| Baloch Society Of North America (BSO-NA) Baloch Society Of North America (BSO-NA) is working to unite and Organize all Baloch in North America and to expose the Occupation of our land (Balochistan) and exploitations of our resources by Pakistani and Iranian Governments, and to bring their Human Rights Violations in Balochistan into the world’s Notice. |
| I Home I About BSO-NA I About Balochistan I News and Articles I Letters And Opinion I BSO-NA Membership I BSO-NA Store I Contact us |
A Brief History Of Balochistan
By Dr. Wahid Baloch
Eastern Occupied (Pakistani) Balochistan
Before the Partition of India and creation of Pakistan in 1947, Balochistan was a free
sovereign independent state with it own parliament, the Dar-ul Awaam (the House of
Commons) and Dar-ul Umraa (House of Lords). Soon after the creation of Pakistan, it
invaded Balochistan and forcefully annexed it into Pakistan. Balochistan, rich in oil and
Gas with a 900 miles of warm water strategically located costline was very important for
the survival Pakistan.The Baloch people didn’t have a strong big army compare to
Pakistani army, but still they resisted the Pakistani Occupation of their Baloch land.
Thousands Baloch took up arms to defend their land from the occupiers. Many thousands
Baloch got killed and many hundreds were arrested and later executed by Pakistani
Military. A half million Baloch took refuge in Neighboring countries, like Afghanistan,
Tajikistan, and India.
By Dr. Wahid Baloch
Eastern Occupied (Pakistani) Balochistan
Before the Partition of India and creation of Pakistan in 1947, Balochistan was a free
sovereign independent state with it own parliament, the Dar-ul Awaam (the House of
Commons) and Dar-ul Umraa (House of Lords). Soon after the creation of Pakistan, it
invaded Balochistan and forcefully annexed it into Pakistan. Balochistan, rich in oil and
Gas with a 900 miles of warm water strategically located costline was very important for
the survival Pakistan.The Baloch people didn’t have a strong big army compare to
Pakistani army, but still they resisted the Pakistani Occupation of their Baloch land.
Thousands Baloch took up arms to defend their land from the occupiers. Many thousands
Baloch got killed and many hundreds were arrested and later executed by Pakistani
Military. A half million Baloch took refuge in Neighboring countries, like Afghanistan,
Tajikistan, and India.
While the Genocide of Baloch Nation continued by Pakistani military, the world watched as silent spectator and didn’t do anything about it to stop it. It
took 10 years before the Pakistani military crushed the Baloch insurgency and took control of most of the cities of Balochistan. Baloch though lost the
battle, but the struggle for freedom continued.In 1968, another arm struggle was organized by Nawab Nowroz Khan Zarakzi, to liberate Baloch land
(Balochistan) from Pakistan. He was later arrested by Pakistani military, when he came for negotiation with army. He and his sons and nephews and
his 70 freedom fighter followers were taken to Hyderabad Jail, where all of them were hanged (executed), but him, for anti-State (anti-Pakistan)
charges. He was held in the prison due to his old age, where he later passed away at the age of 92. The Baloch struggle for freedom continued.
In 1970-1977 Baloch took up arm again to fight the occupier Pakistani army to liberate their land. This time Baloch were better prepared and they
inflected heavy casualties to Pakistan’s military, but due to the lack of international support, Baloch lost the battle again and the insurgency was
crushed by well armed Pakistani army, using tanks, and gunship helicopters. The insurgency lasted for 5 years and about 18 thousand Baloch were
killed by Pakistani military, while the death toll of Pakistani army personnel was about 12thousand.
