London, 13 October 2008--Dozens of Baluchi villages have been destroyed in the bombardment of a large part of Western and Northern Baluchistan in the third day of the bombardments. The bombardment began in Dumag after an unexpected encounter between the security forces and guerrilla fighters of People's Resistance Movement of Iran three days ago in a long range of mountains that begin from Zahedan, Capital of Balochistan and continue to the Kerman province in the Eastern part of Iran.
The fighters of PTMI were on their way to carry out a mission in the central part of Iran when they were identified by security forces and the clash began between the two sides. The Baluch fighters claim that they have seen the bodies of more than 50 security forces that have been killed in this event. The Iranian authorities have ordered to complete blackout of the event to suppress the spread of the news of their heavy casualties.
The Iranian regime recently ordered all its different government agencies and media to avoid broadcasting any news that may indicate the weakness and inadequacies of the military and security forces. The directive ordered the media to only broadcast that part of the events that shows the strength of the security forces and avoid publishing the number of casualties.
According to the latest news, the Baluch fighters PRMI claim to have organised another planned attack on SarJangal military base in the East part of Baluchistan, near Khash. The fighters claim that they have used heavy weaponry including missiles to destroyed base. The attack on the base was planned at three o'clock in the morning last week. The mission was complete in few hours and the fighters retreated to their base while the government began to deploy a large number of forces around the base and started to bombard the neighboring areas. The local people complained that some innocent people have been killed in the bombardment and some properties were also destroyed.
At the same time the People's Resistance Movement of Iran announced one of its top weapon makers has been assassinated in the 11th of October 08. Osmaan was one of the top experts in Bomb making, explosives, repairing guns, and other weapons. He had already trained dozens of the members of this group. This organization believes in training its forces in various guerrilla wars and therefore claims that the assassination of Osman will not affect its ability and capacity for making more weapons and explosives for the next missions. They believe that he has been betrayed and consequently he has been assassinated by someone they believe has been identified. Further investigations continue.
Today the local people in Zahedan and the Western part of Baluchistan reported that the heavy bombardment in Rood Mahi Mountains still continued. The sound of gunfire also was reported by the local people who are trying to leave their villages for safety of the cities. The Islamic Republic of Iran has tried in the last 30 years to push the Baluch people out of their traditional and old homes and villages into the big cities but later on, they discovered the rate of unemployment among people who have been dislocated was too high and their young men were disappointed from the governments and a large number of them joined the Baluch fighters.
The Baluch fighters are engaged in guerilla war with the Iranian regime. They demand equal rights for the Baluch people and democracy for Iran. The Shia fundamentalist regime of Iran has practically deprived all the Sunnis including the Baluch people from their basic human rights which are right to education, freedom of movement, freedom of speech and freedom of worship.
There are more than two million Sunnis in Tehran but there is not even one Sunni mosque for them to carry out their prayers. The Sunnis of Tehran gathered in a park to pray but they were forced to leave the park. There are about 20 million Sunnis in Iran. There has not be even one minister, deputy minister, army general, ambassador or any other high-ranking officials from the 20 million Sunnis of Iran in the last 30 years. At the same time there is a lot of pressure on the Sunnis to convert to shiism.
There are widespread campaigns in different parts of Iran by different ethnic groups and nationalities, students, workers, women, intellectuals and journalists for the change of this regime which has created a society in which about 60 percent of the people live under poverty line and has the highest inflation rate in the region, and the fourth highest in the world. The Islamic Republic of Iran has kept deliberately Baluchistan backwards and all United Nations researches show that it is the poorest province in the country while its students have the highest IQ in the country.
Reza Hossein Borr
Baluchistan Peoples Front
London, 13 October 2008
Monday, 13 October 2008
Friday, 3 October 2008
Tribal politics as a family business and the question of national leadership
Reza Hossein Borr
Introduction
Tribalism is the earliest form of political parties. It is the association of a group of people who get together to protect themselves against others. Their cohesion lasts as long as there are threat to individual members and the group. Individuals need protection. Nobody can defend himself alone in a world where aggression is the norm of the day. Never mind how one person is strong there is always someone stronger than him and therefore, the strong person will be humiliated by somebody who is stronger. The average and weak individuals need to be protected. Since they do not have sufficient and adequate resources to protect individually themselves, they need an association in which they could merge their resources and forces together to lead a normal life and survive at the times of conflicts.
Tribal structure emerged first among the individuals who were not protected by a social system or political government. The tribe was the first form of government. It was the first organization that offered voluntary security and safety and welfare to its members. Its social structure was organised in a way that when people were born in that social set up, they received automatic membership. The tribe virtually evolved and created its code of honour and code of conduct. It created a culture that acted as the core value system for all. The application of this culture became compulsory by all. Its culture acted as its constitution. Like any other organization, it had to generate its own leadership and organizational structure. All the members of the tribe had to accept, recognize and implement the constitution.
The chief objective of the tribe was the provision of protection and security. As it is today, the neighbours have been always fighting each other. And when a dispute begins the members of the two tribes usually try to resolve it cordially according to their culture; and if the dispute turns into a war, again the leadership of the tribe has to go to war and has the responsibility to minimise the casualties and find a peaceful solution as soon as it is possible.
Virtually as the tribes became larger and larger they transformed into nations and nations found a new leadership structure which was a kind form of government. As the governments evolved, they introduced laws, rules and regulations and provided protection for the members of the nation. A large number of the governments were not able to protect the members and therefore, the main purpose of the tribe was enforced. When the government became the source of insecurity, where the ordinary people could not seek justice from a reliable source, the necessity for the preservation of tribalism became recognized.
If the governments are capable of providing welfare, security, safety and a cultural and a political system in which the individuals do not see any necessity for preserving the membership of the tribe, the tribal structure usually gets eroded and fades away gradually. In countries like Iran and Pakistan where the governments are the main enemies of the people, the political and judiciary systems do not provide justice equally for all. The administration and delivery of justice in such countries are not seen as fair and reasonable and therefore, the people cannot rely completely on the government for receiving protection, security and justice and therefore, the preservation of tribal structure continues to play a great role in the preservation of its community and its collective survival.
The main purpose of tribalism is provision of protection. We have seen a lot of members of a tribe that separated from their tribe when they were not protected. When we talk about protection we talk about several vital elements that give meaning to life. An individual or its group survives on: life protection, interest protection, property protection, land protection, culture protection, language protection and identity protection.The tribal organisations provide protection for all of these different issues. The tribe requires an organizational structure to provide management and protection
The case of Baluchistan
Tribally-based political parties.
The Baluch people in Pakistan and Iran consider their governments as their enemies. The Baluch people in Pakistan believe that their land has been occupied illegally and therefore, their resources have been exploited illegally, their land has been used against them and their demands for the restoration of their sovereignty has been crashed. In such circumstances, the governments of Pakistan see the Baluch people as a threat to its integrity and the Baluch people see the governments of Pakistan as an oppressive occupier. When the government of Pakistan fails to provide an acceptable level of welfare, security, safety, and political participation, in a way, it proves that it has not been able to respond effectively and positively to the legal demands of its people. When the legal demands of the people are not met but crashed by force, the individuals seek to find organizations in which they can put their sources and resources together to defend themselves. This is how so many political organizations have been formed in Baluchistan. But since the political organizations have not been quite effective in defending the rights of the people and achieving the desired outcomes, the original tribes of Baluchistan turned into political organizations which have the capability of fighting the government.
Numerous Baluch tribes have been involved in various wars with the Pakistani governments. These tribes have strong political and social structures that can mobilise the people very quickly. The members of a tribe are loyal to their tribe and leadership and they are ready to respond to the call of the leadership to go for war instantly. As the modern day and time requires the formation of political parties, the tribal leaders formed political organizations. These political parties were based on the tribal culture, values and structures. The tribes were politicised and found new organizational structures with political missions. The politicised tribes were driven to have two missions: the traditional mission which was the managing of social, economic and political affairs of the tribe and protecting them against invaders and the new political mission who was seeking actively the national rights of the Baluch people.
Tribally-based political campgains
Since the ruling families of different Baluch tribes in Pakistan were well-educated people, they automatically assumed the responsibility of leadership of tribally-based political parties. Among different tribal chiefs, few of them got involved actively and seriously in politics. As chiefs of their own tribes, they had to seek justice for their own tribes as their traditional duty in particular and lead their tribes politically along other Baluch leaders in general.
Prince Abdul Karim was the first Baluch leader who used his tribe as a political organization to challenge Pakistan authorities. Several other prominent tribal chiefs transformed themselves into political leaders and began forming tribally based political parties. They used their tribes to fight the Pakistani governments over a long period of time. Some of them achieved the status of the heroes but they never became national leaders who had the capability of mobilising a large number of Baluch people from different tribes and regions. Four tribes were among the vanguards of political activities in Baluchistan. In fact the state and the status of every tribe depended on the nature and quality of its leadership. If its leadership was a militant, then the whole tribe turned into a military force. Mengal , Marri , Bezanjo and Bugti tribes were among the most militant tribal organizations that challenged different Pakistani governments. A large number of them were killed, displaced, disappeared, arrested, tortured and executed. As these tribes continued the war against the government, other tribes and individuals began to form political parties and joined the fight against the government.
In the lack of strong and generally accepted political organizations in Baluchistan, the tribal leaders have played very important roles in Baluchistan's politics and in defence of Baluch people. They have volunteered to sacrifice numerous privileges to secure the right for self-determination for the Baluch people. All the Baluch people acknowledge these sacrifices and dedications. When the Pakistan government could not provide the Baluch people with the safety, security, justice and welfare, different tribes and tribally-based political parties sacrificed what ever they had to begin a campaign for the restoration of their sovereignty. The Baluch people used their traditional organization of tribalism to protect themselves, defend their land, develop their nation and stand firm and demand their rights.
These developments affected the structure of tribal leadership and how they functioned in a modern world. A traditional tribal structure was sufficient to serve its purpose in the old times but in the modern times that the political organizations are the main sources of organising, managing and leading people; tribal leadership was affected enormously in different ways. In many cases, its main objectives changed and in many other cases, its main objectives were reinforced.
The social tribal structure of Baluch society was changed at different degrees in different parts of Baluchistan. In certain parts, the tribal structure diminished enormously. In other parts, tribal structure became the source of political organizations. As these developments progressed, the members of different tribes reacted differently to the changes. Some members of the some tribes separated themselves from their tribes and began acting as civil citizens. Others began to join political organizations which were based on tribal organizations.
Tribal loyalty and nation building
The movement of Baluch people towards a civil society has been very slow and mainly deetered by the dictatorial regimes of Pakistan. Civil society is the result of rule of law and practice of democracy. The rule of law provides protection for individuals and practice of democracy provides the opportunity for political participation, increase in welfare, confidence in the system and fair administration of justice. When the governments fail to provide these important services, the people have to look to their traditional systems for what the government is supposed to provide.
Since the purpose of tribalism is protection, the individuals tend to associate themselves with the tribes which are stronger and larger. If a tribe has the capacity of turning itself into a nation, then different members of different tribes will join the nation and will stay as a member of the nation if the nation is capable of providing more protection and security than what the smaller tribes were able to provide. The nation's survival is also based on protecting the members and itself as a group of people against other nations, the same way that one tribe wants to protect itself and its members against another tribe. If a nation cannot provide the protection members required, then the members of the nation will separate themselves from that nation and move to another nation and seek protection of that nation. This is true that both tribes and nations provide the same kinds of services. If at any time one of them failed to provide the service the members required, they would lose their sense of loyalty and go to someone else. Loyalty to tribe or a nation depends on the level of the service that a nation or tribe renders to its members.
The main criterion for the members to become loyal to an association of people is the equality of opportunity in receiving the services. If a member of the tribe in a nation feels that he has not been treated equally he would lose its loyalty towards that tribe or nation. The important thing is the protection of the individual and instituting some organizations that can define the relationships between the members of the same clan or country. The equality of members in a tribe is an accepted principle by all members of the tribe. At the same time because there must be an organization to govern the tribe, there is a need for a ruling body. The ruling body is usually the ruling family that inherits the role of leadership from one generation to another generation. Since the leadership is hereditary, there are some complications. If the hereditary leadership is a capable body to rule the tribe, it will be respected. If it is the body that has not sufficient competency in ruling the tribe, it will be challenged by different members of the tribe and division in the tribe arises from that time.
Tribally-based political leadership
Since the leadership is monopolised by one family, never mind how other persons of that tribe are popular and powerful, it is very unlikely for them to reach the top. In many occasions you will be usually challenged by the ruling family and humbled. If he does not comply he will be eliminated. There are hundreds of examples of how very competent members of the tribe which were not part of the ruling family have been eliminated. The elimination of competent members will reduce the tribe to the level of the strength of that ruling family. In many occasions the tribe will never rise to its full potential as the potentials of the ruling families may be very limited or under-developed.
That is the reason that we see a lot of challenges and crisis in modern tribal structure. There is no any alternative but educating the individuals and public. Once education and knowledge are available to all, the potential of different people begin to appear in public domain. The competent people with exceptional skills and knowledge always are considered as great threats to the ruling families of any tribe. Ruling families do not accept them as assets to move the whole tribe to a higher level of power but consider them as threats to their own authorities. For this reason, an ordinary member of a tribe in a tribally-based political party, must inevitably remain and look less competent and less skilful in leadership than the ruling family. Since the leadership of the tribe is monopolised only by one small family, the other members will not reach the leadership regardless of how skilful or competent they may become. If these kinds of people can join such political parties and demonstrate their abilities in those organizations and if the political parties are based on tribalism, the way for high flyers and high achievers is usually blocked by ruling families of the political parties.
It is a must that the ruling families of the tribes also become the leaders of these political parties. If the high flyers can accept a lower role than the ruling families of the tribes and political parties they get a chance of survival but if they cannot comply they will turn into rebels and usually will be eliminated as traitors. They would not be strong enough to protect themselves against a large number of people and an established ruling family. At the same time the ruling family of the tribe who are the ruling families of the political parties can define them negatively and portray them as agents of agencies and discredit them. They will be accused as spy or as corrupt persons who intended to create unrest and division among the tribe and party.
The reasons for suppressing political rivals in tribes are the same as those of suppressing political rivals in a nation. When a nation is ruled by one family, everybody else has to comply to be a subordinate. They must accept the leadership of the family and work with them. If the ruling family is a figurehead, it is easy to comply as that will not prevent the development of leadership talents but if the ruling family wants to rule directly then the highly qualified people always will be given a job less than what they deserve and they will never reach the top job that they can deserve. Nobody can become a greater leader that King in Sauid Arabia, but, in UK, Winston Churchill was greater than all British kings.
The fight for the top job always creates crisis among the tribes and nations that are not used to accepting the most qualified and the most competent as their leader. Consequently, internal strife for leadership will follow and can cause immense trouble within a society. The history has witnessed wars between brothers and the members of the same family for succeeding to the top job. The power makes people extremely ruthless. Although there is no love stronger than family love, love for power can become extremely stronger than love for family. When a person kills a family member for power, it is easier for him to kill his subordinates who challenge his power.
