Baloch separatist leader Hyrbyair Marri, son of veteran Baloch national leader Nawab Khair Baksh Marri, has been fighting for an independent Balochistan from London, where he is living in exile. In this interview, he talked about his people's struggle, the human rights violations by the Pakistani army and what the Chinese influence means for Pakistan and the people of Balochistan.
Are you optimistic following the recent statement by the Baloch separatist leader, Brahamdagh Bugti, that he is willing to talk peace with Pakistan?
No sane and reasonable person would refuse a peaceful solution to the Baloch and Pakistan conflict.
(But) Brahamdagh Bugti or any other Baloch leader who may be willing to talk with Pakistan for anything less than the independence of Balochistan should remember that the Pakistani and Punjabi elite have a history of betraying the Baloch in the name of peaceful negotiations. That is why the Punjabi army and its entire establishment cannot and must not be trusted. Whenever they talk about negotiation and peace they mean to hit us harder than before. It means they will kidnap, torture and kill more of our people. This has been their policy since 1948, when they illegally invaded our homeland. They have misused the trust and goodwill of the Baloch people again and again. Recently, Pakistani politicians and the Pakistan army have announced a new plan, "Peaceful Balochistan", and under this plan they claim they will bring peace to Balochistan by 2018 but in reality they have declared a full-fledged war against the Baloch people. They are obliterating Baloch villages and abducting and killing innocent Baloch civilians. These acts of occupying a State are a continuation of the same policy of deceitfulness. Hence it would be absolutely irresponsible for any sincere Baloch political party and leader to trust Pakistan in its entirety, be it the country’s Right, Left or religious leaders. They all have one thing in mind, that is, to keep Baloch and other nations subjugated and to plunder their resources.
Were you also approached by the Pakistani government for talks, especially by the Minister for Internal Affairs, Chaudhary Nisar Khan, who was in London recently?
No. Chaudhary Nisar has not approached me nor has anyone else from the Pakistani government contacted me. The only talks that I would be willing to take part in would be about the withdrawal of the Punjabi army from our homeland and such talks should be in the presence of International guarantors.
Has the Baloch struggle succumbed to factionalism among the Baloch people?
I have said it so many times, let me repeat it again. Our movement is a national liberation movement. Therefore, it is bound to have its ups and downs. There will always be differences of opinion amongst various political parties and individuals. In this respect the Baloch struggle is not an exception. There is no factionalism amongst the Baloch people about the fact that we want independence and the restoration of a democratic and peaceful Balochistan. We encourage constructive and peaceful differences of opinions and debate in order to form an open and thriving society for our people.
We understand whenever there is a gap left among us, that is, the Baloch, the (Pakistani) State and its mercenaries will not sit idle. They will do their best to create divisions and confusions in the Baloch movement and try to dishearten the people from this struggle. This is not something new and neither can it be found only in the Baloch national liberation movement. However, we are now more aware of the Pakistani State’s deceitfulness. We have a much clearer plan for our struggle and a clearer plan for post-independent Balochistan compared to any other time in our history.
Could you give us details about the recent operation by the Pakistani army in Balochistan?
The military operations in Balochistan have never stopped since the occupation of Balochistan. Pakistan has conducted four major military operations in Balochistan – in 1948, 1952, the 1960s and the 1970s.
From April 2009 onward the Pakistani military has started to kill the missing Baloch activists and dump their bodies in deserted areas across Balochistan and Sindh. Since July 2010 the Pakistani forces intensified their ‘kill and dump’ policy and they continue to throw the tortured and mutilated bodies of abducted Baloch on a regular basis. This policy continues unabated to this day. From Kohlu to the coastal belt of Balochistan you can hardly find any family that has not been affected by State atrocities and the ‘abduction, kill and dump’ policy. Even today, as I speak, the military operations and enforced disappearances are taking place in different areas of Balochistan. The Pakistani forces laid siege around the district of Awaran, starting July 18. According to locals, more than 100 people, including women and children, have been killed since then.
Currently, the military is conducting operations in Noshki, Kalat, Kaharan and Gresha areas of Khuzdar in Balochistan. Khuzdar is the town where three mass graves – containing more than 160 bodies – were found in January 2014.
What will be the impact of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor on the Baloch struggle? What’s the Chinese view of the Balochistan question? Will massive Chinese investment lead to some kind of stability in Pakistan?
