Baloch aspire for an independent Balochistan in Western Balochistan

Western Balochistan is the westerly part of Balochistan which has been under forceful occupation of the Qajar dynasty and its successor, the present day of Iran since late 19th century. It stretches from the strait of Hormoz to the south of Kirman and to the present province of Balochistan. Geopolitically, western Balochistan is located in a very strategic location with almost 700 Kilometres coastline. Its population is estimated to be over 4 millions.

The Baloch issue and the Baloch national movement in western Balochistan are the theme of this paper. In a historical perspective, Baloch Reader Prof Taj Bresseg finds Bompour a town in western Balochistan, the birth place of Baloch national rise( Baloch Nationalism, Its origin and development. Royal Book Company Karachi Pakistan).

The tyrannical occupation of the western Balochistan by the Qajar dynasty’s successor, the present day of Iran has been constantly on increase. Reza Shah Pahlavi, the founder of present Iran initiated so called a “nation building” policy in order to assimilate Baloch nation alike other oppressed nations under his rule into newly created concept of “Iranian Nation”. It was during the reign of Reza Shah Pahlavi that the Ruler of western Balochistan Mir Dost Mohammad Khan Baranzai was defeated and Balochistan was annexed to Iran. Mir Dost Mohammad Khan Baranzai did not submit himself to the rule of Reza shah of Iran and stood firm against forceful occupation of Balochistan till his execution.

The Baloch national movement and its struggle for freedom from Iranian forceful occupation have been through several stages of high and ebb. Baloch resistance against occupiers is well established. The artificial demarcation of boundaries and subsequent partition of Balochistan was resisted by Baloch nation. On 1st Dec 1869, when Bompour Conference was held, Baloch representatives led by Fakir Mohammad Bezanjo vigorously resisted Qajar supremacy over Balochistan. General Goldsmith the British Empire’s representative was a witness to that testimony of Baloch struggle.

In mid 1960’s some Baloch nationalists formed the Balochistan Liberation Front to fight against Iran for the liberation of Balochistan. They sought international support for restoration of Baloch sovereignty, and succeeded in setting up a Balochi Radio in Baghdad. They fought for several years and broadcast Baloch views and news to further the Baloch struggle for independence of Balochistan.

In 1975, Iran and Iraq signed jointly “the Algeria Pact”. The Algeria Pact was detrimental to the Balochistan Liberation Front, because Iraq withdrew its support from them.

Rahim Zardkohi, a Baloch nationalist, despite the staggering odds of international polity, led Baloch struggle. Rahim Zardkohi and Yarmohammad Molazai who was also known as “Beywatan” with active participation of other Baloch guerrillas formed “Balochistan e Raji Zrombesh” –Balochistan National Movement- in 1972. Rahim Zardkohi sadly was killed in an encounter with occupying forces of Iran in Pahra in 26 December1979. Following loss of Rahim Zardkohi as the leader,Balochistan National Movement or Zrombesh was revived by many young and committed Baloch nationalists.

For the past three decades, the struggle for freedom of Balochistan has been carried out politically by Zromesh despite suffering losses. In Western Balochistan for the past 5 years new party and groups have been formed to fight for the rights of Baloch people.

The past experience of the Baloch national struggle have armed Baloch nation with realization of the reality that the Baloch issue and Baloch national movement are for freedom and for an independent Balochistan. Unfortunately there are some Baloch groups or parties within the Baloch national movement who advocate failed policies of incremental approach to our destiny. They regrettably committed their parties or groups to policy of integration and participation with the occupiers of Balochistan. They tirelessly dream of seeing a democratic Iran in order to lessen the level of social and economic hardship of Baloch. For this purpose they on their part as political parties of Balochistan are willing to surrender Baloch nation’s mere identity. Unfortunately they are prepared to enter dialogue even with those who categorically reject Baloch as a nation. Unlike Zrombesh, they see Baloch national struggle as a spectrum of cultural, economical and social matter.

We in the Zrombesh totally differ with such misled concept for Baloch national struggle. Zrombesh is of the view that Baloch identity is of paramount importance to our struggle. Baloch identity only can be realized in a sovereign and independent Balochistan. Those who advocate federalism in Iran need to understand their fundamental flaw since a true and democratic federalism is realized only among sovereign people, not among occupied nations and the oppressor.

Therefore Baloch national struggle should not pivot around issues of human rights and atrocities of the occupying forces of Iran or discrimination and injustices on Baloch in Balochistan, or economic deprivation of Balochistan since these are inevitable symptoms of occupation.
Zrombesh has a crystal clear policy in relation to the Baloch national struggle. Its mandate is to fight for an independent democratic Balochistan. We in our part are committed to take the issue of independent Balochistan to the international community to muster support.
It is argued that the current international polity is not favourable to the issue of independent Balochistan!
Those political parties which have a sufficient knowledge of movements for freedom in the world during last two centuries, coupled with vision shall work to overcome obstacles of international polity by lobbying and steadfastness in their struggle. Let us here acknowledge the enormity of the task. To persuade the international polity in favour of an independent Balochistan, it is imperative for the Baloch political parties to establish first that such an aspiration and demand exists among the Baloch nation.

The Baloch nationalist parties with federalist or assimilation persuasions need to know that Iran or for this matter Pakistan have been constantly on denial that Baloch have any demand, other than economic development or better assimilation. Iran and Pakistan present themselves as harmonised and well assimilated society to their own people to bolster sense of being Iranian or Pakistani, and to the international community to prevent Baloch freedom fighters from gaining sympathy or material support.
These federalist parties must grasp the fact that despite imperfection and oddity of international law and forums, new independent states are being recognised by the same international polity which they dread of approaching. It is the duty of every Baloch to be an advocator of an independent Balochistan; to resist all flawed arguments which are put by Baloch federalists or those who are resigned to the polity of status quo and sanctity of territorial integrity of states; and to stand firm against the most flimsy arguments that either Baloch national movement is not strong, or the major powers of the world support the territorial integrity of Iran and Pakistan.

Now, it is up to the Baloch Political parties and Baloch nation as whole to show the world and major powers that the Baloch struggle is for nothing else but for freedom of Balochistan from occupation, and regaining its lost sovereignty.

We in Zrombesh believe that at no time the sovereignty of Baloch nation will materialise unless we firmly advocate Balochistan’s independence as corner-stone of our struggle. We, the Baloch should not be in any illusion that either passage of time or major powers for their interests will bring about independence for Balochistan.

The history guides us that no matter how strong our occupiers are, we should express our stand in a crystal clear term that Baloch national struggle is a secular and democratic movement for an independent Balochistan which shall help the region and the world for a sustainable peace and fair commerce.

Thanks for your patience and of course for your oncoming support.

Ismail Amiri

Balochistan National Movement ( Zrombesh )
Feb 2010