If the political party is based on tribalism and the ruling family of the tribe is also the head of the political party, the strength of the party will never rise higher than the strength of the ruling family. Although the members of the tribe have immense respect for their ruling family, however, the ruling family does not necessarily delivers the most talented and most competent leaders in the tribe. If the political party is supposed to cover the whole nation, its leaders must have national standing as well as national understanding. If a political tribal leader is limited within his own tribe his rise to the national standing or national understanding will be deterred by his tribal bodings.
The best talents and potentials of the members of the tribe cannot be unleashed infinitely, if the members are not supposed to become more important than the leaders of the tribe. The reason that we cannot see high standing national leaders in Baluchistan is because the ordinary leaders are not allowed to rise over the established tribal political leaders. While tribal political leaders have vital roles in fighting for the rights of the nation, they can become formidable obstacles to the emergence of great national leaders. The tribal political leaders must be aware of their national responsibilities and open the way for the emergence of national leaders at this time that requires personal, tribal and national dedication. All of us must be responsive to a national need. While every person, every tribal leader, every political leader must use his resources for the advancement of the national cause, encouragement must be given to the exploration and acceleration of a national process which intends to free people from regional and tribal limitations and set them on the path of nation building. Tribe building will never replace nation building.
Since the ruling families come from one particular part of the tribes, it has been very hard for them to spearhead national question, represent national identity and assert themselves as accepted national leaders. While the tribally-based political parties can be very effective in protecting the interest of the tribe, they are not adequately effective in the promotion and protection of the higher interests of the nation as they are limited in their power; and the application of their power is only limited within their region which does not cover the whole land of the nation. It is not easy for a tribal leader to become a national leader acceptable to different tribal leaders if his influence is limited within his tribe's land. It requires freedom from the tribal bonding of his own tribe first that can set up one tribal leader to his gradual climbing over the national ladder that can make him acceptable to all. But if a tribal leader gives more loyalty and interests to his own members of tribe then the members of other tribes feel a kind of discrimination and will not accept his leadership and if he divides his loyalty among all tribes, he may lose the support of his own tribe. Therefore, if a tribal leader wants to become a national leader, he must move above the loyalty of any tribe. He must be able to define and differentiate tribal and national interests and generate a very careful balance between them; so that he is seen as a national leader whose priority is achieving national interests. Achieving national loyalty is extremely difficult for tribal leaders who have accumulated their power from the members of their own tribe. People with hard and strong tribal loyalties will find it hard to become national leaders.
Local and national leaders
The people who are also bonded very strictly to one location will find it hard to become national leaders. Loyalty to one location will give the person a constituency. But if the person is completely dependent on the constituency he will never turn into a regional or national leader. Those members of the public and ordinary members of a tribe that wish to become equal to tribal leaders have a very difficult job. The possibility that these people can achieve high positions in such circumstances is very small. Bezanjo was an exceptional person who was able to rise higher than the state and status of the chief of his tribe. He was the only person who achieved the status of the national leader. The other leaders in Baluchistan are mostly localised in their own region and too much entrenched in their own tribe. The main members of their political parties are the members of their tribes. If there are other people who join them it is because they can see some protection in joining them. But no one can join the tribally-based political parties and hopes that one day he would become the leader of the party. This is impossible. We have seen hundreds of capable individuals who have been disappointed after many years of service in the tribal political party when they found that they will have to do be subordinate all the time and for ever to a person who is less talented but he has happened to be a member of the ruling family of the tribe.
Many of these high achievers join the tribally-based political parties to gain some strength and when they reach a stage where their advancement will be practically blocked by the ruling family of the political party, they have either to fight or they have to resign. Just few have the ability to fight as they are more likely to get killed and be eliminated. The absolute majority of them either get resigned by acting as subordinates or they practically resign from the political party and as soon as they resign they will be accused of corruption or treason. The ruling families are very skilful in character assassination and misinformation and blame trading, and therefore, an ordinary member will become easily known as a traitor in a society where conspiracy theory is popular. It will be very difficult in such a society for a national leader to appear. These societies need to struggle for a long time within themselves before they can find a person who has the capability and strength to lead them to a new level which is national level.
Non-political tribes are also concerned about this fact that if a tribal political leader becomes a national leader, he will dominate the smaller tribes and force them into subjugation. The tribal leaders have a kind of autonomy within their tribal region. They usually do not want to lose their autonomy specifically if they contender t is a strong ideological tribal political leader that has a reputation for character assassination and misinformation. Most of these tribal leaders are not political and therefore, they are labelled as the agents of the government by the tribal political leaders. In such circumstances, the non- political tribal leaders use their resources to stop their accusers from becoming a dominant force.
Those tribal political leaders who see in themselves the ambition of becoming national leaders must refrain from accusing the smaller tribes and leaders. Levelling any kind of accusation will only alert the non-political tribal leaders and encourage them to prevent the potential national leaders from becoming national leaders. Nobody wants to see his own demise and therefore, if they see a threat they will encounter it. If they think they do not have the power of neutralising them, they will seek the support of the government they were supposed to fight against.
Pressurising the smaller tribes who are not political will end in pushing them towards more collaboration with the governments. The potential national political leaders must not project themselves as threats to the tribal leaders or political activists. They must stop using the culture of the old left that was discrediting the enemies even if they were innocent. The instinct of survival is stronger than the desire for nation building. In Baluchistan these tactics did not work and it will not work but it will generate a backlash which will be very dangerous. Persuasion and seeking equal partnership with political activists and tribal leaders are the only strategies for pursuing a position of national leadership.
The tribal mentality and character of a political leader deters him from becoming a national leader. Your tribe can protect you but at the same time, it can become a confining environment for you. It cannot allow you easily to break the limits of tribal loyalty and rise over the tribal interests. At the same time, the public need somebody who is truly national and can think at national level and can protect every member of the public equally with equal interests. Since the tribal leaders derive their power from their own tribe they do not know how to attract the loyalty and interests of other tribes and tribal leaders. A tribal leader does not need to work very hard to attract the loyalty of the members of his own tribe as their loyalty has been already contracted. The loyalty of the members of the tribe goes first to his tribe and the leader of the tribe regardless of the quality of the leadership of the ruler but it is also the quality of the leadership that determines his popularity among his own tribe. If he moves to become popular in other tribes he loses some of the loyalty of his own tribe and therefore, he finds himself in a very complicated situation. There are exceptional leaders in the world that can accommodate the interests and loyalty of many opposing tribes.
How to become a national leader?
Among the Baluch leaders, the only person who could be called a national leader was Bezanjo. He was the only person in the modern history of Baluchistan who ever rose himself above the loyalties and interests of his own tribe and extended them to Baluch people. Possibly the main reason was that he was not the chief of his tribe and therefore, he was not bonded and entrenched in the limits of tribal loyalties and interests. As a member of the tribe, the people of his tribe expected him to serve the interests of his tribe but he was not the only one who was expected to render such services. The chief of his tribe was mainly responsible for the welfare of his tribe and therefore, he had the privilege and the capacity to move out of his tribe and reach other individuals. He was the person who had the capability to become a national leader. The rest of the Baluch leaders are mostly tribal leaders who have been able to move one step forward to establish tribally-based political parties. This is a step higher than tribal politics. It is a step towards a national move. But none of them reached the point of becoming nationally recognised and accepted as the leaders of Baluchistan. A lot of them tried to form coalitions to bring different Baluch leaders and tribes and parties together. All of them failed.
In such circumstances and in such societies that becoming a national leader has strangling constraints, the people must look to somebody who has a potential position for becoming a national leader. In Baluchistan today there is only person who has the potential to become an accepted national figure and that is the head of state of Baluchistan, Khan of Kalat. I am talking about a national figure as I understand that the present head of state of Baluchistan, Khan of Kalat, is not a national leader but he has the potential and the status to become a national. He has national acceptability and the Jirga he organised proved that he is acceptable to the absolute majority of Baluch people, Baluch tribal leaders and Baluch political activists. He has the potential and the ambition to become the national leader and assume the responsibilities and duties that the national leadership requires. His family background positions him above tribal interests. He does not pose any threat to any political leader. He does not pose any threat to the public. He does not pose any threat to tribal chiefs.
The Baluch political activists must realise the significance of the national interests and move above party politics in order to find a way to national advancement. National advancement will not be easily accomplished by tribal leaders or political activists who have not been able to turn themselves into national political leaders. In such circumstances we have to be aware that the person who has the potential of becoming a national leader must be given the chance and support in his active attempts to become a national leader. This is a historical demand. It is something that must go over and beyond party politics, individual and tribal thinking.
Who can be a national leader?
If the Khan of Kalat demonstrated reasonable willingness to move over his personal and family interests and entered the national arena for assuming the political leadership of the nation he must be welcomed by all and specifically by those tribal leaders who tried all their lives to become national leaders but they couldn't. If they have aspirations of their nation at heart they must give all the supports to a man that can achieve for the nation what all of them have been trying to achieve. A leader is not someone who believes that he must achieve and can achieve everything he wants for his nation. A patriotic leader must be somebody who can support all other leaders for the collective achievement of what could be achieved only collectively. If the aspirations of the Baluch people for a sovereign state are to be realised at any time in future, participation of all people must be actively encouraged.
We are striving to achieve a national cause. This will not be achieved by tribal leaders who are not accepted as national leaders. They must realise that and understand their political manoeuvres can contain them in their own region and in their own tribe. So far their regions and tribes as well as their mentality and behaviours, contained them from becoming national leaders. They must offer their support now to somebody who has more chance of becoming a national leader. This is only if they really have the interests of their nation in their own hearts and this is only if they are not seeking to monopolise the glory of patriotism for themselves.
Few people can become national heroes by tribal politics. The wider tribal politics with national values can make somebody a national hero who could be respected by all but not a national leader who is followed by all. Most of the heroes are people who have shown dedication at times that nobody else had the courage of doing what they did. But national leaders are those who can bring opposing groups together, contrasting views into a single mission and mobilise a large number of people to achieve an outcome that cannot be achieved by individual heroes. The descent and honourable political and tribal leaders must realise what they could not achieve, may be achievable by somebody else. Their emotions may motivate them for doing it all alone, but the general wisdom tells them to support somebody else if he has the opportunity and the potential to win a national goal.
Many people may have their own doubts about the Khan of Kalat and may think he is not up to the job. Nobody knows that this assumption is true. If they give him a chance he may prove that he could do it.
Since there is a lot of disinformation and character assassination about him, a lot of people do not know his true potentials and skills and his will for success. The misinformation can drown him and encouragement could garner talents and make him capable of achieving what all want to be achieved. If he does not succeed, the people will discard one more person who claimed to do the job and couldn't do it. It is the job of the public to discard everybody who claims to do the job and cannot do it until they find a person who is up to the job, who is the one who can do it.
We know that some tribal leaders of political parties are the masters of disinformation and character assassination. They can vilify the most sacred people. They can also glorify an ordinary person to become a national leader. It is time to put aside jealousy and think nationally. It is time for the public to realise the urgency of the issue of national leadership and exert pressure on tribal leaders to support the initiative of forming a new national leadership which has its traditional acceptability among all tribes, political activists and ordinary people. Ideology is something that you can use to achieve a purpose. If that ideology could not help you to achieve your purpose then that ideology has already become a limiting factor in your political activities. The ideology of the left has already done its service to Baluch people and it is time to move beyond it. It is time to move beyond all ideologies with an open mind and welcome new ideas openly for a new thinking which is so strongly required now.
Conclusion
The Baluch people must move beyond character assassination and undermining each other. If they think somebody is not serving the national interests in his best ability, he must be guided in a positive and friendly way in a new direction. Every Baluch I have seen loves his land and his people. They do their best to serve their people in their own way and within their means and resources. Instead of undermining them, we have to guide them. Instead of labelling them, we have to inspire them. Instead of forcing them to follow one particular individual, we have to give them options, the pleasures of freedom to choose a leader they think is closer to their aspirations. Instead of blaming them, we have to encourage them to do the right things.
Nobody knows the truth and the whole truth. Nobody owns the truth and the whole truth. Everybody must acknowledge that. Everybody knows a bit of the truth and he acts the way he understands the truth. There is no a common and shared understanding of our great mission yet. The Baluch people slowly and gradually move towards a new understanding and sharing a common understanding of the mission. As this process continues, people become closer and they cooperate with each other more closely. The respect for what they do will grow and a new shared commitment will replace the lack of discipline which is prevailing now. The realities on the ground must be looked at very carefully. Wishful thinking brings only illusions. And illusions results in disappointment. Yet, the mission is tough and nobody must expect quick solutions. The normal expectation is to wait for nine months before the baby is born. After that, it will come, especially if there is a collective will to make it happen.
Those political leaders that played with the dreams and desires of the Baluch people to promote their own positions need to stop and think. Giving empty promises is different from giving inspiration. Inspiration is based on realities. Promises could be based on delusions. The exercise of self-restraint in expressing views is possibly the most important skill that anybody can master at this stage. Calculated but inspiring statements must replace the delusional expressions.
Every member of the nation must think of the highest priority and the most important responsibility of the nation. Slow progress must not frustrate anybody. The task ahead is undeniably very challenging and difficult but it is not beyond the potential powers of our nation. Nobody must be expected to do what he cannot do but everybody must be expected to do what they can do. What we have to do, we can do when the time is right. We have to look for the right opportunity.
Reza Hossein Borr is an NLP Master Trainer and a leadership consultant and the creator of 150 CDs and 14 Change management models. He is also the author of Manual Success, Manual of Coaching and Mentoring, Motivational Stories that Can Change Your Life, and a New Vision for the Islamic World. He can be contacted by email: sarawani@aol.com www.rezaaa.com
Introduction
Tribalism is the earliest form of political parties. It is the association of a group of people who get together to protect themselves against others. Their cohesion lasts as long as there are threat to individual members and the group. Individuals need protection. Nobody can defend himself alone in a world where aggression is the norm of the day. Never mind how one person is strong there is always someone stronger than him and therefore, the strong person will be humiliated by somebody who is stronger. The average and weak individuals need to be protected. Since they do not have sufficient and adequate resources to protect individually themselves, they need an association in which they could merge their resources and forces together to lead a normal life and survive at the times of conflicts.
Tribal structure emerged first among the individuals who were not protected by a social system or political government. The tribe was the first form of government. It was the first organization that offered voluntary security and safety and welfare to its members. Its social structure was organised in a way that when people were born in that social set up, they received automatic membership. The tribe virtually evolved and created its code of honour and code of conduct. It created a culture that acted as the core value system for all. The application of this culture became compulsory by all. Its culture acted as its constitution. Like any other organization, it had to generate its own leadership and organizational structure. All the members of the tribe had to accept, recognize and implement the constitution.
The chief objective of the tribe was the provision of protection and security. As it is today, the neighbours have been always fighting each other. And when a dispute begins the members of the two tribes usually try to resolve it cordially according to their culture; and if the dispute turns into a war, again the leadership of the tribe has to go to war and has the responsibility to minimise the casualties and find a peaceful solution as soon as it is possible.
Virtually as the tribes became larger and larger they transformed into nations and nations found a new leadership structure which was a kind form of government. As the governments evolved, they introduced laws, rules and regulations and provided protection for the members of the nation. A large number of the governments were not able to protect the members and therefore, the main purpose of the tribe was enforced. When the government became the source of insecurity, where the ordinary people could not seek justice from a reliable source, the necessity for the preservation of tribalism became recognized.