The political leaders of China are as unscrupulous and dishonest as the political and military leadership of Pakistan. Neither of them has any interest in the people of Balochistan. Just remember what China, Russia and Iran have done to the people of Syria. The people of Balochistan, or for that matter, the Syrian people, mean nothing to them. The agreements with China have no credibility whatsoever. The Chinese government is equally undemocratic.
If Chinese leaders had some common sense they would not have made any deal with the occupying State of Pakistan and would have respected the aspirations of the Baloch nation. But China chose to be a partner with Pakistan in the Baloch genocide and the plundering of Baloch natural resources. The Baloch have warned China and all other foreign investors to refrain from investing in any projects in Balochistan.
I don’t consider China’s investment in Balochistan as investment but as China’s aggressive intervention in Balochistan and nexus with Pakistan against the Baloch people. That is why such repressive actions will not bring any stability in Pakistan or in that region. We are not against foreign investment in Balochistan. Baloch would welcome foreign investors from any nation in an independent Balochistan when the Baloch become the masters of their own land but at the moment occupying States are in power and they are deciding about Baloch resources.
Pakistan is repeatedly alleging that Indian agencies are fomenting trouble in Balochistan. Do you agree?
These allegations are a fabrication of the Pakistani State and army. We want all democratic nations, including India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, the Arabian Gulf states and the Western world, to support us in regaining our independence because an independent Balochistan can be a natural ally of the world against the religious extremism that Pakistan and Iran have been promoting everywhere.
Are there any chances of a settlement of the Balochistan issue with the Pakistani government?
The solution is easy and straightforward, it is a conflict between an occupied nation and an invading foreign army. The State of Pakistan illegally occupied our homeland in 1948 and has continued a prolonged war against us. The Punjabi army should leave our homeland under the supervision of independent bodies, that is, a committee comprising United Nations officials and representatives of other democratic States. The foremost precondition for peace is the restoration of Balochistan’s independence.
If Pakistan agrees to pull out its troops and give us a time-frame for transfer of power to the Baloch people then there will be no suffering on either side. Otherwise, the Baloch have no option but to resist the Punjabi and Persian colonialism. We the Baloch have not lost hope for an independent State and our people will continue their struggle until we regain our freedom.
This article was originally published on hardnewsmedia.com.
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Are you optimistic following the recent statement by the Baloch separatist leader, Brahamdagh Bugti, that he is willing to talk peace with Pakistan?
No sane and reasonable person would refuse a peaceful solution to the Baloch and Pakistan conflict.
(But) Brahamdagh Bugti or any other Baloch leader who may be willing to talk with Pakistan for anything less than the independence of Balochistan should remember that the Pakistani and Punjabi elite have a history of betraying the Baloch in the name of peaceful negotiations. That is why the Punjabi army and its entire establishment cannot and must not be trusted. Whenever they talk about negotiation and peace they mean to hit us harder than before. It means they will kidnap, torture and kill more of our people. This has been their policy since 1948, when they illegally invaded our homeland. They have misused the trust and goodwill of the Baloch people again and again. Recently, Pakistani politicians and the Pakistan army have announced a new plan, "Peaceful Balochistan", and under this plan they claim they will bring peace to Balochistan by 2018 but in reality they have declared a full-fledged war against the Baloch people. They are obliterating Baloch villages and abducting and killing innocent Baloch civilians. These acts of occupying a State are a continuation of the same policy of deceitfulness. Hence it would be absolutely irresponsible for any sincere Baloch political party and leader to trust Pakistan in its entirety, be it the country’s Right, Left or religious leaders. They all have one thing in mind, that is, to keep Baloch and other nations subjugated and to plunder their resources.
Were you also approached by the Pakistani government for talks, especially by the Minister for Internal Affairs, Chaudhary Nisar Khan, who was in London recently?
No. Chaudhary Nisar has not approached me nor has anyone else from the Pakistani government contacted me. The only talks that I would be willing to take part in would be about the withdrawal of the Punjabi army from our homeland and such talks should be in the presence of International guarantors.
Has the Baloch struggle succumbed to factionalism among the Baloch people?
