Washington, DC, USA | April 30, 2011

video of Dr. Wahid Baloch and Chief Guest Khan of Kalat Khan Suleiman Daud

The following speech was presented by HH Khan of Kalat via skype to the Balochistan International Conference held on April 30, 2011, at the Carnegie Center for International Peace in Washington DC. The event was organized by Baloch Society of North America.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends and my fellow Baloch,

Assalam Aliyakum.

Today I am going to share with you the pains of the mothers whose children are missing. I am also sharing the pains and suffering of 10,000 missing young men who are suffering in illegal and hidden Pakistani detention centres, the pains of mothers, fathers, sisters, daughters and wives who do not know if their loved ones are dead or alive.

Ladies and gentlemen, the people of Balochistan deserve better from Pakistan. Balochistan provides most of Pakistan's cheap resources. Without Balochistan, Pakistan would not survive. In return there is no single week that goes by without the recovery of Baloch dead bodies, their torture sustained bodies are dumped everywhere--in mountains and on road sides. The Pakistanis are even dishonouring the Baloch dead bodies. They have no respect for Baloch custom, human dignity or Islamic values.

Respected scholar, journalist and author Selig Harrison described the situation as a slow motion genocide. For me it is full genocide; the only difference is that the international community has chosen to be silent for reasons beyond our understanding.

It is beyond my understanding as to why death, torture and forced disappearances of the Baloch are tolerated; the American and European weapons are being used against unarmed Baloch. The townships and villages are bombed out completely and the ground is being prepared for oil, gas drilling and exploitation of natural resources. The Baloch, as human beings, deserve better.

The international community and intergovernmental organisations should not ignore the Baloch cries for help. It is beyond my imagination that Pakistan recruits, shelters, trains and instigates terrorism against American interests and yet Pakistan is rewarded with billions of dollar out of American and European tax payers' pockets.

It is said that evil thrives upon the silence of good men. I believe most western countries are aware of the crimes committed against not only the Baloch but humanity. Exploitation of resources by Pakistan, with the help of the international companies, are increasing. This exploitation must stop immediately and multi-national companies' behaviour must be condemned. Balochistan is an occupied territory and it must be treated as such by the international community.

In pursuit of mineral and energy resources multi-national companies should not ignore the Baloch right to their ancestral homeland. The Baloch are a peace loving nation. When their existence and identity is under threat they have the right to defend their interests and land from exploiters.

In 1948 Balochistan was annexed to Pakistan against the will of its people. Pakistan is an occupying force. I therefore call upon the USA, the European Union and the UN to recognise Pakistan as an occupying force, because I believe the will of people is sovereign. In 1947 the people of Balochistan had willed an independent Baloch and they are still demanding an independent Baluchistan. I believe that the will of the people of Balochistan will win.

Balochistan's vision is that it will be a democracy with one man one vote. Nobody will be superior or inferior. All will be equal. The one who is on the mountain or the one who is agitating on the streets, whether he is doing or asking for his rights. All of them who are living on this land from Arand and Dajal (Southern Punjab), or from the desert and plains in southern Afghanistan to the sea, from Kirman to Bander Abass and from northern Sindh, we all are Baloch. Our thinking and heart should be as big as this vast land of ours. There should be no "I" or "me," but "we all Baloch", united to fight our enemy who is very powerful. There is a saying in Balochi, "Hoshter Boboo door Bechaar, Her Maboo Paadey dema Machaar", which means be a camel and see far ahead, don't be a donkey and see your hooves. In the interest of Balochistan we all should unite and we will prevail.

I congratulate Dr. Wahid Baloch for organising this conference. Well done, Doctor. I also want to congratulate Peter Tatchell, Annie Nocenti, Wendy Johnson, Willem Marx, Declan Walsh, Karlos Zurutuza, Michael Hughes, Munir Mengal, Andrew Eiva and every journalist and Baloch who have taken the voice of the Baloch to the quarters concerned in the international community. It could not have been possible without these friends of the Baloch and many more whom I won't name.

Thank you all. God bless you.

Balochistan Zindabad.