If the governments are capable of providing welfare, security, safety and a cultural and a political system in which the individuals do not see any necessity for preserving the membership of the tribe, the tribal structure usually gets eroded and fades away gradually. In countries like Iran and Pakistan where the governments are the main enemies of the people, the political and judiciary systems do not provide justice equally for all. The administration and delivery of justice in such countries are not seen as fair and reasonable and therefore, the people cannot rely completely on the government for receiving protection, security and justice and therefore, the preservation of tribal structure continues to play a great role in the preservation of its community and its collective survival.
The main purpose of tribalism is provision of protection. We have seen a lot of members of a tribe that separated from their tribe when they were not protected. When we talk about protection we talk about several vital elements that give meaning to life. An individual or its group survives on: life protection, interest protection, property protection, land protection, culture protection, language protection and identity protection.The tribal organisations provide protection for all of these different issues. The tribe requires an organizational structure to provide management and protection
The case of Baluchistan
Tribally-based political parties.
The Baluch people in Pakistan and Iran consider their governments as their enemies. The Baluch people in Pakistan believe that their land has been occupied illegally and therefore, their resources have been exploited illegally, their land has been used against them and their demands for the restoration of their sovereignty has been crashed. In such circumstances, the governments of Pakistan see the Baluch people as a threat to its integrity and the Baluch people see the governments of Pakistan as an oppressive occupier. When the government of Pakistan fails to provide an acceptable level of welfare, security, safety, and political participation, in a way, it proves that it has not been able to respond effectively and positively to the legal demands of its people. When the legal demands of the people are not met but crashed by force, the individuals seek to find organizations in which they can put their sources and resources together to defend themselves. This is how so many political organizations have been formed in Baluchistan. But since the political organizations have not been quite effective in defending the rights of the people and achieving the desired outcomes, the original tribes of Baluchistan turned into political organizations which have the capability of fighting the government.
Numerous Baluch tribes have been involved in various wars with the Pakistani governments. These tribes have strong political and social structures that can mobilise the people very quickly. The members of a tribe are loyal to their tribe and leadership and they are ready to respond to the call of the leadership to go for war instantly. As the modern day and time requires the formation of political parties, the tribal leaders formed political organizations. These political parties were based on the tribal culture, values and structures. The tribes were politicised and found new organizational structures with political missions. The politicised tribes were driven to have two missions: the traditional mission which was the managing of social, economic and political affairs of the tribe and protecting them against invaders and the new political mission who was seeking actively the national rights of the Baluch people.
Tribally-based political campgains
Since the ruling families of different Baluch tribes in Pakistan were well-educated people, they automatically assumed the responsibility of leadership of tribally-based political parties. Among different tribal chiefs, few of them got involved actively and seriously in politics. As chiefs of their own tribes, they had to seek justice for their own tribes as their traditional duty in particular and lead their tribes politically along other Baluch leaders in general.
Prince Abdul Karim was the first Baluch leader who used his tribe as a political organization to challenge Pakistan authorities. Several other prominent tribal chiefs transformed themselves into political leaders and began forming tribally based political parties. They used their tribes to fight the Pakistani governments over a long period of time. Some of them achieved the status of the heroes but they never became national leaders who had the capability of mobilising a large number of Baluch people from different tribes and regions. Four tribes were among the vanguards of political activities in Baluchistan. In fact the state and the status of every tribe depended on the nature and quality of its leadership. If its leadership was a militant, then the whole tribe turned into a military force. Mengal , Marri , Bezanjo and Bugti tribes were among the most militant tribal organizations that challenged different Pakistani governments. A large number of them were killed, displaced, disappeared, arrested, tortured and executed. As these tribes continued the war against the government, other tribes and individuals began to form political parties and joined the fight against the government.
In the lack of strong and generally accepted political organizations in Baluchistan, the tribal leaders have played very important roles in Baluchistan's politics and in defence of Baluch people. They have volunteered to sacrifice numerous privileges to secure the right for self-determination for the Baluch people. All the Baluch people acknowledge these sacrifices and dedications. When the Pakistan government could not provide the Baluch people with the safety, security, justice and welfare, different tribes and tribally-based political parties sacrificed what ever they had to begin a campaign for the restoration of their sovereignty. The Baluch people used their traditional organization of tribalism to protect themselves, defend their land, develop their nation and stand firm and demand their rights.
These developments affected the structure of tribal leadership and how they functioned in a modern world. A traditional tribal structure was sufficient to serve its purpose in the old times but in the modern times that the political organizations are the main sources of organising, managing and leading people; tribal leadership was affected enormously in different ways. In many cases, its main objectives changed and in many other cases, its main objectives were reinforced.
The social tribal structure of Baluch society was changed at different degrees in different parts of Baluchistan. In certain parts, the tribal structure diminished enormously. In other parts, tribal structure became the source of political organizations. As these developments progressed, the members of different tribes reacted differently to the changes. Some members of the some tribes separated themselves from their tribes and began acting as civil citizens. Others began to join political organizations which were based on tribal organizations.
Tribal loyalty and nation building
The movement of Baluch people towards a civil society has been very slow and mainly deetered by the dictatorial regimes of Pakistan. Civil society is the result of rule of law and practice of democracy. The rule of law provides protection for individuals and practice of democracy provides the opportunity for political participation, increase in welfare, confidence in the system and fair administration of justice. When the governments fail to provide these important services, the people have to look to their traditional systems for what the government is supposed to provide.
Since the purpose of tribalism is protection, the individuals tend to associate themselves with the tribes which are stronger and larger. If a tribe has the capacity of turning itself into a nation, then different members of different tribes will join the nation and will stay as a member of the nation if the nation is capable of providing more protection and security than what the smaller tribes were able to provide. The nation's survival is also based on protecting the members and itself as a group of people against other nations, the same way that one tribe wants to protect itself and its members against another tribe. If a nation cannot provide the protection members required, then the members of the nation will separate themselves from that nation and move to another nation and seek protection of that nation. This is true that both tribes and nations provide the same kinds of services. If at any time one of them failed to provide the service the members required, they would lose their sense of loyalty and go to someone else. Loyalty to tribe or a nation depends on the level of the service that a nation or tribe renders to its members.
The main criterion for the members to become loyal to an association of people is the equality of opportunity in receiving the services. If a member of the tribe in a nation feels that he has not been treated equally he would lose its loyalty towards that tribe or nation. The important thing is the protection of the individual and instituting some organizations that can define the relationships between the members of the same clan or country. The equality of members in a tribe is an accepted principle by all members of the tribe. At the same time because there must be an organization to govern the tribe, there is a need for a ruling body. The ruling body is usually the ruling family that inherits the role of leadership from one generation to another generation. Since the leadership is hereditary, there are some complications. If the hereditary leadership is a capable body to rule the tribe, it will be respected. If it is the body that has not sufficient competency in ruling the tribe, it will be challenged by different members of the tribe and division in the tribe arises from that time.
Tribally-based political leadership
Since the leadership is monopolised by one family, never mind how other persons of that tribe are popular and powerful, it is very unlikely for them to reach the top. In many occasions you will be usually challenged by the ruling family and humbled. If he does not comply he will be eliminated. There are hundreds of examples of how very competent members of the tribe which were not part of the ruling family have been eliminated. The elimination of competent members will reduce the tribe to the level of the strength of that ruling family. In many occasions the tribe will never rise to its full potential as the potentials of the ruling families may be very limited or under-developed.
That is the reason that we see a lot of challenges and crisis in modern tribal structure. There is no any alternative but educating the individuals and public. Once education and knowledge are available to all, the potential of different people begin to appear in public domain. The competent people with exceptional skills and knowledge always are considered as great threats to the ruling families of any tribe. Ruling families do not accept them as assets to move the whole tribe to a higher level of power but consider them as threats to their own authorities. For this reason, an ordinary member of a tribe in a tribally-based political party, must inevitably remain and look less competent and less skilful in leadership than the ruling family. Since the leadership of the tribe is monopolised only by one small family, the other members will not reach the leadership regardless of how skilful or competent they may become. If these kinds of people can join such political parties and demonstrate their abilities in those organizations and if the political parties are based on tribalism, the way for high flyers and high achievers is usually blocked by ruling families of the political parties.
It is a must that the ruling families of the tribes also become the leaders of these political parties. If the high flyers can accept a lower role than the ruling families of the tribes and political parties they get a chance of survival but if they cannot comply they will turn into rebels and usually will be eliminated as traitors. They would not be strong enough to protect themselves against a large number of people and an established ruling family. At the same time the ruling family of the tribe who are the ruling families of the political parties can define them negatively and portray them as agents of agencies and discredit them. They will be accused as spy or as corrupt persons who intended to create unrest and division among the tribe and party.
The reasons for suppressing political rivals in tribes are the same as those of suppressing political rivals in a nation. When a nation is ruled by one family, everybody else has to comply to be a subordinate. They must accept the leadership of the family and work with them. If the ruling family is a figurehead, it is easy to comply as that will not prevent the development of leadership talents but if the ruling family wants to rule directly then the highly qualified people always will be given a job less than what they deserve and they will never reach the top job that they can deserve. Nobody can become a greater leader that King in Sauid Arabia, but, in UK, Winston Churchill was greater than all British kings.
The fight for the top job always creates crisis among the tribes and nations that are not used to accepting the most qualified and the most competent as their leader. Consequently, internal strife for leadership will follow and can cause immense trouble within a society. The history has witnessed wars between brothers and the members of the same family for succeeding to the top job. The power makes people extremely ruthless. Although there is no love stronger than family love, love for power can become extremely stronger than love for family. When a person kills a family member for power, it is easier for him to kill his subordinates who challenge his power.
If the political party is based on tribalism and the ruling family of the tribe is also the head of the political party, the strength of the party will never rise higher than the strength of the ruling family. Although the members of the tribe have immense respect for their ruling family, however, the ruling family does not necessarily delivers the most talented and most competent leaders in the tribe. If the political party is supposed to cover the whole nation, its leaders must have national standing as well as national understanding. If a political tribal leader is limited within his own tribe his rise to the national standing or national understanding will be deterred by his tribal bodings.
The best talents and potentials of the members of the tribe cannot be unleashed infinitely, if the members are not supposed to become more important than the leaders of the tribe. The reason that we cannot see high standing national leaders in Baluchistan is because the ordinary leaders are not allowed to rise over the established tribal political leaders. While tribal political leaders have vital roles in fighting for the rights of the nation, they can become formidable obstacles to the emergence of great national leaders. The tribal political leaders must be aware of their national responsibilities and open the way for the emergence of national leaders at this time that requires personal, tribal and national dedication. All of us must be responsive to a national need. While every person, every tribal leader, every political leader must use his resources for the advancement of the national cause, encouragement must be given to the exploration and acceleration of a national process which intends to free people from regional and tribal limitations and set them on the path of nation building. Tribe building will never replace nation building.
Since the ruling families come from one particular part of the tribes, it has been very hard for them to spearhead national question, represent national identity and assert themselves as accepted national leaders. While the tribally-based political parties can be very effective in protecting the interest of the tribe, they are not adequately effective in the promotion and protection of the higher interests of the nation as they are limited in their power; and the application of their power is only limited within their region which does not cover the whole land of the nation. It is not easy for a tribal leader to become a national leader acceptable to different tribal leaders if his influence is limited within his tribe's land. It requires freedom from the tribal bonding of his own tribe first that can set up one tribal leader to his gradual climbing over the national ladder that can make him acceptable to all. But if a tribal leader gives more loyalty and interests to his own members of tribe then the members of other tribes feel a kind of discrimination and will not accept his leadership and if he divides his loyalty among all tribes, he may lose the support of his own tribe. Therefore, if a tribal leader wants to become a national leader, he must move above the loyalty of any tribe. He must be able to define and differentiate tribal and national interests and generate a very careful balance between them; so that he is seen as a national leader whose priority is achieving national interests. Achieving national loyalty is extremely difficult for tribal leaders who have accumulated their power from the members of their own tribe. People with hard and strong tribal loyalties will find it hard to become national leaders.
Local and national leaders
The people who are also bonded very strictly to one location will find it hard to become national leaders. Loyalty to one location will give the person a constituency. But if the person is completely dependent on the constituency he will never turn into a regional or national leader. Those members of the public and ordinary members of a tribe that wish to become equal to tribal leaders have a very difficult job. The possibility that these people can achieve high positions in such circumstances is very small. Bezanjo was an exceptional person who was able to rise higher than the state and status of the chief of his tribe. He was the only person who achieved the status of the national leader. The other leaders in Baluchistan are mostly localised in their own region and too much entrenched in their own tribe. The main members of their political parties are the members of their tribes. If there are other people who join them it is because they can see some protection in joining them. But no one can join the tribally-based political parties and hopes that one day he would become the leader of the party. This is impossible. We have seen hundreds of capable individuals who have been disappointed after many years of service in the tribal political party when they found that they will have to do be subordinate all the time and for ever to a person who is less talented but he has happened to be a member of the ruling family of the tribe.
Many of these high achievers join the tribally-based political parties to gain some strength and when they reach a stage where their advancement will be practically blocked by the ruling family of the political party, they have either to fight or they have to resign. Just few have the ability to fight as they are more likely to get killed and be eliminated. The absolute majority of them either get resigned by acting as subordinates or they practically resign from the political party and as soon as they resign they will be accused of corruption or treason. The ruling families are very skilful in character assassination and misinformation and blame trading, and therefore, an ordinary member will become easily known as a traitor in a society where conspiracy theory is popular. It will be very difficult in such a society for a national leader to appear. These societies need to struggle for a long time within themselves before they can find a person who has the capability and strength to lead them to a new level which is national level.
Non-political tribes are also concerned about this fact that if a tribal political leader becomes a national leader, he will dominate the smaller tribes and force them into subjugation. The tribal leaders have a kind of autonomy within their tribal region. They usually do not want to lose their autonomy specifically if they contender t is a strong ideological tribal political leader that has a reputation for character assassination and misinformation. Most of these tribal leaders are not political and therefore, they are labelled as the agents of the government by the tribal political leaders. In such circumstances, the non- political tribal leaders use their resources to stop their accusers from becoming a dominant force.
Those tribal political leaders who see in themselves the ambition of becoming national leaders must refrain from accusing the smaller tribes and leaders. Levelling any kind of accusation will only alert the non-political tribal leaders and encourage them to prevent the potential national leaders from becoming national leaders. Nobody wants to see his own demise and therefore, if they see a threat they will encounter it. If they think they do not have the power of neutralising them, they will seek the support of the government they were supposed to fight against.
Pressurising the smaller tribes who are not political will end in pushing them towards more collaboration with the governments. The potential national political leaders must not project themselves as threats to the tribal leaders or political activists. They must stop using the culture of the old left that was discrediting the enemies even if they were innocent. The instinct of survival is stronger than the desire for nation building. In Baluchistan these tactics did not work and it will not work but it will generate a backlash which will be very dangerous. Persuasion and seeking equal partnership with political activists and tribal leaders are the only strategies for pursuing a position of national leadership.
