Strugles in Balochistan

Marxism Day SchoolJanuary 14, 2007

Balochistan• Immense Contradictions• Most Powerful Resistance to State• Liberation Armies, Student Revolts,

Youth Uprisings, Protests, Strikes• Revolting People

Why Rebellion?• State Intervention• Development Projects• Port, Highway, Pipeline• Rs 42 Billion Per Year on Gawader• Rs 42 Billion Per Year Balochistan• Single Day 200 Point Rise in KSE =

Rs 40 billion• All Types of Opposing Groups

• Anyone Demanding Rights is a Terrorist Planting Bombs

• Officially over 4000 arrested• Unofficially over 8000 arrested• Hundreds languishing in Jails• Thousands Without Trial• Disapperances Normal• Karachi, Hub, Khuzdar, Jacobabad, Quetta,

Turbat, Kalat….. • Recntly JWP Saleem Baloch Released After

months, appeared in press, rearrested again

State Repression

Aims of Repression• To Silence all Opposing Mega Projects• Projects Bringing Billions of Dollars for

Capitalists• Pakistani, Chinese, Iranian, Indian, • Afghanistan, US

• To Much at Stake• Resulting in Usurping of Fundamental Rights• Result: Massive National Oppression• Response

• Resistance• Attack the State – Terrorism

Implications of Repression• State Terrorised Balochistan• Police/Military Methods• Military Operations• Iraq Like Situation

• If Society Remains Passive• Attack on Fundamental Rights of People in All Provinces• Examples of Wazirstan, Bajur, Dr Sarki, Alleged Al-

Qaida Linked Arrests• Left/Working Class Remains Passive

• Divisions Among Working Class• Workers of Quetta, Karachi, Lahore divided in

workplace

Passivity on Balochistan Helps State• Passive Masses

• Other Projects at Other Places Justified by State – Bhasha, Kalabagh

• Mega Project Related Destruction Becomes Justified

• Passive Working Class• Attacks on Workplaces Easier – Military Operation

in Kohlu opposed by ordinary Baloch in Karachi, Supported (passively) by non-Baloch in same workplace in Karachi – Divided Working Class

• Liberalisation• Privatisation, Deregulation, Inflation

Passivity on Balochistan Helps State• Passive Masses

• Other Projects at Other Places Justified by State• Mega Project Related Destruction Becomes

Justified• Passive Working Class

• Attacks on Workplaces Easier – Military Operation in Kohlu opposed by ordinary Baloch in Karachi, Supported (passively) by non-Baloch in same workplace in Karachi – Divided Working Class

• Liberalisation• Privatisation, Deregulation, Inflation

Implications for Working Class• Passive Working Class on National

Question Implies Weaker Working Class on Worker Related Questions

• Stronger State – Neo-liberal Policies• More Projects• More Imperialist Investment/Intervention• More Repression• Further Divided Working Class • Easier Privatisation, Liberalisaton, Inflation

Ways to Fightback• Nationalist Struggle

• End to Mega Projects• Autonomy• Particiaption of Baloch

• Development? Yes• Balochistan is Poor/Backward

• National Liberation/Autonomy− Similar Mega Projects on Different (beneficial)

terms

Development = Capitalist Development• Gawadar, Coastal Highway, Iran-Pak-India

Pipeline, Sui Gas• All Capitalist Development

• Purpose – More Trade, More Transportation, More Profits

• Profits for whom? • Not the Ordinary – See Major Areas of Balochistan Witout

Sui Gas• Sui Gas Income – Balochistan Remained Backward

• Pakistan Capitalists Benefitted• Gas to Industries, Thermal Plants• More Profits for Capitalists – Local/Multi

Ways to Fightback

• Marxian Position• Support

• Right of Self Determination of Baloch• Right of Secession of Baloch• Right of Balochistan people to decide for their future

• All Democratic Rights• Development? Capitalist? NO• Fight Capitalist Profit – Capitalism• National Oppresion Due to Capitlaist Development

not Vice Versa• Real National Liberation, Democratic Rights of

Suppressed Nations Not Realizable in Capitalist System

Fight Capitalism• Resisting National Oppression is

Resisting Capitalism – but not all• Against Imperialism, Imperialist Powers

not Asking Them for Help• Look at Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine

• Emancipation of Working Class Act of Working Class – Working Class Nationally Suppressed Fights National Suppression

Marxian Position• Marxists are not Nationalists• Marxists are Internationalists• Right of Nations• International of Nations• Capitalism -- Global with National Divisions• Socialism -- International without National

Oppression• Hence Right of Secession

Marxists Position • Marx on Ireland• Marxists on Poland• Indian Liberation - Problems• Anti-Colonial Struggles• Eastern European Satellites• Yogoslavia• Kashmir

Marxism & National Consciousness• Lenin: National Question Not a

Clutural/Ideological Question• A Political Question

• i.e.• In Suppressin Nation – Against

Patriotism• In Suppressed Nation – As Part of

Struggle Against National Oppression

• We Remain Passive – State Terror Increases

• Fightback of Working Class -- Organically Linked to Fightback for National Rights, Against National Opression

• Time to Organise Students of Karachi, Hyderabad, Lahore….• Against Military Operation in Balochistan• Agaisnt Capitalist Development

Time to Form Defence of Baloch Peoples Front

Conclusion• Oppose National Oppression of

Baloch• Support the Demand of Right of

Self Determination• Fight Capitalist Development• Fight Imperialism• Organise Students/Workers to

Resist National Oppression

Books to Read• Marxism and National Question by

Alex Callinicos• Right of National Self

Determination by V I Lenin• Deflected Permanent Revolution

by Tony Cliff• Socialist Urdu