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Sindhi Diaspora Organizations (SDOs) REJECT recently promulgated Sindh Governor Ordinances

We the undersigned  Sindhi Diaspora Organizations (SDOs) that represent the most  educated, progressive and economically stable section of Sindh Civil Society and who continue to  maintain deep and robust  socio-economic and political relations with Sindh

REJECT  outright the recently promulgated Sindh Governor Ordinances that attempt to divide Sindh .

This thievery , gerrymandering and trickery by the MQM  aided by PPP  through obscure back room dealings between the MQM and the PPP in blatant disrespect of the recent parliamentary decision taken by the Sindh National Assembly restoring the Comissionerate system to Sindh as a whole, STANDS  condemned by ALL Sindhis at home and abroad.

We the Diaspora members of the Sindhi nation , who are forced to live abroad due to lack of opportunities and freedoms in our own  resource rich motherland  will defy all and any attempts to introduce Military Rule  or Civil Government Rule through Ordinances or Armed Threats

We , the Sindhi nation  will never allow our homeland to be divided politically, administratively, geographically  or militarily.

Sindhi Association of North America, SANA
World Sindhi Congress, WSC, UK-USA, Europe
World Sindhi Institute,  WSI, USA-Canada,
Sindhi Sangat of Middle East, Dubai

Asim Riaz Kaghzi
Information Secretary
Sindhi Association of North America
MOU signed between SANA and Engro Foundation Pakistan for Rehabilitation of Flood Affected Farmers in Sindh

Sindhi Association of North America to Utilize $150K Raised Donations for the Rehabilitation of Flood Affected Farmers in Sindh Pakistan

Garden Grove, CA, Sindhi Association of North America (SANA), a non-profit organization based in USA and Canada announced today of its signing the Memorandum of Understanding with Engro Foundation, Pakistan for the partnership project to rehabilitate farmer communities in District Dadu, Sindh, Pakistan. The Memorandum was signed between Dr Veleed Shaikh, the President SANA and Tahir Jawaid, a Trustee of Engro Foundation.

In Fall 2010, Pakistan faced one of the worst flood in the living history. The flood took the lives of more than 2000 people and livelihood of more than 20 million people in Pakistan. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called a
"slow-motion tsunami." Comparing the number of people affected by the floods in Pakistan in 2010, Mr Ki-moon said, "That is more than the entire population hit by the Indian Ocean tsunami, the Kashmir earthquake, Cyclone Nargis, and the earthquake in Haiti – combined."

More than 10 million people were affected in Sindh, losing their homes, livelihood, villages and loved ones. More than 5000 villages and towns have totally disappeared from the face of the earth. More than 40% of farmland in
Sindh is still under water and perhaps will not be ready for planting of next year’s crops. The floods have severely damaged the communication networks and infrastructure in Sindh province.

SANA Flood Relief Committee with the coordination of Dr Aijaz Turk and its members namely, Ms Noornisa Ghaghro, Mr. Jamil Daudi, Dr Saghir Shaikh, Dr Valeed Shaikh and Mr Asim Kaghzi, raised about $150,000 USD with grass root efforts of it members and friends throughout the USA and Canada.

About $24,000 (approx PKR 20 lacs) were sent in Fall 2010 to Sindh Graduates’ Association, an non-profit organization in Sindh, to support of a few relief camps in Karachi.

SANA shall be spending US $124,000 (approx. PKR One Crore) in buying the milk producing livestock to approximately 100 farmers in flood affected villages in District Dadu - one of the worst hit area in Pakistan. It has partnered with Engro Foundation, which shall be responsible for execution of the project and providing the logistic an planning support. A deliberate effort will be carried out to involve women farmers. It is estimated that project of buying and supplying the livestock will be carried out in 3 months. Both SANA and Engro Foundation will jointly monitoring the progress of the rehabilitation for twelve months.

“We wanted to spend major portion of funds in rehabilitation effort, we wanted to help people of flood affected areas rebuild their lives, our goal was to identify a project and a reliable partner, this project of live stock restocking addresses both challenges,” said Dr Valeed Shaikh , the President of SANA.

“In our focus areas of Sindh over 3.5 million livestock have been affected in Kashmore, Shikarpur, Larkana, Jacobabad and Dadu.”, said Mr Jiwan Das, Director Engro Foundation.

Engro Foundation is very wlel placed to carry this kind of project as it has also partnered with USAID, Pakistan for the rehabilitation of livestock in other flood affected areas of Sindh under the project named ‘Khushaal Livestock’
program.

“It is a small contribution for a big disaster but for SANA it is big achievement and we owe this to the victims. It is tragic time for our people in Sindh,” said Dr Aijaz Turk.

“This is a great display of a grass-root effort” said, Ms Noornisa Ghanghro Vice President SANA, “SANA members, friends, and American and Canadians public opened their hearts and wallets to raise these funds. Many individuals and
organizations came forward to help,” she added.

It has been reported in International media, that even six months after the worst floods in the history of Pakistan, millions are still in dire need of assistance, and there are new warnings about malnutrition in the worst-hit
province, Sindh. But money donated to the prime minister's relief fund has still not been spent.

Dr Maqbool Halepota,General Secretary SANA said that the SANA shall continue raising funds for such projects. The relief and rehabilitation will take years to normalize, added Mr Halepota.

