End Killings And Occupation Of Balochistan: Bhrc Tells Iran And Pakistan

Shir Abedian, Secretary General, BHRC (Canada) and Central Committee member of Balochistan Peoples Party (Western Balochistan) commenced the event with patriotic Balochi poetry and greeted the guests to an evening of remembrance of the sad day when Baloch people lost their sovereignty to the invading Pakistan army.

BHRC (Canada), IVBMP, Oppressed Nations Demand End of Illegal Occupation, Human Rights Violations in Balochistan

Toronto, Sunday, 03/25/2012 – Baloch Human Rights Council (Canada) and the International Voice for Baloch Missing Persons, jointly observed March 27, 1948 illegal occupation of Balochistan, and described it a dark period in the nation’s history. At a well-attended gathering of political activists, community members, and organizations representing Baloch, Sindhis, Kashmiris, Alahwazi Arabs, South Azerbaijanis, Turkomans, and progressive elements in Toronto – speakers expressed strong solidarity with the Baloch struggle for freedom and rights.

Shir Abedian, Secretary General, BHRC (Canada) and Central Committee member of Balochistan Peoples Party (Western Balochistan) commenced the event with patriotic Balochi poetry and greeted the guests to an evening of remembrance of the sad day when Baloch people lost their sovereignty to the invading Pakistan army.

Zaffar Baloch, President, BHRC (Canada) presented the audience with a brief history of Balochistan, highlighting the events that led to the illegal occupation of Kalat by Pakistani armed forces.

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When his courtier asked the 18th century Baloch ruler, Nuri Naseer Khan, founder of the modern Baloch state, “What is the future of our sovereign rule over these vast lands?” The wise Baloch ruler explained to the court, “As long as there is a Baloch shepherd sitting on a hilltop playing his flute, without a grain of fear in his heart, and considers himself the rightful owner of the entire lands – we have a future as a sovereign nation.”

This was the message of a great ruler to his people that has resonated in the history of Balochistan to the present day – the fearless heart of a common Baloch and the will to be free, is the only path to the freedom of this great nation. Destinies of nations are built on the blood and bones of a people who refuse to be slaves.

August 12, 1947 marked the end of a century of British colonial control over Balochistan that began in 1839 with the fall of Kalat and martyrdom of Mir Mehrab Khan. With the departure of the British, Balochistan enjoyed its freedom for 227 days before the invasion by the Pakistani army on March 27, 1948. It is an irony of history that Baloch nation’s 108 years of struggle against colonialism ended with 227 days of freedom, only to lose it again.

In short, Balochistan’s history as an independent nation dates back to 16th century and ever since has been involved in various wars against occupation by the Portuguese, British, Persians, and Pakistan. The British boundary commissions of 1871 and 1895 divided Balochistan into three regions – currently, within the state boundaries of Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. Balochistan under occupation of Iran and Pakistan has witnessed a history of uprisings, rebellions, and wars of independence – 1905 – 1928 against the Persian rulers, and 1948, 1958, 1960, 1973, and the ongoing struggle since 2003 against the state of Pakistan.

The departing British, and the newly founded Pakistan, recognized Balochistan’s sovereign status as an independent state, declared by Khan of Kalat, Mir Ahmedyar Khan on August 12, 1947. This historic fact has been recorded and reported in the leading newspapers including New York Times. Both the houses of the sovereign Baloch legislative assembly in Kalat unanimously decided to be a free nation. However, following Balochistan’s independence from the British, Pakistan and its ruling elite began hatching conspiracies against Kalat, which finally ended in the military invasion of Balochistan and Khan of Kalat, Mir Ahmedyar Khan was forced to sign the so-called Instrument of Accession document on March 27, 1948.

The singularly most important socio-political concept that has grasped the Baloch mind in history, based on the collective experiences of subjugation is – FREEDOM – and the only guarantee for such an existence free from foreign dominance is a sovereign state with secure borders that defines and preserves Baloch as an historic, cultural entity. Anything short of that are temporary solutions, bound to run into trouble in times of rapid political changes.

Fortunately, the international community, West, and the U.S. are now beginning to realize the gravity of the Baloch struggles in Iran and Pakistan – the two theocratic and militaristic states involved in global terror networks and proliferation of nuclear weapons. In a historic event on February 8, 2012, US Representative Hon. Dana Rohrabacher, who also is the Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, chaired a congressional hearing on Balochistan in Washington, DC. Nearly a week after he chaired the Congressional hearing on Balochistan, US Congressman Hon. Rohrabacher introduced a resolution in the US House of Representatives calling upon Pakistan to recognise the Baloch right to self-determination. The motion was co-sponsored by House Representatives Hon. Louie Gohmert and Hon. Steve King. I would like to present here some extracts of the statement and resolutions by Hon. Rohrabacher on Balochistan:

“The Baloch, like other nations of people, have an innate right to self-determination. The political and ethnic discrimination they suffer is tragic and made more so because America is financing and selling arms to their oppressors in Islamabad.”

“It is US policy to oppose aggression and violation of human rights inherent in the subjugation of national groups as currently being shown in Iran and Pakistan against the aspiration of the Baloch people.”

US Representatives Hon. Rohrabacher and Hon. Gohmert also will be addressing a newsmaker briefing on Balochistan on March 27th marking Balochistan’s forceful annexation with Pakistan. The event will take place at the National Press Club, Washington, DC.

As the conflict in Balochistan intensifies, world is taking notice of the atrocities committed by Iran and Pakistan against the civilian population including enforced disappearances of activists; killing and dumping of disappeared persons; and target killing of Baloch leaders, women, and intellectuals. According to a recent report by Voice of Baloch Missing Persons, the current figure of the disappeared persons has come to 14, 385 and the number of Baloch activists killed and dumped has exceeded 400.

In the last couple of weeks alone 35 Baloch were abducted by Pakistani security forces, which include 10 Marri Baloch, 5 from the Noshki area, and 15 from Dera Bugti. Reporting from inside the zone of conflict, Baloch Republican Party spokesperson, Sher Mohammad Bugti informed that on March 14, 2012, Dera Bugti was pounded by aerial bombardment, and Pakistan Air Force jetfighters and gunship helicopters were used on civilian population. Reportedly, 12 civilians lost their lives including children and the Pakistani security forces took away 15 young Bugti tribesmen to an undisclosed location.

Repressive measures by occupation forces and states cannot kill a movement by killing the ones who believe in freedom. History has proven that the road to national emancipation is full of suffering and broken bones – yet there comes a day in the life of a people when all the suffering ceases to exist, what remains is the memory of a free homeland that once was and will be – again.

Thank you.

Balochistan sabzbaat.

Senge Sering
Institute for Gilgit Baltistan Studies
Washington DC, DC
202 689 0647