|
Arrival of displaced persons compel
By Jan Khaskheli
Karachi
Unchecked arrival of refugees from
the war-torn areas of Swar, Buner and regions within the the
Malakand division, has compelled Sindhi nationalist groups, once
major archrivals, to put aside petty differences for the time being
and stand united over a one-point agenda.
Their purpose is ‘to oppose the
arrival of refugees affected by recent military operation against
the insurgents in Swat, Buner and Malakand neighbourhoods.’ These
refugees are now reportedly pouring into Sindh towns and villages
via different routes. For the last 15 days businesspeople belonging
to an ethnic community residing in different towns in the province
faced harassment and frequent attacks by armed people throwing
crackers and hand grenades, burning their shops and occasional
aerial firing, threatening them not to invite and receive the
displaced families in their areas.
It now seems that this issue has also
removed contradiction that has prevailed for a long time between
Sindhi nationalists and forces dominant in urban Sindh. Analysts see
unexpected change in the political scenario after the strike call
given by nationalists on Saturday across the province against the
arrival of displaced families.
Secondly, they say that major issues
such as the movement against mega water projects, the shortage of
irrigation water, sentiments against the presence and arrival of
some other ethnic entities, and awarding land to retired
law-enforcing personnel have been left behind.
After the burning of vehicles and
attacks on shops, people kept their business activities shut in
towns and even in villages. Some protestors staged rallies to
express solidarity with the political groups.
A majority of petrol pumps located at
highways close to towns remained shut for fear of loss, as reports
said that some enraged motorcyclists were on a rampage in those
areas.
Traffic remained thin on major
highways and roads linking various towns of the province.
Increasing frustration can be gauged
from an event in Hyderabad on Friday, where human rights activists
were beaten mercilessly by certain protestors belonging to
nationalist groups.
The human rights activists carrying
banners and placards were chanting slogans, welcoming the affected
families and appealing to the people to receive people affected by
the operation at this difficult time. Two rallies by charged
nationalist groups against the settlement of refugees reached the
spot and started beating and abusing the rights activists.
This is the new phenomenon where
friends of the past have become rivals and enemies have joined hands
with each other over the one issue to oppose the arrival of
refugees.
Reports reaching here reveal that
families already settled in Sindh towns are receiving their
relatives affected by the operation in large numbers. Many are
travelling by trains, buses and trucks. These affected people
reportedly said that they did not intend to return home as
everything back there had been destroyed by fighters.
A Sindh minister claims the
government has a figure of some 600 people who have entered Sindh,
including Karachi, and that, they have been registered properly. The
provincial government has also taken the issue seriously, and has
put police officials on high alert at entry points to stop these
people.
Sindh United Party (SUP) Central
Leader (and grandson of Jeay Sindh Tehreek Founder, late G.M Syed),
Syed Zain Shah, traced the history of the struggle, and told The
News that opposing the influx of population has been the main agenda
of Sindhi nationalists but later mega water projects, water shortage
and exploitation of resources became dominant issues. Shah said that
after major irrigation water projects of Guddu and Sukkur Barrages,
the federal government had allotted a major portion of state land of
Sindh to people from other provinces, especially Punjab.
After this, the settlement of
refugees in Sindh towns will create law-and-order problems, poverty
and joblessness, he said, adding that in fact there was no law to
challenge people coming from one province to another, “but there
should be conditions because now the people of Sindh fear that they
will be turned into a minority.” He declined to shed light on the
armed struggle in Sindh, but said that there was pressure from
political cadre over their leadership to clarify the long-term
silence over issues.
This, he said, may lead to the
formation of a new political alliance especially on issues related
to Sindh.
In this connection, the newly-formed
Save Sindh Movement, led by Shah Mohammed Shah and his comrades, is
another front which is inviting all groups to unite on the core
issues of Sindh and claiming to have the backing of scattered groups
and isolated cadres.
The News : Sunday, May 24, 2009
|
