MYSTERIOUS SILENCE OVER DERA BUGTI, Archives 11.10.2005

MYSTERIOUS SILENCE OVER DERA BUGTI & CHANGING TONE OF BALOCHS HARBINGERS AN OTHER SHOWDOWN.

11.10.2005

http://www.balochunity.org/facts/788/ By:  Nizamuddin Nizamani, Black turban on the head of Bugti folks symbolizes the mourning for a lost one killed by some enemy.  Bugti and other tribal people believe in revenge and for them its code of honor. An old tribal saying states that "100 years is too short a time to wait for revenge". While driving 51 kilometer from Sui to Dera Bugti, one conspicuously note dozens of young and old men wearing black turbans on motorbikes and off road pickups.  Inside Dera Bugti, the small town stretched over about two squire kilometer the outsider note the Bugti youth wearing black turbans in groups toiling around with angry read eyes, with several questions, but maintain an strange and mysterious silence. One will note and feel that they are simmering deep inside and looking for the answers to many un-asked questions. A strange silence prevails over Dera Bugti that matches the calmness before developing into the thunder and heavy noisy cyclone. These groups with black turbans appear to be those who lost their family members on January 7, 2005 at Sui and March 17, 2005 in Dera Bugti by heavy fire of mortars and artillery recklessly fired from the Bambore scout fort built on the nearby mountains over looking the town. Regarding the dispute Nawab Bugti does not hope much of truth to come out of the government inquiry.  Bugti disclosed that he and his people were in "a semi-war like situation imposed on us by the center". The tension resulted heavy fight on March 17, 2005 at about 10 am at the PSO petrol pump located at 3 kilometer south of Dera Bugti town in which the Bugti body guards and Bhambhore scouts exchanged fire. This made the area stand still. According to Nawab Bugti and town residents, Bhambhore scouts fired mortars from the forts on the mountains overlooking Dera Bugti at about one kilometer at point blank range at the angle of 90 degrees from the original shooting site directly to Nawabs’ fort. ’That was not the cross fire, they directly hit me and my family, and fired about 600 mortars, killing 73 innocent people including women and children and injuring more than hundred".  They are again preparing for new attacks. Over there (pointing toward Bhambore scout fort on the mountain) they have dumped tones of ammunition, and 800 fresh military personals have arrived, which confirm our apprehensions that there will be another showdown". Initially we decided to built a memorial for those who were killed, but have postponed the program for, many more are yet to die, who ever among us survive will build the mausoleum". Responding to the question about any reconciliation with government "No, they asked us for compensation for those killed; we informed them that "our dead bodies are not for sale". Now they are monitoring us and we are monitoring them".  As regards government’s move to set up a military cantonment in the Sui area, Nawab Bugti believed that the people would resist such an ’occupation’ of their land. He said that like the people of Kashmir and Palestine, the Baloch people were seeking their legitimate rights. "Not a single Baloch is against the development" said leader of opposition in Balochistan Assembly Mr Kachkol Ali Advocate while talking on June 27, 2005, "however not a single Baloch will support the development of mega projects under present administrative structure. People know that all these so called projects are not for the native population but against them. He quoted the example of Sindhi and Balochs of Karachi. Meerani Dam and Gawadar appear to be the copy of Hub dam and Karachi, where the natives are living in a deplorable condition. The Advocate said the fate of people of Gwadar does not seem to be much different from that of the Sindhi and Balochs of Karachi. "We will resist them by every means including moral and logistic support to those who are resisting these projects by militancy. We do not know who they are, but they command vast support of Balochs". The Baloch intellectuals opine that government is not serious to address the un-employment issue "About 130 Baloch engineers were recruited for Gawader port jobs and trained at Karachi. But its surprising to note that now they are not allowed to join the jobs, They have peacefully agitated and presented their legitimate case on every forum but to no avail", said Dr Badal Khan Baloch,( PhD) Prof. at University of Naples, Italy "This issue is creating unrest in Balochs of Mekran and all over Balochistan but government seems to be oblivious of the issue and political cost. I wonder our strategist are either so naïve or so ignorant that even if they consider to politically address this issue and employ those trained engineers at the meager cost of few million rupees. If they pay an average salary of Rs.10, 000/- than total wages will be about 15 million a year only. They can defuse