HYRBYAIR MARRI: THE CHARISMATIC LEADER OF BALOCH NATION

BY SAEED BALOCH

Charismatic leaders are defined as possessing high self-esteem, an idealized vision and an ability to lead the nation. They are viewed as trustworthy, having high values and morals, are credible, innovative, are perceived as or are actually powerful or esteemed, and are high self-monitors which contribute to effective messaging and convincing.

Hyrbyair Marri possesses all qualities that a charismatic leader has. He has got self-assurance, an idealized vision, confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He became a leader by the equality of his actions and the integrity of his intent.  he owns capabilities to direct his nation.

Hyrbyair Marri has conducted himself as a genuine and principled person, he has inspired a level of faith and hope in the Baloch nation that is frankly uncommon in other leaders in Balochistan.

He was Born on 4 August 1968 in Quetta Balochistan, at Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri’s house, he is the fifth son of Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri, he did his early education in Quetta Baluchistan, He continued his studies in Kabul (Afghanistan) when he moved there along with his family in 1980s. He went to Russia for higher education, where he studied journalism. During this time, he made many visits to Baloch refugee camp in Helmand Afghanistan where he got along with his people, who had sought refuge there because of Pakistan army’s atrocities in Baluchistan. Meanwhile, in Afghanistan he used to hear the stories about the hardship and difficulties the Baloch refugees had faced in the 70s in Baluchistan, It was the time when his political career officially began, and he started his struggle to promote Baloch freedom movement across Balochistan.

Mr Marri returned from Afghanistan to Balochistan in the early 90s and began working actively for Baloch liberation struggle. He organized study circles with his like-minded friends in order to educate Baloch youth about their right to independence.

In 1997, he took part in Balochistan provincial elections, winning an overwhelming majority of votes to become Minister of Road and Communications in the Balochistan state government. The reason behind of his taking part in the elections was to find effective ways to spread out the freedom Struggle all over Baluchistan. That is why he declined to pledge loyalty to Pakistan. Instead of the words ‘I shall remain loyal to Pakistan’ he vowed: “I shall remain loyal to my Nation”.

Mr Marri was also the first Baloch minister to protest against conducting nuclear tests in Balochistan in May 1998.  which has lingered over Chaghai Balochistan cases of lung, liver, and blood cancer, skin diseases, typhoid, and infectious hepatitis, as well as serious effects on the nervous system, blood pressure, eyes, and throats, and on newborn babies. The test also impacted the environment.

Mr Marri has been a Baloch patriot since adolescence. While studying in Russia, he used to design Baloch Peoples Liberation Front’s (BPLF) stickers and badges and distribute them among his class mates, teachers and friends. And highlighted the atrocities of Pakistan Army on Baloch people. Hyrbyair Marri has never described himself as a Pakistani, not even as a child. he has always been a patriot, sincere and committed to the Baloch cause.

In 1999, Mr Marri travelled to Europe and sought exile in the UK, the same year Musharraf came into power through a military coup and dismissed the government of Nawaz Sharif, including all provincial governments. In early 2000 a Balochistan High Court Judge, Mir Nawaz Marri, was killed by unknown assailants, presumably by Pakistani intelligence agencies, but the Musharraf government arrested Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri, along with hundreds of other Marri tribesmen. Mir Hyrbyair Marri and his brothers were also implicated in the murder case.

During his stay, overseas Hyrbyair Marri effectively promoted the Baloch national freedom movement in accordance with the requirements of the contemporary world. On December 4, 2007, Hyrbyair Marri was arrested at the behest of the military government of General Pervez Musharraf and put in Britain’s high-security Belmarsh prison. He is the first Baloch leader, along with Faiz Baluch, ever to serve prison abroad for the Baloch cause. In February 2008, he and Faiz Baluch were acquitted of terrorism charges by a British jury. He remains steadfast in his demand for an independent Balochistan. He is open to the idea of a dialogue but insists that the issue of Balochistan’s independence must be a part of any such talks.