The tribal mentality and character of a political leader deters him from becoming a national leader. Your tribe can protect you but at the same time, it can become a confining environment for you. It cannot allow you easily to break the limits of tribal loyalty and rise over the tribal interests. At the same time, the public need somebody who is truly national and can think at national level and can protect every member of the public equally with equal interests. Since the tribal leaders derive their power from their own tribe they do not know how to attract the loyalty and interests of other tribes and tribal leaders. A tribal leader does not need to work very hard to attract the loyalty of the members of his own tribe as their loyalty has been already contracted. The loyalty of the members of the tribe goes first to his tribe and the leader of the tribe regardless of the quality of the leadership of the ruler but it is also the quality of the leadership that determines his popularity among his own tribe. If he moves to become popular in other tribes he loses some of the loyalty of his own tribe and therefore, he finds himself in a very complicated situation. There are exceptional leaders in the world that can accommodate the interests and loyalty of many opposing tribes.
How to become a national leader?
Among the Baluch leaders, the only person who could be called a national leader was Bezanjo. He was the only person in the modern history of Baluchistan who ever rose himself above the loyalties and interests of his own tribe and extended them to Baluch people. Possibly the main reason was that he was not the chief of his tribe and therefore, he was not bonded and entrenched in the limits of tribal loyalties and interests. As a member of the tribe, the people of his tribe expected him to serve the interests of his tribe but he was not the only one who was expected to render such services. The chief of his tribe was mainly responsible for the welfare of his tribe and therefore, he had the privilege and the capacity to move out of his tribe and reach other individuals. He was the person who had the capability to become a national leader. The rest of the Baluch leaders are mostly tribal leaders who have been able to move one step forward to establish tribally-based political parties. This is a step higher than tribal politics. It is a step towards a national move. But none of them reached the point of becoming nationally recognised and accepted as the leaders of Baluchistan. A lot of them tried to form coalitions to bring different Baluch leaders and tribes and parties together. All of them failed.
In such circumstances and in such societies that becoming a national leader has strangling constraints, the people must look to somebody who has a potential position for becoming a national leader. In Baluchistan today there is only person who has the potential to become an accepted national figure and that is the head of state of Baluchistan, Khan of Kalat. I am talking about a national figure as I understand that the present head of state of Baluchistan, Khan of Kalat, is not a national leader but he has the potential and the status to become a national. He has national acceptability and the Jirga he organised proved that he is acceptable to the absolute majority of Baluch people, Baluch tribal leaders and Baluch political activists. He has the potential and the ambition to become the national leader and assume the responsibilities and duties that the national leadership requires. His family background positions him above tribal interests. He does not pose any threat to any political leader. He does not pose any threat to the public. He does not pose any threat to tribal chiefs.
The Baluch political activists must realise the significance of the national interests and move above party politics in order to find a way to national advancement. National advancement will not be easily accomplished by tribal leaders or political activists who have not been able to turn themselves into national political leaders. In such circumstances we have to be aware that the person who has the potential of becoming a national leader must be given the chance and support in his active attempts to become a national leader. This is a historical demand. It is something that must go over and beyond party politics, individual and tribal thinking.
Who can be a national leader?
If the Khan of Kalat demonstrated reasonable willingness to move over his personal and family interests and entered the national arena for assuming the political leadership of the nation he must be welcomed by all and specifically by those tribal leaders who tried all their lives to become national leaders but they couldn't. If they have aspirations of their nation at heart they must give all the supports to a man that can achieve for the nation what all of them have been trying to achieve. A leader is not someone who believes that he must achieve and can achieve everything he wants for his nation. A patriotic leader must be somebody who can support all other leaders for the collective achievement of what could be achieved only collectively. If the aspirations of the Baluch people for a sovereign state are to be realised at any time in future, participation of all people must be actively encouraged.
We are striving to achieve a national cause. This will not be achieved by tribal leaders who are not accepted as national leaders. They must realise that and understand their political manoeuvres can contain them in their own region and in their own tribe. So far their regions and tribes as well as their mentality and behaviours, contained them from becoming national leaders. They must offer their support now to somebody who has more chance of becoming a national leader. This is only if they really have the interests of their nation in their own hearts and this is only if they are not seeking to monopolise the glory of patriotism for themselves.
Few people can become national heroes by tribal politics. The wider tribal politics with national values can make somebody a national hero who could be respected by all but not a national leader who is followed by all. Most of the heroes are people who have shown dedication at times that nobody else had the courage of doing what they did. But national leaders are those who can bring opposing groups together, contrasting views into a single mission and mobilise a large number of people to achieve an outcome that cannot be achieved by individual heroes. The descent and honourable political and tribal leaders must realise what they could not achieve, may be achievable by somebody else. Their emotions may motivate them for doing it all alone, but the general wisdom tells them to support somebody else if he has the opportunity and the potential to win a national goal.
Many people may have their own doubts about the Khan of Kalat and may think he is not up to the job. Nobody knows that this assumption is true. If they give him a chance he may prove that he could do it.
Since there is a lot of disinformation and character assassination about him, a lot of people do not know his true potentials and skills and his will for success. The misinformation can drown him and encouragement could garner talents and make him capable of achieving what all want to be achieved. If he does not succeed, the people will discard one more person who claimed to do the job and couldn't do it. It is the job of the public to discard everybody who claims to do the job and cannot do it until they find a person who is up to the job, who is the one who can do it.
We know that some tribal leaders of political parties are the masters of disinformation and character assassination. They can vilify the most sacred people. They can also glorify an ordinary person to become a national leader. It is time to put aside jealousy and think nationally. It is time for the public to realise the urgency of the issue of national leadership and exert pressure on tribal leaders to support the initiative of forming a new national leadership which has its traditional acceptability among all tribes, political activists and ordinary people. Ideology is something that you can use to achieve a purpose. If that ideology could not help you to achieve your purpose then that ideology has already become a limiting factor in your political activities. The ideology of the left has already done its service to Baluch people and it is time to move beyond it. It is time to move beyond all ideologies with an open mind and welcome new ideas openly for a new thinking which is so strongly required now.
Conclusion
The Baluch people must move beyond character assassination and undermining each other. If they think somebody is not serving the national interests in his best ability, he must be guided in a positive and friendly way in a new direction. Every Baluch I have seen loves his land and his people. They do their best to serve their people in their own way and within their means and resources. Instead of undermining them, we have to guide them. Instead of labelling them, we have to inspire them. Instead of forcing them to follow one particular individual, we have to give them options, the pleasures of freedom to choose a leader they think is closer to their aspirations. Instead of blaming them, we have to encourage them to do the right things.
Nobody knows the truth and the whole truth. Nobody owns the truth and the whole truth. Everybody must acknowledge that. Everybody knows a bit of the truth and he acts the way he understands the truth. There is no a common and shared understanding of our great mission yet. The Baluch people slowly and gradually move towards a new understanding and sharing a common understanding of the mission. As this process continues, people become closer and they cooperate with each other more closely. The respect for what they do will grow and a new shared commitment will replace the lack of discipline which is prevailing now. The realities on the ground must be looked at very carefully. Wishful thinking brings only illusions. And illusions results in disappointment. Yet, the mission is tough and nobody must expect quick solutions. The normal expectation is to wait for nine months before the baby is born. After that, it will come, especially if there is a collective will to make it happen.
Those political leaders that played with the dreams and desires of the Baluch people to promote their own positions need to stop and think. Giving empty promises is different from giving inspiration. Inspiration is based on realities. Promises could be based on delusions. The exercise of self-restraint in expressing views is possibly the most important skill that anybody can master at this stage. Calculated but inspiring statements must replace the delusional expressions.
Every member of the nation must think of the highest priority and the most important responsibility of the nation. Slow progress must not frustrate anybody. The task ahead is undeniably very challenging and difficult but it is not beyond the potential powers of our nation. Nobody must be expected to do what he cannot do but everybody must be expected to do what they can do. What we have to do, we can do when the time is right. We have to look for the right opportunity.
Reza Hossein Borr is an NLP Master Trainer and a leadership consultant and the creator of 150 CDs and 14 Change management models. He is also the author of Manual Success, Manual of Coaching and Mentoring, Motivational Stories that Can Change Your Life, and a New Vision for the Islamic World. He can be contacted by email: sarawani@aol.com www.rezaaa.com
Friday, 12 September 2008
Violation of human rights continues in Baluchistan, Iran
Reza Hossein Borr
Following the arrest of 5 Baloch human rights activists on Sunday, 7 September, two more civil society campaigners were arrested today, 10th of September. Mohammad Hussain Khalili and Mohammad Reza Rakhshani who run a cultural society were violently arrested and taken to an unknown location.
This new round of arrests began after the Islamic Republic of Iran demolished a Sunni mosque and school in Baluchistan on 27 August 2008. The Iranian authorities have ruthlessly violated the human rights in Baluchistan in spite of universal of Declaration of Human Rights Charter as the article 18 states,
"Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance."
The human rights activists condemned widely the demolition of the school in which 800 students were studying. The school and mosque were completely financed by the people. The buildings were donated to the school by the people.
The reports suggested the human rights activists who criticised the demolition of Sunni mosque were identified and arrested. According to Baluchistan Human Rights Watch and Sunnionline.com, the following human rights activists have been arrested.
1. Abdoulrahman Shahbakhsh (The brother of Moulavi Hafez Mohammad Ali, the Headmaster of Imam Abuhanifa sunni religious school).
2. Noor Mohammad Shahbakhsh (The brother of Moulavi Hafez Mohammad Ali, the Headmaster of Imam Abuhanifa sunni religious school).
3. Abdoulkarim (The nephew of Moulavi Hafez Mohammad Ali, the Headmaster of Imam Abuhanifa sunni religious school).
4. Abdoulghader Naroui
5. Azizullah Naroui
6. Mohammad Hossein Khalili
7. Mohammad Reza Rakhshani
In addition to these activists whose identities have been disclosed, dozens of more Baluch people have been arrested in the last few days. The Isna news Agency reported that 26 Baluch have been arrested last week. Mowlavi Ahmad Narouee, a prominent religious leader and a lecturer was arrested about a month ago and nobody knows what has happened to him.
The families of those who have been arrested were not informed of their charges or the location of the prison. These human rights activists have been arrested in breach of article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Charter as it states:
"Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers."
The crackdown on Baluch political movement and human rights activities is in response to Baluch People's demands for full participation in the political process of Iran and participation in the government as the article 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Charter clearly indicates that every citizen of a country is entitled to have a part in the government of his country. Since the Baluch people have been completely deprived of their legal rights of participation in the government of Iran, they began to demonstrate their grievances against the central government of Iran and demanded the implementation of the declaration of human rights charter.
Article 21.
(1) Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives.
(2) Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his country.
Every time the Baluch people demand justice and implementation of United Nations Charters and Conventions, the Islamic Republic of Iran reacts with violent and ruthless measures which further violates the human rights of the Baluch people. Furthermore, the Iranian authorities have prohibited cultural activities of Baluch people who have a v distinct and rich cultural heritage despite of the article 27 that sasys,
"(1) Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits."
The Baluch people strive to restore their dignity and respect and secure their religious and political rights. Baluchistan is the most backward province in Iran while a United Nations research proved that the children in Baluchistan had the highest IQ in the country. The Iranian government is continuously repressing the most talented people of Iran. The international community and human rights organizations must condemn the violations of human rights in Baluchistan and pressurise the government to respect the rights of its citizens and facilitate their full participation in political, economic and cultural activities.
Reza Hossein Borr is an NLP Master Trainer and a leadership consultant and the creator of 150 CDs and 14 Change management models. He is also the author of Manual Success, Manual of Coaching and Mentoring, Motivational Stories that Can Change Your Life, and a New Vision for the Islamic World. He can be contacted by email: sarawani@aol.com www.rezaaa.com
Following the arrest of 5 Baloch human rights activists on Sunday, 7 September, two more civil society campaigners were arrested today, 10th of September. Mohammad Hussain Khalili and Mohammad Reza Rakhshani who run a cultural society were violently arrested and taken to an unknown location.
This new round of arrests began after the Islamic Republic of Iran demolished a Sunni mosque and school in Baluchistan on 27 August 2008. The Iranian authorities have ruthlessly violated the human rights in Baluchistan in spite of universal of Declaration of Human Rights Charter as the article 18 states,
"Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance."
The human rights activists condemned widely the demolition of the school in which 800 students were studying. The school and mosque were completely financed by the people. The buildings were donated to the school by the people.
The reports suggested the human rights activists who criticised the demolition of Sunni mosque were identified and arrested. According to Baluchistan Human Rights Watch and Sunnionline.com, the following human rights activists have been arrested.
1. Abdoulrahman Shahbakhsh (The brother of Moulavi Hafez Mohammad Ali, the Headmaster of Imam Abuhanifa sunni religious school).
2. Noor Mohammad Shahbakhsh (The brother of Moulavi Hafez Mohammad Ali, the Headmaster of Imam Abuhanifa sunni religious school).
3. Abdoulkarim (The nephew of Moulavi Hafez Mohammad Ali, the Headmaster of Imam Abuhanifa sunni religious school).
4. Abdoulghader Naroui
5. Azizullah Naroui
6. Mohammad Hossein Khalili
7. Mohammad Reza Rakhshani
In addition to these activists whose identities have been disclosed, dozens of more Baluch people have been arrested in the last few days. The Isna news Agency reported that 26 Baluch have been arrested last week. Mowlavi Ahmad Narouee, a prominent religious leader and a lecturer was arrested about a month ago and nobody knows what has happened to him.
The families of those who have been arrested were not informed of their charges or the location of the prison. These human rights activists have been arrested in breach of article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Charter as it states:
"Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers."
The crackdown on Baluch political movement and human rights activities is in response to Baluch People's demands for full participation in the political process of Iran and participation in the government as the article 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Charter clearly indicates that every citizen of a country is entitled to have a part in the government of his country. Since the Baluch people have been completely deprived of their legal rights of participation in the government of Iran, they began to demonstrate their grievances against the central government of Iran and demanded the implementation of the declaration of human rights charter.
Article 21.
(1) Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives.
(2) Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his country.
Every time the Baluch people demand justice and implementation of United Nations Charters and Conventions, the Islamic Republic of Iran reacts with violent and ruthless measures which further violates the human rights of the Baluch people. Furthermore, the Iranian authorities have prohibited cultural activities of Baluch people who have a v distinct and rich cultural heritage despite of the article 27 that sasys,
"(1) Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits."
The Baluch people strive to restore their dignity and respect and secure their religious and political rights. Baluchistan is the most backward province in Iran while a United Nations research proved that the children in Baluchistan had the highest IQ in the country. The Iranian government is continuously repressing the most talented people of Iran. The international community and human rights organizations must condemn the violations of human rights in Baluchistan and pressurise the government to respect the rights of its citizens and facilitate their full participation in political, economic and cultural activities.
Reza Hossein Borr is an NLP Master Trainer and a leadership consultant and the creator of 150 CDs and 14 Change management models. He is also the author of Manual Success, Manual of Coaching and Mentoring, Motivational Stories that Can Change Your Life, and a New Vision for the Islamic World. He can be contacted by email: sarawani@aol.com www.rezaaa.com
Why Zardari has been so much vilified?