Flood relief work and fund raising campaign updates can be viewed at http://sanafloodfund.blogspot.com/

About Sindhi Association of North America (SANA): SANA is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization to unite Sindhis in North America and everywhere; to defend the historic national rights of Sindhi people; to foster friendship and understanding between Sindhis and other nationalities; to educate people about Sindhi Civilization, philosophy, values, language, literature, history and heritage; to carry out educational and relief work in Sindh and other provide resources for Sindhis living in North America. For more information visit http://www.sanalist.org/

About Engro Foundation: Engro Foundation is committed to growth of sustainable societies in which people have access to choices and opportunities for development. The Foundation serves as a single platform for community engagement activities and social investments of Engro affiliates. By pooling their financial and managerial resources under the Foundation, Engro affiliates seek to create large scale social impact. For more information visit http://www.engro.com/flood/.
The Sindhi association of North America (SANA) held its 26th annual convention in Houston Texas, USA, from 2-to 5th July, 2010. Theme of the convention was “Sindhi Youth and Future of SANA”.

Sindhi families and individuals from all over from USA, Caribbean, Sindh and other places attended the convention. More than four hundred gathered at the convention and showed their love for Sindh.

Chairman local organizing committee Zafar Agha welcomed present Executive council of SANA in Houston to conduct this memorable convention.

Welcome speech delivered by present general secretary of SANA Dr. Shabir Shaikh. President SANA Valeed Shaikh declared the convention open.

Former General Secretary of SANA, Irshad Kazi talked about the journey of 26 years of SANA and its role to bring together Sindhi community living in USA and Canada.

Information Secretary Aijaz Memon presented a report that SANA is planning to launch educational TV channel in Sindh to spread education in remote areas of Sindh. And discuss the progress of this project that SANA is planning to buy a TV channel already working in Pakistan.

New web site of SANA was launched and inaugurated by SANA EC and invited guests. Masood Baloch, the man behind the website, explained various features of the new website. He said it is more interactive and includes more options. It also has links to websites to listen Sindhi music and Sindhi videos.

This year Convention has significance that involved Sindhi youth living in different states of America and conducted half-day session involving youth’s presentations and different entertainment activities. Youth groups were divided in three categories having sessions according to their interests. A quiz competition was conducted for children under 12 years age group to refresh their memories about family relations names in Sindhi, where large number of children joyfully participated and participants enjoyed cute American English style Sindhi pronunciation of relations in Sindhi by those children.

Under seventeen age youth group included Marui Shaikh, Rehman Memon, Shayan Shaikh, Paras Imdad Sehar, Anshal Brohi, Mashal Brohi talked about Geography, culture, and famous personalities of Sindh and Importance of Sindh in their PowerPoint presentations. This session moderated by Dr. Ali Shaikh.

For above 17 years age group a separate session was moderated by Amal Agha and Omad Jani. Six young panelists included Saagar Shaikh, Marvi Turk, Bakhtawar Hafiz, Shumaila Panhwar, FaryalShaikh, Amal Agha and Omad Jani. All panelist delivered very energetic and emotional speeches and presented their vision of SANA and their role to make SANA attractive for Sindhi youth living in America.

They presented practical and feasible suggestion such as they said that Sindhi families living in USA speak English with their children while this can be reverse. So the young generation will be able to peak Sindhi more fluently which lead their more involvement towards Sindh and Sindhi culture.

They said huge number of Sindhi youth living here is ready to get involved in practical projects for the economic and social development of Sindh and they are eager to lead those projects which can coordinate youth living in Sindh and here in USA.

They suggested SANA leadership to involve more youth in SANA decision making level such as having vice president youth in executive council of SANA.

Litrary session Sindhi Adbi Sangat moderated by Irshad Qazi. Aijaz Turk, Jamil Daudi, Munawar Laghari, Jami Chandio and Aziz Narejo read the poetry of different poets. Sardar Ali Shah visiting from Sindh shared his own poetry. Mumtaz Chang and Mohammad Ali Mahar also recited their poetry.

Medical Seminar was moderated by Hafeez Abbasi where he talked about heart diseases. Dr. Aijaz Turk talked about Colone Cancer and Dr. Sattar Shaikh talked about diabetes.

General Body meeting started by GS Dr. Shabir shaikh and presented last year progress report. Treasurer and information secretary presented their repots.

Fame fund progress presented by Mr Zafar Agha.

Aziz Narejo presented resolutions those were approved by general body. This session concluded by president SANA DR. Valeed shaikh.

General body discussed that how to improve working of SANA, expansion of its membership, donation and contributions and to start charity work in Sindh.

General Body also focused on the Involvement of youth in SANA.

Guest speaker session: Present Day Sindh-water issue and Economy of Sindh moderated by Mohammad Ali Mahar. Speakers  included ANG Abbasi, Sono khangharani, Dr Jan Mohammad Memon, Adnan Kehar and Aslam Balouh.

Senior member of Sindh Abadgar Board Aslam Balouch talked about the present Agricultural situation in Sindh and how water scarcity has lead to poverty in Sindh. He said lack of sincere efforts by government has worsened the situation.

Dr. Sono Khangharani  cheif executive of Thardeep and Sindh Rural Support organization discussed the progress and importance of Sindh rural support based programs in joint venture with government of Pakistan where he said at this stage they were working in six districts of Sindh.  Next year they will expand to more districts. He said this project aims to reduce poverty in Sindh through integrated development.

Adnan Kehar talked about the efforts to establish and sustain IBA sukkur. He said in future they wanted to uplift this institution to university level. Purpose of the institution is to provide international quality education to students belonging to rural areas of Sindh.

