Charting a Course of Unity, Forging a new arrangement

By Archen Baloch 07/07/2011 Let us put our efforts together to forge a new pact under a single agenda which should be acceptable to all Baloch parties that believe in liberation of Balochistan. A strong, disciplined and united agenda is needed to advance the Baloch national liberation struggle and to complete the mission of fallen heroes of Liberation movement. The Baloch National Movement at this critical and pivotal juncture cannot afford deception and double standards of Baloch parties that in reality are siding with the state and silent on state’s atrocities in Balochistan. They should mince their ways if they want to win the hearts and mind of Baloch masses. It is a bitter fact that some people from BNP (Mengal) and (Awami) do not get tired chanting the slogan of Unity but they failed to explain unity for what and on what basis? It seems they need a temporary unity in a bid to fool the Baloch Nation once again and reach to the comfortable and air-conditioned rooms of Islamabad by winning the next elections. Among the two BNPs, the BNP (Mengal) seem to have succeeded in creating rifts in the unity of Baloch pro-independence political parties, the BNF (Baloch National Front). Baloch National Front is an alliance of eight or so political and social organizations; its primary objective is to re-gain Balochistan’s sovereignty and Independence from occupying forces. The parties affiliated with the BNF agree on the following common points. 1: To struggle for the liberation of Baloch people and against the illegal occupation of Balochistan 2: To regain Independence use all options and means of struggle except the occupying state (Pakistan’s) parliamentarian system 3: To unequivocally support the Sarmachars, the freedom fighters, in defending Baloch land, honor, National Identity and achieving the ultimate goal of establishing a free, democratic and united Baloch state. So far the BNF has avoided responding to the demand of unity with the Parties that are engaged in Pakistani Politics for obvious reasons. They are of the view that the Front cannot enter into any sort of unity with pro-Pakistan parties without a clear stand, in other words before chanting slogans of unity these parties must spell it out loud and clear that Balochistan and Pakistan are two different Nations and that the later has occupied the first at gunpoint violating all International laws. Much of the statements about unity coming from these pro-Pakistan parties are often confusing, vague and contradictory. They mix-up the term self-determination and provincial autonomy and at time they say self-determination is equivalent to Independence. However, more often they speak about self-determination in the context of autonomy. This was also confirmed by HRCP in the freshly release findings about Balochistan issue. It is generally believed in Balochistan that they’re just sugar coating their ambiguous terms with word ‘UNITY’. BNF, besides the armed struggle in self-defense, welcomes all other form of struggle that disrupts the Pakistani state’s illegal occupation over Baloch land whereas BNP and other pro-establishment parties refrain from doing so because they still intend to join the race for elections and might have the opportunity to maintain Pakistani state writ on Baloch land once if they are in power. Baloch political society is not so polarized as compared to other nations in the neighborhood; we have three major political organizations, i.e. Baloch National Front, Baloch Republican Party and Balochistan National Party (Mengal), among these parties BNF and BRP support outright Independence, BNP (Mengal) is sitting on the fence and waiting for the opportunity to jump either side that suits them. There is also a small party; it is widely believed that it is an ISI creation called NP (National Party). It is openly against the Independence of Balochistan perhaps that is why they are hesitant to put the word ‘BALOCH’ before their party’s name. However, BNP (Mengal) has also recently taken some anti Baloch steps by burning Daily Tawar, giving statements against Baloch freedom fighters and appreciating the breakup of BNF. BNF believes that the BNPs and the NP have compromised the secular identity of Baloch national struggle for freedom and the natural resources with Pakistani state. The parliamentary character of Baloch politics delivered nothing except corruption and losses of national pride and it is a form of deviation from Baloch national ideology. The sham gothic character of Pakistani democracy is nothing except a smokescreen of Punjabi military design to serve Punjab’s economic interests and appease the whim of fanatic mullah for power. The secular Baloch national movement has now earned the confidence of international community. Atmosphere for freedom movement has never been as conducive as it is today. International Community, Media and Human Rights organizations to some extent have started to take up Balochistan’s issue. Writing this paragraph in praise of International Community by no mean I am suggesting that they are fulfilling their