From 1977-2005, Pakistan continues its crime against Baloch people. Thousand Baloch political activists and students have been arrested since then
and are being tortured in secret jails. Many are missing, including Dr. Allah Nazar Baloch, Goher Baloch and Akther Nadeem Baloch. Pakistani military,
paramilitary and security forces are given tasks to arrest, kidnap or kill any Baloch who talks or think about freedom. More than 600 military check post
have been established all over Balochistan to control the activities and movements of Baloch people. There are 60 thousand troops stationed in
Balochistan and more troops are on the way. Balochistan have been turned into a military occupied war zone. Baloch people are living in fear and in
hopelessness. They are desperately looking at the world community and the freedom loving people for their help and rescue against the tyranny of
Pakistani and Iranian regimes. They are saying, "Enough is enough".
Western Occupied (Iranian) Balochistan.
In 19th century the British and Persian Empires divided Balochistan in to Eastern "British Balochistan" and western "Iranian Balochistan" as part of their
colonial policy of "divide and rule", to weaken the Baloch unity as one Nation. The Baloch in Western Balochistan have been in constant revolt against
the domination by and chauvinistic policy of Iranian governments. The revolt of Jask (1873), of Sarhad (1888) and the general uprising in 1889 resulted
in a scorched earth policy by Iranian forces in 1889, aimed at suppressing the Baloch rebellion. A major uprising under Baloch chieftain Sardar
Hussein Narui in 1896 prompted a joint Anglo-Persian expeditionary force to crush the resistance. The resistance was crushed after two years and
Chief Narui was arrested. In the beginning of the twentieth century, Bahram Khan gained control of almost the entire central and southern region of
Western Balochistan, ending the occupation by Iranian forces. In 1916, the British recognized him as the effective ruler of Western Balochistan. His
nephew, Mir Dost Mohamed succeeded Mir Bahram Khan. Mir Dost Mohamed’s attempts to consolidate his power coincided with the rise to power in
Persia of Reza Khan in 1921. In 1928 the Iranian forces began an operation against Mir Dost Mohamed.
Skirmishes continued for seven months and ended in the victory of Iranian forces over the Baloch and the eventual surrender of Mir Dost Mohamed.
Thus Western Balochistan was finally annexed by the Persian Empire. Until the Shah’s overthrow in January 1979, the Baloch Nationalist Movement in
Iran was a relatively insignificant force compared to the movement in Pakistani Balochistan. Due to suppression, the harsh methods that were used by
Iranian security forces and persecution by SAVAC (the Iranian secret police under the Shah), its leaders were forced to emigrate and operate
underground from foreign countries. They had little ongoing contact with their widely scattered supporters inside Iran. The handful of Baloch activists,
who braved the Shah’s repression, kept alive the spirit of resistance to Persian domination and thus directly set the stage for the resurgence of
nationalist activity that took place after the overthrow of the Shah. After the Shah’s overthrow a new political force emerged in Balochistan, alongside
traditional leaders comprising mostly of the educated young Baloch people.
Treatment of Baloch in Western (Iranian) occupied Balochistan.
Baloch people in Iran are treated as third class citizens, and are deprived of their cultural, social and economic rights. They are rapidly losing their
identity. The previously Baloch-dominated regions of Bandar Abbas, part of Kerman, Seistan and Zabol are the most affected areas of the assimilation
efforts by the Persian state. Now in all these areas the Baloch are a minority, even the capital city of Zahidan does not look like a Baloch city. The Baloch
in Iran are completely excluded from the structures of political, social and economic powers of the country. The dissemination of Balochi culture and
language is a declared act of treason against the state and is dealt with through brutal measures. Many army garrisons are permanently stationed in
Baloch areas. For most of the fifty years of Pahlavi rule, Tehran had to depend primarily on the use of overt military force to keep the Baloch areas under
control, even when there was little co-ordinated insurgent activity. Politically and economically the Baloch are kept weak, disunited, and backward as
much as Possible. This policy was implemented in practice so that in the last years of the Shah’s regime Balochistan was the poorest province "with
an estimated annual per capita income of $975, less than half of the $22000 national average for rural areas and less than one-fifth of the overall
national average." Balochistan is still the poorest province in Iran, followed by Kurdistan. The demise of the Palavi dynasty and establishment of the
Islamic Republic have not brought about any positive changes to the situation of the Baloch people, but rather have worsened the oppression.
