London: Baluch journalists, writers and intellectuals are often threatened with dire consequence and quite a few journalists in Baluchistan have been sacked -- while Pakistani state forces lay seige of some Baluch-owned newspaper offices in Quetta --, just because they refuse to promote state propaganda, a Baluch national hero told a gathering at London Univeristy on Sunday.
Speaking at the Shaheed Nawab Akbar Khan Reporting Award reception for Peter Tatchell of The Guardian and Karlos Zurutuza of Gara newspaper, Baluch national hero Nawabzada Hyrbyair Marri thanked the two European journalists for giving "voice to the voiceless."
Baluch politician and statesman Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, 80, was killed extra judicially by the Pakistan military on August 26, 2006 under the orders of then army chief and coup leader, General Pervez Musharraf. Nawab Bugti was a former governor and chief minister of Baluchistan and capable of becoming a governor of any state in the United States, according to former US ambassador to Pakistan, Robert Oakley.
Bugti's killing accelerated the independence drive in Baluchistan.
The London event was moderated by Ismail Amiri, president of the Balochistan National Movement -- an organization dedicated to liberation of Baluchistan from Iranian mullahs -- and fully supported by national hero Nawab Brahumdagh Bugti, 29, who was personally groomed by the late Nawab Bugti as his political successor.
Reknowned Baluch intellectuals and activists Walid Garboni, Raheem Bandoi and Ghulam Hussain Baluch profusely thanked Tatchell and Zurutuza for telling the Baluch story of blood and tears to the world.
Tatchell called for ending censorship and allowing Press freedoms in Baluchistan and put his weight behind the independence movement.
Almost all Baluch journalists have faced serious threats while covering news stories in Baluchistan, the most vulnerable and prominent among who are Shahzada Zulfikar, Malik Siraj Akbar and Siddiq Baloch.
Tatchell said, "The freedom of Balochistan has been long delayed. It cannot be denied."
Zurutuza called the situation in Baluchistan "terrible" and said Baloch people cannot be condemned to oblivion. "Therefore, keeping that window open [for information] has become a moral duty, as a journalist, but also as a human being," he said.
Nawabzada Hyrbyair Marri speech: We are presenting these awards to you on behalf of American Friends of Baluchistan. I would like to thank you both on behalf of the people of Baluchistan for your objective reporting and support for the Baloch liiberation struggle. You have chosen to support the weak against the powerful and to be the voice of voiceless Baluch.
The Baluch are struggling for equality, justice, peace and dignity. The Baluch struggle is for the restoration of our dignity and for the empowerment of powerless people. Baluchistan once was a free state in this very same global village that we live in today, now it is occupied by Pakistan and Iran. The Baluch people are determined to get rid of occupation, to bring an end to the sufferings of People in Occupied Baluchistan. Baloch once again want to live in an Independent Balochistan as a free and prosperous Nation. Your support in this regard has been enormously appreciated and will always be appreciated.
I hope that you will continue to write about Balochistan issue, Baloch people need more friends like you who can bring their miseries to the world's attention. Balochistan conflict has been ignored for a long time and Baloch have been denied justice. Pakistan has been carrying out slow motion genocide and ethnic flooding of our people for over 60 years. It is a shame that the democratic and civilised world is silent on the massacre of Baloch Nation. I strongly believe that honest journalism and human rights activities like yours pressurize the western democracies to take notice of Human Right Violations, and violations against freedom of press in Balochistan. Both Peter and Karlos took great personal risks to tell the true story of Baluchistan's occupation and the heroic struggle waged by the Baluch people to end Pakistan's and Iran's neo-colonial rule over Balochistan.
At this event I also would like to tell you that I had sent a message to the leader of BRP Brahumdagh Bugti to get his consent on this event, he replied to my message saying that he appreciates your efforts for highlighting the Baluch peoples' struggle for Independence and the ongoing human rights violations in Balochistan on international level. He hoped that you will continue to report on Balochistan and be a voice for the voiceless people of Balochistan.
Some of the ordeals of local journalists: Baloch journalists, writers and intellectuals are often threatened with dire consequence if they speak the truth.
In an interview with Radio Gwank a well-known Baloch journalist Mr Shahzada Zulfiqar said that several journalists in Balochistan have been sacked just because they refused to promote state propaganda, make news and report as per the wishes of the government.
As many as four journalists were injured in Turbat district on 25 August when the Frontier Corps (FC) personnel opened fire on a political rally, which was marking the second anniversary of Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti's martyrdom.
