Anti-capitalism, pro-communist parties had diverted the Baluch purpose from the national liberation. Anti-western, anti-globalists and Tehran and Islamabad loyalists in Baluchistan once again have potential to divert Baluch from the national liberation. Unto some points, Iran and Pakistan have diverted the Baluch elite’ attention into Iranian and Pakistani national, state building and undemocratic state institutions in order to consolidate Pakistan and Iran hold on Baluchistan. Baluch elites have paid Inadequate attentions to the fact that Baluchistan has been divided between three states by the British colonial power against the Baluch well.
Baluch has resisted the occupation of western Baluchistan and Baluch has resisted the occupation of eastern Baluchistan violently and peacefully. Whenever the opportunity has presented itself Baluch have protested the occupation, of their land by the Elian. Baluch never desired to be divided; they have demanded the unity that Baluch deserve.
Liberation movements have emerged soon after the annexation of Baluchistan to respective country Iran and Pakistan. The Baluch struggle for independent has boiled for years, it’s developed only after period of frustration, of Baluch elites who have tried and failed to integrate Baluch into Iran and Pakistan state and sub-ordinate Baluch culture to the Persian and Punjabi cultures. Punjabi and Persian has treated the Baluch elites as a second class citizens, Persian and Punjabi have always questioned the Baluch loyalty to the respective state.
Relation between Persian and Baluch is relation of war and conquest; Baluch and Persian only have shared hate against each others. Claim to independent is attractive to Baluch because Baluch reside in three states. Claim to independence is clear political objective for the Baluch masses.
Baluchistan nationalists’ party’s role for independent
Baluchistan nationalists’ party have been using ambiguous term like self-determination to cover their internal party differences. BNP demands can shift from autonomy to independence, back again, depending on the state of strength of independence movement and level of external support for the independence movement.
BNP will not declare its objectives right now, because most of the BNP members are the middle class and work for the government. The Private sectors has not been developed in Baluchistan it is a very small, Baluch people have not got a buying power to purchase their services, and if they lose the states job the private sector is unable to offer a job to them. Middle classes professional have no other means to provide for their family but their wages. And they are not welling to sacrifices their wages with it the futures of their children yet.
In every struggle to succeed tactics play an important roles, Baluch struggle is not extraordinary from the other nation’s struggles for national liberation. BNP is a political organisation it has a political party structure, changing circumstances in Baluchistan likely to have some impact on BNP. Habib Jalib assassination has changed the politic environment in Baluchistan; BNP can not ignore that fact. Iran and Pakistan do not let off those who armed with pens as much as gun; both states cannot distinguish between a pen and a gun.
Part of BNP in my opinion will declare their demand for independence when sentiment for independence crystallised. In my opinion Baluch should not settle for the less than the united independent Baluchistan; the case for independent Baluchistan is strong, because claim to independence is combined with a wealth.
The success of independence movement will be determined mainly by domestic politics
Baluchistan is a tribal society the tribesman has a sentiment of belonging to a tribe; tribesman lack a sentiment of nation, neither tribe has structure of nation or state. Claim to territorial state must be filled with sentiment of belonging to state and extended blood relative beyond a tribe’s tribal boundary and dialect to a nation. There has been movement of transformation from a tribe to the nation in Baluchistan this transformation should not couple with violence. We have had an idea we are Baluch.
The emergence of independence movement in Baluchistan is occupation, humiliation, and denial of identity and denial of historical right to Baluch by the occupiers, although the economical interests play a part.
The success of independence movement will be determined mainly by domestic politics, by the relations of difference groups and tribes within the respective state, combination of many groups will into single will. Baluch will achieve their goal by the balancing the interests of external forces beyond Iran and Pakistan borders.
Baluch should consider any means available to support movements, external assistance transform Baluch sentiment. Although struggle should not be dependence only on external support, but external relation reinforce the Baluch struggle for independence desirable.
The Baluch movement for independent Baluchistan must have the limited goal. The term Baluch nationalism should be confined to the movements aiming plainly at the independent Baluchistan.
Baluch nationalist demands must be the creation of independent separate state; Baluch nationalist in Iran and Pakistan should reject a state within existing state in other word autonomy. In my opinion autonomy is a political reform within state in order to decentralise power of state, if Baluch had achieve autonomy it would fell short to fulfil the Baluch aspiration; Baluch are not struggling to bring about a reform within Iran and Pakistan.
External supports,
Nations international relations play an important role in the outcome of struggle for the liberation. Most of today’s independent state once had been either ruled by European coloniser or they had been part of others empire. Most states had achieved their independence by the well of their people, they had engaged in an arm struggle at a point of a time, they had been supported by a powerful external connections. Some state have achieved their independence soon because the external support they had was willing to go to war and invade a state that a group decided to breakup from.
External support is difficult for liberation movement to obtain, if they obtained is difficult to maintain. There are certain complexities involved in securing external support. No state risk committing itself to a movement that is divided and weak. Nevertheless the raise in strength in a movement, unity in demands and unity in movement eventually encourage internal support.
In the life of any liberation movement there may be periods of no support form multiple sources, some time external support may have their own objective, states that support liberation movement may be persuaded, therefore external support is shifting.
Domestic politic in the assisting states can produce unexpected an end a support for a liberation movement. Sometime international pressure and economical cost for the assisting external powers are not acceptable to their voters.
For these reasons external commitments for struggle for independence Baluchistan are less adequate than the Baluch may require for success of independent movement that is already long drown war for independence. Baluch struggle for independent cannot relay only on external supports, some times their offer too little or nothing at all. Some time their support disappears in a matter of day, once assisting states achieve their objective.
Ideology and regional rivalries are natural sources for or against struggle for independence Baluchistan. Interests’ dispute among regional and international powers can provide support or against independent Baluchistan, depend on domestic Baluch politic that would independent Baluchistan to be, a source of stabilities or unmanageable tribal despotic fiefdom.
The emergence of independence movement in Baluchistan is a result of long subjugation, humiliation and occupation of Baluch nation; it is natural want of every Baluch. The independent Baluch movement to grow in strength may require external help. It is Baluchistan movement’s unity and strength that attract external support. The strength is hard to build without participation of different political group and component of the Baluch society. Nevertheless external support is necessary to the success for the Baluch struggle for independence.
M. Sarjov, is a Baluch political activists based in London.
