is characterized by a strong and balanced economy, unlike Pakistan, the underdeveloped and dilapidated since its inception to date.

Finally, the fate of Pakistan, without any doubt is disappearing from the international map, because of the stiffness and resistance of the loyal people of Baluchistan in the face of the colonial State of Pakistan to defend their ancestral land (Baluchistan).

This is what we have learned from history that the end is definite for every iniquitous.

Is It Lyari Or Afghanistan?

Pakistani forces using China's funded TANK's against Baloch in Lyari karachi.About thousand's of security personels participating with Tanks and heavy war weapons.

Aid to Pakistan military troubling

From former P-I foreign editor Larry Johnson

I was just reading today the latest news about the multi-billion dollar Pakistan aid bill currently awaiting President Obama’s signature, when I got an email about the recent abduction of a Norwegian citizen traveling in Pakistan.

According to a letter sent out today from the Baloch Human Rights Council of Canada to Norway’s representative in Ontario, Norwegian Ehsan Arjemandi had gone to Pakistan to visit his family in July.

The BHRC said Arjemandi was traveling to Karachi by bus in August when several “unidentified vehicles intercepted the bus, armed men got into the bus and took Mr. Ehsan Arjemandi out of the bus and covered his head with a black blanket and took him away.”

His family hasn’t heard from him since. The council said that witnesses to the abduction say that Arjemandi was abducted by a team led by Major Mohammed Shahid, a military intelligence officer.

The BHRC said that Arjemandi has been “a very active voice in Norway and Europe against the human rights violation in Balochistan… had organized several peaceful processions in front of Pakistan Embassy in Norway against the illegal abduction of political workers in Balochistan, where more than 8000 political workers have been made disappeared by Pakistan military.”

The BHRC also said that it believes the Pakistan army and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) carried out the abduction “to punish Mr. Ehsan Arjemandi and at the same time silence the voice of Baloch Diaspora against Pakistan army's brutalities in Balochistan.”

Balochistan or Baluchistan is an area that covers parts of Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan. Baloch political leaders in Pakistan want greater control of the region’s resources, protection for the Baloch minority and a halt to the building of military bases. The government has also used the Baloch region to test its nuclear weapons.

Some militant forces want the entire Baloch region to be an independent country and have carried out bombings and other violent actions to get attention. Of course, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan want their territories to remain intact.

Pakistan’s Human Rights Commission backs up much of what the BHRC says about abductions and torture. It has tracked hundreds of Baloch political party members, students, doctors and tribal leaders who have been detained by government security forces, many disappearing for months or even years. Some have been tortured or have died in custody, according to the commission.

Members of Arjemandi’s family, who were already worried because Arjemandi has a heart condition, expressed fears that he would be tortured by the Pakistan military.

However, the human rights group said that they had confirmation that the Pakistan military had handed Arjemandi over to Iranian authorities who had transferred him to Zahidan prison.

The BHRC said it believes that Arjemandi’s life is now in even more danger because several Baloch political activists who were handed over to Iranian Authorities have been hanged after being tortured.

The U.S. aid package would give Pakistan $1.5 billion annually over the next five years ostensibly for democratic, economic and social development programs. That's all fine. Those programs should be encouraged. But it’s the part that allows “such sums as are necessary” for military aid that bother me.

The more united we are – the sooner we can achieve our goal of Independence: Hyrbyair Marri

London: Exiled Baloch Leader Nawabzada Hyrbyair Marri has said that Baloch and Sindhi people need to join together and struggle against the Pakistani Occupation. He further said in the last over 60 years of Pakistan's existence Baloch and Sindhi have been victimized and terrorized by the state of Pakistan in different ways.

Commenting on the resolution passed by Sindhi friends Hyrbyair said that Balochistan should always be mentioned as "occupied Balochistan" rather than a province of Pakistan.

Answering to a Question about the position of Sardars after Independence Mr Marri said that there is a tribal system in Baluchistan which is wrongfully and deliberately being portrayed as a feudal system. "Sardars are also part of the Baloch society and we can address our differences ourselves. There are already several educated Baloch like Dr Allah Nazar and others involved in Balochistan Liberation struggle and they are not Sadars or Nawabs".

Full text of Hyrbyair Marri's speech at world Sindhi Congress annual conference:


First of all I would like to thank the World Sindhi Congress for giving me this opportunity to express my views.

Sindhi and Baloch both democratic and secular Nations are facing the same enemy which is Pakistani Army and Punjabi as the dominant nation. Sindhis are almost suffering same fate as the Baloch. I am not aware of the facts that how Sindh has become a part of Pakistan BUT what I do know is that Sindh and Balochistan have long been the victims of Pakistan’s violence.

Pakistan exploits our natural resources, including our waters, gas, oil, and land, in order to support its bloated military at the expense of other nations. The Pakistani government has been building a number of mega-dams that have drastically reduced the flow of water to Sindh. Pakistan embarked upon demographic changes that threaten to reduce the Baloch and Sindhi to a minority in their own Homeland.