Javid Lehri a Baloch Journalist who was arrested in mid 2007 and released on August 22, 2008 said in a statement that inside jail, he was asked why the newspaper he worked for was called Azadi [liberation]. His captors wanted him to clarify whose liberation the paper actually was struggling for. He was asked to get the newspapers' name changed. He said, "I helplessly replied! That I was merely working with the newspaper as a correspondent, I could not change the name or the editorial policy of the paper, but they didn't trust me and kept on beating me".
While Lehri was undergoing suffering inside the torture cell despite the restoration of democracy in Pakistan, his family members were constantly threatened by his official captors, that they should keep quite or get prepared to receive Mr. Lehri's dead body.
On 18 August 2009 the government forced the administration of Asaap to close down their office and stop publishing their newspaper. Few weeks' later Pakistani Intelligence agencies raided the office of Daily Azaadi (Liberation) in Quetta and barred the staff from going to office, hence forcing the management of Azaadi to close down their office and stop their publication as well. According to one of the reporters of Azaadi "he was stopped at the gate of his office and asked that he would only be allowed to continue his work if he says Pakistan Zindabad (long live Pakistan)". During the same period, Daily Balochistan express an English newspaper was also banned.
On September 5, 2009 a local journalist Irshad Akhtar was severely beaten and injured by the Pakistani secret intelligence personal security force, his only fault was that he was covering a Baloch protest against the abduction of a Baloch poet and his son from Turbat Town.
As recent as last week Journalist Imdad Ali and photographer Mohammad Hasan, both working for Sindh TV, were going to cover a function in Balochistan University, they were stopped by the Para-Military, were severely tortured and their hands and feet were tied. they were forced to stand under the scotching sun for a long time. This all proves and tells us about the difficulties that journalists face in Balochistan for telling the truth.
Finally I once again thank you both for your sincere efforts and support for Baloch Liberation Struggle, and I truly hope that you will continue to raise awareness in the Western world about the suppressed people of Balochistan, as you've already worked tirelessly to bring the Baloch issue to world's attention.
Peter Tatchell's speech: I am delighted and grateful to receive this award. My thanks to the American Friends of Balochistan for honouring my small, modest efforts to expose Pakistan's human rights abuses and to report the freedom struggle of the Baloch people.
"I would like to pay special tribute to the brave Baloch journalists and activists, inside Balochistan, who are risking their lives to report the truth and illuminate Pakistan's oppression. Without them supplying me frontline information I could not have written some of my articles.
"I would also like to thank the London-based Pakistani journalist, Murtaza Ali, who has reported Baloch issues in the British Asian press and Pakistan newspapers. He has been a good and trusted journalist and friend, unafraid to expose the lies perpetrated by the army and intelligence sevices in Islamabad.
"Finally, I urge all Baloch campaign groups inside and outside Balochistan to unite, to present a coordinated united front for national liberation. United we are strong, divided we are weak. I also call on Baloch people everywhere to lobby their elected representatives and their Foreign Ministers, to halt all arms sales to Pakistan until it ceases military operations in Baluchistan and to press the Pakistani goverment and military to do three things immediately:
1. Agree a military ceasefire in Baluchistan and begin demilitarisation
2. Release all Baluch political prisoners
3. End censorship and allow media freedom in Baluchistan
The freedom of Balochistan has been long delayed. It cannot be denied.
Karlos Zurutuza's speech: The fact that the Baloch political stage was so poorly covered fired my imagination from the very beginning. Not only we hardly knew what was going on out there but, furthermore, it was also difficult to know WHY so little was reported about this conflict. So one day I decided to go and check it by myself. What I wrote afterwards is exactly what I saw, nothing more.
As my articles came into print I had the feeling that somehow I had managed to open some kind of window to an area that was largely unknown to my readers. But when I exhausted the material I had gathered in Baluchistan, I realised how easy it was for that window be shut again and remain like that for ages.
After getting a glimpse of the terrible situation of the Baloch people I realised that they cannot be condemned to oblivion. Therefore, keeping that window open has become a moral duty, as a journalist, but also as a human being.
This is why I'd like to call upon my professional colleagues worldwide to follow the events of this area and the plight of the Baloch people. Our friend, Peter Tatchell, is a remarkable example of how much can be done if one is determined go further. I'm sure that having a lot of us together could really help draw the attention on this situation and therefore help to solve it.
I am indeed honoured to have had the opportunity of meeting some extraordinary Baluchi people and I am grateful that my endeavored is honoured today by your award. By receiving it, I feel that it is like sharing this Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti award with all those fellow Baloch journalists who are doing their job, often at the cost of their own personal freedom, or even their life," Zurutuza concluded.