ANG Abbasi in his keynote address said that before construction of any dam anywhere in Pakistan assessment should be made to see the availability of water in that area. He said there is a need to make strategy to use surplus water. He said 1991 water accord should be implemented. He said even though Sindhis accepted this accord, justice was not being done to Sindh.

Second part of Guest speaker session moderated by ex president  of SANA Aziz Narejo. Topic of this session was present day sindh- Socio political conditions in Sindh. Invited guests for this session included Jami Chandio, Zulifqar Halepoto, Dr Qader Magsi and Ram Jethmalani.

A sindhi writer and journalist Jami Chandio focused on the need to establish institutions that  can create leadership for future. He said in urban Sindh, Sindhi middle class has started emerging but facing challenge to continue Sindhi language to next generation because children are taught in Urdu or English.

He said we had galaxy of role model in every field but now we are not preparing role model for future generation. He emphasized on the importance of collective work for national cause and for that we need to change our behavior from individualism to collectivism.

Zulifqar Halepoto talked on 18th amendment and situation of Pakistan. He said that it was a gender blind amendment. He said presently Sindhi writers feeling themselves directionless he said it is important to change ourselves before talking about the changing society.

Dr Qadir Magsi emphasized on the importance of language and culture. He said weakening language means weakening roots of a people. He said Sindh is moving in wrong direction. We are creating more corrupt and broker class. He said we have to progress with new vision, we wanted our integrity back. Sindhi are peaceful and secular nation. He said I wanted to suggest every American Sindhi family to speak Sindhi in their home so their children can come closer to Sindh and Sindhi culture

Chief Guest Ram Jethmalani, former Indian Union minister, member Rajya Sabha and president of the Supreme Court of India said that I am representative of scattered Sindhi people living around the globe. He said I was forcefully separated from my land during partition of subcontinent. I have experienced a living of refugee but I never thought about revenge. In the refugee camp, I decided that if India and Pakistan will not become friends they both will be destroyed, and with that belief I have lived in India. He said I wanted to claim that Pakistan doesn’t have any better friend then me in India. He said I respect all religions and every person has to live his life according to his religious believes.

He said I think it would be not great exaggeration if I say all ships and all the navies of world can swim comfortably in the ocean of innocent blood, which has been shade in the name of religion.

He said corrupt politician and education has a conflict of interest. Once a voter becomes educated then he asks why I am poor and you are rich so corrupt politician always wanted people uneducated.

He said I have thought to share with youth that please have a courage to speak the truth. We are going through very delicate situation today if our youngster do not learn and pickup the courage to speak the truth democracy will never survive, freedom will disappear from your hand and future will remain in the dark.

His emphasis was on the need and importance of education. He said no society can survive without education. Democracy with out education is hypocrisy without limits.

He said there are two signs of Sindhi sabhita (culture). One is internal which is to serve the people and the other one is language. He said essence of sindhyat is secularism.

SANA Convention ended with Banquet Dinner with musical night where Sindhi artists from Sindh Humaira Channa and Arshad Mehmood performed Sindhi songs.

Press Release prepared by Noornisa Ghanghro
Houston TX,   November 11, 2005
SANA supports the national languages' amendment bill
Sindhi Association of North America (SANA) welcomes and fully supports the Constitutional Amendment Bill presented by MNA Abdul Mujib Pirzado in the National Assembly to declare Sindhi, Punjabi, Siraiki, Pushto and Balochi as national languages of the country. A statement issued in USA today said that the amendment is a step in the right direction and would fulfill a longstanding demand of the people of the four federating units of Pakistan.

SANA feels that the five languages spoken by the majority of people in Pakistan should get their rightful place in the country and the government should provide necessary funding and infrastructure for the preservation and promotion of these languages.

SANA appeals to the members of the National Assembly to adopt the amendment bill with an overwhelming majority. It will send a positive message to the people of Pakistan and undo injustices meted out to the indigenous languages and cultures of the country.

Aziz Narejo
President
Sindhi Association of North America

President SANA requests all the list members to please call the MNA's from their areas to support the bill. They should also talk to their friends from other provinces to do the same. The names and phone numbers of the MNA's can be found at the following links:

http://www.pildat.org/MNA/alpha.asp?R=A
http://www.na.gov.pk/members.htm
Washington DC,  July 3, 2005
SANA President, Mr. Aziz Narejo addressed a press conference on the occasion of the 21st Annual SANA Convention on 3rd July in Washington, DC. Here is the text of the press statement. Later journalists asked some questions, which were appropriately answered:

Dear friends and colleagues,
We have presented to you the resolutions adopted at the General Body Session. I won't repeat them here. I would like to emphasize only a few points. But before that, I would like to talk a little about (SANA) Sindhi Association of North America.

Friends, SANA is a membership  based, democratic, representative and mainstream organization of Sindhi immigrants in USA and Canada. It is mainly a social and cultural organization. It is secular in character and welcomes all the community members irrespective of their faith, belief or political orientation. We have members that belong to different political ideologies and also with democratic or republican leanings.

We try to bring together our community here and hold regional gatherings and annual conventions.

We are not a political organization and neither are we affiliated in any way with any political party or a group. We have never accepted any outside funding - and rely on membership dues, community contributions and sponsorships to meet our expenses.

