A Glimpse of Hyrbyair Marri’s contribution for revisiting Baloch Freedom Movement
By Shahdad Baloch
The contours of the Baloch freedom movement never remained stagnant. The plethora of thoughts amongst the different leaderships of the Baloch nation changed the movement to make it appeal to the necessities of the global powers.
Socialism, Leninism, Marxism, communism were the ideologies that blurred the aims of the Baloch freedom movement to the rest of the world and the people of Balochistan. History in retrospect is evident that whenever the movement for the liberation of Balochistan was confused or associated with the demands of global powers under the banner of each ideology, the movement never attained its goal.
The only ideology that saved Baloch soil from foreign invaders was Nationalism and Patriotism. In the 15th Century, when Mir Hammal was captured and killed by the Portuguese, he only raised the slogan of Baloch nationalism before his death, his martyrdom as a Baloch nationalist disrupted the Portuguese imperial designs for a moment, and even several years after his death, his bravery and nationalism was still recognised when a statue of him was erected in Goa, India.
During the era of 19th and 20th century, a Baloch tribe – called Marri – fought three wars against the British Empire, popularly known as Anglo-Marri wars of 1839, 1880 and 1917. The Marri tribe fought with the slogan of Baloch nationalism and saved Balochistan from the slavery of the British Empire. That was the time when there was no nationalism in the Indian subcontinent, and it was being ruled by Mughal Empire who were more Mughals than Indians, consequently in the name of East India Company entire Indian subcontinent came under the rule of British Empire.
But on the other hand, just because of Baloch nationalism, the British Empire failed to conquer Balochistan. Even though Britain ruled one-fourth of the world, they never gained Balochistan. It was the nationalistic sentiments of Subhas Chandra Bose, Bhagat Singh and his comrades who defended India against Britain, ultimately India, also on basis of nationalism and patriotism regained their freedom.
Balochistan has been always at the crossroad of global powers that is the reason every power tried to subdue the Baloch nation when Britain entered Balochistan in 1839, it gradually divides Baloch amongst Iran, Afghanistan and later Pakistan. The ultimate purpose of which was to hurt the slogan of Baloch nationalism, which is a binding factor for the unification of Baloch people throughout the world. The injustices the British did to Balochistan by dividing it, means that now they must face and deal with the Iranian and Pakistani backed terrorists across the world.
The divide and conquer formula are still being applied to the Baloch nation and due to this both Iran and Pakistan are successfully driving their policies to keep Bloch nation subjugated. Now both Iran and Pakistan are planning to further divide Balochistan geographically into different administrative units, but today’s Baloch are more aware than before just because of Nationalism. The contemporary father of Baloch nationalism is iconic leader Mr Hyrbyair Marri.
Leadership emerges when obsolete policies are replaced with new ones, the nation has rejuvenated and is politically nurtured, prepared and internationalised. The contemporary freedom movement of Balochistan in every way is different from past movements. During the Cold War, the Baloch liberation movement was confused with the ideologies of socialism and communism.
Despite the backlashes of socialism and communism during the Cold War, the freedom movement was once again reduced with obsolete socialism, Marxism and communism but Baloch leader Hyrbyair Marri after facing harsh trials and tribulations over a long period, finally got the freedom movement back on the track of nationalism. Both Pakistan and Iran have simultaneously tried to create a split amongst the Baloch by labelling few as feudal and middle class or smugglers and up-to an extent Baloch nation is being compared and linked to religious fanatics. Recognizing the policies of both dogmatic states Mr Marri stirred the Baloch masses towards nationalism and countered the dogmatic policies of Pakistan and Iran.
Unfortunately, still, both states are trying their level best to radicalize the Baloch people, but as Mr Marri reiterated in several of his statements that the world has also some responsibility to investigate the matter of how both states are manipulating religious sentiments to the people of Balochistan. Mr Marri has not only introduced nationalism to the Baloch nation, but it is also his efforts throughout the decades that most Pashtuns turned towards Pashtun nationalism. The world along with Pakistan and Iran always labelled Pashtun as religious fanatics even owing to policies of Pakistan; several western countries opt for tough visa scrutiny for the Pashtun nation.
Negating the world and their policies against Pashtuns, Baloch leader Mr Hyrbyair Marri alone stood for Pashtun till he made the world understood including Afghanistan that it is Pakistan which is defaming Pashtun nation by radicalising them for vested interests of Punjabi Army and politicians.
The regional powers including India and Afghanistan are today prime targets of the Pakistani army who in every press conference level allegation against India and Afghanistan’s involvement in the Baloch struggle for the liberation of Balochistan. On the diplomatic front, Hyrbyair Marri started a series of commentary to make India and Afghanistan understand that blind faith and trusting every Baloch would hurt Baloch nation relations with India and Afghanistan. There is a debate in every circle of Baloch people that who were those Baloch, who according to Pakistan are their agents and they spied and handed over Kulbhushan Jadhav to the Pakistani agencies? (the authenticity of this statement made by ISI social media cell is yet to be proved by both India and Baloch National leader Mr Hyrbyair Marri on the high-level diplomatic front).
If Pakistan’s approach on Kulbushan Yadhav’s is authentic then both India and Afghanistan need to revisit their policies and relationships with Iran and those Black sheep amongst the Baloch, pretending to be Baloch nationalists, but are spying for Pakistan. Even on such issues, Hyrbyair Marri insisted before regional and international powers that any attempt of any nation for making Baloch freedom movement as their proxies would have bad implications for regional and global stability and such attempts would further strengthen Pakistani army. Likewise, Hyrbyair marri is the only leader who is negating suicide bombing and barbaric way of defensive strategy in the armed struggle within the Baloch freedom movement. Irrespective of the fact that he has high honour and prestige for all those who are sacrificing their lives for the freedom of Balochistan.
Today owing to the leadership of Mr Marri several educated youths of Balochistan are fulfilling their national obligations to the freedom of Balochistan. The essence of nationalism invoked by Hyrbyair Marri is ionizing the people of occupied Balochistan that Balochistan would be free only based on nationalism and by judicious policies of Hyrbyair Marri Who is a big deterrent before any wrong step that would turn the movement on the same footings of LTTE or MAO MAO.
The world should also know that there is no need of waiting for a leader to be declared as a leader by any nation, the prime quality that the world should consider for declaring leader are these qualities: truthfulness and commitment to the cause. Time has proved to the world that the only leader within Baloch nation who never compromised on the Baloch cause is Hyrbyair Marri, he not only defended Baloch cause but also defended Afghanistan’s case by disclosing Pakistan dual face on the war on terror. It is he who solely stood against the Iran nuclear deal and time has proven what he said and done is not only for the betterment of the Baloch nation but the entire world.
