Baloch

The word Baloch is spelled in various ways such as Baluch, Balouch. The Arabs call it Blushi or Al-Baloshi. There are certain unique features shared by all Baloch. There are certain characteristics which have become the hallmark and the distinguishing traits of the Baloch. Some of these characteristics are: bravery, fearlessness, honesty, loyalty, friendship, righteousness, sincerity, integrity, unfussiness and simplicity. The Baloch nation is composed of hundreds of various tribes  scattered at various places. Individuals belong to a particular tribe and are identified as such. The Baloch nation consists of different ethnic groups who have their own language or dialect. Hence, the word Baloch means Balochi people, Brahui people, Kurds (Balochi Kurds), Jatts, Jadgals, and also black people of African origin who are as Baloch as anybody else.  Hence, Baloch does not have a single racial connotation but refers to the people of Balochistan including those who have migrated into the Balochistan and have adopted Balochi Culture or those Baloch people who have migrated from Balochistan or were thrown into exile by political upheavals.

One might say that Balochistan is the land of tribes. Because Baloch are of various tribes and clans. Although, this concept is diminishing in its strengths, it still exists in rural area and in the north of Balochistan. However in the coastal region of Balochistan known as Makoran or Makkaran the concept of tribe has long faded away. People of Makoran are not dependent primarily on the land. Hence, the old tradition of land ownership and caste system which goes with it does not exist. Makoranis depend on the sea for living. They are involved in sea transport, fishing, and trade with other countries.  The Makoranis do not come from a particular tribe or caste. There are ex-landlords, ex-slaves and many others from various tribes and castes who are involved in fishing or sea trade. The original people were called "Mead" that means someone who earn his living through the sea and primarily by way of fishing. Meads were very versatile and dynamic. They moved from one coast to another. The sea was every where - from Bandar Abbas to Karachi. The interesting fact about the Meads is that they had rejected the back-ward and suppressive tribalism and the caste system long time ago.  Hence, they were, and still are, despised by the tribal chiefs. The Meads or Makoranis are much more peaceful and non-violent in comparison with the Baloch from the northern part of Balochistan who seems to be warriors and much more angry with life. This difference in temperament can be attributed to environment and brutal tribalism. The environment in the south (Makoran area) is rather humid and constant. There is no tribe to fight against. The northern part of Balochistan is mountainous and wild with hot temperatures in the summer and very cold and some times freezing weather in the winter.

Like every other nation who has been suppressed and kept back-ward, Baloch are traditional in the sense they are rather resistant to change. After all it was their cultural cohesion that made them survive throughout centuries of brutal and barbaric attacks and killings by outsiders. However, emphasis on tradition should not portray a picture of Balochistan with nomads and camels moving around and life as it was many centuries ago. Indeed Balochistan, despites deliberate deprivation by the ruling governments of Iran and Pakistan, is a modern place with all the facilities of modern life. The Baloch are very hospitable, nice and friendly. They are generally intelligent, learned, well-informed, initiated, cultivated, socially accomplished and politically attentive. Culturally, they are rich and self-dependent. The deliberate deprivation is a political tool used by the central governments of Iran and Pakistan in order to ensure Balochistan and particularly the Baloch people are kept back-ward, poor and deprived. Positive discrimination against the Baloch is rampant in every respects such as employment, land assignment, loan system, education, health and sanitation. For example 90% of government employees in Balochistan are non-Baloch. They have come from outside Balochistan. The government provides them with accommodation, clean water, free education and free healthcare. On the other hand the deprived and poor Baloch must pay for his water ( buy it by the bucket), education, health and so forth. The question is if he is unemployed, poverty-stricken, poor, and destitute, how can he pay for all these facilities which are available (in practice) only to non-Baloch. With such blatant discrimination and prejudice backed by brutal force against the Baloch, one should not be surprised to hear that the Baloch are poor and back-ward.

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