Having said all that, I would like to emphasize that we follow our bylaws and the consensus of our community when we comment on political, economic, social, cultural, human rights and other issues in Pakistan. We firmly support a secular democratic dispensation in Pakistan and don't want to see any military role in the civilian affairs. It is our firm belief that the four federating units of Pakistan should be treated at par and should have equal stake in the country. Maximum provincial autonomy should be accorded to them as that is the only safeguard against rather frequent military takeovers.

We think that direct military rule or military dominated governments are against the spirit of a "true federation“ actually they are the negation of the federation  thus they undermine the stability and the integrity of the country. They have proved fatal for the country in the past and would harm it in the future.

We don't mind who governs the country meaning that a Prime Minister could be from any province as long as he/she is elected through a credible and independent election and as long as the establishment or its agencies have no role in the process.

Through your good offices we demand that democracy should be restored in Pakistan and the military should go back to barracks and do their duties as enshrined in the Constitution. Other things we have mentioned in the resolutions.

Resolutions passed at the 21st. SANA Annual Convention at Washington, DC

The general body of the Sindhi Association of North America (SANA), during its 21st. Annual Convention, held from July 1 - 4, 2005, in Washington, DC, adopts the following resolutions:

  1. Political Victimization of Opponents: The general body (GB) of SANA condemns the highhandedness of the ruling regime of Pakistan in general, and Sindh in particular. It is a matter of great concern that even a gentle soul like Jam Saqi is not immune from the terrorization perpetrated by the present puppet government in Sindh. SANA demands that all the political and other victimization must end in Pakistan and in Sindh and the people be allowed their birthright of dissent and freedom of expression.
  2. NFC Award: SANA GB demands that the distribution of financial resources be made on the basis of revenue generation among other factors and the policy of appeasement to one particular province at the cost of others be abandoned forthwith. The GB is concerned that by blocking the just award of NFC, the federal government of Pakistan is depriving Sindh of its rightful share of billions of rupees.
  3. Priority to education, health: SANA demands drastic cuts to the huge military budget and diversion of funds to education, health and other social sector projects.
  4. Provincial Autonomy: SANA is of the view that the provincial autonomy is the core issue in Pakistan and at the center of many ills in the country. SANA demands that the provinces be granted autonomy according to the 1940 Resolution.
  5. Sindhi should be made National Language: SANA demands that Sindhi be made one of the national languages of Pakistan besides Punjabi, Siraiki, Pushto and Balochi.
  6. Division of Districts and Towns: The SANA GB reminds the present Chief Minister of Sindh and his unpopular Sindh Government that their policy of dividing districts and town to benefit an ethnic group is harming the permanent interests of the people of Sindh. The GB demands that the policy to divide the districts, talukas and town on ethnic basis must end as it will create permanent split in the province and would be harmful for the peace and harmony.
  7. Return to unadulterated Democracy: The SANA GB demands of the military government of Pakistan to return power to the people, who are sovereign and the real masters of their destiny. The GB observes that whenever there is a military government in power, it is always Sindh that has to suffer the most due to its non-representation in the armed forces. Even now a number of military officers, are occupying prized positions in Sindh, at the cost of Sindhi civil servants, and making decisions contrary to the interest of Sindh.
  8. Just Distribution of Water: The SANA GB observes that while the towns in the NWFP and Punjab provinces are under the threat of submerging due to floods in Kabul and Indus rivers, not a single drop of water is flowing downstream from Kotri barrage, thus leaving Badin and other towns of Sindh in the worst kind of drought. It is due to the highhandedness and unjust policy of the masters ruling the country with an iron fist that hundreds of thousands of acres of fertile land in the southern Sindh are turned into barren, sandy marshes or taken over by the sea. The SANA GB calls upon the powers that be to abandon the anti-Sindh schemes of Kalabagh and other dams and stop the construction of Greater Thal Canal forthwith. The SANA GB warns the government of Pakistan that by continuing with these anti-Sindhi schemes, it is greatly jeopardizing the unity and integrity of the federation.
  9. Unsafe drinking water: SANA is concerned that a vast majority of the people don’t have an access to safe drinking water. Most of the sources of drinking water including the Indus River, canals, lakes and reservoirs have been poisoned due to the unprocessed drainage of human, industrial and agricultural waste. SANA demands immediate measures of the provision of potable water to all the people and compensation to the affectees of the RBOD and LBOD.
  10. Land allotments to Military: SANA demands an end to the allotment of agricultural, residential and commercial land to the military personnel.
  11. Justice through Jirga: The SANA GB condemns the new practice of endorsement of Jirga system by the government of Sindh in the name of reconciliation and settlement. The GB reminds the chief minister of Sindh that the Sindh High Court has outlawed such practices of deciding bloody feuds by non-judicial people; therefore, by encouraging jirgas he is committing the contempt of court. The GB demands of the government of Sindh to stop the illegal practice of Jirga system, continuation of which will greatly harm the civil society and take the Sindhi people to dark ages.
  12. SANA condemns the government for hushing up the ghastly crime of rape against Dr Shazia Khalid, a lady doctor in Sui, Balochistan. It demands that an impartial inquiry be instituted and culprits brought to the justice. SANA also demands justice to Mukhtaran Mai and other victims.
  13. SANA demands protection to minorities in Sindh and Pakistan and stop atrocities against them.
  14. SANA expresses concern over the lawlessness in Sindh and Pakistan and demands immediate steps to establish the writ of law.
Los Angeles, California,  February 14th 2004
Sindhi Association of North America, SANA, has expressed solidarity with the people’s struggle in Sindh against the Greater Thal Canal and other mega water projects including the proposed Kalabagh Dam. Mr. Sani Panhwar, president SANA, said in a statement issued here today that the present government’s water policies are creating disharmony in the country. He urged that the government should immediately stop these dangerous and most divisive projects and should instead build a consensus on alternate projects.

