Sindhis in Washington Protest Against Musharraf

Author: SAT Report
Publication: South Asia Tribune
Date: June 29-July 5, 2003
URL: http://www.satribune.com/archives/jun29_jul05_03/P1_sindhis.htmThree Sindhi organizations in US held a joint protest rally and news conference at the National Press Center in Washington against treatment of Sindhis by the military Government of General Pervez Musharraf.
Scores of people carrying many placards marched around the McPherson Square, close to the White House carrying placards and banners. After several rounds of walks around the square, the demonstrators gathered to hear speakers who denounced the Greater Thal Canal and demanded that the Pakistan government should cancel this project immediately.
Earlier protestors arrived at the NPC wearing traditional folk Sindhi topis and dresses, a scene quite uncommon in NPC. The press conference hall was full with many standing at the back and outside in the hall area.
Speaking first Zahid Makhdoom from WSI, spoke about what Sindh and Sindhis were facing at the hands of non-representative and dictatorial regime in Pakistan. In particular, he elaborated on the dreadful project called the Greater Thal Canal (GTC) and what it is going do to Sindh.
Dr. Inye Gorfeke from "Doctors Against Torture" organization, who visited Pakistan in 1989 to investigate the cases of official torture, said the security forces in Pakistan and other such countries predominantly torture two groups. The first group generally consists of people who struggle for democratic, economic and cultural rights and the other group is that of criminals, who are subjected to torture to extract confessions.
He said according to a recent US State Department study, three forms of torture are currently common in Pakistan. These are "beatings", "electric shock", and "denying food and drinks" to victims. He urged the people of Pakistan to provide help to heal the mental and physical abuses of these torture victims in their communities.
Dr. Saghir Shaikh from WSC condemned General Musharraf and his dictatorial regime and past rulers for their help in increasing the domination of Sindhis by other ethnic groups. He stated that economic conditions in Sindh, particularly, in rural areas, were fast deteriorating.
Aziz Narejo from SANA lamented how "totalitarian" and "unitary" systems imposed by the military had destroyed the democratic and judicial institutions in Pakistan.
He was very critical of the Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence ISI) agency, which he said does not answer to any civilian authority and has been instrumental in carrying out the plots to harm the interests of smaller provinces of Pakistan. The ISI engages in proxy wars.
He added that some reports in the western media have concluded that the terrorist attack of 9/ 11 may have been a manifestation of such proxy wars. The agency has now positioned them in way that allows them to blackmail America and secure their support for dreadful conspiracies against smaller provinces.
In the 30-minute Q&A session the following key points were made:
1. The hegemony of military in Pakistan is the root cause of many of the problems faced by Pakistan in general and Sindhis in particular.
2. A loose co-federation of the Pakistani provinces offers the best alternative for restoring peace, justice, and fairness in Pakistan.
3. The three Sindhi organizations (SANA, WSC, and WSI) must expand their cooperation further and must continue to jointly sponsor other events.
4. Sindhis must not under-estimate the power of torture that would be unleashed against them as they come out in streets to protest the economic apartheid policies.
5. The US government holds a lot of clout and influence over the Pakistan government which should be used to pursue the Pakistani government to end the economic apartheid and restore full democracy.
6. The World Bank and IMF organizations should include conditions in their agreements that require the Pakistan government to shift resources from wasteful military to the civilian sectors.
7. Sindhis should approach private sector in USA and other developed countries to invest in Sindh.
8. Re-organization of Pakistani military by reducing its size and making sure that it becomes a representative organization of all provinces.
Speaking at the rally, Sani Panhwar, the current President of Sindhi Association of North America (SANA) was sure that Pakistan and US governments will hear the message and hoped that the three Sindhi organizations (SANA, WSC, and WSI) would continue to work together and will not rest until the rights of Sindhis were restored.
He said that Sindhis of Los Angeles will organize another protest and vigil on June 27 to drive the point once again that Greater Thal Canal was not acceptable to Sindhis.
Rev. Cleveland Sparrow, who is a member of DC Mayor's interfaith council, was happy to have met so many wonderful and peaceful Sindhis. He admired the values of Sindhis that encourage respect, tolerance, and justice for all. He said that the problems of Sindhis in a way similar to those faced by the citizens of DC. They continue to pay taxes but have no representation in their central decision making institutions. He was confident that soon both the people of DC and Sindh would have a full say in all major decisions that affect their lives.
Dr. Walter Landry, Director of "Think-Tank for National Self-determination" (TNS) spoke about the economic, human, political, and cultural rights of indigenous people in various parts of the world. He added the right of self-determination is an inalienable right of all people. He was saddened to know that the great people of Sindh who have always welcomed others and shared what ever they had with immigrant communities were now on the verge of losing of their identity and their water rights. He urged President Bush to ask General Musharraf to accept the demands of people of Sindh.
Dodo Mehri, a leader of the Sindh National Council (SNC), speaking in in Sindhi language traced the history of the water issue between Sindh and Punjab that has originated from the days when the British ruled India. He cited a trail of broken promises and violations that Punjab had committed to misuse the canals that were previously built only to y be used in the times of flood.
He added that the central government spent millions of dollars that were provided to it in the form of loans and grants by the World Bank and IMF after Pakistan and India signed the Indus Water Treaty in 1960. He said that the root cause for building the Greater Thal Canal is that the military officials are being allotted more and more land in the non-cultivable areas. This gives incentive to the military government to conspire to divert more water to irrigate their lands at the expense of the poor people of Sindhi.
Munawar Laghari, the key organizer of the events thanked every one who had made this day a historic day for the North American Sindhis. He expressed gratitude to the leaders of SANA, WSC and other non-affiliated volunteers who participated and helped in various ways.
He promised that he would do his very best to nourish the spirit of the Sindhi unity that has been achieved on the North American scene. He hoped that following this example, Sindhis, all over the world would unite to overcome the economic, cultural, and political threats that are faced by Sindh and Sindhis today.