Reza Hossein Borr
Corruption in Pakistan is widespread. There is no sense of shame and guilt about it. Political leaders, civil servants, army generals, security forces, businessmen, and even ordinary people have been so much corrupted that there is hardly any high ranking person in Pakistan who has not been involved in some kind of corruption. Corruption has become popular, acceptable and recognised by all people and all Pakistani institutions. All of them accuse each other of corruption and all of them claim to be clean and descent people with a great sense of integrity. All of them dismiss allegations of corruption. So far it has been very difficult to prove any claim of corruption against any senior politician, senior businessman, or an army general. While everybody talks of corruption the judiciary has not proved anything.
The fact of the matter is that there is corruption at large scale but it is done so immaculately that it is hard to detect it and even harder to prove it.
While corruption is so widespread and all politicians and senior civil servants and businessmen have been accused of it, why Zardari has been more accused of the same thing that the accusers have done themselves in possibly bigger ways? The accusations against Nawaz Sharif are more fundamental. Accusations against General Musharaf and other military rulers of Pakistan are even more evident but why Zardari has been vilified so much?
The ruling elite come from the top families in Pakistan. Those who become president, prime minister, chief minister, governor and minister are usually selected from top feudal landlords, top religious families and top businessmen. When another person from a lower rank of feudalism joins the government or gets involved in corruption, he will be very quickly vilified and exposed. Corruption is monopolized by the top elite. They have nearly impunity. They know how to neutralise corruption allegations. If other people go into monopolies of power and corruption they will be vilified ruthlessly. Pakistani establishment is extremely protective, closed and corrupt. They protect each other and they do not admit newcomers quite easily. Asif Ali Zardari was such a person, a newcomer and he had to take the blame for whatever his wife, Benazir Bhutto, did or was alleged to have done. The establishment could not discredit one senior member of their own and therefore, they had to look for a scapegoat who was more vulnerable and less defendable. Asif Ali Zardari is a frank and straightforward man. He is from a lesser families. His competitors could not see him as the husband of the First Lady of Pakistan. The allegations that everybody wanted to throw at Benazir Bhutto, were thrown at Zardari.
Zardari family is a feudal family but a third-class in the hierarchy of ranks of feudal classes in Sindh, Pakistan. The Bhutto family was a second-class feudal family in Sindh before the ascendancy of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in the hierarchy of social classes. At the top were Jatoai and Talpour, two Baloch families that ruled Sindh. Pakistan like India is a classed based society. The feudals have enormous influence, wealth, land, authority and prestige in Pakistan. The political positions change from one feudal family to another feudal family. Most of these feudal families inherited the British system of culture. They send their children to best universities and establish connections with established families in UK and throughout the world. These connections help them internationally.
Education in the best universities accompanied by their family backgrounds give them privileged positions in politics, civil service and army. There is a huge competition among the feudal families of different ranks. They try to discredit each other but they never go to war to destroy each other. They are aware of their class privileges and they know that they can compete for different ranks and positions but they must not destroy each other. They may put each other in prison or they may be put in prison by army and security forces but they always are respected even in prison. They have specially prison privileges. They would not be treated like other criminals. They see each other regularly; they attend each other's weddings and ceremonies.
When the British captured Sindh, the ruling families of Sindh and a large part of Punjab were Jatouai and Talpour families, two Baluch families. These two families retained their positions and privileges during the British rule. When the British left, they were regularly elected in Pakistan national assembly and senate. There has been hardly any government in Pakistan that did not have a minister from these two families. All Sindhi governments were also dominated by these two families.
When Zulfikar Ali Bhutto began his political activities he managed to attract the attention of the army, civil service and Pakistani security forces. He was a talented man and therefore, he managed to form Pakistan People's Party with a Socialist agenda. After the disintegration of Pakistan and the emergence of Bangladesh, Bhutto won the general elections and became the Prime Minister of the country. He managed to pass the first democratic constitution of Pakistan in which it was recognised as a Federation. With his gradual of upward moving, the Bhutto family superseded the importance in the hierarchy of feudal rank and became number one. Jatouai and Talpour families accepted his leadership and joined his government. Thus Bhutto family became the first family of Pakistan. Z. Bhutto was educated in Oxford University. His daughter Benazir Bhutto was also educated in the same university. They had numerous friends in high places all over the world.
Zardari family was one rank lower than the Bhutto family before the ascendancy of Z. Bhutto. When Bhutto family ascended to the first family of Pakistan, the Zardari family remained in its own original rank. The distance between the two families widened enormously. The two Baluch families who ruled Sindh became the second after the Bhutto family. Zardari and Bhutto families are both Shia families. The other important families in Sindh and Pakistan were Sunnis. Although Pakistan is an Islamic Republic, the absolute majority of its people are secular and therefore they elect their representatives according to their qualifications and political manifestoes, not according to their religion. But yet, they prefer to arrange their marriages within their own religious sect.
Asif Ali Zardari's father, Hakem Ali Zardari Baloch was a member of Sindh Assembly when Z. Bhutto was the Prime Minister. He was a landlord and he was respected in Sindh. He told me that when the Shah of Iran went to Pakistan, he was part of Bhutto delegation who welcomed the Shah at the airport. The Shah talked to him in Farsi and asking him, "Chetoureed aghaye Zardari?" Hakem Ali responded, "Zardari hastam, amma Zadar nistam." The translation goes something like that. "How are you Mr Zardari?" Asked the shah of Iran. "My name is money keeper but I don't have money." He responded. He had enough wealth but he was not among the top landlords. He was not a highly educated person and therefore, he never assumed a high ranking position in Pakistan.
When Z. Bhutto was overthrown and arrested, the old friends who surrounded him for money, job and power abandoned the family. When the army consolidated its hold on the country, Zia hanged him. A large number of his friends were put in prison. Some others escaped the country. Benazir Bhutto stayed with her father until the end. The conditions were tough for Bhutto family. It was in such tough conditions, that the Zardari clan stayed firmly behind the Bhutto family. Asif and Benazir got married. As soon as the news of marriage was published, the rumours against Asif Ali Zardari began to circulate in Pakistan. There were a lot of manufactured rumours by establishment to destroy him. When Benazir became the Prime Minister, the allegations of fraud, corruption, criminal activities against Asif Ali Zardari began in earnest. He was put in prison but no evidence was produced. He and his supporters claimed that the rumours of corruption and crime were politically motivated as nothing was proved in the court. His opponents claimed that the corruption charges were true but somehow he got away with it.
Today Asif Ali Zardari is the president of Pakistan. He has a unique opportunity to prove that the rumours of corruption were baseless. He has the opportunity to demonstrate a high level of integrity and decency in the government. Nobody can clean the Pakistan establishment. It is beyond any major reform. But Zardari can display his skills in management and leadership. He can give real autonomy to the members of Federation. He must be aware that he has not a good reputation. He must also know that Nawaz Sharif has accused him of breach of promise at least in three occasions. Breach of promise is despised in Baluch culture. His political skills accompanied by breach of promise landed him the job of president but these skills cannot help him retain the job.
In my seminars, I teach a new model which is about how to manage your success successfully. The strategies for managing and retaining success are fundamentally different from the strategies that made somebody successful. The strategy for becoming successful is what Zardari has displayed in the last few months. But the strategy for retaining his success is completely dependent fully on how much he can deliver on the promises that he has given or his wife had given before him. This is the time for Peak Performance. Those political leaders that are elected can only retain their success through delivering the results and these results must be fully felt and sensed by individuals and masses. This is a historical moment for him. In an open letter that I wrote him few weeks ago I advised him to avoid becoming the president of Pakistan as I argued that he would face the same painful fate that the previous presidents and prime ministers of Pakistan have encountered. The establishment of Pakistan is so corrupt and inefficient that it can dissolve the most competent leaders and managers. The establishment would not give him a chance to succeed. They would do everything to prepare the ground for his failure. His failure will be more celebrated. The masses may celebrate his success as they would be the beneficiary of his success. But so far no Prime Minister or president in Pakistan has succeeded. All of them have disgracefully failed. I will be surprised if he can make himself an exception. But in history, like in life, everything is possible by leaders of exceptional visions and skills.
He's not the first Baluch to become the president but he is the first Baluch that have been welcomed by the Baluch people. The Baluch fighters have announced a ceasefire to give him a chance. What the Baluch people want is the respect for the original agreement that was signed by the head of state of Baluchistan and the head of state of Pakistan. They signed an agreement for the union of two sovereign states in a confederation format by which the two states preserve their sovereignty but manage jointly the foreign affairs, currency and army. According to this agreement these issues must be jointly administered. They were not supposed to be solely in the hands of the state of Pakistan. Some of the Baloch fighters want full independence; some others want Baluchistan to be recognised as a sovereign state in a union with Pakistan like European Union. If president Zardari succeeds in restoring this agreement and if he can provide complete autonomy for the four units of the Federation, he will go in history as a man of high integrity and great political courage.
The Pakistani establishment must encourage him to restore the supremacy of Parliament, the independence of judiciary and the full autonomy of the four states as these measures can guarantee the existence of Pakistan. Pakistan has reached a crossroad. If anybody is interested in sustaining Pakistan, he must be interested in the will and welfare of the people who constitute Pakistan. The people of Pakistan want full autonomy. If they get full autonomy they will retain Pakistan. If they do not get full autonomy they will break it. It is the establishment which is responsible for making or breaking of Pakistan. It must be remembered that if there is no Pakistan, there is no Pakistani establishment. The Pakistanis establishment would enjoy its privileges if the people of Pakistan fulfill their aspirations. The establishment is living on the people of Pakistan and if the people are not living well there would not be a Pakistan establishment.
Nobody has been so much suspected as Zardari. Nobody has been so discredited and vilified as him. If he has any talent it is time to use this opportunity to manifest integrity beyond doubts and clean himself before that time that he becomes another victim of Pakistan politics.
Reza Hossein Borr is an NLP Master Trainer and a leadership consultant and the creator of 150 CDs and 14 Change management models. He is also the author of Manual Success, Manual of Coaching and Mentoring, Motivational Stories that Can Change Your Life, and a New Vision for the Islamic World. He can be contacted by email: sarawani@aol.com www.rezaaa.com
Corruption in Pakistan is widespread. There is no sense of shame and guilt about it. Political leaders, civil servants, army generals, security forces, businessmen, and even ordinary people have been so much corrupted that there is hardly any high ranking person in Pakistan who has not been involved in some kind of corruption. Corruption has become popular, acceptable and recognised by all people and all Pakistani institutions. All of them accuse each other of corruption and all of them claim to be clean and descent people with a great sense of integrity. All of them dismiss allegations of corruption. So far it has been very difficult to prove any claim of corruption against any senior politician, senior businessman, or an army general. While everybody talks of corruption the judiciary has not proved anything.
The fact of the matter is that there is corruption at large scale but it is done so immaculately that it is hard to detect it and even harder to prove it.
While corruption is so widespread and all politicians and senior civil servants and businessmen have been accused of it, why Zardari has been more accused of the same thing that the accusers have done themselves in possibly bigger ways? The accusations against Nawaz Sharif are more fundamental. Accusations against General Musharaf and other military rulers of Pakistan are even more evident but why Zardari has been vilified so much?
The ruling elite come from the top families in Pakistan. Those who become president, prime minister, chief minister, governor and minister are usually selected from top feudal landlords, top religious families and top businessmen. When another person from a lower rank of feudalism joins the government or gets involved in corruption, he will be very quickly vilified and exposed. Corruption is monopolized by the top elite. They have nearly impunity. They know how to neutralise corruption allegations. If other people go into monopolies of power and corruption they will be vilified ruthlessly. Pakistani establishment is extremely protective, closed and corrupt. They protect each other and they do not admit newcomers quite easily. Asif Ali Zardari was such a person, a newcomer and he had to take the blame for whatever his wife, Benazir Bhutto, did or was alleged to have done. The establishment could not discredit one senior member of their own and therefore, they had to look for a scapegoat who was more vulnerable and less defendable. Asif Ali Zardari is a frank and straightforward man. He is from a lesser families. His competitors could not see him as the husband of the First Lady of Pakistan. The allegations that everybody wanted to throw at Benazir Bhutto, were thrown at Zardari.
Zardari family is a feudal family but a third-class in the hierarchy of ranks of feudal classes in Sindh, Pakistan. The Bhutto family was a second-class feudal family in Sindh before the ascendancy of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in the hierarchy of social classes. At the top were Jatoai and Talpour, two Baloch families that ruled Sindh. Pakistan like India is a classed based society. The feudals have enormous influence, wealth, land, authority and prestige in Pakistan. The political positions change from one feudal family to another feudal family. Most of these feudal families inherited the British system of culture. They send their children to best universities and establish connections with established families in UK and throughout the world. These connections help them internationally.
Education in the best universities accompanied by their family backgrounds give them privileged positions in politics, civil service and army. There is a huge competition among the feudal families of different ranks. They try to discredit each other but they never go to war to destroy each other. They are aware of their class privileges and they know that they can compete for different ranks and positions but they must not destroy each other. They may put each other in prison or they may be put in prison by army and security forces but they always are respected even in prison. They have specially prison privileges. They would not be treated like other criminals. They see each other regularly; they attend each other's weddings and ceremonies.
When the British captured Sindh, the ruling families of Sindh and a large part of Punjab were Jatouai and Talpour families, two Baluch families. These two families retained their positions and privileges during the British rule. When the British left, they were regularly elected in Pakistan national assembly and senate. There has been hardly any government in Pakistan that did not have a minister from these two families. All Sindhi governments were also dominated by these two families.
When Zulfikar Ali Bhutto began his political activities he managed to attract the attention of the army, civil service and Pakistani security forces. He was a talented man and therefore, he managed to form Pakistan People's Party with a Socialist agenda. After the disintegration of Pakistan and the emergence of Bangladesh, Bhutto won the general elections and became the Prime Minister of the country. He managed to pass the first democratic constitution of Pakistan in which it was recognised as a Federation. With his gradual of upward moving, the Bhutto family superseded the importance in the hierarchy of feudal rank and became number one. Jatouai and Talpour families accepted his leadership and joined his government. Thus Bhutto family became the first family of Pakistan. Z. Bhutto was educated in Oxford University. His daughter Benazir Bhutto was also educated in the same university. They had numerous friends in high places all over the world.
Zardari family was one rank lower than the Bhutto family before the ascendancy of Z. Bhutto. When Bhutto family ascended to the first family of Pakistan, the Zardari family remained in its own original rank. The distance between the two families widened enormously. The two Baluch families who ruled Sindh became the second after the Bhutto family. Zardari and Bhutto families are both Shia families. The other important families in Sindh and Pakistan were Sunnis. Although Pakistan is an Islamic Republic, the absolute majority of its people are secular and therefore they elect their representatives according to their qualifications and political manifestoes, not according to their religion. But yet, they prefer to arrange their marriages within their own religious sect.