Mr. Panhwar cited the multiple resolutions passed by the Sindh, NWFP and Balochistan assemblies against the proposed Kalabagh Dam and the Sindh Assembly resolutions against the Greater Thal Canal. He also mentioned the recent massive rally in Karachi against the Greater Thal Canal and KB Dam. The government should listen to the demands by the JSQM workers staging hunger strike unto death in Karachi and should take immediate steps so no harm comes to any precious life, he said.

Mr. Panhwar demanded that the government should ensure that Sindh gets its due share in water, NFC, employment and development projects. He warned that continuation of injustices would deepen the prevalent crises and would be highly detrimental to the federation.
October 5th 2003
SANA Condemns Assassination of Young Journalist

Los Angeles, CA (USA): Sindhi Association of North America, SANA, has strongly condemned the killing of a young journalist, Ameer Bux Brohi, in Shikarpur, Sindh. SANA, in a press statement issued in Los Angeles, CA today expressed grave concern over the safety of journalists working in a province, hard hit by lawlessness.

The statement said the situation is extraordinarily precarious in the North and the Northwest of the province. These parts have specially become a no go area due to the influence of tribal gangs and the inhuman Jirga system, in which the crimes are committed by the members of the tribal Mafia and then these cases are taken to the tribal leaders, who patronize the criminals.

The SANA spokesman cited the assassination of Shahid Soomro, another young journalist in Kandhkot, in the Northwest Sindh, last year. The murder case couldn't go to the courts as his killers belonged to the family of the influential Bijarani tribe. It was decided by the so-called tribal Jirga.

SANA has demanded the immediate arrest of the assailants of Ameer Bux Brohi and has called upon the journalist and human rights organizations in Pakistan and the world over to take the notice of the lawlessness and high rate of crime in Sindh, where the government has utterly failed to provide security to the people. There are hundreds of cases of honor killings, kidnappings for ransom, murders and other heinous crimes reported in Press.

SANA Spokesperson
USA
July 30th 2003
Sindhi Association of North America, SANA, has expresses it’s concern over the news reports suggesting that the Governor and the Chief Minister of Sindh are about to make major concessions on the life-threatening issue of the ‘Greater Thal Canal’, construction of other dams and water projects upstream and the distribution of financial resources among the provinces. SANA, the mainstream organization of Sindhis living in North America, has cautioned the present Sindh leadership against taking any steps that may harm the interests of the people of Sindh.

SANA Spokesperson, commenting on a proposed meeting between the governors and chief ministers of Sindh and Punjab in Lahore on July 30th, said any decisions taken in such a meeting would be unconstitutional and will have no bearing as all the inter-provincial matters are supposed to be discussed in the Council of Common Interests, CCI, according to the Articles 153-155 of the Constitution.

He said the Federal Government should forthwith stop the work on the ‘Greater Thal Canal’ as the people of Sindh have rejected the project and the provincial assembly has passed two resolutions against it. No major water projects should be undertaken without the expressed consent of the people of Sindh, he demanded.

SANA expressed complete solidarity with the Anti Greater Thal Committee in its call for hunger strike against the proposed meeting slated for July 30th. It called on all the people in Sindh to fully support the call made by the AGTCAC and participate in the strike. SANA also called upon the fair-minded people in all the other provinces to stand by the just demand of the people of Sindh.

NEWS REPORT (AWAMI AWAZ)
(Statement read at the joint SANA, WSC, WSI press conference held at the National Press Club in Washington, DC on June 24)

Army rule, a cancer for society
Members of the press corps, ladies and gentlemen,

We are here today to present the case of the people of Sindh and Pakistan who have long been suffering under military regimes. The years of autocratic rule in the country have played havoc with the psyche of the people. The military rulers have introduced large-scale corruption that has damaged and mutilated the face of the society beyond recognition. They have created a class of people, with a vested interest in the continuation of army rule - a worst kind of opportunism with an inborn malice towards democratic set up and disregard for the law of the land and the Constitution.

The history of the armed forces’ invasion of the civil society goes back to the early 1950s when the army under its ambitious commander, General Ayub Khan started to spread its tentacles. General Khan maneuvered to subjugate all branches of the society. He engineered frequent dismissals of the governments and the dissolution of the elected assembly. He finally captured power on 27th October 1958. Since then, army has been ruling the country - for most part through direct rule - and for the remainder – through its proxies, by intimidation and the brute use of the rangers and the intelligence agencies. The present regime is the continuation of that evil scheme of things.

To perpetuate its hegemony, the army has imposed a Unitarian set up, which denies provincial autonomy to the provinces. A large part of the national budget is appropriated for the armed forces exclusive use. To further control the things, a huge demon has been created in the form of ISI, the Inter Services Intelligence agency. First established in 1948, it was strengthened under the army dictators, Ayub Khan and Zia to consolidate the junta role in all the spheres of the society.

We hear of a state within a state or a government within a government but in this case, we have a state ABOVE state and a government ABOVE government. ISI, which has grown too big for its boots, is no longer answerable to anybody. The result is that there has been no real supervision of the ISI. Corruption, narcotics, and big money have all come into play, further complicating the political scenario. Drug money has been used by ISI to finance not only the previous Afghanistan war, but also the other ongoing proxy wars.  It has large sums of money at its disposal, which are used very effectively to enforce ironclad hold over society in the country and create mischief elsewhere.