the tension easily but they appear to be either reckless or arrogant. They present rosy picture of Gawadar and invest millions on advertisement to attract investors but they outright reject the share of local people. I wonder these projects will be viable with such an ignorant strategy". Similar is the case of about 6000 Bugtis surrendered by PPL and Sui establishment who sit in protest since May 1, 2004 on gates no 1,3,4 and 5 of Sui installations and have closed these gates. They worked on different schemes for few years as temporary employees in different manual and technical jobs, and when they were supposed to be regularized have been declared surplus and no more required. "They have kicked us out from the job, and instead brought people from Punjab and Karachi" told the Qadir Bux Bugti a civil Engineer Diploma holder and representative of the people protesting on Gate no one at Sui purification Plant on September 11, 2005 "Many local engineers, diploma holders, technical and manual workers have been removed from jobs on the pretext that the related jobs are no more available. But we have seen outsiders coming for those jobs". ’These security personals do not allow journalist to talk with us and do not allow them to make photographs" revealed Barkat Ali Bugti "They want us to die here and no one should knows about our fate. They threaten us to leave but we will not allow them to open these gates till they will agree to open those for us" "While living on Balochistan’s border town we see as outsider local Baloch live in abject poverty and they are not given the share of jobs. While frequently visiting the Balochistan towns of Sui and Dera Bugti we observe that all the Gas installation are predominantly controlled by non Baloch, and their attitude to the locals is really shocking" said Mr Liaqat Ali Banglani, an educationist and resident of Thull, Jacobabad September 10, 2005.  "As a result of unemployment, poverty, hunger and frustration local youth has resorted to violence and minor social crimes like motor bike and car snatching etc. So far they are under control of their eagle eyed chieftain, Nawab Akbar Bugti.  I fear if such a situation prevails any more, there will be a large scale rebellion and people will enter into and damage these tantalizing but useless installations for them". He further elaborated. "Baloch have been kept away from jobs in Hub Industrial Area" said Abdul Wahab Baloch, organizer Baloch Rights Council "Only lower jobs of peons and security guards in limited number have been given to local Baloch in more than 200 industrial units in Hub Industrial Area. About 29850 white and blue collar workers daily cross the borders from Karachi into Balochistan in 400 public private and contract carrier buses and personal cars to work in Hub, but Baloch can just peep into these industries and are practically banned for jobs" "Baloch never resisted development, instead we welcome any development in education, health, communication and infra structure" said Nawab Bugti in an interview with author on September 11, 2005 at Dera Bugti " I built roads, schools, colleges and hospitals and we will welcome if government or some private parties are ready to open a university in Dera Bugti. I have invited Mobile phone companies and wire less loop companies to come and install most effective communication network for the local people. But government do not bring these desperately required facilities, instead they want to build Helipads for helicopters to land and cantonments. I do not know any of Baloch owning helicopters for which they need helipads. Cantonments are supposed to be built on the borders to defend country from enemy.  Against whom they are establishing cantonments in Gawadar, Sui, Kohlu and other deep inside areas of Balochistan? Yes we resist helipads, military roads and cantonment". I see the claims of provincial and federal government regarding the so called development of Balochistan, especially that of Mekran". Said Dr Amir Bux Baloch, District manager in a USAID funded project." Ambulances in most of the hospitals are non-functional. You can imagine that only one ambulance in Turbat and Gawadar is available for the population of 1.5 million and for the territorial jurisdiction of 44000 squire kilometers, with out any infrastructure and means of communication". If you want to develop us ask us said Nawab Bugti "You can not always ram your ideas down out throats".  Regarding government’s claims of payments made to him "I receive only the rent of my personal lands and the charges of water being used from the springs in my personal lands. It is as simple as you rent out a house or lease the land. No additional funds as claimed and blamed by the federal government.  