International and Humanitarian obligations but they must understand that Balochistan issue is of great interest and grave concern; they cannot and must not ignore Balochistan issue any longer if they want peace and stability in that region. It is time the International Community and Western democracies have recognized Balochistan as an occupied country and started assisting Baloch in their struggle to regain Independence. Independent observers believe the secular Baloch freedom movement has ripped through every outdated Tribal and fanatic Religious barrier erected by Pakistan in Baloch society to constrain Baloch freedom movement. From Mand to Kohlu’s mountains, Baloch Sarmachars, the freedom fighters, are engaged in sure-footed guerilla warfare against Pakistani occupying forces and are adamant to drive them out of Baloch land. Balochistan National Party, the advocate of the right to self-determination slogan, has a limited command over a section of Baloch society. In conducting its rallies and protests BNP always seeks the help of those non Baloch political parties who are not only strongly opposed to Balochistan’s Independence but also they don’t even support BNP’s slogan of right to self-determination. Such parties include Jumyat e Ulma e Islam, Pashton khwah Awami milly party, NP, Jomayat islami, Hazara Democratic Party. All these parties, including BNP, have been stuffed into a new coalition called Political Parties Coordination Committee by ISI to counter the Baloch Liberation Struggle. The slogan of Right to self-determination is totally unacceptable to the above mentioned parties. BNP has so far failed in convincing the Pakistani parties of PPCC to buy its self-determination card, let alone the Pakistani establishment. In the conglomerate of the above mentioned Pakistani Parties, Baloch National Party is an alien entity. BNP has several weakness and flaws like any other Political party in Balochistan but among the many weaknesses two are very important and outstanding. This first is that its top leadership is inactive and they solely relying on the statements of its secondary leadership and student wing issue. The second weakness of this party is that its top leadership is locked in a complexity of past and future which prevents it from establishing contact with real political forces in the realm of colossal struggle for freedom; in other words the BNP, as mentioned above sitting on the fence, is not sure which side to jump. Many pro freedom Baloch observers wonder that if this party leadership can make an alliance with parties of neighboring nations and bring together different nationalities like the Pashtun, the Sindhis and the Sariekis, on a single platform, a task that the omnipotent ISI can’t do. Then why cannot this party unite with pro-Independence parties to strengthen the liberation movement? The reason is either they are against Independence of Balochistan or they want to impose their version of Unity on the Baloch Nation; which is to allow those non-Baloch parties among Baloch who’re totally against Baloch peoples’ struggle for freedom. During Nawaz Sharif era, Sardar Attaulla Khan Mengal formed the Pakistan Oppressed Nations’ Movement, PONM, in which the pseudo nationalist parties of different nations are/were involved, Sindhis, Pushtons, Seraekis. The main objective was to pressurize Nawaz sharif for some provincial privileges and a greater share in power in the Pakistani affairs. However, PONM proved as a useless exercise, failed to convince Punjab to respect the rights of different nationalities within Pakistani federation, it still officially exists on papers, though it is practically a failed coalition and is totally inactive. BNP has some workers abroad professing the right to self-determination for the future of Baloch nation on the platform of Baloch Human Rights Council, BHRC. It has, so far, garnered no international support for its slogan. Rather it has been seen by BNF as an obstacle for internationalizing the Baloch liberation movement. It is an old relic of colonial politics for deceptions; therefore, this is totally unacceptable for those Baloch who are seeking international support for the freedom movement. Baloch observers say that BHRC is as confused as BNP because they claim to be a Human Rights Organization but I have not seen them protesting against enforced-disappearances, discovery of mutilated bodies of Baloch Political activists and attacks on Baloch villages. It is also claimed that they receive huge amount of money from Baloch Diaspora in Gulf-countries in the name of Baloch and Balochistan. The chief patron of BNP, Sardar Attaulla Khan Mengal is said to be the complementary and supplementary of Baloch national movement. It is believed that if he joins the movement for freedom, Balochistan would get rid of Pakistan within months if not within weeks, as once the renowned Baloch journalist Hafeez Hassanabadi also argued but unfortunately, he has compromised his grand standing and resigned to Punjabi power. Balochistan has become a land of tragedies, thousands of Baloch youths are missing and hundreds of thousands are apparently