Author: Ali Jan Maqsood
The Baloch National Gathering was more of a festival, with people from across Baloch areas joining the movement. I had heard and read that the oppressed rejoice in resistance, but during this occasion, I actually saw people rejoicing in their resistance.
Historically, it is said that Makuran was the last to join hands with the Baloch movement. However, today, it is a fact that Makuran has been at the forefront of the Baloch struggle. From indirect mass support to direct involvement in the movement, Makuran has journeyed far enough to shoulder the Baloch cause, joining hands with the other regions that have long been advancing the Baloch cause. Today, Makuran is proudly a participant and contributor to the Baloch movement.
Gwadar, hosting the largest Baloch National Gathering to date, has proved that its loyalty will always be to the Baloch cause. No matter how the Pakistani or foreign invaders try to dominate the Baloch sea, the city’s roots, bonds, and support remain firmly with the Baloch people. This gathering is the strongest rebuke to those who view Gwadar as merely a pawn in the state’s exploitations with its allies against the Baloch. The biggest success for Gwadar has been its warm welcome to the entire Baloch region, uniting them on the same page near the sea to assert their ownership of it.
Throughout these events, one thing became clear: courage is more a mental capacity than a physical one. It is ingrained in the psyche of a people. The Baloch are courageous because continuous resistance and movement have shaped their collective psyche to be brave. This is evident even in Baloch children, who are bold and willing to challenge the state’s brutalities head-on. We have witnessed children and elderly people alike standing shoulder to shoulder in the ranks of the Baloch movement. The recent circumstances have further clarified the image of Baloch courage, where thousands of people join the call to eradicate anti-Baloch and genocidal policies.
The central point of any movement is mass support in any form. Without the masses, a movement is nothing but a dead stem. The Baloch have been connected to the Baloch movement against oppression from head to toe. The past 76 years of oppression, colonization, and ruling have contributed nothing significant among the masses to show that the people have shifted their allegiance from the Baloch to the state. Political and militant activists have played a significant role in shaping the Baloch psyche for survival, their land, and their future as rightful owners, not tenants. For this reason, people have always responded with a resounding “Yes” to anyone who speaks of, from, and for the Baloch.
Meanwhile, the notion that “nationalism is fascism” has been a failed tactic to distort the concept of Baloch unity under the banner of nationalism. The core objective of Baloch nationalism has always been “Your land, your superiority; my land, my superiority.” While fascism promotes the excessive use of power, even to the extent of occupying other regions and territories, Baloch nationalism has been clear to the people: “Don’t occupy illegally, nor let any power occupy you illegally.”
The current situation in Baloch regions is the result of the continuous practice of Baloch nationalism, which has contributed to building a national psyche of defensive nationalism through means such as war, politics, and diplomacy. Around the world, the Baloch cause is clear: it seeks to harm no group, nation, or state unless that group, nation, or state acts against legal and moral values. These values include opposing colonization, genocide, anti-humanitarian practices, etc.
Consistency is another factor that ensures the achievement of goals. Despite its diverse phases, the Baloch movement’s greatest achievement has been its consistency. With all the available resources, in every era, the movement has persisted in one form or another. From organizing thousands of men and women to fight against brutality to gathering even more people at the present Baloch National Gathering against genocidal policies, the Baloch have directly expressed their hatred toward all forms of atrocity. What had been largely missing in the past was a close connection between the Baloch under the colonial rule of Pakistan and Iran. This movement has made some progress in building such a connection for future strategies. Maintaining this connection will be another challenge, though for now, things seem to be in good hands.
Fear the day the oppressed rejoice in resistance. This rejoicing takes root in the deepest core of an oppressed people. The Baloch have reached a point where they are beginning to rejoice in their resistance. The deeper this becomes ingrained in their daily lives, the higher the price their opponents will have to pay. For the Baloch, and perhaps for other nations as well, when politics turns authoritative in nature, resistance becomes a form of worship.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Balochistan Post or any of its editors.