Asif Ali Zardari's father, Hakem Ali Zardari Baloch was a member of Sindh Assembly when Z. Bhutto was the Prime Minister. He was a landlord and he was respected in Sindh. He told me that when the Shah of Iran went to Pakistan, he was part of Bhutto delegation who welcomed the Shah at the airport. The Shah talked to him in Farsi and asking him, "Chetoureed aghaye Zardari?" Hakem Ali responded, "Zardari hastam, amma Zadar nistam." The translation goes something like that. "How are you Mr Zardari?" Asked the shah of Iran. "My name is money keeper but I don't have money." He responded. He had enough wealth but he was not among the top landlords. He was not a highly educated person and therefore, he never assumed a high ranking position in Pakistan.
When Z. Bhutto was overthrown and arrested, the old friends who surrounded him for money, job and power abandoned the family. When the army consolidated its hold on the country, Zia hanged him. A large number of his friends were put in prison. Some others escaped the country. Benazir Bhutto stayed with her father until the end. The conditions were tough for Bhutto family. It was in such tough conditions, that the Zardari clan stayed firmly behind the Bhutto family. Asif and Benazir got married. As soon as the news of marriage was published, the rumours against Asif Ali Zardari began to circulate in Pakistan. There were a lot of manufactured rumours by establishment to destroy him. When Benazir became the Prime Minister, the allegations of fraud, corruption, criminal activities against Asif Ali Zardari began in earnest. He was put in prison but no evidence was produced. He and his supporters claimed that the rumours of corruption and crime were politically motivated as nothing was proved in the court. His opponents claimed that the corruption charges were true but somehow he got away with it.
Today Asif Ali Zardari is the president of Pakistan. He has a unique opportunity to prove that the rumours of corruption were baseless. He has the opportunity to demonstrate a high level of integrity and decency in the government. Nobody can clean the Pakistan establishment. It is beyond any major reform. But Zardari can display his skills in management and leadership. He can give real autonomy to the members of Federation. He must be aware that he has not a good reputation. He must also know that Nawaz Sharif has accused him of breach of promise at least in three occasions. Breach of promise is despised in Baluch culture. His political skills accompanied by breach of promise landed him the job of president but these skills cannot help him retain the job.
In my seminars, I teach a new model which is about how to manage your success successfully. The strategies for managing and retaining success are fundamentally different from the strategies that made somebody successful. The strategy for becoming successful is what Zardari has displayed in the last few months. But the strategy for retaining his success is completely dependent fully on how much he can deliver on the promises that he has given or his wife had given before him. This is the time for Peak Performance. Those political leaders that are elected can only retain their success through delivering the results and these results must be fully felt and sensed by individuals and masses. This is a historical moment for him. In an open letter that I wrote him few weeks ago I advised him to avoid becoming the president of Pakistan as I argued that he would face the same painful fate that the previous presidents and prime ministers of Pakistan have encountered. The establishment of Pakistan is so corrupt and inefficient that it can dissolve the most competent leaders and managers. The establishment would not give him a chance to succeed. They would do everything to prepare the ground for his failure. His failure will be more celebrated. The masses may celebrate his success as they would be the beneficiary of his success. But so far no Prime Minister or president in Pakistan has succeeded. All of them have disgracefully failed. I will be surprised if he can make himself an exception. But in history, like in life, everything is possible by leaders of exceptional visions and skills.
He's not the first Baluch to become the president but he is the first Baluch that have been welcomed by the Baluch people. The Baluch fighters have announced a ceasefire to give him a chance. What the Baluch people want is the respect for the original agreement that was signed by the head of state of Baluchistan and the head of state of Pakistan. They signed an agreement for the union of two sovereign states in a confederation format by which the two states preserve their sovereignty but manage jointly the foreign affairs, currency and army. According to this agreement these issues must be jointly administered. They were not supposed to be solely in the hands of the state of Pakistan. Some of the Baloch fighters want full independence; some others want Baluchistan to be recognised as a sovereign state in a union with Pakistan like European Union. If president Zardari succeeds in restoring this agreement and if he can provide complete autonomy for the four units of the Federation, he will go in history as a man of high integrity and great political courage.
The Pakistani establishment must encourage him to restore the supremacy of Parliament, the independence of judiciary and the full autonomy of the four states as these measures can guarantee the existence of Pakistan. Pakistan has reached a crossroad. If anybody is interested in sustaining Pakistan, he must be interested in the will and welfare of the people who constitute Pakistan. The people of Pakistan want full autonomy. If they get full autonomy they will retain Pakistan. If they do not get full autonomy they will break it. It is the establishment which is responsible for making or breaking of Pakistan. It must be remembered that if there is no Pakistan, there is no Pakistani establishment. The Pakistanis establishment would enjoy its privileges if the people of Pakistan fulfill their aspirations. The establishment is living on the people of Pakistan and if the people are not living well there would not be a Pakistan establishment.
Nobody has been so much suspected as Zardari. Nobody has been so discredited and vilified as him. If he has any talent it is time to use this opportunity to manifest integrity beyond doubts and clean himself before that time that he becomes another victim of Pakistan politics.
Reza Hossein Borr is an NLP Master Trainer and a leadership consultant and the creator of 150 CDs and 14 Change management models. He is also the author of Manual Success, Manual of Coaching and Mentoring, Motivational Stories that Can Change Your Life, and a New Vision for the Islamic World. He can be contacted by email: sarawani@aol.com www.rezaaa.com
A list of some of the arrested Baloch in Iran (between 2006-2008)
A list of some of the arrested Baloch in Iran (between 2006-2008)
By Balochistan Human Rights Watch / Radio Balochi FM
------12.9.08 http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Prisoner_balochi20080722.html-------------------------------------------
111. 37,unknown
http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Dastgiri37nafar_TahteOnwaneQachaqehi080910.html
110. Mahmud Galeh Bache
http://taftanb.blogspot.com/2008/09/blog-post_8867.html
109. Mohammad Omar Baloch
http://taftanb.blogspot.com/2008/09/blog-post_8867.html
108. Yusuf Esmailzahi
http://taftanb.blogspot.com/2008/09/blog-post_8867.html
107. Abdoulrazagh Berahoui
http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/DastgiriBastaganehModireMadreseDiniAzimabad_eng0809009.html
106. Mohammad Reza Rakhshani
http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/DastgiriBastaganehModireMadreseDiniAzimabad_eng0809009.html
105. Mohammad Hossein Khalili
http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/DastgiriBastaganehModireMadreseDiniAzimabad_eng0809009.html
104. Azizullah Naroui
http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/DastgiriBastaganehModireMadreseDiniAzimabad_eng0809009.html
103. Abdoulghader Naroui
http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/DastgiriBastaganehModireMadreseDiniAzimabad_eng0809009.html
102. Abdoulkarim
http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/DastgiriBastaganehModireMadreseDiniAzimabad_eng0809009.html
http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/DastgiriBastaganehModireMadreseDiniAzimabad_eng0809009.html
101. Noor Mohammad Shahbakhsh
http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/DastgiriBastaganehModireMadreseDiniAzimabad_eng0809009.html
100. Abdoulrahman Shahbakhsh
http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/DastgiriBastaganehModireMadreseDiniAzimabad_eng0809009.html
99. 26,unknown
http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Dastgiri26nafar_NawarWaCdFroush080904.html
98. 20,unknown
http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Dastgiri20nafar_qachaqehSokht080829.html
97. Molawi Ahmad Naroei
http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Molana_Ahmad_naroei_bazdasht_eng080819.html
9. ??,unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/QatlYaDastgiri178nafarDar5maah080820.html
95. 2, unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Dastgiri2nafar080811.html
94. 12, unknown
http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Dastgiri13nafarDar2rooz080804_5.html
93. 4022, unknown ( in 5 last months)
http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Dastgiri4022nafarDar5MaheAkhir080803.html
92. 22, unknown
http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Dastgiri22nafar080802.html
91. Abdoulbaset Vatankhah
http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/06/balochistan-human-right-watch-urgent_30.html
90. Abdoulhalim Vatankhah
http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/06/balochistan-human-right-watch-urgent_30.html
89. Khalilulrahman Bahramzahi
http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/06/balochistan-human-right-watch-urgent_30.html
or http://news.gooya.com/politics/archives/2008/06/073325.php
88. 7 , unknown
http://www.sbkhabar.ir/WebForms/DocumentViewForm.aspx?DocumentID=2231
87 . Mehdi Mahmudi (male) http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/06/blog-post_4361.html
86. Sayad Bagher Sajadi (male) http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/06/blog-post_4361.html
85. Hassan Shahbakhsh (male 15 ) http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/06/blog-post_20.html
84. 155 persons , unknown http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/06/155.html
83. Naim Kalbalai (male 15) http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/ListOfChildreen_awaitingExcutionInIran_2008.html
82. Ahmad Nourzahi (male 12) http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/ListOfChildreen_awaitingExcutionInIran_2008.html
81. Khodamorad Shahmazi (male 17) http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/ListOfChildreen_awaitingExcutionInIran_2008.html
80. Omid Sarani (male 17) http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/ListOfChildreen_awaitingExcutionInIran_2008.html
79. Abdollah Salarzahi (Released now!) http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/03/amnesty-international-two-urgent.html
78. Asadullah Shahbakhsh (Released now!) http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/03/amnesty-international-two-urgent.html
77. Ebrahim Mehrnehad (male 16) http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/03/amnesty-international-two-urgent.html
76. Yaghub Mehrnehad (male 28) EXCUTED 04.08.2008 http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/death_sentence_of__Yaghoub_Mehrnehad080209.html
75.Fazlulah Chehras (male 16) http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/03/amnesty-international-two-urgent.html
74. 8 persons , unknown (male) http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/napadidShodaneh11Baloch080304.html
73. Abdoullah Kalkali (male 25)
http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/04/take-necessary-urgent-action-on-saving.html
72. Eshagh (Isaq) Kalkali (male 27)
http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/04/take-necessary-urgent-action-on-saving.html
71. Amin Damani (male 23)
http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/04/take-necessary-urgent-action-on-saving.html
70. Taj Mohammad Kalkali (male 23)
http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/04/take-necessary-urgent-action-on-saving.html
69. 6 persons , unknown (male)
http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/04/24.html
68. One person , unknown (male)
http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/04/blog-post_1463.html
67. 3 persons , unknown (male)
http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/04/blog-post_7366.html
66. 2 persons , unknown (male)
http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/05/9.html
65. 3 persons , unknown (male)
http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/05/blog-post_28.html
64. One person , unknown (male)
http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/05/blog-post_2492.html
63. Gholamhaidar Raisani (The regim said that the real name of this person is Abdolhamid Rigi) (male 29) http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/GulamHaidarTahwileIran_eng_080613.html
62. 20 ,unknown
http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/07/20.html
61. One , unknown
http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/07/blog-post_18.html
60. One person , unknown (male)
http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/06/blog-post_154.html
59. Ali Alizahi (male)
http://taftaanb.blogspot.com/2008/03/blog-post_04.html
58. Saeed R (male)
http://taftaanb.blogspot.com/2008/02/3.html
57. Abdolghader
http://taftaanb.blogspot.com/2008/02/3.html
56. Jawad R
http://taftaanb.blogspot.com/2008/02/3.html
55. 2 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Qatleh1Baloch20080212.html
54. One , unknown
http://www.kanoon-zendanian.org/DOCuments%20(htm)/080108Balouch.htm
53. 9 , unknown ( They were 15 but 2 of them excuted , 4 released - It means 9 of them are still in Jail) http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/letter_to_AI_chahjamal071221.html
52. 2 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Qatleh1Baloch_2dastgir071224.html
51. Mohammad Ebrahim Roudini (male) -( Released , but it is not confirmed!) http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Letter_to_AI_RudiniEbrahim071216.html
50. Davood Mozaffari (male)- ( Released , but it is not confirmed!) http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Letter_to_AI_RudiniEbrahim071216.html
49. 89 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/dastgirie89JawaneBaloch071201.html
48. 44 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/dastgirie44JawaneBaloch071201.html
47. Mehdi (Father name Ashur from Chabehar) http://www.iranpressnews.com/source/033265.htm
46. Hashom http://www.iranpressnews.com/source/033265.htm
45. Mostafa http://www.iranpressnews.com/source/033265.htm
44. 2 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/qatleh1jawan_071204.html
43. 2 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/2koshtehDarBalochistan20071115.html
42. 5 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/qtleChandNafar071107.html
41. 9 , unknown
http://www.yekensan.blogsky.com/?PostID=41
40. Nader A http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/sarkobWaDastgiriDarBalochistan071020.html
39. 3 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/sarkobWaDastgiriDarBalochistan071020.html
38. One , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Qatleh2waDastgir1nafar20071019.html
37. 2 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Qatleh1BalochDarDashtyari070929.html
36. Molawi Nasir Ahmad
http://urmiye.blogfa.com/post-124.aspx
35. ?? , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/qatleh1NafarDarAtrafeZahedan_070910.html
34. One , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/qatleh1jawanDarSarbaz_070910.html
33. 2 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/qatleh4NafarDarAtrafeZahedan_070810.html
32. 7 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/4koshtehDarBalochistan070721.html
31. ?? , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Qatleh3Nafar070716.html
30. 4 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/qatleh1nafarDarMewarehBamZahedan070526.html
29. 17 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/5koshtehDarBalochistan.html
28. 3 , unknown
http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/1EdamiWa2qatl.html
27. Mohamad Amin Shirani http://www.balochpeople.org/farsi/2007/pressRel/Shahaadat_jawanan_baloch_dar_totaan.htm
26. Hoshang Shahnawazi http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/7JawanDarKhatarehEdam_0703016.html
25. Masoud Nosratzahi http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/7JawanDarKhatarehEdam_0703016.html
24. Jawad Naroei http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/7JawanDarKhatarehEdam_0703016.html
23. Yahya Sohrabzahi http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/7JawanDarKhatarehEdam_0703016.html
22. Abdolbek Kahrazahi http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/7JawanDarKhatarehEdam_0703016.html
21. 2 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/qatleh2jawan_Iranshahr070226.html
20. Hamid M http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Qatleh2JawanDarAtrafehKahnoj.html
19. 2 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Qatleh2JawanDarAtrafehKahnoj.html
18. 2 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/qatleh2jawan_Iranshahr070226.html
17. 65 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/February07/dastgiri65Baloch_tahdidhayeQafari070215.html
16. 14 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Qatleh3Nafar070113.html
15. Mohamad Jamshidzahi http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/QatlehYekJawan070107.html
14. Hamid Jamshizahi http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/QatlehYekJawan070107.html
13. 20 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/QatlehYekJawan070107.html
12. 8 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/qatleh3jawanDarNikshar.html
11. 15 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/kosht_1bloch_pahraSep20.html
10. 3 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/August06/4kosherAtrafeKerman.html
9. Mohamad Yusuf Naroei
8. Jalil Rigi
7. 2 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Qatleh1Wa2dastgirDarBalochistan080724.html
6. 8 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Dastgiri8nafar080727.html
5. Abid Gowharmzhai http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/NasirAbad_sarbaz_dastgirshodagan_5nafarDigar_eng080730.html
4. Hafiz Salahoudin Gowhramzahi http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/NasirAbad_sarbaz_dastgirshodagan_5nafarDigar_eng080730.html 3. Moulevi Khalil Zarai http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/NasirAbad_sarbaz_dastgirshodagan_5nafarDigar_eng080730.html
2. Moulevi Abdul Majid Salahzahi http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/NasirAbad_sarbaz_dastgirshodagan_5nafarDigar_eng080730.html
1. Oubid Zardkohi http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/NasirAbad_sarbaz_dastgirshodagan_5nafarDigar_eng080730.html
Attention: This list has send by "Balochistan Human Rights Watch" to Amnesty International , Human rights organisations , UN and....