In Balochistan the Pakistani Army wants to bring in Punjabi and Mohajirs to Gwadar and surrounding areas so that they can turn the Baloch into a minority in their own homeland. That is why the people of Balochistan are opposed to the construction of the so called mega projects because they consider these projects as mega disaster against the indigenous people of Balochistan.

Sindhi and Baloch have a justified right to demand for sovereign and Independent homelands, where they can live with peace and dignity. Where, their children and family are not humiliated and harassed on daily bases. The demand of a sovereign country is a common cause which both nations share, that is why a joint struggle for this common cause would be very useful rather than individual efforts.

I’m sure you are all aware of the fact that Balochistan was never a part of Pakistan. According to Baloch scholar and the author of "The Problem of Greater Balochistan," Dr. Inyatullah Baloch, ‘United Balochistan’ existed as a tribal confederacy based on the collective and cooperative concept of Baloch tribalism from 1756-1795 in the name of "Khanate of Baluchistan," Baloch people’s struggle is purely to regain their Independent State. Since the occupation of Free Balochistan, the Pakistani army has killed thousands of our children, elderly, men and women. Thousands have been forced out of their home and forced to take refuge not only in neighbouring provinces of Pakistan but also in neighbouring countries.

Currently thousands of Baloch activists are missing from Balochistan. The missing persons consist of people of all ages and spheres of life. The level of repression against the Baloch is more intense than the level of repression in Sindh. Baloch are left with no other option but to resist the occupation of their land and to defend themselves.

Pakistan is the worst example of Islamic fundamentalism. This fundamentalism started with the idea of the two nation theory; if it was not for the egoistic Jinnah Muslims would have had a greater voice in the geion. The creation of Pakistan was firstly detrimental to Muslims, then the Baluch and then to the Sindhis. I say this because the image of Muslims has suffered since the creation of Pakistan, the Independence has been undermined and the sovereignty of Sindh has vanished.

Pakistan establishment has introduced Islamic fundamentalist culture in Balochistan in order to subdue Baloch Nationalism and promote their Pakistani version of false Islamic values which are in a contradiction to Baloch values, for the instability in Afghanistan and also a great help in promoting international terrorism. This proves that Punjab is willing to sacrifice International peace and stability to insure food on their table.

The creation of Pakistan was for the sole purpose of improving and empowering the long enslaved Punjabi Nation, this was proven when over 2 million Bangladeshis were massacred only because they challenged the Punjabi hegemony over Pakistan. The neo-colonialist Punjabi elite have as yet not learned their lesson through their artificial country’s first disintegration of East Pakistan. The Pakistan establishment and Punjabi elite are still pursuing their neo-colonialist policies in order to feed the Punjabi by illegally maintaining their occupation over Baluchistan.

The Baluch Nation has strived for freedom since its occupation by Pakistan. The level of resistance has varied due to circumstances but the will and aspiration of the Baluch people for freedom has not changed. The people of Balochistan, especially the youth are convinced that the Punjab will not be successful in suppressing the Baluch for long.

At present the Sindhis and the Baluch have the same enemy therefore there is an urgent need to unite, resist and defeat this common enemy because our identity and survival is at stake.

I advise the Sindhi friend that you should learn from the experience of the Baluch that the enemy will only get stronger and confident with time, therefore you should unite be willing to sacrifice and defend your motherland.

I urge the Baloch and Sindhi people to join against the common enemy for their common gaol to achieve their sovereign and Independent homelands.
The more united we are – the sooner we can achieve our goal of Independence.

I would like to finish with a quote of Nelson Mandela. He wrote in his famous biography "Long walk to Freedom,"

"Over and over again, we had used all non-violent weapons in our arsenal--speeches, deputations, threats, marches, strikes, stays-away, voluntarily imprisonments-- all to no avail, for whatever we did was met by iron hand. A freedom fighter learns the hard way that it is the oppressor who defines the nature of the struggle, and the oppressed is often left no recourse but to use methods, that those of the oppressor."

What Sindhis have got for last 60 years is; few assassinated prime ministers and what Baloch got is the bodies of their leaders and other loved ones.

Shindhi and Baloch lets Unite and say Pakistan Nakhapay.

Police & Rangers Jointly Genociding Lyarians On The Instructions of MQM

Large scale operation continous in lyari.Police & Ranger forces jointly genociding

the peacefull Baloch of lyari on the name of so called gangwar.The 2.5 million

population of Baloch in lyari siezed by brutall forces of pakistan.Thousand's of

security personnels participating in operation against Baloch civilians on the

orders of MQM.Its the agenda of immigrant mohajirs(MQM)to hijack the baloch

dominated areas.MQM thugs want to rule on lyarians,and its their effort to make

Baloch politically dependent by the force of gun.This ongoing operation is a

warning against all those masses who protested against the MQM land mafia who are

occupying the baloch ancestral land of ''Gattar Bageecha''