Are/is BALOCH a terrorist organization?  A letter to Ajit Ninan

This picture is published in Pune Mirror on 9 March 2010 Tuesday (page 10), as well as, on http://www.mumbaimirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=Cartoons§id=63&contentid=201003092010030904132553e6480628  by Ajit Ninan   

With tons of dossiers from across the border, who needs sandbags?

Surprisingly, this caricature projects the Baloch as a terrorist organization like that of Alqaeda and Taliban. Certainly, this Indian journalist or caricaturist (Ajit Ninan) does not have any idea about the Baloch.  Whether they are a group like Alqaeda or they are a group like Taliban, nothing matters; rather what matters is to share his half knowledge with the audience. It seems that he follows the news superficially and does not care about the historical developments in these regions.

      Dear Ajit, for your information, you should know at least some basic information about the Baloch. This can prevent you from doing other mistakes. Baloch are not a small group like Alqaeda. Like Maharashtarians who live in India, they live in certain parts of the world such as, in Balochistan of Pakistan, in Sistan va Balochistan of Iran, in southern parts of Afghanistan like Nimrooz, in the Gulf States, and a number of them live in Europe and North America. Unlike the Taliban or Alqaeda, Baloch live with their families. It may be interesting for you that you can find any type of people in the Balochi society including doctors, scientists, engineers, students, presidents, prime ministers, governors, etc. Although a small section is involved in terrorist activities, this is true with any society; I think you did not know that. In India, we have Indian terrorists; in the US, we have American terrorists, etc.  

      Again for your information, Baloch have their own culture and language which you can simply find such information on internet. If you just go to Wikipedia, you will come to know about the differences between Baloch and Taliban or Alqaeda. Of course, you have to read about Taliban or Alqaeda separately.

      Dear journalist or whosoever you may be, you have compared two quite different things which are not relevant at all. It is ridicules.  You have compared Baloch (a nation or ethnic nationality) with a terrorist organization like Alqaeda!!! It is just as you compare Maharashtarians with Indian Mojahedin. I will appreciate that if you justify yourself. Do not make such things without full knowledge on your side. It is very far from a journalist!!!

Dr. Ahmad Reza Taheri, Research Associate, National Center of International Security & Defense Analysis, University of Pune.

15 March 2010

www.ahmadrezataheri.org