The enemy is us

The Baloch have plenty to distrust the federation for

After displaying a stern reaction to the introduction of the resolution by three members of the US Congress recommending the right of self determination for the Baloch people in Balochistan (and elsewhere), Islamabad started its belated efforts to defuse the situation by releasing a few missing persons and announcing withdrawal of cases against the Baloch separatist leaders, besides announcing to hold an All Parties Conference (APC) on the Balochistan issue.

Although Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani assured the Baloch of constituting a committee regarding the thorny issue of the missing persons, no announcement was made either for bringing them before the courts or at least to address the problem. The missing persons issue has always hampered the government in all its initiatives, including Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan, taken up for improving the situation. But the Baloch nationalist parties refused to take part in any dialogue with the government without stringent conditions (theirs). The agencies backed by the Frontier Corps, Balochistan are repeatedly accused of involvement in whisking away and targeted killing of Baloch youth and activists in the last five years. Since June 2010, around 380 bullet- riddled and decomposed bodies of these missing persons have been found in the streets and desolated places under a ‘kill and dump policy’, no doubt giving a bloody message to the separatist and militant groups to give up their activities.

“The only way to wipe out the militancy is by executing the target- killers of Punjabi teachers and settlers and crushing the elements involved in anti-state activities”, said a senior security official to a reporter. A number of Baloch teachers, journalists, intellectuals and lawyers who were presumed to be supporters of the militants and the separatist movement were among those killed in different actions. Some three to four hundred Punjabi settlers including teachers have also been killed by the Baloch militants during the last six years in Balochistan. Some elements within the army’s top brass were critical of the ‘kill and dump’ policy in the province and even expressed their misgivings in public. “The issue of missing persons and recovery of the bullet- riddled bodies is very serious and even may break Balochistan away from Pakistan, Baloch youth involved in burning the Pakistan national flag should be treated gently, rather their grievances be addressed that have forced them to take such an extreme step”, said the then commander southern command Balochistan, Lt. Gen. Jawaid Zia while talking to local journalists. He further added, “Baloch youth may go to that extent of burning the national flag because they think that state has never addressed their problems”.

The current, fifth phase of Baloch insurgency was launched in 2000 when elderly Baloch separatist leader Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri was arrested on the charge of murdering Justice Mir Mohammad Nawaz Marri, the then senior Judge of Balochistan High Court. All his sons, except Changaiz Marri, a leader of the PML(N) were nominated in the case. The militants started attacking government buildings, installations and security forces with weapons, rockets and explosives.

Later, Nawab Akbar Bugti, the former Balochistan governor and chief minister, also joined the insurgency by leading his tribesmen to the mountains. Bugti was killed in August, 2006 in a military operation in Kohlu along with his armed tribesmen following two days of fighting. His murder led to widespread unrest in Balochistan, igniting a full fledged war between armed militants and security forces in the mountains and remote areas.

However Baloch armed youth also started killing Punjabi settlers mainly teachers and government employees. Bugti who has been known as a pro-establishment politician started alienating Islamabad in the wake of the latter’s refusal to accept his long standing demands, mainly regularizing services of local Bugtis and new appointments of some engineers.

The rape of a Sindhi lady doctor Shazia Khalid, allegedly by an armed forces captain, added fuel to the fire and Nawab Bugti took the rape on Baloch land as an insult to his honour. Bugti tribesmen started attacks on the check posts manned by the army when the government came to the rescue of the accused army officer instead of action against him. Sixtytwo persons, including thirty-two Hindu women and children, were killed and scores injured in an attack on the fort of Nawab Bugti by Frontier Corps’ shelling. After a few months of the killing of Nawab Bugti, Nawabzada Baloch Marri, a guerrilla commander, was also killed in an air bombardment in Naushki district close to the Afghan border.

Although the PPP government, after coming to power, tried to stop the on-going military operation in the restive districts of the province, the military high-ups warned them that Balochistan may break away in the wake of Indian intervention, were the forces to be withdrawn. However, the PPP leadership agreed to continue the military action, but called for restraint. The personnel of paramilitary forces also adopted coercive measures in the city areas to humiliate Baloch youth like trimming their long hair, beards and mustaches or their traditional baggy trousers. So much so, in some cases, the youth were forced to put their lips on hot silencers of their motorcycles as punishment for pillion riding. The hearing in the US Congress followed by the introduction of a resolution suggesting the right of self determination for the Baloch people initiated a debate in Pakistan in general and in Balochistan in particular besides creating a stir in both government and military circles. The former opposed the move tooth and nail, besides lodging a strong protest at all levels with Washington.

There is a mixed reaction by the Baloch political parties and groups to the congressional public hearing and the resolution on Balochistan. Some of them construe it as a clear indication of US interests for an independent Balochistan. However others are not taking it seriously at all and consider it as pressure tactics on the part of the US for action against the Haqqani network in North Waziristan, restoring the NATO supply line, and halting Iran-Pakistan overtures.