It were the intelligence agencies, which created and supported fundamentalist forces in the country. These forces have continuously been used against the secular and democratic forces. Later they were also used to train ‘Mujahideen’ for wars abroad. And now one of their utilities is to create a ruse to blackmail the United States and other western countries.

ISI’s Political wing with enormous resources at its disposal, has been used to manage, or in other words, rig all the elections held since 1980s in order to deny the popular, secular, democratic political forces any effective role in the affairs of the state. The formation of Islami Jamhoori Ittehad, IJI, in 1988, to defeat and or to contain the Pakistan Peoples Party of Benazir Bhutto and the distribution of huge amounts of money to achieve that goal, have been acknowledged by former ISI operatives.

Ladies and Gentlemen: Pakistan happens to be situated right in the heart of a very sensitive part of the world. A war on terrorism is underway in Afghanistan and within Pakistan's own borders. Its next door neighbors in Central Asia claim huge oil and gas reserves. An outlet, a pipeline, to carry natural gas, could pass through Pakistan. It has countries like Iran, India and China surrounding it. And then there is its proximity to Russia, the Persian Gulf and the Middle East.

I fail to understand how such an important country has been left to a highly unstable government? That is what Musharraf government is a government based on fraud and illegality. An artificial set up. A general, who was dismissed by a Prime Minister, instead of respecting his authority, staged a coup against the government. He committed high treason according to the Article 6 of the Constitution and imposed himself on the country without any mandate.

This shaky government, which has no roots in the ground, can perish in thin air at any time leaving behind a great mess as such governments have in the past. This government is creating divisions in the country and pushing it to destruction and disintegration as such governments have in the past. This government can bring wars and sufferings to the people as all the past wars there have been fought under military governments. How can such an unstable government serve the interests of peace? Interests of the civilized world?

Ladies and Gentlemen: The majority of the people of Pakistan consider the present government and the army rule as a cancer for the society. All the political parties worth a name want a return to democracy, provincial autonomy and restoration of the 1973 constitution in its original form. They are protesting in the parliament and the provincial assemblies and marching on the streets. The lawyers, as the other sections of the society, have categorically rejected the whimsical “Legal Framework Order”, the LFO, issued by dictator Musharraf, unilaterally amending the constitution.

The regime is unleashing state power to silence all the opposition. It has arrested, tortured, kidnapped and imprisoned elected representatives of the people. The regime has denied basic human rights to the people. It has curbed the press freedom. It uses all the means to keep the media in line! It uses high-handed methods when some journalists stand up and refuse to bow down. Such journalists are manhandled by the plain-clothes men, a code word for ISI thugs.

Some incidents to point out are the recent resignation of the editor of weekly Independent. The editor, a courageous journalist, who refused to cower down, was pressured to resign from his paper, which subsequently changed its policy. Supporting the regime now! Another case in point is that of a senior journalist, former Chief Correspondent of Pakistan’s leading English daily newspaper ‘Dawn’ and ex-editor of daily ‘The News’, another major newspaper from Pakistan. When he exposed the corruption in the government, he was forced to resign. That courageous journalist, Mr. Shaheen Sehbai, started a weekly Internet newspaper, satribune here in USA. As he continued exposing the real face of this so-called clean government, his relatives were maltreated in Pakistan. False cases were registered against one of his relatives. And now the government has blocked his paper through the servers over which the government has monopoly in the country.

Ladies and Gentlemen: I think the crimes of the dictators should be considered as crimes against humanity. And with shrinking international borders, if SARS doesn’t take too long to reach the shores of North America, so may these crimes against humanity. They may affect the polity in the civilized world and may endanger the institutions here as well.

I would ask you to consider just one scenario: I know it is unthinkable but just for the sake of making a point: suppose one fine morning an army general captures power in a civilized country, imposes Martial Law and changes the constitution at will. And then think of a foreign country that supports, protects and does business with that general. What would you think of that country, which is supporting and protecting the usurper? Unfortunately, that is exactly the perception that the people of Pakistan have about the United States’ support to all the military dictatorships in that unfortunate land!

In my opinion, the policy makers of this nation, would do a lot good to their long term objectives if they would elect to side with the people of Pakistan – the democratic forces in the country - instead of supporting and protecting the corrupt to the core military officers, who by now are universally despised in the country. And one should not forget that anybody seen doing business with them wouldn’t earn friendship of the common men - that is the men and women on the street.

In the end, I would like to request members of the media, the think tanks, the intellectuals, the government and all the pro-democracy people to come to the aid of the people of Sindh and Pakistan. Please extend a hand of real friendship to the people – not to the army men, who have become parents of all the ills in Pakistan and have occupied every thing of value in the country: They are of course the military bureaucracy but now they are the civilian bureaucracy as well. They have become the feudals, the industrialists, the businessmen, the traders, the diplomats, the owners of prize real estate, smugglers of the contraband and most of all the armed Mafia!

The people of Sindh and those of many other parts of Pakistan don’t want a big army. They don’t want the arms race in the region. They don't want the dirty bombs. They don’t want any chemical or atomic weapons.