Balochistan Human Rights Watch / Radio Balochi FM
----------------------------
Thanks to our reporters Mr. "S.S." , Mr. Mehdi , Mr."A . B." and other friends who have helped us to create this list!
Balochistan Human Rights Watch / Radio Balochi FM
-----------------------------
By Balochistan Human Rights Watch / Radio Balochi FM
------12.9.08 http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Prisoner_balochi20080722.html-------------------------------------------
111. 37,unknown
http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Dastgiri37nafar_TahteOnwaneQachaqehi080910.html
110. Mahmud Galeh Bache
http://taftanb.blogspot.com/2008/09/blog-post_8867.html
109. Mohammad Omar Baloch
http://taftanb.blogspot.com/2008/09/blog-post_8867.html
108. Yusuf Esmailzahi
http://taftanb.blogspot.com/2008/09/blog-post_8867.html
107. Abdoulrazagh Berahoui
http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/DastgiriBastaganehModireMadreseDiniAzimabad_eng0809009.html
106. Mohammad Reza Rakhshani
http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/DastgiriBastaganehModireMadreseDiniAzimabad_eng0809009.html
105. Mohammad Hossein Khalili
http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/DastgiriBastaganehModireMadreseDiniAzimabad_eng0809009.html
104. Azizullah Naroui
http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/DastgiriBastaganehModireMadreseDiniAzimabad_eng0809009.html
103. Abdoulghader Naroui
http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/DastgiriBastaganehModireMadreseDiniAzimabad_eng0809009.html
102. Abdoulkarim
http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/DastgiriBastaganehModireMadreseDiniAzimabad_eng0809009.html
http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/DastgiriBastaganehModireMadreseDiniAzimabad_eng0809009.html
101. Noor Mohammad Shahbakhsh
http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/DastgiriBastaganehModireMadreseDiniAzimabad_eng0809009.html
100. Abdoulrahman Shahbakhsh
http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/DastgiriBastaganehModireMadreseDiniAzimabad_eng0809009.html
99. 26,unknown
http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Dastgiri26nafar_NawarWaCdFroush080904.html
98. 20,unknown
http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Dastgiri20nafar_qachaqehSokht080829.html
97. Molawi Ahmad Naroei
http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Molana_Ahmad_naroei_bazdasht_eng080819.html
9. ??,unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/QatlYaDastgiri178nafarDar5maah080820.html
95. 2, unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Dastgiri2nafar080811.html
94. 12, unknown
http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Dastgiri13nafarDar2rooz080804_5.html
93. 4022, unknown ( in 5 last months)
http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Dastgiri4022nafarDar5MaheAkhir080803.html
92. 22, unknown
http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Dastgiri22nafar080802.html
91. Abdoulbaset Vatankhah
http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/06/balochistan-human-right-watch-urgent_30.html
90. Abdoulhalim Vatankhah
http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/06/balochistan-human-right-watch-urgent_30.html
89. Khalilulrahman Bahramzahi
http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/06/balochistan-human-right-watch-urgent_30.html
or http://news.gooya.com/politics/archives/2008/06/073325.php
88. 7 , unknown
http://www.sbkhabar.ir/WebForms/DocumentViewForm.aspx?DocumentID=2231
87 . Mehdi Mahmudi (male) http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/06/blog-post_4361.html
86. Sayad Bagher Sajadi (male) http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/06/blog-post_4361.html
85. Hassan Shahbakhsh (male 15 ) http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/06/blog-post_20.html
84. 155 persons , unknown http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/06/155.html
83. Naim Kalbalai (male 15) http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/ListOfChildreen_awaitingExcutionInIran_2008.html
82. Ahmad Nourzahi (male 12) http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/ListOfChildreen_awaitingExcutionInIran_2008.html
81. Khodamorad Shahmazi (male 17) http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/ListOfChildreen_awaitingExcutionInIran_2008.html
80. Omid Sarani (male 17) http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/ListOfChildreen_awaitingExcutionInIran_2008.html
79. Abdollah Salarzahi (Released now!) http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/03/amnesty-international-two-urgent.html
78. Asadullah Shahbakhsh (Released now!) http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/03/amnesty-international-two-urgent.html
77. Ebrahim Mehrnehad (male 16) http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/03/amnesty-international-two-urgent.html
76. Yaghub Mehrnehad (male 28) EXCUTED 04.08.2008 http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/death_sentence_of__Yaghoub_Mehrnehad080209.html
75.Fazlulah Chehras (male 16) http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/03/amnesty-international-two-urgent.html
74. 8 persons , unknown (male) http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/napadidShodaneh11Baloch080304.html
73. Abdoullah Kalkali (male 25)
http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/04/take-necessary-urgent-action-on-saving.html
72. Eshagh (Isaq) Kalkali (male 27)
http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/04/take-necessary-urgent-action-on-saving.html
71. Amin Damani (male 23)
http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/04/take-necessary-urgent-action-on-saving.html
70. Taj Mohammad Kalkali (male 23)
http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/04/take-necessary-urgent-action-on-saving.html
69. 6 persons , unknown (male)
http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/04/24.html
68. One person , unknown (male)
http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/04/blog-post_1463.html
67. 3 persons , unknown (male)
http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/04/blog-post_7366.html
66. 2 persons , unknown (male)
http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/05/9.html
65. 3 persons , unknown (male)
http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/05/blog-post_28.html
64. One person , unknown (male)
http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/05/blog-post_2492.html
63. Gholamhaidar Raisani (The regim said that the real name of this person is Abdolhamid Rigi) (male 29) http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/GulamHaidarTahwileIran_eng_080613.html
62. 20 ,unknown
http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/07/20.html
61. One , unknown
http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/07/blog-post_18.html
60. One person , unknown (male)
http://bhrw.blogspot.com/2008/06/blog-post_154.html
59. Ali Alizahi (male)
http://taftaanb.blogspot.com/2008/03/blog-post_04.html
58. Saeed R (male)
http://taftaanb.blogspot.com/2008/02/3.html
57. Abdolghader
http://taftaanb.blogspot.com/2008/02/3.html
56. Jawad R
http://taftaanb.blogspot.com/2008/02/3.html
55. 2 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Qatleh1Baloch20080212.html
54. One , unknown
http://www.kanoon-zendanian.org/DOCuments%20(htm)/080108Balouch.htm
53. 9 , unknown ( They were 15 but 2 of them excuted , 4 released - It means 9 of them are still in Jail) http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/letter_to_AI_chahjamal071221.html
52. 2 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Qatleh1Baloch_2dastgir071224.html
51. Mohammad Ebrahim Roudini (male) -( Released , but it is not confirmed!) http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Letter_to_AI_RudiniEbrahim071216.html
50. Davood Mozaffari (male)- ( Released , but it is not confirmed!) http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Letter_to_AI_RudiniEbrahim071216.html
49. 89 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/dastgirie89JawaneBaloch071201.html
48. 44 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/dastgirie44JawaneBaloch071201.html
47. Mehdi (Father name Ashur from Chabehar) http://www.iranpressnews.com/source/033265.htm
46. Hashom http://www.iranpressnews.com/source/033265.htm
45. Mostafa http://www.iranpressnews.com/source/033265.htm
44. 2 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/qatleh1jawan_071204.html
43. 2 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/2koshtehDarBalochistan20071115.html
42. 5 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/qtleChandNafar071107.html
41. 9 , unknown
http://www.yekensan.blogsky.com/?PostID=41
40. Nader A http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/sarkobWaDastgiriDarBalochistan071020.html
39. 3 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/sarkobWaDastgiriDarBalochistan071020.html
38. One , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Qatleh2waDastgir1nafar20071019.html
37. 2 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Qatleh1BalochDarDashtyari070929.html
36. Molawi Nasir Ahmad
http://urmiye.blogfa.com/post-124.aspx
35. ?? , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/qatleh1NafarDarAtrafeZahedan_070910.html
34. One , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/qatleh1jawanDarSarbaz_070910.html
33. 2 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/qatleh4NafarDarAtrafeZahedan_070810.html
32. 7 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/4koshtehDarBalochistan070721.html
31. ?? , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Qatleh3Nafar070716.html
30. 4 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/qatleh1nafarDarMewarehBamZahedan070526.html
29. 17 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/5koshtehDarBalochistan.html
28. 3 , unknown
http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/1EdamiWa2qatl.html
27. Mohamad Amin Shirani http://www.balochpeople.org/farsi/2007/pressRel/Shahaadat_jawanan_baloch_dar_totaan.htm
26. Hoshang Shahnawazi http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/7JawanDarKhatarehEdam_0703016.html
25. Masoud Nosratzahi http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/7JawanDarKhatarehEdam_0703016.html
24. Jawad Naroei http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/7JawanDarKhatarehEdam_0703016.html
23. Yahya Sohrabzahi http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/7JawanDarKhatarehEdam_0703016.html
22. Abdolbek Kahrazahi http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/7JawanDarKhatarehEdam_0703016.html
21. 2 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/qatleh2jawan_Iranshahr070226.html
20. Hamid M http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Qatleh2JawanDarAtrafehKahnoj.html
19. 2 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Qatleh2JawanDarAtrafehKahnoj.html
18. 2 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/qatleh2jawan_Iranshahr070226.html
17. 65 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/February07/dastgiri65Baloch_tahdidhayeQafari070215.html
16. 14 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Qatleh3Nafar070113.html
15. Mohamad Jamshidzahi http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/QatlehYekJawan070107.html
14. Hamid Jamshizahi http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/QatlehYekJawan070107.html
13. 20 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/QatlehYekJawan070107.html
12. 8 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/qatleh3jawanDarNikshar.html
11. 15 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/kosht_1bloch_pahraSep20.html
10. 3 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/August06/4kosherAtrafeKerman.html
9. Mohamad Yusuf Naroei
8. Jalil Rigi
7. 2 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Qatleh1Wa2dastgirDarBalochistan080724.html
6. 8 , unknown http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/Dastgiri8nafar080727.html
5. Abid Gowharmzhai http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/NasirAbad_sarbaz_dastgirshodagan_5nafarDigar_eng080730.html
4. Hafiz Salahoudin Gowhramzahi http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/NasirAbad_sarbaz_dastgirshodagan_5nafarDigar_eng080730.html 3. Moulevi Khalil Zarai http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/NasirAbad_sarbaz_dastgirshodagan_5nafarDigar_eng080730.html
2. Moulevi Abdul Majid Salahzahi http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/NasirAbad_sarbaz_dastgirshodagan_5nafarDigar_eng080730.html
1. Oubid Zardkohi http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/NasirAbad_sarbaz_dastgirshodagan_5nafarDigar_eng080730.html
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Saturday, 30 August 2008
The destruction of another Sunni mosque in Iran and its consequences
Reza Hossein Borr
The security forces of Iran attacked a mosque and a religious school at three o'clock in the morning today, 27 August 2008, arrested the students and staff and destroyed the mosque and the religious school in the North East of Baluchistan, Iran. The security forces used several bulldozers and tractors to completely destroy the building of Imam Abu Hanifa Mosque in Azimabad, a suburb of the city of Zabol. Nobody knows what has happened to the students, teachers and staff of the school and the mosque. The people who witnessed this morning operations observed that the students and teachers were very frightened. The security forces began beating them as soon as they attacked the school and bundled them into secure police cars as they were crying and screaming. The attack happened at a time that all of the students and staff were sleeping. There was not any warning by the police or security forces about the destruction of the mosque and the school.
The Iranian authorities destroyed another mosque about a year ago in the northern part of Iran and its Imam and staff were arrested and thrown into prison. Several mosques which belonged to the Sunnis of Iran have been destroyed since the emergence of the Shia fanatic Republic of Iran. There are 15 to 20 million Sunnis in Iran. They have been discriminated against systematically. Molana Ahamad Narouee, the deputy director of the main theological school in Zahedan was arrested two weeks ago. The security forces have demanded that the religious school must expel all foreign students who are studying at the school. According to the head of the school a small number of students from the Central Asian republics are studying in the school. But they have been denied students visas. There are hundreds of Shia students from the Central Asian republics who are studying in different Shia theological schools of Iran.
Fifteen thousand foreign students are studying in the Iranian Shia schools. The Iranian regime has given them scholarship and pays for their families too. These students learn the Iranian version of Shia which believes the Sunnis are infidels. The students will return back to their home countries with very strong radical, militant and anti-Sunni studies which will create enormous divisions between the Sunnis and Shia population of Islamic countries.
Imam Abu Hanifa Mosque was destroyed once before and the people had to relocate it. The religious leaders of Baluchistan and Iran protested against destruction of the Sunni mosques but so far the Iranian regime has continued its policy of destroying Sunni mosques in different parts of Iran while it is building new Shia mosques in Sunni dominated villages and cities. The Irna news agency reported on 25th of August that the government has sent 600 Shia missionaries to the Sunni dominated areas of Baluchistan to convert the Sunnis in Islam as if the Sunnis are not Moslems. The way they have trained these missionaries indicate that they clearly believe that the Sunnis are not Moslems and they must be converted into Shiism which is the real Islam. The process of Shiaeezation of the Sunnis began from the beginning of Islamic Republic but so far the regime has very little success in converting the Sunnis into Shiism, yet the financial rewards that the Iranian regime is providing for the newly-converted Moslems
( Shia) have been very tempting as some of the Afghani and Pakistani Shias have gone to Iran and claimed to be Baluch Sunnis and they were ready to have the honour of becoming Moslems (Shia). The Shia fanatic regime pays thousands of dollars to the newly converted Shias to persuade them to convert their relatives and children. Consequently some bloody disputes have happened among the members of the same family who have refused to change their religion.
The destruction of Imam Abu Hanifa Mosque in Azimabad will not be the last onslaught of the Shia regime on the Sunnis of Iran. The Iranian constitution allows diversity of religion and respects the performance of religious duties but the Iranian regime ignores its own constitution and arrests religious leaders, destroys the Sunni schools and mosques. In reaction to the systematic Shia offensive on the Baluch and other Sunnis of Iran, the process of intensification of religious feelings in Sunnis are widening and deepening all over ran. As the Iranian regime defines itself as the lawful and legitimate heritage of Islam, the Iranian Sunnis have responded by identifying themselves as true Moslems.
