A Baloch makes a request
By Kahoda Baloch
I have noticed for the past few weeks, newspapers, websites and on the "social media" particularly on Twitter and Face book three words, “Balochistan Liberation Charter" has suddenly come alive. Young, energetic Baloch activists, both pro and con taking their cues from their respective leaderships have presented arguments, concerns, reservations about a document that defines what the Baloch struggle is about, and what the struggle aims to achieve. Debate is the life blood of a society that aims to correct its flaws and realize the need to move in a direction that benefits the whole society, the whole nation. A nation can only build, achieve and move forward if the building blocks, the foundations are set on a concrete positive platform. But I was disappointed - disappointed that so many columns written by so many intellectuals but had nothing positive to offer. All they amount to is a virulent attack and a desperate need to be on the right side of the right powerful individual. Dividends of course only come when you invest in the right stocks at the right time. In short the debate that should have been about the why, when, what of the Baloch society turned out to be nothing more than an exercise in mudslinging and sycophancy.
A national struggle for identity, dignity and freedom without a leadership is unheard of. Some of us are good at leading and some of us are good at following. That is why we are categorized as leaders and followers. We know our place in a struggle. We feed the struggle our energy. We lit its flame with the desire and hope of a better tomorrow a better future not for us, but the generation that follows us. A struggle thinks ahead. In a struggle today and yesterday are just reminders – a reminders that this is what we are, what we have become. And tomorrow in a struggle is the hope, the light, the reason of the struggle that this is what we want to become. Some have to lead and the rest have to follow.
But I will not follow anyone leading me into a blind tunnel. I will not follow someone without a vision or a program. I will not follow anyone without a road map. We need a document that tells us this is what we are fighting for, document that defines our needs our wants and a document that builds a relationship between those who are being lead and those who are leading. That relationship could only be built once the aims are clear, the objectives defined and the means laid forward with which we are to achieve those aims and objectives. Call it a document, a constitution, a pamphlet, a charter. Call it whatever you may, but we need it. Without it we are lost, without it we have no direction.
Honestly, the charter that was carpet bombed by so many columnists was not even discussed in their columns. I am not familiar with each and every clause of it, and for that reason I will not discuss it here. But what I will discuss is what I was thinking when the current Baloch Struggle "The Juhud" was in its second year. I was thinking what the Sarmachars, the Students and all the people from every section of the Baloch society are fighting for. Why the martyrs, why the exiles, why the widows, why the orphans. What are these sacrifices for? What are we fighting for? Yes we are fighting for Balochistan – to free Balochistan from occupation, but what would be the shape, the layout of that independent Balochistan. Are we fighting one master to be enslaved by another? Are we fighting the brown sahibs to be enslaved by the Sardar sahibs? What advantages would we have as citizens of a liberated Balochistan? What would be our responsibilities as citizens of a liberated Balochistan? What kind of a government would we have if and when Balochistan is liberated? Can the mineral rich region with its strategic location benefit the people that happen to live in that geography?
Baloch Juhud for me is a dream – a dream of a Balochistan where I see schools, colleges and universities. I see research institutes, I see modern tall buildings. I see wide roads; I see parks where I can take my family for a weekend picnic or an evening walk. I see freedom of expression, speech and the freedom to follow ones faith whichever (section) of religion one may follow. Where I see laws that hate speech will be checked and hate mongers punished. Where there are sects but all sects form one nation. Where the weak are protected and looked after. Where the elderly are respected and cared for. Where the young have opportunities, and where women have the freedom to be what they can, contribute and play a role as dominant as a man towards the betterment of the society and the Baloch nation. I want to see a nation that celebrates life, I want to see a nation that is thankful for a life given by the Almighty and lives, cherishes each and every moment of it. For Almighty is generous, his blessings are many and abundant, but life he gives us just once. A land of celebrations, joys, and happiness is what I dream Balochistan to be.