A summary of the history Of Sindh until 1947

BC 6000 : Indus Valley - Neolithic settlements.
BC 5000 : Farming, pottery and beads developed.
BC 4000 : Potter’s wheel and bow drill invented.
BC 3500 : Growth of pottery.
BC 3000 : Amri civilization and its ruins.
BC 3100-850 : Sindhi language evolved over a period of 2400 years.
BC 2500 : Kani Kot ruins - civilization .
BC 2300 : Mohen-jo-daro civilization .
BC 1500 : Sehwan (Sivistan) was important center of Shiva cult.
BC 810 : Egyptian Emperor Sume Rames attacked Sindh.
BC 566-490 : Huns ruled Sindh.
BC 519 : Sindh annexed to Persian Achaemenian Empire ruled by King Darius for about 125 years.
BC 326-325 : Alexander the "Great" stormed through the Indus Valley, met resistance in Sindh and was injured in Multan.
BC 313 : Buddhism was popularised in Sindh during emperor Ashoka’s period.
AD 280-500 : Persian rule.
AD 550-711 : i) Rai Sahiras and his son Rai Sahasi ruled Sindh and formed Rai Dynasty. (ii) Chach succeeded the Rai and founded Brahman Dynasty. (iii) Raja Dahar (Chach’s son) took over from Chander (Chach’s brother). Raja Dahar ruled Sindh for several years until the invasion of Arabs, when he was martyred.
AD 711-1026 : Sindh was invaded by a 17-year old Arab General, Muhammad Bin Qasim, establishing the Arab rule for next 305 years.
AD 1026-1350 : Soomro Dynasty ruled Sindh for 300 years.
AD 1054 : Soomras faced ruinous invasion by Mahmood Ghaznavi and Allauddin Khilji.
AD 1351 : The rise of the Samma Dynasty in Sindh. "Jams of Lasbella or currently known as the Alianis".
AD 1521-1554 : Arghun Rule was established in Sindh by Shah Beg. He was a descendant of Changez Khan.
AD 1554-1591 : General Mirza Isa Beg found Tarkhan Dynasty in Sindh (Turks in origin) after the death of Shah Hassan Arghun.
AD 1555 : Portuguese sacked Thatta, a bustling metropolis of Sindh.
AD 1591-1700 : Shanshah Akbar, the Ruler of Hindustan, annexed Sindh, and ruled Sindh by appointing his governors. (40 Governors were appointed during the 81 years of rule.).
AD 1701-1782 : Kalhoras ruled Sindh for 85 years. Twelve Kalhora rulers ruled during this time. This period is known as the golden period of Sindhi literature. Poets like Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai, Sachal Sarmast, and Sami are among the prominent poets of Sindh.
AD 1782-1843 : Talpurs ruled Sindh for 61 years. The country was divided into three states - Hyderabad State, Khairpur State and the State of Mirpur Khas.
AD 1843 : Talpur rulers of Sindh and Baluchistan were defeated by the British under Sir Charles Napier.
AD 1847 : Sindh was made part of Bombay Presidency by the British.
AD 1851 : Sindhi language was declared official language of Sindh.
AD 1853 : Final and refined version of Sindhi script was adopted by the British throughout Sindh and Bombay, which still exist in Sindh today.
AD 1908 : Barrister Ghulam M. Bhurgri and Harchandrai Vishindas demanded independence of Sindh from Bombay.
AD 1936 : Sindh regained independence from Bombay Presidency.
AD 1947 : India achieved independence from British rule after a long struggle and great sacrifices. Sindh became part of newly created Islamic State of Pakistan. Riots and violence erupted in Sindh. A massive exodus of Hindu Sindhis resulted. More than 1.1 million Sindhis migrated to India.
Sindh was ruled by the following dynasties after the Arab invasion :
The Sumra Dynasty (750 [1026?] - 1350 A.D.)
The Samma Dynasty (1351 - 1521 A.D.)
The Arghun Dynasty (1521 - 1554 A.D.)
The Turkhan Dynasty (1555 - 1608 A.D.)
The Moghul Dynasty (1608 - 1701 A.D.)
The Kalhora Dynasty (1701 - 1783 A.D.)
The Talpur Dynasty (1783 - 1843 A.D.)
The British Rule (1843 - 1947 A.D.)
The Pakistani Rule (1947 A.D. - ?)