Baloch Martyrs day: A Milestone in Baloch freedom movement

13 November has been observed as the Baloch Martyrs Day – Baloch National Remembrance Day in Balochistan and many countries around the world. People of Balochistan organised rallies, references and candle light vigils to commemorate the National Remembrance Day and to pay their homages to the martyrs of Baloch freedom struggle and other victims of Pakistani and Iranian state terrorism.

Baloch women and children took out a massive rally in Tump area of Balochistan on the appeal of Baloch Shohada Committee (Baloch Martyrs Committee). The Committee also organised a rally in Karachi which ended at the Karachi Press Club where they lit Candles in memory of Baloch martyrs and showered roses on the pictures those Baloch who laid their live for freedom of Balochistan since 13 November, 1839. The Baloch residents of Malir in Karachi also organised a program to pay their tributes to the heroes of liberation struggle.

The Baloch Shohada Committee organised another rally in Quetta which after passing through different streets gathered at Quetta Press Club and held a Candle light vigil in memory of Baloch Martyrs. The participants of rally were also carrying images of their loved ones who have either been target killed by Pakistan forces or killed under-custody as part of Pakistan’s kill and dump policy in Balochistan. References were also held in Panjgur and Turbat cities of Balochistan. In Sangaan area Baloch women and children held a reference meeting by lighting candles to pay their respects to the Baloch fallen heroes. The Voice for Baloch Missing Persons observed a candle light vigil at their protest camp outside Quetta Press Club on 13 November. Besides Baloch Shohada Committee meetings Baloch Yakjehti Council, BSO-Azad, BRP, BNM and the family of abducted Nabeel Baloch also held a joint rally in Karachi to commemorate Baloch Martyrs Day and to protest against enforced-disappearances by Pakistani forces.

Baloch Diaspora also stood united with people of Balochistan on their National Remembrance Day (Baloch Martyrs Day). Baloch activists in London, Glasgow, Canada, Sweden and North Korea and in Gulf held memorial gathering on 13 November. Representatives of Kurdish Community attended London and Vancouver (Canada) meetings to express their support and solidarity with Baloch people and assure their cooperation in future. The Tamil Youth Organisation also send a message of solidarity to Baloch people and saluted the Baloch Martyrs and their struggle for freedom of Balochistan.

The Baloch Social Media Activists run a successful online campaign using hashtag #BalochMartyrsDay on Twitter and Facebook to share information about Baloch freedom struggle, the pictures of Baloch martyrs and Iranian and Pakistan state brutalities against Baloch people. Supporter of Baloch struggle from Sindhi, Pashtun, and Swedish, English, Indonesian, Argentinian, Indian, Arabs and other communities posted pictures using the social media hashtag to show their support for Baloch Martyrs Day.

The Baloch Shohada Committee has played a vital role in organising and making efforts to make this day a success on National and International level. Their protest in Quetta has adopted a new and unique way where protesters wore the hat of Guy Fawkes which recently become more famous as the anonymous hat. The pictures of Baloch activists wearing this hat has become the focus of international media. Several online international newspapers have posted the picture of Baloch activists wearing Guy Fawkes hat as their picture of week and among the best pictures. The Voice of America featured that picture as one of its ‘Day in Photos’ sections. The Los Angeles Times posted it in its Framework portion and The Peninsula Qatar also featured it as one of its cover images. The Daily Telegraph Australia posted the picture of Baloch activists wearing Guy Fawkes hat among its best pictures of the week. Moreover the Jakarta Post and The Express Tribune also featured images of Baloch Martyrs Day events in Balochistan and Karachi.

The BBC Urdu Service give coverage to Baloch Martyrs Day rally by writing a news article about the rallies in Karachi and Balochistan whereas Radio Kabul News Afghanistan also dedicated a programs to highlight the importance of Baloch National Remembrance Day. Baloch leaders Waja Abdul Sattar Purdili and Khoda Raheem Sarmachar Baloch, from Northern Balochistan, were special guests of Radio Kabul News where both guests explained the historical perspective of Baloch struggle and the significance of 13 November 1839 when the British forced attacked and invaded Balochistan and Mir Mehrab Khan along with his companions instead of surrendering before the mighty British army preferred martyrdom while defending the Baloch homeland.

The relatives of Baloch Martyrs recorded their video messages and appealed the Baloch nation to observe 13 November as Baloch Martyrs Day. Those who send video messages include the respected mother of Shaheed Darwesh Baloch, mother of Shaheed Nisar and Shaheed Majeed Baloch, mother of Shaheed Mir Jan Meeral, mother of Khalil Baloch, sister of Shaheed Saleem Baloch, Daughter of Shaheed Ghaffar Langov Baloch and several others urged the Baloch nation to remember their national heroes with full national zeal and unity and to renew their commitment to the mission of Baloch martyrs – the freedom of Balochistan.

13 November is also mentioned in Balochistan Liberation Charter as the National Remembrance or Baloch Martyrs Day. Baloch national leader Hyrbyair Marri and his friend drafted the Charter and proposed it to all pro-freedom parties, leaders and student organisations in Balochistan for their feedbacks and suggestion to improve it further. The Balochistan Liberation Charter is one of the practical steps toward Baloch national unity and a clear road map of Baloch freedom struggle. No Baloch leader or party has so far presented such a comprehensive document to the Baloch nation in past more than 60 years of Baloch struggle.

Pakistan’s security forces have declared a ban on Baloch political activities in Balochistan for an undeclared period since past four year. They have been abducting all active members of pro-freedom Baloch political parties. Several hundred Baloch activists have been killed under-custody by Pakistan forces as part of their abducted, kill and dump policy to instil fear and terror in the hearts of Baloch political activists and to keep them away from political activism. Despite state terror and atrocities the Baloch nation has come out and observed 13 November as the Baloch Martyrs Day. It illustrates that Baloch nation has great respect for their national heroes and 13 November has made its place not only in the hearts and minds of the people of Balochistan but this day has also been internationally recognised as ‘Baloch Martyrs Day’. This day has become a milestone in the Baloch freedom struggle and a concrete step toward Baloch national unity.