The use of the Balochi language is forbidden in public places and Baloch children are deprived of using their mother tongue as the medium of
instruction at school. The Iranian government does not allow any kind of freedom of press in Balochistan. Successive Iranian governments have been
engaged in demographic manipulations to systematically reduce the Baloch people to a minority in their own homeland. Government policy has been
based on giving easy access to non-Baloch to purchase land at a cheap price. The policy of keeping the Baloch backward has resulted in the lack of job
opportunities and impoverishment of the entire population. The policy of Iranian governments in dealing with different sectors of Baloch society is
based on "divide and rule". The politics of the Iranian Government in Balochistan is characterized by human rights violations and abuse. It has distorted
political, economical and cultural development of Balochistan and insulted the human dignity of Baloch people. Religion is manifestly being used as a
mean to assimilate Baloch nationality into Persian national identity. These basic realities have reinforced the Baloch’s general feeling of frustration and
determination of having their own independent State.
Balochistan’s illegal occupation must end -- Dr Wahid Baloch
Press Release
WSHINGTON DC: March 23, 2007. Baloch Society of North America (BSO-NA) president Dr Wahid Baloch said, that Balochistan is an occupied land,
illegally occupied by Pakistan and Iran and that the illegal occupation of Balochistan must end. Speaking at the National press club in Washington Dc at
the world Sindhi institute’s sponsored event, he said Balochs has nothing to do with Lahore resolution as Baloch were not invited nor they participated.
He also said that secular Baloch people did not participated in any form in the creation of fundamentalist Islamic Pakistan. He said Balochistan was a
free sovereign state and Pakistan after one year of its creation attacked the severing State and forced the Ruler of Balochistan to sign the Instrument of
accession under duress while the both upper and lower Baloch parliament, (House of common and hose of lord) unanimously rejected the idea of
merger with Pakistan. He backed his argument with historical data and facts and said that international community must help to end the illegal
occupation of Baloch Land from Pakistan and Iran". "Balochistan sovereignty must be restored according to international laws", he said.
He said, since the illegal occupation of Balochistan by Pakistan and Iran, Baloch have been systematically oppressed and kept backward, while their
resources were used by Islamabad and Tehran Pakistan to build nuclear arsenals, WMD and in promoting Islamic extremism and terrorism. He said,”
Balochistan have been converted into a into a Mega prison. There are military cantonments in every city and more than 600 military check post
throughout Balochistan to control the lives and activities of Baloch citizens in their own homeland. Baloch people have no say about their land, coasts
and resources. Balochistan’s resources are being looted at the gunpoint and are being sold to Chinese and other multi international companies
without the Baloch consent and will. He asked the international community to help stop the looting and exploiting of Baloch resources.
He said, since the start of the 5th military operation, more than 6000 Baloch people have been arrested and many of them are missing and are being
tortured. Pakistan is building three more military cantonments in Balochistan to suppress the Baloch voice and to continue exploitation of Baloch
resources. There are 80 thousand troops stationed in Balochistan and more troops are on the way. Balochistan have been turned into a military
occupied war zone. Baloch people are living in fear and in hopelessness.
He said, Pakistan claims to be a U.S. ally in the war of terror but its recent “peace deal” with Taliban and Al-Qaida terrorist in Waziristan proves
otherwise. The fact is that Pakistan has never been and never was an ally against the war of its own created Taliban and Al-Qaida terrorists. Small
wonder even after five years, we have not been able to capture Osama bin Laden and Mullah Omar.
Pakistani Air Force fighter jets, Army gunship helicopters and military hardware provided by US Government to kill or capture Al-Qaida and Taliban
elements, are being used against the innocent secular Baloch people. More then 1600 hundred people, including women and children, have been
reported Killed in the war in the last one-year, and according to UN report more than 80 Thousand Marri and Bugti Baloch have been displaced and who
are living under harsh condition without any help.
