Afganistan baloch news 07 01 2013

Establishment of Boloch General Council of Afghanistan

Kabul – Afghanistan
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The Baloch ethnic group on Thursday 22nd November 2012 urged the Karzai administration to give them equal rights as given to other ethnic groups of Afghanistan, representation in different government departments and enable them to resolve their problems.

“The government had paid inadequate attention to Baloch’s welfare and prosperity over the past decade”, complained the President of Baloch General Council of Afghanistan, Abdul Karim Barahavi.

Addressing a ceremony marking the creation of the council, Barahavi said a handful of individuals from the ethnic group were working in government departments.

He said; “Three million Balochs were living in the country, where their children were receiving education in other languages. The practice is a violation of the constitution”.

Article 16 of the constitution says; “Pashto, Dari, Uzbeki, Turkmeni, Balochi, Pashai, Nuristani, Pamiri, Arabic and other languages are spoken in the country, but Pashto and Dari are the official state languages.
Uzbeki, Turkmeni, Baluchi, Pashai, Nuristani and other languages spoken -- in addition to Pashto and Dari -- are the third official language in areas where the majority speaks them.”

"Some time back, I was appointed as minister of borders and tribal affairs and then governor of Nimruz province because in my assignments it was not as a representative of the Baloch tribe, but because I together with Karzai, fought against the Soviet troops after their invasion of Afghanistan." Barahavi remarked.

Deputy President of the council, Gharzai Khwakhuzhi said; “The Baloch people too demand to have equal rights like the rest of ethnic groups living in Afghanistan.

Baloch people through out history have defended the sovereignty of this land with their blood, but sadly today their rights have been violated and they struggle to preserve their culture, language and customs as well as their presence in the current governmental departments is dull.

We also condemn any genocide that’s carried out in the name of ethnicity around the world, especially of Baloch people and support their legal and rightful demands and the Balochistan Freedom Charter.”

The council’s spokesman, Khuda-e-Nazar Sarmachar said; “The council was previously operated only in Nimruz province but luckily as of today we have elected representatives from 23 provinces across the country and with the agreement of all we have established this council which will defend the legal rights of the Baloch people across the country.

The council is established with the following members in the Head Delegation:

1 - Alhaj Abdul Karim Barahavi Baloch President of the Council
2 - Alhaj Zulfaqar Baloch Deputy President of the Council
3 - Alhaj Gharzai Khwakhuzhi Deputy President of the Council
4 - Alhaj Khuda-e-Nazar Sarmachar Spokesman
5 - Alhaj Mohammad Anwar Secretary”