Balochistan is not Pakistan and Iran

Balochistan once a sovereign nation is currently occupied by two foreign invaders Pakistan and Iran. During the British rule in the Asian subcontinent, Balochistan's western part was illegally split and merged into Iran by colonial rulers in 1879. Despite the division, the Baloch nation controlled the western part of Balochistan until 1928 when Iranian forces headed by Reza Shah occupied Balochistan after brutal military aggression.  Balochistan's northern region was separated and merged into Afghanistan by the British rulers in 1893. The eastern part of Balochistan remained a self-governing entity and gained complete sovereignty once the British left India and Balochistan in 1947. However, British divided India when they were leaving the Indian Subcontinent and created a new state in the name of religion 'Pakistan'.

In 1948, after nine months of its separation from India, Pakistan occupied Balochistan and arrested its elected representatives, abolished the Baloch government, and illegally merged Balochistan's territory. Balochistan was neither historically part of united India or Persia nor the secular Balochistan ever demanded a state in the name of Islam. The Baloch country existed as a sovereign political entity with its own unique national identity, before the British colonisation of India and Balochistan.

Since Balochistan’s occupation, Baloch people have been struggling to regain their lost freedom, democracy and sovereignty. Iran and Pakistan have engaged in severe human rights violations to crush the Baloch struggle. They have made Baloch land not only a genocidal yard for citizens of Balochistan but they have also been committing cultural, linguistic and economic genocide of Baloch people. The media blackout and state sanctions against free press in Balochistan have emboldened the forces of Iran and Pakistan to commit more atrocities and suppress the Balochistan's democratic voice.

Due to Human Rights violations and geopolitical realities that Balochistan is occupied and surrounded by the worst neighbouring states. The protection of political refugees are non-existence, Baloch activists are left with no choice but to flee to Europe and other democratic countries to avoid torture, death and enforced disappearances. However, once the Baloch refugees, generally very small in numbers, reach Europe and Germany, in particular, they face a lot of difficulties and psychological stress because most of the European countries and their immigration bureaucracy are unaware of the basis of Baloch conflict with Iran and Pakistan.

Also, most of the experts on Balochistan in these particular countries are Pakistanis and Iranians and their views on Balochistan's freedom movement are very negative and based on state fed biased information and nationalism. The conflict of Balochistan is a conflict between a Nation and two states but Baloch are regarded as Pakistanis and Iranian migrants by European government and immigration authorities. German authorities in their asylum decisions generally suggest that Baloch refugees should settle in other cities of Balochistan. The very political narrative of German immigration authorities is based on lack of information because Pakistan and Iran both use their state capabilities to target Baloch freedom activists regardless of their residence in those state's territory. Also, the Baloch problem is not related to one particular executive or government of the occupying country. The government and political administration change from time to time but the problems of Balochistan remain unchanged because it is not a problem about the government's particular policy but one state's occupation over another state by force.

In view of the above, we request to the German government, local political administrations and immigration bureaucracy to consider Balochistan an occupied country and Baloch as a different nation from Iranian and Pakistanis. Balochistan’s issue should be considered in accordance with ground realities and according to international laws and charters related to occupation, systematic genocide and colonisation.

This petition is presented to highlight the grave problems which we are facing because of lack of information on Balochistan and to request the German government to raise Balochistan's human rights issues as a responsible and respected European power. 

Further information visit links: BalochWarna News and Bygwaah.com

 Free Balochistan Movement, a democratic Political party struggling for freedom of Balochistan