The Gwadar port built and completed with the help of China, despite the strong Baloch opposition, to bring millions of non-Baloch Punjabi to change
Baloch demography and to turn the Baloch people into minority in their own homeland, a typical mindset of a colonial attitude. The Baloch people’s
resistance against Pakistani anti-Baloch plans is natural. They are demanding that Baloch resources should be used for Baloch people and that the
military cantonments should be stopped and Pakistani Punjabi military should be withdrawn from Balochistan and be replaced by a Baloch force.
He appealed to United Nations, World Leaders, and International community, the International Court of Justice, Human Rights Watch and all other
Organizations to urge Pakistani Army to stop the massacre of Innocent Baloch civilians.
"The military operation must be STOPED immediately in order to prevent further civilian casualties. All the political prisoners including Saradr Akhtar
Mengal, Ghulam Mohd Baloch, Lala Munir Baloch, Sher Mohd Baloch and Salim Baloch should and all others abductees must be released
immediately," he said.
Dr. Wahid Baloch, President of
Baloch Society of North America (BSO-NA), USA
http://www.bso-na.org/
took 10 years before the Pakistani military crushed the Baloch insurgency and took control of most of the cities of Balochistan. Baloch though lost the
battle, but the struggle for freedom continued.In 1968, another arm struggle was organized by Nawab Nowroz Khan Zarakzi, to liberate Baloch land
(Balochistan) from Pakistan. He was later arrested by Pakistani military, when he came for negotiation with army. He and his sons and nephews and
his 70 freedom fighter followers were taken to Hyderabad Jail, where all of them were hanged (executed), but him, for anti-State (anti-Pakistan)
charges. He was held in the prison due to his old age, where he later passed away at the age of 92. The Baloch struggle for freedom continued.
In 1970-1977 Baloch took up arm again to fight the occupier Pakistani army to liberate their land. This time Baloch were better prepared and they
inflected heavy casualties to Pakistan’s military, but due to the lack of international support, Baloch lost the battle again and the insurgency was
crushed by well armed Pakistani army, using tanks, and gunship helicopters. The insurgency lasted for 5 years and about 18 thousand Baloch were
killed by Pakistani military, while the death toll of Pakistani army personnel was about 12thousand.
From 1977-2005, Pakistan continues its crime against Baloch people. Thousand Baloch political activists and students have been arrested since then
and are being tortured in secret jails. Many are missing, including Dr. Allah Nazar Baloch, Goher Baloch and Akther Nadeem Baloch. Pakistani military,
paramilitary and security forces are given tasks to arrest, kidnap or kill any Baloch who talks or think about freedom. More than 600 military check post
have been established all over Balochistan to control the activities and movements of Baloch people. There are 60 thousand troops stationed in
Balochistan and more troops are on the way. Balochistan have been turned into a military occupied war zone. Baloch people are living in fear and in
hopelessness. They are desperately looking at the world community and the freedom loving people for their help and rescue against the tyranny of
Pakistani and Iranian regimes. They are saying, "Enough is enough".
Western Occupied (Iranian) Balochistan.
In 19th century the British and Persian Empires divided Balochistan in to Eastern "British Balochistan" and western "Iranian Balochistan" as part of their
colonial policy of "divide and rule", to weaken the Baloch unity as one Nation. The Baloch in Western Balochistan have been in constant revolt against
the domination by and chauvinistic policy of Iranian governments. The revolt of Jask (1873), of Sarhad (1888) and the general uprising in 1889 resulted
in a scorched earth policy by Iranian forces in 1889, aimed at suppressing the Baloch rebellion. A major uprising under Baloch chieftain Sardar
Hussein Narui in 1896 prompted a joint Anglo-Persian expeditionary force to crush the resistance. The resistance was crushed after two years and
Chief Narui was arrested. In the beginning of the twentieth century, Bahram Khan gained control of almost the entire central and southern region of
Western Balochistan, ending the occupation by Iranian forces. In 1916, the British recognized him as the effective ruler of Western Balochistan. His
nephew, Mir Dost Mohamed succeeded Mir Bahram Khan. Mir Dost Mohamed’s attempts to consolidate his power coincided with the rise to power in
Persia of Reza Khan in 1921. In 1928 the Iranian forces began an operation against Mir Dost Mohamed.
