American Friends of Balochistan Washington D.C Speech

Our speech which called for a free Balochistan in Washington D.C.

By Michael Mendelson, 

Shalom to the attendees here and the people of Balochistan from an American- Israeli Jewish man who proudly stands with Balochistan.  My name is Michael Mendelson and I am the president of Israel’s Voice, a non- profit organization aimed at combating anti- Semitism.

Representing Israel’s Voice, I stand here today in solidarity with the Baloch people on one of the darkest days in the history of Balochistan.

Most of us have heard this famous quote:

“First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for the communists and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist. Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.”

For this, Israel’s Voice and our board members, Grissell Gallegos, Cema Milicich and I are here today to stand up for you.
It is time to speak out against the injustices committed to the Baloch people and recognize the struggle they have suffered during their journey to become an independent country.

On this day 10 years ago a towering figure of modern Balochistan history Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti was assassinated by Pakistan army. The killing was most condemnable since Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti was a secular leader who rejected Islamic radicals.

I have read Shaheed Nawab Bugti lived the life of a hero and embraced eternal glory by his unselfish sacrifice and conviction. His fight for the freedom of Balochistan instills courage in the hearts of Baloch youths who are demanding freedom.

Let me quote from an article in InFocus, the official blog of CAMERA, or Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting website. The article is entitled “Kurds, Baloch and Israelis” and was written by Elisa Greenberg. She wrote, “Just as the Jewish people were left without a Jewish state for thousands of years and occupied by others, from the Romans to the Byzantines to the Ottomans, the Kurdish and Baloch people are also nations without a country. The land of Kurds is divided between Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and parts of Syria, Armenia and Azerbaijan, while the Baloch reside in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran. Just as the Jewish people never gave up on the Jewish state of Israel, the Kurds and Baloch have never been willing to give up their dream” of having their own free countries, where they could be masters of their own destiny without outside coercion.

Greenberg further writes and I concur, ” In 1948, Pakistan attacked Balochistan, occupied the land, looted its natural resources , and suppressed the Balochi language and culture in classic colonialist style. Under the Pakistani occupation, thousands of Baloch people have been massacred, hundreds of thousands made refugees, and thousands more have disappeared or been tortured and jailed, often without trial. Details of Pakistan’s human rights abuses in Balochistan are well documented by Pakistani and international human rights groups, including the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.”

Though the Islamic Republic of Pakistan promotes hatred of Jews and Hindus as part of its so-called Islamic ideology of Pakistan, Baloch people of Balochistan refuse to believe what Islamabad says or be brainwashed. It is therefore incumbent upon all secular democracies to respect the secularism of the more than 25 million Baloch people who are facing the onslaught of not one but two brutal Islamic republics: Pakistan and Iran.

I must say the interest in Baloch and Balochistan is slowly but surely growing in Israel. Many Baloch activists are reaching out to secular democracies of Israel and India and this is clear proof of Baloch secularism. Pakistan has always blamed India for its troubles though there is no doubts that the jihadi army of Pakistan is the root cause of all the problems being faced by that country. In recent years, Pakistan has also blamed  Israel of supporting Baloch freedom fighters. I wish this was true. Mainly because Jew hatred, the world seems to be focused only on the anti- Israel propaganda and on the lies against the Jewish State while they ignore the terrible acts and human right violations that are committed by totalitarian Islamic regimes.

Israel’s Voice through our social media platforms has been informing about crimes against humanity in Balochistan and will continue doing it until more people in USA, Israel and the world acknowledge the atrocities committed against Balochistan.

Pakistan is one of the countries that are in the forefront when it comes to anti-Semitism. While it sheds tears over Kashmir and Judea and Samaria AKA West Bank, Pakistan security forces atrocities against the Baloch have few parallels in recent times.

We are very concerned over reports of mass graves and the non-stop kill and dump policy pursued by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence, military Intelligence and Frontier Corps in Balochistan. We are appealing  to the government of Israel to open direct talks with secular Baloch leaders.

I am delighted to have followed the radio interview of Nawab Brahumdagh Bugti, political successor of Nawab Akbar Bugti who has requested Israel to help the freedom struggle in Balochistan. I hope Nawab Brahumdagh Bugti, president of the Baoch Republican Party, will be the first Baloch political leader and my friend Ahmar Mustikhan, founder of the American Friends of Balochistan will be the first Baloch journalist to visit Israel.

I’d also like to thank Inaf Dear Ashraf Sherjan from the Baloch Republican Party Germany for his endless efforts in educating the world. His influence has touched may people including myself and our following on social media sites.

Pakistan is indeed a very dangerous country, with fastest growing nuclear weapons program. I am disappointed to note Pakistan army generals have not learned anything from their defeat in former East Pakistan, now Bangladesh and are committing the same crimes against humanity in Balochistan. The silence of the free world and the Obama administration on the plight of Balochistan and its people are condemnable.

In conclusion, I call upon Pakistan to recognize the right to self determination of the Baloch people. Islamabad must understand demanding freedom and the right to pursuit happiness is not a crime. I am sure Balochistan will emerge on the world map as a friend of Israel.

Israel has supported the creation of an independent Kurdistan. I appeal to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanhayu to declare support for free Balochistan Just like Prime Minister Narendra Modi did on August 15 from the Red Fort.

On behalf of Israel’s Voice, we pray for a better world and peace for all. Thank you. Shalom.