The DC-based American Friends of Baluchistan launched the award in memory of Nawab Bugti. The A.F.B. has chosen Selig S. Harrison of the Center for International Policy and Wendy Johnson of the www.thebaluch.com for next year's award.
http://mustikhan.newsvine.com/_news/2 ... d-for-telling-truth-marri
Speaking at the Shaheed Nawab Akbar Khan Reporting Award reception for Peter Tatchell of The Guardian and Karlos Zurutuza of Gara newspaper, Baluch national hero Nawabzada Hyrbyair Marri thanked the two European journalists for giving "voice to the voiceless."
Baluch politician and statesman Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, 80, was killed extra judicially by the Pakistan military on August 26, 2006 under the orders of then army chief and coup leader, General Pervez Musharraf. Nawab Bugti was a former governor and chief minister of Baluchistan and capable of becoming a governor of any state in the United States, according to former US ambassador to Pakistan, Robert Oakley.
Bugti's killing accelerated the independence drive in Baluchistan.
The London event was moderated by Ismail Amiri, president of the Balochistan National Movement -- an organization dedicated to liberation of Baluchistan from Iranian mullahs -- and fully supported by national hero Nawab Brahumdagh Bugti, 29, who was personally groomed by the late Nawab Bugti as his political successor.
Reknowned Baluch intellectuals and activists Walid Garboni, Raheem Bandoi and Ghulam Hussain Baluch profusely thanked Tatchell and Zurutuza for telling the Baluch story of blood and tears to the world.
Tatchell called for ending censorship and allowing Press freedoms in Baluchistan and put his weight behind the independence movement.
Almost all Baluch journalists have faced serious threats while covering news stories in Baluchistan, the most vulnerable and prominent among who are Shahzada Zulfikar, Malik Siraj Akbar and Siddiq Baloch.
Tatchell said, "The freedom of Balochistan has been long delayed. It cannot be denied."
Zurutuza called the situation in Baluchistan "terrible" and said Baloch people cannot be condemned to oblivion. "Therefore, keeping that window open [for information] has become a moral duty, as a journalist, but also as a human being," he said.
Nawabzada Hyrbyair Marri speech: We are presenting these awards to you on behalf of American Friends of Baluchistan. I would like to thank you both on behalf of the people of Baluchistan for your objective reporting and support for the Baloch liiberation struggle. You have chosen to support the weak against the powerful and to be the voice of voiceless Baluch.
The Baluch are struggling for equality, justice, peace and dignity. The Baluch struggle is for the restoration of our dignity and for the empowerment of powerless people. Baluchistan once was a free state in this very same global village that we live in today, now it is occupied by Pakistan and Iran. The Baluch people are determined to get rid of occupation, to bring an end to the sufferings of People in Occupied Baluchistan. Baloch once again want to live in an Independent Balochistan as a free and prosperous Nation. Your support in this regard has been enormously appreciated and will always be appreciated.
I hope that you will continue to write about Balochistan issue, Baloch people need more friends like you who can bring their miseries to the world's attention. Balochistan conflict has been ignored for a long time and Baloch have been denied justice. Pakistan has been carrying out slow motion genocide and ethnic flooding of our people for over 60 years. It is a shame that the democratic and civilised world is silent on the massacre of Baloch Nation. I strongly believe that honest journalism and human rights activities like yours pressurize the western democracies to take notice of Human Right Violations, and violations against freedom of press in Balochistan. Both Peter and Karlos took great personal risks to tell the true story of Baluchistan's occupation and the heroic struggle waged by the Baluch people to end Pakistan's and Iran's neo-colonial rule over Balochistan.
At this event I also would like to tell you that I had sent a message to the leader of BRP Brahumdagh Bugti to get his consent on this event, he replied to my message saying that he appreciates your efforts for highlighting the Baluch peoples' struggle for Independence and the ongoing human rights violations in Balochistan on international level. He hoped that you will continue to report on Balochistan and be a voice for the voiceless people of Balochistan.
Some of the ordeals of local journalists: Baloch journalists, writers and intellectuals are often threatened with dire consequence if they speak the truth.
In an interview with Radio Gwank a well-known Baloch journalist Mr Shahzada Zulfiqar said that several journalists in Balochistan have been sacked just because they refused to promote state propaganda, make news and report as per the wishes of the government.
As many as four journalists were injured in Turbat district on 25 August when the Frontier Corps (FC) personnel opened fire on a political rally, which was marking the second anniversary of Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti's martyrdom.
Javid Lehri a Baloch Journalist who was arrested in mid 2007 and released on August 22, 2008 said in a statement that inside jail, he was asked why the newspaper he worked for was called Azadi [liberation]. His captors wanted him to clarify whose liberation the paper actually was struggling for. He was asked to get the newspapers' name changed. He said, "I helplessly replied! That I was merely working with the newspaper as a correspondent, I could not change the name or the editorial policy of the paper, but they didn't trust me and kept on beating me".