Ladies and Gentlemen: so many people have said it for so many times, but I would still like to repeat it that the people of Sindh and Pakistan don't ask for the stars or the moon. They just want to live in peace with rights that are taken for granted in the civilized, democratic world. They want a rightful, dignified place in the comity of nations. Let's help them achieve that achievable goal.
Thanks
Lawndale CA
June 17, 2002

People in Sindh are facing unprecedented hardships in all spheres of life. They have been denied basic human rights, opportunities in economic development and due share in national resources. The most lethal injustice is being committed against them in the shape of the construction of illegal 'Greater Thal Canal' and denial of its due share in NFC award.

In these circumstances, it is heartening to know that political forces and other people belonging to different sections of society in Sindh are coming together to launch a decisive struggle against the construction of Greater Thal Canal. The Sindhi Association of North America, SANA expresses its solidarity with the people of Sindh, who are engaged in democratic struggle for their rights.

In the same spirit, SANA has joined hands with other two organizations in North America, WSC and WSI to hold a press conference at the National Press Club in Washigton, DC and to stage a rally the same day in the capital to coincide with the visit there by dictator Musharraf, whose government has surpassed all the records of injustices against the people of Sindh.

SANA appeals all the Sindhis and other peace loving, pro-democracy people living in Washington, DC area to attend in big numbers the press conference and the rally. The timings of both the events are as follows:

9-10 AM Press Conference

The National Press Club, 529 14th Street, NW, 13th
Floor, Zenger Room, (202) 662-7500

12 NOON-2 PM Rally & Protest

McPherson Square, 15th & H Streets, NW

SANA has arranged another rally in Los Angeles during the presence of Pakistani dictator in the city to highlight the plight of Sindh and Sindhis.  The details of the rally will be communicated shortly.

Mohammad Ali Mahar
General Secretary, SANA
mamahar@hotmail.com
Lawndale CA
November 12, 2002

SANA Condemns Attempts by Government, Local Elders to Protect Murderers of shaheed Shahid Soomro
Sindhi Association of North American (SANA) while mourning the tragic death of a brave journalist, Shahid Soomro at the hands of the sons of a Bijarani Sardar, condemns in the strongest terms the attempts by the local ‘elders’ to coerce the relations of Shahid Soomro into an out of court settlement through a so-called Jirga in order to protect the murderers.

SANA deplores that the jirga system, which used to be an excellent tool for the poor to get quick and timely justice in the days bygone, has become an instrument in the hands of mighty in Sindh to pressurize and punish the weak and protect rich and powerful.

SANA finds it unfortunate that those who should have been in the vanguard of justice have started to serve as petty brokers for the local waderas in case of Shahid Soomro’s murder.

SANA also condemns the callous attitude of the governments of Pakistan and Sindh  -- which left no stone unturned to unearth the criminals involved in the murder of Daniel Pearl, an American journalist, but have adopted a criminal indifference in case of a Sindhi journalist’s murder. SANA finds both governments guilty of ineptitude in that they have failed to protect lives and property of common man in Sindh and as a result dacoities, rape, and kidnapping have become the order of the day.  SANA condemns the government for not taking notice of the connivance of the local police which is playing hand-in-glove with the Bijarani feudal lords and trying to favor the murderers of the martyred journalist.

SANA assures the relatives of shaheed Shahid Soomro, who have heroically avowed not to rest until the murderers are taken to the gallows, of its fullest support and heartily congratulates them for the brave resistance that they have put up against the intimidating and coercive attempts of the supporters of the killers to pressurize them into a settlement in the name of jirga.

Mohammad Ali Mahar
General Secretary,
Sindhi Association of North America (SANA)
mamahar@hotmail.com

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Lawndale, CA
October 1, 2002

Mr. Ali Kazi
Kawish Television Network
Hyderabad, Sindh
SANA Congratulates Kawish on Launching of KTN.

Dear Mr. Kazi
On behalf of Sindhi Association of North America (SANA) it is my privilege to congratulate the Kawish team on launching of the first ever Sindhi television channel, Kawish Television Network (KTN). The need for such a strong medium to give a voice to the otherwise underrepresented people of the Sindh was being felt for a very long time.

Keeping in view the strong bias of the official Pakistani electronic media against the regional languages and cultures, especially Sindhi, we hope that KTN will be able to bring to the world the hidden and still unexplored cornucopia of this one of the most arresting cultures of the world as well as provide better and unhindered opportunities for the local artistry to exploit their full potential. We also hope that the channel will resist all undemocratic moves of the government might to block the truth and present without fear or favor a clear and untainted picture of the events unfolding in the Sindh.

SANA considers launching of KTN channel, especially at the time when Sindh needs its voice to be heard by the whole world loudly and clearly, as a vital step in the right direction and thanking the Kawish team once again extends the full hand of cooperation.

Mohammad Ali Mahar
General Secretary,
Sindhi Association of North America (SANA)

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Lawndale, CA
October 1, 2002

SANA Condemns Illegal and Unethical Construction of Akhori Dam
Sindhi  Association of North America (SANA) condemns in the strongest possible terms the conspiracy hatched by the undemocratic regime in Pakistan  to build Akhori Dam - a new dam of the same magnitude as the condemned Kalabagh Dam on the River Indus. SANA would like to remind the people of Pakistan that such unilateral and unjustifiable decisions taken by the self appointed rulers of the country to appease only one set of people have  harmed the harmony  among the peoples and hampered the solidarity of Pakistan in the past and will not bode well for the future of the country.