Skirmishes continued for seven months and ended in the victory of Iranian forces over the Baloch and the eventual surrender of Mir Dost Mohamed.
Thus Western Balochistan was finally annexed by the Persian Empire. Until the Shah’s overthrow in January 1979, the Baloch Nationalist Movement in
Iran was a relatively insignificant force compared to the movement in Pakistani Balochistan. Due to suppression, the harsh methods that were used by
Iranian security forces and persecution by SAVAC (the Iranian secret police under the Shah), its leaders were forced to emigrate and operate
underground from foreign countries. They had little ongoing contact with their widely scattered supporters inside Iran. The handful of Baloch activists,
who braved the Shah’s repression, kept alive the spirit of resistance to Persian domination and thus directly set the stage for the resurgence of
nationalist activity that took place after the overthrow of the Shah. After the Shah’s overthrow a new political force emerged in Balochistan, alongside
traditional leaders comprising mostly of the educated young Baloch people.
Treatment of Baloch in Western (Iranian) occupied Balochistan.
Baloch people in Iran are treated as third class citizens, and are deprived of their cultural, social and economic rights. They are rapidly losing their
identity. The previously Baloch-dominated regions of Bandar Abbas, part of Kerman, Seistan and Zabol are the most affected areas of the assimilation
efforts by the Persian state. Now in all these areas the Baloch are a minority, even the capital city of Zahidan does not look like a Baloch city. The Baloch
in Iran are completely excluded from the structures of political, social and economic powers of the country. The dissemination of Balochi culture and
language is a declared act of treason against the state and is dealt with through brutal measures. Many army garrisons are permanently stationed in
Baloch areas. For most of the fifty years of Pahlavi rule, Tehran had to depend primarily on the use of overt military force to keep the Baloch areas under
control, even when there was little co-ordinated insurgent activity. Politically and economically the Baloch are kept weak, disunited, and backward as
much as Possible. This policy was implemented in practice so that in the last years of the Shah’s regime Balochistan was the poorest province "with
an estimated annual per capita income of $975, less than half of the $22000 national average for rural areas and less than one-fifth of the overall
national average." Balochistan is still the poorest province in Iran, followed by Kurdistan. The demise of the Palavi dynasty and establishment of the
Islamic Republic have not brought about any positive changes to the situation of the Baloch people, but rather have worsened the oppression.
The use of the Balochi language is forbidden in public places and Baloch children are deprived of using their mother tongue as the medium of
instruction at school. The Iranian government does not allow any kind of freedom of press in Balochistan. Successive Iranian governments have been
engaged in demographic manipulations to systematically reduce the Baloch people to a minority in their own homeland. Government policy has been
based on giving easy access to non-Baloch to purchase land at a cheap price. The policy of keeping the Baloch backward has resulted in the lack of job
opportunities and impoverishment of the entire population. The policy of Iranian governments in dealing with different sectors of Baloch society is
based on "divide and rule". The politics of the Iranian Government in Balochistan is characterized by human rights violations and abuse. It has distorted
political, economical and cultural development of Balochistan and insulted the human dignity of Baloch people. Religion is manifestly being used as a
mean to assimilate Baloch nationality into Persian national identity. These basic realities have reinforced the Baloch’s general feeling of frustration and
determination of having their own independent State.
