Baloch people commemorate the death anniversary of prominent Balochistan separatist leader Nawab Akbar Bugti, who was killed on August 26, 2006 by Pakistan Army in an encounter. Here is an interview with his grandson Brahumdagh Bugti, who has founded the Baloch Republican Party and is presently in Switzerland in a self-imposed exile. Brahumdagh has given up his Pakistani passport and is buoyed by the recent 'moral support' extended by the Indian Government to the Balochistan cause. Asking India to make Balochistan a serious part of its Foreign Policy, Bugti wants India to become voice of Baloch people in International forums.
Read the interview here -
What
has been your struggle all about and what are your demands from the State of
Pakistan?
To
understand the Baloch struggle, you have to go into the history. There were two
parts of Balochistan at the time when British were about to leave the region,
British Balochistan and state Balochistan. British Balochistan was forcefully
annexed with Pakistan while state Balochistan was declared independent, only to
be merged into Pakistan through military force nine months later in 1948.
In spite of
such a horrible experience, the Baloch tried to adjust them within Pakistan but
Pakistan always treated Balochistan as a colony and retaliated with violence
and use of force whenever Baloch people raised voice their rights. The ongoing
military operation is the fifth large scale army action in Balochistan since
1948. Every next government would make fake apologies for the state atrocities
by previous rulers and make bogus promises to keep the Baloch within Pakistan.
The Baloch would always fall into their traps sometimes made in the name of
religion & sometimes in the name of greater autonomy and rights.
But after
the start of military operation in early 2000s to crush the political demands
of Baloch people & subsequent assassination of my grandfather Nawab Akbar
Bugti in 2006, the Baloch have said “enough is enough, we can not be a part of
Pakistan anymore.” Today every Baloch demand freedom from Pakistan and
restoration of an independent homeland.
The
government of Pakistan has invited the Balochi leaders in exile to come to
negotiation table, what is your reaction? As Pakistan continues to put you in
its Most Wanted List would you take the risk of going back?
It is
always been a tactic of Pakistani state to use the negotiation card to counter the
Baloch struggle and confuse the international community to justify state
atrocities in Balochistan. In past Pakistan Army used Islam to lure the Baloch
into so-called negotiations, only to persecute, jail and hang our leaders.
This time
the tried to use the same old tactic again but their plan backfired when we
agreed to meet them. I met former Pakistani CM in Balochistan Dr. Malik Baloch
and a federal minister Abdul Qadir Baloch in Geneva but as expected, their
calls for negotiations vanished in the air after we agreed on talks because
they had expected us to reject the negotiations so they could counter the
increasing international support for Baloch struggle and justify the use of
force in Balochistan by labelling us terrorists.
We are
struggling politically for our demands and believe in political solutions but
it is the Pakistani states that used violence and force to crush the legitimate
demands of Baloch people. As far as going back is concerned, Balochistan is my
homeland and i will not hesitate to go there when the right time comes.
Pakistan
government has accused India of conspiring to trigger unrest in Balochistan,
how do you respond to the allegations?
It has
always been the favorite response by the Pakistani security establishment to
blame foreign hand when the people rise against state atrocities and demand
their rights. This blame game is as old as the country itself. For instance,
they accused Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan of being an Indian agent but later
accepted him as a genuine leader, only to accuse him again afterwards.
They have
been doing the same in Balochistan since the day one. One may ask, is it India
that takes away all the resources and deprive the Baloch of their basic rights?
Is it India that asks Pakistan army to commit gross human rights violations and
war crimes against Baloch? Is it Indian Army that uses gunship helicopters and
fighter jets on civilian populations in Balochistan?
If it is
not India that has been doing all this then why do they blame India when people
resist against these atrocities? It is but natural for people to defend
themselves against such barbarism in all the ways possible.
How do
you see the present stance of India with respect to Balochistan? How do you
think India can contribute to the cause of Balochistan?
