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Ref.:
SBF/14/08/02
PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
INFO. SECRETARY – AMBREEN HISBANI
LONDON, 14th August 02
Fifty
Five Years of Occupation and Oppression of Sindhis and Baloch Sindhi
and Baloch activists gathered in front of Pakistan High Commission
in London today on 14th August 02 to lodge their protest against the
Government of Pakistan for the crimes and injustices that the
Sindhis and Baloch people have suffered over the 55 years of the
existence of Pakistan. Sindhi Baloch Forum is the first
international alliance of Sindhis and Baloch, by World Sindhi
Congress, Balochistan National Party and Baloch Voice.
The social, political, human rights and environmental activists from
different parts of UK came to attend this rally on this afternoon.
Speeches were delivered by Dr Lakhu Luhanna, Finance Secretary of WSC,
Mr. Javed Mengal, ex – senator and BNP leader, and Mr. Balach
Marri, Chairman of BV. SBF representative Dr. Rubina Shaikh and
Malach Mrri presented a memorandum of demands to Pakistan High
Commissioner at the end of the protest.
Speaking to the gathering Dr. Lukhu Luhana stated that Sindhis have
seen the colonial eras of Greeks, Arabs, Afghanis, Arghuns, Turkhans
and Britishers but nothing compares with the systematic, cruel and
calculated yoke of slavery that started with the inception of
Pakistan for the people of Sindh. He also emphasized
the on-going
oppression of Sindhis under various regimes including Skinder Mirza,
General Ayub Khan, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto , General Zia and current
military ruler General Pervez Musharf. Following were the only few
grievances were highlighted by Dr Lohanna:
· Repeated Federal dismissal of elected Assemblies of Sindh and
other provinces in 1992, 1995, 1998 and 1999.
· The Construction of Asia’s largest military cantonments in
Sindh. Spending more than 65% budget on defence and debt servicing.
· Forced migration of Sindhi Hindus from Sindh. Sindh was deprived
of its educated and skilled middle classes. Continuous
migration from
Punjab resettlement of Afghan refugees and the construction of
Tarbella and Rawal Dam caused a great influx of immigrant from NWFP
and Punjab to Sindh. This phenomenon of migration decreased the
indigenous Sindhis from 90% of the population to 60% in their own
motherland.
· The allotment of the evacuated properties and the most fertile
agriculture lands near Gudu and Kotri Barrage to immigrants and
retired military and civil bureaucrats.
· Forced Islamisation and denial of indigenous cultures and Sufi
Traditions. State controlled media and School Curricula popularize
Islamic heroes and preach pan Islamism and two nation theory, which
is against the grain of Sindhi people.
· State sponsored civil war among various communities in Sindh.
Total negligence of law and order in Sindh, resulting in the
paralysis of civic life.
· Continued efforts for the construction of Kalabagh Dam, which has
been disapproved by all the provincial assemblies except the Punjab
Assembly. Various dams and barrages have been built on River Indus
resulting in the lack of irrigation in Sindh.
Unveiling the plan of Pakistani Establishment Dr Lahanno highlighted
that the colonialists are thinking about the worst case scenario
that is if they can not control the rising aspirations of other
nations. They are working on the strategy, particularly for Sindh,
to decertify it to cultivate and prosper Punjab. The waters of river
Indus have been blocked and diverted using a series of illegal dams
and link canals.
Javed Mengal, BNP leader shared his bitter experiences as
legislator. He said " no matter how much sindhi and baloch
tried to prove themselves as patriotic Pakistani, the very ingrained
inequity in power structure protected by constitution and military
institution, we will always be seen as ‘law brokers’ and
‘traitors’". He observed that British colonialists were
much better than Pakistan regime, because at least British
Imperialist had a partially fair Administration
of Justice, but in
Pakistan there is a complete denial of any sort of justice.
Mr. Balach Marri, Chairman Baloch Voice stressed the miseries of the
Baloch people under the dominance of Government of Pakistan. He
stated that Baloch never accepted alien domination of Pakistani
Establishment.
Baloch have been engaged in a constant struggle for self governance
since last 55 years which resulted in sever military operation by
Pakistani Army in Balochistan and forced migration and displacement
of thousands of Baloch’s to Afghanistan and other parts of the
world. The People of Balochistan struggle for national independence
has its genesis in history and culture. Strongly believer of right
of self determination, the people of Balochistan
have never accepted
hegemony and domination of Pakistani establishment in any stage in
55 years history of Pakistan. Mr. Marri highlighted that the brief
history of Pakistani oppression against Baloch people and their
struggle against the tyrants.
This history begins when Balochistan was forcefully annexed to
Pakistan though at that time Balochistan had its own Parliamentarian
system there was House of Commons and House of Lords. Both the
houses had anonymously voted not to join Pakistan.
When Pakistan government couldn’t get the approval from the Baloch
peoples representatives, they cunningly manipulated the members of
the Quetta Municipality to vote for Balochistan’s
annexation to
Pakistan. Physically it was not possible for Pakistan government to
announce the annexation of Balochistan and make
Balochistan a part
of Pakistan just by the approval of Quetta Municipality, so Pakistan
had to individually addressed all the states of Kalat, separate them
from Kalat State and forced them to join Pakistan. To exercise this
plane Pakistan government deployed its naval forces on the coastline
of Makaran ,Kharan and Lasbela, which was a part of Balochistan
deployed its stooges in power and through them Pakistan made them to
get separated from Kalat State and join Pakistan. In the next step
Pakistan army was sent to Kalat, army arrested Khan of Kalat with
the rest of the family and all the supporters of sovereign
Balochistan.
In 1970 election Nation Awamy Party win majority of the assembly
seats in Balochistan and NWFP. Mr. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was unwilling
to hand over power to the elected representatives of NAP in
Balochistan and NWFP, but did so because army was busy on Indian
boarder and he was afraid of public upp rising if he tried to stop
NAP taking power in the two provinces. But eventually when army came
back from Indian borders he dismissed the governments in Balochistan
and NWFP and deployed army in the area.
In 1973 full army operation was launched in which thousands of
civilians and political activist were murdered by army and all the
nationalist leader were sent jail, and later were forced to exile in
Afghanistan where they stayed more then a decade in destitute. When
in late 70s they returned home they were starving as non of them had
a penny left. Not a single persona among those who returned was
rehabilitated by the Government of Pakistan, on the contrary they
were and are being hunted upon even to this day by the Pakistan
Regime.
All three speakers concluded that these fifty five years Pakistani
Government have given Sindhis and Baloch nothing but prisons,
killings , suicides, sufferings, humiliation and alienation.
Therefore, 14th August is the day when they conquered Sindh and
Balochistan. This is the day for them to celebrate and for us to
mourn. We the true and faithful sons and daughters of Sindh and
Balochistan will carry this struggle until we get what is genuinely
ours.
Office No. 19 Ealing House. 33 Hanger lane London W5 3HJ , Tel/Fax
+44 20 85667418 , Mobile +44 7940742229, Email: [email protected]
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