Gwador Port of Baluchistan: Promises of development vs. fears of destruction

Islam and Human Rights

13 Mar 2010, NewAgeIslam.Com

Gwador Port of Baluchistan: Promises of development vs. fears of destruction

By Mohammad Jan Baluch The Baluchistan Operation basically started with the announcement of the Gwadar Project and the setting up of barracks in Baluchistan because the Baluch nationalists have serious apprehensions over the Gwader project and the apprehensions have been documented in the Bugti dossier. The nationalists presented their apprehensions on paper to the government and committees and sub-committees were formed to allay those fears. Unfortunately, the committee could not yield any tangible results. Despite these reservations, the government started work on the port and the nationalists were accused of being anti-development saying they were a handful of people. The 72 sardars of Baluchistan are on our side and the rest only three (Mengal, Marri and Bugti) are against us because they are trying to save their sardari (authority).It can be noted that the differences between the central government and Baluchistan started way back in 1948 and are existing till date. The problem has now become more complicated. On the one hand there are claims of development and on the other hand there are people who consider it a mirage. And it has taken the shape of a battle. The Baluchistan issue has become an international issue. Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti has died a martyr's death alongwith thousands of defenders. Nawabzada Balaach Marry Bugti and Delra Alam Khan Dr Allah Nazr and other thousands of Baluch defenders have withdrawn to the mountains. Akhtar Jan Mengal, Abdul Nabi Bangloi, Alam Parkani, Aslam Garganadi, Lala Munir, Jaanzeb,Rafiq Khosa including hundreds of Baluchis are being subjected to tortures in government jails. Ghulam Mohammad Baluch, Munir Mengal, Hasan Sangat Marri and thousands of others have been kidnapped. Baluchistan is getting one percent, China is getting 80% and the central government is getting 19% from the Sendak project. The organisation of the enslaved community, Punam, has been a silent spectator. The Pashtun nationalist organisations of Baluchistan are only making press statements. The Sindhi nationalists are only issuing press releases to the newspapers, delivering speeches and at the same time making promises to give support in the future. Baluchi women have been observing protest fasts at the Karachi and Quetta Press Clubs. Announcement of giving 1% from the revenues from the Godawar port has already been made. General Musharraf has inaugurated the Port. The nationalists have declared the Gwadar port a mirage. Jamhoori Watan Party, Haq Tawar, Baluchistan National Movement, Baluchistan National Party and National Party are fighting against the government for the rights of the Baluchs. Jaam Yusuf has pledged loyalty to the central government and has vowed to play the final round with the Baluch defenders. Ehsan Shah is weilding a silent lathi on the Baluch community. Sardar Yaar Mohammad is performing histrionics in the mountains of Sabi either to finish off or control his opponents. Shoaib Nausherwan who is the home minister, is happy with the arrests, kidnappings and murders of the Baluchis and heartbroken at the homelessness of the rehabilitated. The government of the MMA and the Muslim League alliance is busy looting and plundering. The minister belonging to the MMA has set a record in Pashtun nationalism. The non-Baluchistanis are leaving Baluchistan. The MQM has caused civil strife among the Baluchis. Baluchis are killing each other in Karachi. Leyari has turned into a battlefield. Voice is also raised in Karachi for the rights of the Baluchs and the Baluchs of Karachi are offering great sacrifices for Baluchistan. The oppressors are trying to prove the oppressed the oppressors. Nation-building is achieved through subtle means. But it requires passion, a vision and universal love. On the contrary what we see here is hatred, conflict, arrests, kidnappings, seizures, massacres, bomb blasts and rocket attacks. How can there be development then? The fact is that the central government has added fuel to this fire of hatred. The government instead of winning the hearts with love has given the gifts of kidnappings, murders, firings and blasts. How good were the British before the creation of Pakistan, who knew the art of making even the chains of slavery beautiful. The manifestation of this art are these beautiful landscapes, the Revolving Lake, the Zoo, the toy trains racing with each other, jumping springs and waterfalls. How beautiful they appear! But the human existence has lost its value. Coming back to my topic, giving only 1% to Baluchistan, employing the non-Baluchis by ignoring the jobless of Baluchistan, leasing out Gowadar port to a company of Singapore for 40 years and keeping the representatives of Baluchistan in the dark proves that Gwadar port is not being built for the Baluchs but is meant for the dominant ruling elite. This is becoming a reason for the destruction of the Baluch community, not a reason for development. And this mega project has ultimately proved to be a mirage. Everyone knows that a mirage produces the illusion of water from a distance. So whoever chases the mirage for water will meet death in the end. (Translated from Urdu by Sohail Arshad) Source: The Daily Tawar, Baluchistan URL: http://newageislam.com/NewAgeIslamCurrentAffairs_1.aspx?ArticleID=2571

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Asadullah Syed