I have said it so many times, let me repeat it again. Our movement is a national liberation movement. Therefore, it is bound to have its ups and downs. There will always be differences of opinion amongst various political parties and individuals. In this respect the Baloch struggle is not an exception. There is no factionalism amongst the Baloch people about the fact that we want independence and the restoration of a democratic and peaceful Balochistan. We encourage constructive and peaceful differences of opinions and debate in order to form an open and thriving society for our people.
We understand whenever there is a gap left among us, that is, the Baloch, the (Pakistani) State and its mercenaries will not sit idle. They will do their best to create divisions and confusions in the Baloch movement and try to dishearten the people from this struggle. This is not something new and neither can it be found only in the Baloch national liberation movement. However, we are now more aware of the Pakistani State’s deceitfulness. We have a much clearer plan for our struggle and a clearer plan for post-independent Balochistan compared to any other time in our history.
Could you give us details about the recent operation by the Pakistani army in Balochistan?
The military operations in Balochistan have never stopped since the occupation of Balochistan. Pakistan has conducted four major military operations in Balochistan – in 1948, 1952, the 1960s and the 1970s.
From April 2009 onward the Pakistani military has started to kill the missing Baloch activists and dump their bodies in deserted areas across Balochistan and Sindh. Since July 2010 the Pakistani forces intensified their ‘kill and dump’ policy and they continue to throw the tortured and mutilated bodies of abducted Baloch on a regular basis. This policy continues unabated to this day. From Kohlu to the coastal belt of Balochistan you can hardly find any family that has not been affected by State atrocities and the ‘abduction, kill and dump’ policy. Even today, as I speak, the military operations and enforced disappearances are taking place in different areas of Balochistan. The Pakistani forces laid siege around the district of Awaran, starting July 18. According to locals, more than 100 people, including women and children, have been killed since then.
Currently, the military is conducting operations in Noshki, Kalat, Kaharan and Gresha areas of Khuzdar in Balochistan. Khuzdar is the town where three mass graves – containing more than 160 bodies – were found in January 2014.
What will be the impact of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor on the Baloch struggle? What’s the Chinese view of the Balochistan question? Will massive Chinese investment lead to some kind of stability in Pakistan?
The political leaders of China are as unscrupulous and dishonest as the political and military leadership of Pakistan. Neither of them has any interest in the people of Balochistan. Just remember what China, Russia and Iran have done to the people of Syria. The people of Balochistan, or for that matter, the Syrian people, mean nothing to them. The agreements with China have no credibility whatsoever. The Chinese government is equally undemocratic.
If Chinese leaders had some common sense they would not have made any deal with the occupying State of Pakistan and would have respected the aspirations of the Baloch nation. But China chose to be a partner with Pakistan in the Baloch genocide and the plundering of Baloch natural resources. The Baloch have warned China and all other foreign investors to refrain from investing in any projects in Balochistan.
I don’t consider China’s investment in Balochistan as investment but as China’s aggressive intervention in Balochistan and nexus with Pakistan against the Baloch people. That is why such repressive actions will not bring any stability in Pakistan or in that region. We are not against foreign investment in Balochistan. Baloch would welcome foreign investors from any nation in an independent Balochistan when the Baloch become the masters of their own land but at the moment occupying States are in power and they are deciding about Baloch resources.
Pakistan is repeatedly alleging that Indian agencies are fomenting trouble in Balochistan. Do you agree?
These allegations are a fabrication of the Pakistani State and army. We want all democratic nations, including India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, the Arabian Gulf states and the Western world, to support us in regaining our independence because an independent Balochistan can be a natural ally of the world against the religious extremism that Pakistan and Iran have been promoting everywhere.
Are there any chances of a settlement of the Balochistan issue with the Pakistani government?
The solution is easy and straightforward, it is a conflict between an occupied nation and an invading foreign army. The State of Pakistan illegally occupied our homeland in 1948 and has continued a prolonged war against us. The Punjabi army should leave our homeland under the supervision of independent bodies, that is, a committee comprising United Nations officials and representatives of other democratic States. The foremost precondition for peace is the restoration of Balochistan’s independence.
If Pakistan agrees to pull out its troops and give us a time-frame for transfer of power to the Baloch people then there will be no suffering on either side. Otherwise, the Baloch have no option but to resist the Punjabi and Persian colonialism. We the Baloch have not lost hope for an independent State and our people will continue their struggle until we regain our freedom.
This article was originally published on hardnewsmedia.com.