“I think things are serious as Americans now want to bring changes into the region by creating a free Balochistan comprising all three parts of Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan”, said a senior Baloch bureaucrat.

Baloch youth who follow the separatist leader Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri have turned completely indifferent towards the state due to the prevailing situation and have started a campaign for not allowing the national anthem to be played in government schools or to hoist the Pakistani flag on their buildings. Instead, a so-called Baloch anthem and flag were placed in major areas, including the provincial capital, Quetta. The campaign was started by Baloch Student Organization (Azad) after the murder of three Baloch leaders Ghulam Mohammad, Sher Mohammad and Lala Munir in 2010. They all were kidnapped in broad daylight from Turbat Bazaar and their bullet riddled bodies were found three days later in a desolate area.

“Elderly people like us are ready to talk over the issues with Islamabad, but if the youth took over the things, they would not be brought to the negotiating table”, Nawab Bugti said once in his interview with this ascribe. Islamabad has also become a beehive of activity in the wake of the US Congress resolution and started to win back the Baloch separatist leaders in exile by announcing some concessions like withdrawal of their cases and offering them amnesty to return. Around five Baloch missing persons have also been released so far. In response to government efforts, all the Baloch parties rejected the offer by terming it as merely a gimmick.

Not only separatist leaders, but also federal nationalists maintain that Islamabad has been cheating the Baloch even on the Holy Book, referring to the Nawab Nauroz Khan incident, and say that to rely on such vows and promises will not be less than a blunder. Nawab Nauroz , a rebel leader, had been brought down from the mountains in 1959 by the Pakistan army for a settlement through the Holy Quran as guarantor, but he was later arrested along with his sons and nephews. Six of his sons and nephews were executed while he was spared for his old age, but died in 1964 in jail.

Baloch leaders, some of them pinning up too many expectations on the US for its intervention in the Baloch issue, do not seem to be agreeable to negotiations in the present situation unless and until concrete steps are taken on the part of the military leadership, like withdrawal of forces from the troubled areas, release of all missing persons, trial of former dictator Pervaiz Musharraf for the murder of Nawab Bugti and other Baloch leaders and workers. Otherwise it may be too late to convince the Baloch leadership and youth that the solution to their grievances does exist within the boundaries of Pakistan.

Nawabzada Jameel Akbar Bugti

‘Our Baloch brothers should not pin too much hope on the Americans whose track record is not good, if we were to learn from history. What happened to the Kurds? The American had assured them of their full support in their liberation struggle, but later left them in the lurch.

The United States considers its interests supreme, so Baloch leaders should also be cautious while relying on Americans. In my opinion, the solution of Baloch problem is plebiscite under United Nations after inclusion of Baloch lands like Dera Ghazi Khan and Jacobabad in Balochistan and it would depend on the Baloch population whether they opt for independence or stay with Pakistan’.

Brahamdagh Bugti, President Baloch Republican Party

We welcome the US move for the Baloch people and consider it a positive development, despite the fact that it may be driven by US interests. If the US achieves its interests by such interference and the Baloch are benefited we welcome it. Baloch have reached the point of no return just because of their ethnic- cleansing in Balochistan at the hands of the Punjabi army and now are not ready for any negotiation which is wastage of time, except for freedom. The leaders of mainstream political parties and media are busy these days debating the Baloch issue, but did not bother to raise their voice when children, women and old people were being whisked away by the agencies and brutally killed and their dead bodies thrown in the streets for the animals to eat’.

‘I do not see any separation movement in Balochistan, but it is not more than an adventure and now the US congressmen seem to join it. This so-called supporter of human rights never raised his voice for the right of self determination of the people of Kashmir and Palestine who have been struggling for the last 60 years. US Representative Dana Rohrabacher has no sympathy for the Baloch people or their right of self -determination. His recent activities are aimed at pressurizing the Pakistan government, coaxing some concessions out of it in the game being played in the region for hegemony’.

Sardar Akhtar Mengal, President Balochistan National Party

‘How can we rely on a government which is responsible for the abduction of Baloch youth and throwing their bullet riddled bodies in the streets after being tortured and killed? History is witness to the fact that Islamabad has been cheating the Baloch nation even in the name of the Holy Koran. In such circumstances, why should the Baloch people rely on the Interior Minister who has no credibility even within his own party’.

The political element and the government also failed in demonstrating their seriousness towards the worsening Balochistan situation during the last four years. Had the rulers done so, a workable solution might well have been an option.

Those making loud noises now for the withdrawal of cases against Baloch leaders should first explain to the Baloch people what action would be taken against those responsible for all the killings and the mutilated bodies?

The writer is a journalist based in Quetta.