Two national tragedies

By R.D Baluch

A few days ago I come across a news link about a Pakistani family protesting against the rape of their donkey. Many people laughed at the news, I too first thought it was funny. But then I realised it is not funny in fact it is sad. Thanks to that Pakistani family who raised voice against the rape of an animal and shook my conscious to write this article.

We Baloch are still silent on the sexual assault of our 41 girls in Pahra and many in Washuk’s Rakhshan region by Pakistan army.  So far, there is been no strong reaction from the Baloch nation apart from divided social media campaigns and statements of condemnation. In Pahra and Zahedan, some Baloch students protested but they were most probably the relatives and close friends of victims.

Everyone is mum over these national tragedies as if they do not have a tongue in their mouth. The beggar of the vote (parliamentarians) and the Mullahs (religious scholars) also have not uttered a word against the sexual assault, humiliation and abduction of their Baloch sisters and mothers. What can we expect from them if they win elections and become legislators?

Where are all those brave Baloch who are always at each other throat for petty things but when it comes to protecting the honour of Baloch sisters and mothers, they have sewed their lips? 41 Baloch girls do not even deserve as much support as a donkey that no one is standing up against their assault? Where are the Baloch and their Balochiat (Baloch characteristics)?

Has our society stooped so low that 4, 5 criminals gang rape one helpless girl and nobody dare to speak about it? In the past, other nations in the world would give examples of the bravery, loyalty and hospitability the Baloch. The Baloch women stood shoulder to shoulder with the men during the war and difficult times. The headscarves of Baloch were so respected that when a woman dropped her scarf during a fierce battle, the battle would stop immediately.

Unfortunately, the brutal occupiers have made us so greedy and corrupted our conscious that we have become the slave of our worldly needs. They [occupiers] have given a free hand to the gun and drug culture in occupied Balochistan. The Baloch youth have been systematically kept away from education and they are either being radicalised or turned into petty criminals so that they can abandon and dilute the good name of their ancestors and betray their national history. They have become so shameless that they do not even hesitate to steal the honour of Baloch women. Today it is Naag Rakhshaan and Pahra (Iran Shahr) tomorrow this cancer is going to spread all over Balochistan. There is nothing more humiliating and painful in a person’s life than being dishonoured. Baloch mothers and sisters are being dishonoured, when will we wake up from the deep sleep and open our eyes?

I am a Baloch woman and I have never felt so helpless and disappoint in my entire life.  There is a dark layer before my eyes, I wish the earth to open up and swallow me in. let alone the enemy, today we, Baloch women, do not even feel safe from our own Baloch youth because the enemies have corrupted their conscience and morality. Why and how have we reached this stage? Why do Baloch mothers and sisters feel so helpless? Why out of 41 victims only three has come forward and spoke up about their rape? They were probably scared of the humiliation and traditional stigma but what could be more humiliating than rape?

Today the enemies of the Baloch nation and their proxy gangs who assault Baloch women on regular basis are roaming freely and without fear because we do not have anyone to speak for us. The parliamentarians have sold their conscious, our youth have been imprisoned, killed or turned into drug addicts and petty criminal. The criminal states of Iran and Pakistan have international impunity to do whatever they want.

My honourable and brave Baloch brothers! We have already lost our country to Punjabis and Persians now they are after destroying our national identity. We must not let them erase our name and national identity like they occupied and divided our country, Balochistan. The Baloch have to rely on their own strength and unite themselves because unity is the strength. Either unite or start counting yourself among perished nations.