Heard of Balochistan? This vast region, straddling southeastern Iran, southern Afghanistan and southwestern Pakistan, is home to the Baloch people. The Baloch, while ethnically heterogeneous, are united by an ancient cultural heritage, and the region’s difficult terrain has helped isolate them from their respective countrymen. Armed resistance by Baloch nationalists to central government control in both what are now Iran and Pakistan began in the early 20th century, and continues to this day. Some believe that the US is covertly sponsoring anti-regime Baloch guerrilla groups in Iran, while overtly supporting Musharraf’s repression of Baloch fighters in Pakistan. Willem Marx has more.
Also this week, Jonathan Derbyshire writes on an intriguing experiment in short story publishing—As You Were Saying, which “pairs off” seven French writers with Americans, with the latter writing stories that “respond” to the former.
You can discuss both these articles here.
It is fail to remember Balochs as “rebels”, who ran-away from the so-called …….”operassions” by
Pakistani Military. Those young and old Balochs, refused to hand themselves over to ISI, to be beaten and to suffer intense torture.
For a long, long time, many political activist Balochs were under-ground and had taken refuge in the mountains of Balochistan. They hid-themselves to avoid to be catched by Pakistin Police”… they were called, Farrares (escapers).Those Balochs, both in Pakistan and Iran, used their right of self-defence… to fight against enemy forces.
In the recent years, the number of under-ground political sorkers, escapers or Farrarees increased. Pakistani authorities compelled the neighbouring countries, Afghanistan, India and Iran to deny the entry of Balochs, who ran-away from the Pakistani attacks (opressions). A few under-ground Baloch Political activists , were succeeded to get refuge in, probably, India and Afghanistan and some of them reached United Kingdom. Pakistani authorities is pressing these countries to hand-over such Balochs so as to hang them secretaly.
Even, Baloch freedom commander, Nawab Akber Bugti,
sought refuge in the caves of Balochistan as he found no hope to get refuge in India or Afghanistan.
Balochs, who use their right of self-defence, Balochs who struggle to get back their land from the out-siders. Balochs who struggle for their survival. Balochs who have reached to the final result to get their rights through…”Right of self-determination”….. Balochs who struggle to cease the illigal occupation of Balochistan by Pakistan in 1948… should not be called “rebels” but instead such patriotic men of conscience should be remembered as….”Freedom Fighter” (Sarmachar) who fight for the total independence of Balochistan.
Pakistani Military helps Talibans/Al-quida, Iran helps Hamas and other groups, Syria helps their supporters in Iraq & in Lebanon, China helps Pakistan to control Central Asia & middle-east, then…why not “Baloch Freedom Fighters” should be helped diplomatelly,economically and militarilly as Balochs has a genuine cause? A cause to defeat Talibans/Al-quida and a desire to defeat dictatorial regime of China who is spreading her wings to control Central Asian States and the Middle-east.
The independent “Sistan va Balochistan” connected with Turkmenistan via a 50 KM corridor of Eastern Khorasan, alongwith the border of West Afghanistan,……shall connect the Central Asian Countries to “Strait of Hormuz.”
The free country of Balochs, shall be a cheap and safe flow of Hydrocarbonte from Central Asian Countries to India and Euorope. All other projects i.e. lying Oil & Gas pipe-lines to Europe from Iran, Turkmenistan and Kazakistan through Russia and Turkey,shall collapse and shall be useless.
The freedom of Eastern Balochistan (Pakistani area)
is a guarantee for peace in Afghanistan as it shall serve as a buffer-zone for Afghanistan and a death blow to Fundamental forces (Talibans/Al-quida).
Besides, the future “Free Balochistan” shall witness a secure flow of Gas & Oil to India and not to…China.
If really CIA helps “Baloch Freedom-fighters” in Iran, then she must not hesitate to help the ” Baloch freedom fighters” of East Balochistan (Pakistani area).
……….
Writer is an Human Right activist and one of the members of “Baloch Think-tank”. At present he can`t be reached, due to oppressive attitue to Balochs by both Irani and Pakistani regimes.
I don’t understand.
Willem Marx meets two rebel leaders, one a ‘most wanted’, and all the reader gets are half a dozen lines of ‘non content’.
Is the piece a favour to Prospect, was it an effort not to spoil a forthcomig piece elsewhere, was the piece simply an opportunity to take a (well deserved) knock at US foreign policy, or has the author no content to publish?
I think readers have a right to know.
Mr. Rigi is a brave son of Baloch soil. He has witnessed crimes by Persian regime of Iran against his people. He might not be fully aware of political complications around but most Baloch politicians are keen to have an influence over him.
If he bowed to the fact that without a long-term plan it is not possible to beat a regime… then he might decide to join a political party with same agenda and get political recognition, otherwise future is bleak because west has no interest on Baloch instead they only want to use them for the achievment of their objectives.