We see it
is a very positive development in the favor of Baloch national struggle
internationally. We thank Indian Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi for his brave
stance on Balochistan and we really appreciate how the Indian media is
highlighting the issue. At the same time, I must also say that it should not be
tit for tat approach of the Indian government for what Pakistan is doing in
Kashmir.
It should
be a very serious part of the Indian foreign policy to raise the voice of
oppressed Baloch people on international forums and pursue the international
community to stop supporting the oppressive Pakistani regimes as the financial
and military aid to Pakistan is being used to suppress the peaceful movement of
Baloch nation.
It is the
responsibility of India as a responsible neighbor and as a civilized country to
become the voice of Baloch people in the world community and convince the
United Nations to send fact finding missions to Balochistan to expose the
Pakistani war crimes and to show the world what is really going on there.
Balochistan
Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri has said that Balochistan is different as
Balochis love Pakistan, what is your take on it?
The
so-called government in Balochistan doesn’t represent the Baloch masses. The
mere fact that only three percent of votes were caste in 2013 Pakistani
general elections in Balochistan is enough to reject the legitimacy of this
so-called government. 97 percent of the people boycotted the elections and
didn’t cast their votes despite the use of force by the Pakistani forces to participate
in the polls.
It is
normal for an occupying state to create such dummy government in its occupied
territories to legitimize the illegal occupation. To assess the demands of the
Baloch people and to know whether they want to live with Pakistan or want an
independent homeland, the easiest way is to hold a referendum under the
supervision of United Nations in Balochistan. The results would show what the
Baloch really want.
Questions
are being raised over the support you command among Baloch people. Pakistan
has contended that your support base is very small. How do you establish
yourself as the rightful leader of the Baloch people?
I think the
answer to this question is same as the previous one. If you withdraw Pakistani
army from Balochistan and hold a referendum under the supervision of UN
peacekeeping forces, the Baloch will decide who their leader is and what their
demands are.
Do you
still carry Pakistani passport?
No
How
would you justify the use of violence in support of your cause?
I believe
in peaceful means of struggle. The Baloch struggle for freedom and sovereignty
is completely peaceful and democratic in nature. Pakistan’s response to it has
always been violent and oppressive. All the pro-independence Baloch political
parties and student organisations have been banned forcing them to go
underground. Thousands of their activists including leaders have been abducted,
detained & tortured for years and in almost all cases killed and their
mutilated dead bodies dumped on roadsides.
Crackdown
against political parties has given rise to armed struggle in Balochistan and
there are many armed groups resisting the Pakistani occupying forces and their
atrocities. Baloch youth are attracted towards armed struggle more because you
cannot expect someone to remain silent if you attack his house, abduct and kill
his family members. It is but human nature to resist and fight to defend
himself.
Do you
think with China having strategic interests in the region, especially in the
form of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), it has become difficult to
achieve your objective?
Balochistan’s
strategic location makes it very important for regional and international
powers. China also has its interests in the region and it has join hands with
Pakistan to achieve its objectives. China will not only benefit economically by
getting access to the Baloch waters through the so-called China-Pakistan Economic
Corridor but increase its strategic influence.
The Baloch
have rejected CPEC as a plan to further exploit their natural resources and
convert them into a minority in their homeland through influx of Pakistani
people. Pakistani forces intensified state atrocities & human rights abuses
to silence the Baloch voices against CPEC.
Let me also
emphasize on the fact that Baloch are the only people in the region who are
secular and natural allies of the countries like India, US and the western
world. They have unfortunately remained silent on the sufferings of Baloch
people. It is the responsibility of these countries to raise voice against
Baloch genocide not only because it is their duty as civilized nations but also
they need to support the Baloch national struggle because we are their only
allies in the region with same interests.
Pakistan
sponsors, trains and export terrorists to the neighboring countries and rewards
those who burn US and Indian flags. We are the only people share the same
values with the civilized world. If they don’t support the Baloch today, they
will not only fail their values but also lose their only friend in the region.
