Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Another Baloch nationalist leader has died mysteriously. Mureed Bugti, a close aide of Brahamdagh Bugti and a member of the Central Executive Committee of the fiercely nationalist Baloch Republican Party, was killed, along with his host, at a village near Hala in Sindh. No obvious motive has emerged. In much of the mainstream press, the news made only a minor splash. In many Balochi language newspapers and on websites run by nationalist groups � most of them accessible only through proxy servers � the death of the 48-year-old leader is headline material. It is being linked to the gory murder of three nationalist leaders earlier this year or to the killing of Balaach Marri sometime before that. Where then are we headed in Balochistan? It is hard to say what the facts behind each of these deaths are. Many different versions have surfaced. But in the situation that prevails today in the federation's largest province, perceptions are in many ways more significant than the truth. And the perception of many, perhaps most, of the Baloch people is that state forces are involved in the murders. This fits in with the notion that the centre is an enemy of Balochistan and its people and has never dealt with them justly.
When the PPP government came to office early last year, many bold promises were heard; of a genuine reconciliation effort in Balochistan and of a bid to pull the province back into the federation as a contented unit of state. Little of this has happened. Beyond the initial gestures, which included the freeing of former chief minister Akhtar Mengal, none of the primary concerns of the Baloch have been addressed. Hundreds � some groups claim thousands � remain missing in the province and a sense of unrest rustles loudly through it. Periodic attacks on gas-supply lines and other acts of random terrorism are reported every now and then. These accounts rarely reflect the depth of resentment in Balochistan or the degree to which its people feel betrayed. The dangers inherent in this situation are grave and many. In a recent interview to a television channel, Akhtar Mengal scoffed at a question on provincial autonomy, saying matters in Balochistan had moved well beyond this point. Others from the province have used still stronger and harsher words while speaking of their quest for autonomy.
The issue of Balochistan has simmered on for far too long. It is time to address it. If we do not do so now, there may not be a second chance. It is questionable whether the Baloch can actually break away, following in the footsteps of East Pakistan. But the worsening situation of Baloch resentment and discontent can always prevent a strong federation from being built by acting as a constant source of tension that creates a damaging sense of disharmony and disconnect between the state and the people it rules.
http://thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=184398
|