Hyrbyair Marri is a man of principle and discipline for the broader Baloch national interest he has not compromised with his brothers and family members. His humbleness, honesty and straightforwardness are his strength. He has not ever been afraid of enemy’s strength and power, wanting to win, he always rightly estimates occupier’s strength and he knows his nation’s resolve and will power for an independent state. His eyes and mind are always fixed on the ground to his struggling nation and defenders of his motherland. He is the only leader in Balochistan who never ever tried to find a middle ground with Pakistan, He is realistic and all his policies concerning Baloch freedom movement have so far been gainful and in the wider national interest of Baloch people.

In my opinion, after Yousaf Aziz Magsi Hyrbyair Marri is the second Baloch leader disclaimed himself as prince or Sardar. Despite belonging to the Sardar’s family, he says he is an activist of Baloch freedom movement and he is not better than any ordinary Baloch, that is why it is said that a leader stands above any specific religious, political views, or cast of his own and is independent of any attachment to a specific agenda. His personal beliefs become his private matters and he learns to leave them out the door once he steps into a leadership role, in other words, his belief expands so that it includes everyone’s beliefs.

One of his great achievements is, that he got Baloch nation understand that socialist based attempt is not the solution to our problem and he got Baloch national movement out of this ideology and started teaching Baloch nation regarding nationalism. Due to this stance, he got some criticism from different sections of Baloch society, but he was firm with his stance, because, he knows, that   Nationalism is the only source which leads the Baloch freedom movement to its final destination. Those who criticized Hyrbyair on this point, later they realized that socialist ideology was not acutely a road map for free Baluchistan and they agreed with Hyrbyair’s stance to expound the Nationalism across Baluchistan.

Moreover, a great step of Hyrbyair Marri is the formulation of ‘BALOCHISTAN LIBERATION CHARTER’ Baloch leader Hyrbyair Marri and his like-minded friends drafted a momentous document; a first-of-its-kind in the history of Baloch liberation struggle – the Balochistan Liberation Charter is a political road map for Baluchistan and is a contract that guarantees the Baloch nation that there will be democracy, justice and freedom for all the citizens of Balochistan. It is also meant to inform the international community about Free Balochistan which Baloch people are impassioned to establish, whose constitutional makeup will be commenced on the precept of secularism, democracy, liberty, and equality.

Hyrbyair Marri presented the charter to all stakeholders, including late Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri, Dr Allah Nazar, BNM, BRP, BSO-Azad Khan of Kalat, Akhter Mengal, and others to be part of this milestone document which is a guiding map for the Baloch nation to get their destination (independence). In the beginning, the all above-mentioned party leaders termed it a positive step accept Akhter Mengal, but unfortunately, later, some egoists and opportunists misguided their party leaders not to be part of ‘Balochistan Liberation charter’. Which is really unfortunate, But Hyrbyair was not bothered by the reaction of the stakeholders, he went ahead and present the charter to Baloch nation for their feedback, and the whole nation appreciated Hyrbyair’s great work.

He has got the art of diplomacy and communication, the way he is diplomatically representing Baloch freedom movement in international level is outstanding.

A person cannot become a leader until and unless he is a great diplomat, diplomatic leadership involves negotiating, representing interests and policies, speaking publicly and resolving conflicts. Diplomacy – the professional activities or skills of managing international relations – usually involves dealing with others without causing bad feelings. Diplomatic leadership requires a person to be a good manager like Sangat Hyrbyair Marri.

He met many American congressmen and persuaded them logically to come out and speak up for a free Balochistan, as we saw a resolution moved by a group of US Congressmen calling for the right to independence for the Baloch people, and that also highlighted the issue of Balochistan to all over the world. He is a leader par excellence as he knows that how diplomacy is important to gain its goal and knows how to convince the world that its interests are affiliated to free Baluchistan. And that’s where he truly deserves all the praise for being a charismatic leader, having perfected the art of diplomacy and communication.

Today, we Baloch as a nation are proud that we have got a time-tested leader like Hyrbyair Marri. He is an inspiration, a hope and a courage for Baloch Nation. who follow the principles, who believes in disciplines, he is the symbol of the Baloch freedom movement, he is honest sincere dedicated, visionary and committed to the cause. His charisma and likability are leading the current Baloch freedom Struggle towards it destination Baloch nation believes in his vision and more importantly in his capacity to deliver on it.