Americans fought for their independence not just with guns, but with words penned down by intellectuals and thinkers like Jefferson and Thomas Paine to name a few. Thomas Paine wrote his best works during the American Revolution. His works "Common Sense" "Right of Man" "Age of Reason" inspired a whole nation to stand up and fight for their freedom. To my Baloch leaders I say just this; I need just one document from you. Call it whatever you may, Document, Roadmap, or a Charter. But I need this guarantee that what I am fighting for is a Balochistan that my children would be proud to call their motherland. That is all I request.... a Charter.
http://balochraj123.blogspot.ca/
A national struggle for identity, dignity and freedom without a leadership is unheard of. Some of us are good at leading and some of us are good at following. That is why we are categorized as leaders and followers. We know our place in a struggle. We feed the struggle our energy. We lit its flame with the desire and hope of a better tomorrow a better future not for us, but the generation that follows us. A struggle thinks ahead. In a struggle today and yesterday are just reminders – a reminders that this is what we are, what we have become. And tomorrow in a struggle is the hope, the light, the reason of the struggle that this is what we want to become. Some have to lead and the rest have to follow.
But I will not follow anyone leading me into a blind tunnel. I will not follow someone without a vision or a program. I will not follow anyone without a road map. We need a document that tells us this is what we are fighting for, document that defines our needs our wants and a document that builds a relationship between those who are being lead and those who are leading. That relationship could only be built once the aims are clear, the objectives defined and the means laid forward with which we are to achieve those aims and objectives. Call it a document, a constitution, a pamphlet, a charter. Call it whatever you may, but we need it. Without it we are lost, without it we have no direction.
Honestly, the charter that was carpet bombed by so many columnists was not even discussed in their columns. I am not familiar with each and every clause of it, and for that reason I will not discuss it here. But what I will discuss is what I was thinking when the current Baloch Struggle "The Juhud" was in its second year. I was thinking what the Sarmachars, the Students and all the people from every section of the Baloch society are fighting for. Why the martyrs, why the exiles, why the widows, why the orphans. What are these sacrifices for? What are we fighting for? Yes we are fighting for Balochistan – to free Balochistan from occupation, but what would be the shape, the layout of that independent Balochistan. Are we fighting one master to be enslaved by another? Are we fighting the brown sahibs to be enslaved by the Sardar sahibs? What advantages would we have as citizens of a liberated Balochistan? What would be our responsibilities as citizens of a liberated Balochistan? What kind of a government would we have if and when Balochistan is liberated? Can the mineral rich region with its strategic location benefit the people that happen to live in that geography?
Baloch Juhud for me is a dream – a dream of a Balochistan where I see schools, colleges and universities. I see research institutes, I see modern tall buildings. I see wide roads; I see parks where I can take my family for a weekend picnic or an evening walk. I see freedom of expression, speech and the freedom to follow ones faith whichever (section) of religion one may follow. Where I see laws that hate speech will be checked and hate mongers punished. Where there are sects but all sects form one nation. Where the weak are protected and looked after. Where the elderly are respected and cared for. Where the young have opportunities, and where women have the freedom to be what they can, contribute and play a role as dominant as a man towards the betterment of the society and the Baloch nation. I want to see a nation that celebrates life, I want to see a nation that is thankful for a life given by the Almighty and lives, cherishes each and every moment of it. For Almighty is generous, his blessings are many and abundant, but life he gives us just once. A land of celebrations, joys, and happiness is what I dream Balochistan to be.
Americans fought for their independence not just with guns, but with words penned down by intellectuals and thinkers like Jefferson and Thomas Paine to name a few. Thomas Paine wrote his best works during the American Revolution. His works "Common Sense" "Right of Man" "Age of Reason" inspired a whole nation to stand up and fight for their freedom. To my Baloch leaders I say just this; I need just one document from you. Call it whatever you may, Document, Roadmap, or a Charter. But I need this guarantee that what I am fighting for is a Balochistan that my children would be proud to call their motherland. That is all I request.... a Charter.
http://balochraj123.blogspot.ca/