While Lehri was undergoing suffering inside the torture cell despite the restoration of democracy in Pakistan, his family members were constantly threatened by his official captors, that they should keep quite or get prepared to receive Mr. Lehri's dead body.
On 18 August 2009 the government forced the administration of Asaap to close down their office and stop publishing their newspaper. Few weeks' later Pakistani Intelligence agencies raided the office of Daily Azaadi (Liberation) in Quetta and barred the staff from going to office, hence forcing the management of Azaadi to close down their office and stop their publication as well. According to one of the reporters of Azaadi "he was stopped at the gate of his office and asked that he would only be allowed to continue his work if he says Pakistan Zindabad (long live Pakistan)". During the same period, Daily Balochistan express an English newspaper was also banned.
On September 5, 2009 a local journalist Irshad Akhtar was severely beaten and injured by the Pakistani secret intelligence personal security force, his only fault was that he was covering a Baloch protest against the abduction of a Baloch poet and his son from Turbat Town.
As recent as last week Journalist Imdad Ali and photographer Mohammad Hasan, both working for Sindh TV, were going to cover a function in Balochistan University, they were stopped by the Para-Military, were severely tortured and their hands and feet were tied. they were forced to stand under the scotching sun for a long time. This all proves and tells us about the difficulties that journalists face in Balochistan for telling the truth.
Finally I once again thank you both for your sincere efforts and support for Baloch Liberation Struggle, and I truly hope that you will continue to raise awareness in the Western world about the suppressed people of Balochistan, as you've already worked tirelessly to bring the Baloch issue to world's attention.
Peter Tatchell's speech: I am delighted and grateful to receive this award. My thanks to the American Friends of Balochistan for honouring my small, modest efforts to expose Pakistan's human rights abuses and to report the freedom struggle of the Baloch people.
"I would like to pay special tribute to the brave Baloch journalists and activists, inside Balochistan, who are risking their lives to report the truth and illuminate Pakistan's oppression. Without them supplying me frontline information I could not have written some of my articles.
"I would also like to thank the London-based Pakistani journalist, Murtaza Ali, who has reported Baloch issues in the British Asian press and Pakistan newspapers. He has been a good and trusted journalist and friend, unafraid to expose the lies perpetrated by the army and intelligence sevices in Islamabad.
"Finally, I urge all Baloch campaign groups inside and outside Balochistan to unite, to present a coordinated united front for national liberation. United we are strong, divided we are weak. I also call on Baloch people everywhere to lobby their elected representatives and their Foreign Ministers, to halt all arms sales to Pakistan until it ceases military operations in Baluchistan and to press the Pakistani goverment and military to do three things immediately:
1. Agree a military ceasefire in Baluchistan and begin demilitarisation
2. Release all Baluch political prisoners
3. End censorship and allow media freedom in Baluchistan
The freedom of Balochistan has been long delayed. It cannot be denied.
Karlos Zurutuza's speech: The fact that the Baloch political stage was so poorly covered fired my imagination from the very beginning. Not only we hardly knew what was going on out there but, furthermore, it was also difficult to know WHY so little was reported about this conflict. So one day I decided to go and check it by myself. What I wrote afterwards is exactly what I saw, nothing more.
As my articles came into print I had the feeling that somehow I had managed to open some kind of window to an area that was largely unknown to my readers. But when I exhausted the material I had gathered in Baluchistan, I realised how easy it was for that window be shut again and remain like that for ages.
After getting a glimpse of the terrible situation of the Baloch people I realised that they cannot be condemned to oblivion. Therefore, keeping that window open has become a moral duty, as a journalist, but also as a human being.
This is why I'd like to call upon my professional colleagues worldwide to follow the events of this area and the plight of the Baloch people. Our friend, Peter Tatchell, is a remarkable example of how much can be done if one is determined go further. I'm sure that having a lot of us together could really help draw the attention on this situation and therefore help to solve it.
I am indeed honoured to have had the opportunity of meeting some extraordinary Baluchi people and I am grateful that my endeavored is honoured today by your award. By receiving it, I feel that it is like sharing this Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti award with all those fellow Baloch journalists who are doing their job, often at the cost of their own personal freedom, or even their life," Zurutuza concluded.
The DC-based American Friends of Baluchistan launched the award in memory of Nawab Bugti. The A.F.B. has chosen Selig S. Harrison of the Center for International Policy and Wendy Johnson of the www.thebaluch.com for next year's award.
http://mustikhan.newsvine.com/_news/2 ... d-for-telling-truth-marri
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