tortured to death by Pakistani Military in its torture cells; they have either been buried in mass graves or thrown away in remote areas of Pakistan where nobody will ever find them. BNP has a political structure heavily dependent on Sardar Attaulla Khan Mengal’s personality; otherwise its ideology of right to self-determination is totally unacceptable to Baloch masses. Though it claims that it has command over Baloch masses, but it can’t mobilize a single nationwide public protest without the help of pro-establishment parties such as JUI, NP, PKAMP and HDP. Let’s talk about the topic and my purpose of writing of this article. I am trying to explore the ways and means of unity, reconciliation and narrowing the differences/gap between Baloch Political parties so that we might reach to a common ground and understanding that would be accepted by everyone in Balochistan. First of all, let us define our objective: our prime objective is simple, that is the Independence of Balochistan! In Baloch political circle there are some well-wishers of BNP who believe that the demand of right to self-determination can or will eventually lead the Baloch nation towards freedom. Therefore, the word of UNITY for them is foremost; but unfortunately they disregard the basic principal of a national agenda. They want a sort of coordination and communication with other Baloch leaders and parties, but they failed to convince their leaders for a substantial and meaningful alliance for freedom movement. However, principally it means that we have no difference over our prime goal that we all agree upon – Independence the only thing that has created differences among us, is the “strategy” and the mean of struggle that should be chosen for freedom? Had the BNP (Mengal) not adopted a hypocritical approach toward the Baloch cause and the BNP (Mengal) student wing not openly opposed the Baloch Sarmachars the gap between them and the pro-independence parties might not have widen as much as it is today. If BNP leadership believes in the freedom of Baloch nation and wants to join the ranks of those who believe in the principal of an ideology which unify Baloch nation, first and foremost they need to stop their secondary leadership from disrespecting Baloch freedom fighters of BLA, BLF, BRA and others. They must know that if today Baloch have a recognition and respect among International Community that is because of the bold struggle of Baloch Sarmachars and not because of the parliamentary politics. As a trust building measure the BNP (Mengal) must do the above mentioned little task and prove that they want to see Balochistan a free state as much as any other Baloch then nothing can stop BNF leadership from embracing them, as they are their own flesh and blood. Another significant purpose of this article is to put forwards some suggestions: that how we can pave the way for BNP leadership for joining the noble course of martyrs, which dispense with Pakistani Parliamentary politics and adopt the demand of free Balochistan. Here are some steps needed to be taken for a positive move and to forge an amicable arrangement to overcome our differences. Therefore we request them to meticulously consider them in the wider interests of Baloch nation and Balochistan: 1: Given the intensity of the national struggle for freedom, and the geopolitical situation in the region it has become necessary for BNP to abandon the demand of right to self-determination (Even HRCP in their report mentioned that by self-determination they mean autonomy) and adopt the slogan of outright National Liberation from illegal occupation of Pakistan. 2: In my humble view the greater share of responsibility lies on the shoulders of BNP to adopt a more Baloch friendly approach so that trust building measures can be taken towards a unified struggle for the liberation of motherland. 3: Given the fact that all Pakistani political parties have not agreed to the demand of the right to self-determination of BNP, therefore it is time for BNP to disassociate itself from PONM, ARD and PPCC. 4: The parliamentary character of Baloch politics, as a Trojan horse, has always been extremely divisive for Baloch nation. It is a mirage and it has delivered nothing except deviation from pure Baloch nationalism and it has been the root cause of all corruption in Baloch society. It has provided a cover for Pakistani agencies to enter into Baloch political society. Therefore, BNP should reconsider this option and say good bye to it for good and for greater interest of Baloch people. 5: It is necessary for BNP to purify its political stance and shift its current position to a Baloch based demand. It should designate Pakistan as a colonial state and in its statements Pakistan should directly be addressed as an enemy state. 6: On international forums BNP should agree to a representative council, which would vigorously campaign and advance the demand of freedom of Baloch nation. Once agreed, all pro-Independence parties including the BNP should consider a suitable name for the council. Notice: Inputs have been given by senior pro independent friends and well-wishers.