In a situation where once fertile lands in Sindh have been turned barren due to illegal construction of dams and canals in the upstream areas in northern Pakistan; due to unfair distribution of Indus water by the people manning WAPDA and IRSA; and due to a powerful military lobby trying desperately to irrigate their lands in Thal and Cholistan desert at Sindh’s cost, we consider the construction of a new dam a fatal blow to the life and agriculture in Sindh. In a situation where even the drinking water has become scarce in some areas of Sindh, the construction of a gigantic storage reservoir will only mean death to the already famine-stricken Sindh.

SANA strongly objects to the manner in which such important decision are taken at the whims of one group of persons in blatant disregard to the wishes of the people of Sindh and other smaller provinces. SANA call upon the justice-loving people of Pakistan to resist such divisive moves of the undemocratic and repressive regime with full might and raise their voice in unison with that of Sindhi people so that a message could be delivered to the dictators that the rights of the Sindhi people shall be protected at all cost.

Mohammad Ali Mahar
General Secretary,
Sindhi Association of North America (SANA)

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April 10, 2001

CONGRATULATIONS! PROUD CHILDREN OF SINDH: SANA'S SINDH RIGHTS COMMITTEE COMMENDS LONG MARCH FOR SINDH RIGHTS AND CONDEMNS BRUTAL TREATMENT BY PAKISTANI GOVERNMENT.

Arlington, TX, USA, APRIL 10, 2001 -- Sindhi Association of North America's Sindh Rights Committee (SANA's SRC), congratulates Sindhiani Tahreek, Awami Tahreek and its leaders Jeeji Zareena Baloch and Rasool Bux Palijo and all participants and supporters of long march for triumphant conclusion of their first phase of historic journey. Sindhi community of North America and SANA's Sindh Rights Committee are resolved to maintain their solidarity with Sindhi people's democratic struggle for their individual and collective human rights.

Iqbal Tareen, Chairman, Sindh Rights Committee (SRC) assured that Sindhis living in North America are committed to support any initiative which ENSURES IMPLEMENTATION OF INDUS WATER DISTRIBUTION BASED ON SINDH-PUNJAB AGREEMENT OF 1945 AND PREVENTS CONSTRUCTION OF ANY STRUCTURE INCLUDING KALABAGH DAM OR SIMILAR DAMS CAUSING WATER PIRACY BY UPPER RIPARIAN OF PUNJAB AND OBSTRUCTION OF FREE FLOW OF RIVER INDUS TO LOWER RIPARIAN OF SINDH.

SANA's SRC condemns Pakistani police for barbaric treatment of Sindhi leader Mr. Palijo and inhuman violence against women and small children who were peacefully exercising their God given right of assembly and freedom of speech. Inflicting injuries on baby Soonhan Gopang, Sindhi veteran leader Rasool Bux Palijo, Peeral Bhano, Ponam Menghawar and other peaceful protesters manifests the inherent cowardliness of the dictatorial regime in Pakistan.

Mr. Tareen said that the Sindhi people have reached their threshold of patience. The constant provocation of Sindhi people will result into an avalanche of anger never witnessed before.  SRC also warned that continued violations of Sindh's primary right over the Indus water ownership will lead to an irreversible tragedy in South Asia. No one else but the poor governance, greed of the ruling classes and the dictatorship of the majority will be held responsible for the future losses.

Mr. Tareen demanded immediate release of all prisoners of conscience including those arrested in the long march. SANA's SRC also demanded immediate institution of sovereignty of small provinces, restoration of democracy and rights of other minorities in Pakistan.

Media Contact: Aziz Narejo
Email:  anarejo@prodigy.net
March 25th, 2001
Sindhi Association of North America is outraged at the recent government action against peaceful demonstrations in Sindh and other parts of the country. SANA declares its complete solidarity with the united struggle of Sindhi people for their historic national rights and against unfair distribution of economic and natural resources in the country. SANA strongly believes in the restoration of democracy and provincial autonomy in Pakistan based on a historic covenant of 1940 Lahore Resolution.

We demand that all imprisoned leaders Rasool Bux Paleejo, Wishnoo Mal of Awami Tahreek (AT), Dodo Maheri of Sindh National Party (SNP), Abrar Kazi of Sindh Democrats Party (SDP), Zahida Shaikh of Sindhiani Tahreek (ST), Muhammad Rahimoon of Jeeay Sindh Qaoumi Muhaz (JSQM), Hakeem Zangejo of Sindhi Shagird Tahreek (SST) and Hiader Mallah of Sindh Taraqi Passand Party (STP) and hundreds of workers be released and freedom of speech and assembly be restored immediately.

SANA supports 4-point struggle of oppressed Sindh against acute water shortage, arrests of political leaders and workers, district govt. plan and unemployment. SANA also supports the call of "Sindh Solidarity Day" which is being observed on March 26, 2001.

SANA President, Mr. Sani Panhwar assured imprisoned Sindhi leadership of his organization's support for unity amongst all overseas Sindhi organizations. He mentioned that SANA has already taken very important steps by establishing SINDH RIGHTS COMMITTEE under chairmanship of former SANA president Mr. Iqbal Tareen. SINDH RIGHTS COMMITTEE has issued a call for united action of all overseas Sindhi organizations to support current struggle in Sindh. We have received positive response from various individuals and groups. It is SANA's goal to invite all Sindhi parties and groups to arrange an inclusive All Sindhi "Meeting of Minds" during its annual convention in July, 2001. The objective of this gathering will be to determine common grounds for combined future initiatives.
 

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