The Iranian Sunnis were usually secular minded people but the Shia aggression has turned them into Sunni political militants. Lack of support by the international community and Islamic countries have pushed the Sunni Muslims of Iran towards the only sources of support that are available and they are Taleban and Alqaedah. The international community could have supported the Sunnis of Iran to move them away from Taleban and Alqaedah but it seems that there is a concerted effort to allow the Islamic Shia regime of Iran to continue the oppression of the Sunnis. There was some news that some young Iranian Sunnis who have been disappointed by the Islamic and Arab governments have become sympathetic to Taleban. The majority of the people who live in the Eastern part of Iran are Sunnis and when they become sympathetic to Taleban, the movement of Taleban and Alqaedah members and the power of their manoeuvres in the region become more dynamic and widespread. The pressure by the government on the Sunnis is so brutal that the Sunnis feel desperate for any kind of help which relieves some of the pressures on them. The Sunni governments and countries so far have refused to help them directly as the Iranian regime is widely supporting the Shias of all countries, or exerting some practical pressure on the Iranian regime to stop further discrimination and pressure on them.
The international community must use all United Nations Conventions and human rights charters which allow freedom of worship to exert pressure on the Iranian regime to halt the destruction of Sunni mosques and media onslaught on Sunni principles. The Iranian Sunnis witness everyday unbearable offences against the Sunni principles of Islam. The intensification of pressure on Sunnis would have severe consequences, not only for Iran and Iranians but also for international community when the patience of Sunnis ran out and a religious war between the two sects of Islam may begin. At the same time when the pressure becomes unbearable on the Sunnis of Iran they may look for separation from Iran as their locations are located near the borders of Iran with other countries.
The Iranian government, the Shia population of Iran and the opposition groups of Iran, Iranian intellectuals, journalists and human rights activists will be responsible for any civil or religious war in Iran or for any separatist movement that maybe created in Iran if they do not stop the regime from further execution of the Sunni leaders and destruction of their schools, mosques and violations of their rights. The political, social and cultural discrimination against the Sunnis would have added consequences in which the Sunni people of Iran will lose any hope for a better life in Iran. Those Iranian who choose silence over the brutal oppression of the Iranian nationalities and Sunnis will be responsible for any civil war that might follow as the consequence of these repressive policies.
Reza Hossein Borr is an NLP Master Trainer and a leadership consultant and the creator of 150 CDs and 14 Change management models. He is also the author of Manual Success, Manual of Coaching and Mentoring, Motivational Stories that Can Change Your Life, and a New Vision for the Islamic World. He can be contacted by email:www.sarawani@aol.com www.rezaaa.com
The security forces of Iran attacked a mosque and a religious school at three o'clock in the morning today, 27 August 2008, arrested the students and staff and destroyed the mosque and the religious school in the North East of Baluchistan, Iran. The security forces used several bulldozers and tractors to completely destroy the building of Imam Abu Hanifa Mosque in Azimabad, a suburb of the city of Zabol. Nobody knows what has happened to the students, teachers and staff of the school and the mosque. The people who witnessed this morning operations observed that the students and teachers were very frightened. The security forces began beating them as soon as they attacked the school and bundled them into secure police cars as they were crying and screaming. The attack happened at a time that all of the students and staff were sleeping. There was not any warning by the police or security forces about the destruction of the mosque and the school.
The Iranian authorities destroyed another mosque about a year ago in the northern part of Iran and its Imam and staff were arrested and thrown into prison. Several mosques which belonged to the Sunnis of Iran have been destroyed since the emergence of the Shia fanatic Republic of Iran. There are 15 to 20 million Sunnis in Iran. They have been discriminated against systematically. Molana Ahamad Narouee, the deputy director of the main theological school in Zahedan was arrested two weeks ago. The security forces have demanded that the religious school must expel all foreign students who are studying at the school. According to the head of the school a small number of students from the Central Asian republics are studying in the school. But they have been denied students visas. There are hundreds of Shia students from the Central Asian republics who are studying in different Shia theological schools of Iran.
Fifteen thousand foreign students are studying in the Iranian Shia schools. The Iranian regime has given them scholarship and pays for their families too. These students learn the Iranian version of Shia which believes the Sunnis are infidels. The students will return back to their home countries with very strong radical, militant and anti-Sunni studies which will create enormous divisions between the Sunnis and Shia population of Islamic countries.
Imam Abu Hanifa Mosque was destroyed once before and the people had to relocate it. The religious leaders of Baluchistan and Iran protested against destruction of the Sunni mosques but so far the Iranian regime has continued its policy of destroying Sunni mosques in different parts of Iran while it is building new Shia mosques in Sunni dominated villages and cities. The Irna news agency reported on 25th of August that the government has sent 600 Shia missionaries to the Sunni dominated areas of Baluchistan to convert the Sunnis in Islam as if the Sunnis are not Moslems. The way they have trained these missionaries indicate that they clearly believe that the Sunnis are not Moslems and they must be converted into Shiism which is the real Islam. The process of Shiaeezation of the Sunnis began from the beginning of Islamic Republic but so far the regime has very little success in converting the Sunnis into Shiism, yet the financial rewards that the Iranian regime is providing for the newly-converted Moslems
( Shia) have been very tempting as some of the Afghani and Pakistani Shias have gone to Iran and claimed to be Baluch Sunnis and they were ready to have the honour of becoming Moslems (Shia). The Shia fanatic regime pays thousands of dollars to the newly converted Shias to persuade them to convert their relatives and children. Consequently some bloody disputes have happened among the members of the same family who have refused to change their religion.
The destruction of Imam Abu Hanifa Mosque in Azimabad will not be the last onslaught of the Shia regime on the Sunnis of Iran. The Iranian constitution allows diversity of religion and respects the performance of religious duties but the Iranian regime ignores its own constitution and arrests religious leaders, destroys the Sunni schools and mosques. In reaction to the systematic Shia offensive on the Baluch and other Sunnis of Iran, the process of intensification of religious feelings in Sunnis are widening and deepening all over ran. As the Iranian regime defines itself as the lawful and legitimate heritage of Islam, the Iranian Sunnis have responded by identifying themselves as true Moslems.
The Iranian Sunnis were usually secular minded people but the Shia aggression has turned them into Sunni political militants. Lack of support by the international community and Islamic countries have pushed the Sunni Muslims of Iran towards the only sources of support that are available and they are Taleban and Alqaedah. The international community could have supported the Sunnis of Iran to move them away from Taleban and Alqaedah but it seems that there is a concerted effort to allow the Islamic Shia regime of Iran to continue the oppression of the Sunnis. There was some news that some young Iranian Sunnis who have been disappointed by the Islamic and Arab governments have become sympathetic to Taleban. The majority of the people who live in the Eastern part of Iran are Sunnis and when they become sympathetic to Taleban, the movement of Taleban and Alqaedah members and the power of their manoeuvres in the region become more dynamic and widespread. The pressure by the government on the Sunnis is so brutal that the Sunnis feel desperate for any kind of help which relieves some of the pressures on them. The Sunni governments and countries so far have refused to help them directly as the Iranian regime is widely supporting the Shias of all countries, or exerting some practical pressure on the Iranian regime to stop further discrimination and pressure on them.
The international community must use all United Nations Conventions and human rights charters which allow freedom of worship to exert pressure on the Iranian regime to halt the destruction of Sunni mosques and media onslaught on Sunni principles. The Iranian Sunnis witness everyday unbearable offences against the Sunni principles of Islam. The intensification of pressure on Sunnis would have severe consequences, not only for Iran and Iranians but also for international community when the patience of Sunnis ran out and a religious war between the two sects of Islam may begin. At the same time when the pressure becomes unbearable on the Sunnis of Iran they may look for separation from Iran as their locations are located near the borders of Iran with other countries.
The Iranian government, the Shia population of Iran and the opposition groups of Iran, Iranian intellectuals, journalists and human rights activists will be responsible for any civil or religious war in Iran or for any separatist movement that maybe created in Iran if they do not stop the regime from further execution of the Sunni leaders and destruction of their schools, mosques and violations of their rights. The political, social and cultural discrimination against the Sunnis would have added consequences in which the Sunni people of Iran will lose any hope for a better life in Iran. Those Iranian who choose silence over the brutal oppression of the Iranian nationalities and Sunnis will be responsible for any civil war that might follow as the consequence of these repressive policies.
Reza Hossein Borr is an NLP Master Trainer and a leadership consultant and the creator of 150 CDs and 14 Change management models. He is also the author of Manual Success, Manual of Coaching and Mentoring, Motivational Stories that Can Change Your Life, and a New Vision for the Islamic World. He can be contacted by email:www.sarawani@aol.com www.rezaaa.com
Wednesday, 27 August 2008
An open letter to Mr Asif Zardari
Reza Hossein Borr
If you know what will happen to you after you become the president, you have to look at the fate of those who have become president before you. What happened to them will happen to you. There is no exception in history of Pakistan. Pakistan swallows its Presidents and Prime Ministers. If you want to be hanged like your father in law, if you want to be killed in an aeroplane crash like general Zia, If you want to have the disgraceful fate of General Musharaf, then become the president or Prime Minister.
I am writing this letter to you because your father was a good friend of mine. When he used to come to London he visited me regularly. He loved Persian poetry and I arranged for some of my great Persian poets to meet him in my home and read poem for him. I also met you once when I and your father arranged a meeting between you and your wife and a great Iranian friend of mine that I cannot name. And you are a Baluch and I don't want a Baluch statesman to go in history as a disgraced leader. Stupidity is not monopolized only by other nations. All of us had a share of it. But this is pure stupidity.
People want to become rich because they see the rich people enjoying life. If people love to become celebrity, it is because they see that the celebrities enjoy enormous popularity, wealth and fame. You have all of these things now without being accountable. You enjoy fame and power and you are not accountable to anybody. Why anybody should change this exceptional privilege? You are like a king with authorities and without responsibilities. At the same time, you have the authority to make things happen and appoint other people to do things and when they do not succeed, you can bring them down and make them accountable. This is a position that can happen really in history. The Gandhis are enjoying the same status. It seems that they have understood and the importance of respect and dignity.
If you want to go into a profession, first look at those who have gone in that profession before you and what has happened to them. Surely you do not want to happen to you what has already happened to previous president and prime ministers. Mr Zardari, your future is quite clear. It will be the same as of Bhutto, General Zia and General Musharaf. It would not be any different unless a miracle happens. You have acted like a statesman after the death of your wife, Mr Zardari. You have shown that you have the capacity to learn many lessons from the history of Pakistan but if you accept to become the president of Pakistan, You would prove that you have not learnt anything from the history and you deserve to become another victim of your ignorance. Ambition without skills can kill.
When you got married to Benazir Bhutto everybody said that you won a lottery. I did not agree with them. At that time the Bhuttos were abandoned by their friends. It did not seem that Bhuttos can bounce back. Yet, you took a great risk in marrying Benazir Bhutto. You helped her recover herself from the betrayals of friends and foes. When she became the Prime Minister, there were a lot of rumours that you got involved in large-scale corruption. You are the only person who knows whether those charges were true or not. If you were rightly charged, you paid for them when you were thrown into prison for a long time.
Maybe prison was the place where you learnt to become wise. Now when a lot of people flatter you, recall the days that you were in prison. Prison is still there. If you do not want to go back to the prison do not do what you did before. When people are in power they forget that their power will end one day. Surely you know that very well. You know the Baluch leader Akbar Khan Bugti. You know that he was a controversial figure. He did many things in his life but in the last days of his life he realised how well to die. Many people know how to live but most of them do not know how to die to achieve lasting life. Akbar Khan Bugti turned himself into a national hero when he refused high positions and went for justice and equality. It was the seeking of justice that made him eternally great, not seeking of high position.
It is your turn now, Mr Zardari. You have a chance to make history. But more than that, you can make yourself a great part of history. Kingmakers are more important than kings.
Reza Hossein Borr is an NLP Master Trainer and a leadership consultant and the creator of 150 CDs and 14 Change management models. He is also the author of Manual Success, Manual of Coaching and Mentoring, Motivational Stories that Can Change Your Life, and a New Vision for the Islamic World. He can be contacted by email: www.sarawani@aol.com www.rezaaa.com
If you know what will happen to you after you become the president, you have to look at the fate of those who have become president before you. What happened to them will happen to you. There is no exception in history of Pakistan. Pakistan swallows its Presidents and Prime Ministers. If you want to be hanged like your father in law, if you want to be killed in an aeroplane crash like general Zia, If you want to have the disgraceful fate of General Musharaf, then become the president or Prime Minister.
I am writing this letter to you because your father was a good friend of mine. When he used to come to London he visited me regularly. He loved Persian poetry and I arranged for some of my great Persian poets to meet him in my home and read poem for him. I also met you once when I and your father arranged a meeting between you and your wife and a great Iranian friend of mine that I cannot name. And you are a Baluch and I don't want a Baluch statesman to go in history as a disgraced leader. Stupidity is not monopolized only by other nations. All of us had a share of it. But this is pure stupidity.
People want to become rich because they see the rich people enjoying life. If people love to become celebrity, it is because they see that the celebrities enjoy enormous popularity, wealth and fame. You have all of these things now without being accountable. You enjoy fame and power and you are not accountable to anybody. Why anybody should change this exceptional privilege? You are like a king with authorities and without responsibilities. At the same time, you have the authority to make things happen and appoint other people to do things and when they do not succeed, you can bring them down and make them accountable. This is a position that can happen really in history. The Gandhis are enjoying the same status. It seems that they have understood and the importance of respect and dignity.
If you want to go into a profession, first look at those who have gone in that profession before you and what has happened to them. Surely you do not want to happen to you what has already happened to previous president and prime ministers. Mr Zardari, your future is quite clear. It will be the same as of Bhutto, General Zia and General Musharaf. It would not be any different unless a miracle happens. You have acted like a statesman after the death of your wife, Mr Zardari. You have shown that you have the capacity to learn many lessons from the history of Pakistan but if you accept to become the president of Pakistan, You would prove that you have not learnt anything from the history and you deserve to become another victim of your ignorance. Ambition without skills can kill.
When you got married to Benazir Bhutto everybody said that you won a lottery. I did not agree with them. At that time the Bhuttos were abandoned by their friends. It did not seem that Bhuttos can bounce back. Yet, you took a great risk in marrying Benazir Bhutto. You helped her recover herself from the betrayals of friends and foes. When she became the Prime Minister, there were a lot of rumours that you got involved in large-scale corruption. You are the only person who knows whether those charges were true or not. If you were rightly charged, you paid for them when you were thrown into prison for a long time.
Maybe prison was the place where you learnt to become wise. Now when a lot of people flatter you, recall the days that you were in prison. Prison is still there. If you do not want to go back to the prison do not do what you did before. When people are in power they forget that their power will end one day. Surely you know that very well. You know the Baluch leader Akbar Khan Bugti. You know that he was a controversial figure. He did many things in his life but in the last days of his life he realised how well to die. Many people know how to live but most of them do not know how to die to achieve lasting life. Akbar Khan Bugti turned himself into a national hero when he refused high positions and went for justice and equality. It was the seeking of justice that made him eternally great, not seeking of high position.
It is your turn now, Mr Zardari. You have a chance to make history. But more than that, you can make yourself a great part of history. Kingmakers are more important than kings.
Reza Hossein Borr is an NLP Master Trainer and a leadership consultant and the creator of 150 CDs and 14 Change management models. He is also the author of Manual Success, Manual of Coaching and Mentoring, Motivational Stories that Can Change Your Life, and a New Vision for the Islamic World. He can be contacted by email: www.sarawani@aol.com www.rezaaa.com
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