Balochistan’s illegal occupation must end -- Dr Wahid Baloch
Press Release
WSHINGTON DC: March 23, 2007. Baloch Society of North America (BSO-NA) president Dr Wahid Baloch said, that Balochistan is an occupied land,
illegally occupied by Pakistan and Iran and that the illegal occupation of Balochistan must end. Speaking at the National press club in Washington Dc at
the world Sindhi institute’s sponsored event, he said Balochs has nothing to do with Lahore resolution as Baloch were not invited nor they participated.
He also said that secular Baloch people did not participated in any form in the creation of fundamentalist Islamic Pakistan. He said Balochistan was a
free sovereign state and Pakistan after one year of its creation attacked the severing State and forced the Ruler of Balochistan to sign the Instrument of
accession under duress while the both upper and lower Baloch parliament, (House of common and hose of lord) unanimously rejected the idea of
merger with Pakistan. He backed his argument with historical data and facts and said that international community must help to end the illegal
occupation of Baloch Land from Pakistan and Iran". "Balochistan sovereignty must be restored according to international laws", he said.
He said, since the illegal occupation of Balochistan by Pakistan and Iran, Baloch have been systematically oppressed and kept backward, while their
resources were used by Islamabad and Tehran Pakistan to build nuclear arsenals, WMD and in promoting Islamic extremism and terrorism. He said,”
Balochistan have been converted into a into a Mega prison. There are military cantonments in every city and more than 600 military check post
throughout Balochistan to control the lives and activities of Baloch citizens in their own homeland. Baloch people have no say about their land, coasts
and resources. Balochistan’s resources are being looted at the gunpoint and are being sold to Chinese and other multi international companies
without the Baloch consent and will. He asked the international community to help stop the looting and exploiting of Baloch resources.
He said, since the start of the 5th military operation, more than 6000 Baloch people have been arrested and many of them are missing and are being
tortured. Pakistan is building three more military cantonments in Balochistan to suppress the Baloch voice and to continue exploitation of Baloch
resources. There are 80 thousand troops stationed in Balochistan and more troops are on the way. Balochistan have been turned into a military
occupied war zone. Baloch people are living in fear and in hopelessness.
He said, Pakistan claims to be a U.S. ally in the war of terror but its recent “peace deal” with Taliban and Al-Qaida terrorist in Waziristan proves
otherwise. The fact is that Pakistan has never been and never was an ally against the war of its own created Taliban and Al-Qaida terrorists. Small
wonder even after five years, we have not been able to capture Osama bin Laden and Mullah Omar.
Pakistani Air Force fighter jets, Army gunship helicopters and military hardware provided by US Government to kill or capture Al-Qaida and Taliban
elements, are being used against the innocent secular Baloch people. More then 1600 hundred people, including women and children, have been
reported Killed in the war in the last one-year, and according to UN report more than 80 Thousand Marri and Bugti Baloch have been displaced and who
are living under harsh condition without any help.
The Gwadar port built and completed with the help of China, despite the strong Baloch opposition, to bring millions of non-Baloch Punjabi to change
Baloch demography and to turn the Baloch people into minority in their own homeland, a typical mindset of a colonial attitude. The Baloch people’s
resistance against Pakistani anti-Baloch plans is natural. They are demanding that Baloch resources should be used for Baloch people and that the
military cantonments should be stopped and Pakistani Punjabi military should be withdrawn from Balochistan and be replaced by a Baloch force.
He appealed to United Nations, World Leaders, and International community, the International Court of Justice, Human Rights Watch and all other
Organizations to urge Pakistani Army to stop the massacre of Innocent Baloch civilians.
"The military operation must be STOPED immediately in order to prevent further civilian casualties. All the political prisoners including Saradr Akhtar
Mengal, Ghulam Mohd Baloch, Lala Munir Baloch, Sher Mohd Baloch and Salim Baloch should and all others abductees must be released
immediately," he said.
Dr. Wahid Baloch, President of
Baloch Society of North America (BSO-NA), USA
http://www.bso-na.org/