I proposed to farm a committee on three members Mr Ayaz Amir, Mr Irshad Ahmed Haqani and Mushahid Hussain to investigate the accusations of bargain money paid to me" responded Nawab Bugti "I deliberately proposed all three persons from Punjab, for the impartial investigation and public satisfaction. But government is yet to farm that committee and prove the accusations hurled in media against me about these so called funds" The tone of Baloch is becoming harsh day by day. "We believe in democratic process and peaceful agitation for our legitimate rights" said Dr Imdad Baloch chairman Baloch Student Organization sitting on hunger strike unto death since October 3rd at Karachi Press Club against the arrest of dozens of Baloch activists including Dr Allah Nazar, Akhtar Nadeem, Asghar Bungulzai etc by Para-military forces "We are kidnapped, brutally tortured, paralyzed, and killed by them. They behave like we are from enemy state. They blackout our activities and want to hush-up our voice for our share in our resources through the brute tactics." I am sitting here in Karachi supposed to be international city with dozens of Newspapers, magazines and TV channels. But the national media do not cover our peaceful agitation. Journalist come, sit with us and sympathize, but apologize for not covering us because they have "Press Advice" to blackout news about Balochistan.  It appears that they understand different language’ (giving vent to his paint up feelings) "If  I and my comrades die here and Baloch receive our dead bodies, what government expect, our people will be hurling flowers to them. No they will be hurling bombs". He appealed Pakistani people and international community to put pressure on establishment for the release of Baloch prisoners, "Otherwise Baloch should not be blamed for resorting to other options" Similar tone echoed in Pakistan Senate where Senator Sanaullah Baloch of BNP gort angry for mistreatment. Frontier post reported that "Journalists witnessed worst pandemonium over the implementation of National Finance Commission (NFC) Award. There was even a spat among BNP’s Sanaullah Baloch and the ruling party senator Kamil Ali Agha over formers harsh and offensive anti-Pakistani remarks, which created an unpleasant in the Senate house proceedings. The Chairman Senate had to intervene and strong anti-Pakistani remarks of Sanaullah Baloch were omitted from the proceedings.  Sana Baloch even went to the extreme as demanded for separate homeland for the Baloch. He claimed that if he will be continuously treated like a 2ndclass citizen, he will withdraw from the nationality".  The Urdu dailies reported that he warns "If I will be mistreated any more, I will withdraw from the nationality. The Pakistanis fear the day when all gas pipelines will be blown, Baloch will survives on the dates and sheep milk", he reportedly threatened the upper house. The JWP senator Amanullah Kunrani already submitted his resignation to his leader, which is pending decision. It will not be out of place to mention that since the protest on Independence day, Balochistan  has already witnessed the worst series of bomb blasts including pipeline Blasts near Kandhkot, Kulper, Dasht. Mustung and most recent on the night of October 3rd the ruling Muslim League office in Turbat was blown up.  Different persons have called different press clubs and accepted responsibility of such subversive activities. This shows the audacity or level of confidence developed in the militants. Daily Jung dated October 4 reported heavy firing exchange between Frontier Corp and with Bugtis in Dera Bugti. This proves apprehensions of Nawab Bugti and new escalation in the area.  The local government elections are concluded amidst blames of worst rigging and horse-trading and the use of public funds and machinery aimed at keeping nationalist parties away, who tried to be the part of mainstream political process. There are three major transformations in Balochistan political scenario: Frustration of Baloch from the parliamentary political process and increasing support for the radical and extremist parties. The participation of female activists, which is first time in history. Baloch ladies now organize huge demonstrations for the release of their loves ones. This situation has provoked many bye standers, to shun their neutral stand and join the nationalist ranks.  Baloch political parties reject accusations of government about the support of foreign element behind Balochistan crises on one hand and on the other; almost all parties are no more defensive in this regard. They desperately express that they will appreciate and welcome, any if offered by any one. Pakistani strategist need to understand these changing trends. No one knows what is in store for this country, but one thing is clear that if the present status quo prevails, the situation will further deteriorate and if the responsible quarters and stakeholders did not consider the gravity of the situation, we will be facing disaster.  We wish sanity prevails and those at the helm of affairs take pragmatic decision mutually beneficial for the province and country simultaneously. E-mail: nizamani68@yahoo.com   (Writer is Trainer and Researcher in Ethno political Conflict Management & Development Studies)