Release | January 10, 2012 | Press Release

U.S. Representative Rohrabacher, photo: Malik Siraj Akbar

PRESS RELEASE

February 18, 2012

Washington, Feb 17 - Today, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) introduced a House Concurrent Resolution that the Baluchi nation has a historic right to self-determination. Baluchistan is currently divided between Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan with no sovereign rights of its own. In Pakistan especially, the Baluchi people are subjected to violence and extrajudicial killing. The bill states that the Baluchi people "have the right to self-determination and to their own sovereign country; and they should be afforded the opportunity to choose their own status."

"The Baluchi, like other nations of people, have an innate right to self-determination," says Rohrabacher. "The political and ethnic discrimination they suffer is tragic and made more so because America is financing and selling arms to their oppressors in Islamabad."

Historically Baluchistan was an independently governed entity known as the Baluch Khanate of Kalat which came to an end after invasions from both British and Persian armies. An attempt to regain independence in 1947 was crushed by an invasion by Pakistan. Today the Baluchistan province of Pakistan is rich in natural resources but has been subjugated and exploited by Punjabi and Pashtun elites in Islamabad, leaving Baluchistan the country's poorest province.

Reps. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) and Steve King (R-IA) have also signed on as original co-sponsors of the bill.

Rep. Rohrabacher is Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.

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Note: this historic bill comes on the heels of a January 7, 2012, meeting attended by Khan of Kalat Suleman Daud, Institute of World Politics (IWP) founder and president John Lenczowski, board member Paul Behrends and a U.S. Congressional delegation. February has also witnessed several high-level meetings between diaspora stakeholders.

U.S. Representative Dana Rohrabacher with Khan of Kalat Suleiman Daud and members of The Institute of World Politics

Hairbyar Marri and Brahamdagh Bugti meet in Geneva in February, 2012, to discuss proposed freedom charter. Photo: BUC News

Hairbyar Marri and Khan of Kalat Suleiman Daud meet in Cardiff in February, 2012, to discuss proposed freedom charter.

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